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Climate Campers Declare Victory in Battle Against Royal Bank of Scotland

Nick Martian | 25.08.2010 21:58 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Workers' Movements | Liverpool | World

The Camp for Climate Action in Edinburgh ended yesterday with climate campers declaring victory over the Royal Bank of Scotland which they blamed for funding the extraction of oil from the tar sands in Canada and for many other oil and gas projects around the world.
The day of mass action on Monday was a three-sided affair with climate campers performing hit and run flash mob style actions and the police running around like the Keystone Cops trying to stop them, and the English Defence League making ugly threats and sneering and jeering from the sidelines on Twitter. (Photos courtesy of Jono Warren).




A medieval catapult was erected on the back of a trailer attached to a Landrover with the plan to fire treacle at the Royal bank of Scotland headquarters building opposite the camp site, and the police hastily donned their riot gear and told journalists to leave because the climate campers had weapons and it was no longer safe for them to be there.
The kids' bloc Children's Revolution march went off without incident with friends and supporters helping out as usual and the police FIT team filming and photographing them all, presumably to make sure that everybody was safe and properly protected for a change.

Reports on Indymedia about the threats of violence from the English Defence League were blamed by some road protesters for a lower attendance than in previous years and it was even suggested that as many as 500 eco-warriors from the road protests of the 1990s were too scared to even show their faces.
Other commentators said that interest and support for the climate camps has been in decline since all the violence with the riot police at the Kingsnorth climate camp in 2008 and at the G20 protests in the City of London in 2009.

The climate camp day of mass action seems to have been a comedy of errors from the look of the reports from Jono Warren, a London based photojournalist, editor of @NUJPhoto and co-founder of @phnat, who posts on Twitter under the name of “nmec”.
Here are all Mr Warren's posts about the demonstrations with replies and comments from climate campers and the members of the English Defence League, some of whom were actually at the climate camp and some who were Twittering from elsewhere:

nmec "Violent night as protesters vow to paralyse RBS" - The Herald  http://jw.to/C
nmec Finally been allowed onto RBS site by police, now they say we can go on a minibus tour of the site, but not the area where Climate Camp is
nmec Journalists being given another tour of the site with police.
Trying to negotiate proper access to see the camp
BristleKRS RT @nmec Police say why/give legal justification?
nmec Police Superintendent just told us that she's trying to get the media proper access.
Request working up the chain of command
nmec Police Superintendent Leslie Clark has allowed the media full access to the RBS site.
Well persevered by @marc_vallee

nmec All quiet on the Climate Camp front.
Standing outside #RBS HQ chatting with police. Sneaking suspicion that we're missing something.
julesmattsson @nmec well we're in the city, and there's some action here.
nmec Climate Camp protesters appear to be dismantling the wooden tower looking over the site that they erected. Maybe to use to cross the river?
nmec Four Climate Camp protesters dressed as clowns approaching the river bank being told by police if they cross they will be arrested
nmec Police wearing riot helmets being deployed in front of the bridge between climate camp and RBS HQ.
More getting kitted up in their vans.

nmec Not clear what the police escalation is in response to.
A few Climate Camp protesters dressed as clowns halfway across the bridge
LordLindley @nmec Lets hope they shoot the retards on clown get ups. Save the UK some benefits.
nmec Police in riot gear with long and short shields getting ready to deploy.
Apparently in response to intelligence that campers have weapons
nmec Just been given two police minders and told if it kicks off we'll be escorted away 'for our own safety'
sinisterpics @nmec Or to make sure you don't witness any excessive violence perhaps?

nmec Lots of activity over the river on Climate Camp around the tower.
Will it be used to cross the river or converted into a wooden horse?
nmec Climate Camp spy tells me that the tower is on a trailer attached to a Land Rover and has a catapult on the top
nmec Last guy rope holding the tower has come down, think the game is afoot.
nmec Police Liaison Officer tells me that they have intelligence that the oil spill across the road earlier today was linked to Climate Camp
nmec Climate Camp tower/rhino/catapult thingy seems to have stalled.
Moved a few metres, now moving back again. Slowest direct action ever.

nmec All the press just been moved by very arsey police press liaison officer 'for our own safety' from in front of the RBS HQ
nmec Climate Camp siege tower seems to have gotten stuck.
Should of used a 4x4.
wearethebritish @nmec "siege tower seems to have gotten stuck. Should of used a 4x4" and climate camp think they are fit to dictate energy policies? #fail
LordLindley @nmec Come on you police. Crack their skulls.
nmec Police announce to Climate Camp protesters 'if you trespass on RBS land you will be arrested'
Translation: let's be havin' you
nmec Climate Camp siege tower has got stuck... In a tree

nmec Leaving Climate Camp now. Mass 'action' at the camp was non-existent.
Wheeled a tower around the camp and some fake oil catapulted on the wall
wearethebritish read and re-read the tweet from @nmec - it says it all about the absolute failure of climate camp - NOTHING of any value was achieved
SteelRainMkII @wearethebritish @nmec that's what happens when no mark hippy cunts try to organise things.
Bahaha throbbers
smithsam does it look like these guys are done with today?  http://tweetphoto.com/40930862 #climatecamp (@nmec)
nmec They haven't moved for hours

nmec Warm & dry back in Glasgow, editing pictures from today's Climate Camp.
In meantime my photos from yesterday:  http://jw.to/B
nmec Me too RT @marc_vallee: Standing in the rain for 8 hours reporting on Climate Camp today I have to ask - what did any of this achieve?
zoe4489 RT @nmec: Warm & dry back in Glasgow, editing pictures Climate Camp. my photos:  http://jw.to/B
you're an opportunist anti protestor
nmec Photos from today's (very wet) mass action at #ClimateCamp  http://jw.to/D
victohenry Brilliant pics!
HarryGiles What did today achieve? If nothing else, getting link between finance and climate change firmly in the public discourse @nmec @marc_vallee

nmec Twitter backfires for #ClimateCamp  http://gu.com/p/2j8bg /via @james_randerson
bat020 @nmec @james_randerson umm, you do realise 'wearethebritish' is EDL?
perhaps not the best source of views on Climate Camp to be endorsing...
nmec @bat020 Yes I've come across him before.
I don't endorse his views, just linking, but the GDN should know better than to feed the trolls
james_randerson @bat020 @nmec Not endorsing anyone's views.
Just noting how twitter panned out as a campaigning tool - ie not well
nmec Interesting little Twitter spat going on over Climate Camp tag between @james_randerson @AmeliaGregory and @climatecamp

AmeliaGregory @nmec hi Jono how are you? haven't seen you in ages. having fun?
you up for feeding the fascist trolls too then?
nmec @AmeliaGregory They're no fan of me  http://jw.to/E  http://jw.to/F
You seem to be suggesting that anyone critical of Climate Camp is a troll
AmeliaGregory @nmec no, but I think that anyone who gives added exposure to explicitly hideous trolls (see the Guardian) is pretty darn heinous themselves
wearethebritish @nmec I recall the EDL demo and the Chief Inspector asking u not to tweet inaccurate info - nothing against good reporting
@smithsam: does it look like these guys are done with today? http://twee ...  http://tmi.me/ImSH
nmec @wearethebritish It was not inaccurate  http://jw.to/G  http://jw.to/H
wearethebritish @nmec then like the Chief Inspector I withdraw my previous comment

Here is the full round-up of news about the day of mass action at the Camp for Climate Action in Edinburgh from the official climate camp Twitter site:
More dancing from the performance of Oily Gaga outside Nicholson Street branch of RBS  http://tweetphoto.com/40871866
ThomCostello Cairn still pondering what to do with RiBS the Trojan Pig that Climate Camp activists just left on their doorstep!  http://twitpic.com/2hfp5k
GdnEdinburgh First few climate camp pictures coming into our Flickr group here  http://bit.ly/dD49LI
we'll be updating some more at lunchtime
MrOolong Daytime photos from Climate Camp now up - morning, and the afternoon's 'Action Game':  http://www.flickr.com/photos/0olong/tags/climatecamp/

frisbeeboy123 climate camp Seven activists take over HQ of Forth Energy protesting biomass, three inside, two on door, two roof  http://twitpic.com/2hfuob
activists explain to customers why they shouldnt bank with RBS in Nicholson Street branch  http://tweetphoto.com/40874275
Whilst blockading the Nicholson Street branch of RBS with superglued hands  http://tweetphoto.com/40874499
SophiaCR Liking the banner drop just outside RBS headquarters saying 'RBS using our money to fuck the planet'
SophiaCR The banner over the A8 by the RBS headquarters is still there!
RooftopJaxx  http://visionon.tv back up with 'What's wrong with RBS'
kirstywords Group say they are protesting RBS loans to companies involved in exploiting Canadian tar sands.
Lone dancer in crosswalk.

the nicholson street branch of RBS has now been blockaded for two hours and has been forced to close it's doors
Loads of press and dancing and music and flyering  http://tweetphoto.com/40876508  http://tweetphoto.com/40876539
Well done to the folks protesting at Forth Energy head offices.
Biomass spells disaster!  http://tweetphoto.com/40877835
jessnewint tarsands crew on bus into town 2 take anti-tar sands message 2 Edinburgh public.
climateactivist According to a guy who does landscaping for RBS all the fire exit handles have been removed due to fear of sympathetic staff letting us in!
GdnEdinburgh 5 protesters in a tent outside RBS North Bridge. 13 police officers.
oxfordbloo sounds like Edinburgh is a flash mob protest hotspot this morning

festpooran Green protestors stormed Stiglitz's edbookfest event this weekend  http://tinyurl.com/349qy2p
Am I right in assuming it was climate camp?
Sounds like the three brave activists who blocked the Nicholson branch of RBS may now have been arrested
There's some climate campers on the Royal Mile protesting against RBS financing of tar sands extraction
Riot cops now lurking in large quantities over the bridge in the grounds of RBS HQ
Jenjcrichton Eight arrests as climate protests step up a gear...STV has the latest...  http://bit.ly/bRw55G

frisbeeboy123 climate camp five arrests at Forth Energy as police cut through chains and locks
Whilst we target the Cairn head office, @Greenpeaceuk are confronting them off the coast of Greenland.
jessnewint More activists now locked on inside rbs nicolson branch, demo outside  http://bit.ly/bUfjCl
RooftopJaxx First Nations activists Jasmin and Rhiannon 'RBS - Killing Our People' (RBoS)  http://visionon.tv
malcolmreilly So Very Sixth Form: RT @fnohe climate camp action described as "extremely reckless and dangerous".
I thought NOT acting on climate change was just that.

martingraham1 Protesters mustering, cops massing...
julesmattsson The rhino is nearly ready to roll...
Seems an interesting idea...
We keep trying to leave! Longest ever action build up  http://tweetphoto.com/40904371
do you think they've spotted us yet?
Scaffolding banner drop at RBS North Bridge branch: RBS funds & profits from climate chaos
We are trying very hard to move!
jessnewint Toxic tarsands tailings pond appears on royal mile.
Dead ducks aplenty  http://bit.ly/9aQuk0

hannathomas @wearethebritish a window got smashed.
that is not the same as hundreds of people dying at the hands of rbs. do your research.
smithsam @wearethebritish not the point. Climate camp does not target people because of who they are.
Organisations because of what they do, yes. People, no.
youandifilms Watch RiBS the Trojan Pig make an oily mess at Cairn Energy  http://bit.ly/cexeFr

At least four caterpults of oily molasses have just been fired at the RBS HQ. Nice work.
And in other news: there is a bunny holding the gate on the bridge for us. Climate camp rabbit activist
Dirty oil stains on the RBS HQ created by molasses  http://tweetphoto.com/40916406
Greenpeace boat is 2km away from Cairn oil rig in Arctic Greenland.
Cairn that got slicked by climate camp today  http://bit.ly/9MFEGk

guyshrubsole High drama & comedy on fringes of Edinburgh: climate camp action kicks off with siege towers and molasses
View from the top of the siege tower.  http://tweetphoto.com/40930862
Rhino bumps into police car  http://tweetphoto.com/40931333
Police and journalists watching, slightly bemused by our antics
Someone has just returned from the Leith demo.
Lots of good outreach and messaging about why biomass is bad
they told locals and workers about the impact of financial subsidising and hoisted up 5 banners in total

hamishcampbell Siege Catapult video soon on  http://climatecamp.tv see what you think about activist medieval technology
Josie Long is here and she just called us heroes!
She wants to become an activist. Weeeeeee!  http://tweetphoto.com/40964677
"you're so lovely and normal too!" - Josie Long at #climatecamp  http://tweetphoto.com/40965113
HarryGiles Muted?!
Two branches and one HQ shut down, 2 energy companies hit, 2 banner drops, catapults and a siege tower!
GuyRope Well done today to @climatecamp Action round-up PR up on the website  http://bit.ly/aUbrbX
RisingTideNA Danish Warship Blocks Greenpeace Arctic Oil Protest  http://tinyurl.com/2fwer75

PoopLouder RT @HarryGiles: To repeat: I spent most of today on top of a siege tower. A FRICKIN SEIGE TOWER. Singing, dancing, chanting.
PoopLouder RT @HarryGiles: Media ignoring climate camp?
Not according to these search results:  http://bit.ly/aqTGdp
PoopLouder RT @usesofliteracy: solidarity with the climate camp protestors in Edinburgh - wish I was there!

planetfish @marc_vallee climate camp raised awareness of RBS's huge investments in polluting fossil fuels.
I hope you'll continue to cover these events
peterspeller @josielong performing at climate camp was awesome.
RooftopJaxx ...& the last laugh belongs to us: Climate Camp Siege Rhino  http://bit.ly/aNKMNG (and special thanks too @ameliagregory)

An amazing end to a day of action:100s of happy climate campers dancing together in the main tent after storming Jodie Long gig
soberkayak Excellent few days at climate camp, some work needs done on communication.
Well done everyone No Pasaran!!
The rhinoceros siege tower this morning.
The police brought their barriers to it since we couldn't move
Big success yesterday: we managed to shut down the RBS HQ.
And had A Lot of fun in the process

Our amazing sticky lady (who glued herself to reception in RBS) is henceforth to be known as Dongaria Kondh
She changed her name to Dongaria Kondh by deed poll the week before camp in honour of an indigenous Indian tribe
Mining giant Vedanta has moved them from their lands to mine bauxite.
Guess who funds them to do this? RBS

Dongaria Kondh won't change her name back until RBS stop funding Vedanta mining in their lands
Go Dongaria!
SophiaCR Apparently the oil on the road wasn't Climate Camp, the police just jumped the gun.
guardianeco climate camp round up - police made 12 arrests yesterday  http://bit.ly/axqmHH
terencejunior @climatecamp A special thanks to the Rhino Siege Tower/ Trojan Horse was a joy to behold fantastico

sallymumbycroft RT @JustDoItFilm: Round-up of climate camp in the news: BBC  http://bit.ly/9LygvT PA  http://bit.ly/bQ3qHd The Indie  http://bit.ly/cCWp7A
PoopLouder RT @severincarrell: Police retract climate camp allegation that buses were diverted by oil on roads action; add the A720 & A8 now open
RooftopJaxx RT @climateactivist Forth energy office occupiers just released without charge!
RT @orangejon: Fun end to climate camp with crazy dancing and a bit of moshing!

Still don't know what actions happened no debrief this year.
climateactivist Picking up friends from a beautiful court building in edinburgh.
RooftopJaxx The Twitter Climate Camp Daily has just been updated, and you can view it at  http://paper.li/tag/climatecamp
emilyapple Anyone present at climate camp may want to counteract some of the trolls commenting on the #fitwatch blog. www.fitwatch.org.uk

today: the last of our workshops and tat down begins.
This evening we have our final plenary too
keithpp @climatecamp @emilyapple there are a lot of sad pathetic people around who have nothing better to do than post moronic comments
peterspeller Alan Cochrane on climate camp in @telegraph "RBS' investments are lawful and worthwhile" - most naive opinion so far!  http://bit.ly/aSA1Xc
despite provocative headline The Scotsman article is broadly well written and supportive of us today.
comment piece in The Scotsman is shockingly badly written though.
Can't even get our name right.

lasophielle I had stuff to say bout climate camp. comments welcome!  http://lasophielle.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/a-case-for-the-camp-for-climate-action/
Go read the most succinct and fabulous analysis of this years climate camp, courtesy of @lasophielle. Thank you.
EcoLabs More action on the Royal Bank of Scotland re: dirty oil  http://twitpic.com/2hjtbp
as of tomorrow the #climatecamp hashtag will be retiring again until next time.
Please @reply to @climatecamp so that we can retweet.
SophiaCR I'd noticed too
RT @lasophielle Our demographics have improved in terms of class and ethnicity - also old, young, families.
earthontherun @AmeliaGregory Good news for climate camp
RBS supported project of Vedanta out of Niyamgiri Hurray!
Guardian report:  http://bit.ly/dwMHCs

julietk Back from a fantastic climate camp with some awesome actions. Knackered now! Good work everyone
PoopLouder It's amazing to me how so many people on such a free forum as twitter could be so against climate camp's use of the right to protest.
Guardian article: climate camp  http://bit.ly/cCQcgC
RooftopJaxx  http://climatecamp.tv Wake Up and Smell the Coffins #visionOntv

PeopleNotProfit SSY's analysis of the past weekend's climate camp in Edinburgh:  http://bit.ly/apP4xD
orangejon climate camp winding down, everything being taken apart around me.
Just did an interview for Climate Camp TV.
MysticMegs Just spied @gmartin in this lovely video montage of Climate Camp in Edinburgh!
Well done to everyone who was there!  http://tiny.cc/ti0vy

greenhaze RT @guardianeco: India blocks Vedanta mine on Dongria-Kondh tribe's sacred hill  http://bit.ly/9NAav0
climateactivist A brief explanation of tarsands projects supported by rbs and opposed by climate camp  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hsQep-ApPM
climateactivist Loving this Film by YouAndIFilms about the climate camp  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATJwdb4b2Tc

RooftopJaxx all the way from london fields dalston hackney e8 @josielong in edinburgh at climate camp on  http://climatecamp.tv #welldonejosie
PeopleNotProfit Hysterical media goes on misinformed rampage!  http://bit.ly/bZbSRy
kwajack @climatecamp Non-hysterical media here - 3 sets of climate camp pics  http://bit.ly/deAt4L  http://bit.ly/9B4xrS  http://bit.ly/9Ahyvm
RooftopJaxx Ah bless! The Alf Garnett Brigade of Trolls and Nutjobs are exercising themselves on the  http://climatecamp.org.uk/blog #careinthecommunity

Well that's about it for now.
Apologies for the delay in posting this but I've been having a few problems with the signal down here.
Communication with the outside world is not very easy at the moment.
Portable charging and lighting isn't quite the same where I am right now.
Hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel soon.

Nick Martian
- e-mail: earthaidcampaign@gmail.com

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