UK Indymedia - UK Climate Chaos Feature Archive

Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham

02-04-2008 21:18

Activists from Rising Tide called for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st. "They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."

In Nottingham, over 30 people under the banner of Eastside Climate Action blockaded energy company E.ON's offices on Mount Street. People covered in green paint to represent E.ON's greenwash, locked onto the front entrance to the call centre offices and stood in front of other entrances preventing hundreds of workers from getting to work. Two people who were locked onto the front entrance were arrested and later in the afternoon the police entered and searched their homes in search for 'evidence' in relation to their arrest. Both were charged with public order offences and are to appear at Nottingham Magistrates Court on April 14th.

Audio: Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham (an audio piece) | Abuse from E-On Staff

Photos: Pictures 1 | Pictures 2 | Pictures from EOn protest | Surveillance and Specialist Equipment

Also on the newswire: Police Searches Houses After Arrests At E.On Blockade | Eastside Climate Action blockade E-on workers as part of Fossil Fools Day | Fossil Fools Day - April 1st | Direct Action in Nottingham this Spring | Notts Indymedia Climate Chaos Topic Page

UK Indymedia feature: Fossil Fools Take On Fossil Fuels

Previous features: Convictions For Activists - Climate Criminals Walk Free | 'Clean' Coal On Trial | Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

Full article | 1 comment

Fossil Fools Take On Fossil Fuels

02-04-2008 16:50

Rising Tide called for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st. "They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."

Thu 3rd April: Activists have succesfully blockaded Aberthaw power station in Wales this morning causing a tailback of around one hundred cars. Staff were sent home by plant operator RWEnpower and there were no arrests. Read reports: [1] | [2]

Tue 1st April: What an action packed day it was.. Banners were dropped in Lancaster and Wrexham and in Edinburgh 4x4 were targetted and clowns caused foodmile havoc in supermarkets. Petrol stations were targetted in Plymouth and Sheffield and in Cambridge and Manchester activists took action at Royal Bank of Scotland branches. In Nottingham activists blockaded city centre offices of E.On and in London Rising Tide played a spoof game of football outside the FA HQ to point out what their sponsor E.On are up to. London Rising Tide also payed a visit to the offices of Y&R advertising who are currently trying to convince the public of Landrover’s green credentials. People and Planet staged a 'No New Coal' protest in parliament square to oppose the proposed powerstation at Kingsnorth and others payed a visit to the offices of a company who partly run one of the biggest opencast coal mines in Europe, in Ffos-y-Fran, Merthyr Tydfil (Wales).

At the mine itself in Merthyr Tydfil protesters halted work, with the intention to remain on the site for several days. Activists also blockaded the UK's largest off shore gas terminal at Bacton (Norfolk). They blockaded the main road outside the site preventing construction workers and shift workers from arriving. In Hull, which was hit badly by flooding last year, people draped banners and handed out leaflets. In Norwich, activists from Rising Tide sent out a spoof press release announcing that Norwich Unions would be withdrawing all of its £6.1 billion investment in the fossil fuel industry and then organised a press conference at their HQ. In Glasgow a bunch fossil fools took to the streets to persuade people to up their carbon emissions.. See full feature article for more detailed info about the actions.

Audio: Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham

Regional features: Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham | The 'Fossil Fools' Day of action (Scotland)

Indymedia links: Climate Chaos topic page | Climate IMC

Full article | 6 comments

Convictions For Activists - Climate Criminals Walk Free

28-02-2008 15:19

On the 10th April 2007, 11 people walked into the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and locked on to the coal conveyor and assorted plant there. Their objective was to take direct action to halt operations and thus to diminish the CO2 emissions of the E-on plant, the greenhouse gas thought to be largely responsible for climate change. They were all charged with aggravated trespass and throughout the court case (which lasted for 3 days), the defendants argued that yes, they did take these actions, but employed the defence of "duress of circumstances" or necessity, and pleaded not guilty.

On Monday 25th Feb, 10 defendants (one having had the charges dismissed due to lack of evidence) returned to court to receive the judgement. Judge Cooper had earlier said that he wished to compliment all the defendants on the way they had handled themselves and on the presentation of their case. However all were found guilty.

Audio: Featured in #2 'the March Show' on Riseup Radio

Features: Clean Coal On Trial | Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

On The Newswire: Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Judgement | Power station 10 found guilty | Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Verdict | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 1] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 2] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 3]

Links: Eastside Climate Action

Full article | 2 additions | 3 comments

'Clean' Coal On Trial

14-01-2008 00:03

The trial of the eleven climate change activists who disrupted operations at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station on April 10th 2007 has started today at Nottingham Bridewell Magistrates Court. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated trespass and arguing that it was necessary to take such action in order to prevent the imminent threat that climate change poses to the human population. They are arguing that the threat of climate change on human life is so imminent & serious that it is a proportionate and reasonable response to commit aggravated trespass to try to reduce carbon emissions from England's 2nd largest CO2 emmiter, Ratcliffe on Soar power station.

This is the first time that the defence of necessity in relation to climate change has been used in a court of law. The defendants will call an expert witness; a climate scientist, and Royal Society Research Fellow, to prove to the court the scale and imminence of the threat that climate change poses.

Reports: Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 1] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 2] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 3] | Climate Change Trial Opens

Previous feature: Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

Links: E.On | Eastside Climate Action | Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Wikipedia on Ratcliffe On Soar | Ratcliffe On Soar (photo portrait by Alan Lodge).

Full article | 9 comments

UK Takes Action While World Leaders Continue To Produce Hot Air

10-12-2007 14:48

Over 10,000 climate campaigners took to the streets to take part in marches in London and Glasgow over the weekend, despite pouring rain. Protesters braved the weather in one the biggest demonstrations calling for climate justice the UK has ever seen. The marches coincided with the wheeling and dealing at the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference, currently taking place in Bali, Indonesia. Protests calling upon the world leaders for action on climate change have taken place across the world. The last week has seen many actions across the UK on various aspects of the climate change agenda.

Multimedia: Video and audio from climate change rally, London

Photos and reports: Global Climate Change March, London | Pictures from Campaign against Climate Change march in London | Glasgow Climate March - pics | Global Climate Campaign march in Central London | Campaign against Climate Change - London Rally

Links: Campaign Against Climate Change | UK Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Climate March flickr group

Full article | 1 addition | 6 comments

Biofuels Conference Disrupted At Concerns Over Multi-National 'Greenwash'

20-10-2007 14:52

This week Europe’s largest Biofuels event took place in Nottinghamshire amid growing concerns about severe impacts on climate, biodiversity and food production. The exhibition, featuring over a hundred trade stands, ran alongside a conference which opened on Wednesday with a key note speech from BP Biofuels’ Europe & Africa Director Oliver Mace, but was quickly thrown into chaos when a number of people dressed in suits marched onto the stage and pied the BP’s CEO for the ‘dangerous and dishonest’ greenwash and protest at the catastrophic effects of replacing climate-stabilising ecosystems with arable crops for biofuel feedstocks.

Throughout the afternoon, people held a very visible protest outside the conference which was held at the Newark Showground, north of Nottingham. To coincide with the national Biofuels Conference, protestors from No Agrofuels UK blockaded the D1 oils refinery and offices in Middlesbrough to raise awareness of the detrimental impact of agrofuels. 18 Protestors chained the 3 gates to the refinery shut and 2 protestors were D-locked to the main gates. No vehicles were able to enter or leave the site and all work appeared to have been stopped. Several banners were tied over the gates including "No Agrofuels, Land 4 People, Food, Biodiversity" and "Climate Change Profiteers".

Listen to audio: Biofuelwatch Talk | Activists crash biofuel party | Interview with Richard Price: Conference Organiser

On the newswire: Activists crash biofuel party 2 [afternoon] | Activists crash biofuel party 1 [morning] | Photos from Bio-Diesel Expo banner demo | Banner Protest outside Biodiesel Expo in Newark | Blockade of D1 Oils - anti-agrofuel demo | BP Executive pied as Europe's largest Biofuels Event disrupted | Biofuelwatch talk at the Sumac Centre, Nottingham

Full article | 1 addition

Day of Local Action against 'The Oil and Gas Bank'

16-10-2007 17:47

On 15th October, local groups which formed to mobilise for this year's Camp for Climate Action, took action against the Royal Bank of Scotland, a major backer of the aviation industry and the world's self-described ‘Oil and Gas Bank’. Over 25 protests and actions took place, with Headquaters being targetted, local branches occupied, and many banners displayed letting the public know about the banks role in Climate crimes [Actions round up]

A Sheffield based group wrote; "RBS is helping force open the carbon frontier, financing controversial projects in Nigeria, the Caucasus and Wales. Its involvement in Angolan and Nigerian oil fields encourages corruption and conflict, while gas projects from the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Mexico threaten environmental destruction. The thirty oil and gas finance deals RBS signed between 2001 and 2006 locked us all into 655 million tonnes of emissions over the next 15 years, more than the UK’s entire annual emissions."

Report (pdf): 'The Oil and Gas Bank: RBS and the financing of climate change'
Video: Fight the Pipe about the Wales gas pipeline part financed by RBS.

Links: Rising Tide UK | Network For Climate Action | Camp for Climate Action

Full article | 2 additions | 12 comments

Manchester Climate Change Activists Blockade Domestic Flights

10-10-2007 15:25

Activists from Manchester Climate Action and Manchester Plane Stupid blockaded the security check-in of terminal 3 of Manchester Airport.

Passengers were denied access to the departure lounge by seven activists locked together using arm-tube devices. Two banners were unfurled reading, “Manchester City Council...supporting climate chaos” and “Domestic flights cost the Earth”. Other protesters leafleted passengers with information about aviation and climate change as well as handing out train timetables for route destinations.

Video | Photos | Press release

Full article | 2 additions | 3 comments

Nuclear No Answer To Climate Change

12-09-2007 10:56

Protestors oppose the Government sham consultation on nuclear power. Gagged protestors handed out briefings to delegates attending one of the Government’s nuclear power consultation events on Wednesday September 12th, at the Hilton Hotel in Nottingham.

Local representatives from Friends of the Earth demonstrated outside the East Midlands consultation event to highlight the fact that the Government’s consultation on nuclear power is a sham. Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, WWF-UK, CND and the Green Alliance have withdrawn from the Government's public consultation on nuclear power because it is seriously flawed.

Full article

DIY V3 Wind Turbine Workshop

04-09-2007 10:26

V3 Power build small wind turbines and run courses teaching people how to make their own turbines. They put a couple up at various events, to inspire folks to get involved with such alternatives. The turbines they build are 'axial flux' turbines with a 2.4 metre blade in diameter and typically sit on top of a 10 metre guyed mast. They are mostly made from recycled materials

By running courses where people can learn how to build, install and maintain their own turbine they offer people and communities the chance to release themselves from reliance on the national grid while making a real difference to the climate change problem. So, get involved.

Pictures: Wind Turbine Workshop [ 1 ] | [ 2 ] |
Wind Turbines: Practical uses in Nottingham Area [ 1 ] | [ 2 ] | [ 3 ] |
Spring into Action :: Build your own wind turbine workshop | Sounds on the Downs - Wind Turbine Set-up

Slide Show Videos:V3 Wind Turbines + others [2:20mins mpg 6.2Mb] | Green's Windmill, Sneinton [3:02mins mpg 10.1Mb]

Full article | 1 addition

Day 7: Climate Camp's 24 Hours of Action Spreads Throughout England

20-08-2007 09:02

The Climate Camp's second Day of Action has seen a flurry of direct actions throughout England despite the widespread abuse of Stop and Search powers that Climate campers were subjected to over the duration of the camp. Whilst the 24h blockade of BAA headquarters in Heathrow continued overnight and into the afternoon, a series of protests have taken place in different parts of the country. The day started with a blockade of the Sizewell nuclear power station in Suffolk where a group of five people locked on in the entrance of Sizewell nuclear power station and unfurled a banner reading 'nuclear power is not the answer to climate chaos' and a solidarity protest in Newcastle. At the same time a group of activists super-glued themselves to various entrances of the BP head offices in St James Sq in central London. An hour later a group of people occupied the offices of a carbon offset company called 'Climate Care' in Oxford, whilst work was disrupted at the London offices of Bridge Point Capital, the owners of Leeds airport. Another action took place at the fountains of London's Trafalgar Square. Another solidarity protest has taken place in Newcastle city centre. Finally, a battalion of ten clowns marked out the site of a 4th runway in the garden of Lord Soley, chairman of the Heathrow Forward campaign.

Press releases: Carbon Offset Companies targeted by Climate Camp Activists and the camp's press release summarising 24 hours of action

Update Tuesday 21st: A group of around 30 people from the Climate Camp made their way to Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre at midday on Tuesday, only to be forcibly penned by police into a car park invisible to the road [Report]. The action was to highlight the link between detention centres and climate change, and to show solidarity to those inside, detained for committing no crime. In the evening Climate Camp activists targeted Stansted Airport. Leaflets were handed out and a slogan attached to a wall on a main entrance/exit. Hear a podcast containing a couple of interviews, general mood in BAA, Seize the Day gig and Rob Newman performance at the camp.

On the Newswire: Sipson Says Thank You to Climate Camp | Camp for Climate Action 2007 a Resounding Success! (Action Roundup) | Drawings in the Climate Camp

Daily round-ups are on the UK Indymedia Climate Camp page, and for detailed up-to-the-minute Climate Camp reports and breaking news, check the Indymedia UK News Ticker.

Links: Camp For Climate Action website | workshops | bust card | directions 1, 2

Full article | 1 addition

Day 6: Climate Camp's 24 Hours of Direct Action

19-08-2007 12:27

Midday Sunday saw the start of Climate Camp's 24 hours of mass action.

12.30am The blockade of the World Cargo depot ends, protesters have been cut out and have called in from police stations.
10.45pm The seven-strong support team from the World Cargo depot blockade have been made to leave and are on their way back to site. Those locked on have been arrested but it's not clear at this time if they have yet been removed.
9.10pm The BA World Cargo terminal shed is being blockaded by 8 people in lock on tubes forming a circle [press release|photos]. They have seven people present in support. Meanwhile Bicycology have delivered food to the 250+ people sheltering under tarps outside BAA. There is music and a party atmosphere despite the rain [later reports|audio].
8.15pm Bicycology has just left the camp with trailers full of food, cake and treats for those planning on camping at BAA tonight. More tham 200 people are currently at the BAA offices planning to stay overnight.
8.00pm The police cordons around both groups of protesters at BAA HQ have now dispersed. Some people are now returning to camp whilst others are trying to join the larger block to camp overnight.
7.30pm About one hour ago people dropped a banner reading 'Plane Suicide' on Colnbrook Bypass motorway bridge over the M25. The banner overlooks the traffic going northbound, some of which will exit off towards the aiport.
7.20pm The smaller group penned in at BAA is negotiating to be moved with the bigger group on the other side of the building. People are preparing to stay for the night at BAA - cooking equipment is being sorted and a cooking rota is being organised.
6.20pm Kids blockade arrives at BAA with bicycle soundsystem and placed in kettle. Meanwhile some some people are returning in dribs and drabs to camp. People are free to come and go as usual via the Sipson Lane gate. All others are blocked. Legal team are confirming 5 arrests so far and more reports of injuries are coming in.
5.00pm Riot police are blocking the footpath exit, southeast of the camp. They are not letting people out but they are letting people in. A line of people has been formed in front of them with their hands up on the air.
4.00pm A man superglued himself to a security vehicle at the Heathrow business academy. He was unstuck and arrested. Meanwhile the majority of the kids block are heading towards the BAA offices along the A4 with others returning to the camp. The atmosphere is good, the march looks really colorful and people are singing.
3.30pm Around 250 people are being confined by police behind the BAA offices. The building itself is now protected by a ring of police. Small groups of people keep coming to the area of BAA building. In the BAA carpark another small group are "praying" with the BAA monks! Another 200-300 people from the Kids block are headed towards the BAA offices.
3.15pm Around 100 protesters have reached BAA and are holding a banner reading 'Social Change Not Lifestyle Change'. Lots of mainstream media are present.
3.00pm 200-300 people left the camp from the south side and fanned out into smaller groups. TSG, police in riot gear and mounted police are there trying to kettle the crowds in the fields. One protester has reportedly been injured by a police horse. Police have broken down a fence to enable mounted police to enter and are being aggressive. 100 people were penned in but have since returned to the camp, others made it further towards BAA [full pic report].
1.00pm 3 teenage girls are on the roof of the Heathrow Business Academy, very close to BAA headquaters. They have unrolled a banner that reads Make Planes History
12.00 noon At least three large groups of several hundred people each have marched out of the camp from both exits towards the various targets of their actions. Children, parents and supporters are on one family-friendly march, one group is marking out the proposed third runway, while another has left from the south end of the camp and fanned out into smaller groups to foil police efforts to keep them in.

For up-to-the-minute climate camp reports and breaking news, check the Indymedia UK News Ticker. You can also get it as SMS alerts or listen to it by phoning the Blasted Campers info line on 0207 043 3783.

Daily round-ups are on the UK Indymedia Climate Camp page.

Links: Camp For Climate Action website | workshops | bust card | directions 1, 2

Full article | 2 comments

Day 4: Dept of Transport Blockaded - XL Airways Occupied

17-08-2007 08:08

Friday 17th August: 16:30: Ten activists have occupied XL Airways offices in Crawley. One person is locked on inside the offices, a banner reads "Cheap Flights - Cheap Lives?" refering to links between the aviation industry and climate change, and XL's role in deporting people and children to the Congo on behalf of the home office. More updates on the ticker.

Photos: XL Airways Office Occupation | Travel agents targetted

8.15am: At least ten climate change campaigners have blockaded the Department of Transport headquarters in London this morning. Several have superglued themselves to the revolving doors and other doors have been chained shut. Staff inside the Marsham Street building were seen giving thumbs up to the protestors who called themselves Climate Camp supporters. Two more protestors were on the porch roof with a banner reading "No Airport Expansion". Eventualy after around two hours the activists were removed and arrested. [See Press Release | Pictures | More Pics]

The camp has been having a lot of visitors throughout the day. The local scouts group came to learn about the camp for their environment badges and someone posted photos of yesterday’s visit by the local primary school which will be demolished if the third runway is to go ahead. Many local Sipson residents also visited the camp this morning to express continued support and solidarity and exchange experiences.

Full article | 2 additions | 33 comments

Day 3: Private Airports Blockaded

16-08-2007 10:31

At 7am two independent groups of campaigners from the Camp for Climate Action stopped carbon-intensive private jets fom operating at two airports in the south east. Executive flights at Biggin Hill and Farnborough airports have been brought to a standstill by climate activists concerned at the huge growth in the use of private jets by business people. At Biggin Hill Airport the activists D-locked themselves to the gates of the airports. 10 people were then arrested. The blockade lasted for just under 4 hours.

24 people took part in the blockade at Farnborough Airport with 9 people locked onto lock-on devices across the access road. After an hour the aiport staff opened up an emergancy crash exit to allow the gathered business people in. Meanwhile protesters handed out leaflets to staff, passengers and locals. Jets were delayed and after 2 hours a second emergency exit was opened. By this point the police warned people they would be arrested and it was decided to return to the camp. Although no one was arrested, the police did seize lock-on devices.

Audio: Audio Interview with Biggin Hill Airport Blockader

Video: Video of blockade at Farnborough Airport

Full article | 2 comments

Day 2: Low-Impact Living At The Climate Camp

15-08-2007 22:16

Wednesday August 15th After an early alert - around 9am a large Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) skirted the East perimeter, with an even larger group of Climate Campers responding by blocking the FIT cameras view - the camp got off to a productive start:

After the site coordination meeting at 9:30am, the workshops kicked off, covering a wide range of topics including low-tech sanitation, nuclear power, climate change and global justice, decentralised energy, aviation and climate change, introduction to permaculture, and movement building. Read a report about the 'Wales LNG pipeline' workshop. Indymedia facilities are on-site, the entire campsite has wi-fi, powered by wind generators and solar arrays. Indymedia workshops have been going on since early morning, including open publishing, writing, reporting, and digital photography. The site is now wheelchair-accessible. Campers fitted up kitchens and installed a 'grey water' system, 4 wind generators provide power. New neighbourhoods, like the West Midlands neighbourhood are being built. [pics]

Climate activists from the US and New Zealand, including the Convergence for Climate Action, the US social forum, the East Coast USA climate camp, The Yes Men, The Earth First! Journal, Rising Tide, have sent empowering messages in solidarity [video 1 2].

At 4pm, about 80 people left camp to participate in a local march against the airport expansion, but were held up by police, penned in and lead toward the perimeter of the airport – almost into the area covered by the BAA injunction. On the way, the police decided to block the A4 to lead the pen across it. Two hours later, the group headed back to the camp in heavy rain. One person was arrested for 'obstructing a police officer' (a FIT photographer) [report 1, 2, 3 | pics 1, 2]. More info on the ticker.

Videos: Videos summarising Workshops at the Climate camp | Video of a summary of a workshop given by Mark Lynas on the 2 degree tipping point | How to set up a grey water recycling system using bath tubs and straw

Camp website | workshops | bust card | directions | corporate media archives 1, 2

Full article | 1 addition

Day 1: Climate Camp now open

14-08-2007 22:29

Tuesday, August 14. After two days of setting up, the 2007 Camp For Climate Action is now open. After a press conference and an opening meeting, the first round of workshops took place in a field between Sipson and Harlington near Heathrow airport. Listen to the audio from a couple of workshops that were given today by Mark Lynas and Airportwatch/Hacan. Meanwhile, in Heathrow terminal 4, an invisible theatre pointed out that climate related apocalypse is nigh.

The evening saw a brief police incursion. Around 7.30pm, approximately thirty police, backed by officers in riot gear, entered the camp without warning in an attempt to raid it. With their hands in the air, protesters formed a human barrier and blocked the police, before peacefully escorting them off the site [video | report 1, 2 | pics]. A woman superglued herself to the gate to prevent police enforcement [pics, video]. At 8.30pm, all was quiet.

Read a personal report of the day or check the up-to-the-minute Indymedia UK Ticker. You can also get it as SMS alerts or listen to it by phoning the 'Blasted Campers' info line on 0207 043 3783. Daily round-ups are on the indymedia climate camp page.

Camp website | workshops | bust card | directions | corporate media archives 1, 2

Full article

Climate Camp prepares for opening

13-08-2007 22:34

Monday, August 13. More than 300 people continued to set up this years Camp For Climate Action in a field between Sipson and Harlington near Heathrow airport to prepare for a week of „low impact living and high impact direct action". After BAAs failed injunction, the authorities tried to make this as difficult as possible using anti-terrorist legislation. Climate campers and local residents responded with resourcefulness and determination [rap | pics 1, 2].

Some police entered the site at 7.30 am. Soon, each of them was accompanied by people from the legal support team acting as minders. The police blocked the only road to the camp at both ends and searched and filmed arriving campers. Resulting traffic jams affected both campers and residents. Until late afternoon, vehicles were not allowed on site. The police installed a large tele microphone at the gate and erected floodlights, so that the camp is lit at night.

„Food and sanitation supplies were halted - everything had to be unloaded at the roadblock and carried or dragged to the site - half a mile away. Families - kids crying at the roadside - were forced to abandon their vehicles and carry their possessions, often in several trips, to the camp“.

Nevertheless, the camp is taking shape. People pulled together to get equipment off cars, into wheelbarrows and wheelie bins and into the camp. Large numbers of corporate journalists parked outside the camp were watching. Airportwatch has a list of media coverage. Local residents, many of whom are opposed to the Heathrow airport extension, offered food and drinks to stranded campers, or help in transporting goods to the camp.

Full article | 3 comments

Climate Camp has begun

11-08-2007 23:00

Sunday, August 12. Late Saturday night, a field close to Heathrow airport site was occupied by about 100 people, the first wave of setting up the 2007 Camp For Climate Action [pics]. Twin double decker tripods were quickly erected and despite being just 800 metres from BAA's head office, it took the police two hours to find the site. There have been reports of two arrests and police copying data from mobile phones during searches.

There are now several hundred people on site and the camp taking shape. Police have been searching people and preventing access to the site on and off but in the last few hours this seems to have solidified into a state of siege with police refusing to let vehicles with power, water or toilet facilities onto the site.

Meanwhile, local residents celebrated "the place we call home" in the community arts and history project "our place".

Read full article for directions and press release.

Links: videos of morning and afternoon | Camp website | workshops | bust card | campers info line 0207 043 3783

Full article | 2 additions | 2 comments

Climate Camp Preparations In Full Swing

02-08-2007 17:46

Undeterred by the very weak and limited injunction BAA has obtained, climate activists are busy making preparations for the Camp For Climate Action. Activists recently met with locals from around Heathrow to find a warm welcome in a community fed up with BAA's lies over an ever expanding airport. BAA have been putting forward their case for an injunction at the High Court in London. The injunction was served to individuals from certain anti-airport groups a couple of weeks ago and aimed at restricting protests happening in and around the airport. Read the reports from court: (1) (2) (3) (4)

And as things currently look, it won't have any effect on the actual camp at all. A spokesperson for the Camp For Climate Action said: 'This injunction is totally irrelevant to us. We won't be intimidated or bullied. The camp is going ahead!'. Meanwhile, in this article, UK Indymedia looks back on an inspiring year packed with climate action goodness...

Full article | 3 comments

Heathrow 3rd Runway: Flying in the face of public opinion

25-07-2007 08:34

Few informed people doubt the link between carbon emissions and global warming. Even Blair, commenting on "the world's greatest environmental challenge", admitted our effect on the environment to be "large and growing". And since the fastest growing contributor to that effect is air travel, it seems beyond belief that the government would be pressing to expand airports.

Chief amongst these is Heathrow, where a history of lies and broken promises continues as BAA, in league with the state, tries to force through a third runway and a sixth terminal. But it's ceased to be an easy ride. Public appreciation of climate change is awarding legitimacy to direct action groups and the battle over Heathrow's third runway looks set to be one to remember.

Links: NoTRAG | HACAN | Plane Stupid | Climate Camp

UK Climate Chaos Feature Archive

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