Other
For the latest up-to-the-minute reports from London & elsewhere for the protests for Fossil Fools’ Day, Financial Fools’ Day and the G20 summit, see https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2009/g20/ and the IMC newswire.
For links to what’s planned, meeting points & resources, see http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22201
We’ll feature compiled reports here later in the day. See you in the streets!
For the latest up-to-the-minute reports from London & elsewhere for the protests for Fossil Fools’ Day, Financial Fools’ Day and the G20 summit, see https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2009/g20/ and the IMC newswire.
For links to what’s planned, meeting points & resources, see http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/22201
We’ll feature compiled reports here later in the day. See you in the streets!
Yesterday (Monday March 30th) the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) occupied the main entrance of Louisa Ryland House (Birmingham City Council’s main housing an
Yesterday (Monday March 30th) the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) occupied the main entrance of Louisa Ryland House (Birmingham City Council’s main housing and social services office) over the way that disabled people are treated by the council.
Around 20 activists, who had come from as far afield as London, Leeds and Manchester, marched from the city centre (pausing only for a photo opportunity outside the Council House) at 1pm, chanting slogans such as “What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!” and “I’d rather go to jail than die in a nursing home”. Despite the fact that an article about the action had already appeared in that morning’s Birmingham Mail, Louisa Ryland House were totally unprepared for the invasion, with not even security guards initially present when DAN entered, chanting “Business as usual – ain’t gonna happen!”
We occupied the lobby and blockaded the entrance with 2 wheelchairs chained together (with banners and people handing out leaflets to both council workers and passers-by outside in the street) for about 2 hours before any police turned up – initially it was a pair of “Community Support Officers” who essentially said they agreed with us and walked away, then about half an hour later the actual West Midlands Police came, but were very clearly totally unprepared to arrest a group of disabled people, repeatedly warning us that we were breaking the law (er, we knew that) and that if we stayed we would be arrested… however, they didn’t seem to want to get round to it…
(One officer did tell us that it would be “zero tolerance” if we did it again… not quite sure if that’s believable! Also amusing was the guy with a huge pair of bolt-cutters who BCC security called in, who essentially took one look at the small and flimsy-looking yet effective chain and left proclaiming it not worth calling him out for…)
At around 4pm, after the police had told him about our protest, BCC’s Director of Health and Social Care Peter Hay actually came out to meet us (the other councillors and executives we addressed our demands to were apparently still in their “important meetings”… presumably deciding just how little of their 2009 budget they could get away with doling out to disabled people), and after some negotiation we secured a meeting with him and other representatives of his department on Friday 3rd April, as a result of which we decided collectively to call the occupation off and retire happily to a local accessible pub.
DAN’s demands in Birmingham are for accessible, affordable housing for all disabled people (in ordinary streets and communities, not in the ghetto-like “Extra Care” housing developments that BCC is currently building, which will give disabled people living in them “in-house” staff as their only option for providing personal care needs, making them essentially no more than nursing homes under another name), Direct Payments to employ personal assistants (PAs) to be granted to all disabled people who need personal assistance (which it is a legal obligation for all local authorities to offer to all disabled people meeting the eligibility criteria – yet despite this number being in the tens of thousands in Birmingham, only 482 disabled people in the whole city currently get them), and an end to the unjust “care” charging policies which require the poorest disabled people to pay most towards their own “care”, driving them even further into poverty.
Birmingham DAN know many disabled people who are literally unable to leave their houses (if they are lucky enough to be housed at all) and living in squalor and hopelessness without the assistance needed for the most basic of daily tasks (such as cooking, housework, and in some cases even dressing and showering) and, even when supposedly having “independent living”, lacking any meaningful choice and control over our own lives. We demand true independent living (as defined according to the Social Model of Disability, meaning not “doing everything for oneself” but “having control over one’s own life”) and self-determination for all disabled people under the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us”!
The Birmingham Post and Mail (2 local papers owned by the same company) both covered us, with slightly different photos and stories, but the latter printed the ludicrous claim on behalf of Birmingham City Council that “We’ve always maintained we are happy to meet with DAN representatives and discuss their concerns.” – well, if that was the case, we wouldn’t have had to take direct action, would we?
BCC also exposed just how far they are from reality by openly admitting to the press that “the average waiting time for priority [housing] adaptations is 58 weeks” (yes, over a YEAR), as if that was something to be proud of… what planet are they on?
It remains to be seen what, if anything, will come of the meeting between DAN and Birmingham City Council on Friday, but we will assure them in no uncertain terms that if they continue to fail to meet their legal obligations to accessibly house and grant Direct Payments to disabled people, we will be back!
These issues are not just present in Birmingham but nationwide. After a relative absence for the last few years, DAN is rising up again to highlight and bring to an end these injustices. “When we are under attack – disabled people fight back!” Councils, charities and any other organisations which oppress disabled people around the country – watch out for forthcoming DAN actions near you…
Another DAN activist’s report with more photos here: http://clairlewis.livejournal.com/4495.html
Activist Youtube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMERfR4tmps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPXAPiVMztc
Mainstream media Youtube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EslOKMwz0vg
Story in the Birmingham Mail here: http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/03/31/wheelchair-blockade-at-birmingham-social-services-97319-23272364/
danmail-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Building a more sustainable future in four easy steps:
1. Get out your diary and find a pen
2. Open it at the pages for the 4-16 June and 3-10 August
3. Write in very large, bold lettering: CLIMATE CAMP SCOTLAND across these dates
Building a more sustainable future in four easy steps:
1. Get out your diary and find a pen
2. Open it at the pages for the 4-16 June and 3-10 August
3. Write in very large, bold lettering: CLIMATE CAMP SCOTLAND across these dates
4. Get involved in this exciting movement for social change and environmental justice!
What’s the Scottish Camp for Climate Action?
Some time between 3-10 August, activists, campaigners and communities from all over Scotland will set up camp! We will be living sustainably and equally, and taking awe-inspiring collective direct action to hold greedy climate criminals to account.
In a time of epoch-making economic and environmental change, we’re going to be making direct changes for the better. We’ll be taking control of our lives, of our society, and standing up for what we believe in. We’ll refuse to believe the greedy polluters and financiers, when they say it’s just not the right time to clean up their act. We’ll clean it up for them!
The Camp (whether urban or rural) will be a living example of collective, imaginative low-impact living, full of practical solutions. Its not just about plastic bags and light bulbs any more, these things isolate us and distract us from the real problems. Instead, we will work together to build strong, sustainable and powerful communities.
Whilst we haven’t decided where the camp will be yet, there’s no shortage of options. Whole swathes of airports, coal power stations, open cast mines and agrofuel installations and motorways are planned for Scotland. We also have the luxury of hosting the headquarters of international banks like RBS and HBOS, whose greed got us into this economic and environmental mess.
What’s happening in the run-up to the camp?
Some time between June 4-16 there will be a Climate Camp Convergence, with informative and practical workshops and discussions, opportunities for building links between campaigns, and the chance for us to collectively plan the future of climate activism across Scotland. By the time the August Camp rolls around we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
How do I get involved now?
Making this happen needs loads of ideas, energy and input. In short, it needs you. And all your mates!
Come to an organising meeting!
We organise horizontally, without leaders, and everyone has input into decisions. At the moment, most of the organising is being done in Edinburgh. We want this to change! We plan for local organising meetings to feed into regular Scotland-wide Gatherings.
Next meeting: Edinburgh, Tuesday 24th March, 7pm
at the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh (ACE) www.autonomous.org.uk
The following meeting will be on April 7th , 7pm, ACE in Edinburgh.
On the agenda, Tuesday 24th:
1.What focus each of the summer convergences will have: direct action, education, movement building etc, And what some of the specific content will be.
2. What the exact dates of each convergence will be.
Start organising in your area!
– Get organising with people in your area and see how much time, energy and resources you can bring to a Climate Camp in Scotland. To be effective, Climate Camp Scotland needs to have strong, decentralised groups doing the planning and preparation.
– Please get in touch if you want to help organise Climate Camp Scotland! so we can work together to find meeting times and locations that as many people can get to from around the country.
– Host the Climate Camp Scotland Info Tour in your area, to find out what’s happening this summer, what has to be decided and prepared, and how you can get involved.
– Email: climatecampscotland@riseup.net to request the Info Tour and with any questions however big or small!
March 23, 2009
Thousands of local villagers in the Masbate province of the Philippines, are in their second week of protesting the “unwelcome and unsafe” presence of the Filminera Mining Corporation (FMC).
March 23, 2009
Thousands of local villagers in the Masbate province of the Philippines, are in their second week of protesting the “unwelcome and unsafe” presence of the Filminera Mining Corporation (FMC).
Working in partnership with Australia/Canada-based company, Central Gold Asia (CGA), Filminera’s open pit gold mine in Aroroy was scheduled to be fully operational on March 20th, but a massive show of local opposition halted the company from moving ahead.
On March 14, as many as 4,000 villagers from Aroroy barricaded themselves in front of the mine site.
A battalion of soldiers was flown in to protect the mine site soon after the protest began, reports the CBCP. A second report from the CBCP explains that, as of March 18, there were “about 50 armed men belonging to Alpha Company 22nd CAFGU Battalion who are roaming around the mining site, while three boats of the 9th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army are anchored at the municipality’s shores and most of its men are conducting check points and searches.”
Fortunately the military hasn’t taken any action yet, but they could make a move at any moment.
Meanwhile, the company has declared a “five-day work holiday” at the mine, and given away free banquets, bingo socials “and all sorts of sports” to try and hollow-out the protesters’ legitimate demands.
The villagers are asking the government to revoke Filminera’s mining permit, and to repeal the Mining Act of 1995 “which favors foreign companies” over environmental protection, human rights, and indigenous peoples rights.
A number of primary concerns are fueling the demands, as the diocese of Masbate Social Action Foundation Inc. (DIMASAFI) explains in a recent statement:
Central Gold Asia, at the beginning of its activity has painted a rosy picture before the eight (8) impacted communities with promises of employment and social development. After years of exploration, it began to show its ugly face:
- An open pit mining with wide tracks of land being scraped while mountains and hills are being flattened, leaving the communities agape at the unexpected sight;
- farmers being displaced with meagre monetary compensation and relocated in nearby cattle grazing land with no possibility of farming activities;
- the small scale miners with thousands of dependents being driven out of their place of work resulting in their scampering everywhere to dig for their survival;
- rivers being closed with embankment for the construction of the tailings pond, and some rivers rerouted, with the consequent drying up of rice fields and fish ponds and water source of a nearby community;
- age-old trees being bulldozed with plants and crops to the disappointment of farmers who have tilled the land for many years;
- the source of drinking water that serves the nearby community being cut off;
- the port of Barrera, a long time source of livelihood of the people residing along the coastlines, now being made the catch basin of the mine toxic wastes in case of overflow and the possible contamination of the 21,000 hectares of 68 fishpond owners in 9 barangays.
The situation for local communities will continue to deteriorate if the mine becomes fully operational.
However, if support and solidarity is an indication, it’s that the mine will never see the full light of day.
As of March 23, the protest is attended by at least 7,000 villagers, fisherfolk, and other concerned citizens. Several NGO’s and Ecumenical groups, including the Catholic Church, have also expressed their support for the villagers.
It appears that the local government supports them aswell. Aroroy’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan (legislature) “has slammed them for lacking even the basic requirement of an Environment Compliance Certificate,” notes a press release from Alyansa Tigil Mina, a coalition of NGO’s opposed to large scale mining. “It was also recently revealed that FMC lacks a Mayor’s permit and a business permit.”
“Tucson Vivisector Katalin Gothard and Rosemont mining scumbag Kathy Arnold get a special home visit from Tucson H.A.A.N.D! (Hooligans Attack At Night Duh!) agents of change. Solidarity dedication with those four recently arrested
“Tucson Vivisector Katalin Gothard and Rosemont mining scumbag Kathy Arnold get a special home visit from Tucson H.A.A.N.D! (Hooligans Attack At Night Duh!) agents of change. Solidarity dedication with those four recently arrested
Beneath a security blanket of darkness during the early morning hours of Friday, February 20, Tucson H.A.A.N.D. (Hooligans Attack At Night Duh!) visited the homes of University of Arizona Vivisector Katalin M. Gothard and Rosemont Copper (RC) Director of Environmental & Regulatory Affairs Kathy Arnold.
We chose Kathy Arnold because of all her work she does with RC as their Director of Environmental & Regulatory Affairs. RC is attempting to mine in the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains for copper. We say no mine thank you!
Mining in the Santa Ritas would threaten numerous species, plants and sensitive wild areas. Mining for copper to build solar panels is a false solution and unacceptable. The Santa Ritas are part of the Sky Island Region a Biological Hotspot home to 404 bird species, 117 reptile species, 26 amphibian species, thousands of plant species. A number of these species are endemic to this region. The Santa Ritas should never be home to a mine.
Dear Kathy destroying the land of wild animals and plants for more ingredients of a larger Infrastructure nightmare is no way to live. You should know that our environment is no place for you to hold your twisted affairs! We slashed your tire so that maybe you will think of the Mountain Lions and Black Bears that live where you want to build a mine. We bet the etching cream on the window of your house will leave a lasting impression of our visit. Maybe the cost of replacing it will make you think twice about the lasting irreplaceable costs your companies proposed mine would inflict on the Santa Ritas.
Katalin Gothard is an assistant Professor (Vivisector) within the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine Life Sciences in North Room 327 of the University of Arizona Tucson, her Phone # is (520) 626-1448. Her Email is kgothard@email.arizona.edu.
Her home addy is [removed by Indybay]. Her home # is [removed by Indybay].
Katalin makes a living by performing research on rhesus monkeys. Her research procedures involve screwing metal plates into the monkey’s skulls and affixing magnetic search coils to their eyes. After these medical procedures are performed she then trains the monkeys to tolerate head immobilization and to fixate on objects presented on a computer monitor.
What the fuck type of demented mind could do such a thing? Apparently, Katalin Gothard and her cohorts.
To the sound of Coyotes howling in the mountains we lifted the utility cover to your water in front of your house, turned the water off and the poured in cement to make sure it stayed off for a damn long time! We bet it’s a little harder to wash the blood off your hands and scrub away all those thoughts of torturing monkeys all day long huh Katalin. If you insist on working, get a real job!
Kathy, stay the fuck away from our mountains you sick fuck! Katalin, Leave the monkeys alone (your a sick fuck too)!
We dedicate this action to our four CA comrades in the fight against vivisection that were arrested the same day.
Y’all fools can keep trying to stop us by throwing us in jail. Cause you can’t lock up Revolutionary Solidarity for the land and Animals, duh!”
Northern Climate Rush visit to UK coal headquarters
Northern Climate Rush visit to UK coal headquarters
Around 15 climate activists from the North of England visited the headquarters of UK Coal near Doncaster yesterday, 26th February, in a protest against new coal and calling for tougher measures to control CO2 emissions.
Two people climbed up lamposts to suspend a 6m banner reading ‘Leave it in the Ground’, while on the ground below the protestors played a bit of samba, danced, and had a picnic. The protestors wore Edwardian themed dress including red sashes with the words ‘No New Coal’ written across them.
UK Coal is the UK’s largest coal company. The Doncaster protest was timed to coincide with the Climate Rush at the UK Coal Awards, hosted by UK coal, in London.
The police reaction was fairly low-key and non-obstructive, although they did take an awful lot of photos (I suppose they had nothing else to do). A van driver was hassled by cops, had his details checked and was told he was not insured to drive the vehicle (which was not the case).
—
Thursday 26th February 2009
PRESS RELEASE: Northern Climate Rush visits UK Coal headquarters
Climate activists from the North visited the headquarters of UK Coal near Doncaster today in a protest against new coal and calling for tougher measures to control CO2 emissions. The protest coincided with the ‘Climate Rush’ in London where people intended to gatecrash the Coal UK Conference and Awards 2009 at the Landmark Hotel in Regents Park. However, the London protesters arrived to find the Conference had moved venue at the last minute. Around 200 protesters in London occupied the lobby of the Landmark and dropped banners. They asked that the hotel to refrain from hosting any future events with fossil fuel industries such as UK Coal, to which the management agreed.
The protestors of both demonstrations wore Edwardian themed dress including red sashes with the words ‘No New Coal’ written across them. In Doncaster two female protesters scaled lamp-posts to hang a banner reading ‘Leave it in the ground’ across the entrance to the UK coal headquarters.
Coal is the dirtiest form of energy production yet the government has plans to expand the coal industry, including a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. UK Coal are responsible for operating several open cast mines across the UK. Open cast coal mining is particularly damaging to the local environment since it involves scalping the landscape and typically provides an average of only 40 jobs per site, for a handful of years only.
Vanessa Hall, spokeswoman for the Northern Climate Rush said, “It is essential that we take climate change seriously and move away from dirty fossil fuels like coal. There is no way we can avoid runaway climate change if we continue to burn coal.”
Megan Beech, 24, said, “The coal industry talk about Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as the magic bullet that will allow us to keep burning coal. However CCS is as yet an unproven technology. You don’t start a fire on the promise that one day we”ll invent a fire extinguisher with which to put it out.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
This is the third major ‘Climate Rush’ event, following from the first in Parliament square in October 2008 on the centenary of the Suffragette rush on Parliament. Protesters demanded ‘Deeds Not Words’ on climate change, including an end to airport expansion and no new coal. The second was at Heathrow and Manchester airports to draw attention to the threat of aviation and climate change.
The Northern Climate Rush is made up of campaigners from Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Liverpool.
www.climaterush.co.uk
www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com
———
Climate Rush hosted cocktail party for the coal industry outside of the Landmark Hotel on Marylebone Road, London.
Coal UK planed to presented celebratory awards to the most damaging companies in the coal industry. Climate Rush offered an alternative awards based on the ecological damage that the coal industry is inflicting on the environment.
However after several tries at rushing the hotel people discovered that the award dinner had been cancelled.
Brochure for the awards dinner:
http://conf.mccloskeycoal.com/journals/McCloskey/Conferences/Conferences/attachments/Coal%20UK%20Brochure%20web.pdf
Climate Rush calls for:
1. No new coal to avoid runaway climate change
Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, and by far the dirtiest way to produce electricity. We must leave coal in the ground and not build any new coal fired power stations if we want to avoid runaway climate change. CCS is an unproven technology that may never be a viable option. Climate change is happening now and we must act now to stop it.
2. We can’t have infinite growth on a finite planet
At this outdated and fossilized awards ceremony UK Coal is celebrating the worst excesses of our failing economic system. Just like overpaid bankers these heads of corporations are receiving plaudits for plundering the planet.
3. A transition to a low carbon society with sustainable jobs
We must counteract any jobs losses from the coal industry with a major re-skilling program in sustainable trades. Many more jobs will be created by a huge retrofitting program of old housing stock and in the new renewable energies sector than in new coal. The German clean energy revolution has seen the creation of 250,000 new jobs.
More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/filkaler/tags/climaterush/
—
Landmark Decision Against Coal Industry
For immediate release: 26 February 2009
LANDMARK DECISION
A top class London hotel has vowed companies and organisations which contribute to climate chaos will no longer be welcome to use their facilities for corporate promotion and entertainment
The move follows a Climate Rush action on the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, where hundreds of protesters converged on Thursday to halt a coal industry awards ceremony.
Coal is acknowledged among scientists and climate change activists as the world’s worst contributor to climate change in the form of CO2 emissions.*
The coal industry under the banner of UK Coal were booked into the Landmark to host an awards ceremony with five star food and drink where they planned to hand out gongs for UK coal personality of the year and the best open cast miners among other categories.
Protesters dropped banners and staged a peaceful sit-in to speak out at the hotel’s support and the coal industry’s insistence of “business as usual” in the face of evident escalating climate chaos.
The Landmark’s landmark decision has been applauded by activists. “At Last! For too long profiteering from climate change has been sold to the public as a necessity of ‘business as usual’. But with global temperatures rising and climate chaos running riot in the form of drought (Africa and Australia) and flooding (low lying lands all over), we all need to work together.
“ We applaud the Landmark for their good sense and the vision to say ‘enough is enough’. They rightly don’t want to be associated with the corrupt system that needs overturning. We welcome the Landmark to play their role in the new way of doing things so needed.”
The Landmark now plans to deny companies such as the Royal Bank of Scotland (the biggest single investor in coal and oil industries) and oil companies, such as ESSO, BP and Shell, as well as the coal industry from using their ballrooms and banquet halls to promote their cause.
The hotel has also pledge to communicate with the 24 other five star hotels in its’ group to suggest they do the same.
Climate Rush has pledged to work with the Landmark Hotel to ensure the right companies are blocked, to send a clear message to polluters: they’re not welcome.
ENDS
Notes and footnotes to Editors
Coal is responsible for 50 % of the climate change gases in the atmosphere caused by human activity.
Climate Rush is a cutting edge movement of carbon cutting individuals who have seen the light and want to spread the word through their remit: Deeds not words, based on the clarion call of the suffragettes
For high quality photos and further comments please ring 075 2839 8441 or email media@climaterush.co.uk
For comments from the landmark hotel please ring Francis T Green 0207 631 8000
—
UK No New Coal Awards
Climate Rush is delighted to announce that it will be presenting the following “Canary in the Coalmine” awards:
Science Fiction award
goes to the most unbelievable technology not yet available to stop CO2 emissions, Carbon Capture and Storage.
Financial Fool award
goes to the Royal Bank of Scotland, for helping to raise $16 billion in loans to finance the worldwide coal industry over the past two years.
Lifetime Achievement award
goes to Drax coal fired power station, for the Greatest Emissions in the UK, equivalent to that of the 54 poorest countries in the world.
Best Supporting Role
goes to the biggest Climate Coward, Gordon Brown, for his useless leadership over Climate Change.
Best Newcomer
goes to the next likely “factory of death”, Kingsnorth coal fired power station in Kent.
and finally…
UK Coal Personality of the Year
goes to Paul Golby, CEO of energy company E.ON, for outstanding services to Greenwash (whilst plotting to build Kingsnorth)
——
CLIMATE RUSH: THURSDAY 5TH MARCH, 1PM, RBS HQ
GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK and STOP TRASHING THE PLANET
Royal Bank of Scotland: £33 billion in bail outs SO FAR!
Using OUR MONEY!
RBS boss 50-year-old Sir Fred: retires early with a whopping £16 million pension fund.
Using OUR MONEY!
OUR bank: arranges £16 billion in loans to the coal industry in just two years.
RBS: the BIGGEST investor in climate chaos.
FOR THE LOVE OF OUR MONEY, WHAT PLANET ARE THEY ON?
Grab your mates, bring some lunch and get down to the bank to demand OUR money back.
Royal Bank of Scotland HQ
Thursday 5th March
1.OOPM PROMPT: think flashmob…
280 Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street Station
ANGRY? You better believe it: Let’s rush!
See what they’re saying about the RBS Climate Rush in the Guardian here
Facebook invite here: invite ALL your friends
Please help spread the word by downloading the poster as a pdf here to print out and stick up wherever you go!
Be sure to keep checking the site for updates… and don’t forget to subscribe and join our facebook group!
Banana flashmob at Leeds Tesco in protest of Tesco refusing to stock only Fairtrade bananas.
Banana flashmob at Leeds Tesco in protest of Tesco refusing to stock only Fairtrade bananas.
Ctrl.Alt.Shift, a movement of young agitators, is demanding that Tesco ban the sale of non-Fairtrade bananas for good. At 1pm on March 3rd 2009, Protestors will stage a flashmob protest at Tesco Metro in Leeds city centre. Using Fairtrade bananas as dummy phones, the protestors will hold loud phone conversations about the poor ethical standards that Tesco maintains. A viral video and social network campaign will run over the internet in the run up to the event.
Over the last five years, British supermarkets have engaged in banana price wars, matching each other’s price cuts to such a low level that it is now impossible for many plantation workers to earn a living – or even a legal minimum – wage.
Hannah Martin who is part of Ctrl.Alt.Shift and helped organise the Leeds flashmob said ‘It’s a scandal that a company as powerful as Tesco refuse to fully support an organisation as significant as Fairtrade, Ctrl.Alt.Shift want to show Tesco we wont sit back and let this continue’.
In 2007, both Sainsbury’s and Waitrose agreed to sell Fairtrade-only bananas. But Tesco refuse to follow suit. As the nation’s largest retailer, it is Tesco’s duty to support Fairtrade practices within the World’s supply chains. As a result, many plantation workers are still paid less than $2 per day.
CtrlAltShiftLeeds
flash@ctrlaltshift.co.uk
http://www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk
23.2.2009
At 9am today a group of eco-activists began to disrupt the operations of Scottish Coal at the Rosewell open-cast coal mine in the Midlothians. Some of the 10 activists stopping work today are local residents.
23.2.2009
At 9am today a group of eco-activists began to disrupt the operations of Scottish Coal at the Rosewell open-cast coal mine in the Midlothians. Some of the 10 activists stopping work today are local residents.
They climbed onto digging machinery to prevent works and climbed onto trucks to prevent coal from leaving the Rosewell site for 2 hours this morning. Then police arrived but no-one were arrested.
One activist said “the burning of coal to generate electricity is one of the most polluting and destructive of all human activities. We cannot deal with climate change while companies like Scottish coal continue to profit from coal exploitation.”
A local resident said “With a government committed to expanding opencast, deep mine and new coal power generation across Scotland, asking politicians will achieve nothing. Peaceful direct action is the only way people are going to stop coal expansion.”
Another said. “We are opposed to this climate disaster of an energy policy and to the scarring of scotland’s countryside with these horrible open-cast coal mines, Rosewell and Scottish Coal’s other operations have and will continue to be met by resistance from local people taking direct action.”
This action was done by individuals who are not affiliated to any particular group.
This is another example of the growing resistance to new coal in scotland. For more general info on how people are stopping new coal in Scotland, check out www.coalactionedinburgh.noflag.org.uk
Northern Climate Rush – Rush on UK Coal!
Northern Climate Rush – Rush on UK Coal!
Fresh from their Manchester Airport incursion, Northern Climate Rush is back, and we are paying a visit to the UK’s largest coal company! We will be travelling by minibus to the headquarters of UK Coal in Doncaster. Meet in front of the Manchester University Student Union building at 1pm on Thursday Feb 26. Dress in Edwardian fashion (if you so desire) and bring food to share, banners, and musical instruments.
WHAT IS NORTHERN CLIMATE RUSH?
It’s a group of intrepid activists who, taking inspiration from the suffragettes, use civil disobedience to bring about a transition to a low-carbon economy. We believe that, given government’s total failure to take meaningful action on climate change, a campaign of civil disobedience is necessary, and in fact it is the only responsible way forward, given that the fate of all future generations rests on the decisions that are made now and in the next couple of years.
Our sister group of Climate Rushers in the South will be paying a visit to a coal industry awards ceremony in London on the same day.
WHY UK COAL?
Coal companies such as UK Coal are actively standing in the way of the necessary transition to a low-carbon economy based on renewables. They invest in new coal mines, and by lobby government against the changes needed for a transition to alternatives.
HOW CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT COAL?
Various recent scientific reports* have shown how the UK could transition from fossil fuels, to a low-carbon economy. We would have to switch to renewable power sources (mainly wind and wave) and reduce our energy consumption by flying much less, by reducing the use of private cars by creating a vastly improved public transport system, by ensuring that within the next few years all UK homes and buildings are properly insulated, and by requiring all appliances to have the highest standard of energy efficiency.
WHAT ABOUT JOBS?
During the miners’ strikes of the 70’s and 80’s most coal mines in the UK were deep pit mines, which required hundreds of miners to work them. But now most of the coal that can be deep-mined has already been dug up, and new UK coal mines are open-cast – huge diggers are used to rip the top off a hill, and then coal is sifted from the rubble. It is tremendously destructive to local ecologies, and also employs far fewer workers.
By contrast the creation of new wind and wave-power infrastructure, a program of building insulation installation, and laying on more trains, trams and buses, would all create new, sustainable jobs. We are calling for government to provide training programs so that workers from fossil fuel industries which need to be phased out can move directly into positions in the new, sustainable industries.
It’s now or never time for the climate, join us!
All genders welcome.
* See for example:
– Nicolas Stern, “Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change”, http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htm
– Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, “Decarbonising the UK”, http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/media/news/tyndall_decarbonising_the_uk.pdf
northernclimaterush@googlemail.com
http://www.northernclimaterush.wordpress.com
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UK Coal will be presenting celebratory awards to the most damaging companies in the coal industry on February 26th February at the Landmark Hotel on Marylebone Road, London. Climate Rush will be in attendance to offer alternative awards based on the ecological damage that the coal industry is inflicting on the environment.
We invite you to join us in your best cocktail finery (fabulous hats a recommendation, and sooty styling a suggestion) to show UK Coal precisely what “industry players can expect to challenge them in 2009.”
NO NEW COAL AWARDS
THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
THE LANDMARK HOTEL
Dress formally for cocktails in the Winter Garden at 6.30 prompt.
WHAT CLIMATE RUSH SAYS TO THE UK COAL AWARDS
No new coal to avoid runaway climate change
Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, and by far the dirtiest way to produce electricity. We must leave coal in the ground and not build any new coal fired power stations if we want to avoid runaway climate change. CCS is an unproven technology that may never be a viable option. Climate change is happening now and we must act now to stop it.
We can’t have infinite growth on a finite planet
At this outdated and fossilized awards ceremony UK Coal is celebrating the worst excesses of our failing economic system. Just like overpaid bankers these heads of corporations are receiving plaudits for plundering the planet.
A transition to a low carbon society with sustainable jobs
We must counteract any jobs losses from the coal industry with a major re-skilling program in sustainable trades. Many more jobs will be created by a huge retrofitting program of old housing stock and in the new renewable energies sector than in new coal. The German clean energy revolution has seen the creation of 250,000 new jobs.
Reposted: 16.02.2009: everyone knows Indymedia’s a copper’s favourite read, but after a couple of hundred snappers turned up outside the yard this morning they’ll be queuing up today to see whose mug’s on the wire.
Reposted: 16.02.2009: everyone knows Indymedia’s a copper’s favourite read, but after a couple of hundred snappers turned up outside the yard this morning they’ll be queuing up today to see whose mug’s on the wire.
Because snuck in today under the usual cover of the war against terror came Section 76 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008.
This criminalises anyone ‘eliciting, publishing or communicating information on members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers which is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
But given the police’s regular and blatant misuse of other laws such as Section 44 of the existing Terrorism Act and Section 1 of PACE, photographers feel it’s a racing certainty that it’ll get used to suppress evidence the police don’t want used against them.
“I can see it now”, wrote photographer Marc Vallee in Thursday’s Guardian ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/11/police-terrorism-photography-liberty-central) “If you don’t stop taking pictures of me hitting this protester on the head, I’m going to nick you under section 76 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008.”
At least three legal cases are currently pending relating to such police over-exuberance at last year’s Climate Camp in Kingsnorth, Kent. Almost two thousand cops from 26 forces assembled at a cost of over 6 million quid and – having first harassed and delayed the press – chose to lay in on a regular basis on campers with steel batons.
Sadly for them these attacks were nevertheless filmed and photographed and this evidence stands ready to disprove the lies they make in justification for that behaviour. Imagine how much easier life will be for them in future if those newsgatherers can be taken away from the scene under threat of a ten year stretch.
High up behind the mirrored windows of New Scotland Yard the Forward Intelligence Team will have been at work photographing the photographers for their records.
And they’ll have noticed something new – as well as the usual twenty or so photographers they always target for “reporting the news the wrong way” there were a couple of hundred new faces: working news photographers who’ve had it up to the back teeth with being pushed around illegally on threat (and sometimes the reality) of arrest.
It’s no longer just an activist minority that sees through this sham of repression presented almost as a health and safety issue (keeping us safe from the bad men). Political police intrusion is becoming ever more invasive, is affecting all our lives and fucking up the freedoms we’re supposed to believe are (were?) our right.
This new law is just one more subtle tool in the armoury of public repression and this extraordinary turnout by what is normally an apathetic and politically careless bunch of photographers sends a clear signal that the worm is finally turning.
