UK Indymedia - Leeds Bradford Indymedia

Flood Victims blockade Government Office in Leeds

03-03-2008 11:02

Residents from flood stricken areas of Yorkshire and Humberside blockaded the Government Office in Leeds on Friday to protest at its continued promotion of airport expansion. Inspired by last year’s camp for climate action at Heathrow, the protesters from Hull, South Yorkshire and the Calder Valley used pop-up tents to set up camp outside the main entrance.

The timing of the protest coincided with the final stages in the adoption of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) – the area’s fifteen year development plan which is currently on the desk of government minister Baroness Andrews, awaiting final approval. The plan allows for a threefold expansion of passenger flights from Yorkshire and Humberside.

Solidarity Calls For Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers

15-01-2008 21:20

During the early hours of this morning, two crew members of the Sea Shepherd vessel, 'Steve Irwin', have been taken hostage by the Japanese harpoon vessel 'Yushin Maru No. 2'. Benjamin Potts 28, an Australian citizen and Giles Lane, 35, a British citizen, are being held onboard the whaling vessel which is currently on the run. Both men boarded the vessel to deliver a letter to the Japanese captain stating that the whalers were in violation of international conservation law by targeting endangered species in an established whale sanctuary and in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling. They also notified the captain that Australia had just passed a court ruling barring Japanese whalers from the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone. Once they boarded the vessel they were assaulted and tied to the railings of the whaler. They were then moved and tied to a radar mast. The Japanese vessel has not responded to messages in English or Japanese from the Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson to release the hostages.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's ship 'Steve Irwin' has been in full pursuit of five vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet including the Japanese supply vessel 'Oriental Bluebird' since this morning. The Japanese factory ship 'Nisshin Maru' has fled over 700 miles to the northwest and is heading towards South Africa accompanied by the Greenpeace ship Esperanza. The entire whaling fleet is on the run. According to the Sea Shepherd no whales have been able to be slaughtered for the last four days and it does not look as if the whaling operations are going to begin again for another week at least, and not at all if the vessels are prevented from regrouping. Crew members from the Sea Shepherd ship 'Steve Irwin' point out they have a "good supply of fuel and can remain in the area for some time and will continue to police the illegal whaling operations by the Japanese fleet".

Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: msu.publicin@fco.gov.uk

Contact the Japanese Embassy: info@jpembassy.org.uk

Phone: London 020-70081500 / Edinburgh 0131-225-4777 / Dublin 01-202-8300 | Web: List of Japanese Embassies

Solidarity Protest Reports: DC Protest For Sea Shepherd Hostages Video | Sea Shepherd Solidarity Protest at Japanese Embassy, Berlin | Sea Shepherd demo, Barcelona | NYC Protest for Sea Shepherd Hostages | Hostage Release Demonstration, London

Recent Updates: Sea Shepherd Hostages Return Back to Steve Irwin | Whalers Hands Activists Over To Australia's Ship | Whalers threaten to take activists to Japan | Sea Shepherd Crew Remain Hostages On The Japanese Whaling Ship | Whalers Make Demands Over Hostages | Sea Shepherd considering rescue mission

Previous feature: Japanese Whaling Ship rams Greenpeace vessel

On the newswire: Video of Sea Shepherd Activists Taken Hostage | Sea Shepherd volunteers 'detained' by Japanese whalers | URGENT - protestors held hostage by Japanese wailing ship | British Sea Shepherd activist held hostage on Japanese whaler | Japanese whalers take Sea Shepherds hostage | Call out for solidarity demonstration

Links: Sea Shepherd Convervation Society | Greenpeace campaign against whaling | Wikipedia on Japanese Whaling

Burma Solidarity Actions

03-10-2007 16:04

Around 30 activists blockaded a Total petrol station to protest against the company's heavy involvement with the military junta in Burma which is responsible for the deaths of several protesters in just the last few days.

Total is in a joint venture with the Burmese dictatorship in the Yadana gas project, which earns the regime hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Aung Sun Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of the Burmese government under house arrest, says: “Total has become the main supporter of the military regime”.

A mix of students and locals stood, sat or drummed across both entrances to the forecourt for an hour and a half. Holding a banner reading "Totalitarian Oil-Fuelling Oppression in Burma" they leafleted and spoke to passers-by and motorists. Staff at the petrol station threatened protesters with sticks, car and lorry drivers attempted to run over protesters, but despite this things remained peaceful.

Later in the day, students at the University of Bradford passed an emergency motion to mandate the Student Union to support the Burmese monks and investigate alternative suppliers since they currently use Total for fuelling their minibuses.

See also the original newswire posts, photos and video.

Bridgepoint Capital (owners of Leeds airport) Offices in London Disrupted

23-08-2007 19:12

A group of 18 climate change campaigners from the Camp for Climate Action briefly occupied the offices of Bridgepoint Capital in Warwick Street in London on Monday morning. Bridgepoint Capital, a private equity firm, bought Leeds Bradford Airport in April and is pressing for further expansion.

A banner reading "Yorkshire's Flooding You Daft Pudding!" was unfurled and Yorkshire puddings handed out to management. A statement was also read out to management and the offices covered in stickers. The brief occupation lasted for 30 minutes before the campaigners left. There were no arrests and indeed there were no police in attendance at the action.

See also photos and the text of the declaration.

Two arrested at the annual 'Independence From America' protest

07-07-2007 18:35

The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases' (CAAB) annual Independence From America demonstration at NSA Menwith Hill was the first where protestors were not allowed to circumnavigate the base due to a Section 12 order. There were two arrests, one for wearing a shirt with the word "fuck" on it and the second for arguing against the arrest. The rally at the start was addressed by Alan Bennett and Mark Steel and the marchers from Footprints for Peace [ 1 | 2 ]. A Declaration of Independence was read out, "we... do solemnly demand the return of the land, once within the boundaries of the ancient townships of Birstwith, Felliscliffe, Norwood and Menwith, now occupied by the United States National Security Agency and their military forces.". There was a heavy police presence, food was provided by Veggies and Yorkshire CND had a stall.

Report | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 | 2006 Feature

Anti-GM Victory : One down, One to Go!

25-06-2007 18:18

It seems there are not often victories to celebrate so it's strange when they occur seemingly unnoticed. That's exactly what's happened regarding the news that the chemicals giant, BASF have abandoned plans for a GM potato trial in Yorkshire this year, despite government consent.

Back in April there was an action in Hedon near Hull [1 | 2 ] to demonstrate public opposition to the first GM trials in the UK proposed in three years. Taking action before the trial began, the protesters planted their own organic spuds in what they thought was the field earmarked for the GM variety [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6]. The aim was to invalidate the experiment before it was even started and while it turned out that they had picked the wrong field they did successful demonstrate that public opposition to GM crops is as strong and militant as ever [audio | video].

The planting of the other trial, located in Cambridge [1 | 2], went ahead despite local opposition and protests but campaigners say that it's not too late to drive home the message that "there is still no future for GM in the UK".

There is a national call out for a 'potato picnic' announced for Sunday 1st July near the site of the Cambridge trial. [flyer | directions]

Background : GM back on agenda | sabotage promised | detailed talk report | audio interview re victory and protest 1st july

Campaign links : Mutatoes | Hedon Against GM | Cambridge GM Concern

Ready to remove a blight on our landscape?

16-04-2007 10:01

UPDATED

This month a controversial experimental genetically modified potato crop is due to be planted in the UK by the German chemical giant BASF (offshoot of the infamous AG Farben). DEFRA initially gave approval in December for BASF to undertake trials at two sites, one in Cambridgeshire (at the National Institute of Agriculture and Botany) and the other initially in Derbyshire - until the farmer pulled out.

The trials are the first GM crops to enter British soil in nearly 3 years, after public opposition forced a u-turn in government and corporate plans for patented crops. Although presented as an R&D trial into the effectiveness of an anti blight gene, they are widely considered to be trial of public opinion.

On 14th April in Cambridge a protest walk took place [photos 1, 2]. This was followed on the 21st by a rally in Hull. This event ended with the proposed trial being effectively sabotaged even before it had began when over a hundred people entered the site and planted several varieties of seed potatoes in the field making it impossible for a scientifically valid trial to take place there.

LINKS:
Cambridge 1 | 2 | 3 | grid reference
Hull 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | pics

Background GM - Back on the agenda? | Sabotage promised | New GM crop trials | London info night (Tues 17th)

Campaign sites mutatoes.org | hedonagainstgm.org.uk | Cambridge GM concern | myspace.com/gmfreepotatoes

Bradford Climate Change Action

07-04-2007 15:36

Today Bradford witnessed the unusual sight of a placard-waving polar bear. The placard, with the simple message; “You fly, I die”, was aimed at the selfish minority who continue to fly despite this being a major contributor to climate change – and the fastest rising source of carbon dioxide emissions in Western Europe.

The bear and his human friends visited a variety of travel agents in the city centre with a letter asking that the climate criminals stop destroying the Arctic. After that, he made his way to the Tomas Cook call centre on Godwin Street, where several local residents had erected a banner and were busy posting the windows with “You Fly, They Die” stickers.

See also the original newswire post and a previous Bradford climate change action

Ladyfest Leeds - 10th-15th April 2007

04-04-2007 13:00

Celebrating creativity, diversity and gender equality in Leeds, Ladyfest Leeds will showcase female artists and performers in a number of venues across the city centre from 10th-15th April 2007.

Ladyfest Leeds is set to be the biggest Ladyfest the UK has ever seen with well over one hundred events across all the arts- spoken word, comedy, dance, theatre, visual arts, film, performance art, live music and workshops. As Amy Brachi, one of the organisers comments:

"Since we started preparations for Ladyfest Leeds, we have been amazed at the interest and support which we have received. Over 50 people are already involved in the festival as organisers, helping to secure venues, artists and to manage what looks like will be one of the largest events in Leeds in 2007. It is really fantastic to see many of our organisers learning new skills as well as others mentoring fellow volunteers.”

For further information, either read more or visit the event website.

Sticking Together For Peace

23-03-2007 14:06

This morning Bradford students took part in one of the most daring and creative acts of civil disobedience ever seen at Faslane Naval base. Ten of them superglued themselves together outside the North Gate whilst another four chained themselves together outside the South Gate, effectively shutting the base.

It was one of the longest-lasting blockades since Faslane 365 started their year-long campaign of blockades, and is believed to be the first time activists have glued themselves together.

The students from Bradford and Leeds universities and a lecturer went to the base after the government voted to renew the UK's Trident system.

Earlier in the week Bradford students went to visit the university's careers department to invite the royal navy to join them in this blockade. They sadly declined.

See also the original newswire post with more photos and this video.

Events

Flood Victims blockade Government Office in Leeds

Solidarity Calls For Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers

Burma Solidarity Actions

Bridgepoint Capital (owners of Leeds airport) Offices in London Disrupted

Two arrested at the annual 'Independence From America' protest

Anti-GM Victory : One down, One to Go!

Ready to remove a blight on our landscape?

Bradford Climate Change Action

Ladyfest Leeds - 10th-15th April 2007

Sticking Together For Peace

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