Post Scriptum after the first Ecotage Picnic: How did it go?
Great!!! There was music, many hands made light work, the coal track dwindled, the monument grew, five people were arrested and other ‘pebblers’ insisted to go to the cell block as well but the police didn’t take them.
When returning to cell from interrogation and finding fresh sheets and a blanket, it looked like we might spend the X-mas days in the cellblock, but by 09:30 PM all five had been released and enjoyed another picknick with supporters outside the police station.
Now we hope ProRail will reflect on what cargo they can or cannot facilitate and the people in the Prosecutor’s Office will not protect the flow of coal, but life.
Here is a video and here are pictures to get an impression: instagram steentje4steentje
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It is high time to stop destroying the earth by mining and burning coal!
We therefore call on ProRail to stop facilitating the transportation of coal. ProRail: Kappen met Kolen! has been signed by 75 people and was mailed on december 3rd. And on Saturday, December 23, we meet at the Starbucks at Sloterdijk station at 11 am. Then we go together, walking 2.3 km or with support cars for those who have difficulty walking, to the coal track that leaves the HES Bulk terminal on the Westhavenweg for ‘schottern’.
Freely translated, this means ‘pebbling’; we remove the pebbles from under the coal track so that no coal train can pass over it. Only coal trains run over this stretch of track, so other train traffic is not hindered.
With the pebbles we create a monument to the fossil fuel age. From “unlimited growth” and “more is better” to less: less energy and fewer raw materials, but more joyful solidarity and love for all and everything: children, animals, plants, forests, rivers, in short: for the earth. We take full responsibility for our act – our bit – by doing it together, in broad daylight. Young, old and everything in between may take a pebble or more. (Grand)children can encourage their (grand)parents and vice versa. You are also welcome if you don’t want to “schottern” yourself that day but would like to contribute to a positive atmosphere and support the action. You can find our action consensus here. We ask everyone to bring something tasty for a picnic, there will be coffee and tea, and we also hope for musical support.
We invited Femke Halsema, the mayor of Amsterdam, to take the first pebble. Unfortunately, she let us know that she thanks us for this honor.
According to our lawyer, this action does not fall under Article 11 of the Public Manifestations Act. Undermining the coal railway and creating a monument to the fossil fuel era may of course have other legal consequences. So far, the prosecution has not prosecuted people for blocking coal trains on the coal track. If you remove a pebble from the railway bed and add it to the monument to the fossil fuel era, the prosecution also has a wide choice of articles of law, both in the category of Offence (Spoorwegwetartikelen 3, 19(1)(c), 22(1)(b) and (c) and from the Wetboek van Strafrecht Section 164) and in the category of Felony (Penal Code Sections 165, 184, 350, 351) – all articles of law to scare us and ensure the uninterrupted flow of coal trains.
But the chances of legal action being taken on the articles in question also depend on the number of people participating. People are less likely to be prosecuted if we are a large group. Therefore, let’s make sure our group is as large as possible! That way, we can offer each other the safety of the crowd. And some will feel called to contribute one pebble, others will quietly continue adding pebbles to the monument until they are stopped or until a nice tunnel under the railway tracks is created. Thus, together we hope to make the coal railway unusable that day.
“Legally, this action takes us a step further. As the destruction of the earth continues with great strides, I feel called to take a pebble, no matter how many we are. I am much more concerned about the devastation of the earth than about any persecution. Love for life calls me, gives me courage to interrupt the flow of coal.”
We inform ProRail so no unsafe situations arise. We remain calm and respectful to everyone, including the people in uniform from the police, ProRail or the coal transfer company. Upon arrest, you can of course choose whether to walk along to the police vehicle or go limp and be carried away from your work at the railway. Each can choose at arraignment to declare nothing or to declare why you took this step. When making a statement, it is good not to say anything about other people, but only to say something about what you yourself have done and about your motivation. Thus, the inviting spirit of Resistance also breathes into the prosecution office. Some write a statement in advance that they can attach to the further hearing, others put glue on their fingers against identification and declare ‘no comment’.
On 17th December 6 pm and on 19th December 7:30 pm, we do an action briefing in which we will explain what to expect, what the different scenarios are, and what legal consequences you may face. You can get more information by joining our Telegram group, see link above. That way, we want to prepare you as well as possible and give you all the information you need to make your own decision: joyful support or joyful arrest, going anonymous or not, making a statement or not.
Most importantly, let us rise together to stop the destruction of the Earth, each in the way that gives the most strength and joy. Let us strive to live a beautiful life in solidarity, using as little energy and resources as possible, with space, respect and love for nature.
See you on the 23rd of December!
Coal is the most polluting fossil fuel available. Burning coal is responsible for 42% of global CO2 emissions*. Do we want to reduce our emissions? Then we need to stop using coal at lightning speed. The IEA (International Energy Agency) calculated that quitting coal in Europe will not endanger energy supply. Yet companies continue to burn coal because it is such a cheap way for them to generate electricity – and therefore an attractive way to make a profit.
*https://www.iea.org/reports/co2-emissions-in-2022
Download a poster here and take it to your organic food shop, church, neighbours.
Download the invitation to the picnic here to use in your socialmedia.
These words Nikki Apeldoorn shared at the coal tracks before picking up her first pebble.
These words Peter Jamin shared before picking up his first pebble from the coal tracks.
These words Frits ter Kuile shared before picking up his first pebble from the coal tracks.
How did it go? – get inspired by the pictures et al on our instagram steentje4steentje