1. Bloc updates



The Body Bloc is morphing, and bodies and stilts are being joined by a whole lot more… check out all the latest (and sign up!):



A carnival of life, death, fun and resistance; turning the world upside down and making the impossible possible.

This bloc will be home to day of the dead stilt walkers, the Giant Chalk Army, the Noise Brigade, Rhythms of Resistance and a team of colourful web weavers.

This bloc welcomes anyone and everyone who has the imagination to envisage a world beyond oil, everyone who loves carnival and everyone who is prepared to use their bodies, linked together, to reclaim space. Bring carnival, circus, creativity, costume and a healthy does of mischief!

All you have to bring is your body – everyone is welcome.



Bloc pages are being updated regularly, so keep your eyes peeled on the website and if you haven’t already, choose your bloc and sign up!  http://crudeawakening.org.uk/node/12



2. Practicalities



What to bring:

*A pre-bought zone 1-2 travelcard, or an Oyster card (although if you have a registered card, and if you mind that your journeys are tracked on that card, you might want to consider getting an unregistered one)

*Check the weather forecast. We’ll be outside at least some of the time so if you want to stay dry bring waterproofs and warm clothes.

*Central London is a big rip off so think about bringing your own food, water and a tenner for emergencies.

*Things to contribute to your bloc. This is entirely up to you – you can just bring yourself, as you are; or perhaps something that fits with the bloc’s theme (totally optional and totally up to you!); or bring materials to create, decorate, and hold space. Check out the bloc pages for suggestions (remember, you need to be able to walk with whatever it is and bring it on the tube!), think about how the police might respond to what you’re carrying, and don’t bring things that could be construed (however wrongly) as a weapon. And check out the…



Legal brief -  http://crudeawakening.org.uk/node/20

Is now up on the website. It has essential info and sound advice. Read it. ‘Nuff said.



3. 10 targets… that just missed our short-list

London is a petropolis: a city running on oil. From slickers in the city to London’s clogged up streets; from the hundreds of petrol stations to the headquarters of Big Oil. Around every corner is another target in the struggle to kick our oil addiction.

There are so many possible targets that inevitably some places didn’t make the cut. But to give you a flavour of London’s oil web, the Crude Awakening presents: the 10 targets which just missed our short list.

Here’s the list – see the website for more:  http://www.crudeawakening.org.uk/node/24

1. The British Museum
2. 3i Private Equity
3. Nexen Energy
4. Export Credit Guarantee Department
5. HSBC Headquarters
6. Chevron’s London HQ
7. Park Lane car dealerships
8. Ministry of Defence
9. Legal and General
10. Petrol stations across London



4. Why oil?

Why are we doing all this anyway? Some thoughts here:

 http://www.crudeawakening.org.uk/node/7



5. Build up events



*Edinburgh*
Planning meeting for the Edinburgh Crude Awakening

Thursday, 7 October, 5.30 – 7PM, 48a Lower, Pleasance



Edinburgh is organising its own Crude Awakening on the 16th – come along and get involved in making it happen. We want as many people and organisations to be involved in planning the Edinburgh based action as possible, so everyone and anyone welcome at the planning meeting! More info: Email Francesco at  evneb87@gmail.com



*London*


Monkey Business Training

Saturday, 9 October, 2pm (starting promptly) – 4pm

London Fields (Southern end near Broadway market)



Inspired by a mischievous monkey from Brighton ( http://www.blip.tv/file/4158517) we are planning an open training to learn how to erect his exciting new toy! Come and spend a couple of hours building, playing and limbering up for the day of crude awakening action to halt the flow of oil across this city. Even if you’re not interested in the monkey tactic, the afternoon will be a good moment to meet others and build confidence in working and playing together. Wear suitable clothes and footwear that won’t interfere with monkeying around.

And finally – if your a fan of radical psychogeography (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogeography), London Fields is a perfect location. It was here that, back in the 90s, folk from Reclaim the Streets set up and tested the world’s first scaffold pole tripod - a tool that was then seen sprouting up across the world. The psychogeographical links of land and history may give us luck for the day of action!

This training is brought to you by an affinity group that is planning to join up with the Building Bloc, so if that’s the bloc that rocks your branch, then the training is also a good place to meet other affinity groups from that bloc.

Get ready to go APE and see you in the Park!


Capture the Flag at the Shell Centre

Sunday, 10 October, 8:00pm - 10:00pm



ATTENTION | Calling all comrades

PRESENTING | A Crude Awakening Rabble Rouser: BOSSES vs. WORKERS vs. SKELETONS

Come one, come all to this physical and mental warm-up for urban escapades, incursions into forbidden territory, defending space and affinity from buddy to bloc level. As night falls, we will bring our laughter, ingenuity and affinity to the dehumanised space of a dehumanised company. As Shell bosses slip into oily dreams, we will train for resistance together. As we play, we will learn to reclaim what is ours.

BRING | lovers/brothers/mothers and all other non-rhyming comrades



*Lewes*

Crude Awakening Creation Weekend
10 AM on Sat 9 October to 7PM on Sun 10 October

Weekend of mass creation – Banner making and visual artillery for the Crude Awakening. Bring ideas, energy and art materials you may need tho we also have some… A crafty and resourceful space to co-align, design, and rehearse the activities and props that can be part of the “Body Bloc” and “Dirty Money Bloc” for the Crude Awakening
+ Twilight game of Capture the Flag through the cobbled terrain of Lewes. (But dependent on weather and numbers)
+ Direct Action training on Sun afternoon.
Crash space available on Saturday night.
Venue: POP UP STUDIOS, North Street, Lewes, East Sussex (pretty near the bus and
train station). Invite your friends to the Facebook event:
facebook.com/event.php?eid=13040968...
More info: 07894 153 584

*Manchester*



Direct Action Training

Saturday 9th October, 12 – 6PM, Manchester Students Union.



Public ’dis’order training. Prepare for the Crude Awakening by doing your own action! Learn why and how to do mass direct action with workshops and affinity group building



6. New videos

Two new videos, fresh from last weekend’s planning workshops in London. The why and the how of direct action – good to get us thinking about why we choose direct action as a tactic, and how we can use various techniques to hold space.



 http://crudeawakening.org.uk/node/9



7. Facebook

Don’t forget to sign up to the Crude Awakening Facebook page and invite all your friends… and if you’re feeling all fired up, why not change your profile pic for this week to something pink and Crude-y? Sign up and grab the graphic at:

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crude-Awakening/142738315766233



That’s all for this week!



PS. Did we mention sign up sign up sign up sign up sign up sign up to your bloc? ;)

 http://crudeawakening.org.uk/node/12