4.5.07
In yet another hammerblow aimed at the animal rights movement, police made 32 arrests across the UK in the early hours of Tuesday morning in 'Operation Achilles'. Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Leppard of Kent Police says the arrests are "one of the largest, if not the largest, police operation that has targeted animal extremism in the UK." Three properties were also searched in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Entering the radical community, many quickly find themselves constantly hearing about debate over property destruction. Is it violence? Does it matter if it's violence? Is it effective? Is it alienating? And on and on. I've been hearing this argument pretty much since I regularly started attending protests. At this point, I almost don't want to deal with the subject. Naturally, you're asking, "Then why the hell do you want to make a zine about it?"

In the summer of 2006, 600 people set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK. With over one hundred workshops on a wide range of topics, the 10 day camp was a space of collective learning, sustainable living and taking direct action on the root causes of climate change. The gathering that showed practical low energy solutions in action, culminated in a day of protest and mass direct action in an attempt to shut down Drax.

The upcoming actions against the G8 summit in Heiligendamm will present considerable challenges for the creativity and stamina of activists. After all, the idea is to effectively block all the entry points. The problem is that an enormous army of security and public order forces will be present and try to prevent the same. But history has shown that everything can be blocked. Below you will find some useful stories about the practice of blockades. This text will be updated as new ideas pour in.

Prisoner Solidarity 9Spirit of Freedom (Easter 2007)
Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

"I thank you all dearly for writing" (Jon Ablewhite, Animal Rights Prisoner)

Ratcliffe power station protest 1
Ratcliffe power station protest 2
Ratcliffe power station protest 310-04-2007: Today a group of people inspired by the Camp for Climate Action have disrupted the operation of Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station by locking themselves to machinery. Direct Action was taken to target the 3rd largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK.

Organising for Climate Camp 2007 is well under way and it looks like being bigger, better and more inspiring than last year...so come along to our next gathering, find out what it's all about and get involved...doesn't matter if you haven't been involved before, everyone's welcome. Saturday will focus on camp-wide and how we network the Camp, Sunday is mainly working group time. Again, new people more than welcome in all working groups.

A day of action against Nottingham's climate criminals has been called for Tuesday 10th April. It forms part of 'Spring into Action,' a week of climate change focused events taking place in venues across the city showcasing practical solutions to climate change.

M For Media Malarkey - the SchNEWS Alternative Media Gathering 2007

May 11-13th 2007: Cowley Club, 12 London Rd, Brighton, BN1 4JA

You are invited to SchNEWS' first multi-media-activist gathering. As well as a coming together of those already involved in web, video, print, photography, and radio in alternative/independent media – as well as activists who use this media - this event will also be for new people wanting to get involved. Starting on Friday evening and going through to Sunday evening, there will be a range of discussions, hands-on practical workshops in the various media, as well as stalls and screenings throughout the weekend to showcase what's currently being produced.

Spring into Action EF bannerHere in Nottingham, A 'free space' has been made available and is now prepared for use. There will be many workshops here and at the other locations around town.

We have space for some more people to attend a small weekend workshop delivered by Seeds for Change, on HOW TO DELIVER direct action trainings for climate activism. The idea is that people come to this, get trained up on how to give trainings on direct action tactics, talking to the media/cops, some legal stuff, quick consensus decision making, maybe tripod usage etc… So that they can then go off and train people up in the run up to the Camp for Climate Action (14-21 August).

On Sunday April the 1st, a team of outlaws from Nottingham blockaded the main gate of Faslane Nuclear Submarine Base for 4 hours.

This was just one day of the 365 day blockade of Faslane that was started in October in response to our governments plan to replace Trident despite agreements signed in international law in the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

There will be a critical mass ride celabrating the joys of cycling and all carbon free forms of Transport on the Friday of Spring into Action.

Friday 6th April 5:30pm Market Square.

Come join us and celebrate all forms of carbon free transport, cyclists, walkers, skaters all welcome.

1.04.2007

Over 50 people from Nottingham and Derby successfully blockaded the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base In Scotland today. Various blockade groups in intriguing lock-on devices and some plastered together blocked the main entrance to the site. Police started removing people from 8.30 onwards but had problems with removing people from a 6 way lock-on device, which held strong for another 2 hours. The police had to draft in specialist equipment from other forces to deal with the device. 18 people were arrested and have been moved to Paisley. The blockade lasted for over 4 hours. Whilst on the phone to someone at the scene, one could hear a lot of chanting and cheering as one protester managed to shout 'no to nuclear weapons' just before being put in a police van.

Leeds ABC have produced a new 'Writing To Prisoners' laflet. Basic text follows, and it can also be downloaded as a PDF, or a hard copy can be obtained by sending an SAE to Leeds ABC at the address below.