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As the UK Camp for Climate Action 2008
managed to breach the security fences at Kingsnorth Power Station,
despite a huge police presence, activists across the world are
setting up similar camps and convergences to build resistance to
the ever demanding fossil fuel industry and more importantly, to
tackle the root causes of climate change, through direct
action.
The Climate Camp in the UK took place in
Kent this year, near Kingsnorth power station. Its owners (German
owned EON) want to expand the plant and this would mean the first
new coal fired power station in the UK for over 30 years. A site
was occupied about a mile from the power station and although the
police illegally confiscated a lot of essential materials for the
camp (and raided it twice) they didn't manage to stop up to 2,000
from taking direct action against the development. People from
across Europe and beyond joined the camp and took part in
blockades, bannerdrops and pickets across the South East region.
During the main day of action on 9th August, activists managed to
breach both security fences at the power plant in an effort of
olympic proportions which saw the plant besieged by land, sea and
air.
In the first activity of the camp, from
Sunday 27th of July to Sunday 3rd of August, the 'Heathrow to
Kingsnorth Climate Caravan' that traversed London by foot and
wheels, made it's way to the Climate Action Camp 2008 near
Kingsnorth power station in Kent [Pics] The 60 mile Caravan route,
that mostly followed the south side of the Thames, started near
Heathrow Airport after a Climate Conference had taken place on
Saturday 26th in Harlington [Pics 1 | 2] The Caravan was hosted
along its route by local communities who supported the participants
with food and accommodation. A series of events took place every
night to act as local outreach in the run up to the Camp, as well
as to meet and share experiences with local people and groups
taking collective action against the root causes of climate change
in their communities.
The caravan, that was supported by the
Bicycology cyclists' collective and the Notts Veggies, was joined
by a group from Bristol, whilst other Caravans left Scotland and
Nottingham for Kingsnorth too. A Little Peace Boat also sailed
it's way to join the Climate Camp protesters before moving on to
Westminster.
Wednesday 30th July: The site for this
year's Camp for Climate Action was taken successfully occupied,
just a few fields from the Kingsnorth Coal Power Plant. In a flurry
of activity around 100 campaigners began setting up the camp at 3pm
erecting tripods to prevent police from moving them and a banner
which reads 'No New Coal' See Report and Pics |
Thursday 31st July: In a much criticised
move, Police raided the Climate Camp on Thursday evening, under the
guise of searching for items which could be used for criminal
damage. Although police claimed to be searching for materials that
could be used on the 9th August day of action, their search focused
on items such as guy-ropes for safely securing marquees, radios
used in medical emergencies, and building materials essential for
the construction of compost toilets as well as water piping. The
seizures went as far as the confiscation of such ridiculous items
as a bicycle repair kit, three board games and a pack of
children's crayons. Other items taken included kitchen equipment
and computer cables. Other equipment including construction wood
was saved from confiscation by campaigners taking direct action. By
the end of the day there had been 6 arrests, but the setting up
continued and campers even found time to play a game of football
with local residents.
Friday 1st August: Construction of the
camp continued apace. The local council instructed the water board
to install a water supply at the entrance of the camp. It was also
the first day for the media to come on site and be shown around.
The temporary Field IMC at the Camp for Climate Action, got on-line
and up and running. Meanwhile in the morning 20 activists
successfully blockaded the only access gate to Cargill's European
regional head office in Cobham, Surrey. 8 activists locked on to
the gates closing the site down completely. Agrobusiness giant
Cargill were being targeted by the protesters for their role in
rainforest destruction and land-grabbing as well as for
profiteering from the food crisis.
Saturday 2nd August: Police continued to
confiscate essential camp infrastructures from people arriving,
while the main marquee could not be set up as Police still had key
parts which they took on Thursday. After negatiations some of the
items seized were returned later in the evening, including
materials for disabled access and toilets. The Police Forward
Intelligence Team made a foray onto the field but were ejected from
the field by campers - see report. Meanwhile campaigners in the
High Peaks area staged a demonstration to call for the re-opening
of the Woodhead Tunnel and the Manchester to Sheffield rail line -
see report. People arriving for the camp were searched thoroughly
by Police, but numbers continued to swell.
Monday 4th August: The police deemed it
necessary to storm the camp again, this time with riot police.
People at the camp however eventually managed to peacefully remove
the officers off the site. At 5am police massed at both gates of
the camp. They broke windows of vehicles and towed at least one
vehicle away. The standoff continued for a number of hours. Several
arrests were reported, and medics have rushed to the back gate
following reports of pepper spray being used. Ambulances were
called but experienced difficulty getting to the camp. The police
stopped their attempt to enter the site and left both gates at
around 8.30am.
Throughout the morning, a large number of
police vans continued to be at the back gate of the camp. Riot
police (TSG), some of who were unmarked and masked stood in
formation in front of about 200 people in a sitdown blockade. The
atmosphere was positive, people had their breakfasts, drinking tea
and singing. Reports: [1] [2] | Photos: [1] | Video: [1]
However, at around 2.30pm riot police
managed to enter the camp site. Officers forced their way in
through two gates and claimed to be 'patrolling the site'.
Activists slowly moved the police off by forming a line with hands
in the air. Officers were eventually forced to retreat. It became
apparent that police took down part of the fencing dividing the
neighboring land and the camp and came in through the breach. A
police helicopter flew overhead, and people were up in tripods. To
the credit of the activists, it seemed that people refused to be
provoked by the agressive behaviour from police. Campers continued
to arrive as normal and workshops continued also.
Mass harrassment, terror tactics, theft,
lies and propaganda, excessive force: the relentless campaign of
intimidation by police at this years Climate Camp that started with
raiding the camp and confiscating essential equipment, has also now
included the premeditated political use of blanket stop and search,
night-time terrorising of the climate camp site, confiscating
pushbikes, blockading food supplies, and harrassment of media and
legal observers.
Wednesday 6th August: Very early in the
morning police attempted to terrorise the camp with a low-flying
helicopter and by storming the gates with sirens blaring and riot
cops shouting. The same night police cut locks and took away bikes
after telling people to leave their bikes in the car park. From the
beginning the police used excessive force against climate campers
(photos) including women, children and legal observers. See
newswire post on police bullying.
On-site media also suffered intimidation
from the noisy low-flying police helicopter, while reporters and
photographers were held outside, some for hours. The day after,
vans delivering food were stopped and forced to unload a mile from
the site. Climate campers soon came together to defend the site
against the police incursions and resist the blanket stop and
search(pics & audio), with many commenting that the repeated
heavy attempts to enter the camp 'are radicalising a new
generation of activists'. Photos of Wednesdays mass 'breakout'
here.
Police were given extended stop and search
powers on Thursday, they can now stop and search anyone without
needing to have reasonable grounds to do so. The pre-meditated
political use of blanket stop and search is well known to be
unlawful under the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act, Section
A. Such searches cannot be based on 'generalisations or
stereotypical images'. The Camp For Climate Action Legal Support
team wrote to the police about the legality of their exercise of
powers of seizure. As if the harrassment and intimidatory tactics
weren't enough, police resorted to disinformation via the
mainstream media, claiming an outbreak of dysentry in the camp and
the unearthing of a 'secret weapons stash'.
Thursday 7th August: Despite the
overzealous police attention, people took action at sites across
the South East on Thursday 7th August, the sixth day of the camp.
Climate activists shut down the Vopak fuel depot in Thurrock, the
biggest holder of biofuels in the South of England. At Gatwick
Airport, activists dropped banners at the main concourse of the
airport and at the trainstation while others locked themselves to
railings. In London, 15 students staged a die-in in front of the
Royal Bank Of Scotland HQ while lying in a pool of oil. Eon’s
replica of the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station at the Legoland
park in Windsor was occupied by one inch tall climate change
campaigners.
Climate activists from around the country
shut down the Vopak fuel depot in Thurrock, which is the biggest
holder of biofuels in the South of England. Police violently
dragged locked on protester in human chain out of road at the site.
There were light injuries and people screaming in pain. Apart from
the people who locked onto the road, people were also locked onto
the staircase of silo. Related articles: Climate Activists Shut
Down South's Biggest Biofuel Base | Pics from Today's Vopak
Agrofuel Action | Biofuels Action Explained - Audio from Vopak
Blockade
Fifteen dead bodies lay in a pool of oil
blocking the entrance to RBS London HQ at Liverpool Street.
Students staged a 'die-in' blockade to highlight the devastating
effects of climate change. The protesters demanded RBS stop funding
destructive fossil fuel projects which will create climate
catastrophe. The action took place as part of the climate camp and
is co-ordinated by the student action network PANDA. A report
released today by a coalition of environmental NGOs reveals that
RBS is estimated to have been involved in providing loans of over
$20 billion to coal-related companies in the last two years –
including the energy company E.ON.
Head of Climate Change Campaigns at People
& Planet, Bronwen Thomas said: “Thousands of climate
change activists are currently gathered at the Climate Camp in
Kingsnorth to oppose E.ON's plans to build the first coal-fired
power station in the country for 33 years. Coal is the dirtiest
fuel there is. Opening coal fired power stations is madness - We
should be stopping climate change not making it worse”.
At Gatwick Airport, activists dropped
banners at the main concourse of the airport and at the
trainstation. The banner in the main concourse of the airport reads
"Stop Short Haul". Two activists locked onto railings with
handcuffs, whilst others wearing T-shirts with slogan 'Can I
hinder' leafletted passengers. Action lasted 15 minutes, no
arrests. Second banner at Gatwick train station reads "Let The
Train Take The Strain".
E.ON’s replica of the Kingsnorth
coal-fired power station was occupied by one inch tall climate
change campaigners. The drama unfolded at the Legoland park in
Windsor – sponsored by E.ON – where the Lego Kingsnorth
is given pride of place next to Big Ben and Canary Wharf. The six
campaigners appeared at the top of the construction at around 11am
in the morning, before unveiling a banner saying STOP CLIMATE
CHANGE down the length of the tower. Lego police are in attendance
at the foot of the tower, along with a Lego police helicopter.
Meanwhile, police saw their opportunity to
move in to evict Bodge House, a disused farmhouse on the proposed
site of an open cast coal mine, which was occupied in June. The
site, near Shipley, Derbyshire is now the scene of hordes of police
and bailiffs as they try make their way through the house's
defences. With people hidden in tunnels and locked in lock-ons, the
eviction is estimated to last 2-3 days.
Around 7.45am about 60 police and 50
bailliffs arrived at the Bodge House squat in Shipley, Derbyshire
and have launched a full eviction attempt. The house is located on
the site of a proposed open cast coal mine. Throughout the day the
police have been trying to get through the barricades and defences.
Local people and media have been at the scene. So far 3 people have
been removed from lockons and a cargo net outside the house and
have been arrested. 7 people are still inside and are heavily
barricaded in, included being hidden in tunnels under the house.
The bailiffs have put up security fences and although they have
managed to enter part of the building, the eviction attempt has
been stopped for today. It is estimated the eviction will take at
least another couple of days.
Bowl Court social centre in London was
also evicted at much the same time. At 7am, 40 high court bailiffs
started evicting the Bowl Court squatted social centre in
Shoreditch. One of the officers was reported saying 'we're not
stupid, we knew you'd all be at the Climate Camp'.
Saturday 9th August: This was the Climate
Camp Day of Mass Action, when "the climate camp will go beyond talk
and culminate in a spectacular mass action to shut down Kingsnorth.
Permanently!" Campaigners intended to try and shut down the power
station by land sea and air, with four main colour-coded "blocs."
The Blue Bloc (or Great Rebel Raft Regatta) attempted to approach
Kingsnorth power station by water along the River Medway. Not
wanting to be outdone, the Silver Bloc had planned to approach from
above. The Green Bloc meanwhile focused on making its way through
the undergrowth, with the Orange Bloc completing the set with a
children-friendly march to the main gates. As in previous years,
there have been actions targetting climate criminal throughout the
camp, but this was the day when the large numbers brought together
by the event coordinated their activities in order to maximise
disruption.
The Blue Bloc promised "a futuristic
flotilla of crafts of every shape and size, from recycled rafts, to
viking ships, pirate punts to gondolas". The police quickly moved
to ban this event ostenisbly under Section 21 of the Medway Ports
Byelaws and confiscated the safety boat which was supposed to
accompany the flotilla at 8am on Saturday morning.
Undeterred, 9 rafts, 11 treasure island
boats, 8 kayaks and 1 currach (made and hidden in the woods the
previous night) were successfully launched on the Medway to
converge on the coal loading jetty. Eight kayaks got very close to
the station and were detained, but not arrested. Three people did
manage to reach the jetty and almost got over the fence, meanwhile
other rafters dropped a banner reading "COAL: Starter Gun For
Climate Chaos", on a fort opposite the power station.
One raft did break up in the river, but
the campers, all wearing lifejackets, were able to clamber onto a
nearby BBC media boat. Bizarrely, a number of BBC reports have
subsequently claimed that 120 people had to be rescued from the
Medway (see for instance this report on BBC 5 Live), presumably
basing this wholly inaccurate claim on a confusingly worded
statement by Kent Police which reports that "Police boats and the
Medway Ports Authority Harbour Masters’ launch took 123
people out of the water," and claims, "many of the protesters, say
the officers, were very glad to be rescued."
The Green Bloc left the camp via a back
fence, but quickly picked up a police escort. Nevertheless, once
they reached the power station, cheeky protesters dismantled the
first fence and used it as a ladder to climb over the second one.
Happily, E.ON have decided not to emulate the repressive tactics of
the Kent police and switched off the electric fence – the
final fence surrounding the power station - as soon as the
protesters got near it. A seperate branch of the Green Bloc managed
to breach the first fence and hang a banner on the inside.
The Orange Bloc left the camp shortly
after 9am, with big multi-coloured dragon. There was a good
atmosphere with mainstream media in attendence. The march was held
up in the lane outside the main gate. Police were told that people
would not arrive until 10am and would not let them move until that
time. Although the march was largely chilled out with lots of
singing and chanting as the sun shone, there was at least one
arrest for criminal damage/resisting arrest and a brief fracas
which resulted in several protesters being truncheoned by
police.
Around 1,000 people marched to the gate
where they held a party. There was a brief "freeze" by this group
to symbolise the need to freeze economic growth. The police
informed campaigners (from a helicopter) that "if you do not
disperse by 1pm, dogs, force and long handed battons will be used."
Most people left and returned to the camp, but a small group
refused to leave as a protest in response to police threats of
violence and were surrounded by riot police. Arrests were made for
violation of the restrictions imposed on the march. People
passively resisted arrest and several were dragged away.
Unfortunately, strong winds appeares to
have put paid to the plans of the Silver Bloc. Nevertheless, a
number of actions did take place. A banner reading, "Shut Down
Kingsnorth" was hung from a pylon by 4 climbers who then occupied
the structure and were later arrested. A group of Christians on the
Orange Bloc sat down near the gates to the powerstaion and prayed
for forgiveness for all the damage the plant has created during its
life-time and sung simple chants.
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