Home | Friday 21st August 2009 | Issue 688
WAKE UP!! IT’S YER EVEN SKINTER THAN HLS...
SchNEWS
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Story Links : Stock Horror At Hls | Climate Of Anticipation | A Wales Of A Time | Fash On Parade | Straight From The P'smouth | Back To Base | Cease And Resist | Smarter In Vestas | Gross-ery Shop | And Finally
STOCK HORROR AT HLS
AS BANKERS RUN SCARED FROM INVESTING IN ANIMAL TORTURE...
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), the largest animal testing lab in Europe have had a huge setback this week as giant US investment bank Stanley Morgan pulled out their shares in HLS.
Morgan Stanley divested their shares after just a few demos in the last few weeks by Win Animal Rights (WAR). This victory follows Barclays’ dumping of HLS in May (See SchNEWS 677), and is part of a successful tactic of targeting investors, clients and other support companies – alongside continual direct action and demonstrations – which has brought HLS to the brink of collapse.
Despite the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (NETCU) - one of the UK’s political police forces [see netcu.wordpress.com] - insisting that the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign has been crippled (See SchNEWS 655), activists have achieved one of their major campaign targets, the delisting of HLS from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
CEO Andrew Baker is now looking to make HLS a ‘privately held company’ meaning that they will no longer trade shares on stock markets.
On August 1st, activists from WAR visited the homes of five senior Morgan Stanley executives, followed by a visit on the 6th to Morgan Stanley’s New York HQ, plus more home visits. In the days after this Morgan Stanley – HLS’s largest investor with a 5% stake – divested hundreds of thousands of LSR shares, leaving HLS/LSR valued below the $15 million required to be listed on the NYSE.
In the past three months, after constant actions and demos in the UK and US, HLS/LSR have seen their two biggest institutional investors pull out. In late July a capital firm called H Partners pulled their £11.2 million out, and in May, after months of campaign pressure, Barclays sold all their shares. Also that month Hartford Investment Management Company, Rice Hall James and Associates LLC and BNY Mellon also pulled out (whoever these anonymous suits are!). HLS is currently £72 million in debt and revenue has dropped by a quarter in the past year. HLS are admitting that the international campaign by WAR and SHAC is having a tangible effect.
HLS were forced to move their shares to the NYSE after years of constant campaigning forced them to pull their shares off the main trading platform of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 2001. The SHAC campaign had made the trading of HLS shares on the LSE virtually impossible. After HLS was left without a banker willing to offer them services the British government was forced to step in and bail them out awarding them banking facilities with the Bank of England.
HLS have around 70,000 animals at their death lab near Cambridge, ranging from primates and dogs through to rodents and birds, killing 500 a day in cruel experiments mostly for the pharmaceutical industry. Protests continue every week against HLS – for more see www.war-online.org and www.shac.net
* To show the, er, diversity of campaigning against HLS, another group has bobbed up to help close the vivisectors, calling themselves Militant Forces Against HLS (MFAH). Similar in tactics to the ALF, in the past few months they have been targeting HLS customers across western Europe, and on August 2nd burnt the hunting lodge of Novartis CEO Daniel Vasella. They have also carried out an arson attack on a Novartis sports centre in St. Louis, France, as well as attacks on execs of Novartis and Bayer. The Vice Chairman of Novartis in Duesseldorf had his house spray painted, and his Porsche covered in paint stripper and the tyres slashed. Similar attacks against five Bayer execs also recently happened across Germany.
** Campaigners are gearing up for a mass demo against Highgate Rabbit Farm at 12 noon, near Market Rasen, Normanby-By-Spital, Lincolnshire on Saturday September 26th after a successful camp held there last month (See SchNEWS 686). www.shac.net/OperationLiberation
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CLIMATE OF ANTICIPATION
AS THE CLIMATE CAMP MOVES SOUTH TO THE LONDON AREA...
The countdown to Climate Camp London 2009 moves into top gear this week with only 6 days left until the ‘swoop’ on the as-yet-undisclosed site on Wednesday 26th. With activists ready to mobilise up and down the country, anticipation is building within the campaign community and the police rank and file alike. The primary focus of this year’s week long camp (26th August - 2nd September) is being directed towards preparation for the autumn of mass action before the UN climate talks in Copenhagen, which are scheduled for December.
With no definite plans for a co-ordinated mass action at the gathering, autonomous ‘neighbourhoods’ (made up of regional groups) will be left to themselves to decide on whatever active demonstration they feel necessary. Networking, learning and building are three of the main objectives of the camp. Whether it’s by sharing ideas, meeting like-minded individuals, organising a campaign network, building a wind turbine, facilitating workshops on media relations or making 12v pedal powered generators, Climate Camp is concentrating on producing an accomplished climate force to be reckoned with.
The Met stated their intentions this week to adopt a nicey-nicey approach to this year’s camp after the draconian and invasive procedures used at previous camps at Kingsnorth power station and Heathrow (See SchNEWS 641, 600), pledging to limit the use of surveillance units and stop and search tactics. This will be out of their genuine concerns for the wellbeing of the protesters of course, not the fact that as Notting Hill Carnival falls on the same weekend their resources may be stretched pretty thin...
No matter where you are in the country there will be a local neighbourhood group near you preparing for Wednesday’s swoop. Whether you can come for one day or the full week, meet up with your local group or sign up for the Facebook, Twitter or text updates to be sure you don’t miss it.
* To find out more: www.climatecamp.org.uk
* Desperate to ‘reach the kids’ and garner some 21st century cool PR, the Met have launched their own Twitter to tweet sweet nothings out during the camp – thus proving what we’ve always known – they’re a bunch of twats.
* The South Coast neighbourhood will be having an information and social day at Westhill Hall, Seven Dials starting at 2pm on Saturday 22nd. Come to watch the Climate Camp film, meet local people who will be going to the camp and attend workshops. (Also enjoy a slice of cake and a cup of tea.)
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A WALES OF A TIME
As preparations for Climate Camp London step up, the Welsh Climate Camp Cymru has drawn to a close. The camp ended on a high with a march on Friday 15th from the campsite to the site of the open-cast coal mine at Ffos-y-Fran in a symbolic ‘reclaiming of the land’.
Although the police halted the demonstraters as they attempted to enter, the event passed off peacefully with only a few stop-and-searches conducted and the members of camp happy that they had achieved publicity for this controversial issue. If the proposed extension of the mine goes it ahead, it will generate as much CO2 per year as the entire country of Mozambique.
As the camp wound down on the 16th, the message went out that campaigners in Wales will continue to take action against the root causes of climate change and will join other climate protesters in the run up to the Copenhagen climate summit in December.
* For photos of the camp and more info see http://climatecampcymru.org
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FASH ON PARADE
The BNP’s ‘Red White and Blue Festival’ (see SchNEWS 643 for last year’s bash) went ahead on a farm in rural Derbyshire last Sunday (16th) with activists forming blockades on access roads leading to the site.
Despite some seemingly counter-productive leadership from UAF (Unite Against Facism) such as authoritarian organisers limiting protesters in their movements and ordering them to break lines in order to comply with the police, members of the protest credit the action with disrupting the smooth running of the day and preventing access for some potential attendees.
70 coaches carrying hundreds of protesters converged on the village of Codnor with others joining them there, bumping the numbers up into their thousands, making it the biggest anti-BNP protest so far. BNP head Nick Griffin later lodged a complaint with the police over the prevention of supporters reaching the ‘festival’, showing the demonstration achieved its main objective. Reports suggest the campaigners outnumbered the BNP supporters at the gathering 10-1, and the mood at the convention was uneasy as the speeches and chants from the rally drifted over the field where BNP sympathisers shivered in the shorts after buying golliwog mugs and Union Jack badges. It was definitely not your standard village fête. For pics and info see: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/08/436523.html
* More neo-nazis are planning to descend on Harrow Mosque on the Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 29th) in protest against the proposed Shariah law court to be built on the site. Clashes between the right wing racists and anti-fascist groups are expected on the day and a heavy police presence is likely to be in attendance. There has been a call out for all concerned parties to unite on the day in support of the Mosque and its clientèle to protect these citizens against racist Islamophobia. See: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/08/436344.html
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STRAIGHT FROM THE P'SMOUTH
And you thought the days of trucking animals around the country to parade them in funny costumes round big tents in the name of entertainment were over... but no. Zippos Circus is arriving in Portsmouth next Tuesday, ready to make ‘em laugh on Southsea Common with exploitative shows using horses and ponies. Zippos has been exposed by Animal Defenders International for failing to comply with even the basic task of exercising their animals daily and on one 5 mile journey in 2003, Zippos animals were kept on lorries for over 4 hours a time.
SHAC are urging all to join them in demonstrations, appeals to local shopkeepers, to liberate circus posters and money-off vouchers and, less excitingly but still useful, write to the council (tel: 02392 822 251, email cityhelpdesk@portsmouthcc.gov.uk).
If you can’t wait until next Tuesday (25th) when the shambolic show arrives in Portsmouth, why not register your displeasure outside the Brighton performances, continuing until this Sunday (23rd) on Hove Lawns.
Meanwhile, to prove a decent day out can be had even in Portsmouth, Saturday 5th September sees the return of the Portsmouth Green Fair, bigger and better than ever before, and this time in a central town location – Guildhall Square. We’re promised there’ll be solar-powered music, cinema, and more low-impact living tips, talks and campaign stalls to complement the ubiquitous green entrepreneurial shopportunites. See www.portsmouthcan.co.uk/greenfair2009.html
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BACK TO BASE
Five peace protesters nonchalantly strolled into one of Britain’s closely guarded naval bases which harbours nuclear-armed Trident submarines this week (Monday 17th), completely unchallenged. The lack of obstructions to the campaigners’ entrance to the site highlights the incompetence of the security forces surrounding Britain’s ‘strategic nuclear deterrent’.
The five were taken into custody after a half an hour jaunt around the site in Faslane, Scotland and charged with criminal trespass. They are awaiting a decision as to whether prosecution will follow. The demonstators were in the area to join the week long Trident Ploughshares disarmament camp at Coulport, near Faslane, running from 15th - 23rd August.
* See www.tridentploughshares.org
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CEASE AND RESIST
Hicham Yezza, Nottingham student and political prisoner was released on August 12th after being sentenced to nine months in March for allegedly deceiving immigration officials (See SchNEWS 668). He was originally arrested in June 2008 over nonsense terror allegations to do with him and another student downloading an Al Qaeda training manual off a public domain US government site, and he was soonafter re-arrested over immigration issues. He is Algerian-born and has been in England for fourteen years.
During the last stage of his imprisonment he managed to edit – from a cell in Canterbury Prison - a new issue of the publication Ceasefire, which is out now, featuring articles ranging from Palestine and Congo to slagging off Facebook. To get a copy see http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk
* See http://freehicham.co.uk
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SMARTER IN VESTAS
More developments in the continuing Vestas wrangle with the government and capitalist big business over the 600 job losses and impact on the environment caused by the closure of the factory on the Isle of Wight (see SchNEWS 687).
The rooftop protesters descended last Friday (14th) and attempted to take their case to local MP Andrew Turner, although mysteriously he was absent from his office which was closed for the whole day. Surely it’s not like a politician to shirk the opportunity to defend his stance on climate issues and workers’ rights..?
Although occupations have ceased, weekly rallies are still being held in various locations, and this week saw a march taking place on Sandown Pier, on the East of the island. Groups on the mainland have also been attending solidarity meeting to plan action, with a callout for all students and teaching professionals by Portsmouth RMT to conduct a ‘teach-in’ on Thursday 17th September.
Vestas announced profits of £90m for 2009, a downturn on the previous year which they attributed to (among other things) the pay-offs for the 1,567 employees that had their jobs taken this year worldwide. As one of the top 500 corporations in the world Vestas is expecting a quick recovery and has recently employed more than 5,000 workers in China, Spain and the US for their new projects, after deeming the planning laws in the UK unworkable in terms of providing opportunity for real market growth in Britain.
* Petition calling for nationalisation of the factory: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveVestas ** More at: http://savevestas.wordpress.com
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GROSS-ERY SHOP
The threat of eviction seems to be looming larger over the protest camp at Tinore Woods (See SchNEWS 672). This week the site was invaded by police under the guise of a ‘health and safety’ check. The TesCops seemed more out to video everyone, initimidate, in-terror-gate and generally size up an all out attack on the site, so inconveniently protecting ancient woodland from ruinous development plans.
It can be no coincidence that this comes just weeks after the poor just-trying-to-earn-an-honest-living-guv grocers finally overcame all legal hurdles to get the official go-ahead for the store.
It’s Tesco standard operating procedure to use its team of crack lawyers and deep pockets to bully and threaten anyone attempting to muscle in or derail any sweet deal they’ve got going.
Using the same firms of consultants that the council use (councils are forced to pick from a goverment-approved shortlist of firms, most already in the employ of Tesco – but hey, no conflict!) they launch PR campaigns full of mis-truths and creative statistics, and conduct ‘independent’ surveys full of biased questions, all to manufacture ‘evidence’ of the desperate need and support for the new store - which can all be presented to counter the unconvinced. They are then happy to sweat out any opposition by fighting endless legal battles, tweaking plans to extend the planning objection process, and sitting by until the opposition runs out of funds and the will to live.
And if that doesn’t work, they can always bend a few ears in Westminister and get the government to overrule any denial of planning permission. Variations of these tactics are almost certainly now being played out in a town near you (for an idea of just how many battles there are going on round the country see www.tescopoly.com)
Back in Titnore, rumours are circulating that Worthing Borough Council are shortly to give the final go-ahead for the 875-home housing development and that the camp will be cleared by force before work starts, possibly as soon as October.
The campers are appealing for all those who have supported them during their three-year marathon protest to make the effort to come and visit them now - before it’s too late.
See www.myspace.com/camptitnore
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AND FINALLY
This weeks prize for proving what we already knew goes to academics from Nihon University, Chiba, Japan. They’ve released a study showing that plastics do decompose in the sea, causing toxic nano-sludge and releasing poisons such as bispenol A and PS oligomer into the bargain – known to disrupt the functioning of hormones in animals. This means that the visible plastic pollution in the oceans – and boy is it ever visible, with a plas-slick ‘Garbage Gyre’ twice the size of Texas off the US coast (see SchNEWS 620) – an even bigger danger may be what happens as it breaks down, which, according to the new research, is quite quick given exposure to sun and seawater.
Now this news is ‘out of the bag’, it looks like dreams of linking the US and Japan by a permanent plastic causeway are doomed unless consumers and industry can pull together to pump more waste plastic into the sea, and do so quicker than it can melt away into the ecosystem... C’mon guys, messing this up this historic opportunity would be such a waste!
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REPORTS FROM THE VERGE
- Smash EDO/ITT Anthology 2005-2009 - A new collection of twelve SchMOVIES covering the Smash EDO/ITT's campaign efforts to shut down the Brighton based bomb factory since the company sought its draconian injunction against protesters in 2005.
UNCERTIFIED - OUT NOW on DVD- SchMOVIES DVD Collection 2008 - Films on this DVD include... The saga of On The verge – the film they tried to ban, the Newhaven anti-incinerator campaign, Forgive us our trespasses - as squatters take over an abandoned Brighton church, Titnore Woods update, protests against BNP festival and more... To view some of these films click here
ON
THE VERGE - The Smash EDO Campaign Film - is out on DVD. The film
police tried to ban - the account of the four year campaign to close down a weapons
parts manufacturer in Brighton, EDO-MBM. 90 minutes, £6 including p&p
(profits to Smash EDO)
TAKE
THREE - SchMOVIES Collection DVD 2007 featuring thirteen short direct
action films produced by SchMOVIES in 2007, covering Hill Of Tara Protests, Smash
EDO, Naked Bike Ride, The No Borders Camp at Gatwick, Class War plus many others.
£6 including p&p.
V
For Video Activist - the SchMOVIES 2006 DVD Collection - twelve
short films produced by SchMOVIES in 2006. only £6 including p&p.
SchMOVIES
DVD Collection 2005 - all the best films produced by SchMOVIES in 2005.
Running out of copies but still available for £6 including p&p.
SchNEWS
At Ten - A Decade of Party & Protest - 300 pages, £5 inc
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Peace
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of the World - issues 300 - 250, 300 pages,£4 inc p&p.
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