[IMC-UK-Features] Proposal: fossil fools feature

[wietse]

Hiya,

I'd like to propose the following feature about the Fossil Fools Day 
action today:

Fossil Fools Day: Actions Across The UK
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/UkFossilFools2008

Please see text version below, html version on wiki. I'm hoping to put 
this up soonish (tomorrow evening) ?

Cheers, Wietse

------------------->

* Title: Fossil Fools Day: Actions Across The UK

* Image: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/images/2008/03/394690.jpg

* Abstract:

Rising Tide called for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry 
on April 1st. "They would have us believe that we can escape climate 
change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all 
technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real 
solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."

And what an action packed day it was.. Banners were dropped at traffic 
hotspots in Lancaster and Wrexham and in Edinburgh 4x4 were targetted as 
well as a group of clowns causing havoc in supermarkets because of 
foodmiles. Petrol stations were targetted in Plymouth and Sheffield and 
in Cambridge and Manchester activists took action at Royal Bank of 
Scotland branches. In Nottingham activists blockaded city centre offices 
of E.On and in London Rising Tide played a spoof game of football 
outside the FA HQ to point out what their sponsor E.On are up to. In 
Merthyr Tydfil (Wales) protesters halted work at one of the biggest 
opencast coal mines in Europe, with the intention to remain on the site 
for several days. Activists also blockaded the UK's largest off shore 
gas terminal at Bacton in Norfolk. They blockaded the main road outside 
the site preventing construction workers and shift workers from 
arriving. See full feature article for more..

Audio: still to be added

Reports: Bacton (Norfolk) | Cambridge | Edinburgh: [1] [2] | Lancaster | 
London: FA Cup protest [1] [2] + EV-EON Carbonated Water Launch | 
Manchester | Merthyr Tydfil (Wales): [1] [2] | Nottingham | Plymouth | 
Sheffield | Wrexham | Fossil Fools Day action roundup

Indymedia links: Climate Chaos topic page | Climate IMC

Other Links: Fossil Fools Day website | Days Of Climate Action | Camp 
For Climate Action | Rising Tide | London Rising Tide | Eastside Climate 
Action

* Article body:

In both Lancaster and Wrexham banners were hung at busy traffic spots.

London - FA headquarters - At closing time today London Rising Tide 
played a spoof game of football outside the Football Association's 
headquarters in Soho Square with a coal ball, scoring own-goals and with 
the slogans 'Climate FU Cup' and 'E-ON: No new coal' emblazoned on their 
football shirts. On the backs of their shirts were the names of the 
proposed new coal-fired power stations. A member of the group handed in 
a formal letter to Jonathan Hill, Director of the FA's Commercial 
Division, to complain about sponsorship of the culturally iconic game by 
a fossil fool. E-ON are aggressively promoting a return to coal, the 
dirtiest of all fossil fuels, despite the urgent need to drastically cut 
climate-changing emissions. Some police, and FA security attended the 
match, supporting from the front doors of the FA headquarters. The match 
went on for over an hour, only stopping for oranges and a team photo at 
half time. See full articles with photos: [1] [2].

Merthyr Tydfil (Wales) - At 7am protesters halted work at one of the 
biggest opencast coal mines in Europe, on the outskirts of Merthyr 
Tydfil. They intend to remain on the site for several days. - As dawn 
breaks on Fossil Fools Day in the UK 18 people are currently shutting 
down operations at the Ffof-y-fran open cast coal mine in Merthyr 
Tydfil, Wales. This includes a team that has climbed a rig in the mine 
and have hung a banner while another team is blockading the mine gates 
locking themselves down with with bicycle d-locks. Read full article: 
[1] [2].

Nottingham - From 7:30 in the morning 30 people blockaded the entrances 
to E-on's offices on Mount St, Nottingham City Centre. People covered in 
green paint to represent E-on's greenwash, locked onto the front 
entrance to E-on's office and stood in front of other entrances 
preventing E-on workers from getting to work. Bob Castle, a spokesperson 
for the activists, said "We are here today because despite E-on publicly 
claiming green credentials, it is trying to build a new generation of 
coal fired power stations. It is trying to build the first new coal 
fired power station in the UK in 50 years, at Kingsnorth in Kent, and 
wishes to continue its expansion with a new power staion at High Marnham 
in Nottinghamshire. We are here to tell E-on that they will not suceed 
and the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in 
the ground. Coal is the dirtiest Fossil Fool and to build new coal power 
stations in the face of climate change is collective suicide." Read full 
article.

Bacton (Norfolk) - Earth First! UK activists blockaded the UK's largest 
off shore gas terminal at Bacton in Norfolk. 40% of the UK's domestic 
gas comes ashore here, is processed and distributed by pipeline. 
Activists blockaded the main road outside the site at 6.30 am, 
preventing construction workers and shift workers from arriving. The 
Bacton installation, operated primarily by petroleum giants Royal Dutch 
Shell & Exxon Mobil, includes a gas-fired power station, processing 
plant and distribution point for domestic gas. Shell estimates that over 
one third of domestic UK gas comes ashore at Bacton. The protest is also 
in solidarity with protestors at Rossport in Ireland, who have been 
trying to prevent a similar installation being built in their community. 
Catherine Lewis, one of the activists at the Bacton blockade, said: "The 
fossil fuel industry is the single biggest driver of climate change, and 
gas is no exception. Switching from one fossil fuel to another is not a 
solution to climate change "the only real solution is to keep fossil 
fuels in the ground." Banners proclaiming "Shrink of Sink" were 
stretched across the road, giving the message that we need to shrink our 
economy and consumption to cut carbon emmissions. Read full article.

Cambridge - The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the main financiers of 
climate crime, in the form of oil and gas exploration. After targeting 
the Trinity Street branch last year, this time protesters paid a visit 
to the Hills Road Branch to mark the occasion of Fossil Fools Day. See 
full article with photos.

Edinburgh - Loads of gas guzzling 4x4's and around 10 swanky sports cars 
were disarmed last night as part of the 'Fossil Fools' day of action. We 
targeted one of Edinburghs' more affluent areas for our April fools fun! 
Read full article. Also in Edinburgh: the local battalion of the 
Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA) marched into Sainsbury’s 
and Tesco to point out the absurdity of squandering limited fossil fuel 
resources on flying strawberries to Scotland so we can eat them in the 
middle of winter. See full article with photos.

Sheffield - As part of Fossil Fools Day activity across the country, 
motorists in Sheffield were reminded of an alternative to their 
fuel-consuming, carbon producing transport... Petrol stations belonging 
to Waitrose and Shell were targeted with drivers being offered leaflets 
and bike route maps while being entertained by a cycle ballet 
performance. See full article with photos.

Plymouth - Climate activists, a proud penguin, king rat, yellow clowns 
and critical massers joined forces to shut down the Esso petrol station 
on Exeter Street. The climbing clowns scaled the roof while others 
blocked access to the forecourt. The atmosphere was celebratory in a 
doomed planet kinda way! - music and dancing, lots of leaflets given out 
and a surprising number of positive hoots from passing cars. There were 
seven arrests, both the roof team and those blocking the forecourt. Read 
full article.

Manchester - Manchester's Fossil Fools got up to all sorts of tricks, 
visiting some of their idols in the city centre... "Unfortunately in our 
efforts to congratulate the best fossil fools a few mishaps occurred... 
Some clowns got stuck in the revolving doors at RBS and a human pipeline 
was escorted from the city centre building by security. Some members of 
the parade got confused and chalked messages on the pavements, and 
people trying to escape the beating of drums ran to hide in the flight 
centre while the samba band, who really had no idea, blocked the 
entrance! Some policemen came along looking for Spartacus but couldn't 
find him anywhere." Read full article.