20.10.2009
On the day that BAA started to buy up homes in readiness for a third runway,
a Heathrow villages resident decided to join Plane Stupid activists to highlight
the plight of residents.
Christine, whose 78-year old mother and sister live in the area that would be
demolished, said: “I have never done anything like this before but when I heard
that BAA were starting to buy up homes, even though they know a third runway is
unlikely to ever be built, I felt something had to be done to highlight what the
aviation industry is doing to our villages.
The group joined guests at the PR Week Awards at Grosvenor House in Park Lane
and took over the table allocated for Virgin Atlantic. Boss Richard Branson is
an outspoken advocate of a third runway.
While Paul Charles, Director of Communications at Virgin Atlantic, and his guests
got a small taste of what it feels like to be pushed out your place with nowhere
to go, Grosvenor House staff tried a variety of tactics to remove the smartly-dressed
activists who were determined to make their point.
Staff had a problem; It is hard to tell anyone from Sipson that they have no
right to sit at a Virgin Atlantic table in order to make a point, when Virgin
Atlantic believes BAA has the right to forcibly remove people from Sipson in order
to make a profit.
After security guards attempted to wrestle an activist off his seat, which simply
drew more attention to the protest, hotel staff started to dismantle the table
- literally.
Meanwhile, various diners were interested to know what all the fuss was about.
There was considerable support for the protest and even the police, who arrived
to remove the protesters, were not unsympathetic.
About an hour later, as comedian Alexander Armstrong (from BBC’s Armstrong and
Miller) got into his act, he was interupted by cries of “No Third Runway!”.
Christine, who had found a vacant seat with an understanding group, had been
spotted by security and decided that rather than be hustled out she would move
purposefully towards the stage.
As a security guard rushed, with arms spread out, in front of her, Christine
clamped him in a “Strictly Come Dancing” hold and attempted to waltz with him
out of the room – but he was more John Sergeant than Anton du Beke, which thwarted
the attempt at a stylish exit.
Incidentally, the first award of the evening went to Joanna Lumley for her campaign
for the Gurkhas. She was in Burma but her co-campaigner’s acceptance speech highlighted
the power of individuals to make change happen and this received an enthusiastic
round of applause.
Ironic really since people campaigning to help the Heathrow villagers and those
people affected by climate change had just been ejected. Still, that’s the Public
Relations business for you.
www.notrag.org/
Posted: Tuesday, October 20th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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11.10.2009
There are loads of photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeaceuk/
From the Greenpeace website (includes video clips)
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/
Fifty-five Greenpeace volunteers have scaled the walls of the Houses of Parliament
and are now occupying the roof to call for a new style of politics in Britain,
one capable of rising to meet the challenge of climate change.
Tomorrow MPs return from their summer break and the government’s own Committee
on Climate Change will publish a progress report on UK carbon emissions. They
make it clear that Britain is not doing enough to meet its commitments, and insist
that a “step change” in emissions cuts is needed. With just 60 days go until
the critical climate summit in Copenhagen – which faces a very real chance of
failure as things stand – Britain has yet to show true commitment to making the
process a success. We need politicians who are thinking about the next generation,
not just the next election.
The climbers have unfurled a banner on the roof of the Palace of Westminster’s
Great Hall which says: “CHANGE THE POLITICS, SAVE THE CLIMATE.” They are vowing
to stay on the roof overnight so they can welcome politicians back in the morning.
and later:
11.10.2009 (BBC)
Parliament protesters vow to stay
At least 20 climate protesters will remain on the roof of Parliament overnight,
Greenpeace has said.
More than 50 had scaled Westminster Hall in the latest security breach there
but about half have now come down assisted by police.
Those that stay have food, warm clothes, sleeping bags and modified chairs, Greenpeace
told the BBC.
The latest security breach comes as MPs are set to return to Westminster on Monday
after the summer recess.
‘Golden opportunity’
The demonstrators, some of whom plan to stay on the roof throughout Monday, unfurled
banners and flags stating “change the politics, save the climate”.
They say they entered the grounds of the Palace of Westminster by using ropes
and ladders to scale perimeter fencing before clambering on to the roof of Westminster
Hall, the oldest part of the building.
The activists, aged from their early 20s to 71, said they intended to ask MPs
to sign a climate manifesto on Monday morning.
 |
 Political parties have got to get on message not just in terms of their words
but also with their deeds
|
One, 28-year-old Anna Jones, said the protest would remind MPs they “simply haven’t
done enough to stop climate change and we need to see some action at home”.
Greenpeace denied the protest was dangerous and said it wanted to “raise the
temperature” about the climate change debate ahead of Parliament’s return.
It said it was alarmed at the lack of attention given to the issue by the political
parties, particularly Labour and the Conservatives, at their recent conferences.
Executive director John Sauven said leading politicians from all the major parties
were failing to come up with concrete plans for green jobs to match their rhetoric
on the subject.
“They have got to act more seriously on the issue,” he told the BBC. “It is missing
from the political agenda and we have got to get it on the political agenda. That
is why we are here.”
At its conference in Brighton, Labour announced plans for new cycle hubs at 10
mainline stations and a £10m green neighbourhood programme to help communities
reduce carbon emissions.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, said that communities which agree to onshore wind
farms will be able to keep revenues they generate from business rates for six
years.
The Commons Climate Change Select Committee will publish a report on Monday assessing
how the UK is doing on reducing emissions, meeting carbon budgets and building
a low-carbon economy.
Security in Parliament was increased in 2004 after some high-profile breaches
but questions have continued to be raised about protection levels.
Last year, activists from Plane Stupid occupied the roof for three hours in protest
against Heathrow expansion, resulting in five activists being found guilty of
trespass.
Incidents in 2004 included a group of campaigners from Greenpeace scaling Big
Ben’s clock tower.
Pro-hunt protesters stormed the Commons chamber in the same year, while campaigners
from Fathers 4 Justice threw purple powder at Tony Blair during prime minister’s
question time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8301586.stm
Posted: Sunday, October 11th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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29.9.2009 (Fight the Flights group)
British Airways has launched its pricey new business class only service between
London and New York. The first flight took off a lunchtime today, from London
City airport, which was chosen because it is close to the financial district.
Campaigners around City Airport, lead by the local community group Fight the
Flights, set up a little welcome for the first users of the service – which tellingly
has been given the same flight number as Concorde (about the most noisy and most
polluting passenger plane ever produced) – BA001.
Local campaigners and residents gathered at the airport, dressed as yuppies and
business travellers, to greet the first passengers, and decided to give as good
as they get – by making a huge racket.
They gave an audible example of just what it’s like to be disturbed by unwanted
noise. With clanging pots and pans, tooting trumpets, whistles, horns and anything
that made a din they kept up their noise protest as travellers arrived.
Placards and badges reading “Polluting the poor for profit” and “I pollute for
profit” they clearly put across the strength of opposition by local people badly
affected by the airport, as well as the climate concerns of an airline so flagrantly
encouraging some of the highest emissions air tickets to the USA.
Not only is this a plane designed to carry about 110 passengers in normal configuration,
but carrying just 32 (if all the seats are filled – which is unlikely) but it
also makes another polluting touch down in Ireland en route. Landing and taking
off is the hightest emitting part of any flight.
This new flight provides luxury for a few rich passengers – and more noise pollution
for everyone living under the flight path.
By 2030, London City Airport aims to add another 90,000 flights each year to
its timetable, including bigger, noisier, jets. The borough of Newham is already
suffering from severe air pollution problems (Newham has higher than average asthma
and infant death rates for the UK). A huge increase in flights will make our community
even more vulnerable. Fight the Flights asks “How much more do they expect us
to take?”
The flight to New York includes a stop at Shannon in western Ireland, because
the 32-bed Airbus A318 can’t carry enough fuel to cross the Atlantic against the
prevailing winds. There is no Shannon stop on the flight to London.
BA is jumping into a tough market. In recent years, attempts by Silverjet,
MAXjet and EOS to run business-only services to the U.S. all flopped.
London City:
see also
for more information about the new BA London to New York business flights
BA’s new luxury, all-business New York flight taxis for take-off from London
City Airport
29th September 2009 BA is defying the aviation gloom to launch a luxury, all-business class transatlantic
service to New York from London City Airport today. It is BA’s first ever to New
York from City. BA will use two specially configured A318 aircraft and use the
BA001 flight number made famous by Concorde. The planes are equipped with just
32 flat-bed seats (the plane could fit in over 110) that can lie flat, and the
latest OnAir communications technology. (Telegraph) Click here to view full story…
Posted: Tuesday, September 29th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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8.9.2009 (Guardian Environment blog)
The petrol-free tour includes visits to Sipson, the village affected by Heathrow’s
third runway, and is a winning way to stir up support prior to Copenhagen
Posted by Bibi van der Zee
Kim is 20. She has massive, sturdy thighs, shy brown eyes and the longest eyelashes
you’ve ever seen. The Irish cob – a blue and white skewbald, 15.1 hands – and
her two daughters Blossom and Mynacia, are polite, patient and kind, although
Blossom (the youngest at three years) is a bit inexperienced, and only just getting
the hang of pulling the cart. It’s lucky she has her mother and her sister to
look after her: this morning the three of them set off on an eight-day odyssey
across almost the entire south of England.
They’re the crucial muscle of Climate Rush on the Run, a horse-and-cart tour designed to raise awareness and get people involved with
campaigning to reduce emissions for climate change. At least two of the campaigners – Tamsin Omond and Deborah Grayson – have form. Tamsin was one of the five up on the Houses of Parliament last year, while Deborah is still awaiting trial after supergluing herself to a statue
inside the Houses of Parliament. They have the support of plenty of other campaign
groups too, such as NoTRAG and the residents of Sipson, the village due to lose 700 houses when Heathrow airport constructs its third runway by 2020.
Sipson is where the horse-and-cart campaigners kick off their long, long ride,
setting off from the famous plot of land just beside Heathrow which Greenpeace bought in order to delay a third runway. The little patch is thickly green, with raised
vegetable beds boasting runner beans, courgettes and gorgeous orange nasturtiums
– The Good Life actor Richard Briers was photographed there in May to show his support for the ‘Airplot’.
Climate Rush has spent the last few months putting together an impressive itinerary.
It includes a stop in Aylesbury, where chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas will be cooking on their campfire; Oxford, where writer Mark Lynas is going to compose an opera with Deborah Grayson based on his bestselling book
Six Degrees (the classical world is agog); Stroud, where Dale Vince, head of utility and wind farm developer Ecotricity, has promised to give a couple of the suffragettes a buzz in his homemade British-designed electric car (0-60 in four seconds) and on to Bristol, Taunton, and finishing off in Transition Town Totnes.
It all sounds very picturesque , but I’m pretty sure Climate Rush will set off
a couple of stink bombs too. They like to make a splash, and if it’s funny, headline-grabbing,
and provocative, all the better. If today and the past month’s climate campaigning
– Climate Camps across the country and in London, the launch of TckTckTck, 10:10 and more – are any indication of activity planned for the run-up to the Copenhagen climate summit this December, the next few months are going to be a lot more hectic than a leisurely horse
and cart ride.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2009/sep/04/climate-rush-horse-cart
Climate Rush “One the Run” website at
http://www.climaterush.co.uk/whatnext.html
Posted: Tuesday, September 8th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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31.8.2009 (BBC)
Climate camp activists have staged two protests in London to highlight the threat
of climate change.
They first staged a demonstration outside the Treasury and then at London City
Airport.
The protesters say the Treasury is using taxpayers’ money to fund fossil fuel
extraction, through its investment in Royal Bank of Scotland.
They are also objecting to the planned expansion of London City Airport, which
allow more flights.
At the Treasury, demonstrators were wearing boiler suits and had cleaning equipment.
They held up a banner proclaiming Climate Change Doesn’t Take Holidays.
They complained that the government has a majority stake in the Royal Bank of
Scotland, which they said funded carbon-intensive industries such as tar sand
extraction in Canada.
Protester Nimsha Doshi said: “We’re here to expose the government’s role as a
climate criminal, and the political system’s failure to fight against climate
change.”
Airport expansion
At London City Airport, the campaigners said the recently approved 50% expansion
of the airport would lead to an extra 50,000 plane journeys.
Climate camper Anna Markova said: “Corporations are driving the climate change
agenda.
“They have pushed through the expansion of London City Airport against the wishes
of the local community.”
The campaigners, who are camping at Blackheath until later this week, have already
held protests outside the European Climate Exchange and Barclays Bank.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8230334.stm
see also
Press release from FTF Havering:
Climate Campers headed out into London after several days of learning about climate
change and taking action at the Blackheath Camp. Activists launched a flash mob
at London City Airport at 12 noon.
Up to 100 Campers protested against the recently approved 50% expansion of the
airport. Local residents were outraged this July as Newham Council, supported
by Mayor Boris Johnson, agreed to allow an extra 50,000 plane journeys from the
airport, bringing City’s annual
flight total to 120,000.(2)
Climate Camper Steve Pullum of Fight the Flights Havering said: ‘We were there
to protest against corporations driving the climate change agenda. They have pushed
through the expansion of London City Airport against the wishes of the local community.
This December the same big businesses will be flying from here to promote false
solutions, like carbon trading, at the UN Climate Conference at Copenhagen. We
can’t afford to let businesses drive us into
climate crisis.’
‘London City Airport and Newham Council have cooperated to misinform and deceive
the residents of East London. The expansion means improving transport for the
rich at the cost of further worsening air quality and noise pollution in the area,
and eroding the health and wellbeing of local communities.’
“With the help of Friends of the Earth Rights and Justice Unit, Fight the flights
have begun the legal challenge process leading to Judicial Review in order to
try and overturn Newham’s climate wrecking decision”"
Ends.
NOTE
The aviation industry is the fastest growing CO2 emissions source in
the UK. Nearly 30 airport expansion projects are planned in the UK at the
moment. The Government plans to offset these emissions through the EU
Carbon Trading scheme, which will put the burden on developing countries
instead of actually lowering emissions.
see also
Climate Camp blog:
Flashmob at London City Airport
August 31, 2009
We were 60 activists from Climate Camp, and we were occupying the main entrance
to London City Airport alongside activists from the local Fight the Flights campaign
group. Looking back, I was amazed at how quickly an effective action can be put
together.
Just under 24 hours before, we sat in a tent at the Climate Camp, discussing
the shocking approval of corporate-led plans to expand the capacity at London
City Airport by 50% against the wishes of the local residents and ignoring its
massive impact on the global climate. Soon a flash mob was planned for noon the
next day and activists were busy making banners, spreading the word around the
neighbourhoods at camp and getting in touch with the local activist group – Fight
the Flights.
The next day at 10:30am we were assembled at the main gates in ‘Stop Airport
Expansion’ t-shirts, ready to make our way to the airport to make our voices heard.
A bus and tube ride later and 60 campers and local activists took over the main
entrance to the airport with banners reading ‘The rich fly, the poor fry’ and
‘Stop Airport Expansion’ singing songs and hearing from those involved in preparing
the action.
The London City Airport is one of the most appalling examples of the influence
of corporate power and the pursuit if profit, over the needs and wishes of people
all over the world. The airport was set up with the sole purpose of providing
easy high-class travel for London’s business elite in the heart of one of London’s
poorest areas. It recently gained approval for a 50% increase in flights, a harsh
example of the emptiness of Boris’s ‘green’ election promises, and against the
wishes of local residents.
As well as damaging the local community the expansion of flights at the airport
will also only work to drive up the fastest growing source of emissions in the
UK – aviation. The same corporate interests that continue to push for this expansion
are the same interests that will be using the airport this December to fly to
Copenhagen to push false solutions such as carbon trading – to create new corporate
profits, preserve business as usual and do nothing to reduce carbon emissions.
These interests can’t continue to drive our climate change policies and put profit
over people, whether it is at City Airport or at Copenhagen.
Today we made sure the airports and the people of London knew the strength of
feeling against the airport’s plans and heard our message. And by no means is
this the end- we will be back!!
http://climatecamp.org.uk/blog/2009/08/31/flashmob-at-london-city-airport
Posted: Monday, August 31st, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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10.6.2009 (Telegraph)
Source: Flickr
Climate change campaigners dressed in pin-stripe suits and bowler hats attempted
to disrupt private jet flights at London City airport by locking themselves to
an aircraft.
Plane Stupid said the five activists chained themselves to the wheel of the business
jet at the airport on Wednesday morning.
The group said they broke through the site’s perimeter fence at around 2.30am
to protest at the “selfishness of private jet use”.
Police officers were called, as well as staff with cutting equipment.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said officers were at the scene and nobody
had yet been arrested.
He added that London City Airport remained open.
In December more than 50 climate change activists from Plane Stupid broke in
to a secure area of Stansted Airport and forced the closure of the runway, resulting
in four people being arrested.
The group were protesting over the Government’s decision to allow the expansion
of Stansted Airport with a second runway.
In March environmental protester Leila Deen, of Plane Stupid, attacked Peter
Mandelson, the Business Secretary, throwing green custard in his face.
After the incident, Lord Mandelson said: “She was so busy throwing what seemed
like green soup or something in my face that she failed to tell me what the protest
was about but, as you can see, thankfully is wasn’t paint and I’ve come through
it intact”.
Describing her motivations, Miss Deen said: “It is a lighthearted way of making
a very serious point. All of our MPs have let us down.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/5492459/Climate-campaigners-chain-themselves-to-jet-at-London-City-airport.html
see also
Plane Stupid website
10.6.2009 10am.
http://www.planestupid.com/
Notes to the editor
A total of 27 local and regional airports around the UK are currently seeking
to expand their activities.
London City Airport recently received local authority permission to expand its
commercial flights from 80,000 to 120,000. The airport aims to increase this
total to 170,000 by 2030.
Activists targeted London City Airport because it is one of the key drivers of
the private jet business. The airport currently sees an average of 170 movements
(take-offs and landings) per week. The airport’s Jet Centre predicts this figure
will increase to more than 530 a week by 2030.
London City Airport was closed at the time of the eco-takeover. Security was
given two hours’ warning before the first flights of the day.
The airport’s Jet Centre comprises a mixture of privately-owned jets and a for-hire
business jet operation run by PrivateJet.
see also BBC
Climate protest over private jets
Plane Stupid photo
Climate change campaigners have attempted to disrupt private jet flights at an
airport by locking themselves to an aircraft.
Plane Stupid said five activists donned pinstripe suits and bowler hats before
attaching themselves to the wheel of the jet at London City Airport.
The group said the protest in the early hours of Wednesday morning was against
the “selfishness of private jet use”.
Police said five people have been arrested and the airport remained open.
The four men and one woman have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass
and criminal damage.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8092724.stm
see also
Comment from the local community group, “Fight the Flights”
10.6.2009 (“Fight the Flights” press release)
FIGHT THE FLIGHTS RESPONSE TO PLANE STUPID’S ACTION AT LONDON CITY AIRPORT
Fight the Flights is not a direct action group, but we fully appreciate the frustration
that the climate change activists feel in getting their voices, and concerns heard
on aviation expansion, and how aviation is one of the fastest growing sources
of CO2 emissions.
It is no wonder that some campaigners feel they are being pushed into taking
non violent direct action because the system is failing people of their democratic
rights to protect their communities, futures and their environment from harmful
‘runaway’ airport and flight expansion.
Just under a 100,000 residents in east and south east London will be affected
by the increasing excessive noise levels from London City Airport upon expansion,
and yet less than 10,000 were claimed to have been consulted by the London Borough
of Newham. Most will not be entitled to any noise insulation. They will have
to live with the consequences every day of their lives, each time a flight takes
off and lands. The majority do not have the option to move, and many lived in
the area long before the airport’s creation.
Benefits?
In just over 20 years, the airport has only managed to directly employ 120 Newham
residents out of the 406 directly employed staff the airport claim to employ.
London taxpayers have also paid £24million for the airport’s security provided
by the Metropolitan Police over the past 5 years, which the airport refuse to
pay.
In addition the air quality above London City Airport exceeds EU directive levels
by 50% and was termed as ‘toxic’ but this was not acknowledged by the London Borough
of Newham. In a borough which has the highest level of mortality in under 30s
with asthma in the whole country, Newham should be focussing on improving air
quality, not adding to the pollution by approving further expansion at this residentially
situated airport in the most densely populated area of England.
Eroded Democracy
Residents have been constantly thwarted and ignored by this government and the
London Borough of Newham when providing evidence against the expansion. Requests
for a public inquiry into the planned 50% expansion of flights at London City
Airport was refused by Hazel Blears, Secretary of State in 2008, whilst the London
Borough of Newham showed no concern that 100s of homes in Greenwich will now be
in the crash zone and failed to address the risk to residents and communities
who live, work or travel through the crash zone in both Newham and Greenwich.
However in contrast the government and council appear to consistently listen
to the aviation industry at the expense of the communities: this is expansion
at any cost.
With a government that does not listen to local concerns on the effects of expansion
on third party safety, increasing pollution levels, the effect on residents’ health
and children’s development, and the contribution to climate change, it is no wonder
that we are seeing actions such as this more frequently.
END
Fight the Flights website and Fight the flights blogspot
Posted: Wednesday, June 10th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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25.4.2009 (Guardian – and others)
Climate change activist taped men who offered cash for information about group’s
members and activities
Undercover police are running a network of hundreds of informants inside protest organisations
who secretly feed them intelligence in return for cash, according to evidence
handed to the Guardian.
They claim to have infiltrated a number of environmental groups and said they
are receiving information about leaders, tactics and plans of future demonstrations.
The dramatic disclosures are revealed in almost three hours of secretly recorded
discussions between covert officers claiming to be from Strathclyde police, and
an activist from the protest group Plane Stupid, whom the officers attempted to
recruit as a paid spy after she had been released on bail following a demonstration
at Aberdeen airport last month.
Matilda Gifford, 24, said she recorded the meetings in an attempt to expose how
police seek to disrupt the legitimate activities of climate change activists.
She met the officers twice; they said they were a detective constable and his
assistant. During the taped discussions, the officers:
• Indicate that she could receive tens of thousands of pounds to pay off her
student loans in return for information about individuals within Plane Stupid.
• Say they will not pay money direct into her bank account because that would
leave an audit trail that would leave her compromised. They said the money would
be tax-free, and added: “UK plc can afford more than 20 quid.”
• Accept that she is a legitimate protester, but warn her that her activity could
mean she will struggle to find employment in the future and result in a criminal
record.
• Claim they have hundreds of informants feeding them information from protest
organisations and “big groupings” from across the political spectrum.
• Explain that spying could assist her if she was arrested. “People would sell
their soul to the devil,” an officer said.
• Warn her that she could be jailed alongside “hard, evil” people if she received
a custodial sentence.
The meetings took place in a Glasgow police station last month and in a supermarket
cafe on Tuesday. Gifford used a mobile phone and device sewn into her waistcoat
to record what they described as a “business proposal” that she should think of
as a job.
They intimated that in return for updates on Plane Stupid’s plans she could receive
large sums of money in cash.
When lawyers acting for Plane Stupid contacted Strathclyde police this week to
establish the identities of the detective constable, they were initially told
by the human resources department there was no record of his name.
But when the Guardian contacted the force, they acknowledged officers had had
meetings with Plane Stupid activists.
In a statement last night, assistant chief constable George Hamilton said the
force had “a responsibility to gather intelligence”, and such operations were
conducted according to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). The
force would not comment on the identity of the officers.
“Officers from Strathclyde police have been in contact with a number of protesters
who were involved with the Plane Stupid protests including Aberdeen airport,”
he said. “The purpose of this contact has been to ensure that any future protest
activity is carried out within the law and in a manner which respects the rights
of all concerned.”
Gifford’s lawyer, Patrick Campbell, said: “I have very considerable concerns
about these events. There appears to be a covert operation that is running in
some way with, or using, Strathclyde police’s name. There appears to be a concerted
effort to turn protesters to informants and possibly infiltrate peaceful protest
movements.
He added: “The methods employed are disturbing, and more worrying yet is the
lack of any clearly identifiable body responsible for this. These individuals
seem to have some kind of police support or at the very least connections with
the police – the access to police stations confirms that – but my concern is the
lack of accountability and the threat to the individual and her right to protest.”
Gifford intended to meet the officers for a third time on Thursday, taking a
lawyer with her. But the officers did not appear at the rendezvous. However, she
said she was later approached by the detective constable, who said he was disappointed
in her. The man got into a car, leaving Gifford feeling shaken and intimidated.
She said last night that the initial approach from the officers was “an opportunity
that fell out of the sky”. She added: “Recording them seemed like the obvious
thing to do. I was keen to find out what they had to offer, what they wanted to
find out, and feed that back to the group in case other members of Plane Stupid
were approached.”
In a statement, Plane Stupid said: “Our civil liberties were invaded and our
right to peaceful protest called into question simply to defend the interests
of big business.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/24/strathclyde-police-plane-stupid-recruit-spy
see also
Plane Stupid
Cop watch: cops caught trying to bribe a Plane Stupid activist
Posted April 25th, 2009 by Richard
see also
BBC at
Police ‘pay protester informers’
includes video clips.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8017896.stm
and
Evening Standard
Police ‘wanted protester to spy’
25.4.2009
Fresh questions over police tactics have been raised after an environmental protester
claimed that officers tried to recruit her as a paid spy to inform on her organisation.
Politicians stepped in when Matilda Gifford revealed that she was approached
by officers claiming to be from Strathclyde Police a few weeks after she was arrested
in a protest at Aberdeen Airport in March.
Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Scottish Green Party called on ministers to
clarify the role of police and ensure their actions were appropriate.
Ms Gifford said she had felt “intimidated” by the experience, which she made
public in a series of recordings handed to the Guardian newspaper.
“The main thing about getting this story out was to warn other activists. Other
people have been offered money or intimidated like me,” she said. “We’re not to
be intimidated, we must continue to do what we do with a clean conscience. After
being scared by these people, I wanted to go public so that I can feel safe.”
The 24-year-old said police told her that they have a network of informants inside
protest organisations, which they tried to persuade her to join.
In meetings at a Glasgow police station, which she recorded, and later in a cafe,
they offered her financial rewards for information on Plane Stupid.
Strathclyde Police Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the force had
“a responsibility to gather intelligence”.
He added: “Officers from Strathclyde Police have been in contact with a number
of protesters who were involved with the Plane Stupid protests, including Aberdeen
Airport. The purpose of this contact has been to ensure that any future protest
activity is carried out within the law and in a manner which respects the rights
of all concerned.”
The revelations were described as a “storm in a teacup” by John O’Connor, a former
commander of Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad, who told the BBC: “The police don’t
just sit in their ivory tower and expect the phone to ring and be given intelligence
information. They go out actively to gather it.”
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23681075-details/Police+%27wanted+protester+to+spy%27/article.do
Posted: Saturday, April 25th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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11.4.2009 (This is Gloucestershire)
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Airport was plunged into darkness as environmental campaigners
stole lights in protest against a new green policy.
Campaigners from Plane Stupid say they are holding a set of hi-tech solar powered
lights to ransom until the airport becomes more eco-friendly.
Kevin Lister from the protest group said: "We have stolen the photovoltaic lights
from the sign at the airport.
"These lights highlight the stupidity of the council’s position with the airport.
"The idea that fitting eco-friendly lights at the airport can offset the huge
environmental damage that the planes will cause is an insult to those of us that
care."
One of the panels
The campaigners sprang into action after Gloucester City Council’s Overview and
Scrutiny Management committee agreed to recommend the airport’s green policy to
cabinet at a meeting on Thursday.
In a ransom note sent by email to local councillors and airport head of operations
Darren Lewington, Kevin apologised for holding the environmentally-friendly lights
hostage, and stated his terms.
The statement said: "We will hand them (the lights) back once the targets in
the green management plan are set in accordance with the latest science, which
demands that we immediately move to a zero-carbon economy, and when there is a
categorical agreement that if the airport breaches the limits, operations will
cease for the measurement period."
Mr Lewington said: "First of all, I would like to say the airport is very pleased
that both the Gloucester and Cheltenham committees have endorsed the policy, and
I hope their cabinets will follow suit.
"It’s disappointing that Kevin has taken this particular action. This is theft
and criminal damage, and those are the plain facts for Plane Stupid.
"The green policy is very much a working document and it’s not appropriate at
this stage to include the demands that Kevin has made.
"It’s early days and the document will evolve, but this stunt is, in my personal
opinion, a bit inappropriate."
Gloucester City Council leader Paul James responded to Kevin’s actions, branding
them "irresponsible."
He said: "We can’t condone breaking the law, which is what this is.
"I do have respect for people who want to make sure the airport is environmentally
friendly, but this isn’t the best way to go about it.
"The best thing for him to do would be to work with us and co-operate, rather
than showing a contempt for democracy."
Campaigners from Plane Stupid say they are holding a set of hi-tech solar powered
lights to ransom until the airport becomes more eco-friendly.
link to article
See also:
Protesters against Staverton Airport, in Gloucestershire were not impressed by
the Airport’s Green Management Plan. This document purports to set a ceiling on
CO2 emissions and pledges to re-valuate the target each year to “take account of new evidence“. However, there are no penalties if the airport exceeds its ceiling and the
existing targets have already failed to incorporate the conclusion from the Copenhagen
Climate Conference that we must immediately move to a zero carbon economy, so
there is not much chance of new evidence being incorporated in the future. Without
these, the Green Management plan is just another form of Greenwash.
After the council meetings were the green management plan was approved, protesters
sprang into action and took the airport’s solar powered lighting system hostage.
In a ransom note to the airport management and councillors, the protesters highlighted
the absurdity of an airport try to create a green image by using a little solar
panel. The protesters have pledged the return of the equipment once there is a
clear agreement to cease operations if the CO2 ceiling is breached and the conclusions
of the Copenhagen Climate Conference are included in the target setting.
The local community group for Staverton (Gloucestershire) airport is
CASE, Concerned Residents Against Staverton Expansion
See also
16.4.2009
In response to the page attacking Kevin Lister in The Citizen, Cllr Philip Booth
replies:
The Citizen report that campaigner Kevin Lister is holding to ransom
the photovoltaic light for Glos Airport’s entrance sign (14/04/09). I
understand he has resorted to this action to highlight the failures of
the democratic process to cut CO2 emissions.
The misleadingly named "Green Management Plan" for the Airport has no
sanctions if targets of 95,000 plane movements per year are breached
nor does it have targets for reducing CO2. Mr Lister has noted he will
return the equipment if such measures are introduced and that targets
reflect the latest scientific evidence presented at the recent
Copenhagen Conference. Indeed that conference concluded, "Inaction is
inexcusable".
A Guardian poll this week reveals 9 out of 10 climate experts do not
consider current political efforts will keep warming below the crucial
2C. James Hansen, NASA climate scientist, says the democratic process
is not working and that “peaceful demonstration is not out of order,
because we’re running out of time.”
US Ex-Vice President Al Gore now calls for civil disobedience to
prevent the construction of new coal plants while David Cameron’s
advisor Zac Goldsmith appeared as a defence witness in the trial of
Greenpeace activists charged with causing £30,000 of criminal damage.
The jury concluded in that case that a degree of damage to property can
be justified when protesting to prevent a greater damage to property
from climate change.
Some of the comments in The Citizen have described Mr Lister’s actions
as stupid and idiotic, yet it is the inaction on climate change that is
not just foolish, but criminal. Non-violent direct action is a
legitimate form of political activity when traditional forms are
blocked – it was used against slavery, for women’s right to vote and
against apartheid. We face a similar clear moral stand today. It is a
sad reflection on our current political leadership that although the
science is clear, and the three main parties say they agree, none have
the guts to actually take the action needed.
Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green Party.
Posted: Saturday, April 11th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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23.3.2009 (Hacan)
On Monday 23rd March children staged a rally against Heathrow expansion. The
children, many of them dressed up as endangered species, were among hundreds of
people who took part in the rally, organised by We CAN (1), which took place at
5pm in Old Palace Yard opposite the Houses of Parliament. The rally was addressed
by a number of high-profile speakers including Colin Challen MP, the Chair of
the All-Party Climate Change Group and the environmentalist and Conservative Parliamentary
Candidate for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith.
After the rally the children, accompanied by their parents and adult friends,
went inside Parliament to lobby their MPs.
Amongst the children who took part were pupils from Heathrow Primary School which
would be demolished if a third runway went ahead.
John Stewart, the chair of the campaign group HACAN, said, "This rally by children
was very moving. Future generations will point to Gordon Brown and Geoff Hoon
as the guilty men who gave the go-ahead to a third runway in the full knowledge
that Heathrow was a major contributor to climate change."
Notes for Editors:
(1). WeCAN was started by a group of mothers and young people who are gravely
concerned about the government’s failure to take decisive action on climate change.
Many of them had not taken political action before. The CAN in the name stands
for Climate Action Now.
Posted: Tuesday, March 24th, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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21.3.2009 (Plane Stupid)
Four activists from Plane Stupid Scotland were arrested after a peaceful banner
drop near Edinburgh airport. After dropping a banner reading ‘Airport expansion
is stupid’ from the fourth story of a car park opposite the terminal building
they were taken to St Leonard’s police station and charged with Breach of the
Peace. The four were to appear in court on Friday, but the case was thrown out
moments before the court opened.
The action was highlighting the double standards of the Scottish government committing
to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2050 whole planning to expand
all of Scotland’s airports. The group also questioned the logic of 60% of flights
from Edinburgh airport being to UK destination.
One of the protestors, Natalie, said “Ordinary people like us must realise that if we don’t take action to save ourselves
then no one else will. Overwhelming Scientific evidence points to the fact that
we have very little time left before our emissions take us to the point of no
return and aviation is the fastest growing cause of carbon emissions in the UK.
Yes, Climate science is complex but some things seem very clear cut; expanding
airports at a time when we need to be dramatically curbing our emissions is stupid.“
After causing no alarm and agreeing to peacefully take the banner down, the protesters
were unexpectedly taken to St Leonard’s police station in Edinburgh, along with
a friend who was simply taking a photo of the stunt. It became apparent the real
reason for their sudden arrest was for CID to aggressively interrogate the four,
part of their on-going efforts to find informers from within the group. Laughably,
the CID men compared the group’s “leaders” to Hitler and warned the protesters
that dogs could easily have been set on them!
This is yet another heavy handed arrest by police treating protestors in the
UK on the same level as criminals and terrorists. After recent reports from last
year’s Climate Camp showing police included confiscation of soap “because protesters might use it to make themselves slippery and evade the grip
of police” more and more protestors are denied their freedom of expression and ending
up in custody for speaking out against Government policy.
Johnny Agnew, a spokesman for Plane Stupid Scotland said "It feels as if this country is becoming a police state. The police are so nervous
about public protest that they will arrest and charge us over anything possible.
Every day we are confronted by endless advertising from powerful corporations
and yet normal people cannot make their voices heard."
http://www.planestupid.com/
Posted: Saturday, March 21st, 2009. Filed in Publicity & Politics.
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