[Onthebarricades] Protests for conservation of historic sites

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/



*  US, Connecticut:  Protest campaign to save historic house

*  US, Dallas:  Protests as building torn down

*  ARGENTINA:  Protest at clandestine destruction of historic building, 
mural

*  AUSTRIA:  Protest over tourism plan at von Trapp home

*  INDIA:  Protest against statue defacement

*  TAIWAN:  Protest to conserve sanatorium

*  UK:  Bristol archaeologist chains self to lamppost to protest destruction


http://www.wfsb.com/news/17246580/detail.html?rss=hart&psp=news#-

Plan To Demolish Historic Home Protested
'We Want To Save Home In Some Form,' Owners Say
POSTED: 5:21 pm EDT August 20, 2008
UPDATED: 7:35 pm EDT August 20, 2008
LYME, Conn. -- The owners of a pre-American Revolution home in Lyme have 
taken out a demolition permit to take it down.
On a tour of the structure, Matt and Barbara Abrams explained the issues 
with the home, from mold to asbestos to structural problems.
“We're all on the same page,” Matt said. “We want to save the house in some 
form.”
The Abrams met Wednesday morning with town leaders and a preservationist who 
campaigned recently to fight the demolition. How it’s going to be saved will 
be revealed in a couple of days, they said.
“The house has issues, but those aren't the only determining factors,” Matt 
said.
The Abrams said they love their 30-acre farm and the neighborhood.
However, they said they’re upset that some in town are protesting their 
decision. They said someone even nailed a poster to their front door.
Matt and Barbara said they plan to stay put and build a new home as soon as 
the issues with the old one are settled.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080420_mo_demobuilding.833964b4.html

Neighbors protest as Dallas building torn down
03:16 PM CDT on Monday, April 21, 2008
By MONIKA DIAZ / WFAA-TV

WFAA-TV
Howard Smith built the building in 1959.
Video
April 20, 2008
DALLAS - Neighbors in Turtle Creek rushed to voice criticism Sunday as a 
bulldozer plowed down a building many consider a part Dallas' history.
Before noon, a bulldozer began tearing down the building that experts have 
called one of the best examples of mid-century modern architecture in 
Dallas.
Located on 2505 Turtle Creek Boulevard, the building did not have any 
protection. Since it was never designated a Dallas historic landmark, the 
building's owner has the right to tear it down.
"I think you are making a huge mistake allowing this to continue," pled one 
shocked neighbor to the demolition crew. "Call and check, that's all I'm 
asking."
After several hours, workers wrapped caution tape around the rubble, mangled 
metal and broken glass.
"It's pretty bad," said Chris Culak, Preservation Dallas. "It was a great 
building. It was built in 1959. Howard Smith was a local architect back in 
those times who did a lot of great buildings."
In early April, the site's owners, GGH Development, went before the city's 
planning commission with a proposal to rezone the area to build a hotel and 
restaurant. The board denied the request.
The day after, the company asked for a permit for demolition, sources told 
News 8. Some neighbors have called the act retaliation.
"[They are] destroying this building out of spite," said Earl Seachander, a 
neighbor. "They are trying to say we will show you what we can do."
A building inspector for the city showed up to place an orange sticker, 
which was an order to stop all work on the site, on the bulldozer.
While he said the company has a valid demolition permit, he said one rule 
was violated.
"They shouldn't be working without a permit being posted," he said.
But before the sticker was placed on the bulldozer, the building that stood 
for almost 50 years was destroyed in less than three hours.
"We were always going to remove the building to begin development," said 
Karl Crawley, a representative of GGH Development, in a statement about the 
demolition. "The plans have always reflected this. There is no thought of 
retaliation. Many of our neighbors support the project."
While many have voiced criticism against the demolition, other neighbors 
have sent e-mails to News 8 in support of the developer and said they want 
the project to move forward.


http://www.keyetv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=532da110-6e24-4c93-9da4-de60867a3f59&rss=909

Some protest demolition of Central Austin house
CBS 42 Reporter: Alexis Patterson
Email: adpatterson at keyetv.com
Last Update: 5/16 11:11 pm

Home Demolition Protest

On Friday night dozens of Hyde Park neighbors held a protest by candle 
light, as demolition approaches for a home they consider historic.

The home is located at 4113 Ave. F. Some worry its demolition will change 
the nature of their neighborhood.

Some neighbors tried to buy the house, but the cost of renovations proved 
too much.

Demolition could happen any day. The City of Austin granted the demolition 
permit this week.

http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/05/19/argentina-protest-of-demolishment/

Argentina: Protest of Demolishment

Monday, May 19th, 2008 @ 05:50 UTC
by Eduardo Avila
http://basta-de-demoler.blogspot.com/2008/05/evento-candombero_18.html
 Basta de Demoler [es] (Enough with the Demolishment) posts video of the 
recent gathering in protest of an illegal and clandestine destruction of a 
historic building with colorful mural in the San Telmo neighborhood of 
Buenos Aires, Argentina.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20080519/ap_tr_ge/travel_brief_sound_of_music_1

Protests over plan to create 'Sound of Music' hotel in Austria
Mon May 19, 2:49 PM ET
VIENNA, Austria - The hills are alive ... with the sound of protest.
Angry Austrians living near a Salzburg villa that once belonged to the Von 
Trapp family immortalized in the blockbuster hit movie "The Sound of Music" 
are fighting plans to turn the home into a hotel.
Opponents have said the neighborhood already is teeming with tourists drawn 
to the area where the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher 
Plummer was made.
Organizer Andreas Braunbruck told Austrian television that neighbors intend 
to fight the hotel plan "with all means at our disposal."
Salzburg tourism officials had previously announced plans last week to open 
the property and an adjacent park to the public for the first time.
But local residents complain they weren't consulted.
The Villa Trapp is located on the outskirts of Salzburg and once housed the 
von Trapp family, which gained global fame in a 1965 film starring Julie 
Andrews. The movie tells the story of an Austrian woman who married a 
widower with seven children and teaches them music.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/12/stories/2008051260570300.htm

Protest against statue defacement
Staff Reporter
— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

FOR A HERO: Residents staging a protest in front of the defaced statue of 
late Rajkumar on Mysore Road in Bangalore on Sunday.
BANGALORE: Residents of Panterpalya on Sunday staged a protest against the 
defacement of a statue of thespian late Rajkumar on Mysore Road. The 
residents, who blocked traffic, have called for a bandh in the area on 
Monday.
The residents said the statue of the thespian was installed in the area 
three days ago. On Sunday, a man, who came to wash the statue, noticed the 
defacement. It was said that a figure of a pigeon which was part of the 
statue was also missing. A portion of the statue was damaged.
Angry over the incident, the residents and members of the Akhila Karnataka 
Shivarajkumar Abhimanigala Kannada Sangha staged the protest. “We are pained 
over the defacement to the statue. We want the police to take action against 
those who are involved,” said sangha president M. Muniyappa.
The protestors blocked traffic on Bangalore-Mysore Road for nearly an hour. 
The Byatarayanapura police came to the spot and dispersed the protestors.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/01/2003416230

President surprised by Losheng protest
DISAPPOINTMENT: Ma Ying-jeou agreed to talk to three representatives of the 
sanatorium, but only said that he would refer the case to government 
agencies
By Loa Iok-Sin
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008, Page 4
Holding a banner that said “President Ma, please save human rights and 
culture,” Losheng Sanatorium preservation activists staged a surprise sit-in 
demonstration outside President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) residence in Taipei 
early yesterday morning.
About 60 people from the Youth Alliance for Losheng and sanatorium residents 
appeared on the sidewalk across the street from Ma’s apartment at about 
6:30am.

Hoping to talk to Ma directly, they sat down quietly on the sidewalk and 
along the roadside, holding banners and placards demanding the preservation 
of the sanatorium and its designation as a historic site.

The sanatorium complex in Sinjhuang City (新莊), Taipei County, was built 
during the Japanese colonial period to isolate patients with Hansen’s 
disease.

A decision made a few years ago to demolish the sanatorium to make way for 
an MRT maintenance depot has faced strong opposition from supporters who 
believe the place bears important witness to the history of Taiwan’s public 
health system. They said that forcing the residents to relocate after 
forcing them to live there for decades a violation of human rights.

The matter has remained unresolved as preservationists and the Public 
Constructions Commission have failed to reach an agreement on a new 
construction plan that would still see many of the buildings torn down.

“We were notified earlier this month that the Department of Rapid Transport 
plans to go ahead with construction on Aug. 1,” Wang Hao-chung (王顥中), a 
member of the youth alliance said in explaining the reason for the 
demonstration.

“Ma Ying-jeou has repeatedly said that he knows the problem well — but now 
it’s urgent, we want to know what he has to propose to resolve the issue,” 
Wang said.

After nearly two hours of negotiation and minor verbal disputes with local 
police and National Security Bureau agents in charge of the president’s 
personal security, Ma finally agreed to receive three representatives among 
the demonstrators and came out of his apartment at about 8:15am.

After a two-minute meeting, Ma jumped into a waiting car, leaving the 
disappointed demonstrators.

“After listening to [Losheng resident] Chen Chai-tien [陳再添], Ma’s only 
response was that he would ask government agencies to study our request,” an 
activist surnamed Hung told the crowd that was waiting across the street 
after the brief meeting.

“When I tried to give more details, I was told that only one person could 
talk and Ma told me not to interrupt Chen. Some security officers even tried 
to pull me away,” he said. “I don’t think he was really listening to us.”

“So when Ma went into his car, I shouted that we’ll be back in seven days if 
we don’t hear anything back from him,” Hung said.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2905666.html?menu=news.quirkies

Archaeologist's lamppost protest

An archaeologist went on hunger strike chained to a Victorian lamppost in 
protest at a council's streetlight replacement programme.
David Cemlyn, 66, bolted himself to the lamppost in St Andrews, Bristol, to 
prevent the columns being replaced with modern steel ones, reports the Daily 
Telegraph.
Mr Cemlyn halted his protest after Bristol city council suspended the 
removal of further lampposts pending talks with residents.
He said: "Isn't it strange you have to chain yourself to a lamppost at seven 
in the morning to get the council to talk to you. We have won this battle 
but the war is not over yet."
Seventeen lampposts were removed earlier this month and Mr Cemlyn vowed to 
do "whatever it takes" to retain the 13 others.
He said: "It is absolutely disgraceful that the council has been replacing 
them with ugly motorway lights.
"The lampposts have been here for over 100 years and have been part of what 
makes a community, along with the red pillar boxes, the railings, and the 
park benches."
Mr Cemlyn added: "I have found out lampposts are being taken away to 
refurbish conservation areas and any extras were being sold to architectural 
salvage yards and the money raised was being spent on the conservation 
areas. It is flogging off the family silver."
The council said the "outdated" cast-iron columns gave off limited light, 
partly because they were relatively low in height.
It added: "The lighting in the St Andrews area is relatively poor and there 
is a significant problem with car crime in many streets."