Other – Page 35 – Earth First!

Residents clash with riot police (Kozani power plant, Greece, 2/6/2008)

5:00 in the dawn and brigades of riot-policemen attacked the occupation of the ash and coal belt conveyors of the Agios Dimitrios power plant by residents of Riaki and Agios Dimitrios (Kozani), arresting 6 persons, members of the local Association on unemployment and for the environment. Next thing, technicians of the PPC (public power company) set in charge the auxiliary belt conveyor, putting away the possibility of a black-out and the political pressure it would bring. The police re-occupied the plant gate with riot police buses.

Same afternoon, residents of the area gathered outside the courthouse of Kozani, where the 6 arrestees were prosecuted, having their mobile phones taken away so as not to be able to communicate with a lawyer or a fellow fighter. The residents clashes face to face with the policemen outside the courthouse, but were repelled with excessive tear gas use.

The same time, 8 riot police brigades attacked against residents gathered near the factory, arresting 3 persons, the one of them they had previously injured and driven to the hospital.

These last mobilizations of the residents have started 3 years ago, under their demand for employment of local residents in the PPC plants and the immediate taking of measures against the pollution caused by the plants. The area of Kozani has several power plants, because of its coal resources, producing the largest part of Greece’s electric power, with the correlative effects on the residents health and life conditions and on the environment and its wildlife.

Sources-Photos:
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874556
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874093
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=874075
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=873959
—–

from libcom.org

After 23 days of blockading the input and output convayor belts of one of the major power-plants of Greece by the Union against Unemployment, demanding re-employment, environmental reform and withdrawal of charges against rebel workers, riot police evicted the Agios Dimitrios Power-Plant occupation. Serious clashes have ensued in efforts to release the arrested Union members.

In the morning of the 10th of May 2008, the residents of Agios Dimitris,a town near the north-Greek city of Kozani, where the National Electric Company (DEH) holds its majors units, employing the vast majority of the working population, having formed a local Union against Unemployment occupied the north gate of the Agios Dimitrios Power-Plant, interrupting the function of the feed-belts carrying lignite, as well as the ash-belts from the factory to the disposal area. The blockade was manned in shifts by all the residents of the township, including children, in solidarity with the industrial action.The Union demanded the reemployment of sacked workers at DEH units in the region, measures for the protection of the environment, and an immediate withdrawal of charged pressed against 70 residents of the area for similar mobilisations last year.

In response, on the 18th day of the occupation, the National Electric Company pressed charges against the Union arguing its action is causing it enormous loses, for which it claimed one million euros compensation per day (the minimum salary in Greece is 650E per month). Aiming to put public pressure on the squatters, DEH claimed the occupation was threatening to put on hold all four units of the Agios Dimitrios Plant, one of the biggest in the country, thus putting the electric supply of the entire country in danger. In reality the industrial action was decreasing averall electric production capacity only by 500 megawatt. Nevertheless, in the following days the DEH monopoly waged a media campaign warning of the necessity of black outs in response of the crisis.

Some days later, the squatters refused to hold talks with the local authorities and the minister of development when they demanded the unblocking of the conveyor belts as a guarantee of the negotiations.

On Monday the 2nd of June 2008, 5 am, riot-police forces violently ended the 23 day long blockade of the Electric Power-Plant at Agios Dimitris. The police warned the squatters to clear the DEH premises, and when the latter refused, the riot-police attacked arresting 6 men: the president and four members of the Union. During the consequent protest march in the industrial city of Kozani three more people were arested during major clashes with the police, with one protestor seriously wounded. After the economic secretary of the Union warned the police to release the 6 arrested or “face a general uprising; we shall torch the power-plant with crude oil and explosives, and get rid of this nightmare for ever”, the authorities agreed to release the arrested members of the Union who will stand trial next September.

The Union and the totality of Agios Dimitris residents pledge to continue their struggle.

Spirit of Freedom (June 2008)

Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!”
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!”
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the June 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As ELP goes to print we look around the world and see a tragedy of events unfolding. In America, vegan activist Eric McDavid has been sentenced to just under 20 years imprisonment for THINKING about carrying out direct action. In Britain, vegan activist Sean Kirtley has been sentenced to over four years imprisonment for running a website that encouraged lawful direct action. In Italy, more raids & arrests have occurred against Il Silvestre activists resulting in vegan prisoner support activist, Paola Gori, being remanded into custody. And in Austria, a number of vegan & vegetarian activists have been arrested accused of a series of animal rights actions. None of the Austrians can be named by ELP at this point, but we understand that out of the ten people who have been remanded into custody, five of whom are on hungerstrike. Certainly the news is not good at the moment. However, despite the raids, arrests & overtly political sentencing there is good news. Within days of the Austrians being arrested a solidarity network was set up for them. This network has called for an international day of action and ELP has heard of a number of planned demonstrations, across Europe, in support of the Austrians. Likewise within hours of Paola being remanded prisoner support activists where busy circulating her details and calling on people around the world to support her. When Sean Kirtley was first remanded, and then sentenced, news of his remanding circulated like wild-fire. Around the world people care about the prisoners. Around the world people are active in fighting for the prisoners. This is the strength of the international prisoner support network that we can all be proud to be a part of. Remember, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. Awaiting sentencing having reached a non-cooperation plea-bargain with the authorities who accuse him of involvement in two arsons. 1) an arson on logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan – He has asked that his letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO 81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18 years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In ’02 Marco completed a 12-year sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8 months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Eric McDavid [Being moved from one prison to another], USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan [Being moved from one prison to another], USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters, 36432-086, FDC – Seatac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. Awaiting sentencing having been found guilty of involvement in an ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F, Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to his involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. Jailed for breaching her parole conditions imposed on her for telling a fox hunting murdering scum what she thought of them. Also awaiting trial accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment. (Mel is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036, USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Rod is a vegetarian).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX, England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution, Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Sarah Gisborne, LT5393, HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD, England. Serving 5½ years for conspiracy to cause criminal damage following the damaging of 8 vehicles owned by people linked to Huntingdon Life Science. (Sarah is a vegan).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution, P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HM Prison Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, B97 6QS, England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection campaign website. (Sean is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution, 37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, FCI Butner Medium II Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1500, Butner, NC 27509 USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell – Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft. Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½ years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with “subversive association” accused of damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or released on bail. (All follow vegetarian diets).

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g. Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic. Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland. Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk 140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson, criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya. Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison (“Dikastikes Fylakes Komotinis”), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

Michael W. Sykes, 100 East 2nd St, Monroe, Michigan 48161, USA. Youth held on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage, spray-painting an anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA. Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA 15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in 2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions. ‘Spirit of Freedom’ does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

03/06/08……TAKE ACTION ON FOOD AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Within the past year, global food prices have risen by 75%. Prices of wheat, soya, oilseeds, maize and rice are now at record levels. The World Bank has warned that 100 million more people are facing hunger and malnutrition because of rising food prices.

The greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock and industrial fishing account for 18 per cent of global warming; more than the emissions from the world’s entire transport system, at 13.5 per cent. Techno fixes such as GM crops and Biofuels are not the answer to climate chaos, we need to change our patterns of consumption and switch to a low impact, cruelty free lifestyle!

With one week to go before the food and climate change day of action; get creative and get involved!

“Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency.”
– United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation 2006

“The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed one person for a year.” (Lester Brown, Director of the Earth Policy Institute).

The UN Conference on World Food Security and Climate Change runs from 3rd to 5th June 2008. The Network for Climate Action is inviting you to take action on and around the 3rd of June 2008. There’s stuff happening all over the country, and internationally, on the day itself, and before and after it.

Climate action starts on your dinner plate, at the supermarket, on your allotment and in your back yard, at the food processing and distribution centres, down on the farm, in your high street, at the airport and at the lorry park. Use this day as a way to highlight the complexity of food related issues, and also to promote specific campaigns..

It’s time to detox the planet and take action on food and climate change! Groups all over the country are planning actions, demonstrations, film nights, workshops and free food events. For more ideas, and resources, visit the website: http://daysofclimateaction.org.uk; and let us know if you need anything else, or if you have resources that could be shared!

Remember, the list below is only a list of public events, actions to follow when announced! If you want information about whats going on in your area, please get in touch!

MANCHESTER 01/06 Vegan picnic, demo and surprise activity!
Free vegan food
12-4, Piccadilly Gardens email: manchester@climatecamp.org.uk

BRISTOL 31/05-01/06 Bristol Vegan Fayre
http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/

SHEFFIELD 31/05 Free vegan food stall
email:sheffieldanimalfriends@googlemail.com

LIVERPOOL 31/05 Free vegan food event 12-4 Next to Nowhere, (this event kick starts the vegan drop in which will happen 1-5 every Saturday, Next to Nowhere). http://www.liverpoolsocialcentre.org/

LONDON
31/05 Protest against the proposed Combined Cycle Biofuel Electricity Generation Plant. Stall on Myrtle Road, East Ham from 10:30 to 6:30.
Banner drop from 3:00 to 5:00pm outside Newham Town Hall, East Ham. 04/06
Protest outside the final consultation meeting at Newham Town Hall 6:30 to 7:10pm , Barking Road, East Ham.
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/files/thames_gateway_biodiesel_project.pdf
As part of the national day of action on food and climate change called by the Network for Climate Action, Food Not Bombs and Reclaim Your Food will be serving *free vegan food* at a *secret location* in South London!
* All the food will be skipped, reclaimed from the waste of an affluent capitalist society.
* All the food will be vegan, minimizing the climate-impact of the food. Meet on Tuesday the 3rd of June at Camberwell Green (in the Green itself), 2PM sharp to move on to a *secret location*
Camberwell Green – http://tinyurl.com/5h25yq
London Food Not Bombs – http://www.londonfnb.org

NOTTINGHAM 24/05-15/06 ‘Greenweeks’: allotment open days, organic growing courses and more!
http://www.greenweeks.org/

AMSTERDAM: Veganism and Climate Change film night
http://www.aseed.net/

The food we eat contributes up to a third of the emissions that are poisoning the planet. It’s time for a detox … Changing our diet is one of the most effective steps we can take!

Whether you’re working on local organic food, growing your own, veganism, permaculture, food security, humanitarian issues, transport campaigning, agrofuels, anti – GM food … make the links on climate change … take action on the 3rd of June toward a low-carbon diet!

Whatever your tastes, there’s something for everyone on this action menu! There are many proposed solutions – we think it’s time to start the debate. Get creative and get involved!

Please let us know what you are planning (if its appropriate!) or if not, tell us as soon as you’ve done it! Don’t forget to send us your photos too!

The media phone no for the day will be 07961917535; or you can email food@daysofclimateaction.org.uk.

This Day of Action on Climate Change is called by the Network for Climate Action in co-operation with the Rising Tide Network and the Camp for Climate Action.

Mexico: campesinos occupy Chihuahua gold mine

On May 24, campesinos from Ejido Huizopa, Madera municipality, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, launched a protest occupation of the Minera Dolores company’s giant open-pit gold mine, which they say has been illegally established on their lands. The decision to launch the blockade was taken after two ejido leaders, Enrique Torres González and José Armando González, were arrested by Federal Preventative Police, later released without charge. The local company director Carlos García Droguett said the occupation places at risk a $200 million investment in the zone. (Excelsiór, May 29) Minera Dolores is owned by the Minefinders Corporation of Vancouver. (GeoMex.com)

A statement from Ejido Huizopa says Minera Dolores used “tricks” to gain title to the land from “corrupt leaders” of the ejido—but nonetheless received a permit from the Mexican environmental secretariat, SEMARNAT. The statement says another of their leaders, Salvador Gaitan, was the target of an assassination attempt earlier this year. Gaitian, a director of the ejido, is a veteran of the 1960s guerilla insurgency in Chihuahua led by Arturo Gámiz. (Received via e-mail, May 30)

See our last posts on Mexico, Chihuahua and the mineral cartel in Latin America.

—

Minera Dolores blockade lifted

From CNN Money, June 9. Note repeated and gratuitous use of the word “illegal” to refer to the blockade—contrasting lack of any mention of campesino claims that the mine itself is illegal.

Minefinders Corporation Ltd. (the “Company”) (TSX: MFL)(AMEX: MFN) reports initial production estimates for its Dolores gold and silver mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, where the first gold and silver pour is now scheduled for mid July, 2008.

Management expects gold production from Dolores will be approximately 40,000 ounces in 2008, 128,000 ounces in 2009 and 129,000 ounces in 2010. Silver production is expected to be 1.0 million ounces in 2008, 3.0 million ounces in 2009, and 4.0 million ounces in 2010… Mining at Dolores is approaching a sustained rate of approximately 100,000 tonnes per day with over 7 million tonnes of ore and waste material mined at Dolores to date…

In late May an illegal blockade was established on an access road to the Dolores Mine site. The majority of the individuals involved are believed to be from outside of the region and include only a small fringe group from within the local 221-member Ejido community.

While Minefinders was on target to achieve the first gold and silver pour from Dolores in late June 2008, for safety reasons the Company decided to suspend construction activities and operations until Mexican authorities safely removed the illegal blockade. On June 5, in response to meetings held with government officials, the blockaders re-opened the road and mining and processing operations have recommenced. The Company is continuing discussions with the state and federal governments and with the individuals responsible for the blockade to come to a definitive long-term resolution. As a result of the temporary suspension of operations due to the illegal blockade, the first gold and silver pour is now expected in mid-July.

“Despite the delay of the first gold and silver pour due to the illegal blockade, the commissioning at Dolores is progressing well with construction and operating costs consistent with those reported in the Company’s February 14, 2008, economic forecast and reserve update,” said Mark Bailey, Minefinders’ President and CEO. “We remain fully funded to complete development and commissioning of the Dolores Mine and continue the Dolores mill preliminary feasibility study and 2008 exploration programs at Dolores and elsewhere.”

CNN also seems not to know that “Ejido community” is redundant and does not tell the reader the name of the community, as “ejido” means agricultural community. The name of the ejido in question is Huizopa.

Direct Action Greece: 17th – 22nd May

Appelate Court’s expansion works sabotaged with fire (ATHENS)
Attack against the municipal police of Ilioupoli (ATHENS)
Bank firebombed (LOANNINA)
University rectors elections sabotaged (ATHENS-PIRAEUS)
Surveillance cameras destroyed during squaters solidarity march (ATHENS)

Appelate Court’s expansion works sabotaged with fire (Athens, 22/5/2008)
This is a translation of a claim sent to directactiongr@yahoo.gr:

“In the dawn of Thursday, MAy 22, we invaded the construction site of the appelate court on Loukareos street and moved into burning up three machinery-vehicles, sabotaging the construction of the new court buildings. With this invasion we dismantled the prestige of the enemy, striking in one of the most formidable occupied spots of the city. Our action is wilful, to set the justice itself on fire. Its nature, its ideology, its institutions.

It isn’t just the arrogance and vengefulness of the judges, the desolation and anger in the faces of the accused, the agony to find the money, the fear of facing prison. They are all part of this, that’s for sure. Justice lies in the core of democracy. It defends with a decisive violence, directly all interests of this world. It has conscience of its role, its meaning today. It is clothed with all the democratic alibis. The rules of courts, the high-court’s opinions, the laws, do not simply safeguard the regime. They are unceasing attacks with the aim to control and manage, to subordinate every moment of our lives. The 10.000 prisoners [note: the number of the greek state’s prisoners], the cameras that got legalized, the strikers summoned, the asylum broken, indicate them. These are not mistakes, we don’t talk about a few judges that don’t do their job well. We talk of the modern martial courts that safeguard the dominant order. We speak of judges that distribute 50 years in prison, every day, and then watch watch Lazopoulos on their TVs [note: a greek populist comedian commenting on the system’s faults]. And all of these, under the wrapper of independance and unselfishness. In order to shut up the questions, to blur critics, to enforce as truth, inside everyone’s conscience this truth that is revealed in the threats and guilty silences.

That’s because justice, apart from a mechanism of subordonation, is a tool to rearrange the social relations. Discipline, a sense of fairness, fear, are fundamental principles of integration of prohibitions on the totality of the social body. The civilization of lawfull and outlaw, of fair and injust, of good and evil, is a civilization that mutilates social relations. Is a civilization of dependency from a vengeful justice system. Its values end up to systematize justice to a machinery of individuals supervising each other. Insecurity, snitching and fear for the other, constitute behaviours of the perfection of the modern pattern of social organization. This system is n’t applied only inside the court houses but also in every expression of our everyday life.

The new courthouse halls, the new high-sevurity prisons, the prohibitions that proliferate, pave the way for the future offensives. Against the administration of justice, we take vengeance on this world of authorities untill its total overthrow.

Comando “Christos Tsoutsouvis”

PS. Our every hit is a beat of our heart. And our heart beats fiercely close to the hearts of our captive comrades. This action is dedicated to Giorgos Voutsis-Vogiatzis, imprisoned for robbing the ETE bank in Gizi.

Few notes: There is an older action claimed for “Comando Christos Tsoutsouvis” in Thessaloniki, 2007: “On Tuesday 15 May, 22 years after the assassination of the armed guerrilla Christos Tsoutsouvis by cops, and at 4:30 in the morning, the RairRoad station local organization of New Democracy (right-wing ruling party), was tipped with a small token of our rage (1 petrol can and 3 home gas canisters were enough to nudge them reface their offices), on the last repressive operations against the rebels of the whole country’s prisons.”
Christos Tsoutsouvis was an urban guerrilla, member of ELA (People’s Revolutionary Struggle) and Antistate Fight. He was murdered on 15 May 1985 by undercover policemen in Gizi, Athens after a shootout, succeeding though to execute three of them.

Attack against the municipal police of Ilioupoli (Athens, 22/5/2008)
From the mass-media:

“Mess and panic were caused Thursday night, when a group of around 20 persons attacked the city hall of Ilioupoli. The masked-up group suprised the policemen, throwing red paints and broke with stones the glass windows of the city hall. Then, they destroyed with batons, sticks and knifes the personal car of Ilioupoli’s mayor and two patrol cars of the municipal police. According to information, the attack of these young people was a form of protest and of support to two detained anarchists. The activists left on foot, towards the central square of Ilioupoli, throwing behind them communiques against the municipal authority. The police forces realised a manhunt to find and arrest any”…

Following is a translation of a communique sent to directactiongr@yahoo.gr

“We selected to attack on the 22th of May, against the municipal police and the city hall of Ilioupoli, as a signal of solidarity to the detained anarchists M. Tsourapas and Chr. Kontorevithakis, accused for attempting to burn up a car of the municipal police in P. Faliro, and facing a jury on July, 11.

The municipal police is another repressive mechanism in duty bound to keep the normal flow of consumption and hunting the so-called black market and the street-salesmen, safeguarding the profits of luxurius shops, while it constitutes yet one institution of policing in the mitropolis, against everyday petit-delinquent behaviours. The perceptions that contributed to its formation will be always a target for us, and so will be their carriers. This specific attack against the city hall of Ilioupolis is not blind at all, since this municipality through the former municipal counsellor Athanasios Kouretsis invested in the pilot project “The neighborhood’s municipal policeman” in the footsteps of the failed police project “The neighborhood’s policeman”. This ex-cop that participated in Ilioupolis’ city counsil wanted simply to contribute in the strenghening of the citizen’s sense of security, as his proposal suggests. We will always stand opposed and choose the offensive way against the dogma of “Security, law and order” based on a total system of institutions and perceptions that eternalize the modern reality. Their effort to sharpen repression and control over our dignities and our lives, will now meet with the climax of our attacks.

FREEDOM FOR THE DETAINED ANARCHISTS
MARIOS TSOURAPAS AND CHRISSOSTOMOS KONTOREVITHAKIS”

Bank firebombed (Ioannina, 22/5/2008)
This is a translation of the claim posted on http://athens.indymedia.org

“Today during the dawn, 22/5/08, we attacked a subsidiary of Piraeus bank on Dodonis street, close to the technical college. We hurled 4 molotov cocktails at the bank’s ATM, the camera, and the main entrance. This attack was undertaken despite the constat patrols of the cops, who even passed by a few minuted before the attack. Material damages were realised against the ATM and the entrance, breaking a piece of the glass-window. This attack was clearly symbolic, so a total destruction of the bank was not an issue. We oppose every form of policing and authority and we trust in violent actions to overthrow the state. Solidarity to the actions that preceded and to those that will follow.

COMRADES FROM THE STREETS OF EVERYDAY STRUGGLE.”

University rectors elections sabotaged (Athens-Piraeus, 22/5/2008)

Students invaded halls where the rectors elections were held according to the new “frame”-law concerning universities, in the technical institutes of Athens and Piraeus, destroying voting papers, taking away ballot boxes, breaking them or throwing them to garbage. Students of DAP-NDFK (ruling party right-wing student youth) that were present, tried to guard the elections process but were repelled.

In the same time, over 35 faculties are occupied by student assemblies, against the new “frame”-law application.

Surveillance cameras destroyed during squaters solidarity march (Athens, 20/5/2008)
Photos of the march: http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=868546

Surveillance cameras were broken, during the march in solidarity to the Villa Amalias squat. The march was organised on the occasion of an arson attack against the squat two days earlier, and hundreds of people demonstrated in central Athens.

Fencing bars around the polytechnic school dismantled (Athens, 17/5/2008)

Photos: http://athens.indymedia.org/

According to a report from athens.indymedia.org:

“After 12 in the morning, people from the polytechnic school self-managed infoshop leftists, students and others, gathered around Zografou gate and destroyed all the extra fencing bars placed by the dead to prevent people from entering the university late at night and during weekends. An other door was also taken, so people wan’t bother to jump over fences to enter the university when it closes. Later on, some threw the bars at the door of the dean hall and at the dean’s office.

While this action took place, three undercover policemen gathered outside the gates, but left when they became noticed. A riot police brigade was set outside the nearby police station of Zografou, and a person was taking photos of the people gathered from a nearby building, but left when people approached the building.”

Arsonists hit a bank (Thessaloniki, 17/5/2008)
Responsibility claim at http://athens.indymedia.org/

“Early in the morning of Saturday, we attacked the national bank at Triandria. This action is symbolic, a sign of solidarity to the anarchist V. Botzatzis and our three fugitive comrades. No captivity can stop the war with the Existent. Our rage will set their peaceful nights on fire..”

Saved from landfill or stolen? What do you think?

A Wrexham woman is facing a possible criminal charge of theft under Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 for allegedly taking four green plastic garden chairs out of the landfill skip at the local household ‘recycling’ centre.

The ‘recycling’ centre is owned by Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) and run by the Waste ‘Recycling’ Group (WRG) under contract. The alleged theft was reported by WRG to WCBC, who apparently own the stuff in the skips that they then chuck into landfill, and it is WCBC who asked the police to investigate the matter. It also had the option of taking a civil action under the Environmental Protection Act. Stopping people from rescuing stuff from landfill is a serious business for the council.

The council’s ‘Vision, Strategic Aims and Priorities’ for 2008-9 include the following: “We are committed to dealing with waste in the most economical and environmentally sustainable way – setting an aspirational target to divert 40% of municipal waste away from landfill. We also aim to recycle, reuse or compost 65% of the waste received at household recycling centres…” It is difficult to see why the council would seek a theft charge against someone who was helping to achieve that target.

Instead of politely telling the council not to waste their time, the cops obligingly arrested and interviewed the suspected ‘thief’ just over a week ago and threatened to search her house and garden in order to recover the ‘stolen’ goods which they say must be returned to their ‘rightful owner’ (so they can be put back in the landfill skip, presumably). When the suspect answered bail today, she was told that the police would like to arrange a photo/video identity parade before submitting a file to the Crown Prosecution Service which will have to decide whether prosecuting the case would be good use of public money and in the public interest etc.

In the council’s view it is just too risky to allow anyone to take plastic garden chairs out of skips. Just suppose there was a problem with one of the chairs, and just further suppose that this problem wasn’t noticed and a child should sit on that chair and fall off and injure themselves, and just suppose that the parent of that injured child came back to the council and threatened to sue. Just suppose, eh! Never mind that the council is supposed to be conserving its dwindling landfill capacity; never mind that the mixture of plastics and other chemicals that end up in landfill poison the earth and lead to babies being miscarried or born with cleft palates, that children develop breathing problems and tumours from living near landfill. The causes of such tragedies are much harder to prove in the courts.

Given that the suspect in this alleged crime has been attempting to persuade the council to set up a proper re-use section at each of its household ‘recycling’ centres for some time now, making polite, sensible and helpful suggestions that have been stubbornly rejected or ignored, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the council is trying to shut up the troublesome citizen by reporting this ‘theft’ to the police.

Although WCBC and WRG have lots of excuses about how a re-use scheme would not be possible, desirable or workable, and could leave them open to prosecution if faulty goods were taken for re-use, councils in many places including Islington and the Isle of Man operate just such schemes, apparently without any problems and keeping large amounts of stuff out of landfill. The council claims that it has tried a scheme like this before but withdrawn it after complaints from the public. On closer scrutiny, it turns out that this was a scheme whereby ‘totters’ sorted through people’s rubbish as they put it into the skip, which some people found upsetting, whereas a proper re-use scheme would allow members of the public themselves to select those items which might be useful to someone else, and leave them in a covered area within the recycling centre (or elsewhere) for other people to take for their own use.

Freeconomy Wrexham has recently set up a small re-use scheme which is proving very popular, and which has satisfied the Trading Standards department of the same WCBC that it is operating safely and responsibly. It’s a bit of a mystery why the Environmental Services Department of WCBC has such difficulties with the concept of re-use, especially since it’s right near the top of the waste ‘hierarchy’ which the council claims to be committed to.

It does look as if the police are determined that the case should be prosecuted, and if it goes ahead, it should prove a very interesting court case. If anyone has experience of such cases, it would be good to hear from you.

freeconomywrexham_at_yahoo.co.uk

Grassroots Gathering 2008, 30th May-1st June, Ireland

Call-out for GG 2008, June Bank Holiday weekend 30/05/08 to 01/06/08, Dublin

The Grassroots Gatherings – an institution of the movement-building seen in Ireland post-2000 – are coming out of hibernation this June Bank Holiday weekend in Dublin. But it won’t be quite like before…

The story so far

The upsurge in social movement struggles around the turn of the century, from the streets of Seattle to the barrios of Argentina, from the townships of South Africa to the docks of South Korea, set the tone for much of the oppositional politics seen in the 2000s. Drawing clear lines around such moments is always difficult: establishing when something has peaked, when something has hit a plateau, and when something is in decline. But UK-based collective The Free Association captured a widespread sense of unease regarding this historical continuum in summer 2007 when they observed that “the ‘we are winning’ sentiment of the couple of years following Seattle has disappeared and been replaced by, at best, head-scratching and soul-searching. More a case of WTF than WTO…”

The social movements landscape of Ireland did not go untouched by this chain of global events: we’ve had our WTO moments and more recently our WTFs. From 2001 – a highpoint of the international wave of struggle – a key local symbol of global developments was the Grassroots Gatherings, open get-togethers for anyone who wanted to transform Irish society and the world in radical ways – ‘grassroots’ ways, in their focus on real democracy, and bottom-up methods, in keeping with the ethos of global networking bodies born in the turn of the century moment such as People’s Global Action (PGA). Though never really intended as organising platforms, the Gatherings made up a key hub of Irish movement-building and action: reclaiming the streets, building social centres, resisting war, environmental destruction and EU neoliberalism, the networks formed around the Grassroots Gatherings took their place in the global uprising against capitalism.

But reflecting the collapse of that ‘we are winning’ sentiment internationally, the Gatherings themselves had stalled by the end of 2005. It’s not as if this marked the death of Irish anti-capitalism – far too many good things have happened in the meantime, and too many great people have got on board for this to be true – but the sense of distance from the heady days of the early part of the decade has become stronger. Lots has changed since Seattle.

So why resurrect the Grassroots Gathering in 2008? Falling back on forms that have already broken down, until they break down again, is a self-defeating strategy. It’s what you might do when you have no strategy at all. We need a time capsule back to 2003 or 2004 – to a happy-clappy lucky dip of the same old workshops on the same old campaigns, skill-shares and alternative lifestyle ideas – like we need a hole in the collective head.

But unless we want to wallow in cynicism, and bail out of history like so many broken, bitter ex-radicals before us, what we do need – and what is more challenging – is to create a space in which to be critical about our mistakes and handicaps, rather than just look back on them with a baleful eye; to learn from them, and to start to look forwards and outwards.

Maybe this means admitting that the forces set in motion at the turn of the decade have run their course. Maybe it doesn’t. Maybe it means we can’t speak of a ‘movement of movements’ anymore. Or maybe we can. Maybe it means that the idea of a ‘Grassroots Gathering’ is obsolete.

But one thing it definitely means is this: amid the legacy of the turn of the century moment, a political sensibility (and maybe even a critical mass of people) now exists here that didn’t exist ten years ago: one that’s committed to radical social change, but not trapped in the dismal cul de sacs of Leninist, Stalinist and other dogmas. Whatever else has happened, we have broken through the ‘end of history’ of the 1990s. Our local experience of post-2000 anti-capitalism has been idiosyncratic (compared to wider trends, the course of Irish history often is); without the same movement traditions to draw upon as elsewhere, we reached our high-points later, and while some other nodes in the global network have even collapsed, ours hasn’t. Activists from overseas sometimes remark that the movement in Ireland seems fresh and outward-looking, unburdened by much of the baggage found elsewhere.

It may be that our situation is marked as much by opportunity as by defeat. So what are we going to do about it?

What’s happening?

While this Grassroots Gathering, like past ones, retains a vital element of straight ahead ‘popular education’ – with workshops on themes as diverse as Militant Research and Biotechnology – running through it are also some more focused workshop streams.

One of those ‘streams’ looks outwards: ‘Radical civil society and the state: hopes, fears and experiences’ is geared not so much towards the concerns of a typical Grassroots Gathering activist milieu, but towards those of community workers and activists, who will join us at this Gathering, and whose struggles against the vicissitudes of Irish society parallel the goals of the Grassroots Gatherings.

Another stream looks forwards and, to some extent, inwards: ‘Thinking about the Grassroots Movement’ takes in sessions on strategy; on how to create movement cultures of respect and solidarity; and on the question: across our uneven efforts to build networks regionally, nationally and globally, who are we, anyway, and what is it that unites us?

While some workshops are yet to be finalised, a list of confirmed sessions is below. Follow the links for more information and blurbs on workshops and streams. Watch this space for the final timetable, coming soon. Fun and games throughout the weekend provided with help from Electronic Resistance, Seomra Spraoi and friends.

Where?

Ground zero for GG 2008 is in the heart of Dublin’s Liberties: the building’s called Casadh, and it’s at 13, Newmarket Square, D8. A map will be posted below.

Other stuff

Take a look at our wish-list if you’d like to help out. We might even have a few openings for last minute workshop proposals, so don’t be shy about dropping us a line. We hope to make Grassroots Gathering 2008 a child-friendly space. We also hope to accommodate anyone with special needs, so if there’s anything we need to know, get in touch as soon as you can.

Contact

grassrootsgathering08@gmail.com for all correspondence; or

Tel: +353 85 724 3832

Links

http://www.myspace.com/grassrootsgathering08

http://grassrootsgathering.baywords.com/

Information on sessions and streams at:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1…ate=1

Texts on the history of the Grassroots Gatherings:

Laurence Cox, “The Grassroots Gatherings: Networking a ‘movement of movements'”.
http://www.wsm.ie/story/2799

Terry, “A short history of the Grassroots Gathering”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73804

Sessions

Stream A: Radical civil society and the state: hopes, fears and experiences

(1) Radical civil society and the state: hopes, fears and experiences
(2a) What do we know?
(2b) Is what we’re doing working?
(3) Plenary

Stream B: Thinking about the Grassroots movement (big ‘G’)

(1) Catching up on who and what we are
(2) Going places: strategy and the Grassroots movement
(3) Solidarity? Building a healthy movement culture

Stream C: Learning about grassroots movements (small ‘g’) – and everything else
(1) Timeline of the ‘Movement of movements’
(2) ABCs of social change
(3) Militant Research
(4) What would it mean to win?
(5) Biotechnologies, food sovereignty and climate crisis
(6) Migrants in the movement
(7) The war against war
(8) Community garden wander
(9) Social centres network update
(10) The ‘gathering of gatherings’: round-up from a season of meets

More details and reader at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87693

Collection of Latest Radical Newsletters & Magazines available to download

All of the following are available from here:

http://www.natterjackpress.co.uk/menu/downloads.php

All of the following are available from here:

http://www.natterjackpress.co.uk/menu/downloads.php

Get down to your local radical social centre or bookshop for these newsletters – if they aren’t there then print them out / photocopy and take down there. If your nearest social centre isn’t that local, then you now know where you can get all the latest publications without having to trawl the net for them.

We are always looking for newsletters/ zines/ pamphlets/ magazines/ articles to host on our download page (preferably as ‘imposed’ ready to be printed PDF) email us if you are involved in a publication.

* SchNews Weekly – from their web site

* Rough Music – Issue 18 – May/June 2008 – Local Brighton ‘trouble making, dirt digging’ newsletter

* Workers Solidarity – Issue 103 – May/June 2008 – Irish Anarchist News

* No Pasaran – Issue 1 – May 2008 – New Antifa UK Anti Fascist newsletter

* Infoshop News – Issue 1 – May 2008 – New 40 page roundup of news from the Infoshop anarchist news site

* Earth First! Action Update – May 2008 – another great new issue – a quarterly roundup of ecological and other direct action from Britain and beyond

* Mesho – April 2008 – spoof newspaper made for the international days of action for squats and autonomous spaces

* Corporate Watch – Issue 40 – April/May 2008 – Iraq Inc., European Investment Bank, Arab-British chamber of Commerce, West Papua, Review of Klein’s ‘Shock Doctrine’, Diary + More

* Gagged – Issue 23 – April/May 2008 – South Wales Anarchist Newsletter

* Resistance – Issue 102 – April/May 2008 – monthly newsletter of the Anarchist Federation UK

* No Borders – Issue 3 – February / March 2008 – No Borders UK network newsletter

* Rupture – February 2008 – a great zine for and about free parties, squats and social centres

* 325 – Issue 5 – February 2008 – an insurgent magazine of social war and anarchy

* Class War – Issue 93 – Winter 2007 – “Save the Planet – Get Rid of the Rich” getting straight to the point as always

* Organise! – Issue 69 – Wnter 2007 – magazine of the Anarchist Federation

* Fire to the Prisons – Issue 2 – December 2007 – Excellent new newsletter/magazine 30 pages of insurrectionary anti-prison/domination news and analysis and prisoner support information

* Crossing Borders – Issue 4 – November 2007 – a newsletter on movements and struggles of migration (this issue focusing on the No Borders camp in the Ukraine)

* Frontline – Issue 6 – June/August 2007 – Colombia Solidarity Campaign quarterly magazine

* Direct Action – Issue 39 – Summer 2007 – mag of UK anarcho-syndacalist Solidarity Federation

* Warrior Wind – Issue 3 – May 2007 – a newsletter in support of political prisoners

* Incendio – Issue 1 – Spring 2006 – a bilingual (english/spanish) magazine on Latin American struggles and solidarity

* Rolling Thunder – Issue 1 – Summer 2005 – ‘an anarchist journal of dangerous living’

mail@natterjackpress.co.uk
http://www.natterjackpress.co.uk

Spirit of Freedom (May 2008)

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

“The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!” (Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the May 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As we go to print we await the sentencing of American vegan eco-activist, Eric McDavid, who has been convicted of thought crimes (he has been convicted of conspiring to carry out ELF actions, although at the time of his arrest no crimes had actually been committed). Eric’s sentencing has been put back on numerous occasions, so we wouldn’t like to say when the sentencing might actually take place. But as soon as Eric has been sentenced we will be circulating his details and encouraging everyone to support him. [for update on his sentence, see very bottom of post]

ELP is also watching, with concern, the developments in the case of American vegan eco-activist Marie Mason. Her co-defendant, Frank Ambrose, is a police informant and it is believed that Ambrose has given the FBI the names of fifteen other people who Ambrose claims have been involved with both ALF and ELF activity over a number of years. ELP will of course bring you all the news as we receive it. In the mean time we ask that everyone support Marie and the other targets to Ambrose’s lies.

But as well as these high profile activists, we ask you not to forget all the other prisoners, some of whom are less well known. Regardless of how long a prisoner serves, or how well known they are, its important we support all the eco-prisoners equally. So please, no matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners and no compromise in defence of Mother Earth!

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. On remand accused of involvement with an arson on logging trucks and an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan – He has asked that his letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Rod Coronado – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Eric McDavid X-2972521 7E128, Sacramento County Main Jail, 651 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA. Awaiting sentencing having been found guilty of planning to destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and power plants. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan #63794-053, Unit I, FCI Sandstone, Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul – See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Rod Coronado, Voice of the Earth, PO Box 732, Tucson, AZ 85702, USA. Due to be sentenced to one-year imprisonment after Rod informed people how to make an incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Rod is a vegetarian).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072 USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan – See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA, England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g.
Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis. His charge was “bodily harm”. He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin, Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557 Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a
suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending himself. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA.
Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Spirit of Freedom is ELP’s international monthly prisoner listing which is circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters – ELP has a number of websites that provide news, prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

——-

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (9th of May 2008)

Dear friends

Today the American vegan eco-defence activist, Eric McDavid, was sentenced to an outrageous 19 years and 7 months imprisonment having been found guilty of conspiring to destroy the property of the forestry service, mobile phone masts and power plants. At the point of his arrest he hadn’t actually damaged anything and was merely, allegedly, thinking about carrying out these actions.

Sentencing a man to just under 20 years imprisonment for a thought crime is a total outrage and we encourage everyone to support Eric by sending him urgent letters of support.

McDavid, Eric x-2972521 7E128
Sacramento County Main Jail
651 “I” St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
USA

For more information on Eric check out his website http://www.supporteric.org/

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

Stuck for something to do!? Uninspired & lacklustre..? The all new singing dancing EF!AU is here to lift your spirits

As if putting the boot into the genetics industry, filling empty spaces with joy & creativity, and fooling the fossil-heads wasn’t enough, people have been busy washing lumps of coal and covering themselves with paint…we kid you not…all in aid of halting the trashing of the planet!

Parliaments have been climbed, airport terminals flash(mobb)ed, fields & various other sites occupied, building stormed & blockaded, pipelines blockaded & destroyed…

Parliaments have been climbed, airport terminals flash(mobb)ed, fields & various other sites occupied, building stormed & blockaded, pipelines blockaded & destroyed…

Throw into the mix ye oldie Reclaim the Streets, the tried and tested eeeeevil Mr/Ms Sabotage, the launch of a new campaign ‘Leave it in the Ground’, plus a summer-full of dates, new contacts list, it’s a wonder we’ve fitted in a brand new sexy EF! summer gathering poster (front & back). Download the latest EF!AU to share with others, subscribe or check out some past issues. The next issue will come out at the beginning of August.

And of course, this year’s EF! Summer Gathering (or follow the link to the left) is from Wednesday 27th August to Monday 1st September 2008, if you want to plot & plan, and laugh & chat with old friends & new.

Phew, what a scorcher!