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Benefit with 'Seize the Day' for the Coal Train Blockaders and Nottingham 114 defendants

Isla Ratcliffe | 05.11.2010 11:22

Seize the Day, Ceilidh Minogue, DJ Krakpotkin
THURSDAY 18TH NOVEMBER
The Boneyard Bar, Bridewell St, Bristol
doors @ 7pm
Tickets £3adv/£4door

Seize The Day headline with beautiful radical frontline folk, celebrating the release of their new album 'Standing Strong'
www.seizetheday.org

Ceilidh Minogue support with stomping folk, including banjo, accordion and beautiful harmonies...

DJ Krackpotkin,

Raffle, Puppet Show and Cake

Back Story:

Last April a group of individuals who met through Bristol & Bath Rising Tide, in a series of bold blockades stopped a coal train from leaving Ffos-y-Fran open cast coal mine in Merthyr Tydfil on its way to nearby Aberthaw power station. The result was thousands of pounds of economic damage to Miller Argent who own the mine and the arrest and subsequent trial of the activists. Although the charges against those involved were eventually scaled down, 13 were still convicted of Section 36 of the malicious damages act 1861 and ordered to pay court costs and in some cases damages to Miller Argent. The activists are also still fighting a restraining order imposed upon them indefinitely banning them from entering a large area encompassing Ffos-y-Fran, Aberthaw and the adjoining railway.

This month also sees the start of the month long trial of 20 of the 114 activists arrested in a school in Nottingham, April 2009, on suspicion of conspiring to shut down Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station. The activists are pleading Not Guilty on the grounds of necessity. This means they are admitting they planned to shut the power station down in order to prevent loss of life and serious injury caused through climate change.

They have been through an 18 month mentally, emotionally, and financially grueling experience in the lead up to this month's trial. Any support people can give will be enormously appreciated.

Check out the campaign support group's website http://ratcliffeontrial.org/ for the background story and full details of how you can get involved in supporting them.

Come and show your support on the night and have a good old jig too!


Isla Ratcliffe
- Original article on IMC Bristol: http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/697800