Yorkshire & The Humber – Page 25

critical masses (reports from end June/beginning July 2007)

Manchester:Ace mass on friday woo! despite all the students being away for the summer there was still an ace turnout of around 30-40 people.nice. and a few stayed for a nice bbq in the park which was real lovely.

Critical mass has a my space account
here:http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass
and a facebook account here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597661675&ref=mf

also an email list at http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/manccriticalmass

so if you have photos or film of the masses please post or upload them or email for the passwords and i’ll send them out to you. also please use these and this list to discuss ideas and calls for help with future events for after the critical mass. In the past we’ve had benefit gigs, party in the woods, film nights, meals, beers in pubs, picnics, bike polo workshops, art exhibition, roller races etc etc. It would be ace if everyone could be involved in organising these. maybe we could even get together a little cm events working group..would anyone be interested in this? we could get together either after cm or in the month to share ideas, organisation and tasks.

these things can be discussed on this list or on myspace comments or on the facebook note or wall

ALSO
At previous critical masses in Manchester we decided on the following tips to ensure that we are all safe,that we cause least annoyance as possible, to make sure the ride stays together and to ensure that everyone feels comfortable. Remember sometimes people on critical mass come because it is a chance to reclaim the road and to feel safe, people who wouldnt usually ride in central manchester and also children, so its good to keep the nice friendly atmosphere to encourage cycling and that safe environment…if people want to discuss these its great, they were points that were agreed at several critical masses by people shouting and waving hands and that kind of thing. there is no organiser and everyone should be able to have their say. (in a way that is responsible and looking after each other)

1. If the light goes on red as the ride approaches the lights we stop and wait for green.
2. If the light changes part way through the ride getting through around 2 people per lane of oncoming traffic stop and cork the road. This basically means that they stand in the middle of that lane holding up their hand/ a sign saying ‘thank you for waiting’ so that cars will stop and let the ride stay together and go through the light safely. Thanking the drivers when everyone is through..we are trying to get drivers onto bikes not to hate us!!!
3. Slower riders and children and people with less confidence ride at the front of the ride and to the left hand side so that they can set the pace and help to stay together and also feel safer as they are less likely to be near traffic/ annoyed drivers.
4. We don’t have a set route for critical mass, instead whoever is at the front at the time can choose where we go, so we take it in turns! just shout left or right or straight on in plenty of time!
5. Have fun!

Future critical mass dates are

MEET CENTRAL LIBRARY 6PM FRIDAY:
27th July
31st August
28th September
26th October
30th November
28th December

2008
25th January
29th February (woo leap year!)
28th March
etc etc

London: Critical Mass 29th June – The June Critical Mass, with a few hundred cyclists, was a fun ride through the City and Holborn and managed to stay dry the whole way through!

Several hundred people left Waterloo bridge at about 7pm, cycling across Blackfriars bridge, along Ludgate Hill, past the Museum of London and onto Liverpool Street station. After some circling of Finsbury Circus the mass kept moving on to Old Street where we had a brief rest. Moving off the mass headed for Cambridge Circus along Theobalds road and High Holborn. From there it moved up and along Oxford Street and down to Westminster Square where there were some skirmishes with the cops over the sound system (see the account: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374738.html)

It was a fun ride. The police for the most part seemed to keep their distance. Entertainingly a couple of police started head bobbing to the music in Old Street – I’m hoping someone got a film of it! Let’s hope next month is slightly sunnier though.

Edinburgh: It went pretty well. Around 50 people. Considerably more than last month. There was no police intervention, apart from preventing all vehicles to go across North Bridge, since it was shut again. We simply diverted down Leith Street, went all the way round the roundabout, then along Queen Street to the meadows from there. In the last 5 minutes the heavens opened.

Glasgow got the sun and a ride out to the West End complete with bike lifts and a film screening afterwards.

July York Critical Mass Ride Small but Successful

Well, it wasn’t a big ride, with just 19 people taking part, but we had fun, made cycling visible and encountered some complete idiots who need their 2 ton weapons removing from beneath them. The driver of a bright red Audi on Nunnery Lane expended much petrol revving, overtaking (twice) and generally being an idiot without any gain for himself, other than a nice picture showing that he, like a notable group of York’s drivers, has no concern whatsoever for cycle lanes or cyclists. No one was hurt, but as one person put it later “we gave as good as we got”, verbally of course.

Next months ride will probably also be small, but that’s no excuse not to show up. On Friday August 3rd we’ll be returning to the streets of York to promote cycling, sustainability and fun, same time and same place.

Miffed by Miffy

I don’t know how it came about but the Miffy rabbit character has for a long time been associated with the Earth First! movement and radical ecological direct action. But do the creators and copyright owners of the character know or approve of Miffy’s political activities?…

Miffy is a picture book character created by Dick Bruna in 1955, after telling his one-year-old son Sierk stories about a rabbit they had seen on holiday. Miffy now features in about 30 titles which have been translated into 40 different languages, selling over 80 million copies all over the world.

Drawn in a very minimalist style, Miffy requires only a few lines and one or two primary colors drawn in two dimensions to be recognisable. Perhaps this, and the sense of air of innocence over mischief explains why she become involved in ecological direct action.

It’s unclear exactly when exactly it began but you can trace her political activities, in this country at least, back to the early 90’s and the anti-roads movement. Seen coyly holding a spanner behind her back, one could only imagine the trail of monkey wrenching she left behind her in her efforts to defend the fields, woodland and hedgerows she loved.

By the late nineties, with the roads building program in retreat, Miffy joined the growing anti GM movement, taking up a spade to join the resistance. More recently, Miffy joined her fellow protesters for a game of golf up in Scotland during the 2005 G8 summit and who know, perhaps she also took part in the blockades in Heiligendamm this year.

At over fifty years old you’d think that Miffy would be her own person, free to express her political beliefs as she sees fit but sadly it appears not. The copyright owners of all Dick Bruna’s character constantly hunt down unlicensed users of her image in order to defend their profitable merchandising business.

While Miffy was created for a children’s book, the design has been capitalised on to sell numerous other products like clothes, stationery, toys, glasses, household items etc. A search for Miffy products on google brings up over 100,000 pages and no doubt many of the products sold are unlicensed copies made in far eastern sweat shops.

However, Mercis, the Dutch company that owns the copyright, are not content to simply take action on those producing ‘fake’ merchandise, they appears to have stumbled on Miffy’s radical secret life and they are not amused. They are deeply offended, ironically, by Miffys involvement in the campaign against patents on life, as depicted in sticker produced many years ago promoting the (long dead), www.resistanceisfertile.com website – copies of which can now only be found in resource archives of the (no longer maintained) Totnes Against Genetics (ToGG) website.

Mercis (www.mercis.nl) have unleashed their legal team to threaten expensive legal action against whoever might be held accountable – the inactive Totnes Genetics Group who’s long unmaintained website sill contains a picture of that Miffy sticker.

While ToGG volunteers try to get long forgotten passwords and access from the internet service provider which hosts the website in order to remove the offending image, more important questions have been raised. Will Miffy tolerate this attack on her freedom of expression and will her friends in the movement stand idly by and watch as her freedom to protest is taken away?

Other siting of Miffy can be found at https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374195.html?c=on#comments

Ramona Africa – ON A MOVE tour of UK

Ramona Africa is touring the UK speaking about the incredible story of MOVE. MOVE are a largely black eco-revolutionary group based in Philadelphia. They have campaigned on environmental, animal rights and anti-police repression issues for thirty years. They have never backed down in the face of overt racist police repression.

More info: www.onamove2007.org.uk

In 1978 nine members of MOVE were imprisoned for a blatantly framed murder, they are still imprisoned with their first chance of parole in August 2008. In 1985 the city of Philadelphia sort the ‘final solution’ for the MOVE ‘problem’ by attacking their home with 10,000 rounds of ammunition, tear gas, water cannons and finally a bomb that burnt 60 homes to the ground. 6 MOVE adults and 5 children were burned to death. Ramona managed to escape with one of the children.
She was sentenced to seven years for ‘riot’.

Mumia Mumia Abu-Jamal is a MOVE supporter who also has also experienced the injustice of the system whilst spending over 26 years on death row for a crime he did not commit.

Come and hear about all these events and see the MOVE documentary narrated by Howard Zinn.

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June:
Thu 21ST @ 1in12 Bradford
Fri 22nd @ The Workshop Cafe Bar Norwich 7pm
Sun 24th @ The Common Place Leeds 6pm
Mon 25th @ The West Indian Club Leeds 6.30pm
Wed 27th @ The Cowley Club Brighton 7pm
Thu 28th @ The Rampart Centre London 7pm
Fri 29th @ Bath Place Leamington Spa
Sat 30th @ The Drum Birmingham 7pm
July:
Sun 1st @ The Star and Shadow Cinema Newcastle 7.30pm
Mon 2nd @ The Cube Cinema Bristol 8pm
(Kebele are also turning their regular Sunday Vegan cafe into a
benefit for MOVE on Sunday 1st July)

Thousands strip off for London’s Naked Bike Ride + Manchester video + Brighton + York

In 2004 there were 58 riders, in 2005 a creditable 250 riders, rising to a massive 800 in 2006.

But in a scale that surprised even the organisers, more than five thousand people today took to London’s streets to protest against oil dependency, celebrate body freedom and curb car culture.

Starting from Hyde Park, there was a slight deviation in route as precautions were taken to avoid a collision with an Orange march (featuring as scary a bunch of apparent loons and psychopaths as you’d ever not want to meet).

Halted half way down Piccadilly the scale of the ride became apparent, as it still tailed back well into Hyde Park (first picture).

Part of the fun took it straight through the heart of London’s tourist hellhole, Covent Garden. But the roar of appreciation from the crowds made the cobbly streets more than tolerable.

Why so many? Well many of the riders had been to last month’s Critical Mass, swollen to record numbers as a result of State attempts to control it and make it “illegal”. Empowered, as many put it, the next stage was to get their clothes off and take it up a level.

“Roll on” as Rikki put in his report of that day “the next piece of repressive legislation”.

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Manchester 2007 WNBR evening Friday 8th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEuDP7BOBUc

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Brighton 07 World Naked Bike Ride
On Saturday, more than 200 naked cyclists rode through Brighton and Hove in East Sussex. “Bikes and naked bodies harm nobody. Car fumes… are driving us all to climate chaos.”

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York:

Sheffield NVDA Training and Plane Stupid Benefit

Plane Stupid NVDA Training and Benefit Gig
Join us for some Plane Stupid fun!
Plane Stupid Sheffield is hosting two fabulous events this Sunday the 10th of June.

First, at 11am in the Octagon bar, we’re having a bit of morning and an afternoon of insight into the intricacies and practicalities of non-violent direct action (NVDA) and quick consensus decision-making. If you’ve ever wondered what people do when they want to take meaningful action against things that they oppose, and the ins and outs of getting arrested for doing so, or how it is possible to quickly make groups decisions that everybody is in agreement on, then come along and be part of some collective and interactive education!

Plane Stupid NVDA Training and Benefit Gig
Join us for some Plane Stupid fun!
Plane Stupid Sheffield is hosting two fabulous events this Sunday the 10th of June.

Then, from 8pm that evening is a Plane Stupid benefit gig at the lovely Red House ( http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=53.38447,-1.47792|17|4&loc=GB:53.38447:-1.47792:17|168%20Solly%20Street|168%20Solly%20Street,%20FULWOOD%20(SHEFFIELD),%20S3).
Music will be brought to your ears by Just Potatoes, Acloustic Domination, Sarah Barker with further complementary Djs.

Admission to the workshop is free/donation. Food will be provided collectively, so if you want to come then bring some food to share and we can all enjoy a plentiful and varied lunch. To get into the gig in the evening will cost you just £1.50 suggested donation!

sheffield@planestupid.com
http://www.planestupid.com

Critical Mass reports – London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Edinburgh, York

London:
The cycle police were pretty laid back and vastly outnumbered, though they did still try to manage the ride by blocking the front so that the back could catch up. What does it matter if a 1,000 riders get split into two or more though? Towards the end of the ride the police seemed to give up doing anything, they didn’t even try to stop a couple of cars going the wrong way down a one way street, and they just blended in and became a part of the Mass.

The police intervened with an incident with a young rider at King’s Cross. I couldn’t make out whether the rider had been involved in accident and the police were just taking particulars or if the rider was being reprimanded. Anyway this led to some booing from the Mass.

Participants did quite a lot of blockading traffic and even a small sit
down in Parliament Square, though this was probably celebratory and
defiant. Nothing was done to stop the sound systems playing in the SOCPA zone this time. The impression I got from other riders was that this was a very good Mass. I went expecting the worst and got almost the best.

http://criticalmasslondon.org.uk

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the incident at kings cross involved a rider being caught stealing a light from the back of a cops bike. the police got pissed and tried to arrest her but a few other riders, and unfortunately i mean a few, intervened and let it be known that it would be very difficult for the police to arrest her – which they decided would therefore not be worth it. i personally think that those on the CM should not allow fellow riders to be arrested – an easy thing to acheive when we vastly outnumber the cops.
respect to the few that helped out.

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The atmosphere on the ride was really friendly with a few small sound systems and a variety of pretty mad bikes and trailers adding to the magic. There were loads of new faces and people of every age and background.

There were also plenty of cops. They had talked to a few people as the ride met up at Waterloo Bridge and were seen handing some kind of paperwork to the owner of one of the sound systems, but no sign of any significant attempt to curtail the ride. Far from being oppressive, they kept themselves to themselves on the whole.

I personally got a quite pissed off a few times by seemingly inconsiderate behavior from the ride itself – for example, not letting pedestrians cross the road. In another example, a bus coming in the opposite direction was blocked by cyclists on the wrong side of the road and held up for at least ten minutes as a result.
The cops did grab a few idiots and give them some stern words on several occasions throughout the ride for cycling on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.

The police made fools of themselves at Parliament Square when they tried to block the rides third or forth rotation around the square and ended up stalling the ride there for a good half hour. The ride would have moved off much quicker if left to it’s own devices as the ride likes to move and becomes impatient when people stop.

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Videos from London:

Quicktime video – video/mp4 9.3M
Windows video – video/x-ms-wmv 13M

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Manchester video rough-cut

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BIG BIKE BLESSING – Another great Critical Mass bike ride in Glasgow

About 80 cyclists came out to the Big Bike Blessing on this sunny evening in Glasgow. The priest from the church of the Holly Bikes were sent by St Cycle to help cyclists realize that by ridding their bikes they are actually saving the city dwellers and the planet at the same time. Every cyclists was praised as a hero, a savior for they are the only ones that can help this oil driven economy. They are the only ones that can bring fresh air to the contaminated city. They are the ones taking action on a daily bases no matter where they are from, what their religion might be, or what their profession is. The bike will save us. AMEN!

Holly oil was used to bless about 20 bikes and every cyclist was thanked for their incredible achievement, their heroic act of using their self propelled vehicles. They were told that the Great St Cycles is looking over all of us and that we will be looked after during our ride around the city as long as we stick together.

The ceremonious aspect of this gathering actually created some great interactions and made people curious to the point of wanting to know more. There were some very interesting discussion about our religious belief in bikes (which challenged people in their own beliefs). This also brought all the cyclists together.

As for cultural diversity, and just to show that it’s not about the religion but about bikes, there were a few people sending blessings dressed in a more Hindu style as well. There was even some strange reptile that decided to join the ceremonies of the day.

The Weird Bike Show brought out the ZEM (Zero Emissions Machine) once again, with it’s hopping sound system and provided the brothers and sisters from the church of the Holly Bikes a brilliant ride.

The promised Divine Intervention did occur around Trongate where a pair of shoes belonging to no other than St Cycles were carefully left on top of an electric box before he himself was taken to the sky.

As for the police charging cyclists of blocking traffic last month, there was a completely different vibe this month. There were two police officers on bikes that came along to the ride. They were very mellow and therefor were given quite a few blessings.

We also have some excellent footage that shows how fast bikes can get out of the way to let things like fire trucks and the police through. The only thing holding these emergency vehicles up were the motors … not bikes.

The mass finished in George Sq where everyone left was stamped with a ‘Bike Route’ Stamp ensuring a special discount to the gig at the Art School with Jumble Sales Sound System and Bedlam Boudoir fancy burlesque night.

For those that claimed Critical Mass was dead … I’m pleased to inform you that our numbers are still growing and we’re loving it.

Bless you Bike!!

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Bristol: Critical Mass yesterday was phenomenal. I think we had over 100 participants and it was flowing beautifully for about 40 minutes… Then of course some drivers, three I think, all got a bit impatient all at once and a couple of cyclists were knocked over, 14 police cars an ambulance and a riot van, two arrests later, tail backs from the Fountains right up past Stokes Croft… all got a bit nasty. It will be interesting to see if the press have anything to say and what the police presence is next time…

Just to be clear though, whilst there was quite a lot going on as far as I am aware at least one of those arrested got stuck in to the fracas after the police arrived and had nothing to do with the ride itself, and neither of the cyclists who were hit behaved inappropriately at any point. No motorists were arrested and the police let one hit and run driver leave the scene without formally recording an accident, despite him having deliberately rammed a cyclist and ruined his bicycle.

So, people, I understand there will be another ride on the 29th of May. Meet 5.30pm at the Fountains, leave at 6pm. Those of you who aren’t at Glastonbury that is. The more reasonable cyclists that attend the better we can create a good organic flow and have a safe and effective ride to celebrate cycling.

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I was at the Edinburgh Critical Mass yesterday, with about 15 or 20 of us there. It went along fairly peacefully, with the exception of the police in the middle of the meadows. The banner that someone had, had to be taken down, but apart from that there was no issue, apart from some tailbacks.

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York‘s May Critical Mass a success

Somewhere between 35 and 40 riders took part in this months ride including a number of new faces. Flags displaying statements such as “One Less Car” and “I [bike] YRK” were attached to people’s bikes as they assembled at the Minster. The large amounts of fliering in the previous week seemed to have had a wonderful effect, though the weather could have been better. We met some interesting responses along the way. When we reached the suggested end point of St Sampsons Square, the ride ended up continuing to circle the square for some time before finally stopping. It definitely looks like, having slipped to just 20 a month, the ride is heading back to higher numbers, and could make 100 by the end of the year.
At 6:05 the ride left, heading for Holgate Road and Poppleton Road. After crossing Clifton Bridge, the ride headed down Water End into Clifton, and after a messy turn, proceeded along Kingsway North to the roundabout, where the customary 2.5 rotations was achieved. The ride then followed Crighton Avenue to Burton Stone Lane, where the away team coach for the evening’s City match was found coming in the opposite direction. The ride turned towards town, in along Bootham, through Gillygate, through Lord Mayors walk and out along Monkgate, where the roundabout provided yet more fun. Back in, through Bootham Bar, and round the Minster, then over to the Assembly Rooms and Davey Gate. At this point, the ride approached the agreed finishing point in St Sampsons Square. Due to the cycle racks and phones, the ride went round the first side, where upon, instead of turning into the square, it continued onwards around and around. So immature, but so much fun!

World Naked Bike Ride comes to Southampton! Other UK locations – York, Manchester, London, Brighton

In the fourth year of this imaginative and spectacular environmental protest, The World Naked Bike Ride is to see its first event in Southampton on Friday 8 June.

On the weekend of 8-10 June 2007, in over 40 cities worldwide, people will be riding bikes naked to celebrate cycling and the human body. In the UK, the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR, www.worldnakedbikeride.org) is baring all in London and Brighton on Saturday 9 June; and Southampton, Manchester and York the day before, on Friday 8 June. The ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency. Cyclists and skaters are encouraged to “be there, as bare as you dare”.

Probably the biggest worldwide naked protest in history, WNBR differs from other mass cycle events because of its astonishing naked element. According to the organisers, most bystanders experience a combined feeling of “amusement, shock and disbelief”.

Southampton’s ride will take place on Friday evening, to allow participants to also ride in Brighton and London on the following day should they wish.

The WNBR dress code is “as bare as you dare” – participants are encouraged to wear “as little as they feel confident with”. Joining the fully nude contingent, some riders in London and Brighton last year wore shorts, bras, swimwear, body paint, wigs, sunglasses etc. Most wear footwear and bring bags to carry clothes. Body painting and adornment, customised bikes and other creative expression are all strongly encouraged.

WNBR celebrates the individuality of people’s bodies. Riders of all ages, sizes, builds and appearances are therefore welcome to participate with dignity and respect. “Most riders find the experience exhilarating, liberating, empowering. I’ve yet to find anyone who didn’t enjoy it” says Southampton resident Nat Ravelle, who has participated in the London and Brighton rides in previous years. “At the same time, it makes a great statement about the most vital issue of our times: curbing our excessive use of oil to ensure the future of the planet.”

WNBR Southampton will take place on the evening of Friday 8 June. Riders will meet at 6pm on Southampton Common – off Highfield Road, opposite the junction with Omderman Road. The route will proceed along Portswood Road and onwards through the city centre, and returning up the magnificent Avenue to the start location.

More details of the Southampton ride can be found at http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/uk/southampton

For further information, contact Rob, southampton@bikenaked.org

Activist Mediation Network – open for business

The Activist Mediation Network is now up and running. If you know of any activist group or activist individual who has a conflict which is affecting their ability to change our world for the better, then get in touch and we may be able to help sort it out.

activistmediation@aktivix.org
www.activistmediation.org.uk

We are continuing to run training days for people wanting to learn conflict resolution and mediation skills.

Upcoming dates
Monday June 18th in Norwich. Day 1 – How we deal with conflict, Conflict resolution tools, Basic mediation practice. Limited places available.
Book asap by emailing us.

We are probably going to do a 2 day course at the Earth First gathering in Norfolk, 18-22nd July. This is especially for those going to Climate Camp. It will go like this:

Friday July 20th – Day 1 – How we deal with conflict, Conflict resolution tools, Basic mediation practice.

Saturday July 21st – Day 2 – Practising mediation skills. Only available to people who have completed a Day 1 with us.

These days will only run if there is enough demand. There will be limites places and we may decide people need to commit in advance. Get in touch if you are interested.

Apologies that all these dates are in Norfolk. If you think there is a demand for a training day in your area, do get in touch.

Climate Camp To Target Heathrow (& new videos: Another End of the World is Possible)

Last summer, over 600 people converged outside Drax coal-fired power station for 10 days of sustainable living and collective education, culminating in a day of mass action against Drax. This year, the Camp for Climate Action will pitch its tents near Heathrow airport.

There will be a day of mass direct action aiming to disrupt the activities of the airport and the aviation industry, but in the interests of public safety there will be no attempt to blockade runways.

Although the location is different, the philosophy of the camp remains the same: to be a place for the burgeoning network of people taking radical action on climate change around the country to come together for a week of low-impact living, education, debate, networking, strategising, celebration, and direct action. The camp will feature over 100 workshops covering topics such as climate change impacts, carbon offsetting, biofuels, peak oil, permaculture, practical renewables, campaign strategy, skills for direct action, and much more. Run without leaders by everyone who comes along, it will be a working ecological village using renewable energy, composting waste and sourcing food locally.

Aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and all our efforts to tackle climate change in other sectors are undone by the massive growth in air travel. Holding the camp at Heathrow aims to highlight the lunacy of the government’s airport expansion plans, target industry giants profiteering from the climate crisis, and raise awareness of the need to fly less. The camp will also support local residents in their long-term struggle against the building of a third runway and the destruction of their communities.

It all comes down to us, now. We are the last generation that can do anything about climate change. In 20 or 30 years time, should we not change our ways, we’ll be committed to emissions increases that will see forests burn, soils decay, oceans rise, and millions of people die. If we don’t get this issue right, so much else is lost too.

We still have time, but not for long. Make it count.

Camp for Climate Action, 14th – 21st August 2007.
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

To celebrate the announcement of the location for this summer’s CAMP
FOR CLIMATE ACTION – Heathrow Airport, we present:

ANOTHER END OF THE WORLD IS POSSIBLE
7 Video portraits of radical climate activists

“Apocalypse is always easier to imagine than the strange and circuitous routes to what actually comes next.”
Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark: The Untold History of People Power, Cannongate 2005.

Another End of the World is Possible is a series of captivating video portraits of people taking radical action against the root causes of climate change. Ranging from an activist who occupied an airport’s
taxi way, to a teacher working with kids on a deprived housing estate, the portraits demonstrate the wonderful diversity of those who will be taking part in this years Camp for Climate Action in the UK : 14th –21st August. see the all at www.climatecamp.org.uk

The 7 – 5 minute long portraits are also posted on numerous video platforms including youtube,archive.org, daily motion,v-social – Quicktime copies can be downloaded from http://www.guidedurenard.org/bm/library/7 . If you want a dvd copy contact john@labofii.net

Interviewees are: Catherine – Climate Camp; Duncan Law – Transition Town Brixton; Pauline – Rite2No; John Stewart- Airport Watch, Julie – Growing Communities; Leo – Plane Stupid; Kevin Smith – Carbon Trade
Watch.

International Day of Direct Action Against Climate Change and the G8 – UK events: Haringey… (& Jeff Luers solidarity callout)

Friday 8th June 2007
Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We all know the terrifying statistics: a million species extinct by 2050, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record since 1980, Greenland and Antarctica melting, droughts, floods, famines … the G8 have had over 30 years to address climate change and only succeeded in providing trillions in subsidies to the very industries that are destroying our planet and our future. And while the G8 continues to line their pockets, island states disappear and hundreds of thousands die as a result of the freak weather conditions caused by their irrational and uncontrollable obsession with never ending economic growth.

Friday 8th June 2007
Direct Action for Climate Justice – Resistance is Self Defense!

We have a ten-year window to act. As the megalomaniac G8 leaders meet in Germany, masked behind a barrier of fences and soldiers, intent on leading us further towards catastrophic and irreversible climate chaos, we must shout, scream and roar ‘no more’. Now is the time to take direct action and shut them down, them and their climate criminal industry friends!

The 8th of June International Day of Action Against Climate Change and the G8 has been called by the International Rising Tide Network. This is a call for autonomous, decentralized actions appropriate for your town, city, or local area. Use this international day of action to support local struggles against oil refineries, gas pipelines, strip mines and coal-fired power plants. Disrupt the financial backers of the fossil fuel industry. Organise workshops to spread sustainable post-petroleum living skills. Find a weak point in the infrastructure of resource exploitation and throw a literal or symbolic wrench in the works. It’s time to visit your local polluters and give ’em hell!

We already know of actions planned across the UK, North America, Germany, Canada and Australia and that’s just the start! By 8th June actions will be planned around the world. Pass this call out on to all environmental justice, climate action, radical sustainability and related movements in all the G8 countries and the Global South.

Rising Tide will create a collection of outreach and agit-prop materials (including this call out in five different languages) that can be used by groups around the world to organise locally. These materials will be downloadable from www.risingtide.org.uk and http://risingtidenorthamerica.org.
Direct action and civil disobedience are the rational response in this time of crisis. Support the 8th of June International Day of Direct Action against Climate Change and the G8! Tell us about planned actions for climate justice being planned in your community. Contact us – info@risingtide.org.uk and contact@risingtidenorthamerica.org

In June 2007 the G8 will understand the meaning of rebellion, revolt and revolution. Their recipe for catastrophe will be met with our worldwide resistance!

*G8 Day of Action Resources – Downloadable G8 day of Action flyers and posters.
*Organise a Critical Mass Bike Ride on the 8th of June – here are some leaflet ideas to help you.

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You could link your event in with Day of Solidarity with Jeffrey Free Luers, June 9, 2007:

June marks the seventh year that our friend and comrade, Jeffrey “Free” Luers has been imprisoned and held captive by the state. Sentenced to an outrageous 22 years and 8 months for burning three Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) at Romania Chevrolet in Eugene, Jeff has continued to be active in prison and fight back with his words and inspiration. Although Jeff recently won his appeal and is expecting a reduced sentence, this case is not over:

“I have spoken with my attorney and there are still many battles ahead. Hard choices will have to be made. I am by no means close to walking out of prison, just one step closer. This is a victory, and while my own personal struggle is making headway others are just beginning.”

We encourage people to organize events for Jeff and other political prisoners, uniting struggles for human, earth, and animal liberation. In Jeff’s own words:

“This June, show your solidarity with me, and all those who have struggled, past and present, to make this world a better place. Struggle with us. Hold demonstrations or gatherings at federal buildings or US embassies and demand change. It doesn’t matter what cause or issue you fight for – we are all connected. What does matter is that we stand united and make our voices heard.”

More at http://freefreenow.org/june2007.html

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HARINGEY CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE 2007

Can’t make it to Germany? Sick of the all those cars getting in your way on the autobahn! Don’t despair…join us on Saturday 9th of June for the 2007 Haringey Critical Mass. A leisurely ride down the Green Lanes to reclaim our streets and send a breath of fresh air to those meeting in Germany.

Saturday 9th June • Assemble 12 Noon @ Manor House
• Finishing at Chestnuts Park for a picnic •

All Welcome: especially cycles, scooters, wheelchairs, skateboards, rollerblades, pedestrians…
Supported by Haringey Solidarity Group www.haringey.org.uk

FOR CLEAN AIR AND A GREEN G8

WHY HAVE A CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE IN HARINGEY?
We are joining together on a Critical Mass Bike Ride through Haringey as a colourful and fun way of highlighting environmental and transport issues in the borough. In the week when the G8 are gathering in Germany and the day
after the International Day of Direct Action Against Climate Change we should also be focusing on the global crisis of climate change and the environmental impacts of oil dependency.

• It’s time we reclaimed our streets from the traffic and congestion that causes toxic levels of pollution and injury and death.
• We want cycle lanes on Green Lanes and all over Haringey to make cycling a safer, more viable form of transport.
• We want measures in place to reduce traffic speeds on all roads in Haringey, where dangerous driving regularly puts cyclists, children and pedestrians at risk.

WHAT’S THE G8 GOT TO DO WITH THIS?

• The G8 (Group of eight, most industrialized nations) Summits are hosted, on rotation, by the group’s member states. In 2007 the summit is to be held on 6-8 June in Rostock, Germany.
• While it seems to be in the news a lot, Climate Change is perhaps the issue that has received least attention compared to the scale of destruction that life on earth is facing. It is the most serious problem facing the world, more serious than international terrorism, according to the UK Government’s chief scientific advisor.
• Climate change needs to be higher on the G8 agenda. However, we cannot leave it just to the scientists and politicians to dismantle the carbon machine.
• This bike ride aims to highlight this issue through action and the promotion of cycling.

Let’s celebrate the freedom and pleasure of travelling by bike – it’s much more fun and much healthier than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam. This will be a fun day out for everyone in a safe, supportive, positive atmosphere, showing how much safer and more pleasant our streets can be.

COME AND JOIN US!

If you feel it’s time to promote cycling and encourage a more sustainable Haringey, or if you would like to get involved, visit the Haringey Solidarity Group website: www.haringey.org.uk