Camp It Up
The Bingley Bypass Camp almost tatted down recently. The same people have been sustaining it for 2 years, and the road was recently given the official go-ahead. However, a few remain there for the next month, by which time it will be known when it's likely to be built, and so when an eviction can be expected. L20 million's already been spent on pre-works. Eviction possibly early next year. Good local support & skip, and a ground hut on stilts. The decision whether to de-camp will be taken on how many people can stay there long term, so get down there soon - ring mobile or Leeds EF!
Cheltenham's first protest camp, Toytown, has solid local support and a fantastic vibe on site, with momentum building - due partly to a 'no drink, no drugs' policy. "Just like Wyndham Hill in Yeovil a couple of years ago, the political will isn't really there. If we can get rid of the profit motive, then Waitrose and their cronies will see sense and run." Local people are angry because their children will lose the only playing field in the area. It's also one of the last green spaces in the area, a riverside wildlife habitat, including bats, two potential brownfield housing sites, and the historic Alstone Spa. Instead, the council has given permission for two new roads, 1,500 car parking spaces, a supermarket, a drive through fast food restaurant, a 10 screen cinema shed, a petrol station, a nightclub, a bowling alley, a theme pub and a private health and fitness centre, all of which Cheltenham already has. After 2 years, the campaign to protect the area has moved into direct action, setting up camp and organising high-profile stunts to embarrass the council and the 'developers'. The camp has a compost toilet, covered kitchen, office and benders. Come and build more treehouses, help with activities for the young people who use the woodland as a play area, and build a permaculture garden. We need climbing equipment, polyprop, tarps, building wood, vegan food, TOYS! and money. Visit!
Silver Birches Eco-Village in Epsom went to the High Court to be evicted, but the judge gave the 11 year old defendant a stay of execution until the 1 October. Under UN & international child protection legislation, kids have the right to be heard, consulted and to participate in environmental decisions affecting their future. A local councillor didn't like being told where to stick his Agenda 21, so he's been threatening campers with violence as he pours on the abuse - "We can't afford to evict you. Fuck off while you've still got time". Petrol has been poured on a tent and set fire to, stones thrown, and the campaign desk was also smashed under cover of night; the council is believed to know something about these events. The camp's been there for 4 or 5 months, occupying prime (stockbroker belt) development land, woods, & a house.
Green Guard in Nantwich, has been stopping a housing development of 500 houses and a 4 mile dual carriageway for the last 6 weeks. Under threat are (rare) Black Poplars, an orchard and hedgerows up to 30 foot thick. The allotments next door have all been given notices to quit too. The camp boasts treehouses, tunnel, tower, and 97% local support. Local media are on side.
In Hulme, the popular Poplar 24-hour guard wasn't quite, and so Manchester council started chopping the 110 year old Birley Tree down before people stopped the chainsaws. The campaign went to court to be evicted, and negotiated an agreement not to fell the Black Poplar till a detailed planning application was put in for the hotel the council so desperately want for this inner-city area. This has followed meetings, petitions, Fun-days, a carnival float, and a procession to the Town Hall where severed branches blocked the entrance whilst demonstrators danced.
At Ashton Court, preparation work is being done for the 'translocation' (trashing) of the wildflower meadow (surrounded by 7 foot high spiky fence), which is meant to start at the beginning of this month. It'll take four months, but if delayed till January, they'll then be too late to start it till autumn '99. A second camp has been set up, the new 'New State of Bulgaria', where secret tunnel building has been happening over recent months. As we go to press, preparations for the weekend of action, party and workshops go on apace.
In Bushey Park, a protest camp to stop a housing development has been set up, including developing Grade 2 listed buildings, and an old MoD torpedo shell testing dome. Campaigners instead want an education and environmental centre, & with 3,000 supporters and much in donations, it looks good. The camp was moved off the development site in order to show goodwill for negotiations, with the original site now fenced off.
Arthur's Wood camp is still intact but underpopulated, with the court date looming. The National Trust are removing environmentalists (accused of "trampling on the ground") from their land in order to allow Manchester Airport to trash it. The issues at stake are: to highlight the National Trust selling off 'inviolable' land here and around the country (& getting a pay-off!); to focus attention again on Runway 2 & further delay it; and to challenge the AMEC/Tarmac joint venture that's illegally destroying trees and hedgerows.
Victory for the Derby Bass Rec protestors who have started coming down from the treetops following a council decision to change the road plans, saving the Recreation Ground and instead shaving away the verge. Fun days and a Planning for Real exercise were held.
St Mary's Churchyard campers in Southampton have disbanded the camp as the Church have scaled down their plans and gone back to the drawing board. It' ll be 6 months before they put in the planning application, and they'll talk with campaigners at the end of this month. The camp had also been attacked one night by organised thugs not from the local area, who trashed tents, badly bruised someone's back and broke someone else's finger. Locals are completely supportive, and the camp will set up again if needed.
LMS Railway Station passengers in Oxford dropped a road down the front of the Sheldonian Theatre recently, a much better idea than trashing the trees in front of the station, to build a six-lane road junction next to the University's shiny new arms-funded Business School. In answer to the possession order recently granted, defendants have pulled their own strings - walkways, abseil lines and phone-trees. The camp is now a happy buzzing place preparing for an inventive, creative, full-on fun-packed anarchic pisstake of an eviction... all we need is a drove more people! Come and join the world's first city-centre heritage protest camp - we have a No Drugs + No Alcohol rule, snug treehouses, cargo-nets, barricades, lockons, bunkers, and the world's first Sofa-Lock-On!
Crystal Palace recently had their possession order, and so are preparing to defend the site. A womble defendant appeared in court, and the eviction is being appealed. To join the eviction phone tree, ring 0181 659 3301.
...not just....the Ozymandias Direct Action & Sabotage Handbook (the British 'Ecodefense') - quietly ask around, or surf the web: www.cafeunderground.com/Cafesite/Rooms/Ozymandia/handbook_1.html