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The E-On 'Face-Off' begins... Kingsnorth Shut Down

IMC UK | 05.12.2008 19:30 | Climate Camp 2008 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Energy Crisis

An unidentified group allegedly penetrated Kingsnorth security and switched off almost 500 megawatts of generating capacity, cutting almost 2% off the nations power supply for about four hours! [1,2, 3] The incident took place on Friday 28th November during the 48 hours of action against new coal called for by the Camp for Climate Action. With the aim of sending a strong message that attempts to build any new coal fired power stations will face a barrage of direct action - both towards their daily operations and their supply chain - actions took place in Brighton, Bristol, Warwick, London, Nottingham, Norwich, Bristol, and Plymouth. E-On in particular were rattled, local and national media coverage was generated, resources for the new 'Face Off' campaign were gathered, a new website launched, and lists of possible targets compiled.

With the 48 hours over E-on no doubt thought the heat was off, however Monday morning saw their corporate headquarters in Coventry struck for the third time in as many weeks with over twenty protesters dressed in santa suits invading their officers and blockading the entrance for four hours. [photos, spoof account, report, song 1, song 2, interview, BBC TV News, BBC World At One ]

Further summaries of the actions can be found on the climate camp website and on EarthFirst! Action Reports. Don't forget the new E-on F-off website.

Previous success against E-on : protests force recruitment efforts to be dropped


BRIGHTON! - 28th
Activists gathered outside the Royal Bank of Scotland (the biggest British financier of coal projects, including E-On's). Activists dressed as cleaners tried their hardest to clean the coal but just couldn't manage it.

BRISTOL! - 28th
Bristol Rising Tide and activists from in and around Bristol had a day of shenanigans directed at the Royal Bank of Scotland, E-On and new coal - including RBS bank robbers, a banner drop, cake fights, and 'Family Football' and ending with a street party that shut down NatWest. ( http://www.lasthours.org.uk/news/christmas-is-canceled-for-eon/)

COVENTRY! - 28th
30 people paid a visit to E-On's UK headquarters. Banners were waved, leaflets handed out to staff and passers-by, subverted songs sung and fun was had by all. An E.On executive was serenaded and in a grand finale a massive game of 'Carbon Capture British Bull Dog' was played across the main road.

COVENTRY! - 1st Dec
On Monday morning 20 E-On F-Off Santas blockaded the main entrance of E-On's UK headquarters, dumping bags of coal and supergluing themselves to three doors. No-no-noing Santas made their way into the building and distributed copies of the Poyry report and lumps of coal (for being naughty enough to build new coal) to E-On staff at their desks. Two daring Santas gatecrashed a boardroom meeting and handed out lumps of coal to stunned corporate types, before being removed. Three protesters were arrested along with a photographer.

LONDON! - 28th AM
Greenwash Guerillas (London Brigade, Detection Platoon #1), paid a protest-oriented visit to the London office of filthy climate criminalcorporation E-On UK to confront a Short-Sighted Fat Cat and PR Pushers plugging 'Clean Coal' bullplop.

LONDON! - 28th PM
London Rising Tide visited the FA Headquarters (the FA Cup is sponsored by e.on) to protest about E-On's push for new coal in the UK.

NORWICH! - 29th
A spoof E-On stall on the Royal Bank of Scotland's doorstep discovered that people are surprisingly hostile towards e.on. NRT intends to pass on their findings to E-on as soon as possible!

PLYMOUTH!
Earlier in the week activists in Plymouth took to the street to near the Sund Dial, to spread awareness about the realities of "clean coal technology".

OTHER ACTIONS!
Reports also surfaced that over the weekend the streets around Ed Miliband and Hilary Benn's London homes have been decorated with E-On F-Off and Stop Coal stickers. Let's hope they walk to work!

IMC UK

Comments

Display the following 6 comments

  1. Face Off, Switch Off — all change
  2. Green Capitalism No Thanks — @
  3. Saving the planet — tom
  4. Guardian report on this — anon
  5. Not just capacity — Stroppyoldgit
  6. Don't tell me - you believe in 'global warming' — David Radford