Pix-&-Vidz of Mili-Band – Sat 04 Jul 09

Dateline: Kingsnorth Power Station, North Kent, UK, 11:00-15:00, Sat 04 Jul 09 – How can we convince a pro-business “New” Labour government...
• that capitalism’s ecological crisis means business-as-usual cannot continue? 
• that the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December is humanity’s last best chance to urgently and drastically constrain its greenhouse gas pollution? 
• that taking practical responsibility for ameliorating the planet’s sixth great mass extinction event, through which we are living and which is caused by human activity, is a moral necessity? 
• that building new filthy dirty coal-burning power stations is a betrayal of our climate change commitments?
Well, eight British climate change campaigning organisations from the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition chose to mobilise over 1000 people to form a human chain around the existing coal-burning power station at Kingsnorth. Here’s what that looked and sounded like.

A1. Lakeside Mermaids – Inannasumer & Vera Way

A2. Mili-Band Promo-Poster

A3. Mili-Band Map – routes & photo locations: tinyurl.com/Mili-Band-map

B1. All aboard the big yellow Enviro 400 double-decker for the Mili-Band!

B2. They could have swam in from the estuary, but these two mermaids took the bus instead

B3. Mermaids in an idyllic landscape, marrred by a C02-spewing monstrosity

B4. Lech Walesa lookalike finds mermaids fatally attractive

B6. The time has come to get your sash on

B7. Friendly security operative, armed only with fresh, locally grown, deadly giant courgettes!

B9. Prepping for action

C1. Well-travelled DIY protest flag

C2. Young, Gifted and Back(ing the Campaign against Climate Change)

C3. Student of Comedy produces Cracking DIY Placard

C4. CLIMATE ACTION NOW, for all our feathered friends are depending upon us

C5. Reinventing Boudica's Great British C1 Warpaint Tradition for the C21 Climate War

C6. By coincidence, we're using the same camera – the Olympus SP-550UZ (where UZ = Ultra Zoom: 18x optical zoom + image stabilisation x2)

C7. “If you strike a woman, you strike a rock, you strike a boulder, you will be crushed!” – South African women’s freedom song

C8. WDM are asking The Big IF questions

C9. Viv Parker represents for Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway – KCAM

D1. Phil Thornhill represents for the Campaign against Climate Change

D2. The lady, she say, “Go Johnny, go go go go!”

D3. All Sashed-Up & Ready to Mili-Band!

D4. The Trek Begins

D5. Biker Rozzers Strike Nonchalant Poses

D6. Curious Horses Peruse Passing Protesters

D7A. A Hot Dog on a Long Walk and A Long Pig on a Dirt Bike

D7B. A Gaggle of Curious Geese Ogle Outbound Objectors

D8. ...and for every species

D9. Power Station Looms Over Lake

E2. Strung out for miles

E3. The Long March is... quite long, actually

E4. The Parting of the Ways

E5. Pylon Avenue

E6. Harvesters & Protesters

E7. Marrow Field

E8. Making the Mili-Band

E9. Follow the Yellow Sash Road – tracking shot start...

F1. ...tracking shot end – Yellow Sash Circles

F2. Rebel Beginning the Big Walk Back

F3. “So join the struggle while you may / The Revolution is just a T-shirt away” ~ Billy Bragg

F4. Self-Sewn Flowers of the Field

F5. Planet inna Greenhouse? Not if we can help it

F6. A Welcome Breeze

F7. One Well-Walked Goggie

F8. Soaking tired feet in the cool lake

F9. DIY T-Shirt – WIN!

Vidz at YouTube

• Mili-Band – 1, 2, 3...
» LINKS to follow shortly once editing and uploading are complete

Who are the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition? 
“We are the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change and limiting its impact on the world’s poorest communities. Our combined supporter base of more than 11 million people spans over 100 organisations, from environment and development charities to unions, faith, community and women's groups. Together we demand practical action by the UK to prevent global warming rising beyond the 2 degrees C danger threshold.”
Source: http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/about 

So with over 1000 people mobilised for the Mili-Band (some say over 2000), you could say each one of us also stood as a sentinel for over one million other people in the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition’s support base.

The whole event was extremely well organised, with stewards wearing a bright yellow high-vis vests and carrying walkie-talkie radios. On leaving Rochester train station, a steward directed us to the pickup point for the free big yellow double-decker shuttlebus, which took us to Vicarage Lane in the village of Hoo, where I photographed Inannasumer & Vera Way, a couple of mermaids I met on the train from London. You can follow the geographic details on the Mili-Band Routes & Photo Locations Map. 

Hoo’s football pitch recreation ground became the Mili-Band Fête Field for the day, and our base of operations. Newly arrived protesters were allocated to one of 10 numbered groups, and were invited to seek out their group leader in the Fête Field, each of whom carried a numbered placard and a walkie-talkie radio. A range of organisations had set up stalls in marquees, including KCAM, Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway, who’s Viv Parker I interviewed on camera – see ‘Mili-Band 1 – Viv Parker Interview’ at YouTube. You can find clickable links to the organisations who co-created the Mili-Band and those present at the event below.

At 12:20, after an announcement from the stage, there began a well organised exodus by numbered group. Unfortunately, with only a few days notice, the land nearby the Kingsnorth power station previously secured for the Fête Field became “unavailable”, so protesters faced a two mile walk from Hoo to the power station perimeter fence. Fortunately, however, the 31°C heat wave had peaked two days previously, and the mixture of scudding cumulus clouds and a cool breeze made for a pleasant stroll through the Kent countryside, passing curious horses and geese, and rozzers on off-road motorbikes.

By 13:20, I'd arrived at the power station perimeter fence, to find the Mili-Band line stretching out as far as the eye could see in both directions. To maximise the length of the line, the organisers had had made up many broad yellow sashes emblazoned with “climate change kills” in red – and Mili-Banders were invited to tear open their sash and link to the person either side of them in the Mili-Band by holding either end of the torn open sashes. 

At 13:25, I decided to begin a long video tracking shot along the line of the Mili-Band – see ‘Mili-Band 3 – Tracking Along the Mili-Band’ and ‘Mili-Band 4 – Tracking Along the Mili-Band, too’ at YouTube. Nearly 20 minutes and half a mile later, after crossing wire fences and a ditch, and with shins tingling nettle stings, the tracking shot came to a natural end. And at 13:50, the long trek back to the Fête Field began, after which I was practically exhausted and good-for-nothing!


Links 

• Mili-Band Map – Routes & Photo Locations
» http://tinyurl.com/Mili-Band-map 


Organisations co-creating the Mili-Band, and present at the event

• Campaign against Climate Change
» Website: http://www.campaigncc.org 
» Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2388278119 
» YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/campaigncc 
» MySpace: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=100566190 

• Campaign to Protect Rural England, Kent Branch – Climate Change Campaining
» http://cprekent.org.uk/read-campaign.php?id=19 

• Christian Aid
» Our work on climate change – http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/issues/climate_change.aspx 
» Countdown to Copenhagen – http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/Countdown-to-Copenhagen-climate-change

• Kent Climate Change Forum – Collaborating on climate change across Kent 
» http://kentclimate.wordpress.com 

• Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway – KCAM
» Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54528797015 

• National Union of Students – Taking on climate change 
» http://www.nus.org.uk/Campaigns/Society-And-Citizenship/Taking-on-climate-change-/ 

• No new coal – Stop Kingsnorth and a new generation of dirty power
» http://nonewcoal.org.uk 
» Shortcut: http://stopkingsnorth.org 

• Oxfam GB – Climate Change & Global Warming – Get Involved 
» http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/campaign/climate_change/ 

• Oxfam International – Climate Change campaign
» http://www.oxfam.org/en/climatechange 

• People & Planet
» Stop Climate Chaos: http://peopleandplanet.org/stopclimatechaos 
» Ditch Dirty Development – People & Planet vs. The Treasury: http://peopleandplanet.org/ditchdirtydevelopment 
» Go Green Campaign – schools, colleges & universities must clean up their act: http://peopleandplanet.org/gogreen/ 

• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds – Climate Change Campaining
» http://rspb.org.uk/climate 

• Stop Climate Chaos Coalition
» http://www.stopclimatechaos.org 

• UK Youth Climate Coalition
» Website: http://ukycc.org 
» Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=74406871584 
» UK Youth Delegation to Copenhagen: http://delegation.ukycc.org 
• Power Shift – Be a part of the largest-ever UK youth event to solve the climate crisis
» Website: http://powershift.ukycc.org 
» Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51917941614 

• We want A Safe Climate ASAP
» http://asafeclimate.org 

• Women's Institute – Women and Climate Change Campaign
» http://thewi.org.uk/standard.aspx?id=10951 

• Woodcraft Folk – Sust'n'Able - Educational Resource Packs - Energy
» http://sustnable.woodcraft.org.uk/3_energy.htm 

• World Development Movement
» http://www.wdm.org.uk 
• The Big If: NOW is the critical time for climate action
» http://thebigif.org


Mainstream Media Reports

• Video & report: ‘Protesters form human chain around Kingsnorth power station’, by Keyan Milanian @ Kent Online
» http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2009/july/3/anti-coal_protest.aspx 

• ‘Environmental protest at Kingsnorth power station’, by Robin Henry @ Times Online
» http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6637699.ece

• ‘Human chain demo over power plant’, @ BBC News
» http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8134210.stm 

• ‘Protesters form human chain around Kingsnorth’, @ ITN News
» http://itn.co.uk/a144e8eaa0954046748897aa359b6f61.html 

• ‘Coal plant 'will hit African poor' ’, @ The Press Association
» http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hJYGEBr4CPctG4pWK-lDeOT1n1eQ 


Whatever Next?

Fri 10 Jul 09, 16:00-18:00
Put the “Independent” Police Complaints Commission on Trial!
On Friday July 10th it will be 100 days since the death of Ian Tomlinson. To mark this sad occasion, and to show solidarity with the Tomlinson family and the countless other families and friends still awaiting justice the United Campaign Against Police Violence asks you to join us in putting the Independent Police Complaints Commission on trial.
WHERE: IPCC HQ, 90 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6BH
WHY: Currently those who police the police have shown themselves to be neither independent nor just. We are going to hold our own public investigation and trial of the IPCC and invite all those with complaints to bring them down to be aired (and judged) in public. We also come to stand in solidarity with all victims of police brutality, their families and their friends.
» http://againstpoliceviolence.blogspot.com/ 

Wed 15 Jul 09, 18:00 
Climate Emergency Parliament
Location: Old Palace Yard, opposite Parliament
Our current parliament is failing to respond to the Climate Emergency. We will convene an alternative parliament to respond with the degree of urgency required.
The Bills before Parliament will include measures for:
• 10% reductions in UK Greenhouse gases by the end of 2010
• A million Green Jobs and emergency insulation program
• Banning all domestic flights by the end of 2010
• A 55 mph national speed limit
• Halving (on average) the cost of public transport and terminating the roads program
Speakers will include Colin Challen (member of the other House), Darren Johnson (Chair of the London Assembly - Green Party), John Stewart (Chair, Airport Watch), Tim Helweg Larsen (Director, Public Interest Research Centre), Tamsin Omond (Climate Rush) and Chris Baugh (Assistant General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union)
Come to the People's Parliament! All are welcome - just turn up and take your seat (er.....on the pavement) Hear about what we could be doing in the UK now to avert climate catastrophe - and bring your own ideas! 
» Website: http://www.campaigncc.org 
» Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2388278119 
» Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=96769507036 
• Online Climate Emergency Parliament
» http://portal.campaigncc.org/cep_intro 


Fri 17 Jul 09, 17:37-20:00
Bonuses are Back Pig Party!
Snouts in the trough, come and be a PIG!
Location: Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH
They thought they chased us out of town on April 1. Well we're back! The Bonuses are Back Big Time! Come and get your fill!
Pigswill Party on the steps of the Bank of England, Friday July 17, 5:37 p.m. precisely!
Head down, snouts in the trough, all at the taxpayers' expense, hahahahaha we're laughing all the way to the Bank!
Pig snouts provided, trough provided, pigswill provided, courtesy of the taxpayer!
All breeds of PIG welcome to chow down:
Capitalist Pigs,
Pigs on the Beat – filth, fuzz, rozzers
Right Honourable Pig MPs
Turn up with your accessories – pinstripe/bowler/cigar, handcuffs/truncheon/helmet, or rosettes for prize-winning Pig MPs – and we guarantee to turn YOU into a PIG!
» http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=103851151974

Mon 3 – Mon 10 Aug 09
Climate Camp – Scotland
Location: Firth of Forth
The camp will bring people together to take direct action against the root causes of climate change, and  will be set up somewhere around the Firth of Forth - surrounded by coal-fired power stations, gas and oil refineries, coal ports, open cast coal mines, corporate HQs, an airport, a nuclear power station, a cement factory and oil terminals.
This camp will cut carbon emissions. Climate Camp Scotland will raise the profile of direct action in Scotland, showing that the nature of the climate crisis is such that we no longer have time to wait for our political and business ‘leaders’ to act for us.
In addition, we aim to radicalise the political analysis of climate change and its solutions, placing it within a wider political context of social change and the reshaping of society towards more egalitarian and libertarian values.
Join us in August to take action against the root causes of climate change!
» http://climatecampscotland.org.uk

Thu 13 – Sun 16 Aug 09
Climate Camp – Cymru/Wales
Location: Merthyr Tydfil
Wales’ first climate camp will pitch its tents in the south this August. The camp will be a living example of sustainable and radical alternatives, while providing a space to meet people and learn new skills.
In order to make this happen we are calling on everyone who is able, to get involved. Climate Camp is built upon inclusive democratic decision making, and relies on the contributions of all those that attend. If you would like to run a workshop, email workshops[at]climatecampcymru.org
If you can help with structures and transport, legal or media, we need you! If you have any specific skills and want to put them to good use, get in touch.
» http://climatecampcymru.org

Thu 27 Aug – Wed 02 Sep 09
Climate Camp – England
education // direct action // sustainable living // movement building
Location: In or around London
With the city lights in sight, you pitch your tent alongside thousands of others. Another future emerges from the ground. Welcome to the Camp for Climate Action.
Last year 3000 people camped at Kingsnorth coal power station - now mainstream opinion is that a replacement may never be built. Then in the spring, with the G20 meeting in London, thousands of people swooped in: tents were pitched and the carbon trading centre in the hub of the financial district was shut down. This summer the Camp for Climate Action returns to London, preparing for mass action through the autumn towards December, when the United Nation climate talks take place in Copenhagen.
While our banks and politicians fail us, Climate Camp will be creating a vision of a real democracy.
• BUILD
» Erect a marquee. Construct a wind turbine. Cook for two hundred people. We aim to make the camp a model of sustainable living, and we need you to help us do it.
• MEET
» Concerned about climate change? You’re not alone – join thousands of people from all walks of life to share ideas, make friends and start taking collective action.
• LEARN
» Discover alternatives. Get up-to-speed with the science. Learn the skills you need, from insulating your house to talking to the media. Whatever your interest, with hundreds of workshops there’s sure to be one for you.
• TAKE ACTION
» Find like-minded people. Get trained-up. Make plans. Whether you want to make a banner or stop a coal train, there will be people there to show you how. And get prepared for our inspiring mass action on October 24th!
It starts now…
Check your diary. Book the week off work. Whether you come for the whole camp, or can only come for a day or the long weekend, make sure you don’t miss it!
The camp is organized by local groups, called neighbourhoods. Your neighbourhood is preparing now. Go along, meet people from your area, and get involved. To find out what’s happening near you, check out:
» http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/localgroups
» Website: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk
» Facebook group, UK: http://www.facebook.com/climatecamp
» Facebook group, London: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=74861928191
» Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107811999223
» Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/ClimateCampLdn

Sat 05 Dec 09
March in December – The Wave
Come Together to Stop Climate Chaos!
On Saturday 5 December 2009, ahead of the crucial UN climate summit in Copenhagen, tens of thousands of people from all walks of life will flow through the streets of London to demonstrate their support for a safe climate future for all.
Together we can make our Government lead by example by quitting dirty coal and building a green economy.
The Wave is organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. 11 million strong, we are the committed supporters, campaigners, hearts, minds and voices of over 100 organisations.
Join The Wave - the UK’s biggest ever demonstration in support of action on climate change.
» http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave 

Up the Revolution,

Tim Dalinian Jones


Footnotes

All these photos and video clips are 'CopyLeft'
This means you are free to copy and distribute any of my photos you find here, under the following license:
• Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License
» http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
» Accreditation: tim.dalinian.jones@gmail.com

NB: These pix are edited and downsized versions (up to 800x800px, 0.64Mpx, typically 100-900 KB) for onscreen display. If you would like the free, edited, full-sized versions (up to 3072x2304px, 7.1Mpx, typically 1-2 MB) for print, poster, placard, banner, etc, please email your request to tim.dalinian.jones [at] gmail.com quoting the picture title(s) you'd like.

Contact email: tim.dalinian.jones@gmail.com