Dr. Jim Hansen gets ready to deliver his message at the Washington DC power plant protest on March 2nd 2009. On February 22nd, WUWT covered Hansen’s announcement that he was endorsing civil disobedience. Now one has to wonder; what hath Jim wrought? (h/t to timbrom)
From the Telegraph UK: More than 100 campaigners arrested over ‘power station plot’
More than 100 people are in custody after police smashed a major plot to sabotage one of Britain’s biggest power-stations.
Officers swooped on environmental protesters as they prepared a mass raid that could have disrupted supplies to tens of thousands of homes.
The demonstrators are thought to have gathered at night in readiness to move on Ratcliffe-on-Soar power-station, Nottinghamshire.
They were rounded up shortly after midnight on Sunday at the Bakersfield Community Centre in Sneinton, Notts, by scores of officers.
Detectives later revealed they recovered specialist equipment that suggested the group represented a “serious threat” to the station’s safety.
Supt Mike Manley, of the Nottinghamshire force, said 114 men and women from across the UK were detained during the dramatic swoop.
They were being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass and criminal damage at Ratcliffe-on-Soar.
Supt Manley said: “In view of specialist equipment recovered by police, those arrested posed a serious threat to the safe running of the site.
“This was a significant operation, with large-scale arrests. There were no injuries during the arrests, and the police investigation is ongoing.”
Witnesses told how officers in more than 20 police vans descended on the plotters’ apparent rendezvous point in the early hours.
Tess Rearden, who lives near the scene, said: “We were woken up by the sound of doors slamming and saw all these police vans and riot vans.
“My son came out of his bedroom and said: ‘Have you seen what’s going on?’ They were all up and down the roads. It was bedlam – real bedlam.”
Another resident added: “I was leaving my house when I saw a line of traffic approaching me, which seemed strange for the time of night.
“It was only when the vehicles got closer and started to pass me that I noticed every single one was either a police car or a police van.
“I counted 20-plus vans, all one after the other, with police cars at the rear. Then they blocked off all the roads around the community centre.”
One resident told how the protesters did not fight with officers during the swoop but signalled their defiance as they were being led away.
She said: “The police jumped out of their vans and ran behind the community centre. The people they brought out were singing: ‘We’ll be back again.'”
It is thought detectives had prior knowledge of the plot but chose to wait till the demonstrators were together in one place before moving in.
Local city councillor David Mellen added: “I understand there was some kind of gathering of people here in connection with the power-station.
“If the police had information that there was a danger to the power supply in the East Midlands then obviously they had to take action.”
The Derbyshire and Leicestershire forces helped in the operation and later provided additional custody facilities for some of those arrested.
Ratcliffe-on-Soar has been the target of a number of protests in the past, including one two years ago in which protesters tried to shut down the plant.
Environmentalists who stormed the site on that occasion later failed in a landmark legal bid to prove they were acting in the interests of humanity.
Climate-change campaigners admitted they attempted to force the site’s closure by chaining themselves to conveyor belts and filtration systems.
But they argued that, because they were saving the planet from global warming, their actions were legal under the so-called “defence of necessity”.
Had they won their case they would have paved the way for campaigners around the country to stage similar protests without fear of prosecution.
At the time Eastside Climate Action, the group involved, said the break-in reflected “the threat climate change poses to the human population”.
A spokesman said: “We argue that the threat to human life is so serious that it is a proportionate and reasonable response to take direct action.”
Giving evidence at the court hearing, station manager Raymond Smith told how production at the site was threatened during the incident.
He said: “People chained themselves to the conveyor system and the filtration system. They were non-violent, but none had permission to be on the site.
“If the protest had continued to the extent that the power station ran out of coal we would have had to shut it down. But we called the police.”
Eastside denied any involvement in yesterday’s events – thought to be linked to plans for a new coal-fired power-station in Kingsthorpe, Kent.
E.on, the power giant behind Kingsthorpe, owns Ratcliffe-on-Soar – allegedly Britain’s second-largest producer of carbon-dioxide emissions.
An E.on spokesman said: “While we understand everyone has a right to protest peacefully and lawfully, this was clearly neither of those things.
“We will be assisting police in their investigations into what could have been a very dangerous attempt to disrupt an operational power-plant.”
Adolfo Giurfa (13:30:07) :
Carbon shares falling like autumm leaves:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601207&sid=a6t1H_sinpzA&refer=energy
Last Updated: August 16, 2007 12:40 EDT
Perhaps it was because it was autumn almost 2 years ago…
How are such shares doing today?
@hareynolds (12:21:38) :
“Any “denier” lawyers out there?
A provision in a House Bill allows for lawsuits over Global Warming.”
Yes, I am a climate change attorney.
This is not yet law, just a bill at this point and subject to revision, therefore we must wait to see the final form that is signed into law.
[snip – funny but better left alone]
More like Sillius Soddus.
Climate Exchange PLC: Dropped like a rock, from a high of 2,117 (5/19/08) to a low of 400 (2/24/09) over the last year. Closed at 711 on the 9th of April, so it has recovered somewhat. Prices in UK pence.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=CLE%3ALN
The science is settled, but it’s political science so it doesn’t count.
Do their intentions not fall under the UK terrorism act? As an ex-pat from the UK and so conversant with British practices, I am sure they will all be released and told not to be naughty boys and girls again. What would their punishment be -if found guilty- in countries such as Iran or China?
..I could also add that certain (right wing?) peeps are happy to go along with AGW because it suits the middle east scenario (…ie don’t buy the oil, so they can’t afford aK47s…)
???
These people are not Environmentalists, nor are they Climate Change campaigners. These people are terrorists, they should be labled in media, blog’s and history as terrorists and should be prosecuted using UK terror laws. These people are trying to deny my right, my children’s right and my Grand children’s right to live.
Just my 2 pennies worth.
I completely agree with Kath; they are eco-terrorists and they need to be tried and punished to the full extent of the law. I hope it is many, many years in prison. This is serious stuff to interfere with the life-blood/energy of a society. In addition, Anna V has alerted us to what might become a new necessity in developed countries — home schooling our children (an excellent job for many grandparents, aunts and uncles) or, at the very least, careful investigation of the school curriculum from preschool to high school. (Well before he was even running for President Obama was featured in Wisconsin 8th grade literature texts as a “writer”.)
Colleges and universities, well, what can one say. Since they can contribute big time to political campaigns (which thoroughly shocked me — and a large amount went to the non-natural born citizen), one can see that contributions probably bring big grants. Getting an actual education today, as we used to know it, is no easy matter. I think we need a rating system of various departments in univeristies, something like U.S. News and World Report, but on the validity of the degree from each institution. I wonder if the scientists in the variety of fields represented on WUWT have misgivinings about their alma maters or current institutions.
Would it be possible to indict Hansen as the “mastermind’ of this plot?
Just letting my imagination run wild here………….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7988310.stm
Notice they don’t mention global warming hysteria because then the media would be explicitly fingered and implicated.
The formal U.S. Gov. rules that pertain to Dr. James Hansen’s extracurricular activities are soft-core version of the rules that restrict the civilian activities of military personnel. I’ve seen the regs that apply to Hansen posted online, and they were very familiar, though not as stern and lacking some of the dire outcomes, as military edicts.
Basically, it’s simple: He can’t do whatever it is he wants to do, as a NASA figure. He can’t engage in activism, from behind the desk of his NASA position. He can’t use any of the facilities of his employment.
Otherwise, he’s free to … reel out all the rope he’s comfortable with. On the one hand, we use the rope analogy for very good historical reasons, but OTOH, he’s got at least 20 years experience with his ropes.
If there is the slightest actual connection between Hansen and this affair at Ratcliffe, then he’s the raccoon with a 60 second lead on the hounds. Goners.
If there is no real linkage, then he’s not only bullet-proof, but is free to take up discussion of the Ratcliffe conspiracy and spin it to his own preferences. With impunity. He very well may.
Civil disobedience and sabotage are two different things. Henry David Thoreau exercised civil disobedience by not paying taxes (to withhold support for the Mexican War), but he didn’t back up his political position by launching physical attacks against infrastructure, etc.
Thoreau could not sneak into the Army stockade and pour sand into the wheel bearings of the Cavalry wagons, then plead “civil disobedience”. No dice, fella.
Earth First! materially advanced the interests & position of conservatives (and Conservationists, in opposition to Preservationists) by virtue of the highly polarizing nature of their actions. The Ratcliffe conspiracy falls into the same category. This kind of activity will generate backlash reactions that will erode the base of their own movement, and will promote & aid the positions of those who oppose them.
If anti-Industrialism, anti-Capitalism activism (which I see as the reality behind AGW etc.) ramps it up to “the next step” here in the USA, Ratcliffe-style, they will greatly simplify the goals of those who oppose them. Their actions will devastate their own movement.
I have not seen indications that Dr. Hansen has embraced this level of foolishness … but it wouldn’t be impossible.
There are a lot of people that are able to stay in their homes thanks to medical equipment that in my youth would have been in a nursing facility or hospital. Unfortunately, this equipment uses electricity. I’m not sure if the people attempting to cut the power do not know, or just do not care.
I don’t believe that it was what Hansen intended but it would not be surprising that his views would lead to such action.
I suspect that most, if not all, of these activists comprise passionate but scientifically-illiterate “greens”… Much like the group that signed the petition that “Penn and Teller” had touted round a “Green” gathering demanding that the “dangerous and potentially lethal chemical, Di-Hydrogen Monoxide” should be banned.
mikef (15:05:40) :
Huh? What?
What kind of nutjob conspiracy is this?
This could be just the beginnning. Hansen has inspired and encouraged acts above and beyond civil disobedience. The raid uncovered what I would suspect are tools of destruction. Yesterday’s eco-zealot may be tomorrow’s eco-terrorist. All one needs is a religious fervor strong enough to dull good senses.
Why should NASA put up with this?
Neither should the Brits.
Issue a warrant.
“SwampWoman (16:30:40) :
There are a lot of people that are able to stay in their homes thanks to medical equipment that in my youth would have been in a nursing facility or hospital. Unfortunately, this equipment uses electricity. I’m not sure if the people attempting to cut the power do not know, or just do not care.”
I think that much of this type of activism is not really thought all the way through. If informed that their actions might kill people perhaps some part of their number might feel enough shame to turn away from these crimes.
sylvain (16:33:34) :
I don’t believe that it was what Hansen intended but it would not be surprising that his views would lead to such action.
He’s responsible, and after the comments he made over the US has to shut down all of it’s coal plants, he’s gone over the line. His words were not thought through, and it’s led to inciting.
Again, he’s responsible.
The ustream video stop photo looks like a scene straight out of Forrest Gump…
If they get sent to prison, ask if they want the power on or not. If they do they should be labelled hipocrites and if they don’t, they sit in the dark and suffer whatever weather come without heating or cooling, their food should also be cold.
G
Jim is a Seriously Dedicated Scientist who studies the climate. Surely any connection with Weathermen and their goals is mere coincidence. It’s sad really but Jim’s plunge off the deep end may be just what’s needed to bring others to their senses. Something akin to that peculiar weather phenomenon involving the interior of clouds.
They look pretty silly to most of us, but how in heaven will it take for them to look silly to them????
DAV,
I’m getting some serious flashbacks. The SDS, the Weathermen and the SLA… even Patty Hearst came back to reality after a time.
I think Mark Rudd, David Gilbert and Bernardine Dohrn are partners in a pizza place/beer joint in Poughkeepsie. Of course they could be on welfare for all I know.
They were ahead of their time. They would fit in quite well in present day D. C.
Before the end of the year they may be ambassadors to China, Russia and India.