Pre-Eviction Gathering! Sat 23rd to Tues 26th January
A long weekend of action, workshops and defence-building in preparation for the eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp
A long weekend of action, workshops and defence-building in preparation for the eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp
Saturday 23rd to Tuesday 26th January, Mainshill Wood, South Lanarkshire
With the long-awaited and highly-anticipated eviction of the camp surely drawing closer, join us for the weekend (and as much time after that as
you can spare!) to add the finishing touches to defences, build new ones and fortify barricades. Ever wanted to build yourself a treehouse? Dig
yourself a tunnel? Make yourself a lock-on? Now is your chance!
We’re asking anyone who wants to be a part of stopping this open cast coal mine, anyone who wants to fight corporate greed, corrupt government
and the feudal land ownership, and anyone who wants to defend a community from the self-interest of the few, to come to the camp and
help us build a viable alternative to the destruction that will otherwise ensue.
Asking nicely has failed. Its time to fight back!
What to bring:
* Warm clothes and waterproofs
* Sleeping bag
Tasty vegan food will be provided, but bring any supplies you can. Any
building materials, tools, climbing equipment, bedding or anything on
our wish list you can spare please bring it along.
Directions –
http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415#How%20to%20Get%20There
http://mainshill.noflag.org.uk/
4 comments:
At 8.30am on Monday 25th about 40 or 50 National Eviction Team (NET) supported by around 30 police arrived at Mainshill Solidarity Camp and started the eviction process.
By the end of the day, there had been 19 arrests.
The two main barricades, the bunker, and the ‘buckfast’ communal were JCB-ed, with the underground lock-ons in the bunker proving a challenge for the bailiffs.
Three treehouses at ‘buckfast’ gave the climbing team a run for their money, as protestors occupied walkways and climbed into the very highest branches of the trees.
Behind one of the barricades a double-layered tripod with a prism shaped skyraft hanging from its apex cost the NET another three or four hours. It was eventually defeated when they built their own walkway above the raft, attached ropes around it, cut the ropes which were suspending it, and lowered it to the ground. In a spectacular fit of risky behaviour, the NET then took down the double-layered tripod structure by kicking it.
A treehouse above a bunker, and the bunker itself (positioned above a tunnel) lasted another three hours. The tunnel team worked all night but only managed to expose the entrance to the tunnel.
This morning (Tuesday 26th) the tunnel team succeeded in clearing the expanding foam blockading the first door, inserted a camera into the tunnel, and removed one person.
A protestor outside site was arrested for breach of the peace.
The multilayered defence known as ‘the fort’ took all day to evict, with climbers bringing down the final two occupants as dusk fell.
Three more protestors held a pine plantation all day before being removed, with one man still occupying a tree there as the climbing team left for the night.
Although exact numbers aren't available, there are still many protestors locked-on in the canopy.
The tunnel team will be working through the night again, but there are plenty of ways on to site for those wishing to help resist the eviction from the inside, and other roles for anyone wanting to support site from the outside.
Update from Mainshill eviction day 3
In solidarity with Mainshill Solidarity Camp | 28.01.2010 01:45 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Free Spaces
What's been happening today at the Mainshill eviction? Bulldozers, nets, and a whole lotta singing.
Seven more protestors were arrested today in the third day of resistance against the eviction of Mainshill Solidarity Camp.
As the tactics of the National Eviction Team grew increasingly aggressive and cavalier, spirits on site remained strong. Climbers attempted to evict the stand of sycamores but were met with determined resistance and succeeded in only removing one protestor. Branches have been stripped from the remaining trees and treehouses destroyed. The coal activists have been left without bedding or tarps for the night.
Bulldozers destroyed trees within 50metres of a hidden treetop camp as the locked-on protestors screamed and whistled to try and reveal themselves and stop work. The discovery of this further site has delayed the end of the eviction and raises doubts about the competency of the NET. A search helicopter had made several passes over the area but seemingly failed to find anything, despite hovering over their exact location for several minutes. As the bulldozers neared the treehouses, support folk outside site begged the NET to stop the work to secure the area and ensure the safety of those locked-on. Their whistles could clearly be heard from the front of site but the NET were stubborn in their refusal to accept the possible presence of another occupation. Work was finally stopped metres from the treehouses. The climbing team expect to start trying to clear the area, known as ‘Ewok Village’ tomorrow.
A treehouse, the net, and a skyraft were cleared of occupants. Tunnel teams continue to work through the night to clear the underground defences.
The 26 people held and charged over the last two days have all been released on bail, and are charged with either breach of the peace or section 68(1) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
In solidarity with the Mainshill Solidarity Camp, Ravenstruther coal rail terminal was shut down for up to five hours this morning as a protestor locked on to a digger.
It is still easy to get onto site so come down and support the Mainshill crew from the inside or do some support work from the outside.
At 8.30am on Monday 25th about 40 or 50 National Eviction Team (NET) supported by around 30 police arrived at Mainshill Solidarity Camp and started the eviction process.
By the end of the day, there had been 19 arrests.
The two main barricades, the bunker, and the ‘buckfast’ communal were JCB-ed, with the underground lock-ons in the bunker proving a challenge for the bailiffs.
Three treehouses at ‘buckfast’ gave the climbing team a run for their money, as protestors occupied walkways and climbed into the very highest branches of the trees.
Behind one of the barricades a double-layered tripod with a prism shaped skyraft hanging from its apex cost the NET another three or four hours. It was eventually defeated when they built their own walkway above the raft, attached ropes around it, cut the ropes which were suspending it, and lowered it to the ground. In a spectacular fit of risky behaviour, the NET then took down the double-layered tripod structure by kicking it.
A treehouse above a bunker, and the bunker itself (positioned above a tunnel) lasted another three hours. The tunnel team worked all night but only managed to expose the entrance to the tunnel.
This morning (Tuesday 26th) the tunnel team succeeded in clearing the expanding foam blockading the first door, inserted a camera into the tunnel, and removed one person.
A protestor outside site was arrested for breach of the peace.
The multilayered defence known as ‘the fort’ took all day to evict, with climbers bringing down the final two occupants as dusk fell.
Three more protestors held a pine plantation all day before being removed, with one man still occupying a tree there as the climbing team left for the night.
Although exact numbers aren't available, there are still many protestors locked-on in the canopy.
The tunnel team will be working through the night again, but there are plenty of ways on to site for those wishing to help resist the eviction from the inside, and other roles for anyone wanting to support site from the outside.
Yesterday was the fifth and final day of the eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp – the last two arrests as the final occupiers were dragged out of the rapidly shrinking Wood. A total of 45 arrests were made over the course of the eviction with close to 70 people taking part and supporting the camp.
All five days saw the violence inflicted by the state on those who try to create positive change, and the collusion between the courts, police and corporations. But they also saw heroic acts of defiance, with people fighting off bailiffs until having their hands and feet cable-tied together and supporters maintaining a 24-hour vigil throughout the eviction.
This eviction is not an end, but the beginning of a campaign of community-based radical direct action sweeping Scotland’s central belt which can only grow in strength. From actions to stop work on opencast sites and the shutting down of a major coal rail terminal for a day (which happened for a third time on Wednesday), to community engagement and solidarity resulting in a seven-month occupation and a positive change in direction for radical environmentalism in Scotland.
But where can we go next? We’ve hit these capitalists and money-grabbers where it hurts most – in the pocket – and we can’t wait to hear how much it has cost them in total. Over 30 direct actions have taken place over the past 12 months, and that’s not including the eviction. Machines have been trashed, health studies published and bonds been made with those affected by heavy industry and the causes of climate change. We’ve dug tunnels, defended trees and climbed onto diggers.
The Mainshill Solidarity Camp has now been evicted, but the struggle continues!
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