UK Newswire Archive
Lib Dem Ministers Complicit in Torture
30-10-2010 22:53
London: 12th UFFC Annual march against custody deaths and abuses
30-10-2010 21:53
Full report of todays Vodafone action
30-10-2010 21:22
Today activists demonstrated against vodafone due to their tax dodging ways, and sucessfully shut their main central bristol store for the day.This was one of many protests around the country which saw vodafone stores closed from london to leeds!
After a rather hasty and (sort of) secret call out sent only a little over 24 hours before the planned start of the action, we wern't sure how many people to expect as we approached the meeting point.
Fortunately around 16 activists, from the IWW, anarchists against the cuts and various friends were ready and waiting in castle park. We also attracted the attention of one mounted police officer, who after watching us from a distance came over and asked what we were planning to protest and where! She had apparently been tipped off about our presence by CCTV opertives who had seen us gathering with plackards. After the appaling actions by the police on the anticuts march we didn't really think we wanted anymore of their 'facilitiation' of our demonstrations and the only response to the question was "Whats your horses name?".
Unfortunately someone then came up to the group and said "hi is this the vodafone protest?" at which point we decided to quickly head to the shop before the police could get there. Although in retrospect it seems the police officer was the only person who didn't hear this, since they didn't radio it in and look rather confused.
It seems vodafone were expecting something to happen (it was a national day of action after all) and as soon as we approached they locked their doors. Activists lined up in front of the store, holding placards exposing their tax dodging ways and calling on people to fight the cuts. We were joined by members of socalist worker from a nearby stall, protesters from the right to work group, aswell as a few latecomers and even members of the public who didn't know about the protest untill they saw it happen! We handed out around 400 leaflets, that combined with our chants and the loud reading out of the leaflet informed many shoppers of the reasons behind our action, and many a good converstation was had.
After around half an hour had passed a couple of police officers showed up, looked around and decided the best thing they could do was lock themselves inside the shop with the vodafone staff. Personly I approve of the police locking themselves inside when we take to the streets and hope they continue with this strategy.
After just over an hour numbers started to dwindle (tempted by the free vegan food fair mostly!) so we headed off, however we came back several times during the afternoon to make sure they hadn't reopened. Infact they stayed shut untill the end of the day, and the protest spontainously started again around 4pm as the zombie walk went past and several members of the undead saw us holding placards and joined us in a second brief vodafone picket, this time with much more fake blood.
The action couldn't really have gone better! Infact we plan on repeating it next week and are publicly calling for people to join us at 1pm next saturday at the castle park bandstand or 1.30 outside vodafone in broadmead for another picket.
We think it is a great way to spread our belief that these cuts are truely unnessacary, and that we are definately not 'in this together' since whilst we pay with our services and our tax bills the richest in society pay nothing. Although there has been some debate about the accuracy of the initial reporting (see http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/10/467056.html for example), it appears pretty conclusive that they (like most of their corporate peers) have been tax dodging to quite a large extent, and owe us at the very least around £1billiion.
See you on the streets!
Simon Kirby Mp ask for help by murder wittness living in fear
30-10-2010 20:39
Chief wittness in Katrina Taylor murder David JOE Neilson has ask Simon Kirby mp to expose Sussex Police cover up of Katrina Taylor murder. Mr Neilson told iINFORMER22 that he lives in fear of Sussex Police see
http://www.myspace.com/479111501
Vodaphone billions unclear - still dodgers though
30-10-2010 20:22
Vodafone have been targeted throughout the country in a successful shut down of their high street stores.
The protest focussed on the £6 billion debt owed in tax, which was cut by unelected chancellor Osbourne. However, the £6 billion is a dubious figure which we should be careful to bandy about. There are however, many reasons still to shut them down.
For fiscal (financial) year 2010 Vodafone reported profit before taxation of £87 billion and in the same period 2009 it reported 4.2 billion. Yet it had a £56 million pound tax credit in 2010 and a £1.1 billion tax credit 2009.
Why is a company making 9 billion in profit, paying no tax and in fact getting a tax credit?
Bear in mind these are global figures. UK profit accounted for 7% of global profit in 2010.
According to Vodafone's annual report 2010, it provisioned against £2.2 billion "in respect of the potential UK corporation tax exposure" at 31 March 2010. The question is why a company would provision against £2.2 billion when the HMRC ultimately charged them only £1.25 billion?
Add to that the tax avoidance efforts of ploughing huge profits into Luxembourg in order to avoid tax and their cozying mission to India and there is enough reason to target them. All I would question is the £6 billion figure.
56% of pre-paid users in the UK switched contract in the last year. Why not add to the percentage?
Piccadilly Circus: CCTV controlling your life
30-10-2010 20:22
Investigation of the street level environment of the spooky CCTV centre below Piccadilly Circus, on occasion of the second Life is too short to be controlled demo by NoBorders.
Lovely.
Life is too short - pics and report
30-10-2010 20:22
Some pics of the march today. Weather was nice, cops hardly any hassle until the end. Passers by were happy to take the flyers, and some cheering in support. Starting at Piccadilly Circus we went the long way round to St Pancras, where the march didn't stop, but went right on. Some folks even got through the border at the Eurostar check in, which seemed to puzzle some and freak out others.
Cops tried to arrest the person with the sound system, citing some obscure by-law (how is that even spelled?). Luckily some other cyclist was clued up and intervened asking the cops for a copy of that by-law. Turns out people have to know common law, but not by-law and if coppers want to use those as grounds of arrest they have to produce a copy and let you read it. That's a good thing to know.
Sadly another person did get arrested, it is unclear why, probably for holding the wrong banner. They were actually trying to leave the station when they were jumped and dragged back in.
About 50 people turned up, I guess some folks preferred the Vodafone thing. They missed out on a neat event, one of the best things was the sound system playing good tunes on a volume so you could still have a conversation. Also people giving thumbs up and cars honking in support was a good thing. Sadly some cabbies got impatient and tried to run people over, but we are glad to report that they did not succeed in their undertaking.
Can't wait for the third installment of Life is too short to be controlled!
Trident is Cancer - Cut It Out
30-10-2010 20:16
Latest Press Release from Trident Ploughshares about blockade of Devonport Dockyard.MFAH Target Fortress with fire for a the second time this week
30-10-2010 19:29
FROM WWW.DIRECTACTION.INFOLife is too short: Demo arrives in St.Pancras
30-10-2010 19:22
"Life is too short to be controlled - part II" , 30th October 2010, short video snippet of the demo arrives in St.Pancras International Terminal.
Vodafone protest in Oxford
30-10-2010 18:49
The Vodafone shop in Cornmarket, Oxford was closed for over an hour as activists staged a sit-in to protest against the company being let off from paying £6,000,000,000 in taxes by the Lib-Con government whilst the the same government cuts services from older people, students, the unemployed, the sick, and most other people that are not millionaires.Letter from Parliament Square
30-10-2010 18:15
Parliament Square.
"Give me a home" Charity Art Sale and Auction
30-10-2010 17:22
October 22nd - 19th NovemberBuy art off the walls or book a place at a charity auction to raise money for homeless children and young people in Bristol and South Glos.
Independent People are hosting “Give me a home” - a Charity Art Event to raise money to improve services for the hundreds of homeless children and young people we support in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Artists from all over the country have donated originals and limited editions for us to sell, including sculptures and glasswork. Perfect timing for picking an extra special Christmas present or just treating yourself.
How to get your hands on some great art while helping us to raise much needed cash...
1. Have a look through the preview catalogue attached - if you spot something you like - book a place at the auction on Friday November 19th 7pm at St. Werburghs Community Centre (limited places - to book call Pilar 0117 317 8800 or reply to this email)
AND/OR
2. Visit The Farm Pub, Hopetoun Rd, St Werburghs between October 22nd - November 18th where you will be able to buy original and limited edition art straight off the walls and view the pieces that are reserved for auction. Come and support us and walk away with a bargain!
ARTY PARTY
Also on Friday November 19th from 7pm we’ll be having an “End of exhibition” party at The Farm (hopefully we will have sold all the art by then!) - so if you can’t make it to the auction, come along and help us say thanks to the artists and buyers with mulled wine, live bands/DJ’s and silly costume portrait photography.
Please forward this on to your friends, family and anyone you know who likes art and giving.
A day of direct action against Vodafone
30-10-2010 17:08
Activists gathered in London's Hyde Park to protest over the firm's alleged failure to pay billions of pounds in tax. Later on, they marched up Oxford Street, blockading all Vodafone branches on the street, including the Vodafone’s flagship.Full article | 1 addition | 1 comment
London: Oxford Street Vodaphone store shut down by protestors
30-10-2010 16:58
Oxford Vodafone Shop Shut Down by Protestors Outraged by £6bn Tax Dodge
30-10-2010 16:16
in protest against corporate tax evasion and unfair cuts.
EDL receives beating in Amsterdam
30-10-2010 16:13
Vodafone billions unclear
30-10-2010 15:36
Vodafone have been targeted throughout the country in a successful shut down of their high street stores.Vodafone Stores Shut in Anti-Cuts Action
30-10-2010 13:22
This morning around 100 people gathered at Speakers Corner before splitting into groups to target Vodafone stores. It didn't take long with the first store closing with the arrival of the protestors and by half twelve all three stores on Oxford St were shut down. So far we've heard 5 in total are closed. It's a similar story in other places where stores were closed ahead of planned direct action and protests or when demonstrators arrived.
In Glasgow people started early with the store in Buchanan St. Other shut downs include York, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Hastings, Ocford and two in Brighton (as of 1400hrs anyway).
See previous coverage: First Action Report Oct 27th | Leeds Oct 28th | Related Cuts News Plus: http://ukuncut.wordpress.com Follow: http://twitter.com/UKuncut | Live Blog and Archive
Photos:
http://twitpic.com/photos/youandifilms
http://twitpic.com/photos/UKuncut
http://yfrog.com/froggy.php?username=sunny_hundal
http://audioboo.fm/Nmec
http://twitter.com/ben_so
See
http://ukuncut.wordpress.com
http://www.youandifilms.com/2010/10/vodafone-dodge-6bn-tax-bill-vodafoneuk-ukuncut/
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5810
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&issue=1270
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/10/vodafone-police-young-hear
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/oct/22/vodafone-tax-case-leaves-sour-taste
http://taxjustice.blogspot.com/2010/09/vodafone-indian-taxpayers-1-britains.html
http://brightgreenscotland.org/index.php/2010/10/a-movement-builds
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/guy-aitchison/vodafone-shut-down-and-growing-anti-cuts-movement
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-protest-works-just-look-at-the-proof-2119310.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vhgpl
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114093658655474
http://www.facebook.com/ukuncut