Aberdeen

Climate9 - the verdict

Submitted by Liz on Fri, 06/25/2010 - 15:34
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Climate9 Verdict
Source: Flickr

Last year the Climate 9 stopped tonnes of dangerous greenhouse gas emissions by disrupting operations at Aberdeen Airport. After deliberating for 4 hours, the majority of the jury in Aberdeen- the 'oil capital of Europe', found them guilty of breach of the peace. They will be sentenced in August.

The court of international opinion has come to a slightly different verdict, with messages of support flooding in from those on the frontline of climate change and commentators like John Pilger and Mike Mansfield QC.

This is the first time since the failure of the Copenhagen process that evidence of the dangers of climate change and aviation emissions have been presented by climate experts to a jury.

Speaking during the trial, expert witnesses Dr Alice Bows and Dr Geoff Meaden shocked many by explaining that the UK governements emissions targets are not radical enough to prevent future generations from experiencing catastrophic events. Like the flooding in Brazil this week, where 100,000 people have been made homeless, 1,000 peoplle are missing and at least 42 people sadly lost their lives.

These horrific events are why we must continue to take action to stop greenhouse gas emmissions, especially when the response from the government is woefully inadequate.

As one of the defendants, Jimmy, explained outside the court:

"While they talk, and nothing changes, people all over the world are starting to act. Even if it means standing up against the states use of legal intimidation. This verdict shows that the mechanisms of the establishment won't stop run away climate change. The expert witnessess have shown that we must take effective action, the protest at Aberdeen has shown that we can."

Ambulance worker tells court that Plane Stupid protestors did not delay ambulance flight

Submitted by Richard on Thu, 06/17/2010 - 10:00
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The Climate 9 and supporters outside Aberdeen Court

The trial of the Climate 9 protesters in Aberdeen heard yesterday from an air ambulance witness that the protesters were not responsible for delaying an air ambulance, as had previously been suggested during yesterday's evidence for the prosecution.

The written statement from Stephen Wright of GAMA Aviation – the firm in charge of air ambulances out of Aberdeen Airport – given to police on Tuesday 3rd March 2009 shortly after the protest ended stated:

"I became aware that there was some form of protest on Aberdeen Airport this morning, I picked up this through the media prior to attending our site. I have contacted my Operations manager, who works out of Farnborough Airport, regarding this matter and he informed me that he in turn had contacted the Aberdeen Airport Duty Manager and he in turn informed us (GAMA Aviation) that due to our flight type, was not going to be interfered with and our flight slot was guaranteed.

"Our flight was scheduled to take off at 8.00am this morning, but in fact took off about 8.35am, but this was due to our operational delay by the medics and not the protestors.

"This incident has had no financial or life threatening or operational impact on our operation.I have no complaint regarding this matter. I was seen later by the police and gave this statement."

During cross-examination Wright confirmed that this was the case, countering prior claims, both during and immediately after the action and yesterday in court, that the defendants were not at fault for endangering lives during the air side action.

Juliana Napier, from the Climate 9 defence committee said:

"This evidence is incredibly important in establishing what happened during the action. The Climate 9 freely assembled inside Aberdeen airport to stop the harmful emissions causing runaway climate change and raise awareness of the issue. They did this to ensure that our own and future generations can enjoy good health in a healthy environment not to endanger the lives or health of anyone."

The prosecution will present witnesses for the next few days and the trial is set to continue until the end of next week.

Climate 9 trial begins in Aberdeen

Submitted by Barry on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 19:46
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The Climate 9 and supporters outside Aberdeen Court

The first major climate trial since the failure of the Copenhagen talks has begun in Aberdeen Sheriff's court this morning. Nine defendants from Plane Stupid Scotland will face charges of Breach of the Peace and vandalism after closing down Aberdeen Airport in March 2009.

The group intend to take the battle for climate justice from the court of public opinion to the court of law in Scotland. They plan to highlight the social and environmental impacts of expanding the airport which they argue will mainly benefit a proposed luxury hotel and golf complex owned by business tycoon Donald Trump.

Interest has been building around the case since Climate 9 public campaigns were launched in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London, which have drawn global and local support for the group and helped forge alliances with social justice campaigners and racial justice movements.

The defendants are pleading not guilty on the grounds that their actions were to prevent the larger crime of runaway climate change and have assembled a witness list of world-renowned experts in climate related fields including public health consultant Jenny Griffiths and Geoff Meaden, who contributed to the successful Kingsnorth 6 defence as a flooding and mapping expert.

The defendants were joined outside court by around 50 friends, families and supporters.

For more information, statements of support and how you can help the Climate 9 see climate9.com/ or email info@climate9.com. You can also ring 077655 01687.

Climate 9: you're invited to the London launch!

Submitted by Richard on Wed, 05/26/2010 - 11:35
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the Climate 9 Defendants
Source: Flickr

On Thursday June 3rd, the Climate9 are holding an event in London to launch their campaign. You'll find top civil rights and climate justice advocates and lawyers, speakers from the Climate9 Defence Committee, details of the case from the lawyers, discussion on direct action and using the courts to call for real justice and even the 9 themselves.

The event runs between 6.30-8.30pm at the Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS University, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG. Please send an RSVP to info@climate9.com so we know how many are attending (but come even if you forget to let us know!).

Speakers include:

  • Gareth Peirce: leading human rights lawyer and civil rights champion. In a career of more than 30 years, she has appeared for, among others, the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six and the families of the victims of the Marchioness river boat disaster.
  • Suresh Grover: leading civil rights and anti-racism activist and founding member of The Monitoring Group. Over the past 25 years TMG have many led campaigns to help families including those of Blair Peach, Kuldip Singh Sekon, Ricky Reel, Micheal Menson, Stephen Lawrence, Zahid Mubarek and Victoria Climbie.
  • Matthew Todd: editor of Attitude, Britain’s best selling gay magazine, and advocate for diverse action on runaway climate change.
  • John Stewart: the Independent’s ‘Britain's leading environmentalist' and spokesman for campaign group AirportWatch
  • Liz Hosken: advocate for social and ecological justice, Liz co-founded and is Director of the Gaia Foundation, working with a global network of pioneers and visionaries.
  • Jenny Griffiths: “Climate Defence to Protect the Public Health” from the Climate and Health Council.
  • Dr. Geoff Meaden: principal Geography lecturer and key witness at the well-renowned ‘Kingsnorth6’ climate trial.
  • The Climate9 Defendants: Josie Hanson, Jimmy Kerr, Bill Boggia, Dan Glass, Tilly Gifford, Mila Karwowska, Jonny Agnew, Mark Andrews, Kate Mackay
  • Other speakers include: spokesperson for ‘Nottingham 114’.

Check out the Climate9 on Facebook

If you would like a stall please email us or call us on 075351 47478.

Scottish blockaders up in court

Submitted by Mark H on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 10:30
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The nine protestors who were arrested at Aberdeen airport on Tuesday morning have spent the night at Inverurie police station and appeared at Aberdeen sheriff's court this morning. They were protesting against the short-sighted, illogical, unnecessary and environmentally damaging expansion of Aberdeen airport and other airport sites across the country.

The nine were in good spirits despite spending several hours sitting in the cold at the airport, followed by a night in the cells. They should be proud of themselves: despite media reports to the contrary (and some initial confusion at our end), when asked to pack up by the police because an air ambulance needed to take off they did so and handed themselves in. The managing director of the airport confirmed that the protest "wasn't a significant delay" to the ambulance.

No one has the right to call these young men and women dangerous or irresponsible. If our elected officials had their moral courage then perhaps we wouldn't be headed towards a climate crisis with heads collectively buried in the sand. When they get out of police custody they should all be given a hearty great metaphorical pat on the back. Unless, of course, you see them in person; then they deserve a great big warm hug. Big up, one and all.

Cold-hearted cops arrest grandfather for writing in the snow

Submitted by Richard on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 16:52
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snow plane

A retired oil refinery worker turned airport campaigner thought he'd take advantage of the recent snowfall to send a seasonal message to passengers departing Aberdeen airport. The local constabulary had other ideas and promptly arrested the 65-year-old and his 25-year-old accomplice for writing "Plane Stupid - you fly, they die" in diluted red ink on a snowy hilltop one-and-a-half miles from the airport.

Geoff Lamb was held for 20 hours before being released at 11am the next morning after an unimpressed procurator fiscal took one look at the case notes before throwing them in the bin. Geoff then had the pleasure of paying £150 to get his car out of the pound where the plod had kindly parked it.

Phoned up by the local newspaper, an embarrassed copper mumbled something about nicking people for "spraying an anti-aviation slogan on a snow-covered embankment". You can insert your own joke about yellow snow and piss taking here, if you like.

Scottish activists to link up with Heathrow residents

Submitted by Richard on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 10:25
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Residents of Sipson have started a tour of Scotland to make links with local residents around its four airports. The SNP is pushing ahead with expansion at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick and Aberdeen airport and the affected communities are being completely ignored. Now fed up campaigners have promised an epic battle to save their homes and neighbourhoods from aircraft noise, pollution and climate change.

Maggie Thorburn, 54, a former IT manager from London and a spokeswoman for HACAN ClearSkies, will be one of the residents giving talks about the Heathrow campaign and direct action. "I would never advocate violence," she says, "but I would advocate being a bit of a nuisance. Anybody can do direct action and should do it if they feel frustrated enough.”

Trump's golf course fuels airport expansion

Submitted by Johnny on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:09
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Donald Trump

Donald Trump, the American tycoon behind the theme-park golf course set to trash the beautiful Aberdeenshire coast, has been linked to plans to expand Aberdeen airport. Not content with making a mockery of the Scottish government by ignoring local decision makers (not to mention 9 of the holes being built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest) Trump has been a driving force behind aviation expansion. The destruction of the largest and most superlative dynamic dune system in North-west Europe appears to not even register when a back-hander from a rich American is in the equation.

Trump’s golf course is aimed at rich foreign tourists; he plans to keep them on site as much as possible, minimising any economic gains for the local community. Obviously wealthy tourists will be flying in, and Donald has also planned helicopter rides from the airport to the resort! Aberdeen airport has been using his golf course to justify expansion. It's plans to support almost 6 million passengers by 2030 are yet another blow to the 'groundbreaking' climate bill.

The resort has already been criticised by Architecture and Design Scotland as destroying a very sensitive area and devaluing Scottish architectural tradition with mock Victorian construction, so the extra airport capacity is just a small part of the problem. Hollyrood is trying to trick us, showing artificial financial input with one hand, whilst hiding the real cost with the other. This golf course will bring nothing but irreversible environmental degradation on a local and global level. Do they really think that we are that blind?

Scottish Government slips Prestwick and Aberdeen expansion under the radar

Submitted by Johnny on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 09:26
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Prestwick airport

Planestupid Scotland recently discovered that the Scottish national planning framework - which completely failed to consult the general public despite a period of consultation - now includes plans to expand Prestwick and Aberdeen airports. The Scottish Government now plans to expand four airports in a country of just over 5 million people - pure dead ecological madness.

Prestwick airport predicts that passenger numbers will more than double in the next ten years, rising as high as 12 million passengers by 2033. BAA also plans to increase Aberdeen's contribution to climate change to 5.9 million passengers / year by 2030. The recent road transport strategy also called for massive investment in roads at the expense of much needed public transport services. So much for much-hyped plans to reduce CO2 emissions - the Scottish Exec is determined to set runaway climate change into the tarmac.

With climate concerns are off the radar the only thing BAA has left to ruin are the lives of communities surrounding the four airports. The operator claims to care about the community: BAA Aberdeen are proud to have “a strong commitment to the communities around our airport and aim to address issues of prime local concern.” If that commitment includes disruption of school classes every five minutes, massive increases in air pollution and reduction in housing prices at a time of economic recession then BAA Aberdeen is doing a sterling job already - even without all their planned expansion.