IF IT MOVES, WE’LL DEMO IT: BAN. ’07



Our agent in the field, Matt Banning MD, takes us on a self-indulgent round-up of the last year:



Well, it's been a hectic 12 months, here at BAN Towers. In winter, we slogged it out against the fur trade. Spring saw us dip into the Save Churchill House campaign, break up a racist rally in Bath, picket fast food stores, support the anti-pipeline tree camp in Brecon, and the start of our anti-foie gras escapades – not to mention the media spectacle of the Bath Climate Camp.



Summer began with summit-hopping to sunny Germany, radical art workshops at Departure Lounge, hanging out at the Earth First! gathering, anti-BNP work in Corsham, successes with the foie gras campaign [Le Petit Cochon, Bistro No 5, the Fine Cheese Company and the Cavendish], and then the Camp for Climate Action at Heathrow.



Moving on to Autumn, there was the SPEAK protest against the Oxford vivisection lab, we opposed the arms fair in London, helped Christian Aid marchers Cut the Carbon, camped out at No Borders near Gatwick, demo'd polluting banks, hunt sabbed, blocked the BNP in Oxford [again], and hung out at the Anarchist Bookfair in London, Animal Rights '07 in Kent, and danced the night away at the Westside Climate Camp benefit gig at the Porter Butt.



And then, to round off the year, December saw us 'reclaiming the planet', climate marching in London, and picking on yet another foie gras outlet. Whew!



Last year also saw the launch of this here Bath Bomb, the re-launch of Bubbling Under, the close of Bristle mag, continued monthly FreeShop, tin rattling in town centre and at the doors of Leftism, and running various activist workshops – on IT skills, legal issues and subvertising. We nearly held KFC and Starbucks demos, nearly set up a series of monthly free gigs, and almost had 'office space' at the Letinov Steam Circus squat. Best intentions and all that.



We protested the G8, RBS, AH, DSEI, HLS, Maccy Ds, and BNP, B4 we forgot what all the acronyms meant. We think they might be positions in Battleships, but can't quite recall. We've also found ourselves yawning through hours of meetings: Dissent!, CC, BRT, ATS, BAA, BAN, BHS [?], WRD, BB, FoE, and possibly soon AA. Seriously, we know how to party.



Needless to say, this year is sure to go on to bigger and better things – our main aim being to strike it lucky on premium bonds and all go get a big ol' lakeside house in Italy, and forget all this revolution nonsense.



Oh, and we love The Clap [Fuck Trident!]: catch 'em if you can.



WE WON’T PAY FOR THEIR CRISIS!



March on Guildhall - Saturday 22nd of Nov - assemble 12.30pm @ Abbey courtyard



In response to the current financial crisis and looming recession, Bath Activist Network, along with other groups will be marching on Guildhall on Sat 22nd of Nov. The protest will not be a stand alone event, and will be the start of a campaign which will be aimed at guarding our communities against the most damaging effects of the coming recession and taking the fight to the forces that have caused the financial crisis. We see no reason why our taxes should be used to bail out and pay for the bonuses of the people and institutions that are to blame for the crisis. We also take the view that the recession will hit average people hardest, whilst for bosses, politicians and bankers it will be business and bonuses as usual. The campaign will have 5 initial demands -



1.Greater subsidies on gas and electric bills



2.Bailiffs and repossession companies out of our communities



3.Affordable food, housing and living costs



4.Protection of jobs, wages and benefits



5.Control over the banks our money has bailed out



While the campaign will aim to raise awareness of the causes of the recession, we intend to be more than just a protest group. This recession is going to hit average people hard, and we are serious about organising to defend ourselves against increasing gas and electricity prices, growing home repossessions and soaring unemployment - we are organising to win!



In Unity Is Strength!



We are calling on as many groups and individuals as possible to join us in this campaign. We are all going to be (and already are) affected by the financial crisis and looming recession, so it makes sense that we unite to fight against it. We are calling on all pensioners, anarchists, trade unionists, single mothers, benefit claimants, disabled people, radicals, workers and everyone in-between to join us and make this a campaign that can protect all of our rights and fight back against recession and those who caused it.



We are hoping to build a campaign in which all groups, and tactics can be respected. We do not expect everyone in the group to unite behind a particular ideology, but will not make right wing or xenophobic viewpoints welcome within the campaign.



The campaign will be holding a stall to build support for the upcoming protest on Stall



Some facts -



*Unemployment is up 20%

*Home repossessions are up over 70%

*Food prices are still rising

*Gas and electric bills are up over 40% (an estimated 22,000 pensioners in the UK are estimated to die from illnesses contacted as a direct result of an inability to afford sufficient heating this winter)

*Bank bosses continue to receive multi million pounds a year bonuses, some of which has come from funds allocated from the recent bank bailout.



For more information, or to receive flyers and posters, e-mail:  bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk









Bath Carnival For Peace



A motley crew of anti-war pirates and veteran peace activists cast off from Bath Abbey harbour to take part in the Carnival for Peace on Sunday.



A motley crew of anti-war pirates and veteran peace activists cast off from Bath Abbey harbour to take part in the Carnival for Peace on Sunday. Led by galleons made from rickshaws and supermarket trolleys the carnival sailed off through the centre of Bath in the best tradition of D-I-Y street performance. The flotilla added a splash of colour to the city streets as it coasted down through Stall Street before washing up on the desert island of chain stores that is Southgate shopping centre. Buccaneers handed out free food and picnicked near to McDonalds. A hundred red balloons for peace were carried for release (don't try this at home as they are detrimental to sea turtles). It was agreed that it is time for Tony Blair to walk the plank because of his ill-fated attack upon Iraq. Leaflets were handed out to shoppers listing 'Steps to a Better World' that called for personal action for peaceful environmental change. These included composting and reusing plastic bags at home, supporting LETS schemes, action on homelessness and shifting savings from banks such as HSBC who are making profits in Iraq to the Co-Operative and Triodos Banks who have ethical investment programmes.







Bath Anti-Fur Day Of Action



Six shops stop all animal fur sales!



On Tuesday January 31st '06, activists from Bath & Bristol took to the streets to protest against several clothes stores which sold real animal fur. The group made their presence known, with banners, leaflets, whistles, air horns and a megaphone. The Bath Chronicle arrived to report the actions in their newspaper, and the police also turned up to moan about the noise.



Six out of seven shops decided to stop all fur sales and told the group they are starting a 'no-fur policy'.



Only John Anthony continues to sell real rabbit fur, and so they can look forward to lots more protests at their stores in Bristol, Bath, Bournemouth, Swindon and Oxford, in the near future.



Please get in touch to join future protests.



Contacts:

John Anthony: (Head office) 01225442856,  mail@john-anthony.com

Bath Animal Action: 07724077505,  bathanimalaction@yahoo.co.uk

Bristol Animal Rights Coalition: 07724077505,  barc@hotmail.co.uk



--

Western Animal Rights Network

PO Box 2575, Bristol, BS4 9AR

Email:  info@warnetwork.org

www.warnetwork.org

Tel: 07724077505

Related Link:  http://www.warnetwork.org







Don\'t Attack Iran - Bath Action



Together we can stop it before it starts



Join us on Saturday may 6th at 12.30 outside Bath Abbey for a day of action against the Iran war.



We will be combining a demo with visits to several companies who have profited from Iraq and stand to do the same in Iran including oil companies, arms dealers, banks etc.

The action will tie in with a nationwide day of protest against the looming war on Iran, so come out and show your opposition. It\'s important that we make this a big one, so bring noise, banners, placards and friends.



See you on the streets!



p.s there will be a number of 'die-ins' on the day, so feel free to bring fake blood/ wear black etc!



Say ‘No’ To Fur!



The vast majority of the public opposes the trapping and factory farming of animals for their fur because of the great suffering involved. But the fur trade is trying to restore its fortunes by peddling animal skins in the form of trimmings for jackets, coats gloves and other items.



It wants to con the public into believing that these trimmings are ‘fun’ and ‘fashionable’ and a separate category from the hated full-length coat.

But whether an animal is turned into a cuff or something worn to the ankles, their fate is equally miserable and unjust.



Fur Trade: The Facts.



Around 40 million animals are killed by the fur trade every winter. They include fox, rabbit, chinchilla, hamster, coypu, wolf and raccoon.



Millions are caught in the wild, many by vicious leghold traps.



Animals caught in these traps can be held in agony for days – until the trapper ends their ordeal by clubbing or suffocating them to death. In their desperation to escape, animals splinter teeth gnawing at the metal, and even chew through their trapped limbs.



An even larger number of fur - bearing animals – notably fox, mink and rabbit – are reared in intensive farms. These farms are located all across the world but have been banned in some countries including Britain. The animals are confined in rows of tiny mesh cages, conditions that produce extreme frustration, resulting in self – mutilation, cannibalism and pointless repetitive movements.



Killing is by gassing, lethal injection, neck breaking, clubbing or electrocution.

90% of all fur – farmed foxes and 10% of fur – farmed mink end up being used to trim fashion items.



Say NO to fur.

Boycott any store that sells real fur & encourage others to do the same.

Get actively involved in the anti – fur campaign.

Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade -CAFT

 caft@caft.org.uk





Banner Drop To Save Churchill House



Local protest to save yet another bit of Bathonian architecture gains strength. Activists scale Churchill House before popular march through to Guildhall, to pressurise councillors to save the building from misguided redevelopment.



From 7 am on Thursday 28th March, two activists scaled scaffolding and banner-dropped in defence of the threatened Churchill House, in Bath. The former electricity generation centre for the city, the large building on the corner of Dorchester Street was built in the 1930's, of Bath stone, but is now looking to be the next in the of a string of poorly conceived developments – just like the much-lamented Bath Spa Project and the Western Riverside developments.



A petition/campaign 'Save Churchill House' [ http://www.savechurchillhouse.co.uk/] has been doing the rounds in Bath for at least the last 12 months, as the building is cited for reincarnation as a shiny new bus station; whilst promising people that the new structure will still be largely based around the old art-deco facade, recent wrangling behind senior council closed doors have now resulted in the most bizarre of plans: they want to construct a weird, gasometer-like monstrosity. Whilst the council has failed to pacify the local population with all sorts of obscure and nonsensical justifications, you can guess that the real bottom line will most likely involve the exchange of large amounts of cash.



Whilst the campaign had seemingly dwindled away to nothing of late, it suddenly burst back into life last Saturday when, from out of the blue, just shy of 600 people marched in its defence! 600 people! We're talking the biggest demo in Bath for years, probably bigger than numbers seen on the announcement of the Iraq invasion… Since then, local press have been all over the issue. This Thursday, today, there will be another demo, meeting outside the besieged Churchill House at 5.30pm, and moving on to the Guildhall at 6, where the council will be convening inside to determine its fate.



Pipeline Company Targeted



Think Global, Trash Local!



The offices of Land and Marine in Bath were targeted last night with spray painted messages and super glued locks.



The offices of Land and Marine in Bath were targeted last night with spray painted messages and super glued locks as part of ongoing resistance to their South Wales gas pipeline scheme. "Disaster in the pipeline", "LNG pipeline - eco time bomb" and "Climate Chaos Criminals" were a few of the words of warning left on the walls.



The company is responsible for building the massively destructive and dangerous 150 mile long LNG pipeline which is set to trash land and communities across South Wales as well as posing a huge threat to the safety of local people. By providing the infrastructure for continued fossil fuel dependence, Land and Marine are part of an industrial system based on profit at any cost. And the by products? Climate chaos, ecological disasters and attacks on all our health and safety. Confront the corporations which are killing the planet and stealing our lives, land and future.



Bath Climate 'Camp' Continues... In Our Hearts



Although the camp part of the Bath Climate Camp was evicted, demonstrations have still continued...



Friday 20th April, at 8 am, a group of 8 activists approached the Land and Marine office, to leaflet and banner drop, as part of the advertised blockade. As expected, we met a huge police presence: at least 42 coppers, more in reserve, 10 police vans. they quickly imposed their conditions, no more than 6 activists [their math skills were lacking...], to demonstrate from 8.45 am until 10.45 am, which later extended to 12.30. They tried to move us also, up 30 meters and round the corner, which we refused. Eventually, after frequently checking the site of yesterday's attempted camp opposite, the majority of the police moved on. However, with the combination of the double walls of metal fences encircling the office block, combined with the siege like atmosphere of rows of Avon & Somerset's finest [and the Met...], the vast majority of workers wouldn't have been able to get their work done anyway, so all but about 3 members of staff had been given the day off. The place was empty. Conclusion - Land & Marine were shut down! Not how we planned it, but it worked. Our congratulations to Inspector Adam Jenners.



Also, the activists were all searched under a proposed modification to Section 1 of the PACE 1984 Act, for items to be used in connection with criminal damage. It may well be that this proposed modification to the law hasn't yet came in to power by the time they tried to use it, so there may well be a lawsuit in the works...



Police also confirmed their use of phone tapping to one activist: "According to your phone calls, you only expected 10 people at your meeting, but when we there you had 100." It seems that the police had confused our camp with that of the coming national Climate Camp, this summer - and wasted 100,000s of pounds in the process. The head of this over-zealous policing operation is probably sweating round about now.



Saturday 21st April. The Party Against Petrol crowd gathered in Bath Abbey at midday to begin what would have been a colourful and noisy protest against car culture and fossil fuels, intending to occupy Lower Bristol Road and the Esso station forecourt there. Around 25-30 activists turned up, and the police, themselves numbering 30 or more, with mounted police again, imposed conditions on the procession: march round the Abbey for 30 mins, then disperse.



Well, we did as were told, marched round the Abbey, drumming and dancing and playing football, returned and dispersed... only to form up again and continue the parade, flowing through the police lines easily. Handed out leaflets, spoke to passersby, meanwhile, the highly trained police were overheard arguing with each other, throwing out blame for their lack of control, right in front of the shoppers and tourists. The street party parade came to a close at Victoria Park, amidst picnic and sunbathing, under the police's watchful eye.



This unseasonably hot April, whilst good for sunbathers, is probably nothing to do with climate change.



Despite the heavy handed police harassment and intimidation we've had so far, with various people being repeatedly stopped and questioned throughout the city, with A4 checkpoints and trains station searches on the Thursday, tomorrow should see a free kitchen, freeshop stall, workshop on recycling junk into useful stuff, and litterpick, meeting in Bath at midday. To find us, ring 07800 583011.



Land and Marine demo report and action announcement



Despite massive over-policing and the eviction of Bath Climate Camp, actions are continuing as scheduled, so if you were thinking of coming down for Saturdays demo, starting at 12 at Bath Abbey, please do so - here is a report of the Land and Marine demo



7 protesters, who had pre-arranged a meeting place arrived at L&M at 8 this morning, faced by a huge police presence. The cops demanded that the protestors move about 30 meters away from L&M, making the protest invisible. The group refused, and after negotiations and a couple of tense moments, were able to stay in front of the offices, although the cops put a restriction on the number of protestors to 6 (they counting skills should be called into questions, as by this point, there were 8 protesters!), forbidding any additional protesters from joining the demo and also imposed a time limit, restricting the demo to two hours. Twice the time limit was passes, and twice re-negotiated until protester voluntarily left at 12.30. The office was shut all day and no workers entered the premises. Also, L&M shelled out on a double row of fencing around their property and a large number of security guards who have been there in various numbers for a couple of weeks... Result!



Overkill police tactics failed to intimidate us and hopefully the day long closure of L&M will be another setback in the construction of the pipeline.



To find out the facts, and get involved in the anti-pipeline campaign, check out  http://www.risingtide.org.uk/bristol/pipeline



Intimidation and repression will not beat us or make us go away!



Nazi BNP Meeting Stopped In Bath



After being banned from speaking at Bath Uni, Nick Griffin attempted to organise a secret meeting at an undisclosed location in Bath.



Upon hearing that the meeting was still taking place at a secret location, we rang BNP national office who obligingly provided us with BNP youth organiser Danny Lake\'s mobile number.



We rang him, posing as a student who was pissed of that the Uni talk had been cancelled, and he was happy enough to tell us the pub the BNP were meeting in before the speech. We rang the pub, who seemed worried at the prospect of having Nazis in their bar.



We only had a short time to organise the demo, but got 20 anti-fascists outside the pub within 2 hours notice. The nazis turned up, looked confused and tried to reorganise a meeting place. Our spotters followed the ringleader into a nearby pub, which we entered, chanting and confronting the fascists. Despite big talk, they seemed to be unwilling to enter into confrontation.



After being ejected from the pub by the cops, we had a demo outside. When the BNP left the pub (in much smaller numbers than they entered!), we were prevented from following, although a team of spotters managed to get around the police and follow them. They ended up having a tiny gathering in a park, well outnumbered by anti-fascists, who drowned out their speeches with chanting and anti-nazi punks played down a megaphone!

we heard later that Griffin was intending to record his speech and use it as propaganda, but could not do so because of the background noise!

All in all, a good day for anti-fascism - we managed to crash a secret meeting, doubling fash numbers, push them out of three venues, then reduced them to 10 skinheads standing in a park!







Cut The Carbon



Well, Christian Aid’s notorious ‘Cut The Carbon’ march made it to Bath on Sunday the 16th, as promised. They rolled in to the Abbey Courtyard around 4.40pm or so, around 20 marchers, and 5 reps from Bath Activist Network went to greet them, along with 4 Bath Greenpeacers plus stall, 3 Bath Quakers, a large local Christian Aid banner and various local dignitaries.



I use the term ‘notorious’ in reference to their frosty receptions in various other UK cities and towns [the march left Northern Ireland on 14th July], or, more-so their own frosty reception of other groups who they were meant to be welcoming; in Birmingham, they tried to force Midlands Vegan Campaigns to stop handing out vegan literature and otherwise fall in line, by taking down their banners and placards, as well as the CA stewards inviting police to mildly harass animal rights groups in other towns. As a reaction to this heavy-handedness, Animal Aid brought out a range of ‘Cut The Crap’ leaflets, which further added to hostilities. I believe also that Rising Tide groups elsewhere received some pressure? So we held our ‘Reduce Carbon, Cut Capitalism’ and ‘Earth First, Profits Last’ pro-direct action placards, our ‘Social Change not Climate Change’ banner and flew our red ‘n’ blacks proudly, just to lend our angle to the festivities – although not speaking for all of BAN, obviously!



As it turned out though, there was no such fascism present here – the mayor and head of the church diocese gave their speeches, calling for increases in planned carbon reductions from 60% to 80%, and demanding that corporations be forced to display publicly their greenhouse gas emissions, and Christian Aid marchers [many who turned out to not be of faith] mingled with the crowd and seemed quite happy with the diversity of messages. Likewise, Greenpeace canvassed the crowd to sign their ‘light brigade’ pledge to outlaw inefficient bulbs. The rally was actually very brief, with some local press snapping away and a circle of attentive crowd, but although some of us BANners would call for heavier commitments to combat planetary rape, some constructive debate was had, and we all seem to be facing the same foe – that one being corporations and big government.



Cut The Carbon left Bath this morning at 8.30am for Trowbridge, and I guess the saga continues.



Don’t Bank On Oil



As part of today’s national day of action against the Royal Bank of Scotland, 7 activists from Bath Activist Network picketed the RBS branch on Quiet Street in Bath, for two hours over lunch time. Banner on display, customers and passers-by were leafleted with mock-up imitation RBS literature and invitations to ‘Open an oil rig today!’, informing the public about the Terms and Consequences of banking with RBS, their dodgy investment record in fossil fuel extraction and aviation industries, and the 160,000 estimated global deaths a year due to the effects of climate change. Whilst staff and police complained about the seemingly out-of-order ATM outside their door, we listened to stories of customers’ poor treatment by their bank, and also helped at least the one student find more ethical options for his new account. Also bemusing were the members of public who mistook the business-suited activists for bank employees, and chatted about the service.





Raising Funds for Furry Friends



Press Release detailing charity house clearance tomorrow in Bath, raising funds for animal sanctuary and Bath Animal Action



22/10/07



NEWS RELEASE – for immediate use

Charity Clearance Sale for Furry Friends



On Tuesday the 23rd of this month, Bath Animal Action and supporters will be holding a house clearance sale, with all funds raised being split between both Bath Animal Action and F.R.I.E.N.D, a farmed animals sanctuary, based in Kent: everything must go!



The sale will be taking place from 3pm until 9pm, at Flat 2, Royal Crescent Mews – the red door opposite Marlborough Buildings. The event is completely open to the public, and there will be everything available from kitchen utensils, to books, to furniture, and more.



All the items have been generously donated by a former BAA activist who is now leaving the city, and will be sorely missed!



F.R.I.E.N.D., the sanctuary, based in Tonbridge in Kent, was decided as the beneficiary, as some of our group visited the site recently, and it stole our hearts! The project was started in 1994 with the purchase of a single disabled lamb which would later become known as Tim, and the rest, as they say, is history. The funds are desperately needed to provide a concrete grazing shelter before Winter properly sets in, as well as vets fees.



So please, we urge everyone, come along and make us an offer!



• Bath Animal Action is a non-violent action group dedicated to bringing an end to animal cruelty, and meets on the first Wednesday of every month at the back room of the Bell inn, from 7.30pm

• To view the items on offer, please visit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/8191656@N03/

• For more information about the animal sanctuary, please visit:  http://www.friendsanimalrescue.org.uk/

Related Link:  http://www.friendsanimalrescue.org.uk/






STOTHERT & PITT SQUATTERS IN ANTI-DEMOLITION PROTEST

Thursday December 06



A team of artists and entertainers collectively known as the Letinov Steam Circus have been occupying large sheds at the old Stothert & Pitt crane works at South Quays in Bath for nearly two months, but now officials from B&NES have started proceedings to evict them from the site



“We were first attracted to the site because we needed rehearsal space,” said Charlie Dancey of the Letinov Circus “but we’ve been looking into the history of the site and we’re now determined to prevent the wanton demolition of some very important historical buildings.”



The former Stothert & Pitt engineering works were to be developed by Bath Spa University, who pulled out after they failed to come to terms with B&NES over an argument about who should pay for a Flood Risk Assessment. The development opportunity then passed to Sir James Dyson, who has been planning to build his School of Design Innovation there.



“The buildings, if left unmanaged, will fall into disrepair and dereliction. We have cleared up a great deal of dangerous rubbish, and secured buildings that had been broken into previously by scrap metal thieves. The open areas on site are currently used as a sort of unofficial car park by the working people of the city and without our presence on the site the cars parked in it would be at risk from crime.



“We’ve chased off quite a few criminal types,” said Dancey, “they soon run off when they see someone like me walking over in a reflective jacket juggling three rubber chickens.”



We agree with the Bath Heritage Watchdog pressure group in that we also support the idea of Dyson’s school in principle, but we very strongly object to the demolition of the old Stothert & Pitt crane works in order to build it.



The hideous irony is that Dyson plans to train future engineers, but seems blind to the enormous value of the engineering history embodied in the very fabric of the buildings he aims to demolish.



Parts of the Titanic were built here, steam locomotives were built here, dockside cranes which still stand all over the world were built here.



The site was targeted by the Luftwaffe during the Bath Blitz but fortunately the great buildings, whose imposing facades face onto the Lower Bristol Road survived the attack, while large parts of the City Centre were badly damaged. It now seems that the developers are determined to do what the bombers could not.



B&NES got away with destroying Churchill House recently but enough is enough.



The Letinov Steam Circus are inviting all to an open meeting this Sunday, 2pm, at South Quays, the aim of which will be to stop this concrete and steel madness at all costs. We want to create a voice loud enough to penetrate the deaf ears of B&NES.



Our message is simple:



“No, you can’t knock the crane works down! You need to tidy up the other mess you made first. You are very naughty boys and girls and you are to stop ruining our City!”



We shall not be leaving just yet.



Public meeting: plan of action regarding Tesco Express on Bathwick Hill



Jan 7th St Mary’s Church 7.30pm



The Bathwick community worked really hard to keep the Tesco Express out. A majority of the residents and even the council didn’t want it, but Tesco bullied their way in. This isn’t the end. Due to many residents sending in opposition forms to the extended liquor license Tesco have applied for, there will be a hearing on the 14th Jan. To discuss this, any other actions we can take, and to plan safeguards against future occurrences, we’d love to see you at this public meeting.



We are a mixture of local groups with diverse concerns surrounding this issue. Contact Claire 07814 677458



Smash EDO film banned in Bath, but not by B.A.N....



...or at least, they're trying pretty hard.



We regret to announce that the advertised screening of Smash EDO's 'On the Verge' documentary about their anti-arms campaign in Brighton, will no longer be shown at The Bell on Tuesday 25th March.



Alan Bartlett, head of licensing at B&NES pressured the owner of the Bell public house on Walcot Street to not show the film due to licensing and certification small print, acting on instruction from an undisclosed source...



The Duke of York cinema in Brighton, despite advertising the film for 6 weeks in advance, were contacted last minute by council environmental health officers acting on instruction from Sussex Police, which also caused the film to be pulled on licensing grounds. Their first screening in Chichester has been similarly pulled. The community cafe in Southampton which was due for the second date on the tour were approached by environmental health, so have been forced to find an alternative venue there...



The plot thickens.



We're currently looking for a new venue in Bath, but will keep folks posted.



Don't you just love censorship?





There is such thing as a free lunch!

Free food stall and info day in Bath next Tuesday:



MEDIA RELEASE – for immediate use

There Is Such Thing As A Free Lunch!



On Tuesday 3rd June, members of Bath Activist Network and Bath Animal Action will be holding a free food stall in Queens Square, from 1pm til 3pm, as part of a nationally

coordinated day of action on the links between food and the environment. The day has been called by the Network for Climate Action to coincide with the beginning of the 3-day UN Conference on World Food Security and Climate Change, and groups elsewhere round the country will also be getting active. This event in Bath will be a repeat of a stall put on by Bath Animal Action last December, where free and delicious vegan meals were handed out to all.



Roughly speaking, for every 7 tonnes of grain we feed to livestock, only 1 tonne of animal product – such as meat, dairy, leather, and other products – is yielded. Bypassing the livestock industry would instead produce 7 tonnes of grain for human consumption instead, particularly in these times of rising food prices and hunger fears. Indeed, the global livestock sector is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, alone. Also, more than 1/3 of our planet’s agricultural land suffers desertification through clearing forests for grazing, overgrazing, poor irrigation techniques, and the over-cultivation of croplands. Considering the huge amount of water consumed in the livestock industry, and the water pollution caused by ammonia and nitrates from animal excrement – the average cow produces 23 kilos a day! – the group has decided to highlight the variety, tastiness, environmental benefits and nutritious value of the vegan diet.



The group will also be distributing information about allotment growing, food co-operatives, food-related humanitarian issues, the threat to food security from biofuels production, GM food, wild foods foraging, the dangers of the supermarket system, and freeganism – the recovery of waste food.



Matt from Bath Activist Network had this to say: “Climate action starts on your dinner plate, and now is the time to switch to plant-based, organic, seasonal and locally-produced food. In the meantime, why not join us for a fee lunch in the park?”



Including food transportation, the food we eat contributes up to a third of the emissions poisoning the planet. It’s time for a detox!



Free Normality Testing. celebrate the differences



From midday 14th July 2008 Bath Abbey Churchyard



Massive investment of time and money has gone into creating a state with complete control over its subjects. We have a law for every form of deviance.



Enforced drugging of people with a psychiatric diagnosis means the changes to the Mental Health Act are the most invasive challenge to human rights yet.



A world view outside of the 'normal' has become dangerous and illegal in this country. If the media fails to control how we think then forcible drugging will do the trick much easier and cheaper than using prison.



The Mad Hatters of Bath are offering free normality testing in the Abbey Churchyard Bath to raise awareness of how 'normal' is an invention and we are all individuals.



Also the opportunity to celebrate our diversity and differences makes Mad Pride Day a day to celebrate. So come along and bring what you want to find, music, theatre, performance, dressing up box, biscuits.



as above



 http://www.mindfreedom.org





BAN Big Up Climate Camp And Other Routes Of Change



Yesterday, Saturday 12th July, Bath Activist Network set up camp in the Green Park Market, Bath, along with Transition Town Bath, Viva! and London Road Food Co op, for ‘Roots of Change,’ a day organized to spread the word about this year’s Climate Camp and the diversity of initiatives available to the exploring ‘green’ citizen.



No matter your approach to the environmental and social issues of our time, there was something for everyone. The day was a great success, sights to be seen including: folks swarming round the freeshop (a monthly fixture in Bath the second Saturday of every month) picking up bargains, staring thoughtfully at the wonderful vibrant display of Climate Camp pictures from last year, chatting to people behind the stalls and to each other and learning how to make purses out of recycled tetra paks.



Members of the public gave glowing reports on the day, welcoming the wide range of information on offer. For some, the issues opened up for discussion may have posed something of a challenge, but if anything, the differences of the groups present, proved that the day of the stereotyped green lifestyler are well and truly over. You can change your life as little or as much as you like. Plunge in the deep end with ten days of communal living and non violent direct action at Climate Camp, or paddle in the shallow, but no less important end, by making smaller tweaks to your everyday life, embracing ideas, perhaps, such as shopping at a food co op or trying a vegetarian or vegan diet. Or, as local man Matthew pointed out when I spoke to him and his family of five, if you’re not ready for vegetarianism, try having just a couple of meat-free days a week.



The answer to the problem of climate crisis is gradual steps to a more sustainable life that is both kinder to the environment and to each other. Just as the steps towards the possible breakdown of life as we know it are small and may seem like nothing to panic about, as Transition Town Bath’s Afrel points out – if we prepare well now, making some adjustments, our lives will be enriched, not diminished. If we keep our heads in the sand, we may well be heading for the medieval existence some of us may fear reverting to, one of the main concerns at the heart of a reluctance to get on board with green living. Transition Town hope to get enough people to register interest in the scheme on their website, so that a lively loud voice emerges, holding real sway with council decisions on everyday issues that affect us all.



Even if you’re not sure about the more radical aspects of Climate Camp, don’t let that put you off coming, maybe just for the day to see what all the fuss is about. Such primitive seeming things as compost toilets, and even dietary choices such as veganism have been greatly improved by the years of work put in by dedicated, ambitious and creative people. And not to be missed is the wellbeing tent where you can get a massage or just chill out if it all gets a bit much!



Embrace change – let it be fun, not a chore. And with it all on your terms, you’ve got nothing to lose.



 http://www.transitionbath.org.uk/

 http://www.envolve.co.uk/projects/food_coop.html

 http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/

 http://www.myspace.com/bathactivistnetwork

 http://www.viva.org.uk/