News In brief...
* Anyone who was on the Allsorts or Reclaim The Streets info list needs to re subscribe to allsorts@gn.apc.org because their knackered old computer has died. If anyone’s got a decent computer they can have get in touch.
* 3 GE tree research sites (up to 1200 trees) were sabotaged in Oregon, USA in mid March. The felled and ring barked poplars included transgenic tree plus traditional hybrids used as ‘raw material’ for GE research. The action has latterly been claimed by anonymous ‘concerned students and alumni’ of Oregon State University.
* The Government is planning to give the go-ahead for the UK’s first commercial GM crop, T25 maize
* Please don’t phone Derby National Front on 07932 566 702 or their hotline on 07932 547080. If you sign up to uboot.com you can bombard their phones with text messages free
* On April 2nd around 300 people demonstrated against the proposed ban on demonstrations in Dublin city centre. The council then voted against the ban. Source http://struggle.ws
* 14 beagles were liberated from the animal testing laboratory Huntingdon Life Sciences in New Jersey, USA
* On March 31st as part of a GE Free Zone ActioFestation in Amsterdam, about 100 people accompanied by a salsa band, went to a supermarket and stickered products.
* Pepe Rei editor of Basque magazine ‘Ardibeltza’ (not part of ETA) has been imprisoned without charge since the Jan 18th. “Conspiracy with ETA” is being used by the Spanish State to silence this voice of Basque autonomy. Ardibeltza’s offices were raided and closed on April 27th and there was a court hearing for Rei (who is in ill health) on May 3rd. Schnews May 4th & www.euskalinfo.f2s.com
* On April 5th FBI agents raided the home, business, and vehicles of spokespersons for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office.
* Earth First! Journal new address. P.O. Box 3023, Tucson, AZ, 85702, USA collective@earthfirstjournal.org
* There has been some editorial changes at Green Anarchist magazine. They are looking to extend links with the wider peace & green movement. New address: Green Anarchist, 9 Ash Avenue, Galgate, Lancaster, LA2 0NP England grandlaf@lineone.net
* In March 2001, Dutch eco-activists sabotaged water pipes in a Betuweline tunnel causing over 10,000 guilders damage. The Betuweline is a controversial project to connect different industrial areas of Holland & Germany by train. No group has claim responsibility for the sabotage.
* Sri Lanka become one of the first countries to impose a total ban on GM foods.
* Communiques to the ELF North America press office; the arson of 2 cement trucks belonging to Ross Island Sand and Gravel in Portland USA, April 15th. An anonymous communique stated “Let this be a warning to all the greedy corporations who exploit our Earth’s natural resources”; An attempted arson at a Nike Outlet store in the town of Albertville, Minnesota, targeted due to the corporation’s use of sweatshop labour overseas and it’s role in globalisation; March 30th a fire that destroyed $1 million worth of new SUV’s at the Joe Romania Chevrolet truck lot in Eugene was claimed bt anonymous communique. North American ELF Press Office
elfpress@tao.ca
www.earthliberationfront.com
* FAQ about the earth liberation front booklet is now available. This 31-page booklet contains answers to frequently asked questions about the ELF & costs $7. Cheques & money orders to “Resistance” C/O North American ELF Press Office PO Box 4783 Portland, OR 97208 USA
This issue of the Action Update is dedicated to Liz, a dear friend and comrade who passed away last month and will be sadly missed. Much respect always.
Urgent Announcement
The EF! Summer Gathering has been forced to change it’s postal address due to being severely let down by a local ‘resource’ centre in Norwich. Apparently someone at the Greenhouse objected to the box attracting general Earth First! mail and decided to shut it down without warning. Gathering mail should now be sent to the EF! Action Update address. If you have recently sent mail and want to check it was received e-mail endcottage92@hotmail.com - anything very important should be resent.
EF! summer gathering address change