MELBOURNE — JASON TORRANCE is a British anti-roads campaigner who now lives in Australia. Torrance will be speaking here on March 6 at "Global Insights", an evening of environmental news clips gathered from alternative media around the world, at the State Film Centre. KARL CHARIKAR from Friends of the Earth interviewed him.
Question: How did you get started as an activist?
It was 1988 and the green movement was at its height internationally. My childhood was spent living in the shadow of Margaret Thatcher's conservative government, which had a remarkable influence on me. Some friends and I started a local Greenpeace group, and things went from there.
After two years of laying the foundations for a radical environment action movement in the UK, requests and opportunities for action were flooding into our office in London. In 1992 there were five radical environmental action groups (there are now more than 60).
I spent much time on the road talking to newly formed groups, would-be groups and existing mainstream environment groups. It wasn't until I was part of initiating direct action at Twyford Down (the first of the contemporary anti-roads battles) that environmental radical action broke onto the British scene and front pages of the mainstream media.
Question: Is activism dead and buried in Britain after 18 years of Conservative government?
They wish! It's stronger now than ever before. There's the sweet smell of victory in the air. The Conservative government is soon to be ousted, the road-building program has collapsed due to a nationwide revolt, and new legislation such as the Criminal Justice Act has united people in protest.
Being part of the anti-roads movement is a good example of just how powerful we can be if we join together, are dedicated, visualise the demise of our foes and show that we don't give a fuck what happens to us. On March 12, 1995, the front page of the Independent newspaper headlined, "Road building plan collapses amidst chaos".
Question: Tell us about your favourite action.
I was part of organising a European action camp against the construction of a motorway which was planned to divide the territory of the last European brown bears in the French Pyrenees. We blockaded a convoy of 250 French riot police on their way to the construction site.
As the convoy came to a halt at our blockade, it was clear that the riot police were completely confused by our lack of fear, our strength and our boldness, especially as our blockade followed a confrontation between protesters and riot police which resulted in the firing of tear gas and rubber bullets and many activists being beaten.
Following our presentation of a letter from the national environment minister condemning the actions of the riot police, they were even more confused. The riot police ended up being chased into their trucks by protesters as we howled and whooped — a huge victory for bold and active non-violent action.
Question: What are the parallels between the UK and Australia?
The UK is far more polarised than Australia. New Labour have taken much inspiration from the Keating Labor Party, with its move away from socialism and support of the trade union movement.
In both Australia and the UK there is a huge move to the right in mainstream politics. In the UK this has polarised things much more and spawned radical direct action on a variety of issues. With the Howard government here I hope the same result will be forthcoming. Maybe things have to become worse before they get better.