UK Newswire Archive
Zapatista Solidarity Demonstration Saturday 3rd December
02-12-2011 20:09
Global Weekend of action in resistance to Slaughter in Chiapas.2pm outside Mexican embassy
Occupy: From forum and movement to political force
02-12-2011 19:36
Is the West hunting for a pretext for a war on Iran?
02-12-2011 19:35
Trouble at Morton Hall IRC
02-12-2011 18:55
Detainees at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Lincolnshire have been experiencing lengthy periods of lock down since 24th Nov. The following communications have been received from detainees.
Petition signed by 61 detainees against lock down on 24th and 25th November:
We residents of Morton Hall have compiled the following reasons due to unfair treatment by Morton Hall Directors and Staff:
On 24th November 2011: Detainees failed to have access to buying credit to call their legal representatives, family and friends due to unlawful lock up from 2030hrs 24th of November till 1630hrs 25th November.
When directors were confronted by detainees as why the Lock up was placed, they mentioned that they needed to do cell check up, something that took them the whole day and afternoon.
On the 25th November 2011: Detainees on Fry Unit were locked up without prior notice as to why: Again when Directors were asked why they had done so the answer was because of health and safety risk of a fallen bin bag in the corridors, something that could have been done overnight by night staff.
We demand justification for such excuses, as we are not prisoners. We failed to call our families and representatives due to unfair lock up, without prior notice of the actions.
---
On 30th Nov staff claimed to have found evidence of an escape attempt and all visits to the centre were suspended. Detainees were locked down for a further 48 hours. A second petition was circulated:
We the detainees were subject to Lock down on 30.11.2011 earlier then usual time as some detainee peacefully protested by the astro (Football ) where detainee protested as earlier on 30.11.2011 detainee Vassell were attacked by gang of officer and taken to RFA.
During the protest about 30 detainee stayed out for 30 minutes then the detainees came to individual room.
Early in the morning of 01.12.2011 we were given first of the notice to detainee to our shock it stated an attempted escape were discovered and 2 member of staff were assaulted.
Then through out the day detainees were taken to different HMP (Namly Lincoln and Nottingham and other HMP)
Only 2 detainees were sent to different detention centre one to Dover and one to Colnbrook.
Such was Unlawful lock up against detention service order authorised by the parliament.
N30 Critical mass in pictures
02-12-2011 18:55
N30 Critical mass in pictures
N30 Critical mass in pictures
This weekend at the free space: Revised timetable
02-12-2011 16:55
Revised timetable for the weekend's workshops at the Sumac Centre, Forest Fields.
Sat
2pm - Our Bodies, Our Selves: Art and Mapping [Women Only]
In this woman-only session we will be exploring the pressures and power dynamics exerted on women's bodies and also their potential for resistance using 'critical mapping' techniques. Pens and paper will be provided but please feel free to bring/donate additional materials (paint, canvas, collage etc.) if you want to create something beautiful.
3pm onwards - Hunt Sab benefit gig
Sun
2pm - The immigration system
Short talk by a former immigration detainee followed by discussion on how we can support detainees and fight the system.
3pm - Self-defence/Jeet Kune Do
4.30pm - Squatting
Talk and slideshow of images from a veteran squatter. Will be followed by a discussion of how to continue the Notts Free Space in the future.
Watch the comments for any further changes. Hope to see you there!
Food not Bombs every Sunday at Holloway Circus
02-12-2011 16:41
On Sunday Birmingham Food not Bombs put on its third event, this time at Holloway Circus.Occupy Essex!
02-12-2011 15:12
Essex University is occupied!Students at the University of Essex have occupied a lecture theatre, in solidarity with the millions of public sector workers on strike on N30. Over 70 individuals visited the occupation on the first night; 35 stayed until the early hours and 20 stayed the night.
"Surrounded by Olive Trees and Settlers": Report of EAPPI talk in Wrexham
02-12-2011 14:43
Protest Against Atos Outside the Paralympic Test Event Tomorrow!
02-12-2011 14:19
Disabled people, benefit claimants and supporters will be demonstrating at the Olympic Site in Stratford on Saturday 3rd December at 2pm outside the London Prepares Goalball test event for the Paralympic Games.Empty Ex-Forest Cafe Squatted and Reclaimed for the Community
02-12-2011 12:55
A diverse group of autonomous people are currently squatting1 3 Bristo Place in central Edinburgh. The 3-storey building has stood empty and unused for over 3 months since August 31st 2011.
Stirchley and Cotteridge Against the Cuts N30 Report
02-12-2011 11:33
Squatting in Scotland? The People's Cafe in Edinburgh!
02-12-2011 11:11
Occupy London N30 Report
02-12-2011 10:55
N30, corporate greed, Xstrata and the right to protest
http://occupylsx.org/?p=1755
On Wednesday 30 November, Occupy London – part of the global movement for social and economic justice – sent a message to Mick Davis, CEO of Xstrata: As the highest paid director of any FTSE 100 company, we will not let your outrageous income go unnoticed. [1]
Occupy London supporters staged a highly memorable action with a banner drop from the roof of Panton House, Xstrata’s London offices at 25/27 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4EN.
We had to take a stand. These executives hide in their offices, and as they hoard capital they face no scrutiny for their actions. With our peaceful action, we wanted to remind the highest paid that they cannot continue to ignore this economic climate without repercussions. Later in the day Xstrata’s PR firm went on to correct our statement, arguing that CEO Mick Davis took home £17.7m, as opposed to the £18,4m that Occupy London stated as identified by employment research organisation Incomes Data Services (IDS). [1]
Needless to say it makes no difference, considering that in 2009, the worst year of the recession, Mr Davies took home a staggering £27m, including basic pay, bonus and share options, according to the company’s annual report.
Police force
Those on the roof, as well as several others within the building and outside were arrested during and after this action. Photographs from the roof of Xstrata’s offices have begun to emerge today and they show scenes of police force which fortunately are not usual in this country. Moreover, those arrested after the action were engaged in nonviolent resistance, trying to prevent their friends from being taken away in a coach hired to the Metropolitan Police by Edward Thomas & Son. [3] Occupy London is not convinced that the “clashes” and “violent scuffles” with police referred to by ITN News and others capture the character of what actually happened. This is part of a disturbing pattern of police action during the day which sees people being warned away from exercising their right to protest – implying violence may take place – while official bodies sanction actions that, at the very least, may serve to exacerbate tense situations.
7am Liverpool Street
The day began with Occupy London supporters gathering at Liverpool Street at 7am to unfurl a banner in the station in support of the N30 strikers. The crowd grew, as led by a samba band, it made its way through the City with its large “All power to the 99%” banner, eventually meeting with the electricians union, the sparks, just south of Southwark Bridge to show solidarity. Police maintained a respectful presence, until the sparks and Occupy London met and it looked as if kettling was about to come into force. Occupy London and the sparks were peaceful throughout. As the sparks and Occupy London set off to visit other pickets, news began filtering in that there were incidents happening at Occupy London’s Bank of Ideas building (a multi-million pound abandoned UBS office complex taken over by Occupy London in an act of public repossession) at 29 Sun Street.
A number of Occupy London left to find out what was happening only to hear that a Section 60 Order had been put in place covering Bank of Ideas and Occupy London’s second space, Finsbury Square. There was a significant police presence, with those leaving and entering both spaces being stopped and searched. Items such as phones were kept by police and several arrests were made. According to the guidance on stop and search given on the Metropolitan Police’s own website:
“Section 60 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, gives police the right to search people in a defined area at a specific time when they believe, with good reason, that: there is the possibility of serious violence; or that a person is carrying a dangerous object or offensive weapon; or that an incident involving serious violence has taken place and a dangerous instrument or offensive weapon used in the incident is being carried in the locality. This law has to be authorised by a senior officer and is used mainly to tackle football hooliganism and gang fights.” [4]
We leave it to those reading this to judge whether this was an appropriate use of Section 60 powers.
At around this time, details of a letter being given out to protesters for N30 were handed to a member of our press team. [5] This was similar to the letter that was given to student protesters in advance of their demonstrations 9th November, a move we described at the time as “an attempt to produce a chilling effect on the right to protest.” [6]
The march
Gathering from 11am at the Occupy London Stock Exchange site, just by St Paul’s Cathedral, a large crowd of around 400 people left with several large towers draped in banners.They joined the main march, with their sound system. The atmosphere was great, even though the march was essentially a long, slow-moving kettle flanked by police, with police dogs at times along the route. It has been noted by several media outlets, that compared to other groups on the march, there was a greater police presence around the Occupy London supporters.
The action
Around 4pm, over 300 people including supporters of Occupy London from the TUC march, assembled at Piccadilly Circus. Led by a flare and a band, supporters of the cause gained entry into the unguarded, unlocked offices of Xstrata in Panton House. Over 40 people made it up the open stairwell to the 4th floor, where Davies’ office is located. Some ran further up to the roof of the building where they dropped a banner reading ‘All Power to the 99%’.
Police then stormed into the building and violently removed the protesters. Officers, including Territorial Support Group squads (riot police), pushed those who were in the building down the stairs and arrested those who had reached the roof using excessive force. Later the police formed a kettle outside Panton House, which escalated the situation significantly. Consequently, over 20 people were arrested. As has been reported in The Independent this morning, there was a substantial undercover police presence throughout the day, some of whom were recognised from the student protests earlier in the month. [7] Occupy London questions the effectiveness of deploying widely-recognised undercover policemen in any intelligence gathering operation: far from operating incognito, they actually draw quite a lot of attention to themselves. What exactly, then, is their role? In light of recent cases where standards of practice for non-uniformed officers has been shown to be less than optimal, we feel that this is an area in which the Met could usefully provide some guidance.In addition to undercover or plain clothes officers, forward intelligence officers with video cameras where a constant presence. The limited access individuals have to see what records are held on them in police databases in this country is an area of concern for all who value their rights of assembly and democratic participation. [8]
Finally, we wish to draw attention to the refusal of police to explain where those arrested – one of whom was a minor – had been taken. The real-world ramifications of not releasing this information to either friends or legal observers are serious, causing considerable distress. We recognise that ordinary policemen and women are part of the 99%, but we are becoming increasingly concerned at the directions they operate under in relation to protest.
Defendants meeting
On Saturday 3 December, there will be a defendants’ meeting at 3pm at the Bank of Ideas on Sun Street in Hackney. We invite all those arrested and all those who support the arrested to attend. Arrestees are also asked to contact Green and Black Cross, who have been providing Occupy London with legal support for demonstrations. Their contact details are: email GBCLegal@riseup.net or call 07946 541511.
Notes
[1] Sky – Top Five Highest Paid Executives http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16098319
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/7579233/Xstrata-chief-Mick-Davis-paid-27m-last-year.html[3] Edwards & Son - http://www.edwardthomasandson.co.uk; http://occupyLSX.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/edthosons.jpg
[3] ITN – Violence as Occupy London protesters clash with police - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZjb3nodIXg[6] Metropolitan Police – Stop and search - http://www.met.police.uk/stopandsearch/what_is.htm
[4] Simon Pountain, Public Order Command - https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyLSX/status/141822886934622209/photo/1
[5] Occupy London statement on #9nov and the right to protest - http://occupylsx.org/?p=857
[7] Independent – The moment protesters found a plainclothes cop in their midst - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-moment-protesters-found-a-plainclothes-cop-in-their-midst-6270908.html; Guardian – Mark Kennedy report to rule out monitoring of undercover police - http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/14/mark-kennedy-undercover-police-report
[8] Guardian – Are you a ‘domestic extremist’ - http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/11/domestic-extremist-police-databases
Occupation at 3 bristo place
02-12-2011 08:55
We are occupying 3 bristo place as an autonomous non-hierarchical group of people from a variety of different backgrounds. We are concerned that community space has been diminished as a result of the banking system. This is the same financial system that is robbing us of our pensions. This building has been appropriated by price waterhouse cooper, and we are reclaiming it.Police Officer Punches Protestor in the Face - Hay
02-12-2011 02:55
Whilst at the Haymarket in central London on November the 30th at approx 18:15pm the Police force protestors away. Whilst on the line Officer FH463 punches out at protestor 3 times and hits him in the face.
You can watch the video of here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytcMsgINWIM
Whilst at the Haymarket in central London on November the 30th at approx 18:15pm the Police force protestors away. Whilst on the line Officer FH463 punches out at protestor 3 times and hits him in the face, witnessed by an Officer FH648 left of him states "He Saw That" but ignores the protestors plea for identification. Later I report this to a Senior Officer, Superintendant Jones who states that they (the Officer) is Accountable for use of force. I should refer this to the IPCC or Policing Standards and am ignorred by 5 other senior officers who are present.
If a protestor were to assault an Officer he would be immediately arrested. If an Officer assaults a protestor they gets away with it unless its documented and reported.
You can watch the video of here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytcMsgINWIM
Video: N30 Birmingham demonstration
02-12-2011 01:25
N30 critical mass and free space
01-12-2011 22:55
As well as the main pickets and march yesterday, a critical mass was organised to shut down the city. A group of 25 cyclists cycled (at extremely slow pace) around the city centre for a few hours after the march had finished, spreading the word about the strike and the fight against government cuts everywhere we went. There was a huge amount of public support for our message.
The ride ended at the Sumac Centre in Forest Fields where the Autonomous Nottingham free space had relocated. We all sat down to eat soup and talk about how the day had gone. There was a formal discussion about workers' struggle and ways we can make it more effective and extend it followed by a screening of The Take, an inspiring film about Argentina's expropriated factories, under worker control and run cooperatively.
The struggle continues...