Background - http://risingtide7.wordpress.com/.
Statement of Solidarity
We in Rising Tide UK congratulate the Australian "Rising Tide 7" for a bold action with a clear message, at an extremely important target. This kind of effective non-violent direct action is crucial, to demonstrate that the blind self-destructive pursuit of profit through fossil fuel extraction and combustion is unsustainable, destructive and must stop now.
The morning of Friday the 14th of January saw a few of us from London Rising Tide join the Big Society Trade Negotiators (aka UK Tar Sands Network) as they took over a coffee shop in Victoria station (to buy coffee), and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. We were there to voice our concerns about CETA (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) and try to get a meeting with Stephen Green, the new Minister for Trade. And we achieved both of these, which is way more than we expected from this early morning escapade.
We finally got our camera back from the police :)
Update: Restraining orders quashed
On Wednesday 1st December the Court of Appeal in London lifted restraining orders off 12 people who blockaded the Ffos y Fran coal mine in April 2010. Miller Argent have for years been operating the noisy, polluting mine, described by the Crown Prosecution Service as "a highly controversial project", despite the strong objection of the local community, some of who live within 40 metres of the mine and have to suffer black rain and noisy machinery at antisocial hours. The full court transcripts aren't available yet so we're not sure what this means for those with similar cases.
Merthyr to Mayo Solidarity Bike Ride
Making links between communities resisting fossil fuel extraction
May - June 2010
Across the planet, in the places where fossil fuels are sourced, people are resisting new energy developments.
Communities are standing together to defend their homes, health, land and water, and our shared planet… This is localised resistance with huge global significance….
From the tar sands of Alberta, Canada to the woods of Mainshill, Scotland….
from the rivers and plains of the Niger Delta to the Amazon jungles of Peru….
and
from the valleys of Merthyr Tydfil, Wales to the Northwest coast of Mayo, Ireland…
Bristol CoMutiny: Homeless penguins invade Bristol airport
17 September 2009
Santa visits BT and exposes coal investment
2 December 2009
This morning a team of Santa's arrived at the BT offices in Bristol Temple Quay to expose the truth behind the companies pension scheme. BT pensions are funding coal mining in South Wales, where Merthyr Tydfil hosts one of Europe's largest opencast coal mines.
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Santa writes: BT Pension Scheme owns a company called Hermes who own Argent, of Miller-Argent fame - the company who operate the mine. Staff pension money is secretly being spent on coal mining.
Planning offices stormed to stop airport expansion
4 December 2006
Climate activists stormed North Somerset Environment and Planning Offices to protest against the planned expansion of Bristol International Airport. The planners were taken aback by the style of delivery when presented with a giant letter, but as the protesters explained, climate change is a giant issue.
They occupied the lobby and some climbed onto the roof, claiming they were trying to escape the rising sea levels that climate change will bring. A nearby soundsystem played recorded sounds of planes taking off in order to bring home to the planners the effects that their decisions could have upon people in the Southwest.
Avonmouth docks targeted for international day of climate action
12 October 2010
This morning activists from Bristol and Bath Rising Tide dropped a banner reading 'Import Coal: Export Poverty' from Avonmouth bridge near the docks, as part of a global week of action for climate and environmental justice.
The Royal Portbury Docks contains one of the largest coal import terminals in the UK. There are currently plans to build several new coal power stations in the UK, and 71% of coal used in Britain is imported.
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Seven Australian Rising Tide activists are being pursued by Port Waratah Coal Services, which is made up of Rio Tinto and Xstrata, for US$525,000 in "victim's compensation" as a result of a non-violent blockade of the world's largest coal port on September 26 last year.
Climate refugee polar bears blockade the Oil Bank of Scotland
15 October 2007
A group of ‘climate refugees’ blocked the vehicle entrance to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Corporate Offices at Temple Quay to shine the spotlight on climate criminals RBS, the self-proclaimed ‘Oil and Gas’ Bank. Six people from Bristol Rising Tide for Climate Action in polar bear costumes locked themselves together and prevented all vehicles entering the RBS branch. This was part of a National Day of Local Action against the Royal Bank of Scotland called by those hugely concerned with the devastation to the climate, planet and people.[1]
