BATH CLIMATE CAMP 19th - 21st April
Although the camp part of the Bath Climate Camp was evicted, demonstrations have still continued...
Friday 20th April, at 8 am, a group of 8 activists approached the Land and Marine office, to leaflet and banner drop, as part of the advertised blockade. As expected, they met a huge police presence: at least 42 coppers, more in reserve, 10 police vans. They quickly imposed their conditions, no more than 6 activists [their maths skills were lacking...], to demonstrate from 8.45 am until 10.45 am, which later extended to 12.30. They tried to move us also, up 30 meters and round the corner, which we refused. Eventually, after frequently checking the site of yesterday's attempted camp opposite, the majority of the police moved on. However, with the combination of the double walls of metal fences encircling the office block, combined with the siege like atmosphere of rows of Avon & Somerset's finest [and the Met...], the vast majority of workers wouldn't have been able to get their work done anyway, so all but about 3 members of staff had been given the day off. The place was empty. Conclusion - Land & Marine were shut down! Not how we planned it, but it worked. Our congratulations to Inspector Adam Jenners.
Also, the activists were all searched under a proposed mpodification to Section 1 of the PACE 1984 Act, for items to be used in connection with criminal damage. It may well be that this proposed modification to the law hasn't yet came in to power by the time they tried to use it, so there may well be a lawsuit in the works...
Police also confirmed their use of phone tapping to one activist: "Acording to your phone calls, you only expected 10 people at your meeting, but when we there you had 100." It seems that the police had confused our camp with that of the coming national Climate Camp, this summer - and wasted 100,000s of pounds in the process. The head of this over-zealous policing operation is probably sweating round about now.
Saturday 21st April. The Party Against Petrol crowd gathered in Bath Abbey at midday to begin what would have been a colourful and noisy protest against car culture and fossil fuels, intending to occupy Lower Bristol Road and the Esso station forecourt there. Around 25-30 activists turned up, and the police, themselves numbering 30 or more, with mounted police again, imposed conditions on the procession: march round the Abbey for 30 mins, then disperse.
Well, we did as were told, marched round the Abbey, drumming and dancing and playing football, returned and dispersed... only to form up again and continue the parade, flowing through the police lines easily. Handed out leaflets, spoke to passersby, meanwhile, the highly trained police were overheard arguing with each other, throwing out blame for their lack of control, right in front of the shoppers and tourists. The street party parade came to a close at Victoria Park, amidst picnic and sunbathing, under the police's watchful eye.
24th March 2007: Trebanos Carnival
Music and laughter filled the streets of Trebanos as people who had met though the protests against the pipeline took a day off to enjoy the spring sunshine together. 5 dogs, 1 goat, 1 pony , 31 children and 79 adults took to the streets in a variety of costumes. An eight piece Samba Band led the procession which covered the length of the village and took in back streets to make sure no-one was left out. Those unable to join in cheered from their gardens and passing drivers beeped their horns.
Some footage from the Trebanos anti-pipeline carnival
BP Portrait Gallery Vigil
BP were sponsoring the BP National Portrait Competition. The winning entries were made into an exhibition, which toured the country. When it got to Bristol we decided to throw a spanner in the works of the PR machine.
There are good reasons why companies like BP choose to throw cash at cultural, arty events. Altruism and love of art and 'high' culture don't feature highly on the list. Oil companies have had a bit of an image problem over recent years, as one scandal after another has hit the front pages. Sponsoring events like this is part of their PR counterattack. Its a way of convincing the public that they are caring, responsible companies who support culture and the arts. And its very cheap too.
Bristol Rising Tide activists linked up with Bristol Espacio Colombia, a group dedicated to solidarity with oppressed people in Colombia. We shared information and ideas about the role of BP in creating climate change and attacking communities that got in the way of their lucrative oil prospecting.
On May 5th and May 20th we went to the exhibition with a counter-exhibition of our own.
SILENT PROTEST AT NATIONAL PORTRAIT AWARD EXHIBITION OPENING, BRISTOL - 15/4/07
People from Espacio Bristol-Colombia and Bristol Rising Tide picketed the Royal West of England Academy with a visual memorial of some of the people killed by the army and right-wing paramilitaries in the BP-controlled area of Colombia. The gallery is currently exhibiting the National Portrait Award exhibition which is sponsored by BP. The protestors stood silently in front of the gallery for two hours, holding copies of portraits from the exhibition with the faces removed, to signify the fact that the faces of the murdered and disappeared are rarely seen. Public support and understanding was overwhelming, with people being visibly moved or angered to learn of BP’s activities.
www.bristol.indymedia.org
“A Real Portrait of BP”.
Some Background:
In Colombia BP have been linked with paramilitaries who have tortured, killed and “disappeared” many people for getting in the way of their oil prospecting.
In Recetor, a rural village with 1171 inhabitants, in early 2002 the army arrived. Disappearances began: 2 or 3 per day (uniformed men called peasants by name and forced them into vehicle). After 63 had been “disappeared”, the community abandoned the village - those with no money had to suffer fear in silence.
6 months later, after 65 disappearances, BP began oil exploration - no luck finding either oil or bodies.
BP spends a few % of its vast budget on renewables. They spend a whole lot more on PR and advertising to convince us that they are a responsible, sustainable company.
Why are they looking for new oil reserves, when just burning the reserves we have would send the global climate berserk?
The answer, as I’m sure you have probably guessed is money. Big money. Lord Browne, the boss, recently had a pay rise to £5.6 million a year.