UK Indymedia - UK Newswire Archive

Anarchist sabotages on Bristol trainlines

23-05-2012 11:47

The purpose of guerrilla attack is to spread the struggle into different territories and facets of life. Finance, judicial, communications, military and transport infastructure will continue to be targets of the new generation of urban low-intensity warfare - the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) / International Revolutionary Front.

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Sunderland Working Class bookfair Sat June 16th

23-05-2012 10:55

The next working class bookfair will be on Saturday June 16th 11 till 5pm in the Museum Vaults, Sunderland. 33 Silksworth Row Sunderland Tyne And Wear SR1 3QJ.

A broad range of literature, mags, books and ephemera, and different groups will be represented, and this mixture will hopefully strengthen the progressive movement and its politics. We aim to have an open and tolerant atmosphere, where discussion is encouraged.

This bookfair is organised at a time of economic crisis and political crisis. What passes for democracy is in desperate need of serious change. The Politicians lie and the media spread it in collusion with the police to form what passes for the news of everyday life. Power and money corrupt, and cause wars, its time to think our way beyond these limitations and do something about it.

The developing economic crisis, unemployment, Metro Cleaners dispute, struggles against cuts, the large demonstration in London on Oct 20th, and the way forward for the movement are going to be topics for debate over; soft drinks, Tea & coffee, beer, and not forgetting the all important meat & veggie barbecues.

Books, mags and pamphlets will cover at least; local and general history, Marxism, environment, football and other sport, culture, railways, mining, fiction, social science, co-operatives, economics, Anarchism, international relations, socialism, trade unions, sex, drugs & rock n' roll... :)

This is an open invite to all fellow travellers and troublemakers to come on down to the June 16th bookfair and have a great time.

We would especially welcome comrades who travel across the North, such as friends in York, Leeds, Carlisle, Dumfries, Berwick, Middlesborough and lots more.

Tyne & Wear Left Unity, Sunderland Welfare Action group, the Industrial Workers of the World, SPGB, Class War, NUM, Mayday books, North East Anarchists, the Black Bloc (if we can find them), UKUNCUT, students, teachers and lecturers, Sunderland College lecturers currently in dispute and many more are invited.

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Media manipulation over school bombing in Brindisi

23-05-2012 10:45

Last Saturday morning a bomb exploded outside the vocational college for young women “Morvillo-Falcone” in the Southern city of Brindisi, killing a teenage girl, Melissa Bassi, and severely wounding several other classmates.

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Plainclothes Cops ID'd as Giles Dainty & Chris Healey

23-05-2012 00:35

During London's N9 protest on 9 Nov 2011, plain clothes cops from the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group were filmed attacking and kidnapping members of the public. Two of these paid hit-men have been identified as Giles Dainty and Chris Healey –

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Fossil Darkness Flourishes

22-05-2012 21:01

The BP Gulf oil spill coverup continues. Josh Tickell Director of new film "The Big Fix". Protests at giant Tata Mundra coal plant construction in NW India. S. Dutta reports. Plus more propaganda in the toxic legacy of the Canadian Tar Sands - scientist David Schindler.

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Spectre of Shell Reapers hangs over AGM

22-05-2012 20:55

today was the annual general meeting of oil giant, shell. the main international AGM took place in holland at the hague, but uk shareholders joined in by videolink at a meeting at the barbican. despite a massive security operation, the AGM was hit both outside and in by a stream of activists from 'rising tide' 'occupy oil', 'shell to sea', 'tar sands uk', and 'greenpeace' among others.

*rikki is editing a short film about the morning, which will be posted on indymedia tomorrow. in the meantime, here is a press release put together by 'rising tide uk', with some stills from rikki.

pics by rikki - free for non-commercial credited use - all other rights reserved

phone pics from inside AGM by 'rising tide uk' - free for non-commercial credited use - all other rights reserved

--------

At today's Shell AGM link at the Barbican the suits on the Shell board were given a 3 hour grilling, with questioners focussing attention on its environmental and human rights crimes around the world. Spread throughout the auditorium, hooded London Rising Tide & friends' grim Shell reapers stood silently awaiting direction from the board toward their next appointment with Shell induced death and environmental destruction.

The grim figures stood motionless for almost an hour while Messrs Ollila and Vosser, Chairman & CEO, attempted to defend Shell's ravenous pursuit of profit above all else at the expense of:

- the pristine Arctic, where drilling and probably spilling will begin in the summer;

- the Canadian boreal forest, where Tar Sands "extraction" has increased by 100k barrels per day

- the once beautiful fish spawning grounds of the Niger Delta, now clogged with a "Deepwater Horizon's" worth of oil every year

They listened intently to Vosser spouting that so-called "ethical company status" was "very close to my heart and we are driving sustainability". We all know where its being driven. Remember climate change?

Climate change may not be a fashionable subject these days, but it’s already claiming 300,000 lives a year. Glaciers are disappearing, sea levels are rising and extreme weather is becoming more extreme. As temperatures rise, we’ll see more flooding, drought, disease, famine and war, creating hundreds of millions of refugees and destroying entire ecosystems and species.

We can’t afford to forget about climate change – or the fact that companies like Shell are at the heart of the problem and a shift to Fossil Fuel Gas and land grabbing biofuels isn't helping!

Meanwhile outside, many more Shell Grim Reapers managed to gain entry into the lobby before being ejected by what one shareholder inside referred to as "over the top security". There they met with Occupy Shell Oil coffin bearers who had formed a solemn procession with the corporate body of Shell from St.Pauls Cathedral to be laid to rest at the feet of a 6 degree Celcius global temperature rise this century.

There among the shareholders, City cops and many private security and corporate spies, the Shell Reapers handed out leaflets to inform of impending Shell devastation.

A delegation from Indigenous peoples attended Shell’s main Annual General Meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. They detailed the massive human and ecological rights violations and economic devastation that Shell's operations have brought to local communities. The tar sands development in Alberta, Canada covers an area the size of England, with toxic lakes so huge they are visible from space, leaking poisons into the local water supply. The effects that tar sands are having on local First Nations communities are devastating. Not only are indigenous livelihoods and futures being destroyed, but communities on land where tar sands extraction has been imposed are experiencing disturbingly high rates of rare forms of cancer and auto-immune diseases.

Eriel Deranger, community member and spokesperson for the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), Alberta – an Indigenous community residing downstream from tar sands operations and who are currently suing Shell for violating past agreements - stated: “Tar sands extraction projects on our traditional lands are being approved at a pace that is both irresponsible and irreparably destructive. People in the community of Fort Chipewyan? are genuinely afraid. Our food and water sources are contaminated, resulting in a fear of eating traditional foods and eroding the continuation of our cultural and subsistence lifestyles. Yet Shell plans to aggressively expand its activities, doubling production. The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is calling on Shell to meet its past agreements and halt expansion until our broader concerns about the cumulative impacts of tar sands operations are addressed.”

Ron Plain, from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Ontario – which has been called ‘the most polluted place in North America’ by the National Geographic Society, and the ‘the most contaminated airshed in Canada’ by the World Health Organization due to its proximity to ‘Chemical Valley’ where Shell’s and other tar sands operators’ refineries are causing serious health and reproductive impacts – said: “Aamjiwnaang is the first community in the world to experience birth ratios of 2 girls to 1 boy due to endocrine disruption from the pollution. This is the first step towards extinction. Shell have admitted that their current facility, which is located at the fenceline of Aamjiwnaang, ‘could not meet today’s environmental regulations or standards.’ But Shell’s proposal for a new facility within Aamjiwnaang territory was recently denied by Canada for a whole host of environmental, social and other reasons. The corporate response to that set-back was to build onto the antiquated facility the equipment needed to process more tar sands bitumen.”

Robert Thompson, Chairman of REDOIL and an Inupiat from Kaktovik, a village on the edge of the Arctic Ocean in Alaska, where Shell plans to drill offshore in Arctic waters this summer, said: “Shell plans to drill in the Arctic this summer without the proven technology or infrastructure to deal with inevitable spills. They have not demonstrated the ability to clean up spills within or from under the ice or during storms. Our culture depends on a clean ocean, and we have subsisted in this region for 12,000 years. We oppose Shell’s plans that have the potential to destroy the culture of our people and will further push the planet into irreversible climate change.”

Ben Powless, a Mohawk from Six Nations in Ontario, representing the Indigenous Environmental Network, said:“Not only have Shell revelled in being a climate criminal, they have also been exposed as fighting the European Union’s proposed Fuel Quality Directive, in collusion with the Canadian government. Their continued environmental destruction and violation of Indigenous rights across Canada, Alaska and Nigeria show that Shell needs to change their operations or face increasing protest and opposition across the world. Our organization is supporting an Indigenous-led campaign against Shell’s extreme energy projects to bring together frontline impacted communities.”

To find out more about the Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign, see:http://ienearth.org/tarsands.html

So, what else can we do about Shell in London?

Apart from street corner Petrol Garage blockades we can wage war on corporate branding. Join us to help kick Shell-out Sponsorship = buying us off . Shell's sponsorship acts as a greenwashed blindfold to prevent us seeing the ravages of frontier oil extraction boundaries being pushed. When we challenge this, we strike a blow at Shell’s brand, chip away at its power and move towards the day when Big Oil – like Big Tobacco – is no longer seen as socially acceptable. As we once kicked the tobacco companies out of our cultural institutions we must now do the same to the oil industry.

London Rising Tide, c/o 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES;tel: 07708 794665 www.londonrisingtide.org.uk
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Rising-Tide-UK/515246801 http://www.twitter.com/RisingTide_UK

www.risingtide.org.uk

www.artnotoil.org.uk

www.fossilfoolsday.org

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Faslane 30 Days Of Action: Update And Final Call Out

22-05-2012 18:26

Dear fellow anti-nuclearist/ peaceist/ anti-militarist/ anarchist/
willing-to-stand-up-and-be-counted-ist, You are being invited to the 30th Anniversary of resistance at Faslane!

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Berkeley's Bayer Bee Killers Stung by Critics

22-05-2012 16:14

.  This West Berkeley park was the staging ground for a self-declared human "Bee-in at Bayer." The goal: to call attention to the chemical maker's role in producing a pesticide linked to "Colony Collapse Disorder," a mysterious syndrome that suddenly turns once-healthy hives into empty shells devoid of bees.

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Open Letter 'Enough is Enough' on Leyton Marsh!

22-05-2012 12:55

CONTINUED ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AT LEYTON MARSH We are sending this email to you and to local and national press, community, health and animal welfare organisations near to Leyton Marsh, London E10. Please see below a copy of a two-page open letter, from the Save Leyton Marsh campaign, for your urgent information and action as appropriate. We have sent the top copy of the open letter to the following organisations: Olympic Delivery Authority. London 2012, its development and contracting companies. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Waltham Forest Council members and officers. Environment Agency. British Waterways. Greater London Authority NE London member. Natural England. DEFRA. Information about the Save Leyton Marsh campaign is at: www.saveleytonmarsh.wordpress.com saveleytonmarsh@hotmail.com Thank you for your kind attention. SAVE LEYTON MARSH

21st May 2012

Dear [Chief Executive/Leader/Project Manager/Councillor/Member etc of]

[Olympic Delivery Authority]

[London 2012]

[ARUP]

[NUSSLI]

[Lee Valley Regional Park Authority]

[Waltham Forest Council]

[Environment Agency]

[Health and Safety Executive]

[British Waterways]

[Greater London Authority]

RE: CONTINUED ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AT LEYTON MARSH

An open letter, from the Save Leyton Marsh campaign, to you as the named authority with responsibilities as mentioned.

This letter is also copied to the local and national press, community, health and animal welfare organisations near to Leyton Marsh.

Respectfully,

SAVE LEYTON MARSH GROUP

SAVE LEYTON MARSH CAMPAIGN SAYS

“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”

A dog who drank water on 18th May from a puddle at Leyton Marsh, next to the Olympic GTTV Basketball construction site, has fallen ill and a vet has diagnosed the animal as suffering from ‘chemical poisoning’. This appalling incident, the cause of which is not yet known, only adds to the fears of local people about Leyton Marsh, the now dreadfully damaged open access green space. Following the leasing of the land by the Lee Valley Regional Park to the Olympic Delivery Authority, and Waltham Forest Council’s highly unpopular and environmentally-nonsensical decision to permit a three-storey-high building to be constructed and then demolished on it, costly and unplanned special measures are now being sought to repair the damage and enable the land to be “reinstated” by 15th October.

Residents and Marsh users, through the Save Leyton Marsh campaign, have already complained about the following extremely alarming hazards and mismanagement episodes during the construction period:

On 14th March an unexploded World War 2 bomb found by workers during the excavation works was removed from the site, with no warnings made to people on the Marsh or local residents to stay clear. Workers remain on alert in case further unexploded ordnance is discovered.

On 18th April the building contractors were told to mask up and ‘hand-pick’ the chrysotile asbestos excavated on the site, so that the asbestos dust can blow away into the ‘ambient atmosphere’. There was and is no warning about this ongoing occurrence to people around the Marsh, who include babies in prams, joggers exercising vigorously, elderly people, local residents, dog-walkers and those in boats on the River Lea.

Contractors continue to drive lorries and plant onto the Marsh, via the unmade-up Sandy Lane that remains in use by pedestrians, dogs and horses. The safety management of the enforced sharing of the space is perilously lacking: there are no signs warning people of oncoming vehicles and the works to Sandy Lane itself involve the use of a mechanical digger whose bucket and claw swing out freely while families, joggers and ramblers have to look out for their own safety. This situation would not be tolerated on the public highway.

Waltham Forest Council says that the only people needing to be protected from these dangers are the future basketball player users of the finished buildings, and Council officers refuse to accept responsibility for the current health and safety of local people in the meantime.

The Save Leyton Marsh campaign says ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The contractors must be forced to cease work and the authorities responsible must negotiate with local residents and Marsh users an agreed protocol of environmental, health and safety protection and management.

Before anything worse happens to people or animals and before further damage is done to the Marsh, the Save Leyton Marsh campaign is challenging the following bodies to act together to protect local people, animals and wildlife, and the Marsh environment:

Olympic Delivery Authority, London 2012, their developers and contractors ARUP and NUSSLI

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

Waltham Forest Council

Environment Agency

Health and Safety Executive

British Waterways

Greater London Authority

WE ASK EACH AUTHORITY, COUNCIL, COMPANY, AGENCY:

WHAT ARE YOU DOING JOINTLY TO ADDRESS AND AVOID HAZARDS, PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND REINSTATE THE LAND TO ITS FORMER CHARACTER?

This open letter has been sent also to urgently inform organisations neighbouring Leyton Marsh, including the Riverside Nursery, the Lee Valley Riding Stables, the Lee Valley Ice Centre and the Springfield Rowing Club, local vets and health organisations. Hackney Borough Council, the RSPCA, the Police Safer Neighbourhood Team, the Olympic Community Relations Police Team, local and national press will also receive copies.

(Disclaimer: Save Leyton Marsh in no way infers or implies that the chemical poisoning of the dog was caused by any actions of the authorities, companies or councils mentioned in this letter).

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Blockupy wins Frankfurt hearts despite police

22-05-2012 12:55

Peaceful Blockupy protest gets Frankfurt public backing

Blockupy Frankfurt declared a lasting victory for freedom of speech as 25,000 demonstrators marched through the German financial capital tormented by 5000 riot police.

Saturday's peaceful march on the European Central Bank was the culmination of three days of protest against the new wave of authoritarian capitalism which has swept Europe.

“The governance of the market is actively seeking the state of crisis, for this is where maximal profit can be found,” said a statement in the Critical Legal Thinking Blockupy live-feed blog

“This is why today’s protests call for an end to crisis politics – because such policies seek only the perpetuation of crisis, and consequently can only be considered as deleterious to human well-being.

Even traditionally right-wing newspaper Zeit called Saturday's demo a “Victory for Blockupy” despite police descending on the city of Frankfurt in their thousands to intimidate, harrass and terrorise anyone who wanted to democratically demonstrate their displeasure with the current political system. A carpet ban on protest meant any assembly was deemed illegal, even when held on private ground, but rather than shy from the streets many braved their fears knowing that in their civil disobedience they stood for something greater – freedom of speech.

And it was not an effort which went unseen as residents threw biscuits, water bottles and sweets to aid the thousands who had evaded police aggression and marched for their dwindling freedoms in the afternoon sun.

It was a victory hard won though, as hundreds were arrested in one of the largest police operations in recent years that closed down an entire city to traffic with even residents going about their daily business being disrupted and house arrest conditions being imposed on prominent protestors.

As the police violence escalated and over ten buses were turned back from Berlin, demonstrators turned back at Germany's borders and the British kettle being used to stifle dissent at every opportunity so did the legal challenges in the German federal supreme court. Clutching copies of the German constitution, protestors, which received wide support across the German activist scene, called for the interior minister's head for his role in limiting freedom of thought.

Britain's own David Graeber, whose compelling book, Debt has already proven a must-read for politically interested people across the globe, was one of the main speakers in a series of workshops held throughout Frankfurt trying to evade State repression.

Activist lawyer Hans Scharf, wearing an Occupy Money T-shirt referring to the Blockupy money system installed at the camp that demoted all nations to BBB speculator status immediately said: “It is a shame for this supposedly cosmopolitan city, the way we are treated here.” In his view, the Minister of Interior and the head of the public order department should resign, because they had “absolutely no concrete reason to restrict freedom of assembly”.