London Climate Swoop Timeline (2009)
August 25-27 2009
Published by: Indymedia London
August 25, 2009 18:40 - All over London, people are getting ready for a Climate Swoop. Watch this space for updates, and camp to win!
August 25, 2009 19:35 - People are reporting that the pre-Swoop meeting at Russell Square is going well. There is a nice pic of the legal observer shirt on the tumblewire. See also meeting twitpic + short video.
August 25, 2009 20:10 - Video published of police officer giving legal advice at pre-swoop meeting at Russel Square. See short report.
August 26, 2009 11:50 - Reports of Climate Campers gathering at the various swoop points around the city. See pic from cyclist #shellswoop by NFT
#stockwellswoop twitpic
August 26, 2009 12:10 - Stockwell: 60-80 people at stockwell swoop, small number of police, good atmosphere. Has just been announced that they will stay for a period to show solidarity with those people who have experienced police violence and to commemorate Jean Charles de Menezes. See earlier pic pic2
August 26, 2009 12:15 - Shellswoop: about 150 cyclists, speaches and announcements over megaphone. Twitpics 1 2
August 26, 2009 12:15 - BPswoop: People listening to speaches about BP's climate crimes and tar sands
August 26, 2009 12:20 - About 75 Campers outside Rio Tinto in Moorgate
August 26, 2009 12:20 - report on twitter from edjnot of 60 riot police + mounted marching down threadneedle st. towards bank of england
August 26, 2009 12:25 - shellswoop: Report of 300 cyclists on the southbank (Waterloo) listening to speeches about why they have gathered outside the headquaters of Shell, and how consensus based decision making and Climate Camp work so that when the text comes in the group can take collective action.
Picture from Waterloo
Audio from Speeches
August 26, 2009 12:30 - riotintoswoop : speeches about carbon trading. see small video of crowd on qik
August 26, 2009 12:30 - Waterloo text message: Head North over London Bridge and take a tour of the city. Cyclists saddling up now.
August 26, 2009 12:35 - Olympicswoop: Speeches on the impact of the olympics on London, the local community and the environment
August 26, 2009 12:35 - Picture of swoop gathering at bank - see short reports and pics of bankswoop
August 26, 2009 12:40 - Bankswoop: Reports of police wearing mini cameras on their uniforms marked out with CCTV sign. marc_vallee the photographer has snapped a pic of one (clearer pic) Latest estimate 120 people, relaxed atmosphere. See tumblewire pic
August 26, 2009 12:40 - 200 swoopers heading from St james (BP) to trafalgar Square
August 26, 2009 12:45 - BPswoop moved to trafalger sq from BP headquarters. playing netball with giant inflatable globe.
August 26, 2009 12:50 - Cyclists from Waterloo (Shell) are now crossing London Bridge heading towards the city. Lots of cheering and support from passers by
August 26, 2009 13:00 - Bankswoop: Tumlewire pic: The little flags on the line has messages on them voicing the struggle against climate change.
August 26, 2009 13:00 - Stockwellswoop groups are on the move - but just off to Larkhall park for some fun and games before continuing the swoop
August 26, 2009 13:04 - Guardian falls for apparent spoof Met police Twitter account claiming: 'Stop and search will only be deployed against climate campers who look suspicious – Chief Superintendent Helen Ball'
Twitter account is Co11MetPolice not C011MetPolice
...don't believe everything you read on the Internet!
August 26, 2009 13:05 - Link to some videos of Waterloo/Shell swoop from Amelia Gregory
August 26, 2009 13:15 - Bike swoopers from Shell/Waterloo have stopped outside the London Carbon Exchange for a speech condeming carbon trading as an ineffective measure to combat climate change which concentrates on making money not finding sustainable alternatives
August 26, 2009 13:30 - Olympicswoop: tumblewire pic of speeches
August 26, 2009 13:45 - Cycling swoopers have now passed the Bank of England and the swoop group gathered there. See tumblewire pic of speeches
August 26, 2009 13:55 - The Stockwell swoop, that had been relaxing in Larkhall Park are now returning to the tube station, and are awaiting the location of the camp.
August 26, 2009 13:55 - Cyclists have regrouped on the South side of Tower bridge and are heading East on Tooley St
August 26, 2009 14:00 - Climate Camp site has been taken. dozens of vans on site, tripods going up. Confirmed report
August 26, 2009 14:05 - Climate camp site is Blackheath in Greenwich.
Site being taken, perimeter fencing and tripods going up. No police presence on the ground but a helicopter is over head
August 26, 2009 14:15 - All climate swoop groups heading towards site in Blackheath : google map
August 26, 2009 14:20 - Swoop groups converging - some to Blackheath Station, some to Cutty Sark DLR, some to Lewisham Station and onto the camp.
August 26, 2009 14:30 - Cycling swoopers have arrived on the site which is now fenced off. Wireless access point on site is up and running. Reports of a great atmosphere there
pic of tripods on site
August 26, 2009 14:40 - The blue group from Stockwell are now at the Westferry DLR station on route to the camp.
August 26, 2009 15:00 - 15.30 at the camp. The tents are being pitched by the bunch, so far around 200 plus people - see tumblewire pic
August 26, 2009 15:00 - Stockwellswoop group arriving onsite
August 26, 2009 15:00 - BPswoop now arrived onsite along with Shellswoop cyclists. Hundreds of people now there. 8-10 tripods up guarding entrances. Other participants securing perimiter. Lots of press arriving. Infrastructure starting to go up - people in very good mood. Camp is Go! See tumblewire pic of banner on tripods reading Capitalism Is Crisis
August 26, 2009 15:15 - Seven tripods are up with people sitting in them for defensive purposes, with others up just-in-case. Many tents are now being erected along with a larger marquee. Around 700 people are present on the large site with many more arriving all the time. Police presence is still low.
August 26, 2009 15:55 - Set of pictures from the climate camp site on the newswire
August 26, 2009 16:00 - Reports from site say infrastructure is well on the way with toilets and plumbing systems being installed and more marquees being erected. The site meeting is about to start to share out jobs and ensure the important infrastructure is sorted.
August 26, 2009 16:05 - Camp meeting underway. Picture + Video of first speech
August 26, 2009 17:10 - Report from site says construction continues apace with kitchens being set up (video). Situation calm and mood buoyant, still only a few police about. Meeting talked about the history of Blackheath and explained how the camp would work in terms of sharing work and collective decision making. The camp is also intended to train people for direct action but there would not be any today.
August 26, 2009 18:10 - julietk Signs of plumbing beginning, & compost loos are up. A dozen people chopping veg & singing in London neighbourhood
August 26, 2009 19:05 - Yorkshire neighbourhood kitchen is one of the first up and running, ready to start feeding people soon. There are around seven marquees up on site with a massive one being erected at the moment in the centre of the camp - only a few more to go! Police presence still very light with a van here and a van there - a crane is being moved into position outside the camp which people think will be used for mounting police cctv cameras on. Atmosphere is great and people are pleased with the progress so far.
August 26, 2009 19:25 - Report that two police officers are leaving site after being shouted at ("blood on your hands" / "scum") by small group of people objecting to having police officers onsite. Press observing scene. One officer was reported to be a Sergeant (CO101?) another rumoured to be Silver Commander, Julia Pendry. They had previously been inside the legal team tent.
August 26, 2009 19:35 - Police Silver Commander, Julia Pendry now holding mini press conferece with journalists just outside of gate. Saying didn't want to comment on the little incident earlier, but that she will be liaising with the Camp legal team everyday.
August 26, 2009 20:20 - Police observation crane now up outside camp (twitpic). Climatecamp website just published big photo update of setting up the camp (65 pics).
Latest reports from camp say people eating and infrastructure set up continues. Ready for the week ahead.
August 27, 2009 00:10 - Climatecamp.tv publish 'Welcome to the Camp' Video (mp4 file) plus short video clip published by Indymedia of police asserting "don't film us" at site take.