UK Climate Chaos Newswire Archive
Evo's Highway: Development in Socialist South America
23-12-2010 09:08
It sounds like something the IMF would have funded during the regime of General Banzer: a super highway cutting across Bolivia, linking Brazil with Peru and Chile—and thus with East Asian markets, and in the process plowing straight through a vitally important nature reserve that also happens to be the home of three indigenous nations.Review of Opencast Coal Site Applications in England
22-12-2010 16:39
This article summarises known information about Opencast / Surface mining in England over the period 2009 / 10 by indication where Applications have been successful, where they have been rejected, where applications are currently 'live' and lastly where applications are likely to be made.Call out for solidarity actions against Shell
22-12-2010 14:46
Any day now Shell will find out whether it will be able to continue with the dangerous Corrib Gas Project in Co. Mayo, IrelandHow to object to EDF's plans to desecrate 400 acres of Somerset coast
21-12-2010 00:49
![Photo of land to be desecrated, by Paul Glendell 2010](/icon/2010/12/471089.jpg)
Video of Huntington Lane Mine blockade
19-12-2010 16:26
As part of the Huntington Lane Anti-Coal protest camp's weekend gathering on Saturday 11th December activists from across the country successfully blockaded the entrance to the mine. No Arrests were made.Cancun Climate Activist Report
19-12-2010 01:02
![Audio](/img/audio_big.gif)
A neo-primitivist analysis of civilization
18-12-2010 17:44
Here we take a look at the past, present and potential future of civilization for your entertainment and education.Call out for actions ageinst SHELL
17-12-2010 17:59
Please organise actions ageinst SHELL!Stop them from destroying our planet our comunities and our lives.
Cancun Agreement stripped bare by Bolivia's dissent
17-12-2010 12:21
In the famous Hans Christian Anderson fable, The Emperor's New Clothes, a weaver famously plays on an emperor's arrogance and persuades him to wear a non-existent suit with the argument that it is only invisible to the 'hopelessly stupid.' The moment of truth comes, as we can all remember, when a child in an otherwise silent crowd yells out, “But he is not wearing any clothes!” What we don't always recall is that the naked Emperor suspects the child may be telling the truth, but carries on marching proudly and unclothed regardless.
latest EF! Action Update on the streets
16-12-2010 19:39
The latest EF!AU came out for the Anarchist Bookfair, we've just been a bit slack about getting it out there. Go to the website and subscribe, to ensure you get it in your inbox hot off the press!Solidarity from the South Pacific with UK climate justice activists
15-12-2010 22:58
Climate Camp Aotearoa sends a message of solidarity across the globe to the 20 climate justice activists found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass in the UK. The activists were among 114 people arrested in a dawn raid on Easter Monday last year against activists who planned not only to stop carbon emissions from the Ratcliffe coal power station but to be part of a much wider movement for global social justice.Successful gathering including blockade at huntington lane protest site
15-12-2010 15:53
The gathering at the shropshire anti-coal site at huntington lane went ahead last weekend, including a day-long blockade of the quarry site on Saturday. Much skillsharing and defense building also went ahead during the action-packed gathering.WikiLeaks reveals the dirty diplomacy of climate change
15-12-2010 15:14
As the proceedings of the climate change summit concluded last weekend in Cancun, Mexico, recently released secret diplomatic cables cast renewed light on the shadowy nature of international climate change negotiations.Ratcliffe Trial Day 15 – Jury says Guilty
14-12-2010 15:23
14 December 2010
All 20 defendants are found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Trespass at Ratcliffe-on_Soar Power Station in April 2009.
They are required to come back to court at 12noon on Friday for sentencing.
All in Nottingham Crown Court again at 10am Tuesday. After the His Honour Judge Teare made his directions, the jury were first sent out on Friday. They came back to court a couple of times to ask questions. After the weekend, they came back yesterday [Monday] to continue their deliberations. Again a couple more questions, but it was becoming clear that they were quite divided. At 3.40pm yesterday, they were looking a bit tired and sent a note to the Judge, asking if they could go home for the day. They had been considering their verdict for 10 hours up to then. The Judge then told them that when they came back today ... he would except a majority verdict.
Today [Tuesday], they retired again at 10.13am. At 11.10am they returned after a total of 11.07hours.
The clerk read out the indictment:
20x names. are charged as follows, That they:
Conspired to Commit Aggravated Trespass, Contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Verdict - GUILTY. [for all the defendants]
Strangely, the verdict was unanimous, when you consider that the judge had said he would accept a majority after their earlier difficulty in reaching a decision.
The Judge said that he was not going to hand down prison sentences now. However, after hearing of some that had previous convictions he said he may be considering suspended sentences for those. Others were of previous 'good character' might be receiving community punishment order, to do unpaid work. He went on, that this trial had cost the country a vast amount of money. As their actions have been found to have been unnecessary, then I don't see why they can't contribute.
All are required to return to court at 12noon on Friday 17th December.
Personally. I don't think that their case could have been better expressed. Having sat through the whole case, I was privileged in hearing the expert evidence that was of some substance and alarming. If the jury can't see that urgency of a need for action, then I am of course pessimistic in how on earth we are going to convince the wider public of the need for action.
Perhaps we are all doomed :-(
I have added my best wishes to all the defendants throughout the progress of this case. As it turns out ... fuck all use my good wishes were. I am sad for the defendants in loosing and being found guilty, but I am also sad for my own health and everybody else’s. If people are deterred from taking more direct action on these issues, nothing else substantial is going on. As the recent events at the Cancún climate summit in Mexico have clearly demonstrated, if we leave it up to companies and politicians to act, then we will be waiting a very long time. Certainly past the tipping points we heard so much about. Beyond which we might not be able to do very much about our demise.
Will the last one alive on the planet, kindly turn the lights out!
Statement from the Defendants
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/statement-from-the-defendants
Press Release
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/press-release-activists-found-guilty-in-ratcliffe-coal-climate-trial
Ratcliffe on Trial Blog
http://ratcliffeontrial.org
+++
Indymedia daily coverage of the progress of this trial:
Ratcliffe Trial: Nottingham Crown Court November 2010
2009 Nottingham Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid in Nottingham
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427471.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427496.html
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Conspiracy Trial Begins [Feature]
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/701
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe conspiracy to trespass trial opens today
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/693
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 2 - Prosecution’s Opening
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/702
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 3 - Prosecution case continues
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/710
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial: Prosecution Opens [Feature 2]
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/714
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 4 - Prosecution case concludes
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/716
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 5 – Defence case opens
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/735
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 6 – The Defence Continues
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/744
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 7 ‘Snowed off’
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 8 – Defence Calls MP's
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/765
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 9 – Defence Calls More Experts
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/786
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 10 – Defence Calls more Defendants
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/788
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 11 - Defence Concludes its Case
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/789
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 12 – Concluding Speeches
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/796
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 13 – Final bits & Jury Retires
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/799
2010 Nottingham Activist Speech On The Ratcliffe Trials
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/videos/798
2010 Nottingham Ratcliffe Trial Day 14 – Jury Still Retired
http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/809
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Statement from the defendants
14-12-2010 15:23
As the UN climate talks finish in Cancun, and fail once again to come up with any legally binding framework to reduce emissions, the British legal system is still upholding business as usual. This can’t continue. Burning coal has no future.
We are twenty of the 114 who were targets of the biggest pre-emptive arrest in UK history, as part of the increasing drive to stifle real action on climate change. We planned not only to stop carbon emissions from Ratcliffe but to be part of a much wider movement for global social justice. Dealing with climate change means looking at its root causes and we need to question why the profits of corporations such as e.on are being prioritised over people on the front line of our changing climate and the protection of our children’s futures.
In the 3 weeks we’ve been on trial over 17,000 people have died from the effects of climate change, species have continued to disappear and a few energy CEOs have continued to line their pockets. It’s the poorest and most vulnerable communities, those least responsible for this crisis, who are being hit the hardest.
Taking action on climate change is not an act of moral righteousness, but of self-defence. History is full of ordinary people who have acted to protect their fundamental rights and we need a strong movement of people doing just that. We want to reiterate our support for everyone fighting for climate justice.
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/statement-from-the-defendants
http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/press-release-activists-found-guilty-in-ratcliffe-coal-climate-trial
Activists found guilty in Ratcliffe coal climate trial
14-12-2010 14:14
Twenty climate activists who planned to shut down one of Britain’s most polluting power stations for a week were found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass today.Manchester hunt sabs new Facebook page
09-12-2010 20:38
Please note Manchester Hunt Sabs now have a Facebook page the link is below.Manchester Airport protesters found guilty but vow to fight on
08-12-2010 20:50
![The defendants outside court - 7th December 2010](/icon/2010/12/470124.jpg)
Machinery sabotaged at Huntington Lane SMS
08-12-2010 16:12
Generating equipment sabotaged at Huntington Lane SMSGathering at Huntington Lane THIS WEEKEND
08-12-2010 15:43
![Protester on ropewalk above camp](/icon/2010/12/470097.jpg)
Come to the gathering to enjoy free vegan food, nature walks through huge areas of uninterrupted beautiful ancient woodland, acoustic music by the campfire and enjoying the company of the lovely people at the site.