UK Newswire Archive
9th Nov National Demo Route Announced
01-11-2011 14:55
The national education demonstration (Defend Education - Fight Privitisation) on Wed 9th November called by NCAFC and supported by EAN, NUS and UCU will be assembling at ULU, Malet Street at 12. The demonstration has also received support from union bosses Len McCluskey from Unite, Mark Serwotka PCS, Matt Wrack FBU, Michelle Stanistreet NUJ, Bob Crow RMT, and Ronnie Draper BFAWU. The route has been discussed with police, despite initial reports that the police would seek to prevent the march going anywhere near the financial centre of the city.
The route will take the march past Trafalgar Square, along the Strand, and almost past the OccupyLSX camp at St. Paul's before heading up London Wall and finishing near Moorgate, just south of the Occupy Finsbury Square protest camp.
The same day also sees the National Construction Industry Day of Action, starting at 7am at Bishopsgate and other locations.
Route map: http://anticuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Confirmed-route.pdf
November 9th national demo: route confirmed as students prepare for the autumn of resistance
- Route for 9th November national demo agreed by police: click here: Confirmed-route for PDF
- Tens of thousands expected to attend in fight over government’s education white paper
- Demonstration will link up with St Paul’s Occupation, and will rally symbolically at Moorgate
- Protest to be joined in the capital by thousands of striking electricians
The national demonstration against fees, cuts and privatisation now has an agreed route, less than two weeks ahead of November 9th. The demonstration, called by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, is being supported by NUS and UCU, as well as Occupy LSX and a host of trade unions.Organisers expect tens of thousands to attend.
The route will take the march from its starting point on Malet Street, through Trafalgar Square and up the Strand, before passing St Pauls’s and rallying at Moorgate Junction. This follows the decision to march on the City, rather than to Parliament, in the midst of fresh financial crises and Occupy LSX.
Protesters will be marching to derail the government’s higher education white paper, which has been described by academics and students as a chaotic and regressive attempt to introduce markets and private providers into education, effectively ending it as a public service.
Michael Chessum, from the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, said: “In marching on the City, we are sending a message that we will not let the Government to hand over education to the markets. Education should be a public service, accessible to all – not a corporate enterprise.”
Students will be joined on the day by thousands of striking electricians, who are marching with Unite the Union in protest at a 35% national pay cut. The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts is fully supporting the electricians’ strike as part of a broader opposition to pay and pensions cuts ahead of the November 30th strikes, and the two mobilisations may link up on the day. UK Uncut have also indicated support for the demonstration.
The demonstration will finish at Moorgate Junction, symbolically next to London Metropolitan University, which will be one of the hardest hit institutions. London Met has the highest percentage of working class students in the country, with more black and minority ethnic students than the whole of the elite Russell Group combined. Last academic year saw a 70% cut to our Undergraduate course portfolio and a move to more vocational style degrees, and activists are anticipating more cuts over the next year. Meanwhile, the Financial Times advertises watches for $1.5m, and boardroom pay has risen.
Claire Locke, President of London Met students’ union, said: “These policies have led to a disproportionate attack on our most vulnerable students. We have already had students drop out due to financial hardship and lack of student support. London Met SU, UCU and UNISON branches voted unanimously to support the national Demonstration and we will be working with the local communities to build a mass turnout for the 9th of November.”
Eviction of Occupations expected in 48 hours
01-11-2011 14:55
An eviction order on the camp to move within the next 48hours (via the Corporation of London) has been expected this morning, although the expected announcement at 12pm did not happen as the Corporation of London are continuing to meet. They will have to physically hand over a legal notice to the camp at some stage. At the same time St Paul's has released a statement claiming it has no part in the formal legal notice and that they withdrew their legal action.
Statement from St Paul's today:
"The Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral has unanimously agreed to suspend its current legal action against the protest camp outside the church, following meetings with Dr Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, late last night and early this morning.
The resignation of the Dean, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles, has given the opportunity to reassess the situation, involving fresh input from the bishop. Members of Chapter this morning have met with representatives from the protest camp to demonstrate that St Paul's intends to engage directly and constructively with both the protesters and the moral and ethical issues they wish to address, without the threat of forcible eviction hanging over both the camp and the church.
It is being widely reported that the Corporation of London plans to ask protesters to leave imminently. The Chapter of course recognises the Corporation's right to take such action on Corporation land.
The bishop has invited investment banker Ken Costa formerly chair of UBS Europe and chairman of Lazard International, to spearhead an initiative reconnecting the financial with the ethical. Mr Costa will be supported by a number of City, Church and public figures, including Giles Fraser, who although no longer a member of Chapter, will help ensure that the diverse voices of the protest are involved in this.
The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, said: "The alarm bells are ringing all over the world. St Paul's has now heard that call. Today's decision means that the doors are most emphatically open to engage with matters concerning not only those encamped around the cathedral but millions of others in this country and around the globe. I am delighted that Ken Costa has agreed to spearhead this new initiative which has the opportunity to make a profound difference."
The Rt Rev Michael Colclough, Canon Pastor of St Paul's Cathedral and a member of Chapter, added: "This has been an enormously difficult time for the Cathedral but the Chapter is unanimous in its desire to engage constructively with the protest and the serious issues that have been raised, without the threat of legal action hanging over us. Legal concerns have been at the forefront in recent weeks but now is the time for the moral, the spiritual and the theological to come to the fore."
St Pauls used to be ACTUAL stock exchange...
01-11-2011 14:50
Whilst reading a book on the english civil war recently, I found an interesting piece that explained the the st pauls cathedral was actually used as the stock exchange in the years immediately prior to the english civil war breaking out. the practice of using the cathedral for this capitalistic venture was eventually stopped by some body or other (cant recall his name) and then the war broke out. with the current protest happening outside st pauls, i believe this information to be very relevant today, especially as the bods that control st pauls now are trying to persist in stating that there actions against the camp are not politically motivated. also, below, is a quote about st pauls taken from wikipedia:Pub quiz fundraiser for Jordan Valley Solidarity in Brighton tonight
01-11-2011 14:46
Pub quiz for Palestine tonight, Tuesday the 1st, 8 till late at the Blind Tiger Club (formerly Hector's House), Grand Parade, Brighton,The quiz will be followed by acoustic tunes from Raz, Rick n Oistar and sounds from DJ Pink Panther
Demo outside Eton College AGM, City of London, 6.30pm, 1 November
01-11-2011 13:50
A protest will be held outside the Eton College AGM to demonstrate our strong feelings about the privileged elite that runs this country, and its most important school. At the time of writing this, there are rumours that the College has cancelled its AGM owing to "public order concerns". This may or may not be true, but the demo will go ahead regardless. We will meet at St Paul's at 6.30pm, and have a short walk to Withers, 16 Old Bailey.Squatting Picnic Shut Down by Police
01-11-2011 12:55
A picnic with intent to sleep over in front of Parliament was today interrupted and shut down by Police.
Police arrested at least a dozen people in the early hours of 1st November. Squatters and supporters were intending to sleep on the streets outside Parliament, ready to lobby MPs in the stipulated hours, from 2 to 10pm today, in a last attempt to try and avoid the criminalisation of squatting. In a last minute amendment to their Legal Aid and Sentence Bill, the government will today be voting on Clause 26, which will make squatting in residential properties illegal. Hundreds of people met at different locations in London last night to express opposition to the Clause, and finally congregated at Parliament Square, where they were "kettled" and arrested en mass, and in a violent way as it has come to be usual for police forces, for trying to sleep on the streets.
After clearing off the area where the picnic goers intended to sleep, police wanted to force the people to march towards Victoria. When the crowd of about 100 by that time, expressed their intention to march towards Trafalgar Square instead, police kettled every one, including legal observers and accredited journalists, and proceeded to violently arrest people and smash people's bikes against the floor, out of the kettle.
People who had managed to stay outside of the kettle were told by police officers that they were risking arrest just by hanging out there and trying to deal with people's bikes to avoid them being stolen. Eventually most people were allowed out of the kettle, but there were many arrests too, and some bikes remained in police custody.
Zombie bankers target banks and capitalism
01-11-2011 12:55
31st October 2011: Hundreds of protestors dressed as zombie bankers marched through the streets of London on Halloween as part of the Zombie Bank Run and "Danced on the grave of capitalism".
The protest left from the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest camp at St. Paul's Cathedral, and marched past the Bank of England to the other Occupy camp at Finsubury Square, before moving on to Canary Wharf [video:google]. The protest stopped off at various banks including RBS.
Some wore signs around their necks saying "The Future is On Sale" - "Feed Me Your Pension" - "Feed Me Your Education" - "Zombie Banker" and "I Eat Your Dreams". A large banner read "This has just begun"...
See Video by Jon cheetham on Vimeo and teeweewonders on Youtube.
A Halloween critical mass bicycle ride also toured the occupied camps before hooking up with another large group of people who were protesting against the possible criminalisation of squatting in residential buildings (via an ammendment due to be discussed in parliament 1st nov). Later people holding a picnic in parliament square and the surrounding area were kettled and assaulted by police who made around 12 arrests.
This was the second 'Dance on the grave of capitalism' event, the first having been held on Samhein in 2008 at Canary Wharf [2] following the global financial crisis.
More Pics:
http://www.demotix.com/news/903341/halloween-critical-mass-show-support-occupy-lsx-london
http://www.demotix.com/news/905861/zombie-bankers-roam-city-london
http://www.demotix.com/news/906103/dancing-grave-capitalism-halloween-performance
http://www.demotix.com/news/905795/chris-knight-leads-occupylsx-zombie-march-through-london-streets
http://www.demotix.com/news/906610/zombie-bank-run-city-london
http://www.demotix.com/news/906150/halloween-celebrated-anti-capitalist-protesters
http://www.demotix.com/news/906023/dancing-grave-capitalism-protest-canary-wharf-london
Police arrest 12 as anti-squatting law is debated
01-11-2011 12:55
Police arrested around 12 people last night following a series of protests over the possible criminalisation of squatting in residential buildings, via an amendment due to be discussed today in parliament (1st nov).
After meeting at various points including outside the Evening Standard offices, a picnic in parliament square and the surrounding area were kettled and assaulted by police. A Halloween critical mass bicycle ride of around 300 people also supported the earlier protests, as did people from the Occupy London protest camps. See further protests and lobbying today.
Reports [1 2 3 4][qikvid][SQUASH campaign]
#StopClause26
We didn’t all get arrested last night! This is what you can do today to stop clause 26 to prevent the criminalisation of the homeless.
9am – Gather outside Westminster Housing Options Service, 101 Orchardson Street NW8 for a workshop on how to register homeless by The Simon Community
12noon – Gather outside Parliament – Rally to show opposition and workshop on how to lobby your MP by Squash Campaign on the law concerning squatting as it stands, and of the impacts New Clause 26 would involve by a Housing Lawyer
3pm – Squash has booked a room in Parliament for you to meet your MP in, where they can be briefed fully on why to oppose the criminalisation of squatting. To arrange this, call your MP ASAP requesting a face to face meet up in Committee Room 20 in the House of Commons from 3pm – 5pm.
5pm – Critical mass bicycle ride in support of squatting around central London with soundsystem – meet under Waterloo Bridge, Southbank
Syria, the Arab Yugoslavia of Middle East
01-11-2011 11:37
U.S. and NATO seem now in a race against time to preclude the implementation of the Syrian package of reforms, until the ruling regime is coerced into compliance to trade their support of these reforms for the current Syrian foreign policy agenda.Titnore Under Threat Again!!
01-11-2011 11:25
Titnore Woods is again under threat of disappearing under 700+ houses...November issue of Freedom anarchist newspaper out now!
01-11-2011 10:30
Manchester Mule: Mass sleep out to oppose new squatting laws
01-11-2011 09:59
Around 20 people slept outside the BBC on Oxford Road, Manchester last night to oppose new legislation that would criminalise squatting. An amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which has its first reading in the House of Commons today, Tuesday 1 November, will make it a criminal rather than civil offence to trespass in an empty residential property.
Campaigners also visited the constituency offices of Lib Dem MPs Mark Hunter (Cheadle Hulme) and Andrew Stunnel (Hazel Grove), leaving messages explaining the effects of homelessness on squatting.
Greeks win referendum on austerity
01-11-2011 09:52
The Greek government has announced that the £86bn bailout package recently agreed by EU leaders will have to be accepted by the Greek public via a referendum. After years of bitter war between the ruling class and the working class that has seen general strikes, riots, economic blockades and grannies bricking cops, the Greeks have won a huge victory. This article argues against the predictable backlash from the "voting only encourages them" brigade.Solidarity from Canada for Census Resister Judith Sambrook
01-11-2011 08:16
Occupy London - Catholic Worker, christian @narchist Sermon on the Steps
01-11-2011 07:19
On Saturday Oct 29th. London Catholic Worker was invited to take part in the "Sermon on the Steps" of St. Paul's Cathedral organised by Occupy London.Here's some youtube of "Sermon on the Steps"....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF9fIssJFQ4 Here's the Catholic Worker, christian @narchist sermon from Saturday...............
Squatting Demo Shut Down by Police
01-11-2011 06:10
Police have arrested at least a dozen people who were sleeping on the streets outside parliament in protest against the potential criminalisation of squatting. In a last minute amendment to their Legal Aid and Sentence Bill, the government will today be voting on Clause 26, which will make squatting in residential properties illegal. Hundreds of people met at different locations in London last night to express opposition to the Clause, and finally congregated at Parliament Square, where they were “kettled” and arrested en mass for trying to sleep on the streets.squatters sleep out on tot hill place of free speech parliament,picnic quick rep
01-11-2011 06:00
Quick report Police moved on a picnic of concerned citizens and squatters.expressing their opinions about the criminalisation of squattingPlease help stop the deportation of Mr King Eze Onuigbo H.O Ref: O1142828
01-11-2011 02:03
