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| 17th January
1997 | Issue
103 | Download PDF
WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S
YER FIRED UP...
REUNION RAMPAGE!
"What's worse?
The temporary end of a bit of replaceable machinery or the permanent
end of one of Britain's most beautiful landscapes? They had it coming."
- Newbury resident.
The anniversary of the
beginning of work on the Newbury Bypass was marked with a rally
of around one thousand people last Saturday. SchNEWS had gone along
with bits of ribbon to tie onto the fence in "symbolic protest"
but as the day unfolded rather more "decoration" happened than many
of us bargained for. Fencing was breached, a trickle of activists
entering under cover of heavy fog. The trickle became a flood, as
more fence surrounding the old Middle Oak camp was cut and pulled
down. As police and security looked helplessly on people got more
and more cheeky, culminating in a spectacular fireshow provided
by a dumper truck, a portacabin and the cab of an enormous crane.
Youthful campaigners and middle England alike registered their disgust
at the wasteland that is now Newbury.
When SchNEWS asked Costain
to comment on the action they replied, "We have always supported
peaceful protest, but unfortunately after Saturday's events we can
no longer support the protesters."!
Who are the real
vandals?
Over the last year some
of the most beautiful countryside in the South East has been trashed.
Wave goodbye to 3 Special Site of Scientific Interest, an area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty, a registered battlefield, 12 sites of
archaeological importance, 10 000 trees, a snail's habitat and a
colony of dormice. All this for a £101 million road which even the
Dept of Transport and local council admit will not solve Newbury's
congestion problems.
So was it just so-called
'outside agitators' that joined in the damage? One Newbury woman
said "it's about time something like this happened", and
later a middle-England resident actually asked one protester, sitting
on a digger, "is there some way I can damage this?"
Rally organisers Friends
of the Earth, sang a different tune "the few malicious hotheads
who ruined what had been a wholly peaceful rally..... betraying
the values of the green movement."
Much has been made of
how the roads protest movement has shown its true colours and become
violent, descending into "chaos and crime".
"Violence" is a very
emotive word, and easy to band about. No security guards or police
were injured, but one protester was hospitalised and another run
down by a police horse. In fact the lead up to the 'Reunion Rampage'
saw overkill police tactics continually harassing anyone in the
Newbury area stopping and searching vehicles and nicking people
for the most minor offences. So far 950 people have been arrested
in a year of protests, some spending time inside on nonsense charges,
like breaking the ridiculous bail conditions and High Court injunctions
stopping their right to protest. People had obviously had enough..
Now SchNEWS would
never encourage its readers to take part in such activities,
but why is damage to property considered violent? The "Swords into
Ploughshares" women were never considered violent for causing £23
million worth of damage to a hawk jet on its way to Indonesia...
* Some people's masks
were pulled off during the action by other protesters. This MUST
stop, as people have been sent down in the past after being identified
from photos. There are many reasons people may have for masking
up (like it was pretty chilly on Saturday) such as outstanding warrants
or a desire not want to end up on a Police file. That's their decision.
* Sharon Locke has been
sent down for Newbury protests for 21 days, letters of support and
solidarity can be sent too Sharon Locke TG2827, Holloway Prison,
Parkhurst Rd, London, N2 0NU.
* Read 'Battle of the
Trees' a personal account of one mans experience of the Newbury
campaign. Available for £2.50 + SAE from God Haven Ink, PO Box HP94,
Godhaven, Leeds, LS6 1YJ
* Newbury T shirts are
on sale to raise funds for their campaign at £8 or £15 for sweatshirts
(plus £2 Postage). Cheques to Third Battle of Newbury, PO Box 5520,
Newbury, , RG14 7YW. 01635 45544. All T shirts are fire proof we
have been told!!!
* Public Transport faces
a further set back as London Transport announce that they received
£400 million less than they expected from recent government spending.
The Conservatives have also pledged to privatise the tube if they
win another term of government.
Crap arrest
of the week
For not wearing
a seatbelt. Thames Valley Police pulled over a carload of
"dodgy lookin' geezers". After five minutes of being parked
by the roadside, Jay decides to take off his seatbelt - and
is then arrested and spends 23 hours in Newbury police station
for? Yes, you've guessed it, not wearing his seatbelt!
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SchNEWSnight
Sat 18 @ Sanctuary 8pm
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Attention all Jobseekers
You thought the Job Seekers
Allowance and Workfare were bad? Well those nice caring people in
the gov't have found yet another way of saving a few quid. Contract
for work is a new scheme planned that will effectively demolish
the welfare state as we know it and extend workfare massively. Under
contract work anyone who has been signing on for over two years
will be handed over to a private company who will give you the equivalent
of your dole for work. If you choose to leave the scheme or employment
and turn up at the dole to sign on again you will be sent straight
back to the private company. The scheme is soon to be on trial in
London, Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds, there will be four schemes
in operation two run by the private sector and two by employment
services to see what has the best results, no prices to those who
guess which will come out on top, especially as the private sector
is run purely for profit! So say bye bye Govt run Benefits and jobcentres
and hello privately financed schemes pushing you into more shitty
unpaid jobs.
Hunger Strikes
42 asylum seekers at
Rochester Prison, Kent have been on hunger strike since 6th January.
Rochester is a prison and people who have committed no crime are
being locked up, some facing deportation, others awaiting the outcomes
of appeals. The Prison Service told SchNEWS "The immigration detainess
are not treated any differently from other inmates. " But this is
exactly why they are on hunger strike in the first place - they
haven't done anything wrong apart from ask for asylum, with some
held for two years waiting to appeal! One detainnee complained "I
have just gone from gone from one prison (my country) to another".
A letter smuggled out of Rochester told of prison staff taking 'pleasure'
in unnecessarily "ordering us to give continuous random urine samples,
taking our pictures, finger-prints and bodily searches".
* Prison officials are
understood to be looking at putting asylum seekers in the soon to
arrive prison ship as they are felt to be more 'docile'.
* In 1996 a record number
of suicides took place in British prisons, 64 in all - 36 prisoners
on remand.
* On January 6th, animal
rights prisoner Barry Horne began a hunger strike in order to persuade
the government to end all links with vivisection within 5 years.
Due to deteriorating health, he was due to be moved to the medical
centre on Wednesday. 5 1/2 months on a prison vegan diet, and a
bout of 'flu meant that Barry didn't begin his strike in the best
of conditions. Barry is in good spirits and is extremely positive
- and totally committed to the successful conclusion of this strike.
* There is a national
vigil outside Bullingdon prison, near Bicester, Oxfordshire at 12
noon this Saturday (18th January). Info: (01954) 230542. Write to:
Barry Horne VC2141, HMP Bullingdon, P.O. Box 50, Bicester, Oxon.
* 65-year-old "category
A" prisoner with a dodgy lung Ronnie Easterbrook has been on hunger
strike since January 1st in protest against "inhumane conditions"
- he wants to be de-classified so he can be moved to a better prison.
Write (B88459) at HMP Belmarsh, Western Way, Thamesmead, London,
SE28 0EB.
Hills not Holes
On a dark night two moons
ago, locals unhappy with the corporate moonscape created by the
ARC superquarry at Whatley in the Mendip hills, took action. It
appears that a section of the railway line running from the quarry
to the Westbury depot was removed. A line is used exclusively for
transporting roadstone blasted from the quarry so no life was put
in danger. Shortly afterwards an anonymous saboteur claiming to
be from "Hills not Holes", was interviewed on Radio Bristol concerning
the action. This resulted in Richard Dixon, ex Lib Dem councillor
for the East Mendip ward, who is taking the injunction against the
quarry extension through the High courts, having his house raided
at 8am. The police spent ten hours searching his house, forensics
even going through his Hoover bag, whilst he was dragged down to
the station and "Interviewed extensively". Somerset Police had,
amongst other things, confiscated all of the paperwork concerning
the quarrying injunction, effectively crippling the case against
ARC until they are returned. Four other people were also pulled
in for "Conspiracy to cause criminal damage", all but one were later
released. Mick Ashton (Mick the Hat) was pulled up on warrants resulting
from previous Anti-Roads actions and has gone down for a seven month
stretch! Write to Mick Ashton (aka Mick the Hat) BC3059, HMP Horfield,
Cambridge Rd, Bristol, B27 8PF. "Hills not Holes" can be contacted
at "Mendip Hills not Holes", PO Box 2113, Shepton Mallet, BA4.
A30 Update
A special court order
was obtained to allow bailiffs to evict Fort Trolheim, the second
camp on the A30 route last Sunday, whilst many activist were still
at Newbury. A violent dawn eviction, during which air pipes to tunnels
containing protesters were cut and activists were hauled up shafts,
led to the arrest of 17 people for obstruction of bailiffs. All
were bailed on condition of not entering a fifteen mile boundary
around the site, making it impossible for many activists to sign
on, or even use roads leaving the county.
* Fairmile, the biggest
of the original 3 camps, is on Red Alert and in need of more support.
For directions call 01404 815729
SchNEWS in Brief
Troops of baboons have
been ambushing cars along South Africa's busiest highway with showers
of rocks, Police are using more rocks to chase the anarchic primates
away
*** A burial site is
being sought for 60,000 cubic metres of nuclear waste. If you have
any ideas about where they should stick it call British Nuclear
Fuels Limited on 0171 2229717. The next Women's Peace Camp action
at Sellafield is on Saturday 25th January
*** Alleged editors
of ALF Newsletter and the Green Anarchist magazine have been charged
with conspiracy. Their crime? That "Somewhere in the world over
a five year period (they're not sure when) I conspired with people
(most of whom I don't know) to incite other people (they don't know
who) to commit criminal damage (they don't know what) and the conspiracy
continued into the day after we were charged...". A tour to raise
awareness has been organised. They will be in Brighton on January
29th, at Sussex University at noon and at the Unemployed centre
at 7.30pm. For other dates call 01438 749372
*** On Friday 10th January
the £5.5 million Wells relief road was opened by John Watts.
He was heckled and the stage was rushed, he was unable to officially
open the road as a mischievous activist stole the ribbon before
it could be cut (presumably to be tied to fences at Newbury the
next day).
and finally
Know of a politician
or celebatory that takes themselves to seriously? Well fear not,
cos Noel Godin is coming to Britain. The champion flan-thrower and
author of 'Cream and Punishment' has spent the past 20 years cruising
his way round Europe targeting celebrates who need to lighten up.
Attacks are meticulously
planned and require a minimum of four people. "The crucial
thing is not to throw the flan, but place it and, most importantly
not to give a damn about finding a safe escape route, even if that
means being beaten senseless by dreary security guards. We use only
the finest patisserie ordered at the last minute from small local
bakers. Quality is everything. If things go wrong, we eat them."
His "cream crusade" appears
to gathering momentum and he is in regular contact with groups in
Paris, Canada and Switzerland where five cabinet ministers were
recently flanned simultaneously. Now he's looking to turn his attention
to England: "We are only just beginning. We feel ready now. We are
strong in numbers. A genuine International Brigade Patisserie has
been born. We believe that we are capable of achieving great things
in the near future. For instance, I firmly believe that we can flan
the Pope."
disclaimer
SchNEWS warns all readers
not to do anything naughty with earth moving equipment. Never act
upon a burning desire to torch a digger. Keep your matches in your
pocket and carry on tieing those yellow ribbons to the old oak tree.
You will then feel content. Honest.
Subscribe! Keep
SchNEWS FREE! Just send 1st Class stamps (eg 20 for next 20 issues)
or donations (payable to Justice?) Mark Original if you plan
to copy. SchNEWS is post free to prisoners. SchNEWS c/o on-the-fiddle
P0 Box 2600 Brighton East Sussex BN2 2DX Tel/Fax: (01273) 685913
e-mail: schnews@brighton.co.uk e-SchNEWS: http://www.cbuzz.co.uk/SchNEWS/
Next Justice? meeting:
Films about the Liverpool Dockers. Jan 21, 7:30pm @ Albert Pub,
Trafalgar St
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