Protest camp set up against Glossop development

Row over George Street Woods rumbles on
Friday 30th June 2017

Environmental activists have set up a protest camp close to the centre of Glossop.

Row over George Street Woods rumbles on
Friday 30th June 2017

Environmental activists have set up a protest camp close to the centre of Glossop.

The trio moved into George Street Woods last Friday and say they are planning to claim it ‘for the people of Glossop.’

The move has resulted in confrontation after nearby resident Steve Rimmer said the land belonged to him.

Mr Rimmer – who lives opposite the site – also accused the group of trespass and has tried to legally remove them.

The three say they will block the entrance to the land to prevent Mr Rimmer gaining access.

Speaking outside the team’s tent, protest leader Robert Hodgetts-Hayley, 22, said: “We intend to occupy the land for as long as it takes.

“Glossop people are supporting us with food and drink and even bringing takeaways.”

The occupation is the latest round in the long drawn-out battle to decide ‘ownership’ of the former Shepley Mill site.

Stance: Steve Rimmer claims he is the owner of the land

Mr Rimmer says he legally acquired the site by ‘adverse possession’ 10 years ago with its ownership unknown.

He has since put a fence around the land and cleared away much of the stone and glass.

He intends to seek planning permission to use the site for visiting caravanners.

The Friends of George Street Woods have always opposed any form of development, saying the land should be an amenity for Glossop people to walk and have picnics.

They are fully supporting Robert and his co-protesters Adam Martin, 23, and Jake Parker, 19, who are also trying to secure the land by the same method.

Robert said: “We are going for secondary adverse possession to secure the land for the people of Glossop.

“We want to protect the environment for the greater good of the people. Almost 1,000 people have signed a petition supporting us.”

Protest: Jake Parker, Robert Hodgetts-Hayley and Adam

Martin want to claim the land ‘for the people of Glossop’

The protesters claim that to claim adverse possession a person must have occupied the land for 10 years.

They say that Mr Rimmer’s claim is two years short and because their occupation has broken the chain, his claim is no longer valid.

They claim technically no one has owned the land since the mill came down and it is not registered by the council.

Speaking to the Chronicle, Mr Rimmer maintains the land is his and that he has improved it by removing much of the rubble.

He says a London QC, who looked into ownership, said he was in ‘lawful adverse possession’ and had a right to exclude trespassers.

Mr Rimmer said: “High Peak Council declared it as a local green space, but I am challenging that, it is a brown field site.

“I am seeking an injunction to stop the trespass.”

Robert said borough councillors Godfrey Claff and Damien Greenhalgh had visited the site to offer support and that the whole issue was to be discussed by the borough council.

“We are here for as long as it takes,” he added.

Friends of George Street Woods Everyone needs a friend, especially those friends in danger of being lost to us, those that need support and nuture of the community at large. This is the aim of FOGSW – to ensure George Street Woods remains a place for the community to play, relax, research and pass the time in.

George Street Wood diary

A series of films documenting the life on site at the George Street Wood protest in Glossop, Derbyshire.

Rolling Resistance against Fracking, July 2017, Preston New Road

Since Cuadrilla began building a fracking pad at Preston New Road near Blackpool in January 2017, people have been at the roadside every day, putting their bodies on the line to stop this toxic industry. The resistance is working – supply chain companies are pulling out and the building schedule has been delayed by months.

Rolling Resistance - Blue Draft 1

July. Lancashire. Be there.

Since Cuadrilla began building a fracking pad at Preston New Road near Blackpool in January 2017, people have been at the roadside every day, putting their bodies on the line to stop this toxic industry. The resistance is working – supply chain companies are pulling out and the building schedule has been delayed by months.

This summer, as Cuadrilla gets nearer to trying to drill, Reclaim the Power is joining the frontline struggle in Lancashire to support and reinforce the amazing local resistance, and we invite you to join.

For the month of July, we’ll be providing training, resources, and support to take creative action against Cuadrilla and the fracking supply chain. We will help continue to halt their work in its tracks and fight for a clean, safe, affordable energy system for everyone across the UK.

Whether you’re part of an action group already, or you’re new to taking action and want to test things out, there’s roles for everyone, and support to take part. Whether you can come for 2 days or 2 weeks, whether you can chop veg, brew tea or take action – this resistance movement needs you, and we’ll be lending our support to local activity however we can.  More details on the Rolling Resistance in July are here.

In the meantime, if you can get to Preston New Road sooner, then there’s logistical details here of the daily protests happening already.  We’ll update with a full schedule of events for July and secure sign up form shortly, for now, sign up to stay in the loop.gn Up:

Get ready. Get spreading the word. Get July in the diary.

Check out the wrap-up of our Break the Chain fortnight of action in April.

To get involved and trained up ready for July, join one of our upcoming Direct Action trainings.

More details    |    Background

About Reclaim the Power

Reclaim the Power is a UK-based direct action network fighting for social, environmental and economic justice. We aim to build a broad based movement, working in solidarity with frontline communities to effectively confront environmentally-destructive industries and the social and economic forces driving climate change.

We’ve been working to oppose fracking since 2013 when we organised mass action at Balcombe. Since then, we’ve hosted anti-fracking action camps in Blackpool and Didcot, and taken countless actions to expose and resist the industry.

Dragged down a pile of aggregate. Anti-fracking protests for Preston New Road

So far over 141,000 people have watched this video of non violent Protectors being assaulted on 5th May by Cuadrilla’s Northern Security and A.E.Yates staff as they occupy a pile of stone which is being used to build a mega frack pad in Lancashire, UK

So far over 141,000 people have watched this video of non violent Protectors being assaulted on 5th May by Cuadrilla’s Northern Security and A.E.Yates staff as they occupy a pile of stone which is being used to build a mega frack pad in Lancashire, UK

We’ve had hundreds of messages of support from all over, but what we need is more people. You can see from the video what happens when we don’t have the numbers.

Every day we are outnumbered by increasingly aggressive police officers, who have no regard for our Human Rights to assembly and freedom of expression. They are acting outside the law with impunity because of the government’s agenda to force the unconventional gas industry upon the people of the UK.

On the occasions when we outnumber the security forces it’s a different story, and we have successfully closed the site down several times. But we need help

Will you join the resistance in Lancashire?

Please join this facebook group for more information
https://www.facebook.com/groups/241716712947463/

Lancaster Climate Action blockade A.E.Yates, met with violent response

CAMPAIGNERS gathered outside a Bolton engineering firm this morning protesting about its role in a forthcoming fracking project in Lancashire.

PROTEST: The two campaigners lying in the road

Two anti-fracking campaigners lie down in road to prevent access at AE Yates, Lostock Industrial Estate

CAMPAIGNERS gathered outside a Bolton engineering firm this morning protesting about its role in a forthcoming fracking project in Lancashire.

Two women from Lancaster Climate Action blockaded themselves at the entrance of AE Yates Ltd at the Lostock Industrial Estate blocking all vehicle movement on site for around three hours.

They were met with a violent response from workers who endangered life and limb by assaulting protestors.

Last year The Bolton News reported how AE Yates had secured a £1.5 million contract to build a shale gas exploration site at Little Plumpton site in Lancashire by drilling firm Cuadrilla.

Rose White, of Lancaster Climate Action, said: “There is a strong, sustainable and swelling campaign against the fracking industry.

“Campaigners have a thorough analysis of both the industry itself and the political context around it and are hitting hard at weak spots and bottle necks.

“The blockades, both here and elsewhere, have resulting in all work being halted.

“That, along with actions like today’s targeting of the supply chain in Bolton, is making investors very nervous.

“At a time when they should have been rocketing upwards, shares in the fracking companies main source of funding are crashing down.

“Soon they won’t have the support of the people and very soon they won’t have the support from investors either.”

One of the women staging the protest, Sarah Shore, said that action was needed to send a message to all businesses in the fracking supply chain.

She said: “If you’re supplying an industry that causes catastrophic climate change, pollutes the air we breathe, pollutes our premium farming land and our drinking water, then you should expect to be disrupted.”

Katie Marsh, another campaigner at the blockade said that the action is much bigger than just a fracking issue.

She said: “It’s also about democracy. After months of careful consideration, Lancashire County Council said no to fracking, however, central government intervened and gave the green light to frack in what some Tories are calling the ‘desolate North’.

“This clearly highlights the complete disregard Westminster has for local democracy and for our wonderful county.”

Paul Boron, managing director at AE Yates said: “These protests have been going on since the beginning of January.

“Today people lay down in front of our gates and prevented our wagons from getting in or out of the site for a few hours.

“We called police who arrived within the hour before the protestors were moved on sometime after 9.30am.

“It generally disrupts business but it is just something that we have to deal with.

“I hope that the police will continue to support us.”

A spokesperson from GMP said: “Police were called at around 8.20am on to reports of a group of protestors on Cranfield Road, Lostock Industrial Estate.

“Officers attended and the protestors left the scene.”

Campaign Against Manchester Airport 20th Anniversary Rally 20/5/17

On 20th May 1997 police, baileffs, and unknown men-in-black, started removing protesters from the site of what is now Manchester Airport’s Runway 2. It would take four weeks to remove everyone from the tunnels and the trees, and twenty years later they still haven’t built another runway anywhere in the UK.

On 20th May 1997 police, baileffs, and unknown men-in-black, started removing protesters from the site of what is now Manchester Airport’s Runway 2. It would take four weeks to remove everyone from the tunnels and the trees, and twenty years later they still haven’t built another runway anywhere in the UK.

Twenty years later we’re going back, to remember old times, and to remind the world of the terrible environmental cost of air travel.

If you were there, if you wanted to be there, if you saw us on TV, or if you just want to protest the climate impact of aviation, please come along.

If you want to walk to the rally, we will meet at 11:45AM at the free car park by Northcliffe Chapel, on Altringham Road, Styal (SK9 4JQ) for a 2 mile walk along the beautiful Bollin Valley. The path can be muddy in bad weather, and is unsuitable for puchchairs or people with mobility problems.

The rally will be held at 1PM by the roundabout where the footpath from Styal crosses the A538, behind the Airport Inn (formerly the Moat House), a place called Oversleyford Bridge. There is a limited amount of unofficial free parking here. Please go round the corner and don’t block the crash gates.

After a short rally we will walk to the Bollin Tunnel under the second runway, which was the site of Wild Garlic and River Rats camps in 1997.

If you need a lift, or collecting from Styal or Manchester Airport railway stations please post below.

Please bring memories, photographs, stories and music, and lets make this a great day. We were right twenty years ago, and we are still right.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1697344283897420/

Upton anti-fracking camp eviction in progress!

12th January 2017 – bailiffs and police have moved in at Upton Community Protection camp, in Cheshire.

12th January 2017 – bailiffs and police have moved in at Upton Community Protection camp, in Cheshire.

The anti-fracking community there has been going strong for a long time now and is at the forefront of community resistance to this national threat.  Get along to help if you can, and support people to keep resisting at least until Saturday, when there’s a national day of action there already set.

Updates at https://twitter.com/earthfirst_uk and how to get to the camp here

J16 Upton

he government’s grand gesture of ‘closing coal’ is conditional on replacing it with gas. Fracking is a key part of that vision, but it’s meeting with resistance at every step.

The government’s grand gesture of ‘closing coal’ is conditional on replacing it with gas. Fracking is a key part of that vision, but it’s meeting with resistance at every step.

Upton is the country’s longest standing community protection camp. It’s due to be evicted any day now so that test drilling for unconventional gas can start.

Lets put a red line around the UKs fracking front line. On January 16th, from 10am- 4pm. If the camp is still in situ we can help build an exciting new defence and show our solidarity with the community. If it’s been evicted and the drill is present there’ll be creative ways to get in the way. This will be a family friendly event with something for everyone.

http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk/event/j16-upton/

Call out to get involved in a research project on sexual violence in activist communities

Was your sexual abuser a high-profile activist? Have you felt unable to speak out about it?

Was your sexual abuser a high-profile activist? Have you felt unable to speak out about it? Or have you spoken out about it only to be accused of making it up and/or dividing the movement? Did your anti-state activism and/or experience of police brutality rule out going to the police? Were you able to kick out your abuser using other methods? Did the accountability process backfire? Did your abuser just move on to a different group and do the same thing to someone else? Was the trans community so small that you didn’t want your partner to lose it? Do you want to be involved in taking action and challenging sexual violence in activist communities?

We want to hear from survivors who identify as women, gender-queer or trans who are ready to talk about their experiences of sexual violence within current or past organising in radical social justice movements in the UK. This may have happened once or multiple times, we are interested in hearing from folks with a variety of experiences of sexual violence including unwanted touching, flashing, harassment, stalking, sexual assault and rape.

Salvage is a collective of academic-activists, survivors and activists. We got together through a workshop on survivor-led approaches to gendered violence and abuse at AFem 2014. This is our first research project. We aim to develop resources, information and practical recommendations to work towards creating effective challenges to gendered violence, abuse and harms within social justice movements and communities.

If you are interested in getting involved and/or want more information about this research project:

Web: https://projectsalvage.wordpress.com/research

Twitter: @Project_Salvage

Reclaim the Fields International Gathering 2015

Reclaim the Fields

About the camp

Reclaim the Fields (or RTF) UK was born in 2011, as a star in a wider constellation of food and land struggles that reaches around the globe. Since 2011, camps and other RTF gatherings have helped support local communities in struggle, share skills, developed networks, and strengthened the resistance to exploitation, in Bristol, west London, Gloucestershire, Nottingham and Fife among other locations.

Every two years there is also an international camp, where people from around Europe and beyond meet together to support a local struggle (from gold mining in Romania to open cast coal mining in Germany, for example). People share share stories and ideas about resistance and reclaiming our food system beyond national borders. This year, an international gathering will be held in the UK, in Dudleston, Shropshire, on the Welsh/English border.

The aims of the camp are:

  • To support local communities in the west and north west of England, and the north of Wales with their struggles against fracking
  • To increase participation in Reclaim the Fields
  • To demonstrate visible, active opposition to prison construction
  • To support Dudleston Community Protection Camp build a garden and infrastructure to become more self-reliant
  • To demonstrate the interconnection between these struggles
  • To inspire and radicalise everyone involved

What’s taking place?

  • Two days of Action – Tuesday 1st & Wednesday 2nd September – demonstrations & actions against companies involved in the construction of the North Wales prison, as well as local fracking-related targets.
  • Workshops & Skillshares – Over the bank holiday weekend there will be abundant opportunities to learn, share, discuss and connect with other people.
  • Building & Growing on the site – Be part of installing gardens & low impact infrastructure at the community protection camp. Learn about permaculture, agroecology, forest gardening, mushroom growing, pallet construction, compost toilet making, off-grid electrics and more.

Why this camp? Why now?

  • This camp has been organised to support the local community in Dudleston to resist fracking in their area (as well as working with other local anti-fracking groups & protection camps in the North West who have been resisting extreme energy developments for a number of years). To find out more about their struggle visit: http://frack-off.org.uk/blockade/dudleston-community-protection-camp/

Practical Information about the Camp

Click on the links below to find more practical information about the camp and how to get involved:

Getting involved

This is a DIY camp and everyone is needed to get stuck in to make it happen. People are needed to:

  • Support with publicity before the event – sharing the gathering online, putting posters up, encouraging your local group to get involved. People are also needed to help design the programme, respond to emails & plan facilitation.
  • Helping with site set up & building infrastructure (planning this in advance & being on site a few days before the gathering)
  • Signing up to a shift over the weekend to help with cooking, site set up & safety, being on the welcome tent & so forth
  • Supporting local groups to organise actions

If you can help with any of these tasks please email info@reclaimthefields.noflag.org.uk

Who are Reclaim the Fields?

We are a group of peasants, landless and prospective peasants, as well as people who are taking back control over food production.

We understand “peasants” as people who produce food on a small scale, for themselves or for the community, possibly selling a part of it. This also includes agricultural workers.

We support and encourage people to stay on the land and go back to the countryside. We promote food sovereignty (as defined in the Nyéléni declaration) and peasant agriculture, particularly among young people and urban dwellers, as well as alternative ways of life. In Europe, the concept ‘food sovereignty’ is not very common and could be clarified with ideas such as ‘food autonomy’ and control over food systems by inclusive communities, not only nations or states. We are determined to create alternatives to capitalism through cooperative, collective, autonomous, real-needs-oriented, small-scale production and initiatives. We are putting theory into practice and linking local practical action with global political struggles.

In order to achieve this, we participate in local actions through activist groups and cooperate with existing initiatives. This is why we choose not to be a homogeneous group, but to open up to the diversity of actors fighting the capitalist food production model. We address the issues of access to land, collective farming, seed rights and seed exchange. We strengthen the impact of our work through cooperation with activists who focus on different tasks but who share the same vision.

Nevertheless, our openness has some limits. We are determined to take back control over our lives and refuse any form of authoritarianism and hierarchy. We respect nature and living beings, but will neither accept nor tolerate any form of discrimination, be it based on race, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or social status. We refuse and will actively oppose every form of exploitation of other people. With the same force and energy, we act with kindness and conviviality, making solidarity a concrete practice of our daily life.

We support the struggles and visions of la Via Campesina, and work to strengthen them. We wish to share the knowledge and the experience from years of struggle and peasant life and enrich it with the perspectives and strength of those of us who are not peasants, or not yet peasants. We all suffer the consequences of the same policies, and are all part of the same fight.

Read this in: French, German, Spanish