Thanks a million to one and all who did whatever they did.... inspirational
"The people who set up the Heathrow climate camp are neat, articulate and frighteningly well-organised. What is the world coming to?" wondered George Monbiot in the Guardian.
It seems as if a new chapter has opened up for the worlds social movements, although this was the second climate camp in Britain (Drax Power Station being targeted in 2006) there are already proposals to have climate camps at the same time next year in Britain, Germany and Australia all with the same idea of widening the discussion, creating an open space for more to learn and participate, and from that to take "direct action" locally to struggle together globally. This comes after much discussion about "summit hopping" (thousands arriving to attempt to block the yearly G8 / meetings + IMF / WTO / world economic forum...) and while many do feel it is vitally important to keep making the point to the world leaders that "our world is not for sale" at these gatherings many have felt that we (those in the movement of movements around this finite planet) need to take this story for the planets survival and for global justice to the next stage.
With the recent camp for climate action near Sipson village and Heathrow airport in London it seems the message has really gone out around the world that "climate change" is being addressed and challenged by non-violent "direct action" by all those who are willing to find out about the issues and stand up to make a change. There were grannies, babys, anarchists, teachers, clowns, musicians, gardeners, artists, architects, unemployed... in fact there seemed to be allsorts there in a few days of intense discussion, skill sharing, ideas bouncing, planning and finally action. People said the story went out on media in every continent bar Antartica. Although perhaps initially prompted by fears of airport disruption and other negative issues about protest, it seems, judging by the British media, that a fair picture has gone out to the world that this is a CRITICAL issue and thankfully there is something that people can do.
The final day of action was peaceful from our side and only the police used excessive force and sometimes totally unprovoked violence against people of varying ages who suffered blows bangs and kicks from them, 2 people who were in our barrio / neighbourhood were injured: 1 twisted ankle and smashed nose after the side of police shield was smashed upward into the base of his nose, another girl was hit a few times by a baton and suffered concussion. Despite the attempt to hold us back we made it to our destination BAA, held it up to make our point and left as a group in our own time. Thankfully most British media reported this state violence and our committed and sometimes difficult use of non-violence. In many peoples eyes we succeeded in doing what we set out to do: job done.
As well as aciton and organising what we were doing, as well as action support workshops, the camp was a model of sustainable living and participitive democracy in action. Most people unfamiliar with this hand wiggling form of reaching agreement were very impressed with its results. There were also many themed workshops and some excellent evening talks with speakers about the current situation and what has to be done to change things.
A serious amount of great organisation went into pulling this event off and I for one believe it is only the start of things to come.
So perhaps there might even be a local irish "camp for climate action" next year to coincide with the others as they happen around this lovely little planet, coincidentally enough the first irish green gathering happened the same weekend as the London climate camp.
Thanks a million to one and all who did whatever they did.... inspirational
dunk
climate camp web
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/ IMC-UK climate camp
http://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2007/climatecamp/ wikipedia Camp for Climate Action
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_for_Climate_Action UK Camp for Climate Action Targets Aviation Industry : IMC-ORG
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2007/08/891052.shtml irish green gathering
http://www.irishgreengathering.com/stands.htm Climate Camp, Heathrow : IMC-IE
http://indymedia.ie/article/83826 vids and articles:
----------------------------------------indymedia uk
_______________________________________________________________________vids
"Bottle them in" - flim of start of the kettle at BAA
Not great quality, but shows the police 'kettling' about 200 demonstrators to get them out of the car park to prevent them joining with other people who are already blockading the road entrance to the BAA HQ.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2007/08//379351.mov Video rushes of climate camp - by kryptic
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2007/08//379050.mp4 Kids March, a view of the site, general march chilled action, and the BAA offices protected by Police
Video of climate protesters breaking out of camp in a fan formation
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2007/08//378904.mp4 This video shows protesters heading towards the HQ of BAA from the Climate Camp. They fan out when they pass the Police line to draw their escorts in different locations.
video of a group leaving the climate camp site on day of action
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2007/08//378850.mp4 A quick video of a group leaving the climate camp on the day of action. There are some fully colourful "shields" with the images of young people from the global south leading the group.
----------------------you tube
Climate Camp Heathrow - Mix of pix and video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q_bCxCNp4o&mode=related...arch= climatelife
http://www.youtube.com/user/climatelife Climate Camp Heathrow - Sunday, Day of Action (clip 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLkuAIOMSwo&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow - Sunday, Day of Action (clip 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5TAkwCr3P8&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow - Sunday, Day of Action (clip 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPurL8zsTzQ&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow - Sunday, Day of Action (clip4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ode_8t1zNg&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow - Day of Action (clip5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MszAFU9Ht9Y&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow - Sunday, Day of Action (clip6)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmcMiDEWS0Q&mode=related...arch= childoflewin VIDS
http://www.youtube.com/user/childoflewin police 'escorted' off climate camp by protesters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkFD6t56wm4&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp Heathrow (renewable energy onsite) 15.09.07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_ZplfpDfvY Greenvoice.com Climate Change Camp Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlPrgLtcDcs&mode=related...arch= Interview with a local resident of Sipson, the village where 750 houses are to be demolished to make way for the third runway by BAA at Heathrow airport.
-------------------------------------mainstream coverage
Climate Camp 07 - BBC News 24, Midday, Action Sunday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJlwR_jnXEY&mode=related...arch= News 24, Midday Action Sunday - showing groups leaving camp. "Pushing and shoving" with police. Protestors to mark out runway's 3km site, and to blockade BAA HQ for up to 24 hours. Inspiring speech from protestor Layla Harris.
Climate Camp 07 - Sky News, Action Sunday, 5pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHaMnaWalY4&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp: 'day of action' BBC news report, 19/08/2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9huBA0rNxIY Climate Camp 07 - ITV1 News Monday Lunchtime 13th
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thPrAEC_voE&mode=related...arch= Climate Camp - BBC News 24 news report, Monday 13/08/2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMecJRlmR_Q&mode=related...arch= BBC London feature on climate camp, 14th August 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhYC-r7XXyA&mode=related...arch= constructing the village
Climate Camp: Newsnight report 13/08/2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSdP5MXO3Xg&mode=related...arch= George Monbiot & Khalid Mahmood debate Climate Camp :Newsnight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p--Bb2Nf5eE&mode=related...arch= Monbiot commits himself to DA
_______________________________________________________________________print
-----------------BBC
Colourful scenes at day of protest
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6954116.stm Minor scuffles in airport protest
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6953518.stm Eco-village with a stark warning ( Monday, 13 August 2007)
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6944526.stm -----------------guardian
The new face of activism
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/george_monbiot/2007....html The people who set up the Heathrow climate camp are neat, articulate and frighteningly well-organised. What is the world coming to?
A different kind of turbulence
http://www.guardian.co.uk/airlines/story/0,,2152358,00.html guardian climate camp articles
http://browse.guardian.co.uk/search?search=climate%20camp -----------------Independant
Inside Heathrow's protest camp: A battle to save the world
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article28741...3.ece I discovered they have one purpose: to urge us to listen to the world's scientists and cut back on our greenhouse gas emissions - before we descend into climate chaos we cannot reverse and may not survive.
At one end, Mayer Hillman, the 76-year-old climate-change campaigner, is saying to a crowd: "We are on a trajectory towards the extinction of life on earth. In the main, people have done this unwittingly, so it can be excused. But now we know what we are doing, and it cannot be excused."
Leading Article: The flight from truth about climate change
http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/artic...2.ece this was an overwhelmingly peaceful protest, in practice as in conception.
Heathrow protest reaches its climax as peaceful protest turns to clashes with riot police
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article28787...4.ece Their mission: to highlight the link between global warming and aviation emissions - and to do it with posters, banners and a healthy dose of purposeful rebellion.
Johan Hari: Why we should all start shouting about airport expansion
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article28787...3.ece The science shows unequivocally that every airport is a minor act of ecocide,
If the protesters - and the millions who can grasp the science they cite - cannot stop the expansion of air travel now, we will guarantee that Britain is unable to meet even the most measly carbon emissions targets. We will then feel our planet transform beneath our feet into a boiling, belching rock we do not recognise. That is why the protesters are at Heathrow - and that is why they are right.
climate camp : related articles
http://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?publicati...ndent -----------------Irish times
Airport activists blockading BAA
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0820/bre....html "You Fly, They Die".
Climate-change protest at Heathrow 13/08/2007
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0813/bre...1.htm The expansion of the airport just runs completely in the face of everything we know about climate change
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