Page 199 – Respect existence or expect resistance!

Disabled activists occupy Birmingham City Council office: photos and video

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

JNC open new squat. Gardeners required.

At 0900 hrs on Tuesday 31 March, members of ‘Justice Not Crisis’ occupied the Beechcourt Hotel, 201 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B5 7UB.

The 21 bedroom hotel has had a checkered past over the years. It has been empty for several months having had its licensed removed by Birmingham City Council. Regular police attendances to fights, allegations of being used for immoral purposes, massive debts and nuisance to local residents all played a part in the hotel being abandoned.

Local resident’s tell of noise nuisance, burning of car tyres and plastic, dumping of rubbish and the illegal cutting down of trees as just some of the complaints.

The hotel with a vast area of land at the rear comprising of a lake complete with ducks, geese and fish has been run down over a long period of time. The 21 bedrooms once home for Birmingham’s homeless now consists of empty rooms, a damaged and crumbling building, and rubbish strewn gardens to the rear.

JNC intend to carry out a clean up operation put the grounds to more sympathetic use and home people off the streets of Birmingham in a clean safe welcoming environment.

The owner has been contacted and negotiations are on going to ensure the property is put to a proper use.

Local residents will be notified of the occupation and ensured that our intentions are in the best interests of the local community and the building and grounds.

Anyone wishing to pop in with ideas or suggestions is more than welcome. We are in need of anyone able and willing to assist with the clean up of the gardens and entrance at the rear which are an eyesore to local residents.

http://www.justicenotcrisis.com

Activists occupy Hazelwood power station in Earth Hour direct action

“Switch off Coal and Switch on Renewables” was the very clear message being sent to State and Federal Governments this Earth Hour by community climate activists who occupied Hazelwood Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley on Saturday March 28.

View the video – http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/bento/videos/Hazelwood.m4v/view
Switch Off Hazelwood Blog – http://switchoffcoal.wordpress.com/

Louise Morris, one of the Hazelwood protesters from Friends of the Earth, said every hour should be Earth Hour, according to an ABC Report. 3 activists locked on to equipment early Saturday morning with 30 more present protesting for the shutdown of one of the most polluting coal power stations in the world and calling for a rapid transition to renewable energy technologies.

“If we’re serious about climate change, we actually need to be switching off coal and switching on renewables rather than just switching off our lights for one hour once a year,” she said.

On the Switch Off Hazelwood Blog Louise Morris said:

“Hazelwood’s carbon pollution emissions, at 17 million tonnes annually, are equivalent to about 5% of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions – the same amount as Kevin Rudd’s emission reduction target for 2020. “

“By shutting down Hazelwood this year, we could achieve this 5% target immediately, and then adopt proper emission reduction targets as the climate science demands. It’s time to get down to the real business of transitioning Australia away from polluting fossil fuels and switching onto renewable energy,” said Ms Morris.

“Governments are happy to provide token support for climate change by switching off their lights for an hour, once a year, but if they are serious on climate change it’s clear Hazelwood needs to be decommissioned this year.”

“This Earth Hour we need to acknowledge it is time to do so much more than just switch off our lights for an hour. We need to switch off our reliance on dirty coal and switch onto job rich renewable energy sources.”

Warwickshire Cricket Club attempt illegal eviction at squat.

Warwickshire County Cricket Ground staff and contractors forced entry into 312 Pershore Road, Edgbaston Birmingham ignoring Public Order Act Laws and squatters rights.

At the first court eviction hearing with WCCC, Justice Not Crisis did not defend the action against 3 of the 4 properties held by them. The Judge ordered forthwith possession on those properties.

Warwickshire County Cricket Ground staff and contractors forced entry into 312 Pershore Road, Edgbaston Birmingham ignoring Public Order Act Laws and squatters rights.

At the first court eviction hearing with WCCC, Justice Not Crisis did not defend the action against 3 of the 4 properties held by them. The Judge ordered forthwith possession on those properties.

The next stage in the eviction process is to apply for a warrant and return with Bailiffs who are then empowered to take possession of the property and remove occupants.

WCCC obviously think they are beyond the law as the arrived at the properties and smashed down the door to 312 Pershore Road which was occupied at the time. JNC called the Police who informed WCCC staff that they were acting illegally. The staff then left and the building was re-secured by our members.

We have photographed and video recorded the incident links are available on our website.

At a hearing before District Judge Ingram at Birmingham County Court,on 25th March 2009, Warwickshire County Cricket Club where granted a forthwith possession order for 318 Pershore Road.

JNC defended the action stating that they had a tenancy granted to them from an Agent of the Cricket Club.

JNC are considering their options on an appeal to the European Court of human rights on the right of every person to a home. The Judge commented ” Every person who wants a home should have a right to one”

JNC will resist the eviction order when Bailiffs arrive, as we reported yesterday WCCC don’t normally bother with the next legal stage choosing to send contractors to attempt an illegal eviction instead.

http://www.justicenotcrisis.com

e-mail: justice.not.crisis@googlemail.com

ELF Mexico Torch Earth Destroying Machines, Yet Again

“Today [March 23rd] the Guadalajara, Jalisco sky was illuminated by the abolitionist fire of the Frente de Liberación de la Tierra (FLT/ELF) when we decided to break the social order imposed by the techno-industrial civilization; on the night of March 22 a machine that destroys the earth was reduced to ashes and a big stone broke the window of a bank.

Maybe we have not collapsed the system of domination with these actions, but it begins with actions like these.

From practice comes success.

Guadalajara México ELF”

anonymous report translated by http://directaction.info

5 Arrested as Work stopped on Muir Dean open cast coal site in Fife

26. March 2009
Yesterday at 2pm five protesters stopped work at the Muir Dean open-cast coal mine near Crossgates in Fife, operated by ATH Resources. They climbed onto a huge excavator in the centre of the pit, displaying a banner demanding “No New Coal”.

Unexpectedly, Fife police arrested all five protesters after detaining them earlier, despite them agreeing to come down off the excavator, and even though workers at the site were happy for them to just leave. They were held at Dunfermline police station and have now been released on bail.

One activist said “We’re here to send a message to ATH Resources that mining the dirtiest fossil fuel and fuelling climate change is not acceptable. As mining companies such as ATH don’t appear to be listening, we’ve come to stop them mining, too.”

Controversy surrounded the Muir Dean site as the original planning application was refused by Fife council and unanimously voted against by the council planning committee following hundreds of objections from local residents [1]. The decision by the local council to refuse the application was overturned by the Scottish Government sparking anger in Crossgates. Work at Muir Dean started in April 2008, being one of the “new coal” sites opening across Scotland and the UK.

The protesters are acting to oppose the thirteen new open cast coal mines due to open in Scotland as well as existing mines that significantly impact upon the quality of life of local communities. Scotland’s CO2 emissions are increasing significantly because of the burning of coal, and with the current push for new coal it will be impossible for Scotland to meet its 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.

Another activist stated “The time to take action to prevent runaway climate change is now. People need to take responsibility for their surroundings as well as the wider world. The companies causing climate destruction must be stopped”.

The ATH Resources operated site produces around 450,000 tonnes of coal per year and will produce 4 million tonnes in total – equivalent to around 7.32 million tonnes [2] of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.

The protesters apologize to any workers affected by today’s demonstration, but in recognizing the desperate need to stop burning coal see no other choice but to target the companies responsible for mining it.

[1] http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.1813977.0.ath_given_permission_to_begin_muir_dean_operations.php

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal – Relative carbon cost: every kilogram of coal once trapped in CO2 weighs approximately 1.83Kg.

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The 5 detained protesters were arrested for a “Breach of the Peace” and held over-night.

All accused are out with trial dates in August.

Fight Speciesism! #8 – Out Now

Spring 2009 issue of the latest anti-speciesist, anti-capitalist, abolitionist direct action news is out now.

Articles: SHAC 7 solidarity, operation sinking ship, hunt sabbing, mink released, ‘fashion’ shop closed, liberationists arrested, max mara campaign, international actions, prisoner letters, police under attack, alf vs wageningen uni, prisoner support, monkeys fight back, netcu, bullring riots, aeta 4, earth liberation, mexican actions, whale wars, rioting in london and edo smashed.

Spring 2009 issue of the latest anti-speciesist, anti-capitalist, abolitionist direct action news is out now.

FS! #8 https://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2009/03//424982.pdf

PRINT / SHARE / DISTRIBUTE

Antispeciesist Action is a collective of militant antispeciesists and animal liberationists committed to confronting animal abuse, suffering and exploitation of non-human beings through the use of direct action.

G20 critical mass & link to action maps, meeting points, and resources

A voyage of exploration into the world of Carbon Trading, what it is and who’s making a killing out of trading in hot air.

Wed April 1st 9:00 AM Meet at Bank Junction (Bank tube station) EC2

You’d be a fool to miss it! Want more? Get involved with: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

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A voyage of exploration into the world of Carbon Trading, what it is and who’s making a killing out of trading in hot air.

Wed April 1st 9:00 AM Meet at Bank Junction (Bank tube station) EC2

You’d be a fool to miss it! Want more? Get involved with: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

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For other G20 plans, actions & info, follow the links under G20 1-2 April 2009 in the updated upcoming Action dates & gatherings

Callout for organising! Scottish Camp for Climate Action

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

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!

Philippines: Thousands protesting open pit gold mine

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.”

Contacts

Rodne R. Galicha (ATM Sites of Struggles Officer): 09087421905
Marcial Velasco/Danilo Corpuz (ACRA Members of the Board): 09209190274
E-mail: kalikasan101@gmail.com Website: www.alyansatigilmina.net