UK Newswire Archive
English Defence League [EDL] pre Bradford meet & party Sat 7th August in Seaham
05-08-2010 14:38
Shell drilling stopped for 5 hours – as Beat the Boreholes continues
05-08-2010 14:29
*Freeskilling* - be creative with driftwood
05-08-2010 14:22
10 August Be Creative with DriftwoodMake a plant pot holder out of driftwood. Wood supplied but please bring scissors and ball of string or twine. With Bristol Women’s Workshop tutor Anne Harding
17 August Belly Dancing
Have a fun evening learning to shimmy, shake, and hip drop in the Egyptian fashion. Bring a coin belt if possible and a veil or large piece of light, floaty material like a large pashmina. With Laura Kelly
24 August Homeopathy
Explore the amazing world of homeopathy and how it may help you with all sorts of complaints. With homeopath and earth energy healer Alison Wilding
31 August Tree Walk
Another fact filled amble round St Werburgs to get to know your trees a little better. Meet outside St Werburgs City Farm Café at 7pm. With Ben & Lucy
10 August Be Creative with Driftwood
Make a plant pot holder out of driftwood. Wood supplied but please bring scissors and ball of string or twine. With Bristol Women’s Workshop tutor Anne Harding
17 August Belly Dancing
Have a fun evening learning to shimmy, shake, and hip drop in the Egyptian fashion. Bring a coin belt if possible and a veil or large piece of light, floaty material like a large pashmina. With Laura Kelly
24 August Homeopathy
Explore the amazing world of homeopathy and how it may help you with all sorts of complaints. With homeopath and earth energy healer Alison Wilding
31 August Tree Walk
Another fact filled amble round St Werburgs to get to know your trees a little better. Meet outside St Werburgs City Farm Café at 7pm. With Ben & Lucy
Dissident Island Radio - 3 years old tomorrow!
05-08-2010 13:51
News Desk: 4 Retailers use 5 billion plastic bags
05-08-2010 13:05
Common Action spokesperson Lindsay Keenan commented: “The four retailers who are responsible for the highest annual use of plastic bags, an estimated 5 billion plastic bags per year between them, are trying to hide the facts of this environmental abuse from the public”.Thanks from Notts Indymedia co-founder Wietse
05-08-2010 11:24
As one of the people who initially kick-started this project and put a considerable time and energy into it, I want to thank everyone that has been involved over the years.
Sometimes, when you're so involved with a project, it is hard to let go. I moved away a couple of years ago and the fact that a handful of people (you know who you are!) have worked hard to keep the newswire clean, get new people onboard, print the numerous newsletters we started and get the new site up and running, shows that I had nothing to worry about.
Thanks to the great diversity of people posting articles to our newswire every day, independent media is alive and our project has become a valued and trusted resource in the activist and local communities. Notts Indymedia grew to become one of the most active local Indymedia groups in the UK. If anything, this reflects on the communities we are a part of: always ready to take on the corporate giants, initiate new things to better our communities and show that there is another world out there.
I would personally like to thank Alan Lodge (aka Tash) for the time and energy he has given to this project from day one. Without his hard work we might not have made it. The commitment and dedication he has always shown in his work to investigate the unknown and fight the unjust continues to be an inspiration to myself and many others in Nottingham and beyond.
Notts Indymedia is 5!
05-08-2010 10:24
Notts Indymedia was launched on August 5 2005 – we are 5 years old today! We’d like to thank everyone who’s helped to make the site the great success it’s become. To celebrate we’ve put together a round up of the major events and ongoing campaigns that have featured prominently over the last 5 years.
2005
One of the first projects to get coverage on the Notts site was the squatting of a number of empty properties on Burns Street. These would become the ASBO social centre which was a great community resource for a number of years.
New Squatting Project in Nottingham | Abandoned for over 7 years... | YES, we’re open !
One of the campaigns that received a lot of well-earned coverage over the years was Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill (NAIL). NAIL campaigned against the City Council’s incinerator at Eastcroft. They held a demo in Market Square in October 2005. Since then plans for the expansion of Eastcroft have been rejected by the Planning Officer and then successfully appealed by owners WRG.
NAIL campaign hammers on... | NAIL campaign ’banner drop’ at Sneinton Boulevard | Campaigners meet Environment Agency over incinerator | Planning Officer insists on wider public consultation for incinerator expansion | Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill campaigners hand in petition | Incinerator Public Meeting - Public Bodies pull out! | Planning Officer Recommends Rejections of Incinerator Expansion | Massive victory for anti-incinerator campaign in Nottingham | Eastcroft Incinerator Expansion - WRG lodge Appeal | Approved Incinerator Expansion Paves Way For Direct Action
In October, angry protests greeted arms dealers attempting to recruit on Nottingham University’s campus. Caterpillar, BAE and Rolls Royce were picketed.
Protests as arms dealers attend careersfair
2006
In early 2006, the university was hit by major protests again as Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed Labour party activists at the East Midlands Conference Centre. Protesters slipped through police lines to occupy the car park of the centre and then forced their way out of a kettle to escape.
Day of action as Tony Blair sets out new nuclear power policy in Nottingham
In March, regular Indymedia contributor Tash was arrested whilst photographing an armed police operation in St Ann’s. This was in spite of being involved in the agreement of new guidelines for the police concerning interactions with journalists just days before. Tash won the support of many journalists during his trial, including NUJ General Secretary, Jeremy Dear.
Indymedia photographer arrested by armed officers
During the Spring the local No M1 Widening group were busy attacking plans to widen the motorway at various consultations around the county. In October a coordinated action saw anti-roads banners dropped along the length of the motorway. Unfortunately the campaign later fell foul of draconian police action as a number of activists were arrested on conspiracy charges. By the time they’d cleared their names, widening of the motorway was well under way.
End of beginning for No M1 Widening campaign | Banner drops along M1 link roads to climate chaos | Work Starts On M1 Widening As Protests Continue
Also that Spring, local activists set up a protest camp in Sharp Hill, on the edge of Nottingham. This greenbelt land had been earmarked for residential development. The ongoing campaign eventually saw the plans scrapped.
Action stepped up at Sharp Hill
During the Summer, the JB Spray building, an old lace factory in Radford, was occupied by a group intent on using the space for community purposes. They were subject to an illegal eviction before reoccupying the building for several weeks.
J B Spray Building Occupied / Evicted / Reoccupied
The Autumn saw nationwide protests against Shell for its exploits in Rossport, Ireland. In Nottingham a protester was hospitalised by a driver as protesters descended on a garage in town, shutting it down.
Protester hospitalised in successful Shell blockade
2007
2007 saw the eagerly anticipated (by some) reopening of Nottingham’s Market Square. Not everyone was happy though and there were worries that the (very expensive) square would just be seen as the Council’s property to hire out to commercial outfits. These worries seem to have been justified as barely a day goes by without an ice rink, big wheel, Nottingham riviera, German market or some other money making scheme dominating the space.
Our Square Isn’t It?
In April a daring action took climate protesters inside the bowels of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and bring operations to a halt for a few hours. The action, part of the Spring into Action series of events around climate change, protested the use of coal in power stations. Those arrested later called expert scientists in their defence at trial.
Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt | ’Clean’ Coal On Trial
In the Autumn, fascist BNP leader Nick Griffin came to Kimberley to speak to party activists. Anti-fascist call outs resulted in a 100 strong crowd descending on the venue and preventing BNP members attending the event. Griffin had a hard time leaving and fumed about a Marxist police conspiracy to stop him speaking.
Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue
In Newark, a conference promoting the use of biofuels was disrupted by activists who pied a senior BP executive and held banners outside the venue protesting the ‘greenwash’ of the companies involved. A simultaneous blockade of a biofuels refinery in Middlesborough was also carried out. The activists returned in 2008.
Biofuels Conference Disrupted At Concerns Over Multi-National ’Greenwash’ | Activists Disrupt Biofuels Conference
At the end of the year, the BNP’s local problems were compounded when Broxtowe councillor and rising star, Sadie Graham, was unceremoniously expelled from the party amidst accusations of treason. It turned out that BNP security had been bugging party activists’ phone calls and they raided her house removing a laptop and data. The expulsions led to a split in the party and a serious weakening in the local area.
Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party
2008
Early in 2008 the City Council came under fire from local residents for its attempts to close the much-loved Victoria Baths leisure centre. Sadly the Save Victoria Baths protests fell on deaf ears and the leisure centre has now been closed pending radical rebuilding.
Council Under Fire From Campaign To Save Leisure Centre | Victoria Baths axed early in city budget | Campaign to save Victoria Baths takes fight to the council
In March, a member of the city’s library staff used the Notts Indymedia site to anonymously speak out against attempts by the management to bully staff into wearing uniform. Unison took up the issue which became a popular campaign.
Library Staff Speak Out Against Uniforms and Management Bullying
In April, a mass blockade of energy company E.On’s Nottingham offices shut hundreds of workers out of the building for most of the morning. The action, in protest at E.On’s involvement in plans for the construction of Kingsnorth coal power station, was part of a Fossil Fools day of action. Two activists arrested for their part in the action were later acquitted with no case to answer.
Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham | No case to answer after Notts E.On protest
Later that month, Trident Ploughshares coordinated a mass blockade of Derby’s Raynesway plant where Rolls Royce manufacture the reactors for Trident nuclear submarines. The blockade lasted for 5 hours. Eight of the 10 involved were later acquitted due to police bungling of the prosecution.
Trident Activists Blockade Rolls Royce in Derby | Raynesway Blockaders in Court
In May, Nottingham was in the headlines as two men were arrested on terror charges at the university. Hicham ‘Hich’ Yezza, a member of staff, had agreed to help his student friend, Rizwaan Sabir, with research for a proposal for a PhD studying Islamist terror groups. Police released the pair from anti-terror detention after a week of questioning but Hich was immediately rearrested on immigration grounds. Hundreds of students and staff turned up for a demo calling for academic freedom and Hich’s release. Hich eventually won the right to remain in the UK in 2009.
Anger Over "Terror Arrests" at Nottingham University | Nottingham Uni Detainee Innocent But Still Facing Deportation | Hundreds Join Demo for Academic Freedom and Against Deportation | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail
Later that month, a campaign began against a proposed opencast coal mine site in Shipley, Derbyshire. A mass trespass on the site as followed by several month long occupation of abandoned farm buildings on the site – Shipley Bodge. The eventual eviction of the squat’s tunnels and lock-ons took about a week and cost UK Coal a sizeable sum of money. Protesters returned to the site later in the year to lock onto earth moving machinery.
Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Derbyshire Opencast Mine Squatters: Eviction Imminent | Derbyshire Coal Mine Occupation - Eviction Happening Now | Protests continue at Shipley open cast site
Not long after the detention of Hich Yezza, another Nottingham activist, Amdani Juma, was detained and faced deportation. Amdani had volunteered with the Nottingham Refugee Forum and AIDS charities for many years and was well known. Large protests in the Market Square and a campaign helped to get him released but, 2 years later, his status is still precarious.
Another Nottingham Activist Detained For Deportation | Nottingham Protests in Support of Detained Resident | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail | Amdani, Mustafa and Selina are still here
During the summer, anti-fascists ratcheted up a major campaign against the return of the BNP’s Red, White and Blue festival to Denby, Derbyshire. Pickets of the licensing hearing led to the BNP withdrawing their application. On the weekend itself, a 100 strong black bloc attempted to block access to the site and fought with police. Meanwhile protests were held in the nearby town of Codnor and some marchers were allowed to protest near the site.
BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival" | Protests greet BNP "festival"
In October, another anti-deportation campaign was launched, to prevent the deportation of an asylum-seeking family from Ghana. Selina Adda and her young children had a huge amount of support from their local community in the Meadows. They were released from detention but their fate is still undecided.
Anti-deportation campaign for Notts family | Amdani, Mustafa and Selina are still here | Urgent action for Notts family facing deportation
2009
The start of 2009 was dominated by responses to the massacre of Palestinians taking place in Gaza. There were several large public protests across the region. As part of a wave of similar actions across the country’s universities, students at the University of Nottingham occupied a lecture theatre in protest. The management were unimpressed and violently evicted the occupiers during heavy snow.
Nottingham Responds to Gaza Massacre | Gaza: Weekend of Protest Across the Midlands | Nottingham university occupied in solidarity with Gaza | Nottingham Gaza solidarity occupation violently evicted
The next big event was the dramatic police raid on the Iona school in Sneinton, in April. 114 climate activists were ‘pre-emptively’ arrested by police in a massive operation. Police claimed that the 114 were conspiring to disrupt the operations of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. Two years on charges have been dropped against all but 26 of those arrested. They are yet to be tried.
Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid
Meanwhile, in Forest Fields, opposition to a City Council plan to put the neighbourhood under CCTV surveillance was building. An initial consultation was declared a sham by the residents who claimed that the information given by the police was incomplete and, hence, misleading. The scheme was eventually approved in a controversial vote and the cameras are now in place.
Campaign against CCTV in Forest Fields continues to grow
Rolls Royce Raynesway received attention once again in 2009. A squatted peace camp was set up near the site of the factory and lasted for several months before eviction.
Peace camp established at Raynesway, Derby
Over the summer squatters reclaimed the (still empty) JB Spray building in Radford. Unlike the previous occupations, this one has been long-term – squatters are still there. However, this week the legal owner gained a possession order for the building and they are preparing to resist the eviction.
Squatters Retake Nottingham’s JB Spray Factory | JB Spray squat under threat
In August, the BNP returned to Denby for their summer festival. This time they were met with a very sizeable anti-fascist protest of several thousand people. Attempts were made by the protesters to block roads and a number of BNP members were arrested for sieg heiling.
Anti-fascists challenge BNP’s return to Derbyshire
In the Autumn, thousands of climate activists descended on Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station for the Climate Swoop. In spite of a massive police operation, many of the site’s security fences were breached although protesters were not able to shut the power station down.
Climate activists swoop on Ratcliffe
At the end of the year, the knuckle draggers of the English Defence League came to Nottingham to drink beer and piss on the castle. They were met by a robust counter-demo of local anti-racist groups, autonomous anti-fascists and local youths.
Fascists rally in Nottingham
2010
One of Nottingham’s long-running campaigns, Shut Down H&K, made headlines in 2010 as activists blockaded the arms dealers premises in Lenton and unfurled banners from the roof. H&K’s managing director later claimed to have been intimidated by the peaceful protesters. Shut Down H&K continue to picket the site every month.
Direct action shuts down H&K | Nottingham anti-arms trade activist convicted
In March, the East Midlands National Front made an ill-advised attempt to hold a day of action in Derbyshire. All 5 of them were surrounded by anti-fascists in Ripley town centre and surrendered their union jack and all their leaflets. Unsurprisingly, they haven’t been heard of since.
National Front humiliated in Derbyshire
Back in Nottingham, Council Leader Jon Collins announced that community groups were to be evicted from the Radford Unity Centre as part of a dodgy deal. The local community turned out in force to march to the Council House in protest.
Radford community on the march
The campaign against the Red, White and Blue festival appeared to have won an important victory after the BNP announced that this year’s event was cancelled, in May. The party claimed to be focussing on local events instead but none of these seem to have materialised.
Anti-fascists claim victory as BNP festival cancelled
Take action for Omar Khadr
05-08-2010 07:56
Next week, on Tuesday 10 August, 23-year old Canadian Omar Khadr, who has spent over a quarter of his life illegally detained at Guantánamo Bay, will become the first person to be tried at Guantánamo under the Obama administration and the first person to be tried for offences allegedly committed as a child (when aged 15) anywhere in the world in over 60 years. International law considers child soldiers like Omar Khadr to be victims and not criminals and in practice is against any form of trial for them.Smash Edo: 18/01/10 remember gaza demo arrestee needs help
04-08-2010 23:44
please help to sue the police for their aggressive and fascistic response to a bystander at the remember gaza action in brighton january 18th just gone...Finish what Guy Fawkes started!
04-08-2010 23:30
OK guys, remember the 5th of November? Of course you do! Well, lets do it all over again, and this time lets get it right! There will be a storming of Parliament on the 5th November starting at 12 noon... well, maybe more than just storming if we get it right!Green Phoenix Festival Cancelled
04-08-2010 21:23
The Green Phoenix Festival, due to take place from 19th-22nd August 2010 near Newcastle, has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
London Activists Fight Back Against Lab Animal Trade
04-08-2010 20:48
Fifteen activists in London today kicked off the Gateway to Hell re-launch with angry demonstrations outside the companies and organisations directly involved in the transportation of laboratory animals.Preparing for World War III, Targeting Iran - Part I: Global Warfare
04-08-2010 18:58
Stop the EDL! Ask EDL coach company Johnsons not to transport the EDL Nazis
04-08-2010 17:02
Planning threat to a SAC?
04-08-2010 16:24
NEWS ON THE LATEST PUBLICATION FROM THE MINORCA OPENCAST PROTEST GROUP, ABRIUEFING NOTE ON "THE MINORCA aPPLICATION AND THE RIVER MEASE SAC.
The Press Release outlines why MOPG argue it puts The River Mease Special Area of conservation at risk
MINORCA OPENCAST PROTEST GROUP's 67th PRESS RELEASE 4/8/10
IT MIGHT ONLY NEED ONE DUMPER TRUCK JOURNEY TO IRRETREVABLY DAMAGE THE RIVER MEASE SPECIAL AREA OF CONSERVATION CLAIM OBJECTORS
Members and supporters of the Minorca Opencast Protest Group have opened up a new front in their battle to prevent UK Coal from gaining planning permission to opencast on the Minorca site between Swepstone and Measham in Leicestershire. They are now drawing attention to the inherent risks, posed in this proposal to Leicestershire’s only designated Special Area of Conservation, the River Mease SAC.
They have just published the latest in a series of Briefing Notes “The Minorca Application and the River Mease SAC” which can now be downloaded from :
http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html
website. This new briefing note outlines what a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Site of Scientific Investigation (SSSI) is, why these designations are applied to the River Mease Catchment Area and what the importance of the existence of the River Mease SAC is to the Minorca Application.
The Briefing Note points out that European Law states that
… a plan or project may be authorised only if a competent authority has made certain that the plan or project will not adversely affect the integrity of the site. ‘That is the case where no reasonable scientific doubt remains as to the absence of such effects’. Competent national authorities must be
“convinced” that there will not be an adverse effect and where doubt remains as to the absence of adverse effects, the plan or project must not be authorised, subject to the procedure outlined in Article 6(4) of the EC Habitats Directive regarding imperative reasons of overriding public interest”
Steve Leary from MOPG said
“ The proposed site is divided in two halves by the Gilwiskaw Brook and as you look north nearly all the soil and all the rock covering the coal seams on the left hand side of the site will have to be transported over the Gilliwiskaw Brook and then back again when the site is restored. One of our members has calculated that transporting such a huge volume of material will mean 1,000,000 dumper truck journeys. Only one of these journeys going wrong may be all that it takes for the River Mease SAC to be irretrievably damaged MOPG’s calculations show the probability of this event occuring . For this reason alone this application should be rejected”
It was this issue, the threat to the River Mease SAC which prompted the Counrtyfile team to send John Craven to Leicestershire on Tuesday 3rd August so that they could explore the degree of risk this inherent in this proposal. Their findings will be broadcast on August 15th ”
This application is again a ‘live’ issue since UK Coal plc re-submitted documents in support of their application in July. A decision is due to be made by the Development Control and Regulatory Board of Leicestershire County Council on September 16th.
END END END END END
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:
STEVE LEARY, SPOKESPERSON, MOPG
tel 05601 767981, email steve46leary@googlemail.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOPG PLEASE GO TO:
http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html
Protesters say 1m Truck Jounney's across SAC Site puts Site at rsk
04-08-2010 16:05
A new Breifing nNte from the Minorca Opencast Protest Group explains why they argue that planning permission for a new opencast mine on the Minorca Site should be refused because of the risk to The River Mease Special Area of ConservationPalestine Today 08 04 2010
04-08-2010 15:37
Bridgwater Forward Protests Removal of Free Swimming for elderly
04-08-2010 12:22
Bridgwater Forward condems the Con-Dem government for scrapping the scheme to encourage swimming among the elderly.Members of protest group Bridgwater Forward reacted with surprise and anger to the news that the Tories on Taunton Deane Council have voted to scrap free swimming for under-16s and over -60s in council pools in Taunton and Wellington.
Taunton Deane councillors have blamed swimmers from Bridgwater & West Somerset for causing increased demand in Taunton and Wellington, after the closure of the Splash in Bridgwater. Said Bridgwater Forward Chair Sally Jones: “Of course Sedgemoor District Council are ultimately to blame for the irresponsible closure and demolition of the Splash. But why are Taunton Deane carrying out collective punishment of their young and elderly residents by ending free swimming for everyone? If, as is promised, a new pool is to be built in Bridgwater, why can’t Taunton Deane be neighbourly in the meantime and welcome temporary swimmers from outside their area? But in any case, the free swimming was introduced by the previous Labour Government, so, as tax-payers, we have all provided this subsidy.”
Bridgwater Forward condems the Con-Dem government for scrapping the scheme to encourage swimming among the elderly. Pensioners in Britain get the lowest pensions in Europe and schemes which encourage good health and mobility for the elderly are vital. Since the closure of Bridgwater’s Splash in 2009, concern has been expressed by local doctors over the adverse effects on elderly and disabled people who need the beneficial effects of swimming exercise.
Notts Indypendent #2
04-08-2010 09:25
The second edition of the only genuinely free local paper is here. Non-corporate local news for people who want radical social change.
In this edition:
Meet your new masters - What cuts the ConDem government has in mind for Notts and what we need to do about it.
Nottinghamshire says no to Nazis - The BNP's waged a dismal election campaign but we still need to resist them.
What's up with Notts police? - More harrassment, alarm and distress from the boys in blue.
People's Histreh: Reform riots - Voting reform only leads to disappointment... and a bit of castle burning.
Shut down H&K - Nottingham's armed gangs and where they get their weapons from.
Save Big House - Another victim of the cuts.
And the usual Indy shorts and Online listings.
We've printed out loads of papers so if you'd like to receive one or want to help distribute them in your area please get in touch.
The Indypendent is produced by the Nottingham Indymedia collective. Notts Indymedia is a local non-corporate website, where you can contribute your own news stories.
We'd like the Indypendent to be the same, so if you'd like to write anything for the next edition, get in touch, or just send us your article. You can also get involved with editing, producing or distributing the final result.
The people involved in the Indypendent are also interested in taking action on the issues we write about. We'd like to know what you think is important and work with you to make our city better.