| Reclaim The Streets (by way of [email protected] \(Richard Barbrook\)) on Thu, 19 Jun 1997 01:35:08 +0200 (MET DST) |
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| <nettime> EARTH FIRST! GATHERING DETAILS: TO DISTRIBUTE |
PLEASE COPY AND SEND OUT TO YOUR E-MAIL LISTS EARTH FIRST! SUMMER GATHERING WEDNESDAY 9th - TUESDAY 15th JULY 1997 SCOTLAND WHAT IS EARTH FIRST!? Earth First! is not a cohesive organisation or a campaign but more a convenient banner for people who share similar philosophies to work under. Earth First! operates as a network of autonomous and non-hierarchical groups who use direct action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants. WHAT�S HAPPENING? This year Earth First! will have its Summer Gathering in Scotland from Wednesday 9th to Tuesday 15th July. The Gathering is an opportunity to learn new skills and techniques that are of use to direct action struggles and to introduce new people to direct action. It is also a chance to discuss some of the important issues that are of relevance to us all. The following is a brief example of what will be covered: WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING There will be a huge number of workshops over the course of the week. These will cover subjects such as squatting, wild foods, maintaining health, prisoner support and basic ecology. In addition to these there will be other ones for learning and practicing physical skills including climbing, tunnelling, blockading, breaking security cordons and self defence. If there is a workshop that you would particularly like to see happen, or you could offer to do one on something relevant get in touch. DIRECT ACTION REPORTS During the Gathering there will be a chance for all individuals and groups present, both those from the UK and overseas, to give a brief talk on their actions, the ideas that lie behind them and some background information. >From resisting construction of new runways to fighting against biotechnology, from reclaiming streets to liberating captured animals; all these and many more will be reported on by the people actively involved. DISCUSSION FORUM These are likely to happen every afternoon and will involve larger group discussions where we will try to address some of the important debates within the radical ecological direct action movement. These will include topics such as what has happened over the past year, ways of moving the struggle forward, dealing with informal hierarchy and cliques, gender, class and race issues and the perennial violence/non-violence debate. ENTERTAINMENT On the site in the evenings there will be a variety of things going on including a cinema showing videos on struggles from around the world. There will also be poets, sketches, comics, acoustic music and, of course, plenty of opportunities for anybody to get up and do their own thing! ACTION! The Gathering will finish on the Sunday night and on the Monday there will be full training and briefings for an action on the Tuesday. This action will be organised in conjunction with a local direct action group. More details will be available at the Gathering. WHAT WILL THE SITE BE LIKE? Next to the entrance there will be a reception area where programmes of what is happening will be available. Additionally there will be a space provided for leaflets and information displays, with a Dead Trees Earth First! book stall selling books and pamphlets at cost price. On the rest of the site there will be marquees, large domes for workshops, a cr�che at the centre of the site, a quiet camping space, toilets, showers and a healing area. Cheap, organic vegan food will be available all week from Rampenplan - a group of people from the Netherlands who cater at various actions and gatherings all across Europe. Please note that this is not a festival. It is a Gathering of those interested in, or involved with, direct action in defence of the earth. There will be no sound systems and commercial stalls are not welcome. If you want to get off your face and listen to music all week let us know and we will provide you with a list of festivals to go to. Part of what this Gathering is about is trying to develop a sense of community amongst us; and any threat to this community through unnecessary aggression, harassment or theft will be taken seriously and dealt with by us all. WHAT TO BRING Come equipped for a week�s camping in Scotland. Bring shelter, warm and waterproof clothes, cutlery and plates for the food and anything you think may be useful for the action on the Tuesday. As well as this bring any information, such as leaflets and displays, about what is happening in your area. You will need money for the food or alternatively you can cater for yourself. Additionally the Gathering is asking for �10 per person to cover the costs of organising this week. HELP! We need help to make this Gathering happen; both now during the planning stage, and also during the week itself, so any offers of help would be very welcome. If you can do either of these things contact the address overleaf. Earth First! has no central office, no members, no paid workers and also no money. Any donations would be useful in trying to get this Gathering together. Make any cheques payable to �Earth First!� and send them to the same address. WHAT TO DO NEXT Start working out how you will get to the Gathering and thinking about what you could bring. Below is a list of Regional Transport Contacts and if there is one in your area ring them if you want a lift, or can offer one, to the Gathering. Several of these contacts will be organising minibuses to the site. Try and use public transport or share lifts where possible. As the Gathering starts on Wednesday morning aim to arrive by the evening of Tuesday 8th. We aim to make the site as fully accessible to all as we possibly can so if you have any special needs telephone the number below. In order to receive details of the site, a map of how to get there and a programme of events send a first class SAE marked �Earth First! Gathering Map� to the address below. These will be posted out so they arrive in time for your journey. REGIONAL TRANSPORT CONTACTS ABERDEEN: 01343 850225 BETHESDA: 01248 600286 BRIGHTON: 01273 685913 CARDIFF: 01222 455698 HEREFORD: 01432 880468 HULL: 01482 445392 LANCASTER: 01254 777079 LEEDS: 0113 262 9365 LEICESTER: 0116 270 8224 LONDON: 0171 281 4621 LIVERPOOL: 0151 708 5521 MANCHESTER: 0161 224 4846 NORFOLK: 01508 531636 SOMERSET: 01935 825074 SOUTHAMPTON: 01703 222040 TYNE AND WEAR: 0191 519 2257 WILTSHIRE: 01249 650078 WORCESTER: 01386 861479 YORK: 01904 410185 DOGS ARE BANNED FROM THE SITE - ANYBODY THAT TURNS UP WITH A DOG WILL BE REFUSED ENTRANCE. JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAS ARE NOT WELCOME AT THIS GATHERING - IF YOU ARE A JOURNALIST DO NOT COME AND IF YOU HAVE A CAMERA DO NOT BRING IT! FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES AND OFFERS OF HELP CONTACT: EARTH FIRST! GATHERING, C/O 16 SHOLESBROKE AVENUE, CHAPELTOWN, LEEDS, LS7 3HB, UK. TELEPHONE AND FAX (PHONE FIRST): 0113 262 9365. E-MAIL: [email protected] FOR THE LATEST GATHERING AND EARTH FIRST! NEWS CHECK OUT THE EARTH FIRST! WEB SITE AT: http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/campaigns/EF/earthfirst.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RTS now run a genetics information email list. If you would like to be on it (and are not already) reply putting 'Subscibe Genetics' in the subject box. If you have anything to contribute to the list then send it in and it will be forwarded - unedited wherever possible. Please do not send attachments (so as to avoid virus), instead just add text to emails main body. For genetics info on the web check out: http:///www.envirolink.org/orgs/shag/genetix.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reclaim the Streets PO BOX 9656 London N4 4JY 0171 281 4621( this tel number is not for Genetics info) <[email protected]> http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/campaigns/rts.html --- # distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: [email protected] and "info nettime" in the msg body # URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/ contact: [email protected]