UK Newswire Archive
UPDATE on Hackney 41 arrests
01-12-2011 22:55
POLICE are now saying 41 people have been arrested for suspicion of breach of the peace outside CLR James library in Dalston, Hackney, yesterday of which two remain in custody with the rest bailed (see earlier post for background)
Police originally announced 37 had been arrested for suspicion of breach of the peace following an incident outside the library where a picket was being held as part of the national strike over public sector pensions.
They later released a statement saying they had re-arrested them for affray. Today they announced 41 people have now been arrested for suspicion of breach of the peace (again).
A police spokesman was unable to explain the confusion, but said it would be unusual for people to be bailed-to-return for breach of the peace.
Affray is a considerably more serious offence with a maximum sentence of three years if sent to a crown court.
It is defined as the use, or threatened use, of unlawful violence against another and for someone present to fear for their safety.
#n30: audio from south london pickets + main march
01-12-2011 22:55
WORK IN PROGRESS
WORK IN PROGRESS
Aberdeen N30 Big Breakfast….Super GO Breakfast teams!
01-12-2011 22:12
Britain's sabre rattling against Iran. The threat to global security is Israel
01-12-2011 21:37
It is worth noting that Iran has not launched an attack or invasion of another country for over 200 years, has stated no intention to do so, and does not have any nuclear warheads. The hypocrisy is so blatant, and so extensive, that it is little wonder that Iranian citizens, like those elsewhere in the Middle East and throughout the world, are taking matters into their own hands.
No Shale Gas in Kent!
01-12-2011 21:28
Australian solidarity with Assange as he returns to UK High Court Dec 5th
01-12-2011 21:07
N30: County Hall pickets report
01-12-2011 20:55
County Hall is the HQ of Tory-run Nottinghamshire County Council, led by the appropriately named Kay Cutts. As public sector unions took action in defence of their pensions on November 30th, it was just one of the hundreds of picketed building across the country.
Organising at County Hall has been difficult for years for many reasons. However, some of the blame must be laid at the door of Unison, widely viewed as having miss-handled the implementation of single status at the council which saw a number of staff taking sizeable pay cuts.
Picketing began at 7am, when it was still dark, with strikers trying to stop people at the car entrance. This met with limited success, with some scabs even driving down the wrong side of the road to avoid being challenged. The more obvious incidents of stupid driving decreased as the number of pickets swelled.
A second picket line was established at the main entrance to the building. The three pickets there were also joined by Labour councillor Jim Creamer (a member of RMT).
Unfortunately, pickets had little success at turning people around, although one person did at least take an application form. Not that union membership necessarily translates into solidarity as a number of members were amongst those crossing the picket line.
Bizarrely a number of people claimed to be fully supportive even as they went into work. The concept of collective action apparently being lost on them.
One of the more amusing episodes occurred when striker tried to discourage Mrs Cutts from crossing the picket line. Inevitably, she went in, but she did take a leaflet and expressed concern about the impact of the cold weather on pickets' welfare.
Given County Hall's high profile, picketers were visited by BBC Nottingham who did a live interview with one of the strikers.
Pickets were wound up at 10am to give strikers time to make their way to the Forest Recreation Ground for the march and rally.
The national action was called by a huge array of public sector unions, but it was notable that only Unison mobilised for pickets at County Hall, despite GMB having a number of members, particularly in the ICT department.
This was particularly unfortunate given many council staff's bad experiences with Unison locally and it is to be hoped that in the (likely) event of any future action, GMB activists pull their finger out.
Despite these issues, the strike wasn't ineffective at all. The car park, normally full to overflowing had a number of free spaces and it was clear that there were less people coming in than usual.
Management had also had to bring in a number of private security guards (perhaps as many as four) to cover for the facilities staff who were nearly all on strike.
N30 march in Nottingham
01-12-2011 20:55
The November 30th march in Nottingham in defence of public sector pensions was huge. It was by far and away the biggest demonstration I've ever been on in the city and it's even been suggested that it was perhaps even the largest trade union demonstrations in Nottingham's history.
Estimating numbers on marches is always controversial, but there is no doubt that this was a huge march. Notts Police estimated 5-6,000 marchers, while a friend who made an attempt to count the demonstrators put the number at 10,000.
As is traditional in Nottingham, the march formed up at the Forest Recreation Ground before making its way down Mansfield Road. The march was led by a "pensions justice" banner carried by a number of union dignitaries followed by a sizeable Unison bloc decked out in purple. Behind them snaked thousands of strikers and supporters.
The fact that this was part of a national strike meant that it attracted considerable media attention and there were a small army of photographers snapping away as the march went on its way.
Unions represented included many of those on strike: ATL, NUT, NASUWT, GMB, PCS, Unite, Unison, UCATT and a number of others joining the march in support such as CWU, FBU and RCN. There were also a number of banners from political organisations ranging from the Labour Party to the Anarchist Federation via Keep Our NHS Public.
Coming up the rear of the march was an Unison advertising lorry and a Routemaster bus decorated with pro-strike messages by the PCS.
The volume of people made coherent chanting difficult, but with so many people and an array of whistles and vuvuzelas the protest was at times deafening.
The sheer size of the march inevitably caused major delays along Mansfield Road and in the surrounding area, but the response to the march was largely positive, with demonstrators receiving a standing ovation from passers-by at the bottom of Mansfield Road. Many of the taxi drivers parked up while the march went past were also waving union flags.
Part way down Mansfield Road a group from the Refugee Forum (itself affected by cuts) had come out with a banner to show their support.
There was a further demonstration of solidarity from the Occupy Nottingham camp, which the march made its way past. It is also worth noting that marchers responded positively to the occupation, pointing perhaps to the possibility of mutually beneficial activities in the future.
From the Market Square, the march continued up Angel Row, across the roundabout and up Derby Road before doubling back to finish outside the Playhouse. There was to be a rally in the Albert Hall addressed by the great and the good. A screen and PA system had been set to convey what was being said to those unable to get in.
Unfortunately, while waiting for the rally to get started the organisers had decided to use this PA to play the cover of 'Let's Work Together' by The Workers over and over and over again. After milling around chatting for a while I eventually decided to decamp to the pub.
Cameron has dimissed the strike as a "damp squib," but the vast size and anger of the Nottingham demonstration gives the lie to his posturing. With even larger demonstrations reported in London, Birmingham and Manchester with sizable marches in many other towns, to say nothing of widespread disruption, particulrly in schools, it is clear that this was a massive strike.
It has been a long time since I've been so inspired by a demonstration and it was clear from talking to other marchers that I was not alone. There is a real opportunity to be built on here and it is disappointing that the trade union leadership does not seem to have a strategy of where to go from here.
This is unlikely to be the end of the dispute and further strike action (probably in the new year) is almost inevitable. Victory is far from assured, but we're off to a good start. I'll see you on the streets!
Report and photos from N30 in Wrexham
01-12-2011 20:35
The Times calls for Press TV closure
01-12-2011 20:07
'(Police use of) Taser is used as a means of compliance' says the IPCC!
01-12-2011 19:50
'Metropolitan Police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said fewer people are being tasered by officers'.As usual, the Met LIE, then get caught lying after a Freedom of Information request shows cops are trigger-happy with their new deadly toys
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Pics: banners at #N30 demonstration
01-12-2011 18:55
N30 was thee biggest day of strike action seen in the UK for decades, and so London saw hundreds of thousands of people marching together in a demonstration called by most public sector unions. Here there are some photos of traditional union banners on display at the demo, as well as banners from a variety of groups and organisations that came together to fight the government cuts in public sector workers's conditions.
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Climate Solution: Air to Soil
01-12-2011 17:58
Affinity group
01-12-2011 17:18
June 1999
No Justice for the Cardiff Three
01-12-2011 17:08
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) incompetence or collusion allows corrupt cops to walk free.
After five months of a trial costing ‘tens of millions of pounds’, eight police officers accused of perverting the course of justice have been able to simply walk away from Swansea Crown Court. They walked free not because a jury acquitted them – the jury didn’t get a chance to pass any verdict at all. They walked free because the CPS and police investigators made such serious and repeated failings in presenting the evidence that it was impossible for the trial to proceed.
Nov-30 Brum Strike and Protest
01-12-2011 16:02
Palestine Today 12 1 2011
01-12-2011 14:25
Why Clarkson's Comments Are No Laughing Matter
01-12-2011 14:02
EDL leader agrees with Anders Breivik, but psychiatrists declare Breivik insane
01-12-2011 13:22
The terrorist Anders Breivik has now been certified as psychotically insane. However, English Defence League leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka “Tommy Robinson”) is on record as stating that the EDL leadership share the killer’s opinions.This article is published in conjunction with Pickled Politics (
http://www.pickledpolitics.com) and EDL News ( http://edlnews.co.uk/) Hostage of the State
01-12-2011 12:46
My activities among people in prison and hurt by the system frequently render me concerned regarding the seemingly commonplace also unquestioned corruption and cruelty