swedish anti-mining protest camp against Beowulf Mining
g | 22.08.2013 21:42
Right now there is a battle to save Sápmi (occupied by Sweden) from more mines. Sápmi has already been exploited and colonized by the Swedish state and corporations for generations. Now an entirely new area is under attack from the mining industry, the forests, mountains and lakes west of Jokkmokk are threatened.
Since a month there is a blockade against british Beowulf Mining´s test mining project in Gállok (swe: #kallak) going on. Activists have joined together with indigenous Sami people to save the place from a big iron mine. The 29th of July the swedish police came and tore down the first blockade and arrested 6 persons. The same night the blockade was raised again, with improvements to the company´s great disappointment. The activists plan to stay for the winter when the reindeer and herders come and legally can stop the test mining.
Resistance against the planned mine is growing while the swedish police have said they are doing what the mining corporation orders them to. Beowulf is currently silent and probably don’t want more bad exposure and might try to beat the activists in the waiting game. Meanwhile more people join the protests in different ways through art and music as well as supporting the growing protest camp. The activists are now building Pentagon, a house supposed to work to decolonize the world.
Update: The second barricade was also destroyed by the cops the 12th of August and a security guarding company is hired to protect the testmines and the road from protesters. This only to do test mining.
More recent update: Yesterday they started blasting, with 4 people near by in trees not outside the blasting safety zone. pigs removed barricades in the morning. many people got pulled off the road and chased from the forest. 8 people were arrested. last night and again tonight the road is barricaded to delay work. now 10 security workers work 12hr shifts, day and night. our spirits are high. the battle continues.
http://kolonierna.wordpress.com/ for more info, pictures and videos.
Resistance against the planned mine is growing while the swedish police have said they are doing what the mining corporation orders them to. Beowulf is currently silent and probably don’t want more bad exposure and might try to beat the activists in the waiting game. Meanwhile more people join the protests in different ways through art and music as well as supporting the growing protest camp. The activists are now building Pentagon, a house supposed to work to decolonize the world.
Update: The second barricade was also destroyed by the cops the 12th of August and a security guarding company is hired to protect the testmines and the road from protesters. This only to do test mining.
More recent update: Yesterday they started blasting, with 4 people near by in trees not outside the blasting safety zone. pigs removed barricades in the morning. many people got pulled off the road and chased from the forest. 8 people were arrested. last night and again tonight the road is barricaded to delay work. now 10 security workers work 12hr shifts, day and night. our spirits are high. the battle continues.
http://kolonierna.wordpress.com/ for more info, pictures and videos.
g