A long weekend of action, workshops and defence-building in preparation for the eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp

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 – click here

Mainshill Solidarity Camp website

Fears, rumour, lies and repression

In the last months of 2009, the fierce repression of communities and targeted individuals by the state and federal forces, the army and paramilitary groups has increased and extended. These actions are now not only targeting Zapatista communities, Other Campaign adherents and human rights defenders, but now also campesino groups not involved with the Other Campaign. False rumours and press releases appeared predicting an uprising in 2010 and describing finds of stores of arms.

Read more:  http://glasgowchiapassolidaritygroup.wordpress.com

 The 11 prison year sentence passed down to BNP bomber Terence Gavan, the ongoing Aryan Strike Force trial, the ructions in Stoke council group and the general election fallout, and the forthcoming EDL demo means continued strife for the BNP and far right groups.

"Seven judges at the European court of human rights said that random stop and search powers under section 44 of the ­Terrorism Act were far too widely drawn and lacked adequate parliamentary and legal safeguards against abuse."

• Guardian

TO SHOOT AN ELEPHANT

The “To shoot an elephant” team calls for a Global Screening-Global Screaming Day for Gaza on January 18^th , 2010

The 18^th of January 2010 is the first anniversary of the end to the bombing by Israel of the Gaza Strip; an attack which began on the 27^th of December 2008, and lasted until the 18^th of January 2009, and in which 1,412 Palestinians lost their lives. The documentary /To shoot an elephant/ is an eye witness account from within the Gaza Strip of what occurred during those days. This direct and privileged narration becomes a tool with which we can confront the Israeli propaganda about what really happened there and the silence of the international community.

For its value as a testimony of the civilian population, /To shoot an elephant/ has become a legitimate account which tells of what really happened there. It is an irreplaceable image of what the mass media tries to hide, an exceptional soundtrack to be listened to by those who live under Zionist control... Fragments of reality showing what life is like inside a war where there is no possibility of escape.

OPEN SOURCE VIDEO-OPEN SOURCE SCREENING

As well as its narrative and informative value, /To shoot an elephant/ is an example of a collective, autonomous and horizontal effort, which aims to innovate the methods and ways in which audiovisual projects are carried out, as much in its production process as in its distribution and diffusion. By opting, with deliberation for the collective work process and Creative Commons licensing our aim is for the documentary to overcome the limits of those who produce it, and that it becomes the material of those who view it.

 Islam4UK will be a proscribed organisation on thursday following their attempted Wootton Bassett protest.

Edition 3 of Movement, the newsletter of the No Borders network, is online now. 

Pubs and bars in the centre of Edinburgh are being called upon by anti-fascist campaigners to ban the bigoted "Scottish" Defence League, before their racist demonstration on the 20th of February.

I was recommended this book while being slaughtered in an argument about climate change and renewable energy. I was expounding the ‘green new deal’ idea, where the state could invest in wind power and other renewables while the recession is on and unemployment high. My opponent responded that wind power was not sufficient to meet our needs. Now, I’d heard it said that meeting our energy requirements with wind power would require covering most of the British Isles in wind generators, but this nay-saying had been shoved into the back of my mind. However, I had no figures to defend my position with, so the discussion moved on to other things.

Late one night in early January Poniel open cast coal mine was visited by a number of people who sabotaged machines. A total of 13 pieces of machinery were damaged, including one giant earth mover, six giant dumper trucks, four standard sized earth movers and two flood light generators.