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News in Brief
Feature: Terrorism And The DIY Activist
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Send Us Your News!An American conglomerate is negotiating to purchase rights to over 700 square km around Eppawala in Sri Lanka. Their plan for this home to thousands of villages, half a million rural Sri Lankans, pristine forest, countless endangered species, and extensive 2000-year-old archaeological monuments? They want to turn it into a gigantic phosphate strip mine.
Genetically modified food giant, Monsanto, has banned GM food from its own staff cafeteria at the company's headquarters at High Wycombe, Bucks. A company spokeswoman confirmed that Granada Food Services, which provides catering, had stopped serving food containing GM soya and GM maize after customers expressed concern. Monsanto denied it was an embarrassment to have GM banned at the head office of a firm manufacturing GM crops.
The Gartocher residents in Glasgow held 2 successful demos actions on 14 and 18 December - on 14th they occupied the Shettleston police station for 10 hours! - ring the residents on 07979 836223 for details.
McDonalds have struck a deal with the teletubbies to market McShit in the states with a 'Teletubbies Hugs' campaign. Sell-outs!
On 25th Jan, the trial began in Lancaster for the women who disabled the testing equipment and painted slogans on a Trident submarine when it was in Barrow in Jan/Feb last year. It is continuing as we go to press, with lots of local support work and even a piece of land, squatted by women next to the court building! Contact the Friends Meeting House, tel: Adrian 01524 62971) or the camp mobile: 07881 970 518.
The Ramblers' Association has won its case over the footpath that runs across the estate of millionaire anti-semite Nicholas Van Hoogstraten. The RA proved the 100-year-old footpath crossing the estate had been blocked by various obstructions, rendering it impassable for over a decade. The bad guys were fined £1,600 for two counts of blocking the footpath illegally, and ordered to pay costs of £3,500.
Witnesses are required who were outside Euston station during the evening of 30th November (N30) and were detained against their will, assaulted, or saw any police abuse. Contact: N30 c/o Gareth Crossman, 21 Tabard St, London, SE1. Also, anyone who saw a male, orange top, black pants, 6ft. assaulted 7 - 7.15 pm by the police. Call 0850 751575 or contact RTS or GEN.
A campaign to get all McDonald's ads banned by the Independent Television Commission is being launched. This is on the grounds that the High Court judgment that McDonald's 'expoit children' and that their food has been promoted as 'nutritious' when in fact it is linked to heart disease. Contact McLibel.
A new Prevention of Terrorism Bill is making its way through Parliament, and looks set to become law in Autumn. It extends the laws which have been misused against the Northern Irish people to the rest of the UK population, with some added vagueness for good measure.
A key problem for activists is the under-definition of terrorism. The new definition is "the use of serious violence against persons or property, or the threat to use such violence to intimidate or coerce the Government, the public or any section of the public for political, religious or ideological ends."
Terrorism will also mean the use or threat of using action which creates a risk to the health and safety of people. In the light of the media hysteria about ALF and RTS, this means virtually any activist is at risk of being classed a terrorist some of the time. Note also police comments about feeling threatened in protest or eviction situations.
What does 'serious' mean? Whatever they want it to mean. And 'Violence to property' - what, like breaking animal snares or digging up GM plants? GM crop-pullers will be classed the same as the Soho nail bomber.
There are other worrying elements in the bill. People supporting struggles abroad (like the Zapatistas or the Kurdish resistance in Turkey) will be included. There is a danger that refugees from oppressive regimes will become a legitimate target of the police merely because they support the overthrow of that regime.
The main points for activists to note about the Bill, are the proscription of organisations, the power within 'cordoned areas' and the new powers of stop and search and detention.
Membership of a proscribed organisation can carry a 10 year sentence, support for such an organisation also being an offence. An organisation can be almost anything, however informal or small. Support could mean something as ordinary as wearing an ALF T-shirt!
Any policeman can declare any area cordoned if it's deemed 'expedient'. Anyone who doesn't leave the area is open to a 3 month prison term. (Adjacent premises are included in the cordoned area. Note also tents and vehicles are defined as premises.)
Anyone can be stopped and searched on the grounds of 'reasonable suspicion 'of involvement in terrorist activity (see above.) Such a person can be held for up to 48 hours without anyone being told, including solicitors. The period can be extended to 7 days, following a hearing in the detainee's absence.
Sympathy with terrorism is also vaguely defined. Knowing about things, using other people's property, handling money and so on, are all offences. The wording of the Bill is ambiguous and open to misuse through interpretation. The thinking behind the Bill is clear enough. It seeks to extend the state's powers by redefining as much activity as possible as 'terrorism', thus making everything from fluffy protest to full-on direct action vulnerable. A number of public meetings and demo's will be happening throughout the country in the next few months.
Contact: your local activist group, or Protest Forum, Flat 7, 10a Airlie Gardens, London, WA8 7AL. 0171 727 0590. Web http://www.blagged.freeserve.co.uk/terrorbill/index.html
[ Contents ]The Earth Liberation Front (E.L.F) has claimed credit for a fire on December 25th, which destroyed Boise Cascade's regional headquarters in Monmouth, Oregon. Boise Cascade has been active in deforestation practices in the Northwest (USA) A communique sent by the E.L.F stated. "Early Christmas morning elves left coal in Boise Cascade's stocking. Four buckets of diesel gas with kitchen timer delay destroyed their regional headquarters... Let this be a lesson to all greedy multinational corporations who don't respect ecosystems. The elves are watching."
[ Contents ]Four days later, on December 31, the E.L.F. claimed responsibility for property damage estimated at $400,000 at Michigan State University. A communiqué stated that their target, a project funded by Monsanto and USAID, "was designed to not only pursue research concerning genetically engineered sweet potatoes, corn and other crop vegetables, but to lobby developing countries to abandon their current agricultural practices and to rely on genetically engineered plants and thus corporations like Monsanto."
[ Contents ]Eviction Imminent at Gorse Wood road protest camp - Likely to be week of Mon 7th Feb. The 6 lane 'bypass' is planned as an outer London orbital and M25relief road. The £30 million road is mysteriously linked to the building of an incinerator, private golf course and housing development. Beautiful woodland, wicked trees with loads of scope for tree-dwellers. Awesome tunnels to break all records. Up-for-it activists, equipment, climbers, tarps, people, bedding, candles, people needed NOW. They also request solidarity actions on Laing ltd, the road-builders.
Directions: by train, London to Wickford, turn right outside station, down to the high street, left at roundabout by the garage and continue 2 miles left to Rettendon and Chelmsford to near the top of the hill. Then left to All Saints Parish Church, through churchyard, over style, across field toward the wood. By bus, Chlemsford to Southend, get off at Gt.Rettendon school, head for church. Gen. enquiries 02082994244; Site no: 07957915977, local no: 07968662830.
[ Contents ]The government is embarking on a project to increase the number of waste incinerators in the UK from 10 to 167. Handbook available from Friends of the Earth or contact Communities Against Toxins, 0151 3395473, ralph@tcpublications.freeserve.co.uk.
[ Contents ]White-suited Newcastle activists died spectacularly in front of the Civic Centre as a symbolic column of tyres belched coloured smoke. The press stunt drew attention to the proposed new contract by Newcastle's council to increase tenfold the amount of waste disposed of at the city's Byker Incinerator. At a public meeting the following day, 200 people voted unanimously in favour of a public inquiry into the incinerator. Experts and council officials were heckled mercilessly by people who live within a square mile of the plant, and who suffer a much higher incidence of toxin- related diseases. If you live near an incinerator, or have any info/experiences to share contact Campaign against Incineration of Refuse, at the Action Update PO box.
[ Contents ]22 defendants appeared at Lincoln Magistrates Court on 19th January for an expected 2 week trial relating to the 'Smash Genetix' action in Spittal-in-the-Street, Lincs, last July. The Defendants (originally facing conspiracy to commit criminal damage charges ) were expecting to face charges of Aggravated Trespass and Section 4a Public Order Act, with drivers and passengers of the vehicles facing additional charges of Criminal damage. The defendants were offered a plea bargain of having all other charges dropped if they accepted the charge of Section 5 Public Order Act (disorderly behaviour). Defendants pressed for bind-overs instead and a compromise was made with 12 defendants selflessly pleading guilty to Disorderly behaviour in order to let the other 9 accept bind-overs for 1 year. 1 defendant's case was dropped due to mitigating circumstances. There are over £1000 costs to pay, donations payable to 'Smash Genetic Engineering Defence Fund', send to Leeds EF!
[ Contents ]Edinburgh, Newcastle and other cities have seen the arrival of a group of modern Stone Age protestors. No, not the Flintstones, but a highly visual demo by People Against the Fur Trade. Activists in costumes reconstituted from actual fur garments came out into the cold to persuade people to put fur back in the Stone Age where it belongs. The UK has some 12 mink farms left. Many thousands of mink are reared in tiny cages with no access to water (mink are semi-aquatic) before being gassed to death. The pelts mainly go abroad to be made into fur garments, or used as trim. There are also many battery rabbit farms. The fur trade is vast and thriving elsewhere in Europe and in Scandinavia. Barry Zwirn, fur shop owner in London, is so concerned about opposition to his evil trade that he has injuncted the area outside his shop against demos. (Write to his solicitors for info - they have to give it and it costs him. Kingsley Napley, Knights Quarter, 14 St. Johns Lane, London EC1M 4AJ.)
[ Contents ]National days of Action against Natwest Bank are proving effective. (Natwest loaned Huntingdon Life Sciences £24m, who are animal abusers even in the eyes of the law after a TV expose some time ago.) The Royal Bank of Scotland has sold its HLS shares. Bradford Council has released its 8 million shares. Sadly, other companies have acquired shares: Legal and General, Halifax Share Dealing, HSBC, ,Lloyds Private Banking. However, Natwest staff have received special instructions on dealing with customer inquiries on the Huntingdon issue. They are definitely losing customers.
[ Contents ]Sarah Spencer, Sales Manager of Shamrock Monkey Farm, feels that her home has become 'like a prison.' Isn't that ironic, considering that's what the establishment she works at is for the monkeys destined for vivisection? December and January were busy months for the Save the Shamrock Monkeys campaign, with demos and personalized attention for Shamrock employees. Regular demos at the farm, Small Dole, Sussex. Contact 07020 936 956.
[ Contents ]On 22 Jan 6 people were arrested for criminal damage and later re-arrested for conspiracy to cause criminal damage with regard to trashing badger traps in Herefordshire. On a brighter note another 20 traps were located and destroyed the same day, bringing the total number of destroyed traps to 124 in 3 days. It is very satisfying to know that each trap destroyed means another life saved and with more help even more lives could be saved.
[ Contents ]On 24th January, the direct action group Solidarios con Itoitz (Basque Country) did an action on the Brandenburg gate in Berlin - against the destructive Itoiz dam project in the Basque Country and for criticising the penalty of 5 years of prison that 8 of their comrades got for another peaceful action. Seven activists attempted to climb the roof of the building. A few seconds later the first policemen arrived and got on the top roof of Brandenburg Gate before the activists could get there. 3 activists locked their throats to iron bars. Two others climbed down some ropes and hung there till the finish of the action. A massive banner showing the Itoiz dam and the text SOS ITOIZ was hung in the front of the building. Police closed the whole area, took the names of some of the more than 100 supporting people on the street and told the people to go away. 7 activists were arrested. Email: solidarios@ythis.zzn.com.
[ Contents ]The Arnhem judge has decided that the GroenFront! squatters in the Betuwevalley, Netherlands, had to be evicted. Eviction could commence as soon as Thursday 25th Jan. An anonymous source from within the police says to expect about 900 riotcops. This would be about as much as in 1997 with the first eviction of the GroenFront! camp near Ruigoord, Amsterdam. That took more then two days. Then there was one site, now there are eight squats at three sites... See http://www.antenna.nl/nvda/groenfront.
[ Contents ]A new camp has been set up to defend Stanton moor in the Derbyshire part of the peak district. Stancliffe Stone have been granted permission to quarry 35 acres of woodland and meadows around the Nine Ladies stone circle on Stanton Moor. The quarry will destroy wildlife habitats including bat roosts, badger setts and rare plants, as well as threatening the water table, increasing lorry traffic and causing noise and pollution. Planning permission was granted in 1952 and it would never be approved if it went up for planning now. The park authorities are trying to fight it, and have imposed a stop order on Stancliffe Stone for the moment, but as experience tells us, this might not stop it, and Stancliffe Stone can appeal against any guidelines given to them. The protest camp has just been set up so they need more people, equipment and any other help you can offer. The camp has good local support, especially since the quarry company has been threatening villagers with violence, including a local shop for having a stop the quarry petition. Get the train to Matlock, then the Wensley / Winster / Bakewell bus to Stanton Peak (nearest village to the Nine Ladies) or tel: 07974049369 or 07977748436. Website http://pages.zoom.co.uk/~nineladies/.
[ Contents ]Since the summer of 1997, there has been a permanent camp at Glen of the Downs nature reserve to thwart the latest road scheme of Wicklow County Council. On December 7th workers felled about fifty trees - a beautiful ash grove at the entrance to the car park - before determined activists forced them to back off. Tree houses were occupied, lock-ons activated, tunnels shut from the inside. By nightfall more than sixty activists were in the Glen, prepared to stay. Every morning brought the possibility of further felling. On Friday December 10th, the Council's contract workers once again attempted to fell trees. This time they only managed to cut 3 before the activists presence made them back off. A legal defence meanwhile failed and the government declared the Glen closed to public. A gathering on 2nd January and the public generally defied the ban.
[ Contents ]The OKasional Café no. 6, Manchester, closed after two months. The cafe got off to a slow start, with 'shock horror' negotiations with the owner. Through a mix of self-interest and being a Kurdish Communist who "agrees with our ideals", he gave it to us for the two months we asked for, and possibly longer. The café hosted a mix of low-key parties, workshops, discussions and meetings, displays, art exhibitions, music, movies, and of course the usual food and teas by donation and was also supported by @OK pirate radio. Just wait and see where they resurface next...
[ Contents ]BOCM Pauls, a company which manufactures more animal feed than any other company in the UK and uses GM ingredients in most of its products, was besieged by cows. The company's cattle feed mill at Chilton Industrial Estate, County Durham was visited on 14th December by a herd of cows, three of whom scaled two large grain silos and suspended a banner with the words "NO GM Animal Feeds".
After 15 minutes of being on the site an irate security guard marched over to the group and forcibly removed a placard from an unsuspecting cow before destroying it and calling the police. Having decided to leave, the herd found themselves unable to get out of the gates which had been padlocked. The police arrived and there was some confusion when the cows claimed to have shut the factory down. However the gates were quickly unlocked by security guards (the protesters have decided not to press charges for false imprisonment) and the animals have returned to their organic pastures green. Contact: TAPP.
[ Contents ]Non-violent protesters of the NBA (Narmada Bachao Andolan , a more-than-decade long mass movement against destructive development and displacement in the Narmada River Valley, India) converged on the Maheshwar dam (one part of the Narmada dam system) and illegally occupied the dam site. About 4000 took over the site, while 1500 were eventually arrested by the police who responded by attacking some demonstrators. The protests show no sign of ending, with promises to disrupt Bill Clinton's anticipated visit to India in March. Other adivasi activists are also currently engaged in a six-month long procession ("padyatra") from one end of Madhya Pradesh to the other in order to highlight the ever-hastening process of land displacement in the name of globalization. Email: narmadauk@yahoo.com.
[ Contents ]In Santa Cruz at 8 PM on December 14th, Dr. Patrick More, the co-founder of Greenpeace and current industry apologist was awarded a pie by the Santa Cruz Biotic Baking Brigade.
Dr. Moore sold his soul to the timber industry a long time ago. He now represents the British Columbia Forest Alliance, an industry front group. He is using his status as co-founder of Greenpeace to encourage unsustainable logging practices in line with the timber industry and the WTO's free trade agenda, which prioritises profits at the expense of the environment and workers.
Calling all cold and miserable activists to the tropical island of Vieques. A Puerto Rican municipality, Vieques is located in the Caribbean Sea seven miles east of Puerto Rico. In 1942, the United States Armed Forces evicted almost half of Vieques' residents in order to use the island for military training, and it presently occupies about 70 %of the land. For decades, the people of Vieques have been terrorized by the use of live bombs and ammunition during the Navy's training exercises. In April, two of these bombs caused the death of a civilian and injured four others. The Navy has bombed Vieques with napalm and radioactive material. The cancer rate on Vieques is twice of that of the rest of Puerto Rico.
Since April, hundreds of Puerto Rican activists have been staging a camp on U.S. Navy land in Vieques. They demand an immediate cease-fire of practice bombings that have destroyed a great part of the island's ecology. These peaceful protesters need your help now! The United States is trying to keep Vieques a secret. You can help them break this silence and show the world the plight of the forgotten people of Vieques.
If you might be interested in forming a group or organising a protest outside the US embassy in London, contact: support@eco-action.org (PGP key). Or you could travel to the island, and contribute to the construction of "un pueblo", a town or village, in the campsite areas. If Clinton follows through with his plan to authorise bombing to resume in March this year, they will have to destroy a town or village in order to do so. Paz para Vieques! Info from: ivanr67@hotmail.com or visit http://www.viequeslibre.org/.
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