UK's Busiest Oil Refinery Blockaded for Five Hours (ATS Citizen Journalist Reports)

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman


You do realize that nuclear energy is one of the cleanest types of energy known to man, don't you? It seems that Germany is protesting the exact opposite of what OP is protesting... unless, of course, both of you are willing to do without energy at all.

it might be the "cleanest" when it comes to production
but maybe we just have to extend the term "pollution"

we all know that nuclear energy is radioactive and that radioactive products have the tendency to stay - the half time of Plutonium 239 is about 87,000 years. Some of that stuff lasts even longer.
And those 87,000 years just mean, that you have still half of it in your hand than you have today if you take some

so no good!

and nuclear power creates not only energy, it can also create cancer and other critical disease
and it creates a huge "garbage" problem - you just can.t store it in tiny litter boxes or burn it ………

just remember the accidents of three miles island and tschernobyl - i guess it is quiet clear that nuclear power is somehow dirty as well!

we have a responsibility for our children and their children!
and therefore the path is clear.
we have to step away from organic bound energy like petrol and gas but as well step away from nuclear energy towards renewable energy like wind, sun, water!

the german citizens are protesting since the chancellor has betrayed us.
there was a contract to leave nuclear power - this contract has been broken - and now the oldest nuclear power plants will run for anther 8 years and the younger ones for another 14 years - not from autumn 2010 onward but from the date the contract has settled!
since there is no law to cut of the petrol, gas and coal plants they will not enlarge the urgently needed renewable energy plants

how clean is that?

Originally posted by BluntMetal
You know, it's great to see our education system working oh-so efficiently and put to good use. If you can't gather, I'm being sarcastic.

But my sentiments exactly Ferris.Bueller.II. The protest achieved nothing but to let a few students make some pretty banners and chant some benign and empty slogans. Yet people are treating this like an ultimate form of valiancy, when in reality it's nothing but a gross act of self-indulgence on the students part.

Tell me, how did these protesters travel to this event? That's right, by train. A form of transport that heavily relies on fossil fuels. And what about all them placards, the face paint and the clothes they donned? Again, all by products of oil. I can agree with the gesture, but really, hypocrisy and empty gestures aren't something that impress me.

If I had my way, I would have driven a tanker straight through the crowd of infantile students. Lets see how "valiant" they are for their cause when they've got a 20 ton speeding lump of metal careering towards them. Talk about sorting the men from the boys.

I dissagree, I think it is so blatantly apparent that the general population of the UK has grown complacent as a whole, what has happened to our fighting spirit?

Not so many years ago, we were spot on, we would strike, protest and make a big deal when we were getting screwed over, whether it was fuel prices, government decisions, immigration policies etc, we stood up for ourselves, we had the spirit to say 'Enough is enough!'

This capabillity, this passion, seems to have dwindled over the last few years, and I often find myself amazed at how we appear to just roll over and take it nowadays.

Yes, I understand that we rely on oil for everyday use, yes I understand that hypocrisy is unavoidable with this particular argument, but there IS a valid point at hand, and it is a breath of fresh air to SEE people standing up and making their views heard, I commend and applaud it!

imagine if those 500 train fares were spent on food for the homeless?
enough said!

Originally posted by danielhanson420
imagine if those 500 train fares were spent on food for the homeless?
enough said!

Then...nothing would have been bought to anybody's attention...

The next day, there would be no difference.

reply to post by Gilbo303


whats differnt today?
second line

Originally posted by danielhanson420
reply to post by Gilbo303

 

whats differnt today?
second line

That is has been bought to the attention of the public, that a stand has been made, point noted etc. OK, so maybe nothing major has happened immediatly as a direct consequence, but... at least a group of people have summoned the cojones to make a point about something that they feel passionately about, and raised awarness of said point.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
reply to post by LarryLove

 

Probably didn't disrupt much, if any at all.

Coryton Refinery

Coryton Refinery is an oil refinery in Essex, England, situated on the estuary of the River Thames some 28 miles (45 km) from the centre of London.

The refinery is located between Shell Haven Creek and Hole Haven Creek, which separates Canvey Island from the mainland.

It is a part of the Port of London and is the last of the three major refineries on the Thames Estuary to remain in operation. Output is delivered via the UKOP pipeline, road and rail.

There is also a 753 MW gas-fired power station, opened in 2002 and run by Coryton Energy Co Ltd, part of Intergen.

That's probably why the police let you have your mental masturb@tions, and feel proud of yourselves.

Exactly, Patriot! Those durned liberals and their stupid protesting. They all want to live in caves and force us to eat tofu!

Originally posted by boondock-saint
WOW
absolute genius
S&F

that's all I got to say about that
~Forrest Gump~

"genius"? right. .....There is no climate-gate here.... just move on....

yeah but if you had fed the homeless you could of positively impacted on allot of needy peoples lives. instead of waving oil products at an oil company. if you had broke into the place and chained yourselves to the equipment and really got some attention for your cause. the organization is spot on mate but i don't think the message or the way you went about it is, and certainly doesn't take Kaunas to do.

reply to post by LarryLove


I absolutely LOVE seeing activist actions like this.

MUCH POWER TO THEM!

Originally posted by danielhanson420
yeah but if you had fed the homeless you could of positively impacted on allot of needy peoples lives. instead of waving oil products at an oil company. if you had broke into the place and chained yourselves to the equipment and really got some attention for your cause. the organization is spot on mate but i don't think the message or the way you went about it is, and certainly doesn't take Kaunas to do.

Well yeah, there are many positive things they could have done, other than protest, that would have an active, positive effect, but does that mean that we shouldn't waste our time proteasting anymore if we feel something needs to be addressed?

Not sure by your wording with 'The organization is spot on mate but i don't think the message or the way you went about it is.' do you mean me personally? I have nothing to do with said organisation, I was just pleased to see people in the UK standing up for once in something they feel passionate about, but I'm definately not affiliated to them or their cause. Or have I missunderstood you? Sorry, long day, still at work...urgh.

Originally posted by Silver Star

Originally posted by LarryLove

The day went by with good humour and without serious incidents.

Well good for them. I hope my day tomorrow goes with good humour and without a serious incident like my car conking out the side of the road because I couldn't get petrol.

But hey! That'll teach me for relying on fossil fuels to put bread on the table.

You could always walk your ass to the market... or, god forbid, MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD!

Originally posted by BluntMetal
You know, it's great to see our education system working oh-so efficiently and put to good use. If you can't gather, I'm being sarcastic.

But my sentiments exactly Ferris.Bueller.II. The protest achieved nothing but to let a few students make some pretty banners and chant some benign and empty slogans. Yet people are treating this like an ultimate form of valiancy, when in reality it's nothing but a gross act of self-indulgence on the students part.

Tell me, how did these protesters travel to this event? That's right, by train. A form of transport that heavily relies on fossil fuels. And what about all them placards, the face paint and the clothes they donned? Again, all by products of oil. I can agree with the gesture, but really, hypocrisy and empty gestures aren't something that impress me.

If I had my way, I would have driven a tanker straight through the crowd of infantile students. Lets see how "valiant" they are for their cause when they've got a 20 ton speeding lump of metal careering towards them. Talk about sorting the men from the boys.

Haha, you think there aren't protesters out there who wouldn't smash someone like you upside their crooked head?? You're the one who's sadly and tragically naive, not to mention bitter towards all the "hippie commies" you unjustifiably love to hate.

w-t-f, double post. Sorry bout that.

Originally posted by jpmail
As much as I hate big oil companies you have to laugh at the irony of the multitude of oil based products these people are using and wearing.

I bet you my last pound some of them drove to the trian station and its very likely the train was desil or electric.

It is total hypocrisy to shout for the end of oil whilst using oil based products during your protest and I assume during there daily lives. I will say it is nie on impossible to not use oil based products in day to day life but theres no point protesting about oil without even trying.

You know you CAN use the master's tools to bring the master's house down... especially when that's what's available to you. It's simple logic really... not to mention these protesters DO NOT have some other alternative society to live in. Modern civilization has its oily tentacles on just about every square mile of land on the planet... so forgive protesters when they use petroleum products in an actually productive anti-petroleum manner. Keep in mind, it's nearly impossible not to use petroleum products in this day and age, it's a matter of pervasiveness/petroleum culture and not always a real choice.

reply to post by Gilbo303


no mate i worded that wrongly i didnt mean you personally. i do think we need alternative energy and firmly belive the tech is already their just hidden to futher certain indaviduals monopolys. really this whole country should be in the streets right now burning everything "they" own for what they have done/ are doing and will do to us. it will happen but its not going to be pretty. the only thing the french do propery

Originally posted by DataWraith
Whilst I agree in principle of the demonstration I cannot help but notice that A: there was NO main stream media attention to this event, not that I saw anyway, and B it would have had more impact if not only blockading the refinery but if a larger contingent went and blockaded Parliament Square and the Oil companies headquarters around not only London but the world as whole.

But I give my applause for the people that went, well done. Oh and by the way, anyone not showing their face should either be asked to leave or be implicated in Agent Provocateuring (IMHO)..

Now before people say that the Government has abolished protests at the square , it would have been feasible to have a few hundred protesters marching around not only the square itself but also standing outside the Parliament buildings , there would have been more coverage if the protesters had not only made placards about Oil having its day but also to imform the people there are other alternatives ( ie Magnetic generators) being supressed by these Oil and fossil fuels companies and they are not allowed to be developed to their full potential as there isn't any money to be made from them for the Oil companies.

That would at least garnered a bit more attention than simply stopping traffic flow from a refinery and maybe people would've realised they are not only being ripped off by these corporations but also as a result of forbidden technology being denied that the Planet itself is in danger of being poisoned, and without the Planet we ourselves are doomed.

It's the media's choice whether or not they cover something. It's not always easy garnering proper media attention for something like this, they view it as too radical and there are too many fat, old, stupid, and bitter citizens who will drunkenly rail against the protesters without knowing what they're talking about.

Also keep in mind, wearing masks is ESSENTIAL to maintaining anonymity in an endemic surveillance society, ESPECIALLY during activism/protest. The wearing of a mask does nothing substantial to encourage agent provocateuring. An agent provocateur could just as easily dress in plainclothes, sans the mask, and do his/her dirty job. Cops don't own masks, protesters do. Agent provocateurs can/have been spotted with or without masks.

Originally posted by danielhanson420
reply to post by Gilbo303

 

no mate i worded that wrongly i didnt mean you personally. i do think we need alternative energy and firmly belive the tech is already their just hidden to futher certain indaviduals monopolys. really this whole country should be in the streets right now burning everything "they" own for what they have done/ are doing and will do to us. it will happen but its not going to be pretty. the only thing the french do propery

Ah cool mate, Yeah I'm just glad to see something being said, it's the complacency of the UK in general that riles me right up these days...damn I sound old haha.

Yup, the French don't seem to take it lying down.

No video, no UFO's, no shape-shifters.
What exactly has been brought to our attention?
It's not clear from the photos.

There is some press coverage on this, one at least
claiming that car dealerships could be next on the list.

Could be a gripping reality TV programme in this.
Meanwhile, why is this posted on ATS?

Originally posted by camaro68ss
Thanks guys for protesting and stoping those greedy oil pigs. o wow you really did something there. cant wait to see my gas prices go up once you really stop them for good!

edit on 18-10-2010 by camaro68ss because: (no reason given)

Kinda relates to my point, we used to protest at gas prices going up, now we just sit back and take without muttering a word.