UK Energy Crisis Newswire Archive
Zero Carbon Britain 2030
12-01-2011 10:59
Right a Wrong in British Planning Law
11-01-2011 16:44
This MOPG's latest Press Release emphasises a different aspect of the argument as to why Communities in England should benefit from a 500m Buffer Zone law. It shows how many areas of England could be prone to opencast mining because local communities, unlike those in Scotland and Wales do not benefit from having a 500m Buffer Zone policy in operation.Britain and the Long Emergency
11-01-2011 13:00
An excellent summay of the unfolding situation in the UK.
http://orwellianuk.blogspot.com/2011/01/britain-and-long-emergency.html
Ratcliffe: 2nd Court Case of 6 activist Collapses
10-01-2011 18:23
Today was to have been the beginning of a trial of a further 6 people arrested during the police Operation Aeroscope
Ratcliffe: 2nd Court Case of 6 activist Collapses
Over the last few weeks, 20 protestors had been appearing in Nottingham crown Court, accused of conspiring to shut down the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station. They were found guilty and were sentenced on the 5th January.
Today was to have been the beginning of a trial of a further 6 people arrested during the police Operation Aeroscope in which 114 people had been arrested by Nottinghamshire Police to prevent the action going ahead.
Integral to this case is the revelations of the work of the undercover Metropolitan Police Officer Mark Kennedy.
Mark 'Stone/Kennedy' exposed as undercover police officer? - Indymedia UK 21 October 2010
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/10/466477.html
Mike Schwarz,a solicitor at the Bindmans law firm who represented the activists, said last night:
"I have no doubt that our attempts to get disclosure about Kennedy's role has led to the collapse of the trial. It is no coincidence that just 48 hours after we told the CPS our clients could not receive a fair trial unless they disclosed material about Kennedy, they halted the prosecution. Given that Kennedy was, until recently, willing to assist the defence, one has to ask if the police were facing up to the possibility their undercover agent had turned native."
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer was spotted in Nottingham Crown Court this morning. A few of us were wondering if that his presence had anything to do with the trial collapse? A couple of journalist asked court staff if this was so. But, no!! Apparently he was on a routine visit to the court. We looked at each other and said: "yea right" at the same time :-)
Sitting in Court 3 the defendant initially seated in the dock [glass tank!] were invited to seating within the court. Before His Honour Judge Milmo QC, Miss Felicity Gerry for the prosecution said that on last Wednesday [5th January], the Crown Prosecution Service undertook a review of the case and that as a result, the crown had decided to offer no evidence. The judge therefore declares all six defendants not guilty. The defendant were represented by six individual barristers each of which then applied to the court for an assortment of legal and travel costs all being agreed by the judge.
He then rose.
The whole gig done and dusted in under ten minutes!
Of course the defendants had had this case hanging over their lives since Easter 2009. Obviously being in possession of more of the facts than they had let on. It would of course have been nice if the prosecution might have alleviated their distress by pulling the plug earlier. But no!
Outside, speaking on the court steps, solicitor Mick Schwartz said that the reason for the collapse of the trial was that:
"Previously unavailable material that significantly undermines the prosecution's case came to light on Wednesday 5 January'. The discovery of this material came at the time when the prosecution were informed that we planned to pursue disclosure of the evidence relating to PC Kennedy with the judge. Unsurprisingly, they have declined to confirm whether the new material relates to PC Kennedy. In my opinion the two are obviously connected. The timing speaks for itself. These events also beg wider, serious questions. Would this evidence have been uncovered had the defence not become aware of it through other avenues?"
The primary difference in the defence operated in these two trials was that the first 20 said in court, that they were going to carry out the action that they were accused of, but claimed that it was 'necessary'. A lawful excuse for action. This latest trial of the six, would have said that yes, they were there, but had not decided whether to have taken part in any action, or not. PC Kennedy being present there, might have been able to help the court with that!!
It seems obvious to me that with the scale of the climate emergency in front of us, these [and similar] cases are only just the beginning. As time progresses [runs out], many other concerned citizens will be taking direct actions on these issues. The law will of course be 47 steps behind, uncertain if action is necessary or not, or, if democracy and political process can save us. Having heard all the evidence from the last trial ..... I think not. Personally, I hope one day, the law might progress that we can eventually take action against companies / government for the new offence of ecocide, rather than defending individual peoples actions to be 'necessary'.
Why we need a law on ecocide - Polly Higgins barrister, international environmental lawyer Guardian 5 January 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2011/jan/05/ecocide-law-ratcliffe
This Is Ecocide | Making the destruction of our planet a crime
http://www.thisisecocide.com
I wish everyone with concerns about our future, the very best in any action they can take to help us protect it. For all future generations and species on the planet. My thanks.
+++
Mike Schwarz's of Bindmans Solicitors statement on undercover policeman Mark Kennedy and the Ratcliffe trial
On Easter Monday 2009 over 400 police officers were involved in a raid at Iona school in Nottingham, which led to 114 arrests. I represented 113 of those arrested. The 114th we now know was PC Kennedy, an undercover police officer. Six of my clients were due to face a long trial starting today. However, the prosecution told the defence on Friday 7th January 2011, just before the trial was due to begin, and almost 20 months after the investigation began, that 'Previously unavailable material that significantly undermines the prosecution's case came to light on Wednesday 5 January'. The discovery of this material came at the time when the prosecution were informed that we planned to pursue disclosure of the evidence relating to PC Kennedy with the judge. Unsurprisingly, they have declined to confirm whether the new material relates to PC Kennedy. In my opinion the two are obviously connected. The timing speaks for itself. These events also beg wider, serious questions. Would this evidence have been uncovered had the defence not become aware of it through other avenues? And is it appropriate that access to, and decisions about, disclosure of key evidence should exclusively be in the hands of a prosecution whose primary function is to secure convictions? Let me be clear about this. My clients were not guilty. They did not agree to join in any plan to occupy the power station. The evidence of PC Kennedy presumably confirmed this. Yet that evidence, had it been kept secret, could have led to a miscarriage of justice. Serious questions must be asked relating to the policing of protest, from the use of undercover officers, to the use of expensive and legally questionable mass pre-emptive arrest of protesters, to extremely restrictive pre-charge bail condition, to the seemingly arbitrary nature by which the 114 initially arrested were reduced to the final 26 who were eventually charged. The police need to answer some serious questions about their conduct relating to protesters generally.
Undercover officer spied on green activists - Rob Evans and Paul Lewis Guardian 9 January 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/09/undercover-office-green-activists
Mark Kennedy: A journey from undercover cop to 'bona fide' activist - Rob Evans and Paul Lewis Guardian 10 January 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/10/mark-kennedy-undercover-cop-activist
http://ratcliffeontrial.org
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
The Machines Change, the Work Remains the Same
10-01-2011 09:52
When I first got involved in left/radical political organizing in the 1990s, I don’t recall any of us referring to our efforts as “phone activism” or calling ourselves “fax activists.” A friend who started organizing in the early 1960s assured me that he never heard the term “mimeograph activism” in those days. We used telephones, fax machines, and mimeographs in our organizing work, but the machines didn’t define our work and we didn’t spend a lot of time arguing about the implications of using them.Scale of Opencast Mining in England Revealed
06-01-2011 19:41
A group in Leicestershire has produced evidence about the current and possible future locations for opencast coal mining.in England. In all it identifies 23 Current sites and 43 potential sites.The evidence is in the form of a two part review and it has been produced to support the arguments for the 500 Metre Buffer Zone Bill which gets its 2nd Reading in the House of Commons on 11/2/11.Oxford climate activists sentenced - Ratcliffe
05-01-2011 17:34
Today 18 of the 20 activists, several of them from in or around Oxford, found guilty of conspiring to commit aggregated trespass in order to shut down Ratcliffe on Soar power station were sentenced.Judge sentences 18 of Ratcliffe defendants
05-01-2011 17:01
At 2pm today, 18 of the 20 defendants were sentenced after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass in December. The judge addressed each defendant individually, commenting on their previous convictions and the strength of their character, before passing their sentences. The judge spoke broadly about the defendants’ qualities as a whole – commending them for their references, which repeatedly described them as ‘honest’, ‘dedicated’, ‘committed’, ‘intelligent’ and ‘caring’.Sizewell blockaders again walk free from court / case dismissed
05-01-2011 11:05
Two anti nuclear campaigners, Andreas Speck (46) from London and Ian Mills (45) from Chippenham, who appeared at Lowestoft Magistrates Court today (4 January) on charges of "failing to leave land" (S69(3)(a) CJPOA 1994) when they blockaded Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk on 22 February 2010 [1] walked free after the case was dismissed when the prosecution did not offer any evidence.
Report on the original action (Feb 2010):
Local Democracy Dumped! - Sizewell nuclear plant blockaded again
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/02/446513.html Press Release (Tuesday 4 January 2011):
http://stopnuclearpower.blogspot.com/2011/01/anti-nuclear-campaigners-again-walk.html See also:
Activists 2 - EDF 0
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471549.html Sizewell: Protesters walk free after CPS error
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/sizewell_protesters_walk_free_after_cps_error_1_766391 Biodiversity: Peak Nature?
04-01-2011 23:32
Activists 2 - EDF 0
04-01-2011 17:17
Sizewell Blockade day one of a four day trial- Activist 2- EDF 0For the second time in Lowestoft Magistrate courts- in court three, activists who blockaded Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk walk free.
Sheffield to Import Waste?
03-01-2011 20:45
It's always interesting when councils and their major contractors run public consultations nicely placed over the Christmas period, as if to catch the public unaware of a deadline for responses on, let's say, 15th January. This is the case with the proposal to ship in up to 50,000 tonnes of waste for Bernard Road Incinerator. It would come from surrounding towns and counties, by heavy lorries presumably. That's not likely to be controversial is it?
Anti Nuclear Campaigners In Court In Lowestoft
29-12-2010 19:18
4 January 2011, 10am (plus 5, 10, and 11 January)Two anti nuclear campaigners, Andreas Speck (46) from London and Ian Mills (45) from Chippenham, will be tried at Lowestoft Magistrates Court from 4 January on, for "failing to leave land" (S69(3)(a) CJPOA 1994) when they blockaded Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk on 22 February 2010 [1].
Review of Opencast Coal Site Applications in England
22-12-2010 16:39
This article summarises known information about Opencast / Surface mining in England over the period 2009 / 10 by indication where Applications have been successful, where they have been rejected, where applications are currently 'live' and lastly where applications are likely to be made.How to object to EDF's plans to desecrate 400 acres of Somerset coast
21-12-2010 00:49
Video of Huntington Lane Mine blockade
19-12-2010 16:26
As part of the Huntington Lane Anti-Coal protest camp's weekend gathering on Saturday 11th December activists from across the country successfully blockaded the entrance to the mine. No Arrests were made.Call out for actions ageinst SHELL
17-12-2010 17:59
Please organise actions ageinst SHELL!Stop them from destroying our planet our comunities and our lives.
Successful gathering including blockade at huntington lane protest site
15-12-2010 15:53
The gathering at the shropshire anti-coal site at huntington lane went ahead last weekend, including a day-long blockade of the quarry site on Saturday. Much skillsharing and defense building also went ahead during the action-packed gathering.Ratcliffe Trial Day 15 – Jury says Guilty
14-12-2010 15:23
14 December 2010
All 20 defendants are found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Trespass at Ratcliffe-on_Soar Power Station in April 2009.
They are required to come back to court at 12noon on Friday for sentencing.
All in Nottingham Crown Court again at 10am Tuesday. After the His Honour Judge Teare made his directions, the jury were first sent out on Friday. They came back to court a couple of times to ask questions. After the weekend, they came back yesterday [Monday] to continue their deliberations. Again a couple more questions, but it was becoming clear that they were quite divided. At 3.40pm yesterday, they were looking a bit tired and sent a note to the Judge, asking if they could go home for the day. They had been considering their verdict for 10 hours up to then. The Judge then told them that when they came back today ... he would except a majority verdict.
Today [Tuesday], they retired again at 10.13am. At 11.10am they returned after a total of 11.07hours.
The clerk read out the indictment:
20x names. are charged as follows, That they:
Conspired to Commit Aggravated Trespass, Contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Verdict - GUILTY. [for all the defendants]
Strangely, the verdict was unanimous, when you consider that the judge had said he would accept a majority after their earlier difficulty in reaching a decision.
The Judge said that he was not going to hand down prison sentences now. However, after hearing of some that had previous convictions he said he may be considering suspended sentences for those. Others were of previous 'good character' might be receiving community punishment order, to do unpaid work. He went on, that this trial had cost the country a vast amount of money. As their actions have been found to have been unnecessary, then I don't see why they can't contribute.
All are required to return to court at 12noon on Friday 17th December.
Personally. I don't think that their case could have been better expressed. Having sat through the whole case, I was privileged in hearing the expert evidence that was of some substance and alarming. If the jury can't see that urgency of a need for action, then I am of course pessimistic in how on earth we are going to convince the wider public of the need for action.
Perhaps we are all doomed :-(
I have added my best wishes to all the defendants throughout the progress of this case. As it turns out ... fuck all use my good wishes were. I am sad for the defendants in loosing and being found guilty, but I am also sad for my own health and everybody else’s. If people are deterred from taking more direct action on these issues, nothing else substantial is going on. As the recent events at the Cancún climate summit in Mexico have clearly demonstrated, if we leave it up to companies and politicians to act, then we will be waiting a very long time. Certainly past the tipping points we heard so much about. Beyond which we might not be able to do very much about our demise.
Will the last one alive on the planet, kindly turn the lights out!
Statement from the Defendants
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/statement-from-the-defendants
Press Release
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/press-release-activists-found-guilty-in-ratcliffe-coal-climate-trial
Ratcliffe on Trial Blog
http://ratcliffeontrial.org
+++
Indymedia daily coverage of the progress of this trial:
Ratcliffe Trial: Nottingham Crown Court November 2010
2009 Nottingham Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid in Nottingham
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427471.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427496.html
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Conspiracy Trial Begins [Feature]
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/701
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe conspiracy to trespass trial opens today
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/693
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 2 - Prosecution’s Opening
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/702
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 3 - Prosecution case continues
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/710
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial: Prosecution Opens [Feature 2]
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/714
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 4 - Prosecution case concludes
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/716
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 5 – Defence case opens
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/735
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 6 – The Defence Continues
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/744
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 7 ‘Snowed off’
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 8 – Defence Calls MP's
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/765
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 9 – Defence Calls More Experts
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/786
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 10 – Defence Calls more Defendants
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/788
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 11 - Defence Concludes its Case
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/789
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 12 – Concluding Speeches
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/796
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 13 – Final bits & Jury Retires
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/799
2010 Nottingham Activist Speech On The Ratcliffe Trials
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/videos/798
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 14 – Jury Still Retired
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/809
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Statement from the defendants
14-12-2010 15:23
As the UN climate talks finish in Cancun, and fail once again to come up with any legally binding framework to reduce emissions, the British legal system is still upholding business as usual. This can’t continue. Burning coal has no future.
We are twenty of the 114 who were targets of the biggest pre-emptive arrest in UK history, as part of the increasing drive to stifle real action on climate change. We planned not only to stop carbon emissions from Ratcliffe but to be part of a much wider movement for global social justice. Dealing with climate change means looking at its root causes and we need to question why the profits of corporations such as e.on are being prioritised over people on the front line of our changing climate and the protection of our children’s futures.
In the 3 weeks we’ve been on trial over 17,000 people have died from the effects of climate change, species have continued to disappear and a few energy CEOs have continued to line their pockets. It’s the poorest and most vulnerable communities, those least responsible for this crisis, who are being hit the hardest.
Taking action on climate change is not an act of moral righteousness, but of self-defence. History is full of ordinary people who have acted to protect their fundamental rights and we need a strong movement of people doing just that. We want to reiterate our support for everyone fighting for climate justice.
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/statement-from-the-defendants
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/press-release-activists-found-guilty-in-ratcliffe-coal-climate-trial