Activists with Change Chevron infiltrated and interrupted a speech of Chevron’s CEO, and turned it into convo bout their toxic pollution in Equador. After activists confronted the CEO, one audience member shouted, “keep standing up to them!”
Direct Action in Scotland
In Scotland, two anonymous posts on Indymedia show that direct action against coal mining infrastructure has started once again. Last week a post on Indymedia Scotland said that “extensive damage has been caused to a mining machine at the Broken Cross open cast coal mine in South Lanarkshire.” Today, a post on Indymedia UK said that this morning “people locked the haulage gate of Mainshill Open Cast Site on the B7078 with a d-lock preventing coal trucks entering the site and transporting coal to the Ravenstruther Rail Head.” Both actions were carried out in solidarity with The Happendon Wood Action Camp and the people of the Douglas valley who are “facing an onslaught of coal mines from Scottish Coal.”
300 March Against IMF and World Bank Debt
On the 8th of October, as the IMF and World Bank meetings got underway, an estimated 300 protesters took to the streets, carrying “chains of debt” to the IMF and World Bank, marching with them to the White House-and finally draping the paper chains over the White House Fence, and getting away with it! The march went right past the front and back doors of the World Bank and wound around the IMF before proceeding to the White House. A giant “Loan Shark” puppet was constantly circling, like a real shark smelling food. Jubilee and other activist groups participated in the demonstration.
On October 9, a second night march against the IMF and World Bank meetings was met with police violence and and an illegal mass detention where people were detained and released individually. This skirts close to violating the terms of court settlements and legislation against meaningless arrests stemming from IMF protests in 2000 and 2002. After the Saturday night march against the International Monetary Fund and World Bank was dispersed by the DC metropolitan police, affinity groups used the situation to attack targets in the Friendship Heights shopping district. Windows along the main strip including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, a Microsoft office, and an ATM at a bank were hit in the middle of the night. Anticapitalist and anarchist graffiti was seen along the Galleria walls and behind banks.
SHAC Protest in DC
On the 8th of October, animal rights activists stormed the lobby of Goldman-Sachs, protesting their continued status as a shareholder of Fortress, the lifeline of Huntingdon Life Sciences. As this is the weekend of the IMF and World Bank meetings, protesters against Huntingdon Life Sciences have chosen to focus on financial institutions that invest in Fortress or otherwise are connected to HLS for this week. The Friday timing caught security by surprise at Goldman-Sachs, and protesters were able to storm into the lobby blowing air horns and wielding bullhorns. Nomura, another major stockholder in Fortress, had their doors held open for bullhorns before security was able to close and lock them.