Spring thaws away winter at Ericssons' Gothenburg (Sweden).
An addicted UK Vine and Fig Tree Planter joined up with others international vine and fig tree planters to jolly along spring in Sweden, thus (I like that word) starting to warm the freeze at Gothernburg's Weapons factory (where a harsher shade of winter has laid).
An addicted UK Vine and Fig Tree Planter joined up with others international vine and fig tree planters to jolly along spring in Sweden, thus (I like that word) starting to warm the freeze at Gothernburg's Weapons factory (where a harsher shade of winter has laid).
International vines & fig tree planting at Swedish Ericsson arms factory
On Friday 14th April, six vine and fig tree planters were arrested after planting an orchard at the Ericsson Microwave arms factory in Mölndal [just south of Gothenburg].
Earlier in the week they had (after extensive dialogue found themselves oddly being invited to a different weapons factory 'Borfors' in Karlsgoga to plant - dialogue there continues). This is something intriguing to witness and be involved in.
The planters came from Swedish Churches, the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation as well as the Catholic Worker Movement in the USA and two other non attached from Denmark and England. They planted a vine one side of the perimeter fence then (with awkward agility and a ladder) climbed over and continued the planting of vine and fig trees on the grassy green area alongside Ericsson's main buildings. Spring had been brought to Ericsson's. As a conversation between guards and planters was initiated, the vine and fig tree planting continued.
"We have read the prophet Micah's vision that each of us should sit under his vine and his fig tree, and nobody should threaten him or her.
"Everything went very calmly," says Ulla from Denmark, one of the planters. The planting marked the beginning of a dialogue between us all the guards, and the police and also now Ericssons.
" Annika Spalde, from Gothenburg commented that 'the police arrived after a brief interval, three planters were taken into custody and one of them was still being held by the police overnight'.
Having taken to heart the writings of the hebrew prophet Micah that each of us should sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and nobody should threaten him. Hows that gonna happen if we dont get them plants in the ground and start to look after them.
Vines and fig trees are powerful symbols for peace, security, and freedom from oppression. Through this planting though actual transformation was initiated (it was not merely symbolic).
"This is proactive resistance" says Les Gibbons from the United Kingdom. "We are not asking or copmplaining to Ericsson to change things there, or writing to the government to make laws for us. We want to begin on the change that we want to see and the invitation is that it could spread in many other ways.
Whilst in the prison cell, Gibbons decided to pay for his meals and offered to give DNA as it was a 'offer day', charges were later dropped when he refused to pay the alleged fine 900 krona and the prosecution (by phone) said that it was a light conviction that had occurred this indicates that more civil disobedience in Sweden is needed.
The group consists of nine persons and worked with nonviolence and civil disobedience.
The vine & fig tree planters nationalities were:
Swedish, Danish, American and English.
Wink wink
On Friday 14th April, six vine and fig tree planters were arrested after planting an orchard at the Ericsson Microwave arms factory in Mölndal [just south of Gothenburg].
Earlier in the week they had (after extensive dialogue found themselves oddly being invited to a different weapons factory 'Borfors' in Karlsgoga to plant - dialogue there continues). This is something intriguing to witness and be involved in.
The planters came from Swedish Churches, the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation as well as the Catholic Worker Movement in the USA and two other non attached from Denmark and England. They planted a vine one side of the perimeter fence then (with awkward agility and a ladder) climbed over and continued the planting of vine and fig trees on the grassy green area alongside Ericsson's main buildings. Spring had been brought to Ericsson's. As a conversation between guards and planters was initiated, the vine and fig tree planting continued.
"We have read the prophet Micah's vision that each of us should sit under his vine and his fig tree, and nobody should threaten him or her.
"Everything went very calmly," says Ulla from Denmark, one of the planters. The planting marked the beginning of a dialogue between us all the guards, and the police and also now Ericssons.
" Annika Spalde, from Gothenburg commented that 'the police arrived after a brief interval, three planters were taken into custody and one of them was still being held by the police overnight'.
Having taken to heart the writings of the hebrew prophet Micah that each of us should sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and nobody should threaten him. Hows that gonna happen if we dont get them plants in the ground and start to look after them.
Vines and fig trees are powerful symbols for peace, security, and freedom from oppression. Through this planting though actual transformation was initiated (it was not merely symbolic).
"This is proactive resistance" says Les Gibbons from the United Kingdom. "We are not asking or copmplaining to Ericsson to change things there, or writing to the government to make laws for us. We want to begin on the change that we want to see and the invitation is that it could spread in many other ways.
Whilst in the prison cell, Gibbons decided to pay for his meals and offered to give DNA as it was a 'offer day', charges were later dropped when he refused to pay the alleged fine 900 krona and the prosecution (by phone) said that it was a light conviction that had occurred this indicates that more civil disobedience in Sweden is needed.
The group consists of nine persons and worked with nonviolence and civil disobedience.
The vine & fig tree planters nationalities were:
Swedish, Danish, American and English.
Wink wink