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UK Newswire Archive

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no march for EDL in Wolverhampton

21-11-2010 12:16

No Pasaran! They did not pass. Mobilised at 18 hours notice, a sizable counter demonstration in Wolverhampton's Queen Square prevented the English Defence League's attempt to march though the city to the Cenotaph.

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7 Dec Mass action. take your money out of the bank

21-11-2010 10:57

Internet campaign for coordinated global bank withdrawals gaining momentum

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Killing a Mockingbird: Letter to my unborn daughter

21-11-2010 09:20

There is something about education that confers dignity and breaks chains. It is the reason, dear daughter, why I cannot wait to read you this book once you are born. What Jem and Scot know at 10 and 6 years of age, many adults do not know at 50 and 60 years of age

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No Smash EDO noise demo next week - Solidarity with the Student walkout

20-11-2010 23:55

Smash EDO are going to take a rare week off next Wednesday and go and support the student walk out...

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white flag revolution established in whitehall

20-11-2010 23:22

polls show around 70% of britons want troops out of iraq, but only a few thousand turned up today for the 'stop the war coalition' march and rally in trafalger square. however, as the rally ended, a small band of people walked down whitehall and set up their response to the war pledging to remain outside downing street until the troops come home. now they just need a morsel of support from all those britons against the war.

i don't know if police were expecting more, but there was a ridiculous over presence at the start of the 'white flag revolution' protest opposite downing street. around 20 officers protected the gates of downing street, while another 20 trampled over the newly laid grass area outside the ministry of defence, making sure no peace protestors could damage it. another 20 lined the road, plus there were about a dozen police vans in the vicinity, as well as several 'spotters' (a current police term for 'forward intelligence teams').

all this for a group of protestors that didn't number more than a few dozen, armed with white flags and a handful of tents.

at first the tents were an issue, and police warned they would not be allowed to stay, but as numbers dwindled and around 50 people were left, police backed down and said the tents were a problem for westminster council rather than the police.

songs were sung, food was shared, circles were formed, and the police gradually withdrew, leaving a small crew of less than a dozen guarding the grass, and protecting the 'high security sites' of downing street and the defence buildings.

with the camp well and truly established, it's now an opportunity to create media attention and challenge the government on their doorstep.

70% of the population apparently tell pollsters they want the troops home from afghanistan - that's around 40 million people. if just 0.1% of those took the time to join this protest, there would be 40,000 people camping outside downing street. historically, revolutions have started with less!

now is a real opportunity then to network and build up numbers. a handful of very committed activists have begun the process, they are now begging for others to join them, even if only for a few hours at a time in shifts, though ideally with provisions, supplies, the necessary means to stay.

with popular outrage at swingeing cuts, with the war costing untold billions every year, with banks pocketing public bail-outs, and with students, doctors, firemen, public sector workers, and the poor getting angrier and angrier at an unelected government's assault on their future, now might be the time to join the dots, and join this small but potentially important protest.

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Details Of National Student Protests This Wednesday

20-11-2010 23:00

PLEASE HELP DISTRIBUTING THIS LIST AND BUILD A MAJOR EVENT ON WEDNESDAY.

ANTICUTS.ORG.UK

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Gloucester anti-cuts/Vodafone demo report

20-11-2010 21:22

Write-up of Gloucester anti-cuts march and the Vodafone demonstration that followed.
Hereford Solidarity League activists joined hundreds of others to take part in a march against the cuts in Gloucester this morning.

Police had been up to their usual mischief making prior to the march, approaching organisers and warning them of ‘Hereford anarchists’ (presumably us) who were planning to attend. It would appear that they are facing a bit of ‘post-Millbank paranoia,’ with the word ‘anarchist’ making them reach for their panic buttons.

Despite the rain and the biting cold, three to four hundred people congregated at Gloucester Park at 10am. After some short speeches the march set off through Gloucester, coming to a stop and rallying point at the Shire Hall. Here, some more speeches were heard from the Trade Unions.

Shortly after the speeches ended, a group of activists decided to pay the Vodafone store a visit. This protest was similar to dozens recently held across the country, and was to highlight the company’s unpaid tax bill of £billions, showing the relationship between unpaid tax of the rich and the poor paying the price through the cuts.

Before we had even arrived the police had formed a line in front of the store and shutters were pulled down behind the door and windows, leaving some customers still inside! Leaflets were handed out and demonstrators explained to passers-by the reasons for the protest, many of whom were supportive.

Following this the group headed to the Boots store around the corner. The reason for this protest was similar to that at Vodafone, highlighting the fact that Boots has recently moved it’s HQ to a Swiss P.O Box to avoid paying tax in the UK.

After a long discussion between demonstrators, staff and the police it was decided to return to Vodafone. This time a couple of police offices were stood outside and were quick to inform us that a 5 metre restriction zone had been put in place, preventing activists from getting too close to the store. A second demonstration was held before people went their separate ways.

It will take much more than marches and demonstrations to stop the attacks on our class and to bring down the Tory government, but this is a start. Local actions and grassroots campaigning is taking place all over the country, showing people’s opposition to the ideologically driven attacks by the ConDem government. Next Wednesday will see a National Students Walkout, and in Hereford we will be holding a Students and Claimants march. We have to increase the pressure and make them take notice.

See you on the streets!

- for pictures go to http://herefordheckler.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/report-...tion/

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Preliminary Report on Gloucester Anti-Cuts Demo

20-11-2010 20:57

Decent enough demo in drizzle. People went on to either shut down vodafone and a productive hour or so's chanting and leafleting about tax-dodgers and the cuts, or to an organising meeting for building the anti-cuts resistance (which I'm sure/hope was equally productive).

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Millbank Fire: Lessons from Millbank: Leaflet for printing and giving out

20-11-2010 18:44

Leaflet to be printed and circulated should you like the taste of it. Breaks down into three parts: Cuts are not an issue...(an article about resisting capitalism and not getting stuck on resisting the cuts) / Keeping It Real (advice for those new to doing stuff) and Some Lessons
From Millbank (4 practical lessons to be learned and put into effect everywhere).

Please circulate through your networks, should you wish.

Full article | 8 comments

Peace strike camp open in Whitehall come down.

20-11-2010 18:26

The Peace strike camp today was set up in Whitehall after the stop the war coalition anti-war rally. About 200 people marched down to set up the camp opposite Downing Street and it is now up and running. Come down and help out.

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Alternative Edu-Reforms for a Different Future

20-11-2010 18:22

The British university system is at a crossroads. The recent Browne Review combined with the Lib-Con spending cuts spells out a dire future for the university. The proposal to remove the cap on fees, to slash funding for teaching in all the arts and humanities, and the continued imposition of market models on research and teaching are leading to far more than a ‘tightening of the belts’ – they will completely change the nature of the university

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Brighton Hunt Sabs Benefits

20-11-2010 18:16

Sunday 21st November hunt sab benefit roast and work shop day with talks on topics that are good to know on the whole subject of sabbing.
24th Nov. Punk, folk and ska hunt sab benfit.
At the Cowley Club, Brighton.

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Three Alternative Reforms for a Different Future for Higher Education

20-11-2010 17:06

The British university system is at a crossroads. The recent Browne Review combined with the Lib-Con spending cuts spells out a dire future for the university. The proposal to remove the cap on fees, to slash funding for teaching in all the arts and humanities, and the continued imposition of market models on research and teaching are leading to far more than a ‘tightening of the belts’ – they will completely change the nature of the university.

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Poss. human rights challenges to social housing reforms

20-11-2010 16:49

Eviction for good behaviour to be enshrined in social housing! This CAN'T be legal!

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UK Royal Wedding and Australian genocide-ignoring

20-11-2010 11:44

The “happy families” engagement of Britain’s Prince William to “commoner” Kate Middleton has generated lot feel-good media coverage but has also provided a good example of mainstream media (MSM) censorship in anti-Asian, racist Apartheid Australia. However in a good example of the media censorship applying in Apartheid Australia, The Age On-line (Melbourne) has declined to publish the shocking, documented details of the devastation of circa 100 million mostly Muslim and far-from-happy families subject to Occupation and Muslim Holocaust of the Anglo-American War on Terror.

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Reimagine the University -24th-26th November - Leeds

20-11-2010 11:04

Are you a skint student? An overworked member of University staff? A Leodian with a vision of a more inclusive University system?

The Really Open University invites you to ‘Re-imagine the University’, a three-day event dedicated to exploring and demonstrating an alternative educational system.

Download the programme here:
 http://reallyopenuniversity.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/programme-of-events1.pdf

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ISM: olive harvest

20-11-2010 09:23

In Palestine the olive harvest is finished but the struggle continues! Join ISM to support the Palestinians' daily struggle against the occupation!

The presence of activists reduces the risk of violence by extremist settlers and the Israeli army, and supports Palestinians’ right to protest the occupation, the apartheid wall, and illegal settlements. International solidarity activists engage in non-violent intervention and documentation, which is  support that enables villages and individual activists to maintain their continued resistance.

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STOP HINKLEY

20-11-2010 09:22

FIlm +Talk+discussion
The history and politics behind Nuclear Power
A Film showing the history of the truth and lies of the Windscale/Sellafield Establishment. The rise of Britain as a Nuclear Power after the so called Second World War and the promise of electricity too cheap to meter....
TALK the truth and lies on the building of Hinkley Nuclear power Station and the need for Nuclear power. discussion on the reality of a sustainable future

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Remember Ben Sharkey

19-11-2010 23:23

We are very sad to pass on the news to anyone who didn't know, that Ben Sharkey from Nottingham was killed on November 11th in a cycle accident in France.

Ben was a very big presence in Nottingham and his loss has hit people here very hard

Ben's body was cremated on Thursday 18th November in Dunkerque in France.

However, for us, the actual celebration will be THIS Saturday 20th November at the Sumac Centre, starting at 1pm with a Quaker-style Circle of Friends, followed by an evening to celebrate Ben's packed lifetime of achievements.

See webpage for more info and video/pics.

 

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Tomorrow in Whitehall - White Flag Revolution

19-11-2010 23:22

Final call for support for 'White Flag Revolution' protest after the stop the war coalition march tomorrow.

This protest will challenge the government directly over Afghanistan

The following is a joint International action to "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME"
We are trying very hard to network throughout UK, Europe and USA.
If you can be of any help, we would great fully accept it.
Best wishes
Maria Gallastegui
Peacestrike Campaign
+447886662091

A nonviolent direct action to shut down Cities and Towns across the United Kingdom starting on Saturday 20th November. Following the STOP THE WAR demonstration at Hyde Park London, the protest will rally at Trafalgar Square, Peacestrike will then proceed down Whitehall/Westminster carrying white flags for peace in order to make a historical stand from 4.30pm. We must unite at this critical time countrywide, to make this the largest civil disobedience action ever.

 

This will be a peaceful protest.
Bring tents, sleeping bags and refreshments, white flags, make banners, placards.
Be prepared to stay as long as needed.

 

Peacestrke operate a 24hr ongoing peace campaign from Parliament
Square, London UK .We are committed to peace and justice for all
people.

We know that there are so many people around the world who wish for
the futile war in Afghanistan to end. We need to unite together at
this crucial time to make sure our voices are heard and that our
demands for peace are not ignored.
Peacestrike is putting out an International call for a peaceful revolution.
WHY? Because to date we have been ineffective in stopping the daily
slaughter of civilians and military personnel, both in the Iraq
conflict and Afghanistan.

We propose a 'General Peace Strike' titled WHITE FLAG REVOLUTION'
White flag to symbolize 'We come in peace'
We aim to fill Towns and Cities across the UK, Europe wide and USA
with demonstrators with white flags who will peacefully demand an end
to the war in Afghanistan and to bring the troops home!
We ask people to bring tents,camping equipment,etc and make camp
outside Town Halls, Civic Centres, Parliaments etc.

Only the grassroots can call such an action. All main groups and
organisations are compromised by political loyalty or financial
commitment. Its up to the people of the country to "BRING THEIR TROOPS
HOME"
We the ordinary people must do it ourselves!
This is not an impossible task, therefore it would mean it is actually
possible to achieve. WE WILL AND WE MUST.
If we don't act now we could see ourselves campaigning for years
trying to bring soldiers back from another war...
Iran is looming on the horizon.....This is also a pre-emptive action
to stop any threat to Iran escalating........

Please get in touch, email me, network, start to organise.
We have a facebook page, peacestrike (parliament square)
Please find attached details relating to both the action within the UK
and NATO countries, also please see below you tube video links
relating to White Flag Revolution.

Very best wishes to you all
Maria Gallastegui
Peacestrike.org
Parliament Square

Links attached below;

The White Flag Revolution youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgT5BccE3q4

Twitter
http://twitter.com/Peacestrike

Facebook
http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Peace-Strike/100001728722714