POLLOK FREE STATE lives wild and free! by faol-chu Despite recent national press reports Pollok Free State lives on. The struggle to stop the environmental disaster that is the M77 has moved on to a new offensive phase for which both Wimpey and Strathclyde Regional council are ill prepared. The tree felling operation has taken over 8 weeks putting the road behind schedule and eating into Wimpey's' profits. The last major action on the Barrhead Road site was on Wednesday 22, March. It took Wimpey and Strathclyde police 12 hours to cut down 36 trees but not before they had to arrest 16 people (2 women 13 men and 1 juvenile taken by the social services). They didn't get all the trees they require for the route with Jack, a gentlemen in his 50's, remaining in a Scots pine for the whole day. Strathclyde had deployed the 'infamous' V squad who really weren't much good and had to resort to 'snatch squads' as the day drew to a close. The children from the local communities were locked in their schools all day preventing them from coming to the free state and taking action to save their future. This shows how scared the state is of people taking an interest in their future and standing up for their rights. But with the school holidays fast approaching the children of Pollok will have ample opportunity to take control of their own destiny again. Wimpey now has a compound beside the free state, extending onto the road bed and sadly Carhenge. This has provided Pollok with its first zoo. The main exhibit being 'The Spineless Yellow Back' (Securitus gardus ) who like nothing better than a Golden Shower and a mouldy cabbage tossed from on high in the beeches. Visitors and new residents are always very welcome as are donations of: Money, clothing, tools camping equipment, water proofs, ropes, chains, locks, new faces and energy. But please don't feed the animals. Wimpey makes most of its money from building houses so Earth First! are now targeting Wimpey show homes across the globe. If you find yourself with nothing to do one afternoon please photocopy our handy cut out and keep leaflet, get a few friends and visit your nearest Wimpey show home, see below for locations. Recently Earth First! were the first visitors to Wimpey's' new show home complex in Old Kilpatrick. The complex had to close down as soon as it opened and Wimpey failed to sell a single home that weekend, failing to meet their target of 3 sales and wasting a 4 figure sum on radio advertising! Wimpey actively encourages the public to visit their show homes so you have every right to be there. After a while they may call the police, if you don't wish arrest it's best to leave the home if you are occupying it but you can continue to leaflet the public outside and express your views on Wimpey's environmental record. Happy home hunting! Starting in May the campaign is planning Operation Roadblock, where each day a group of 50 protesters will stage an action to stop construction of the M77. This will send the security costs through the roof and could very well be the beginning of the end for Wimpey's planet killing aspirations. So we are currently looking for volunteers and ideas for Operation Roadblock. Prizes will be given for the most original and entertaining action ideas. If you wish to get involved in Operation Roadblock or wish to tell us of your home hunting antics please contact us. Live wild or die! Wimpey Show Homes Wimpey advertises in the property pages of local and national press giving the locations and phone numbers of developments in your area, isn't that nice of them! You could also try their helpful Hotlines. West 0141 772 6406East 0131 317 2345 No M77 Contacts Glasgow Earth First! PO Box 180 Glasgow G4 9AB Pollok Free State Barrhead Road Pollok Glasgow G53 5AE Contacts 0141 636 1924 or 0141 946 2700 Pollok Free State mobile 0860 728 244