Update Fri 5th March: A new Social Centre has been squatted in 156 Fortess Rd in Kentish Town! Read report and list of events.
Update Thurs 26: People in and around the building are still determined to resist the eviction. [Report | Short video of picket]. Meanwhile, events at the Occupied Social Centre will continue as normal in resistance to the threat of eviction.
Update Wed 25th: The Occupied Social Centre still needs people urgently, as it is thought the police will be round sometime between now and the weekend. Supporters of the Centre state: "we intend to continue our resistance to the eviction".
On the 6th of January this year, after 6 months of neglect, 93 Fortess Road was occupied. The aim of the people involved was to set up a social centre, a free space for people in the local community to use as a resource and to create a place where people can come together and get creative. A place which is free, fun and accessible to everyone.
On Wednesday January 21st, the Social Centre was taken to court by the building’s owners - Mark Oliver Homes - property developers, who plan to demolish the building and turn it into commercial space and luxury flats. Following the court hearing, an eviction date was set for Tuesday 24th February. Early in the morning police and bailiffs arrived to Fortess Rd, but around 70 supporters of the Social Centre gathered o defend the space. With people occupying the rooftop, new defences having been constructed overnight (both inside and outside), supporters out on the streets and people inside ready to lock-on, it seems the eviction has been stalled, at least temporarily. It is not certain what will happen in the next few days, but what it seems clear now is that any eviction would require specialist bailiffs to remove people from the roof, cut others out of lock-ons and deal with the extensive barricade defences inside.
[Photos 24/02 | Fortess Rd Background | UK Social Centres | WOMBLES]
On Friday, February 13th, almost 8 months since their initial imprisonment, 13 people arrested during protests at the EU summit in Thessaloniki last June have had all charges dropped. 8 of the remaining cases are still under investagative review by the Greek Judiciary whilst the remaining 6 have had their charges dropped to misdemeanours. A final decision on whether to pursue allegations could come as early as next week. This is an enormous victory in the campaign against state repression waged by the Greek state against anti-capitalist protestors - although it must be remembered that the battle is not over yet.
Comprehensive coverage of the Thessaloniki Support Campaign can be found on the UK Indymedia site; Athens and Thessaloniki Indymedia sites both carry breaking news regarding the Thessaloniki 7 and the other accused.
Read more >>The Peace Not War Festival, starting 12 Feb, is four nights of live music, Speakers, film, photography, and art at the Hackney Ocean. It celebrates the anniversary of the mass demonstrations against the war on 15 Feb 2003.
An audiostream was planned but didn't happen see hereOn 31 Jan 2004, the first European day of Migrant Struggles took place simultaneously across Fortress Europe in 11 countries and 49 cities, see the noborder web site and the round-up on the global indymedia site for an overview of the actions, and click here for a round up of actions in Europe.
At Lindholme Detention Centre, near Doncaster, there was a noise demo: timeline | photos | videos.
In London, there was a No Borders Protest at Waterloo Station and on Friday a Anti-Daily Mail Demo at which there was a counter, pro-hatred, BNP demo. In the evening there was a post demo party at Kentish Town Social Center.
A short video of the waterloo station action and the adbusting actions of the previous nights has been produced. Note how happy the eurostar staff were to collect up our leaflets in order to deny others access to it.
10min, 170mb~, smaller versions will follow: ftp://italy.indymedia.org/imc_italia/video/310104high.avi
Requires divx codec: linux | mac | windows
At Campsfield there was a small protest as part of the 10 in the UK. In Manchester there was a poor turn out.
In Athens 3,000 people marched on an anti-racist demo.
Reports of actions from Indymedia Centres across Europe: Austria | Barcelona (Photos) | Brussels (Photos: 1 | 2) | Belgrade | Estrecho / Madiaq | Istanbul | Russia
Read more >>An Indymedia London convergence took place on Jan 30 and 31 at the Limehouse town hall. The event included a exchange on the World Summit of the Information Society, and a full day of discussions, exchange of ideas, information, visions, and plans for a future Indymedia London [Read invitation]
Read 1st Notes from the Meetings
For more details, contact us on the publicly archived email list imc-london@lists.indymedia.org.
Anna Scher first opened her theatre school in Islington 35 years ago. Since then, she has had a profound effect on the lives of thousands, with many going on to stage or TV stardom. However, in 2000 she became unwell and was subsequently removed from the board of directors.
Now that she is better, efforts have been made to block her return to the theatre and, currently, she requires permission to even teach! A campaign has been started in support of Anna Scher and a protest was held on Saturday, 20th December.
Background | Support from the stars and others | Protest call
Read more >>As we approach the Christmas period, London Transport Police are gearing up to “keep London safe for Christmas" (words of a police officer outside Victoria Station). They are reportedly achieving this by implementing immigration sweep and deportations, outside of tube station.
Original Report | Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns
Read more >> Massive demonstrations have taken place in and around Trafalgar Square in London. A 17 feet-high statue of George Bush was toppled to huge cheers from the crowd at 17:22 GMT [ Video]. Estimates of today's attendance range from AP syndicating around the world the number of 50,000 (later amended), over the Metropolitan Police's official estimate of 70,000 (later updated to 110,000) to the Stop the War Coalition ever increasing estimate of up to 300,000 (a number to which Indymedia reporters on the scene agree). Whatever the numbers, today's event looks to be the biggest weekday demonstration of recent years.
Update: Indymedia UK received over a million hits on Thursday (1,119,801 to be exact) - not bad for a website run by DIY collectives all over the UK. We would like to emphasize that Indymedia exists by non-hierarchical organization and has no other resources than the commitment of people donating their time and talent.
To kick the day off activists unfurled a banner reading "Bush Free Zone" from Admiralty Arch, see report and press release and pictures. To read up on the events as they unfolded check the Full Timeline of the events in London.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | galleryWednesday was billed as a day of civil disobedience and direct action throughout the country. In London, amidst the massive security operation, people took to the streets with events and actions. The protests started early in the morning with the delivery of a Tarte au Citron to the Queen, courtesy of the Biotic Baking Brigade. Then actions kicked off throughout the day with a Critical Mass, an Alternative State Procession, Street Parties, a Women's Peace Picnic and other actions Across The UK - culminating in 2000 protesters dancing in front of Buckingham Palace on a Resist Bush Tea Party. Police proved to be still overreacting when policing during a head of state visit: When Jiang Zemin was around they turned placards of protesters away - with Bush they confiscated a small sound system singing anti-Bush songs.
MultimediaPhotos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22
Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
London: reports including the full London timeline with it's sections on the resist Bush teaparty, Critical Mass, alternative state procession, school students, street parties and the O.I.L women's peace picnic.
Aberdeen: About 80-100 people demonstrated against the Bush visit to the UK in St Nicholas Square at lunch time.
Bradford: Bradford saw a notable amount of Anti-Bush protest including a rally and the handing of a petition calling for the arrest of Tony Blair on war crimes charges to the police.
Cardiff: The whole city centre brought to a standstill.
Cambridge: 100 people demonstrated toppling the statues of Bush and Blair in the Market Square. No arrests were reported. Indymedia reports from people in the US were read out to the crowd.
Canterbury: About 100-200 people gathered outside the library at 6pm, after several chants lead by Mac someone produced a guitar and an African drum and started a song "We're going to war. Pay your taxes".
Edinburgh: A very peaceful, determined demo took place in the day followed by an evening protest that broke through police lines near the US Consulate. Pictures
Glasgow: In Glasgow reports estimate over 1,000 demonstrators gathered in George Square then took to the surrounding streets. Shawlands Academy pupils were among the striking school students involved.
Kent: A small but enthusiastic group from Ashford peace group,East Kent Greens and supporters from Folkestone etc gathered near Ashford Intl Rail station to demo against Bush with several colourful banners (some made by 10 year olds!) and whistles.
Nottingham: 'No-Bush' demo in Nottingham in Market Square.
Oxford: Around 1500 people turned out, protestors left Brookes University at 5.00pm to march to the city centre on reaching The Plain they found a large, enthusiastic and noisy group of friends, some dancing to the sounds of Oxford's new Radical Samba Band. People then marched enthusiastically up to Carfax where another group was waiting to topple the papier-mache effigy of George 'I-stole-the-presidency' Bush. A die-in and a staged wedding between Bush and Blair also took place during the afternoon. Oxford IMC Feature
Liverpool: 200 stand up scousers stopped the traffic outside Liverpool Town Hall for an hour.
Molesworth: A short vigil was held at the Joint Analysis Centre Molesworth to protest at George Bush’ UK visit.
Swindon: Shoppers and workers in Swindon town centre this lunchtime were slightly bemused to find George W Bush explaining his plans for global domination via a megaphone.
York: 300 people marched through York in the rain to protest about the visit of killer Bush. A statue of Bush, cash in hand, with Blair aside, was toppled.
After discussions late this afternoon The Metropolitan Police and the Stop the War Coalition have agreed the march route for Thursday that allows the march over Westminster Bridge, past Parliament and along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, as expected after speculation in the press over the weekend (see also corporate media coverage).
Meanwhile last minute preparations are underway for the multitude of demonstrations and actions planned against Bush. Not just restricted to anti-war issues, the protests also deal with issues from GM to Climate Change to Globalisation (see reasons to protest). Wednesday 19th has been called as a day for civil disobedience and direct action. In London, amidst the massive security operation, wednesday will see people taking to the streets with events and actions running throughout the day including an alternative state procession, a critical mass, a street party, school walkouts, the Resist Bush Tea Party mass direct action and many more smaller actions (see London Listing + ResistBush.org). On Tuesday, the day Bush arrives, the Burning Planet climate protest will march via the ExxonMobil ("Esso") offices in Aldwych, through central London to the US Embassy.
More reports on Monday, Sunday and Saturdays actions follow.
Read more >>
Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World
Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland
Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista
Mayday 2007
No Borders Days of Action 06
M18 Anti War
Mayday 2006
Refugee Week 2006
SOCPA
Day of Action Against Migration Controls
DSEi 2005
ESF 2004
Server Seizure
May Day 2004
2003 Bush Visit
DSEi 2003
May Day 2003
No War Feb 15
Spaces
rampART
Bowl Court
56a Infoshop
LARC
Pogo Cafe
Groups/Projects
Offline/InfoUsurpa
No Borders
Rising Tide
Freedom Bookshop
Advisory Service For Squatters
RoR samba band
Space Hijackers
LDMG
Campaigns
Disarm DSEi
Food Not Bombs
London No2ID
Bikes Not Bombs
Climate Camp
Regular Events
Critical Mass
Anarchist Bookfair
Anarchist Forum