Number
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• Beltane
Spring 2018
Earth First! News ON THE FRONTLINES OF ECOLOGICAL RESISTANCE
CONTENTS Page 1:
News from the Eco-Wars Page 6:
Mountain Valley Pipeline Faces Fierce Opposition in the Virginias Page 8:
From the Cages Page 10:
Eco-Action Group Directory
One of the first treesits on Peters Mountain, which has effectively stopped a pipeline company from drilling through the mountain for months.
NEWS FROM THE ECO -WARS Dec 25-Jan 5—New Caledonia: Société Le Nickel Mine Sabotaged Four mining centers on the site were sabotaged by anonymous individuals over the holidays. A dozen cars were burned, stolen, or damaged; a workshop window was smashed; a cafeteria was vandalized and looted; and a truck was damaged. Over the past two years at the site, over 90 cars have been stolen. Locals have been fighting to stop mining since the early '80s.
Throughout Jan—Germany: Treburer Wald Occupation Blocks Airport Expansion for Over a Month The occupation consists of activists living in three platforms and a treehouse connected by walkways. The occupiers are trying to stop a third terminal from being built for Frankfort Airport at the expense of a mixed forest. Jan 1—UK: Ten Chickens Liberated The Animal Liberation Front liberated
the chickens from "a life of suffering and misery." Jan 2—Australia: Adani Activists Stop Coal Train Two activists, who are part of Front Line Action on Coal (FLAC), occupied the roof of a coal train for over three hours. They stopped the train from moving and dropped a 40-foot banner before being arrested. This was the latest in a long line of actions by FLAC against Adani. ...continued
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sponse to being ignored by the government and was carried out in solidarity with the "many Indigenous nations opposing the illegal fish farms, which are contaminating their unceded territories and destroying wild salmon populations at a devastating rate." Jan 22—Germany: Barricade Eviction and Arrests in Hambach Forest The arrested forest defenders were charged with "obstructing the work of police officers" during the eviction. The police attacked two tripods, three monopods, a skypod, and a ten-foot-deep tunnel. The activists are trying to prevent the Hambach Forest from being cleared to expand an open pit lignite mine. January 8: United Kingdom: Lock-on protest at shale gas site. Jan 3—UK: Lorry Surfing Protest Blocks Road to Fracking Site Two people climbed on top of a tanker headed towards Third Energy's site in Kirby Misperton. One of the surfers managed to stay on the truck for three hours before being removed by a team of police specialists. After that, another anti-fracker stood in the road to block traffic until being arrested.
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Jan 4—Germany: Utility Company's Compound Sabotaged From the anonymous report: "In this action, an area of RWE was destroyed. The area was previously part of the forest. RWE cut all the trees, destroyed the habitat of the living beings, built new structures, fenced it off, and observed it with cameras. These structures would help them to destroy the rest (226 hectares [558 acres]) of the 12,000 year old forest (originally 5500 hectares [14,000 acres] ) for their profit with lignite/browncoal, which produces 90 million tons of CO2 per year ... As RWE cut trees in the Hambacher Forest outside of the winter cutting season, it shows that they do not care about the law any more than we do."
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Jan 8—UK: Lock-On Protest at Shale Gas Site (pictured) Four people, in two groups of two, locked themselves together outside the site of Cuadrilla's shale gas operations in Lancashire. The action was in memory of two anti-fracking campaigners who died suddenly in late 2017.
Jan 11—Washington: Indigenous Woman Occupying State Capitol Lawn Arrested The woman was arrested after living in a tarpee (a teepee made with tarps) for just over three days. The woman, along with other Indigenous leaders, occupied the space to demand that treaties signed by the US government and the local Coast Salish tribes be respected, and that the health of the Salish Sea be restored and protected. They demand that any remaining permits for the LNG facility being illegally built by Puget Sound Energy at the Port of Tacoma on Puyallup Treaty lands be denied; that Atlantic salmon net pens, which are endangering local salmon populations already at high risk be banned; and that the expansion of the TransMountain pipeline across the US/Canadian border be opposed. Jan 16—Mexico: Mexicali Resiste and Cops Clash at Blockade Against Water-Guzzling Beer Company The blockade against US company Constellation Brands began earlier in January but was left alone until police attacked on the 16th. Although the blockade was defended, and the police driven away, at least five activists were arrested and ten injured. Around Jan 19—Canada: Two Indigenous Activists Lock Doors of Department of Fisheries and Oceans Office Two folks were arrested for the action in British Columbia, which came in re-
Jan 22—Canada: Kwakwaka’wakw Leaders Hand Eviction Notice to BC Fish Farm Members of at least six British Columbia First Nations delivered the notice to Marine Harvest—one of Canada's biggest producers of farmed Atlantic salmon. The fish farm is in water that belongs to First Nations, who say that the farm is spreading disease and hurting wild salmon. This was the latest action of many to take place against fish farms in Canada over the past year. Jan 25—UK: Actions Against Fracking An opponent of IGas shale gas exploration in Misson climbed onto a lorry to stop it from delivering supplies to the site. The campaigner was later arrested. Other anti-fracking activists protested outside of local council offices in Chester and Rotherham to try to get the council members to oppose shale gas testing in the area. Jan 28—Hawaii: Hundreds Turn Out to Support Occupation at Coco Palms Site About 200 people joined the dozens of folks who had been occupying the ancient burial ground for the previous ten months. The large number of new folks was sparked by a judge's ruling that the occupiers be evicted. The occupiers are trying to stop developers from destroying the site and building Coco Palms Resort.
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February 2: North Carolina: Governor’s office occupied in opposition to Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Jan 29—Italy: Locks Glued at Benetton Shops From the communiqué left by Anarchist Cell—Sebastian Oversluij Seguel: "In solidarity with the Mapuches who, in Patagonia, for decades have been resisting the oppression of the corporation that, since 1991, had taken away (creating many ecological and social problems) almost one million hectares [2.5 million acres] of land from the Mapuches who had lived there for centuries, in harmony with Pachamama (Mother Earth). For the animals who are enslaved and exploited for the production of wool (to make clothes), and meat... ." Feb 2—North Carolina: Governor’s Office Occupied in Opposition to Atlantic Coast Pipeline (pictured) Dozens occupied Gov. Roy Cooper’s office after he granted approval for a water quality permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The occupiers vowed that this was just the beginning of their sustained opposition to the project. Fifteen people were arrested. Feb 2-3—Worldwide: Weekend of Solidarity Actions for the Hambach Forest Defenders In response to increased repression and the imprisonment of nine Hambach Forest defenders, countless people across Europe and around the world held solidarity actions including rallies and banner hangs to show their support for those defending the Hambach Forest against coal mining. Feb 3—Minnesota: Water Protectors Protest at US Bank Headquarters (pictured) Over 100 people gathered during Superbowl LII in front of US Bank’s headquarters to demand that the company follows through on its commitment to divest from fossil fuels.
February 3: Minnesota: Water protectors protest at US Bank headquarters.
Feb 8—Canada: Two-Spirited Warriors Shut Down Kinder Morgan Construction Site Indigenous people fighting the construction of a pipeline in unceded Coast Salish territory locked down to equipment and shut down the company’s drilling work. Feb 10—Mexico: Activists Attacked After Protesting a Hydroelectric Project The group was attacked while returning from the protest against hydroelectric projects that would dam the Coyolapa, Atzala, and Huitzilatl rivers. A truck stopped their bus near Zacacoapan and a group of armed people made them exit the bus and wait on the side of the road as they doused the bus in gas and lit it on fire. Nobody was injured. Feb 12—UK: Lorry Surfer Stops Shipment of Fracking Equipment The protester, in solidarity with ongoing opposition to fracking near Blackpool, England, climbed atop a truck delivering equipment to a frack pad. This action delayed progress of the emerging fracking industry in the region, and happened shortly after a government report was leaked showing that the actual number of viable wells in the area was far fewer than what was presented to the public. Feb 13—Oregon: Protesters Interrupt State Lands Board Meeting The group of a dozen or so interrupted Governor Kate Brown during the meeting, ridiculing her for not listening to public opposition to the Jordan Cove fracked gas export terminal project. The group disrupted the meeting with noise makers and a banner, stating, “We’re done waiting for the appropriate time to
speak only to be ignored, so we’re interrupting your meeting for a few minutes to make sure you hear us.” The group left without incident. Feb 15—Maryland: Protestors Surround Governor’s Mansion to Oppose the Potomac Pipeline After rallying in front of the state house in Annapolis, the group shifted their focus to the Governor’s mansion and rallied outside with messages in opposition to the pipeline project that would bring fracked gas from Pennsylvania to an export terminal in Maryland. Feb 26—Louisiana: Construction of Bayou Bridge Pipeline Interrupted Activists walked on to an active work site south of Baton Rouge and shut down work for two hours by blocking equipment and occupying the space with banners. Three people were arrested after refusing to leave the site, marking the first public arrests in the fight against the Bayou Bridge pipeline. Later in the day, others entered the work site and stopped work again for a short time. Feb 26—Pennsylvania: Seneca Nation Rallies Against Fracking Wastewater Treatment Facility Over 100 members of the Seneca Nation gathered and spoke at a public meeting in Coudersport. The proposed project would position the wastewater treatment plant, meant to salvage toxic fracking fluid, along the Allegheny River. People spoke out against the project and rallied outside of the Coudersport Area Municipal Authority meeting to demand the project be denied. Feb 27—West Virginia: Treesit Launched in Path of Mountain Valley Pipeline The first treesit blocking
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construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline was established near Peters Mountain. Blockaders set up the platform in the easement around a drill site, where the company plans to drill a hole through the mountain to lay the pipeline. Mar 1—Scotland: Seaweed Shuts Down Nuclear Reactor Excessive amounts of seaweed entered the cooling system of the Torness plant in East Lothian, causing one reactor to be temporarily shut down. This is a recurring issue—the same site was closed down twice in 2013 due to seaweed clogging the cooling system, and jellyfish caused another temporary shutdown in 2011. Mar 2—England: Anti-Coal Camp Set Up at Mine Site The camp was established at the entrance of the proposed Banks Group mine in Pont Valley on land where hawthorne trees had been uprooted to allow access to the mine. It was formed after a week of skillsharing in Dipton, as well as meetings with locals who have been resisting plans to open new open cast lignite mines in the area for more than 15 years. The camp strives to form bonds between local labor traditions, quality of life issues, and global solidarity with other anti-extraction struggles and climate justice movements.
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Mar 5—Washington, DC: Oil Lobbyist Dinner Blockaded The dinner was held at Trump Hotel by IPAAaccess, a lobbying arm of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, to promote fracking. Members of the Sunrise Movement sneaked into the hotel and blocked the entrances to the room where IPAAaccess planned to host the dinner. A group of protesters also held a rally outside the hotel. After an hour, all twelve blockaders were escorted out of the building with no arrests. The dinner was reportedly canceled.
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Mar 6—Montana: Buffalo Defenders Lock Down to Capture Facility Two members of Wild Buffalo Defense locked themselves to the bars of a hydraulic squeeze shoot called the “Silencer,” which holds buffalo for testing before shipping and slaughter, to prevent its use that day. The two Yellowstone buffalo herds are the last free ranging, genetically pure plains buffalo in the
United States. These buffalo are descendants of the 23 that survived the buffalo extermination campaign that the US government implemented in the 1800s in an attempt to starve plains tribes. Mar 10—Canada: Thousands March Against Trans Mountain Pipeline Opponents of Kinder Morgan’s oil pipeline expansion filled the streets of Vancouver to protest the project, which would triple the volume of diluted bitumen oil flowing from Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia. The march kicked off the Protect the Inlet campaign which intends to use delay, disruption, and civil disobedience to keep pressure on the expansion until it is stopped. Mar 10—Pennsylvania: Locals Take Over Office, Occupy Drill Rig Fifty opponents of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline sang songs in the hallways and dropped a 12-foot stretch of pipeline in Williams/Transco’s office in Lancaster. Later, they walked onto a Williams drilling site on the Conestoga River, where five residents locked arms and stood on machinery for three hours, shutting down work for the day. The five were arrested. Mar 12—Maryland: Lockdown Against Dominion Energy A tractor with a person locked to it was used to blockade the entrance of a proposed fracked-gas compressor station site. The action blocked the entrance to the site for several hours, preventing Dominion from clearing trees for their Cove Point LNG export facility. There were no arrests. Mar 14—Maryland: Pipeline Opposition Blockades Doors to State House Mothers Against the Potomac Pipeline blocked the doors to the Maryland State House days before Governor Hogan was expected to make a decision on whether or not to permit the Potomac Pipeline to proceed. The pipeline is a TransCanada project. If completed, it would put the Potomac River at risk of contamination and lead to an increase in fracking in the state. Mar 14—Virginia: Anti-Pipeline Camp Announces Start of Public Campaign The Three Sisters Camp was established to resist Dominion Energy’s At-
lantic Coast Pipeline. The proposed pipeline route takes it under hundreds of rivers and streams and disproportionately targets communities of color and working class families in Appalachia. Mar 15—UK: Entrance to Cuadrilla Fracking Site Blockaded Campaigners with the group Reclaim the Power suspended themselves from two tripods made of scaffolding to block the entrance to the shale gas site in Lancaster. This action followed more than a month of actions against Cuadrilla. Lancashire police said that policing the protests in January and February cost them £6.58 million (around $9 million). Mar 16—Montana: Buffalo Trap Blockaded Two members of Wild Buffalo Defense blocked the gate of Yellowstone National Park’s Stephens Creek buffalo capture facility by locking themselves to three 55-gallon drums filled with concrete. The barrels were painted with “Protect the Sacred” and “Honor the Treaties” to highlight the fact that buffalo are sacred creatures to plains tribes. Blackfeet and Lakota prophecies say that when the wild buffalo return, the people and the Earth will be healed. Yellowstone National Park currently captures and slaughters about 25 percent of the herd every year. Mar 19—Canada: Increased Actions Against Kinder Morgan Pipeline One protester sneaked into a Trans Mountain pipeline construction site on Burnaby Mountain, scaled a tree, and erected a platform and hammock at the top, where he stayed in an attempt to block tree cutting. Fifteen others blocked the gates of the compound. All 16 were arrested. These feats were part of a week of action meant to slow construction and clearing before March 26, when migratory birds start flying north for the summer. Mar 21-23—UK: Multiple Actions Against IGas Site On the 21st, a woman climbed onto a lorry outside of the IGas shale exploration site. On the 22nd, two women locked down to the gate of the site, preventing vehicles from entering or leaving for six hours. On the 23rd, two sisters were arrested for obstructing the highway while standing outside
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Mar 21 & 23—Mexico: Actions to Resist Development and Protect Water The General Assembly of the Peoples, Neighborhoods, Communities and Pedregales of Coyoacán carried out actions to resist an apartment complex development project being built on top of a fresh water aquifer in the Pedregales of Coyoacán. On the 21st, members carried out a series of protests in the center of Mexico City, blocking the entrance to the SACMEX (System of Waters in Mexico City) building. On the 23rd, members blockaded the entrance to the construction project itself. Mar 22—Ecuador: Indigenous Women Demand End to Drilling After nearly 100 Amazon Indigenous women camped for five days in Quito’s central plaza in front of the government palace, they were granted a meeting with Ecuador’s president Lenin Moreno, where they demanded a limit to oil drilling and mining in their territories and defense against the sexual violence and death threats that the industries bring. In December 2017, following a two-week march of Indigenous protesters, Moreno had pledged that new auctions of oil and mining would require prior and informed consent from local communities, but had since gone back on his promise. Mar 25—Sweden: Fur Shop Sabotage The windows of the Strandbergs fur shop in Örebro were sprayed with the message “fur is murder.” The same shop had its locks glued in the previous weeks.
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the site’s gate. The same day, officers entered the Misson Springs Protection Camp near the site, apparently without a warrant.
March 26: Denmark: Group blockades synthetic fertilizer facility. Mar 26—UK: Anti-Pollution Protesters Spraypaint London Mayor’s Office A group of campaigners from the group Stop Killing Londoners spraypainted slogans on the walls of Sadiq Khan’s office, calling for tougher action on air pollution. The group had previously brought traffic to a standstill in some of the city’s busiest intersections. Six were arrested for the graffiti. Mar 26—Denmark: Group Blockades Synthetic Fertilizer Facility (pictured) A group of activists from KlimaKollektivet (the Climate Collective) blockaded a YARA synthetic fertilizer storage facility on Masnedø island. The action was part of the “Free the Soil” campaign which aims to expose industrial agriculture as one of the main contributors to climate chaos. Mar 24—Australia: Thousands Rally Against Coal People from across New South Wales marched through Sydney calling for an end to coal seam gas and coal mining
in what was called the “Time to Choose” rally. The rally was also in response to proposed legislation that threatens to weaken environmental protections in the country, despite government promises to move away from fossil fuels and toward renewables. Mar 28—Virginia: Blockade Protects Treesitters Anti-Pipeline Action Activists erected an aerial blockade across an access road in the Jefferson National Forest, preventing state vehicles and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) personnel from accessing the two treesits on Peters Mountain, and halting the daily construction of a seven-mile road leading to the site of the company’s planned boring through Peters Mountain. The treesits had been occupied for 30 days at the time of the blockade, preventing MVP’s tree clearing operation near the pipeline’s planned crossing of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The action occurred three days before a federally mandated March 31 deadline to protect endangered species imposes a long delay for the project.
This issue of Earth First! News was compiled by Onion, Rabbit, twig, Veery, and the Earth First! Newswire crew. Available for free at: earthfirstjournal.org/store
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“The Fire is Catching” Mountain Valley Pipeline Faces Fierce Opposition in the Virginias by Veery
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On February 26, workers were heading into the woods of West Virginia to begin preparations for boring through Peters Mountain when they found two treesits directly in their path. If completed, the boring would allow the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) to go through the mountain and under the Appalachian Trail, continuing to expand the web of interconnecting pipes engulfing the Eastern US to meet with the preexisting Transcontinental Compressor Station. The company announced this month that they also have plans to transfer gas from MVP into the Southgate pipeline project, which would extend south into North Carolina. People have fought the Mountain Valley Pipeline in court for years, but the treesits inspired a cascade of direct action that shows no sign of stopping. Shortly after the sits were discovered, Mountain Valley Pipeline workers started clearing trees near them, and a temporary restraining
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The monopod on Pocahontas Road in West Virginia has been continuously occupied for over a month.
order was filed against the sitters by the pipeline company (this was later allowed to expire by a judge, who also denied an injunction MVP was pursuing against them). A closure of parts of the forest was also issued by the Forest Service. The restraining order and closure were delivered to the sits with no real results. As MVP workers, the Forest Service, and police continued to tape orders to trees in a futile effort to drive away the treesitters, people in Virginia, West Virginia, and around the country expressed support and held solidarity actions. Many farmers and landowners in the area were adamant that they were on the side of those in the trees, and have brought supplies to the sitters and gathered nearby to provide support and protection. This isn't surprising considering that over 400 of the landowners along the pipeline's route refused to sell land to MVP and were taken to court. People have also been fighting MVP in a variety of ways on the ground, including following cutting crews working after the March 31 tree clearing deadline (meant to protect birds and bats) and reporting the cutting to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). These people were continuously threatened with arrest by cops. Meanwhile, FERC and MVP are sending a number of mixed messages: MVP has said the deadline only applies to certain trees, while FERC claims that they can cut if a biologist is on site. FERC seems intent on allowing the pipeline to be built, as they also issued a “tolling order” in March, which allows construction to continue while lawsuits against its legality and purpose are ongoing. On March 28, the fight intensified when a fifty-foot monopod was set up in the middle of Pocahontas Road. It is now the longest-standing continuously occupied monopod we know of. Though cops, workers, and Forest Service personnel can still approach the area behind the monopod on foot or on ATVs, they can no longer drive cars or trucks there, which has stopped the construction of a road leading to the drilling site and helped protect the treesitters deeper in the woods. The monopod was immediately joined by a rally of supporters helping to blockade the road, after which someone acting as direct support for the person in the monopod was arrested by police. Police also touched and shook the monopod, endangering the life of the person inside. Forest Service employees, workers, and police have been shining bright lights on the monopod during the night, driving ATVs dangerously close to the lines anchoring the monopod, and blocking deliveries of food and water. They have also forced supporters to move their camp further from the base of the monopod. At the time of this writing, MVP security and US Forest Service employees are now camped near the monopod and the treesit on Peters Mountain 24 hours a day. In early April, another supporter was arrested. Around that time, a road closure prevented people from driving up to the monopod—however, despite the hike now involved, supporters continue to visit.
and flashes lights in support, and as spring approaches, more action is on the horizon. From the nest on top of the monopod on Pocahontas Road, a long black banner reads “The Fire is Catching.” This fight is proving that's true—every time it seems inevitable that the cops will attempt extraction, or that MVP may have found a legal loophole, a new treesit goes up, a new rally is held, or a new inspiring message comes down from the trees. The fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and other oil infrastructure in the region is just the latest to show how determined people are to fight extractive industries in this country, and that the number of them willing to take direct action is spreading every day.
Banner drop in Asheville, North Carolina. The ACP and MVP would both cross through North Carolina if completed.
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On April 2, yet another treesit went up in the pipeline's path on a family orchard on Bent Mountain in Virginia. The 61-year-old treesitter, known as Red, is a local landowner and mother. After a few days, MVP threatened to take legal action against her family if she did not come down. Not only did she ignore this threat, the next day her daughter launched another treesit on their land. Red and her family faced familiar tactics: MVP's private security firm, state police, and Roanoke County police monitored the sit 24/7—for awhile, lights were pointed at them all night and food, water, and other supply deliveries were being stopped. Though some Virginia legislators have come out in support of the protests, the Virginia governor (Ralph Northam, who has received some significant campaign contributions from pipeline companies) has been brattily opposed to them, saying he is “concerned” for Red's health and ignoring their mistreatment by authorities and the shady dealings of FERC and MVP. In late April, three more treesits went up on a family farm directly in the pipeline's path in Franklin County, Virginia. Collectively known as Little Teel Crossing, the sits are over 75 feet in the air, near Little and Teel creeks, where an endangered fish, the Roanoke logperch, lives. MVP is now pursuing legal action against the family, threatening arrest and fines for their opposition to the project. One remains, despite increasing intimidation, workers getting dangerously close, and even failed extraction attempts. On April 22, three people were arrested attempting to resupply the monopod. That same day, one of the original treesits was removed by MVP security after over 50 days. A few weeks later, on May 5, Red and her daughter finally came down from the trees as well. They were found in contempt of the court order allowing MVP to build there, and would have been fined $1,000 dollars a day for each day they remained. Red said she was not about to pay fines to MVP, and vowed to continue the fight on the ground. Both were charged with trespassing, obstruction of justice and interfering with the property rights of Mountain Valley Pipeline before reuniting with Red's husband (who was fined $2,000 for his involvement). But the other treesit on Peters Mountain remains, as does one treesit at Little Teel Crossing and the monopod. With resistance against MVP spreading and their stock dropping drastically, it looks like the company is going to have a pretty bad year. And it isn't just the Mountain Valley Pipeline that people in the region are resisting—the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), which would run through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, has faced massive resistance as well. Like MVP, locals have fought ACP in court for years, but the company is still forging ahead with their plans. People have responded with increasing direct action, including marches and a sit-in at the North Carolina governor's office. In midMarch, the Three Sisters Camp was established in Buckingham, Virginia, along the pipeline's route, to continue this momentum. Since then, banner drops and other actions in North Carolina have occurred frequently. So what's next for pipeline resistance in the area? A federal appeals court recently said the “incidental take statement” for the Atlantic Coast pipeline, meant to set a limit on the number of threatened and endangered species that can be killed during construction, was too vague to be enforced. Unsurprisingly, Dominion (the company behind the ACP) has said they will forge ahead anyway, but this is only the latest in a string of obstacles pipeline companies in the region have faced in court. And people on the ground haven't backed down, either; everyone from second graders to grandmothers have visited the monopod, a caravan of cars drives by the original treesit weekly
From the Cages:
Eco-Prisoners, Snared Liberationists, and Hostages of the Struggle
US PRISONERS WALTER BOND #37096-013 FCI Terre Haute – CMU, PO Box 33, Terre Haute, Indiana 47808, USA Walter is serving 12 years and 4 months (until 3-212021) for the “ALF Lonewolf” arsons of a sheepskin factory in Denver, Colorado, the Tandy Leather Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Tiburon restaurant (which sold foie gras) in Sandy, Utah. Walter was also charged and convicted under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. Walter remains a militant voice for the vegan straightedge way of life and is the author of the book “Always Looking Forward.” supportwalter.org Birthday: April 16 MICHAEL FOSTER #51974, Missouri River Correctional Center, PO Box 5521, Bismarck, ND 58506, USA In October of 2016, Michael Foster entered a valve site of the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota and shut the valve off after notifying Keystone that he was doing so and giving them an option to shut it off remotely. He was convicted of felony conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and misdemeanor conspiracy trespass. This act of climate disobedience, coordinated with other activists who faced lesser charges, shut down 15 percent of US crude oil imports for nearly a day. In February 2018, he was sentenced to 3 years (2 deferred) and his projected release date is December 5, 2018. Birthday: July 14
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NICOLE KISSANE #20651-111, FCI Dublin, 5701 8th Street – Camp Parks, Dublin, CA 94568, USA Nicole was arrested along with Joseph Buddenberg on July 24, 2015, and federally indicted for Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act for conspiring to release thousands of animals from fur farms and to destroy breeding records in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. On January 17, 2016, Nicole’s non-cooperating plea deal was accepted and she was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. supportnicole.com Birthday: August 18
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MARIUS MASON (ADDRESS ENVELOPE TO “MARIE (MARIUS) MASON”) #04672-061, FMC Carswell, PO Box 27137, Fort Worth, TX 76127, USA Marius is serving 21 years and 10 months (until 09-182027) for his involvement in an ELF arson at a university building carrying out genetically modified crop tests. Marius also pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out ELF actions and admitted involvement in 12 other ELF actions. On May 8, 2017, Marius was moved out of the Carswell Federal Medical Center’s Administrative Unit and into general population. supportmariusmason.org Birthday: January 26
FRAN THOMPSON #1090915, CCC, 3151 Litton Drive, Chillicothe, MO 64601, USA Fran is serving life plus 10 years for killing a man in self-defense after he violently entered her home. Before her imprisonment, Fran was an eco, animal, and anti-nuke campaigner, and it is believed this biased the court against her. Birthday: January 4 BRIAN VAILLANCOURT #M42889, Robinson Correctional, 13423 East 1150th Ave, Robinson, IL 62454, USA Brian was arrested in Chicago on February 9, 2013, for an alleged attempted arson at a McDonald’s. He initially faced a possible 30-year sentence for “Aggravated Arson,” but in 2014 he accepted a non-cooperating plea agreement and is currently serving 9 years (until 9-2020). Birthday: September 5, 1964
INTERNATIONAL PRISONERS LUCIO ALBERTI, FRANCESCO SALA, AND GRAZIANO MAZZARELLI Graziano and Francesco can be reached at Casa Circondariale Ferrara, Via Arginone 327, IT-44100 Ferrara, Italia. Lucio Alberti can be reached at c/o CC Via Cassano Magnago 102, IT-21052 Busto Arsizio (Varese), Italia. The No TAV campaign against the building of the Turin-Lyon high speed rail link has been going strong for over 20 years and regularly leads to new arrests as the Italian state tries to suppress resistance. These three anarchists were arrested on July 11, 2014, in connection with the action at the Chiomonte TAV site between May 13 and 14 of 2013. On February 9, 2016, Lucio and Francesco were sentenced to 2 years and 2 months, and Graziano was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months. ALFREDO COSPITO AND NICOLA GAI Both at: Casa Circondariale Ferrara, Via Arginone 327, IT- 44122 Ferrara, Italia Nicola and Alfredo were arrested on September 14, 2012, for shooting Ansaldo Nucleare manager and Finmeccanica affiliate Roberto Adinolfi in the knees—an action carried out by the Olga nucleus of the FAI/FRI (Informal Anarchist Federation) earlier that year. In May of 2015 their sentences were reduced: Alfredo’s to 9 years and 5 months (until February 2022) and Nicola’s to 8 years and 8 months (until May of 2020). SVEN VAN HASSELT A3021ED, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF, England Sven and Natasha (see entry below) were extradited from the Netherlands to the UK in February 2017 for charges related to the Blackmail 3 case with Debbie Vincent, which stemmed from their work with the Stop
LADISLAV KUC Florianska 18, PS-C12, Kosice, Slovakia 04142 Ladislav is an animal rights activist originally sentenced to 25 years on charges of illegal possession of arms, manufacturing of explosives, and terrorism for a bombing in front of a McDonald’s in 2011 in which there were no injuries. He was traced after almost a year via mail communications between Ladislav and the manufacturer of a timer found at the crime scene. During a house search, police found materials related to the Animal Liberation Front and components for another bomb. In May of 2016, the terrorism charge was overturned and he was resentenced to 23.5 years. Birthday: December 3
ARRESTEES FACING CHARGES BRAVO1 Out on bail Bravo1 (Brennon Nastacio) peacefully protected water and people on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation from DAPL. He is a 36-year-old Pueblo man with two children who depend on him. On January 5, Brennan turned himself over to authorities after learning he had a warrant for a Class C Felony for “Terrorizing,” stemming from an incident where he nonviolently disarmed a man carrying a loaded weapon. CHASE IRON EYES Out on bail Chase was arrested on February 1, 2017, along with over 70 other people when the Last Child Camp, which was set up in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline, was forcibly removed. Both were charged with felony inciting a riot and face up to 5 years in prison. Chase has pleaded not guilty to the charges. RED FAWN FALLIS Heart of America Correctional Center, 110 Industrial Road, Rugby, ND 58368, USA An indictment filed January 5, 2017, charged Red Fawn with felony counts of civil disorder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and discharging a firearm in relation to a felony crime of violence—which, in this case, is a civil disorder. These charges are in addition to an earlier charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 22, 2018, Red Fawn pleaded guilty to civil disorder and possession of a firearm by a felon, with the third count dropped by the prosecution. Red Fawn is expected to be sentenced sometime between April and June; her defense attorney is recommending a sentence of 21 to 27 months while prosecutors are expected to ask for between 46 and 57 months. On December 11, 2017, The Intercept released an article revealing that the gun Red Fawn is accused of having fired belonged to Heath Harmon, an FBI informant who had infiltrated the Standing Rock protests and was in a romantic relationship with Red Fawn.
FOOT JVA Köln, Rochusstraße 350, 50827 Köln, Germany Foot was arrested, along with eight other folks from the Hambach Forest, on January 23, and charged with obstructing the work of officers. They have been in jail for this long because they are considered a flight risk due to refusing to show their ID. GIANLUCA GAUDENZI Gianluca is currently facing charges in Sweden for damaging at least 121 hunting towers and spraypainting slogans, causing roughly 670,000 SKE (approx. $78,000) in damages. He reportedly stated, “For me it is not a crime… It is a crime to destroy nature and other species [translation].” The trial was supposed to begin in November of 2015 but seems to have been delayed indefinitely. MICHAEL "LITTLE FEATHER" GIRON Heart of America Correctional Center, 110 Industrial Road, Rugby, ND 58368, USA Little Feather has two federal criminal charges from an October 27, 2016, arrest at Standing Rock as a water protector. In February 2018, he entered into a non-cooperating plea agreement that includes a joint recommendation of 36 months in prison and remains incarcerated awaiting sentencing. Birthday: August 15 KROW / TWIG / KATIE KLOTH On felony probation Krow was assaulted and arrested on February 4, 2017, by a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer while supporting the struggle against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. She was extradited to Wisconsin to face charges of violating felony probation. The probation is from previous charges stemming from an environmental protest in Wisconsin against mining in the Penokee Hills in 2013, for which she served nine months in jail. She is also facing a felony charge in North Dakota. supportkrow.org Birthday: February 4 RATTLER On supervised pretrial release Rattler is a No DAPL water protector who was charged with Civil Disorder and Use of Fire to Commit a Federal Felony Offense, both felonies, produced through a grand jury indictment. Rattler agreed to a non-cooperating plea deal, which would drop the Use of Fire charge and probably result in a 36 month prison sentence. Rattler’s home is at Pine Ridge and he comes from a long legacy of struggle that he continued at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline and its world. This information is compiled by the joint effort of the EF! Prisoner Support Project and the EF! Journal Collective. A broader list of prisoners from allied struggles and our updated Informant Tracker service can be found at earthfirstjournal. org/prisoners and earthfirstjournal.org/informanttracker. To get in touch, email collective@earthfirstjournal.org or write to EF!PSP, PO Box 163126, Sacramento, CA 95818, USA
9 Earth First! News
Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign. They took a non-cooperating plea deal in September. Sven was sentenced to 5 years in prison and is expected to serve 2.5 years. freesvenandnatasha.org
Eco-Action Group Directory UNITED STATES Rising Tide North America risingtidenorthamerica.org
INDIANA Glacier’s Edge Earth First! glaciersedge@riseup.net
Switchboard Trainers Network switchboardtrainers.org
Also see "Michigan/Indiana"
TWAC (Trans and/or Women’s Action Camp) twac.wordpress.com ARIZONA Black Mesa Indigenous Support supportblackmesa.org
IOWA Mississippi Stand mississippistand@gmail.com KANSAS Kaw Valley Earth First! kvef.org
NEW YORK/PENNSYLVANIA Hudson Valley Earth First! hudsonvalleyearthfirst. wordpress.com Rising Tide NYC risingtidenyc@riseup.net Marcellus Shale Earth First! marcellusshaleearthfirst.org Wetlands Activism Collective wetlands-preserve.org
No Más Muertes/No More nomoredeaths.org
LOUISIANA Belly of the Beast Earth First! byobef@riseup.net
NORTHEAST ACAB (Anti Cis-HeteroPatriarchy Action Brigade) Earth First! acabef.wordpress.com
ARKANSAS Arkansas Rising arkansasrising.net
MAINE Stop the East-West Corridor stopthecorridor.org
FANG (Fighting Against Natural Gas) fangtogether.org
CALIFORNIA Diablo Rising Tide diablorisingtide.org
MARYLAND Savage Mountain Earth First! savagemountainef@riseup.net
NORTH CAROLINA High Country Earth First! highcountryef.wordpress.com
Earth First! Humboldt & Mattole Blockade contactefhum@gmail.com Santa Barbara Earth First! freeawareness@gmail.com (805) 708-7817 Save Our Little Lake Valley savelittlelakevalley.org COLORADO Southwest Earth First! southwestearthfirst. wordpress.com DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Chesapeake Earth First! chesapeakeearthfirst@riseup.net FLORIDA Everglades Earth First! evergladesearthfirst.net Eternal Springs Earth First! sabaltrailresistance. wordpress.com GEORGIA Chattahoochee Earth First! dirtysouth_ef@riseup.net IDAHO See "Montana/Idaho"
MICHIGAN Fen Valley Earth First! fenvalleyearthfirst. wordpress.com Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands michigancats.org Rising Tide Michiana rtmichiana.org MONTANA/IDAHO Buffalo Field Campaign buffalofieldcampaign.org Seeds of Peace
seedsofpeacecollective.org
Wild Buffalo Defense facebook.com/ wildbuffalodefense
Wild Idaho Rising Tide wildidahorisingtide.org NEBRASKA Earth First! Nebraska buffalobruce1@gmail.com NEW JERSEY Split Rock Sweetwater Camp facebook.com/ splitrockprayercamp
Piedmont Earth First! piedmontef@riseup.net Smoky Mountain EcoDefense smed.blackblogs.org OHIO Appalachia Resist! appalachiaresist.wordpress. com
OKLAHOMA Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance gptarsandsresistance.org Oklahoma/Texas Cross Timbers Earth First! crosstimbersef.com OREGON Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project (541) 385-9167 bluemtnsbiodiversity. wordpress.com
Portland Rising Tide portlandrisingtide.org Southern Oregon Rising Tide sorisingtide.org PENNSYLVANIA See "New York/ Pennsylvania" TEXAS Tar Sands Blockade tarsandsblockade.org Two Rivers Camp Search “Two Rivers Camp” Facebook
on
UTAH Canyon Country Rising Tide canyoncountryrisingtide.org Utah Tar Sands Resistance tarsandsresist.org VERMONT Green Mountain Earth First! gmef@riseup.net Rising Tide Vermont risingtidevermont.org VIRGINIA Tidewater Earth First! tidewaterearthfirst@riseup.net WASHINGTON Seattle Rising Tide risingtideseattle@riseup.net Tacoma Direct Action facebook.com/ tacomadirectaction
WISCONSIN Madison Infoshop madisoninfoshop@gmail.com WEST VIRGINIA Radical Action for Mountains’ and People’s Survival rampscampaign.org
Coast Range Forest Watch coastrangeforestwatch.org Cascadia Forest Defenders forestdefensenow.com Northwest Ecosystem Survey Team nestcascadia.wordpress.com
Contact us at collective@earthfirstjournal.org for help finding activist groups in your area, and please let us know of any groups you feel should be added to this directory. A longer Eco-Action Group Directory, with international environmental groups listed, is available at the back of each issue of the Earth First! Journal.