UK Indymedia Features

Gaza: Stop The Genocide

IMC UK — 2009-01-06T15:07+02:00

Death toll update for Tuesday 6th of Jan 2009 Israel escalated its operations in the Gaza Strip killing at least 82 Palestinians in less than 24 hours. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 640 have been killed over eleven days of Israeli attacks on Gaza. More than 2,850 have been injured. The hospitals say they have run out of supplies because of the blockade and Gaza faces a "a full-blown humanitarian crisis", the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on 6 January. On 3 January 2009 tens of thousands of people protested across the UK and across the world against the Israeli state's slaughter.

Up and coming demonstrations for Gaza: Demonstration, London UK 12:30, Hyde Park, Saturday, 10 Jan 2009 | Safe place for Gaza all over the world until the genocide stops! | Wrexham, UK 10 Jan 2009 |Leeds, UK 10 Jan 2009 | Lobby your MP Saturday, 10 Jan 2009

More news from Gaza: Massacre: 42 killed by Israeli shelling at UN school in Jabaliya Refugee Camp 6 Jan 2009 Unconventional weapons used against the people of Gaza 6 Jan 2009 | Activist describes attacks Ewa Jasiewicz in Gaza, BBC audio, 29 Dec 2008 | Cluster bombs, Depleted Uranium and White Phosphorus being used in Gaza - even right-wing newspapers talk of "war crimes" 4 Jan 2009 | Occupation forces targeting health workers, preventing medical aid to wounded 5 Jan 2009 | I expected an ambulance but a donkey cart carried the injured Ewa Jasiewicz in Gaza, 4 Jan 2009 | Occupation forces targeting health workers, preventing medical aid to wounded 5 Jan 2009 | Tel Aviv protests against the war Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), 5 Jan 2009 | International Solidarity Movement (ISM) stay in Gaza during ground operation 4 Jan 2009 | Ground invasion starts - ISM in the thick of it 3 Jan 2009 | Indian government gives US$100M to UN refugee body in Gaza 4 Jan 2009 | "Indiscriminate police brutality" at London protest UK 3 Jan 2009

News sources on school shelling, 6 Jan: Besieged families flee homes for shelter under UN flag Guardian | Dozens killed in Israeli strikes on UN schools in Gaza UN | BBC | Ma'an News Agency

Videos: Multiple Israeli air strike on Rafah border with Egypt 2 Jan 2009 | Rage over Gaza - roundup of unrest in London, Athens, Paris 4 Jan 2009 | Protests for Gaza in Holland 4 Jan 2009

Comment: US Thwarts UN Gaza Ceasefire Call Cartoon by Latuff, 4 Jan 2009 | Israel Unleashes Chemical Weapons in Gaza Chris Floyd, 5 Jan 2009 | Israel: Bloody executioner for capitalism International Communist party, 4 Jan 2009

Craig Murray has reported that "British diplomats on the United Nations Security Council are under direct instructions to offer "tacit support" to United States' efforts to block a ceasefire" and from this he has concluded that "Gordon Brown Is a Murderous Two Faced Cunt". Last year Ilan Pappé described the ethnic cleansing of Palestine as genocide and in a recent article he identifies "Zionist ideology as the best means of both explaining genocidal operations such as the current one in Gaza and as a way of pre-empting worse things to come".

Hundreds Condemn Gaza Slaughter In Liverpool

Neon Black — 2009-01-04T14:20+02:00

As the young conscripts of the Israeli Defense Forces prepared for a ground invasion, about three hundred people protested in Liverpool against the now week-long military assault on Gaza Strip Palestinians.

Gaza protests across the South

2009-01-02T19:14+02:00

EMERGENCY protests were held across the South of England on Saturday against Israel's horrific attack on the Palestinians of Gaza.

Hundreds took to the streets in both Brighton and Portsmouth as anger mounts over the growing death toll and indifference of western capitalist states like the UK.

In Brighton a huge protest of several hundred people staged a rally and then set off on an 'unauthorised' march from Churchill Square to the Palace Pier and back, with banners, spirited chants and leaflets getting the message across to shoppers, drivers and residents.

And in Portsmouth about 300 protesters showed up at Guildhall Square to voice their anger.

A rally was held with several speakers, two of them Palestinians, followed by a march through the city center to a Tesco's store where leaflets were distributed to shoppers.

Smaller events were also held in Hastings and Tunbridge Wells, on top of the big march in London.

With Israel's tanks now rolling into Gaza, the fury and size of the protests across the world can only increase in days and weeks to come.

The whole world is watching while Gaza burns and implodes under the might of Israel's military machine. On all major news outlets the charred remains and scattered bodies are a graphic reality TV horror show, right down to the shrouded bundles of what was once 5 little girls who sought safety in a mosque only to be incinerated in a direct hit.

The collective punishment of civilians is a war crime.

Yet again Israel massacres Gazan civilians - and yet again world leaders sit on the fence while people burn

DEVLISH MAY — 2008-12-29T20:18+02:00

The collective punishment of civilians is a war crime; the whole world is watching gruesome war crimes taking place.

Stop! Look! And listen! Then lobby, campaign and fight for human rights enshrined in international law to be upheld and enforced in this case against the Israeli state war machine.

Newswire: Israeli navy fires on free Gaza ship on human mission to the besieged strip International witnesses speak from Gaza Free Gaza Movement, 27 Dec 2008 | On-the-spot report from Gaza City Ewa Jasiewicz, 28 Dec 2008 | Christmas In Gaza : No More Room In The Morgue Amira Hass, Haaretz correspondent, 28 Dec 2008 | Protest against Gaza massacre in Edinburgh, Scotland 28 Dec 2008 | Nottingham UK, Gaza Emergency Protest 30 Dec: Pictures [1] [2] | Police launch massive attack on Palestinian solidarity demonstration in London 28 Dec 2008 | General strike called by Palestinians in Israel 28 Dec 2008 | Over 50,000 rally as pro-Gaza demos sweep Egypt's cities 28 Dec 2008 | Tales to tell (from Gaza) 28 Dec 2008, 5.30am, Jabalia | Ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza; 225 killed over 700 wounded Saed Banora, | IMEMC, 27 Dec 2008

News links: freegaza.org | IMEMC.org Independent Middle East Media Centre | Ma’an News Agency | english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast

Video links: Israeli shelling of Gaza continues Video from International Solidarity Movement on the ground, 28 Dec 2008 | Eye witness video post bombings 27 Dec 2008 | More video links

Pictures: This is what a massacre looks like 28 Dec 2008 Protest at Israeli embassy, London, England 28 Dec 2008 More pix from Protest at Israeli embassy, London, England 28 Dec 2008 More from Israeli embasy protest 28 Dec 2008 | Demonstration in solidarity with Gaza in Nablus, Palestine 27 Dec 2008 | Hundreds Protest in Sheffield Against Gaza Massacre 29 Dec 2008 | Nottingham UK, Gaza Emergency Protest 30 Dec: Pictures [1] [2]

Comment: Bombs over Gaza cartoon by Latuff, 27 Dec 2008 | Israeli Air Strikes in Gaza Kill as Many as 200 people cartoon by Latuff, 27 Dec 2008 | The Gaza blockade Cincinnati Jewish Community Relations Council | Statement on Zionist attacks on Gaza Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, 28 Dec 2008 | Massive attack on Gaza planned many months ago Barak Ravid, Haaretz, 27 Dec 2008

Anti-vivisection campaigners convicted of blackmail

imc-uk-features — 2008-12-29T00:13+02:00

On December 23rd, 4 out of 5 activists on trial at Winchester Crown Court were found guilty of 'conspiracy to blackmail' Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) after a 3 and a half month long trial. The world's media, prompted by police press officers, were quick to condemn Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), providing examples of harassment against the employees of HLS, their customers, suppliers and investors.

Direct action against the company, not linked to those convicted, such as arson attacks, hoax bombs, letters alleging paedophilia, and threats were pointed to as evidence of the defendants' extremism. Police spokesmen and the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit (NETCU), the branch of the police set up to dismantle the animal rights movement and other expressions of the public's dissent, hailed the convictions as a victory. What was not examined in the media was the worrying development of the repressive use of the law which lead to the conviction of the four defendants.

The trial is the second large animal rights conspiracy trial this year following the imprisonment of Sean Kirtley, an activist involved with Stop Sequani Animal Torture (SSAT). Sean was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for updating a website with news about a legal, nonviolent campaign to close down Sequani laboratories in Ledbury. Despite the Sequani and SHAC investigations leading to convictions, both campaigns against the vivisection labs are continuing undeterred.

Newswire: Strategic Importance of HLS in the broader anticapitalist fight | SHAC Do Christmas & Solidarity Demos | Corporate Watch on SHAC Trial - State Repression of Anti-Corporate Dissent | Campaigning against cruelty is now punishable by up to 14 years in prison! | SHAC campaign against HLS continues despite the convictions says the Guardian | SHAC v HLS

Camping on Raytheon's roof

IMC — 2008-12-19T09:55+02:00

Three hardy protestors have spent the last nine days camping on the roof of Raytheon's Bristol office; they intend to stay on the roof until the New Year! They are braving sub-zero temperatures, and are relying on the support of ordinary Bristolians, to drive Raytheon out of Bristol.

Raytheon is the fifth largest military contracter in the world, and the maker of "Bunker Buster" bombs, Tomahawk and Patriot missiles. A number of their missiles can be loaded with cluster bombs. Raytheon have annual revenues of around USD 20 billion, including huge contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and have regularly been found guilty of illegal activity.

The current roof-top protest is the third such protest to have targetted Raytheon in the last two months. There have also been a series of weekly protests as Bristolians have gathered to express their disgust at Raytheon's activities.

Last week supporters on the ground delivered a letter to the office unit, Argentum House, informing them that Raytheon is breaching international law and should be given notice to leave. One roof-top protester said, The US and Britain had no more right to invade Iraq or Afghanistan than Nazi Germany did to invade Poland or France. Raytheon played their part by producing foul, indiscriminate weapons and we won’t be quiet till they have left our city for good...

Raytheon were targetted in 2006 by a group of activists in Derry, who were angry at the part Raytheon played in the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. On 9 August 2003, a jury accepted that the nine had acted to prevent a war crime, and unanimously declared the nine innocent. In their statement after the trial the nine said, This victory is welcome, for ourselves and our families, but we wish to dedicate it to the Shaloub and Hasheem families of Qana in Lebanon, who lost 28 of their closest relatives on the 30 July 2006 due to a Raytheon ‘bunker buster’ bomb.

Raytheon also manufactured the missile that killed 62 civilians in a Baghdad market in 2003.

The Bristol protests are being covered by Bristol IndyMedia: Recent photos | Raytheon rooftop protest continues| Rooftop protest at Raytheon enters second week | Rooftop protest continues at Raytheon ahead of this afternoon's protest | Third rooftop protest at Raytheon | Cluster bomb attack 10th anniversary, Colombia

More information on the Bristol protests: Smash Raytheon Blog | Directions to Raytheon's offices, Argentum House

Titnore Woods battle goes on!

Woodlander — 2008-12-14T08:54+02:00

DETERMINED eco-protesters in Worthing are facing up to the hardest challenge yet in their two and a half year occupation of threatened woodland.

The freezing temperatures and stormy conditions mean life is currently no picnic for the hardy protesters camped out in Titnore Woods, West Durrington, in a last-ditch bid to try and stop a new housing estate and Tesco megastore from being built over green fields and ancient woodland.

And grateful local supporters are organising a pre-Christmas stall in the town centre to bring festive cheer to the tree-house dwellers, who moved onto the site back in May 2006.

They will be collecting provisions for the protesters under the title "A Hamper for a Camper" at Holder's Corner, Montague Street, Worthing, on Saturday December 20, from 11am.

MEDIA CITY – DREAM LAND UK ?

salford star — 2008-12-13T20:43+02:00

A recently released academic paper questions the very basis of Media City and the BBC move as a tool for creating jobs and equality in the community and sorting out Salford’s economic problems. Its author, Brett Christopher, is well out of the way of any vested interests, based at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Basically, he argues that the benefits cited for the Peel Holdings led project “appears to be an article of faith” which get repeated by its champions and somehow gains credibility.

He writes that “we can perhaps think of the project as a form of `corporate gentrification’…whereby `real estate development becomes a centrepiece of the city’s productive economy, an end in itself’…” Or in plain English, that Media City is more about building loads of luxury apartments, expensive commercial spaces and places for “elite consumption practices” than anything else. Read full article at the Salford Star website.

Wirral Against Service Cuts

Neon Black — 2008-12-11T23:32+02:00

A crowd of two hundred or more Wirral residents gathered at Wallasey Town Hall last night, to show their anger at the council's planned cuts to vital services.

Anarchist centre opens in St Ann's

Notts Features — 2008-12-09T17:49+02:00

Sunday saw the opening event of a new centre for anarchist education and culture in St Ann's. The Sparrows' Nest, named after local anarchist publication The Nottingham Sparrow, hosts a large collection of material on anarchist theory, local struggles and workers' struggles. The Sparrows' Nest is largely the work of local Anarchist Federation members and was inspired by a squatted infoshop in Ljubliana and similar projects in Carrara, Italy.

At the opening a selection of pamphlets and books were on display in four sections: The Classics (of anarchism), Neither Left or Right (referring to anarchism's opposition to fascism and the authoritarian left), Work (workers' struggles and the struggle against work) and Anarchy and Action in Nottingham. People were also able to watch films and browse the extensive library.

Newswire: The Sparrows' Nest - A centre for anarchist education and culture | Sparrows' Nest Anarchist Library & Archive, St Anns : opening event | Rebel bulletin The Nottingham Sparrow - March 2008 - No.3 | 'Rebel' bulletin - The Nottingham Sparrow - May 2007 - no.2 | New 'rebel' bulletin - The Nottingham Sparrow - March 2007 - no.1

Links: The Sparrows' Nest | Nottingham Anarchist Federation

Anger Around The World As Police Shoot Dead Teenager In Athens

IMC-London Features — 2008-12-08T21:22+02:00

On Saturday 6th of December at around 10pm, two Greek policemen were in patrol in a central street by Exarchia square, in the centre of Athens. They had a verbal argument with some young people who were there. During the argument, one of the cops pulled his gun and shot a 16-year-old guy twice [Video]. The victim was moved to Evangelismos Hospital to be pronounced dead. According to eye-witnesses, the cop had been swearing against the young man, showing his genitals, before shooting him.

This immediately sparkled some of the heaviest protests in Greece for over 20 years. Many Greek cities have seen daily clashes with police for over a week, and are still continuing, together with University occupations in Athens and in Thessaloniki [more], schools being closed down and further demonstrations spreading throughout the country [Infoshop's media gallery]. Some argue that Greece is at the "verge of a serious crisis" [more].
Regular updates and eye-witness accounts from Greece (Eng): Occupied London blog | Center for Strategic Anarchy blog | Libcom.org archive.

Solidarity protesters have taken to the streets all over Europe. In London around 70 activists blocked the entrance of the Greek Embassy for several hours on Monday 8th, and it was effectively closed down for most of the day. The blockade ended with at least two arrests. See full report and photos in IMC-London [BBC Video] Another protest took place on Wednesday 10th, and on Thursday 11th a picket outside the Greek embassy was heavily repressed by the Met police. On Sunday 14th yet another solidarity demonstration took place in the Dalston area of London, with over 100 people facing a heavy handed police presence [Report and Photos 1 | 2 | Video]. Protests also took place in Newcastle [Pics 1 | 2] Edinburgh [Video | more] and Leeds, and there are also reports of actions taking place in Bristol [more], Cardiff and Birmingham.

In Germany there have been protests in several cities, including a solidarity demo in Berlin where the Greek embassy was also occupied (de) for the whole day. Demonstrations also took place in Hamburg (de), Dresden (de), Bremen (de) and Cologne (de), whilst the consulate in Cologne (de) was attacked with red paint. The same as in Bologna (It) where the Greek consulate was blockaded and attacked with red paint. In Venice (It) activists occupied the Greek Institute and Consulate. Other solidarity protests include Bern (Swz), Copenhagen (Dk) [more], New York (Us) [Pics], Toledo (Sp), Madrid [Pics | Video], Barcelona [Pics 1 + 2 | Video], Melbourne, Ljubljana, St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, Oaxaca and several Russian cities. Further calls for solidarity demos have been made in Glasgow, and Dublin.

Direct action cuts CO2 emissions

IMCUK — 2008-12-08T15:26+02:00

Hot on the heels of an action which switched off 500 megawatts of generating capacity at Kingsnorth power station in Kent , all flights from Stansted airport were stopped for four hours on Monday morning. Chaos and delays at the airport continued all day due to the action which saw 57 protesters arrested and dozens of flights cancelled or diverted. The action by Plane Stupid was a response to the government approving the expansion of capacity at the airport by ten million passengers a year.

Plane Stupid claim that aviation is Britain's fastest growing source of emissions, amounting to at least 13% of the UK's climate impact. With plans for new runways across the UK, including at Heathrow and Stansted, experts from the Tyndall Centre for climate research say Labour's aviation policy alone will scupper any chance the UK has of hitting its climate targets.

The protest began at 3.15am Monday morning whilst the runway was temporarily closed for maintenance work. Reopening of the runway, scheduled for 5am, was delayed while police removed the locked on protesters, causing 52 flights to be cancelled which the groups says directly prevented the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases.

Links: Why we did it, Video, Plane Stupid Website

Previous Plain Stupid coverage: House of Commons | Downing Street glue action | Scotlish Parliament | infiltration attempt foiled | March of the penguins | An interview | travel agents | Heathrow consultation report | Manchester Airport Blockade | Heathrow Residents | Easyjet HQ | Day of Action

Has NDC lost the plot?

Notts IMC + Geoffrey Bates — 2008-12-07T21:15+02:00

The Neighbourhood Development Company (NDC) is part of the government's New Deal for Communities project to regenerate some of Britain's poorest inner city neighbourhoods. NDC in Nottingham has received millions of pounds of funding to bring positive change to the Radford area over the past 8 years.

The partnership has had a controversial history, culminating in the sacking of its entire Board of Directors earlier this year. In spite of, or perhaps because it is paying its Chief Executive £47k for a 3-day a week job, the organisation has come under criticism for being out of touch with the community and its lack of financial transparency. In spite of the fact that it is set to receive £12m from the government over the next 2 years, NDC is rumoured to be selling the Tennyson Hall community centre, which contradicts its mission to "improve and bring back into use" the assets under its control.

Newswire: NDC: A brief history and critical examination | Nottingham NDC Chief Executive | What is the future of NDC owned Tennyson Hall? Questions need raising.

Previous Feature: Community centres under fire

Links: NDC Nottingham | Mystery over £2.4m funding that ‘vanished’ | A corrupt cabal? | £70k for New Deal for Communities CEO

The COP15 Climate Summit 2009 - Global Climate Action Comming Up ...

Climate Action Features — 2008-12-05T21:12+02:00

The UN Climate Conference of Parties number 15 is set to take place in Copenhagen on the 30th of November 2009, and it will be the biggest climate summit ever to have taken place. More than 12.000 delegates business leaders, politicians, diplomats and lobbyists are going to be discussing an international treaty to replace the failed Kyoto Protocol. Set to end in 2012 this treaty was supposed to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions by 6%. However according to UN itself the global carbon emmisions have so far risen by 4% instead. There is no indication that the COP15 summit will come up with anything real to fight climate change.

However tens of thousands activists and protesters will be making their way to Copenhagen for this major event. In September 2008 people from more than 23 countries met in Copenhagen and agreed on a Call to Action, calling for people to start mobilizing and to carry out actions locally as well as coming to Copenhagen for mass actions. Planning for this event has already begun.

Another international planning meeting will take place in March 2009 where the concepts and strategy for action will be discussed. A Climate Camp will take place on the 11-19th of July. Additionally a mass action will attempt to shut down a Danish power plant in the months before the Summit takes place. The world leaders may converge upon Copenhagen but they won't leave without having heard the demands of the people who will be hurt by climate change

Mobilization website and how to get involved: Climateaction09.org
Related Indymedia sites: Copenhagen News Service | Climate Indymedia
Related story: Action at the planned COP15 conference center

The E-On 'Face-Off' begins... Kingsnorth Shut Down

IMC UK — 2008-12-05T19:30+02:00

An unidentified group allegedly penetrated Kingsnorth security and switched off almost 500 megawatts of generating capacity, cutting almost 2% off the nations power supply for about four hours! [1,2, 3] The incident took place on Friday 28th November during the 48 hours of action against new coal called for by the Camp for Climate Action. With the aim of sending a strong message that attempts to build any new coal fired power stations will face a barrage of direct action - both towards their daily operations and their supply chain - actions took place in Brighton, Bristol, Warwick, London, Nottingham, Norwich, Bristol, and Plymouth. E-On in particular were rattled, local and national media coverage was generated, resources for the new 'Face Off' campaign were gathered, a new website launched, and lists of possible targets compiled.

With the 48 hours over E-on no doubt thought the heat was off, however Monday morning saw their corporate headquarters in Coventry struck for the third time in as many weeks with over twenty protesters dressed in santa suits invading their officers and blockading the entrance for four hours. [photos, spoof account, report, song 1, song 2, interview, BBC TV News, BBC World At One ]

Further summaries of the actions can be found on the climate camp website and on EarthFirst! Action Reports. Don't forget the new E-on F-off website.

Previous success against E-on : protests force recruitment efforts to be dropped

New Nerve Examines Work

Catalyst Media — 2008-12-03T21:08+02:00

The latest edition of Nerve - Liverpool's social issues and culture magazine - is out now. This time the focus is on definitions and experiences of work.

From weapons to wars to refugees

Notts Features — 2008-12-02T16:34+02:00

On Saturday, a lively and well attended demonstration and die in in the centre of Nottingham brought two successful local campaigns together. Shut Down H&K, campaigners against Nottingham's arms dealers joined hands with No Borders Nottingham, who fight for migrant rights, to come 'full circle'. The demonstration emphasised the links between guns sold in the UK, armed conflicts abroad and the refugees that flee these wars to come to Britain looking for asylum.

The demonstrators gave out 2000 fliers to Christmas shoppers making them aware of the whereabouts of Heckler & Koch's premises in Lenton and the death and destruction their merchandise causes. Refugees and asylum seekers from many countries ravaged by the effects of small arms were there to support the demo. Protesters held a die in on the cold pavements, undeterred by the over the top police surveillance. Many members of the public were shocked to hear about the arms dealers in their neighbourhood.

Newswire: Full Circle Demo: From weapons to wars to refugees. Market Sq. Nottingham | Next Small Word Cinema @ Sumac 10th December | FULL CIRCLE - from weapons to wars to refugees | Demos continue at Heckler & Koch weapons HQ in Nottingham

Previous Features: The Arms Trade: From Nottingham to Georgia | Protests in Nottingham as Zimbabwe Goes to the Polls | Protesters Return to Nottingham Weapons Manufacturer | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail

Links: Notts Antimilitarism: Heckler & Koch | No Borders Nottingham

Merseyside Police Protect British National Party

Antifascist — 2008-12-01T22:09+02:00

On Saturday, 29th November, Merseyside Police protected around one hundred and fifty British National Party members from the people of Liverpool and other anti-fascists. In doing so, they allowed racist material to be openly distributed in Liverpool city centre on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. However, Alec McFadden of Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Fascism and Weyman Bennett of Unite Against Fascism must shoulder some of the responsibility for this horrifying turn of events.

What, No Prices?

Pinkolady — 2008-12-01T22:01+02:00

More than 150 people came to Next To Nowhere's Free Shop on Saturday. This was a one-off event to mark Buy Nothing Day. The organisers encouraged people to come in by offering free tea and toast and free mistletoe on the street outside.

Oil-money magnates buy up Man City football club

James — 2008-12-01T18:31+02:00

Manchester City are joining the Premier League big spenders as their new owners splash the cash in an effort to bring the good times to the Eastlands. They still have along way to go, as Sunday's 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United proves, but just where has their new found wealth come from? Sarah Irving investigates...

Mule Web Issue Out Monday 1st December

mule — 2008-11-30T20:24+02:00

See the Mule website for the December Web Special Mule issue!

The December 2008 Mule Issue will be a special web exclusive issue, and will mark the official launch of our website. From Monday the 1st of December you'll see a steady stream of new articles uploaded to the website regularly over the course of the month, to form Issue 5. Visit the mule website

BNP Threatens Free Media

imc uk legal — 2008-11-28T23:51+02:00

Indymedia is yet again facing legal threats to prevent the free flow of communication, this time from a political movement known for its hostility to free speech. On the 21st November 08 Indymedia UK received an email from someone claiming to be a legal representative for the British National Party, threatening to take legal action on a number of counts for publishing information on BNP members.

After the hilarity of the “little Fuhrer”, Nick Griffin, running to the safety of the Human Rights Act to try to prevent the publication of members’ details, Britain’s fascist party has resorted to threats.

The letter sent to Indymedia by Lee John Barnes LLB (hons), from the “BNP Legal Affairs Unit”, threatens to take legal action, on the basis of theft, data protection and contempt of court, unless the list of members is removed.

The “lawyer” also attempts to shoehorn his charges into the form of anti-terrorism legislation, “The use of this information we feel is being hosted on your site for use only to incite acts of harassment, incite violence and direct targeted attacks against our members in the Leeds area”. He then goes on to explain the sections of the Terrorism Act under which Indymedia would be charged.

Community centres under fire

Notts Features — 2008-11-28T15:44+02:00

The past few months have seen a number of bad news stories for Nottingham's community centres. The Chase Neighbourhood Centre in St Anns has made 30 staff redundant and is rumoured to be on the brink of closure, whilst there are reports that Neighbourhood Development Company (NDC) are looking to sell Radford's historic Tennyson Hall youth and community centre. The Chase Centre is in need of local support.

It has been suggested that with the credit crunch hitting Nottingham, local authorities may drastically cut funding for community centres and other community projects. This underlines the need for autonomous community centres, such as the Sumac Centre in Forest Fields, which continues to develop.

Newswire: Chase Centre Latest - - Please Help | Sumac Skill share goes massive! | What is the future of NDC owned Tennyson Hall? Questions need raising. | Chase Neighbourhood Centre Project Closing

Previous Feature: End of the Road for ASBO

Links: Sumac Centre | NDC Nottingham | Nottingham City Council community centres

Liverpool anti-ID picket: No One Is Illegal

Manchester No Borders — 2008-11-26T22:54+02:00

20 students and No Borders/anti-ID campaigners from Manchester made their way to Liverpool on 25th November, the day that the government introduced ID cards for non-EU nationals living in the UK. There they joined a group of 30 Merseyside activists outside Reliance House to protest at the introduction of compulsory ID cards for international students and non-EU spouses on that day.

ID Card rollout meets resistance

IMC UK features — 2008-11-25T20:10+02:00

On Tuesday 25th November, the British state began its rollout of biometric ID cards by imposing them first on migrants. From this date foreign spouses and nationals from outside Fortress Europe who apply for, or renew, study visas will be required to attend a UK Border Agency Centre for interrogation and fingerprinting. They will then be issued with cards which will hold their name, photograph, nationality and immigration status, along with a biometric chip that will hold their finderprints and digital image. The details will be held indefintely on the UK Identity Service database. Over the next three years, other groups of non-EU nationals will be forced to undergo the process.

On Monday evening, NO2ID activists in Leeds expressed their resistance to the scheme with a public burning of a mock ID card. A Liverpool action followed on Tuesday, with a picket, leafletting and a samba band. A No Borders banner drop on one of Newcastle's busiest inner motorways on Tuesday morning alerted commuters to the rollout, whilst Lunar house in Croydon was picketed by No Borders London. Meanwhile in Birmingham a picket of the UK Border Agency in Solihull was met by a disproportionate police presence and in Cardiff there was a picket of over 60 people. Noborders Manchester joined forces with Merseyside activists to protest outside Reliance House in Liverpool.

Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

External Links: Defy ID | NO2ID | No Borders UK

Victory for Brighton Starbucks protesters?

SCIMC — 2008-11-23T07:38+02:00

THE CONTROVERSIAL Starbucks cafe in Brighton, which has been the subject of a longstanding campaign, may now be forced to close. The report has come from the BBC and, although protesters are not counting their chickens yet, the signs are encouraging.

The most recent big protest in St James St was on Saturday November 29. It marked the sixth month anniversary of the cafe opening without plannimg permission and against the wishes of lots of local residents and traders.

A Good Week Stopping Open-Cast Coal Mining in Derbyshire

imcista — 2008-11-20T20:43+02:00

The long-running campaign against Lodge House open-cast coal mine, near Shipley in Derbyshire hit a peak the other week, with 3 independent actions in the same week.

Local action groups, dispirited after central government overruled the local planning refusal of permission, have started getting active again. This follows Earth First!'s Leave it in the Ground campaign earlier in the summer - a mass trespass followed by two noise demos outside UK Coal's Yorkshire HQ, plus the squatting of the farm house. Bodge House was finally evicted - during the Camp for Climate Action - though it took the forces of darkness 9 days.

More recently there was another Picnic in the Park trespass, a handful of EF!ers stopped work one afternoon, and locals held a demo at the entrance to the site.

Leave it in the Ground EF! campaign | Derby EF! campaign blog | Local action group | Coal Action Network

Mass Antifascist Demonstration in Madrid Remembering Carlos Palomino

maqui — 2008-11-14T19:09+02:00

More than 2000 people demonstrated in Madrid on Tuesday 11th November in solidarity, remembrance and homage to Carlos Palomino, the antifa activist murdered exactly one year ago by a far right member of the spanish army. The demonstration "Carlos, One Year Without You" marked the first anniversary of the 11th of November 2007, when Carlos Javier Palomino, a 16 year old active antifascist in the Madrid circles, died from the stab wounds caused by the fascist Josué Estébanez de la Hija.

A series of remembrance protests occurred throughout Spain, being Madrid where the biggest and most emotive one took place. As one of the banners in front of the demonstration read: "The best homage is to carry on with the struggle".

Video of the demo here which includes an emotive but combative speech by Carlos' mother (sp)
Photo galleries one and two.
Timeline of the demonstration (sp) here.

E.ON withdraws from careers fairs due to persistent protests

imcista — 2008-11-12T18:54+02:00

E.ON has withdrawn from University Careers Fairs run by AIESEC following a string of protests around the country. E.ON did not show up at Birmingham today (12th Nov). The protesters object to E.ON wanting to develop new coal fired power stations, such as at Kingsnorth - the target of this summers Climate Camp. However E.ON cannot avoid the protests by avoiding careers fairs - expect more fun during 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal on the 28/29 November.

Students have visited careers fairs to protest about the presence of parts of the arms and fossil fuel industries. Climate chaos related companies targeted include RBS (the oil and gas bank), BP and Shell. The arms industry representatives include the Army, B.Ae, Qinetiq and Rolls Royce. Careers fairs have been targeted in Aston, Birmingham ( 2 ), Bristol, Cambridge ( 2 | 3 ), Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College London, Kings College London, Leeds, Liverpool, Loughborough, Manchester ( 2 | 3 ), Nottingham ( 2 | 3 ), Oxford ( 2 ), Sheffield, Southampton, Warwick and York. More reports are available from People and Planet.

Protests continue at Shipley open cast site

Notts IMC — 2008-11-03T17:19+02:00

Protesters from Earth First! have invaded the Derbyshire site of the open cast mine twice in the last fortnight. On Monday a number of people climbed onto diggers and machinery, stopping work for over two hours. This was preceded by a highly policed picnic that took place on the site last weekend. On Saturday, local environmental group Erewash and Amber Valley Environment Network (EAVON) held a demonstration of 40 people at the site entrance.

These protests are the latest in a campaign that saw Shipley Lodge, a house on the site, squatted during the summer. The squatters used tunnels and tree houses and it took bailiffs and police an entire week to evict them, at the cost of £58,000 to Derbyshire police. The first court case arising from the eviction collapsed last Monday due to lack of evidence.

Newswire: Local residents protest at Lodge Farm open cast site | Shipley Bodge court case collapses | Protestors stop work at Shipley open-cast | Picnic in the Park - Photos Shipley Open Cast Site, Derbyshire | Picnic In The Park - The Sequel | Notts Indymedia Climate Chaos topic page

Previous Feature: Derbyshire Opencast Mine Squatters: Eviction Imminent | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site

Links: Derby Earth First! | Leave it in the Ground | Lodge House blog

Solidarity Actions in the West Bank, Gaza and the UK

IMC UK Features — 2008-10-29T20:40+02:00

On 29th October 2008, the 60th anniversary of massacres in the Palestinian villages of Safsaf, al-Dawayima and Kafr Qasim, British activists were aboard the Dignity which sailed into Gaza. The boat which set sail from Cyprus the day before, was the second succesful attempt by the Free Gaza Movement to break the siege of Gaza, which has been imposed since last year. Carrying a contingent of doctors and medicines ,including cough mixtures which are no longer available in Gaza, the activists are set to meet up with fellow activists who have been in Gaza since the first sailing in August 2008.

In the West Bank, a delegation from the Brighton Tubas Region Friendship and Solidarity Group had arrived in the Tubas Region of the Occupied West Bank a week earlier. Reports sent home from the delegation record incidents such as attacks by Settlers, continued land theft, and enforced water shortages. The group which aims to highlight Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the region, raise awareness about life under occupation and create practical solidarity links between grassroots organisations in Brighton and Tubas region, is currently assisting with the olive harvest at the village of Al Masra.

Shark Fin Company Exposed In Nottingham

notts imc features — 2008-10-29T08:46+02:00

It has come to light that Nottingham is host to one of the few companies in the UK that sell shark fin. Not only is the finning of sharks barbaric, but their indiscriminate slaughter at an unsustainable rate is pushing many species to the brink of extinction. Since the 1970s the populations of several species have been decimated by over 95%. Horn Of Africa Traders Ltd, based at Kelvedon Gardens, Carlton, Nottingham buy and supply sharkfin originated from North Eastern Somalia. The company is said to have a factory based in Somalia and able to supply up to 1000 ton of dried shark fin a month.

The marine conservation action group Bite Back and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society have been working closely in the UK to get companies to ditch shark fin from their menus and shelves. As well as various restaurants in London's Chinatown, the health chain Holland & Barrett recently stopped selling shark cartilage capsules under pressure from the campaign.

On the newswire: Seven Year Ditch: Shark Fin Soup Off Hakkasan Menu | Sharkwater UK Release | Shark conservation film in Notts | Defending the Wild | UK Indymedia Ocean Defence Topic page

Links: Horn Of Africa Traders Ltd | Bite Back | stopsharkfinning.net | Sea Shepherd Conservation Society | Shark Trust

Brighton group Joins Olive Harvest Campaign in Palestine

2008-10-28T17:59+02:00

A delegation of eight people from Brighton arrived in the Tubas region of occupied Palestine last week. The delegation is part of the project by the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. The group's aims are to highlight Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the region, raise awareness about life under occupation and create practical solidarity links between grassroots organisations in Brighton and Tubas region. Members of the delegation are currently visiting the threatened village of Al Masra to assist them with their olive harvest.

On Tuesday 28th the group was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers who proceeded to steal olives from the farmers the group was accompanying. One of the settlers was the same man who had murdered a teenage boy in the village earlier this year.

Delegation Report Back Meeting at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House, Ship St, Brighton

Reports from the Brighton Tubas Group: One Day the Chains Must be Broken| IDF shoot man in El Far'a refugee camp| Land Confiscation in Atoof | Living in the Shadow of Al Hamra | Struggle for Survival in Al Hadidya | Ethnic Cleansing in Al Farisiya| Military repression in Atoof | Said Lataba – After 31 Years in Prison, Sends A Message of Peace and Humanity| Makhool; After Hadidya we are Next

Press Releases from the Brighton-Tubas Solidarity Group:Brighton Delegation Arrives in Palestine|Sussex University Students make Links with Palestinians Under Occupation|Brighton Delegation joins Olive Harvest in Al Masra| Brighton-Tubas delegation and Palestinian farmers attacked by Israeli settlers|

Links: Jordan Valley Solidarity| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | International Solidarity Movement in Palestine | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Stop the Wall in Palestine

Raynesway Blockaders in Court

Notts IMC — 2008-10-28T16:57+02:00

Ten activists arrested following a blockade of the Rolls Royce Raynesway factory in Derby in April were in court last week. Eight were acquitted with two being found guilty. Seven of the eight found not guilty had been locked to concrete blocks outside the facility with the eighth having driven them there. The two found guilty had been locked onto the gates. All had been charged with aggravated trespass, seemingly an error on the CPS' part.

The court case comes shortly before Derby City Council is to hear a planning application from Rolls Royce to develop its site at Raynesway and a new campaign, dubbed Power Through Wind Not Weapons has been launched to coordinate protests against the factory which produces engines for nuclear submarines (which carry Trident missiles). Protests have been held outside the factory monthly, with one taking place immediately prior to the court case.

Newswire: Eight Acquitted After Rolls Royce Blockade | Some guilty some not at Derby court anti-nuclear defendants | Urgent update - 'power through wind not weapons campaign' needs you to get involved | Trident on trial: Judge defends nuclear proliferators Rolls Royce | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page

Previous Feature: Trident Activists Blockade Rolls Royce in Derby | Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant | Derbyshire police go over the top again

Links: Power Through Wind Not Weapons | Trident Ploughshares

10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance Procession

UK Features — 2008-10-28T11:39+02:00

On Saturday 25th October 2008,several hundred people attended the 10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance procession which was led by many family members of those who have died in suspicious circumstances in police custody, prison and 'secure' mental health facilities.

In customary tradition the procession made its way in dignified silence from Trafalgar Square down Whitehall to Downing Street in dutiful respect to those who mourn the loss of loved ones and to invoke their memory and the collective injustices that their deaths represent. In the past year 182 such deaths have been recorded recorded, and a banner carried in the march listed over 2500 who have died.

Aldermaston AWE is blockaded

imc-uk-features — 2008-10-27T16:38+02:00

Some 300 activists turned out for the Big Blockade of Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment. Organised by Trident Ploughshares and supported by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Block the Builders and the Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp, the blockade was an attempt to disrupt work on existing Trident nuclear warheads and the facilities that will enable the development of their successors at Britain’s nuclear weapons research laboratory.

More than 30 people were arrested. Several people mounted a tripod which blocked the A340 for two hours; several others, who were locked together with arm tubes, blockaded the construction gate for five hours. People came from far and wide for the blockade - there were representatives from Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Scotland, Wales, Bradford and Plymouth, as well as a Buddhist monk and nun who walked to Aldermaston from London.

The blockade of Aldermaston comes in the wake of several other campaigns against arms manufacturers in the UK. In Brighton, on 15th October, a mass protest took place against EDO MBM/ITT. Meanwhile, last week in Bristol, a number of protesters mounted a roof-top protest against Raytheon. Two of the protesters stayed on the roof for some 38 hours.

Stop the War activist in court

Tash [Alan Lodge] — 2008-10-27T13:50+02:00

On Thursday 23rd October, Nottingham Crown Court rejected the appeal against the conviction of Henry Twigger. Henry was found guilty of Criminal Damage in July, for painting anti-war slogans on the Army Careers Office at the Victoria Centre, in Milton Street, Nottingham.

Thursday’s hearing was about appealing this conviction. Henry's main plan was to point to the 'lawful excuse' provided for in 5.2.B. of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The idea, as it is contained within a number of pieces of law, is to claim necessity or committing a crime to prevent a greater one. Mr Chris Coverdale from the Campaign to Make Wars History had turned out to assist Henry, but his evidence was disallowed.

Henry says he won't pay the fines and costs because it 'aids and abets' the system he's protesting about.

Grim reapers target careers fair

Notts IMC + Student Activist — 2008-10-24T07:31+02:00

Students at the University of Nottingham protested "unethical career corporatism" at the university's careers fair on Monday and Tuesday. Dressed as grim reapers, students payed a visit to arms dealers BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and Qinetiq, as well as energy giants E.On and BP. Leaflets detailing the crimes of some of the companies were hounded out and the protesters even had a stall next to the Army's stall.

The protesters aimed to highlight the hypocrisy of organisers, AIESEC, who claim to embody "Peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential" whilst giving a platform to arms dealers, as well as to "oppose the general presence of mechanisms of the capitalist death machine." Their success was highlighted by the noteable absence of several targetted companies on the second day of the fair.

Newswire: Students Target Unethical Career Corporatism | Shell Shuts Up | Students Call For An End To University Involvement In The Arms Industry | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page

Previous Feature: Protests as arms dealers attend careersfair

Links: Nottingham Student Peace Movement | AIESEC UK

Workers go on strike at Nottingham Trent University

Notts IMC — 2008-10-22T19:56+02:00

Staff members belonging to the University and College Union (UCU) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) were on strike yesterday, in protest against the university's derecognition of their union and plans to cut facility time for union representatives. Derecognition is an extreme move by the university authorities and is seen by the strikers as an attack on their right to organise independently.

Over three-quarters (77%) of members voted for the strike, which is supported by the UCU nationally. The action follows a rally on 6th Oct attended by UCU members from across the country which challenged the university's vice-chancellor's address to new students.

Newswire: Workers on strike at Nottingham Trent University | Demo by University & College Union, derecognised at Nottingham Trent University | UCU members vote for industrial action at Nottingham Trent University | UCU to ballot on strike action at Nottingham Trent University

Previous Features: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike | Notts Workers Join National Strike | Public service workers out to protect pensions

Links: UCU Nottingham Trent Branch | Nottingham Trent University | UCU (national) | Notts Indymedia Workers Movements topic page