UK Newswire Archive
Send a Solidarity Letter or Postcard to Anti-WarResister ChrisCole in Wandsworth
25-01-2011 06:50
Chris Cole Prisoner Number: A81 47 AZHMP Wandsworth
Heathfield Rd.
London
SW18 3HS
Censorship amid controversy over police on indymedia
25-01-2011 01:41
Last week the respected alternative news project SchNEWS published a story revealing long term malicious use of indymedia by elements within the states police apparatus. The piece was base on the so-called 303 Gateway article written collaboratively by a number of indymedia admins and proposed in secret as a feature for the UK site over six months ago. The proposal was blocked by London and Northern IMC. They claim they failed to get agreement on amendments aimed at distancing themselves from admissions within the article that indymedia admins had in fact had access to IP logs despite having repeatedly said the opposite in the past. Both London and Northern said that they would have no objection to the article being published as a feature on Indymedia UK if it was made clear within the article that the IP logging was a feature found within the MIR content management system used by IMC UK and its regional sites Birmingham, Cambridge, Liverpool, Oxford, Sheffield and South Coast, not those using alternative CMS such as Bristol, London, Northern, Nottingham and Scotland. However it seem tonight that their claim has be proven a lie...The draft article stated, "what has never been openly stated before is that the CMS system we use has a number of anti-abuse measures which include the ability to monitor for particular IP addresses and log their behaviour." The draft goes on to say, "site admins believed that they would never be able to gain the trust of posters, if the range of anti-abuse measures were made public. As is often the case, once a body has failed to be completely open about something, it becomes 'the elephant in the room' and so a situation was created where the new and current admins were actively blocked from bringing these measures into the open. The stalemate continued until now, with site admins proposing a new approach of coming clean about the measures that are in place, and others in the collective blocking this."
Prophetically, that stalemate over coming clean about the IP logging meant that no consensus was possible on publishing the article. There was no way that the information about the governments disinfo campaign could be published without revealing that indymedia had been lying about IP logs. Apparently some suggested it could be published via a different alt media outlet while leaving out the info about indymedia but the story would have been weak without the evidence gathered by indymedia admins.
The impasse remained but then the draft article was leaked by a disgruntled admin using the name 'indyleaks'. The posts were repeatedly hidden from the indymedia sites it was posted to and a filter set up on IMC UK to automatically hide it whenever posted.
There remains no consensus about publishing the article which includes a frank admission that indymedia has misled its user since 2003. However the lack of consensus is now a moot point since SchNEWS has ran the story and Birmingham IMC has published the 303 gateway article as a feature on it's own site.
https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/472622.html Both the story about the government running a disinfo campaign via indymedia, and the story that indymedia UK has been hiding the truth about IP logging for all these years, that is big news for activists at a time when trust is already in short supply.
As the article says "continuing to gloss over the reality in a misleading way was detrimental to Indymedia UK, and that there was no small likelihood that at some stage we could be outed." Now that the truth is out, lets hope indymedia can recover from the damage to its credibility and move on to become more open and honest with its users.
Fisher
Stop the racist EDL in Luton on 5th February
25-01-2011 01:24
Stop the racist EDL in Luton on February 5th, join the Unite Against Fascism protest.
The English Defence League, a violent racist organisation with links to the British National Party and other fascist groups has called a protest in Luton on Saturday February 5th.
The EDL, a violent racist organisation with links to the British National Party and other fascist groups, has called a ‘protest' on that day - they describe it as going ‘back where it all began'
It is clear what they mean: the EDL was formed after masked racist thugs went on the rampage hrough Luton last year, attacking Asian residents and spreading fear and intimidation. They are refusing to cooperate with police and EDL divisions are planning to split up and roam around the town in groups to threaten and intimidate local residents, especially Muslims.
Unite Against Fascism have called for a peaceful counter-protest that makes it clear racists aren't welcome in Luton. We are urging people to gather in Luton town centre at 12pm.
A coach will be going from Nottingham to join the Unite Against Fascism demonstration. It will be leaving at 8.45am outside Nottingham Royal Centre, Theatre Square. Tickets £7 unwaged/ £15 waged. To book a coach place, please call Nottingham UAF on 07816 041548. Or email: nottingham@uaf.org.uk
Campaigners demand action about enriched uranium at Hinkley
25-01-2011 00:59
Protest at Atos Origin against Benefit Cuts
25-01-2011 00:22
About 100+ people demonstrated today at Atos Origin's HQ in London as part of the second national day of protest against benefit cuts.
About 100 people gathered at Atos Origin's HQ today to protest Atos Origin, the company responsible for the punitive medical testing of disability and sickness benefits. People, many of them in wheelchairs, blockaded the entrance to the office building despite a rough handed police trying to clear the area.
for other actions from today see: http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com
Barclays Shut All Day, After Lively Protest.
24-01-2011 22:57
About 80 people, many wearing guy fawkes masks and others dressed as clowns, joined the rolling demonstration to highlight the banks’ involvement in the arms trade.
They gathered in Castle Park before marching down Union Street and into Broadmead, at first followed by two patrolling police officers.
Iran's islami regime hanged Two Political activist
24-01-2011 22:54
The executions of two activists from the Iranian exiled opposition group, People's Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI) came despite a plea by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that they be freed.
Full article | 2 additions | 13 comments
'Peter Black' undercover 1993 to 1997
24-01-2011 22:21
According to this article 'Peter Black' was deployed against environmental activists from 1993 to 1997, including at the M11 link road protests.I'm So Bored with the JSA - Cardiff Unemployed Daytime Disco #3
24-01-2011 21:46
Friday, February 18 · 2:00pm - 8:00pmThe Rockin' Chair
Lower Cathedral Road
Cardiff, Wales
S. Korean Supreme Court Declares Executed Party Leader Not Guilty
24-01-2011 21:34
The south Korean supreme court declared Jo Pong Am, former head of the Progressive Party in south Korea, not guilty in a retrial on Jan. 20, according to south Korean MBC.Blockade of Scotland Yard against police abuse
24-01-2011 21:22
Dozens of women, protesting against the sexual abuse of women by undercover police officers, successfully blockaded Scotland Yard this morning!
Officers and staff arriving for work at New Scotland Yard, the UK police headquarters in London, were forced to queue around the block this morning, as the front entrance was blockaded by 40 activists. Women held up large images of the three male undercover police officers who have been in the news recently, as well as 12 images of question marks, representing the other shady undercover officers referred to by ‘Mark Stone’ in his interview to the Daily Mail.
State sanctioned sexual abuse has been going on for long enough. It is time to draw and line in the sand.
One activist said; "It's time for the abuse of women by undercover police officers to stop. If a person is pretending to be somebody else, if they are spying on you, then you absolutely cannot give your informed consent.
"Women are not able to make an informed decision about who they are having a relationship with if they are being duped by police officers. We want a judge-led inquiry. We don't trust the police to police themselves. They have showed time after time they believe they are above the law."
They demanded that the police make public the names and identities of all other undercover offices who have worked or are working to infiltrate movements for progressive social change, so women can know whether they have also been abused by the state, and can decide whether to join other women in considering legal action against the police.
It is crystal clear that the authorities knew about the long term sexual relationships conducted by these undercover policemen. Mark Stone was not a one off. This is state sanctioned sexual abuse.
This has to been seen in the context of a much broader problem of political policing in the UK. The police use all sorts of tactics to interfere in politics and protest, from the use of terrorism laws against environmental activists to police brutality against students. This affects all sorts of movements and all sorts of people.
The protest was lead by women but men were welcome to come to show support. The event was self organised by a group of women who feel strongly that we need to show solidarity with each other in the face of police abuse. Anyone who is concerned that they might have been personally affected, and who would like support and access to legal advice, please feel free to contact 2getherwearestronger@gmail.com in the strictest confidence. We are not legal experts and we do not claim to represent any particular group, we simply hope that we can hold out a hand to anyone who wants support.
Blockade of Scotland Yard against police abuse
24-01-2011 19:42
Dozens of women, protesting against the sexual abuse of women by undercover police officers, successfully blockaded Scotland Yard this morning!Campaigners call for closure of nuclear power station and official investigation into uranium contam
24-01-2011 19:22
Temple Cowley Pools plea receives tepid reception at Council meeting
24-01-2011 19:00
Going on a protest?
24-01-2011 18:43
Norwich UNCut TOP TEN TAX SHIRKER TOUR-No.3 BARCLAYS
24-01-2011 18:41
5-7 Red Lion Street Norwich NR1 3QH
Shells survey worked Stopped
24-01-2011 18:17
We need you help to stop shell in rossport!
24-01-2011 17:43
approve the Shell high pressure raw gas pipeline. The decision shows the
farce of project splitting, which forces authorities to pass small dangerous
sections of projects as the rest of the expensive project has already been
built. This is the last chance to resist the plan by the Irish Government,
state bodies and Shell to force their will on communities and on the country
as a whole, regardless of proper process, economic sense, people’s safety,
environmental laws and human rights. Whilst the people of Ireland are being
crippled by the cuts in public services and forced in to huge EU and IMF
debt, the great gas giveaway is the elephant in the room that could be our
solution. The unjust deal can be renegotiated as we have successfully seen
in other countries. The people of Ireland should have a say in how we
sustainably manage our natural resources. The struggle against Shell is a
struggle for everyone in Ireland. You can be part of it.
Brighton: Anarchism and Education, Monday 24th Jan
24-01-2011 17:41
Booktalk byDr Judith Suissa
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy of Education
Institute of Education, University of London
Judith Suissa will be doing a talk (Free/Donation) at The Cowley Club about her book ‘Anarchism and Education: A Philosophical Perspective ’ at 7pm Mon 24th January .