Ruth Kelly and 2.5 % biofuels travesty!

On 15th April on biofuels day Rhythms of Resistance joined a group activists
who went to visit Ruth Kelly's constituency office in Bolton.
Protestors held banners saying "hello 2.5% biofuels, goodbye planet earth"
Rhythms of Resistance Manchester played along to chants of 'food for people
not for cars.' Local people were leafleted and informed about their local MP's
collusion with the biofuels greenwash and it's links with deforestation, the
rise in food prices and the displacement of indigenous people's from their land.
Channel M Manchester covered the story and spoke to a sambista dressed as an orangutan forced to leave his home in the Indonesian rainforest.

STOP EU RTFO NOW!

No Borders, No Nations, Freedom of Movement for ALL!

On Saturday evening, up to 200 squatters and No Borders activists held an
unauthorised demonstration in the city centre. Accompanied by Rhythms of Resistance
and two soundsystems mounted on bike trailers, they marched from Victoria
Station into the Northern Quarter, along Market Street and Kings Street,
through Spinningfields into Castlefield.

The demonstration highlighted the ridiculousness of hundreds of houses
standing empty, while many of us face extortionate rents, mortgage
repayments or eviction threats. A participant said: “It was about time
that someone protested about the invisible borders that divide the city
into rich and poor”.

At the end of the march in Castlefields, the protesters succeeded in
taking symbolic action against the redevelopment of the area. As they
arrived at the old Jackson’s Wharf pub, they entered the abandoned
building and brought it back to life for a couple of hours of celebration.

This event in Manchester coincided with dozens of building occupations,
protests and street parties across Europe, in cities as diverse as London,
Amsterdam, Vienna and Prague. Worldwide, tens of thousands attended.

Fossil Fools Parade

Manchester's Fossil Fools got up to all sorts of tricks today, visiting some of their idols in the city centre... unfortunately in our efforts to congratulate the best fossil fools a few mishaps occurred...
Some clowns got stuck in the revolving doors at RBS and a human pipeline was escorted from the city centre building by security. Some members of the parade got confused and chalked messages on the pavements, and people trying to escape the beating of drums ran to hide in the flight centre while the samba band, who really had no idea, blocked the entrance! Some policemen came along looking for Spartacus but couldn't find him anywhere.

This was a wonderful day where fossil fools in all their many guises could come together, from old men (we think?!!), to young dinosaurs, in shades, masks, facepaints and suits to worship at the alter of commercial climate denial. To encourage people to consider whether or not they too may be fossil fools there were free vegan cakes, and leaflets with guidance about making Manchester a cleaner city (another little slip up).

On a positive note banners reading 'OIL,GAS and COAL the jokes on US! Happy Fossil Fools Day! were hung on the walls of RBS, out of respect for their hard work contributing to climate chaos. Placards saying 'Mr.T says "I pity the fuel" were waved. The parade ended triumphantly outside Manchester Town Hall to recognise the vital role Manchester City Council play in the area, damaging the climate every day. Just before the end a charming man did a short but inspiring solo on the spoons.

Brussels Agrofuels Invasion

A member of Rhythms Manchester travelled to Belgium to
join in an international action against biofuels. Activists
blockaded the doors of the International Biofuels Conference
and a large group of Sambistas drummed loudly to cause a
disruption. This action cast a large shadow over the latest
greenwash publicity stunt.

Stop the War Demo March

Members of Rhythms of Resistance Manchester joined a large
UK band at the national demonstrations against the war
in Iraq and Afganistan which marked five years of the conflict.