Mother’s Day Picnic for Mother Earth

On a beautiful spot close to the dormant Dutch Enschede Airport Twente Earth First’s Dutch sister GroenFront! organised a vegan picnic for the airport neighbours on Mother’s Day.

By Jan Gerrits

Acrobats

Not only invited farmers came to take a look at this famous bunch of tree savers. Dutch and German politicians, members from pressure groups and nature protection organisations also turned up to get acquainted with the green acrobats.

It’s amazing what these people can do with a few ropes and some climbing gear. They are up in the trees before you know it! Some of us also tried to climb a tree. Only one fit politician succeeded. As I am very clumsy I passed. I’d only hurt myself or other people.

The GroenFront! people that stayed on the ground informed their guests about the GroenFront! activities and their motivations. Most people know GroenFront! from their actions in Schinveld where the activists tried to save the woods close to the Awacs base in Germany.

Big Brother

The friendly atmosphere wasn’t spoiled at all by a police car with a camera on its roof that turned up twice that afternoon. We kind of expected the police. The last few weeks one of us had already been called three times by the regional police. They asked if our organisation was sympathizing with GroenFront!. The answer was: “Not as an organisation, but as individuals we might now that you have brought GroenFront! to our attention!”

Both Dutch and German guests were given the opportunity to speech and inform the gathering about the latest developments in the Netherlands and Germany. Though I can’t climb trees, a speech I could give. I told everybody about the visit of the two Green Members of the European Parliament the Friday before. Sadly the police officers were gone by then. They could have learned something valuable listening to us.

Now that I come to think of it the funny thing is that when FC Twente supporters wanted to congratulate their heroes after winning the football championship thousands of people were allowed to celebrate on the A1, causing a ten mile traffic jam. But when people of GroenFront! and their following try to block a road to save a forest or another precious piece of our earth they are arrested immediately.

Bermuda Triangle

GroenFront! will continue to support us when the politicians of the provincial parliament in Zwolle vote for the latest airport plan in their June 16^th meeting in their own way. Until then we’ll all cooperate to prevent the arousal of the still dormant Enschede Airport Twente.

The area between Enschede, Oldenzaal and Hengelo where the big commercial airport is planned is still an area of outstanding natural beauty, but already a financial Bermuda Triangle.

Earth Mothers and Mother Earth

It was great that a lot of people came this day because it was Mother’s Day and it was very cold. The German guests didn’t use their cars to come over here but they took their bikes instead and followed the scenic route from Bad Bentheim to Enschede Airport Twente via Losser and Lonneker. They were almost frozen when they arrived but the coffee and tea and vegan soup warmed them so they made it back home all right.

It was great to see how the GroenFront! people cooperated clearing the picnic area. They formed a line from the kitchen tent to the van and left without a trace. They didn’t damage the trees either. Everything was secured with ropes, not nails. Their mothers must be proud!

Tree Hugging Hippie

I can wholly support the GroenFront! actions to save our woods. If they have to occupy the woods North of the runway to protect the trees I’ll be in their camp as often as I can to bring them hot coffee and tea an help them in any way that I can.

I had so much fun on my best Mother’s Day ever that I forgot to hug a tree…