London Newswire Archive

10-05-2008 15:45

RFK MUST DIE: The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy

A new feature documentary RFK Must Die: The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy will be released next Friday, May 16th at the ICA and Rich Mix cinemas in London. Shane O'Sullivan follows up earlier reports for Newsnight and the Guardian and explores what really happened the night Bobby Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5th, 1968. Convicted assassin Sirhan Sirhan has never been able to remember the shooting. Now, new evidence suggests Sirhan did not shoot Robert Kennedy and the case should be urgently reopened. Read more >>

10-05-2008 03:25

Burmese Cyclone protest at Burma Embassy "Let Aid Experts In"

Appalled yet hardly surprised at the junta's callous indifference to the deaths of up to 100,000 citizens and 1.5 million more destitute, the Burmese community protested passionately at their embassy on May 9th for aid experts and aid to be allowed into Burma. Whilst getting away as always with giving the international community the run-around, this time playing games over frustrating aid shipments - the brutal junta has been more preoccupied with rigging its military biased constitution referendum for May 10th. Read more >>

09-05-2008 20:59

Did the SO19 marksmen kill an "Iraq veteran" or a "top barrister"?

Here are the two editions of the London tabloid 'Evening Standards' on May 7th, 2008. Read more >>

09-05-2008 15:30

BNP member outraged at grand-daughters mixed race boyfriend - caught on camera!

Are the BNP racists? - then why would this BNP member react the way he did on finding out his grand-daughters boyfriend is mixed race!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqxJAd1kThI Read more >>

09-05-2008 14:47

Reclaim the Campus conference

A one day conference for student activists to discuss the way forward for building a campaigning student movement. Read more >>

09-05-2008 13:07

SOCPA: Met Police's consultation response

Key quotes:

"The MPS believes that it should be a matter for Parliament to decide if there are any geographical areas where protest should not be allowed [...] such as the footway immediately adjacent to the Palace of Westminster, might also impact so adversely on access to the Palace of Westminster and therefore on the smooth running of Government that Parliament may wish to decide that it should be ruled out as a site for protest in the amended legislation."

"The use of the undefined term ‘demonstration’ in the SOCPA provisions has caused difficulties. The MPS believes that prior notification for assemblies in the defined area above should rely upon the current definition of assembly under the POA and should only apply when two or more people intend to assemble."

"The concept of ‘authorisation’ for any protest should be removed. [...] However, given recent challenges that the MPS has faced in dealing with SOCPA, it believes that the legislation must make it clear that the onus is on those protesting to show that they have complied with the notification requirements."

"The MPS believes that the POA should be amended so that the flexibility that currently applies to conditions on processions also applies to assemblies."

"the MPS believes that the Public Order Act should be amended to allow appropriate and proportionate conditions to be imposed on any procession or assembly taking place anywhere on the grounds of security."

"Sessional Orders, which are orders passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, place a duty on the Commissioner to ensure that access to Parliament is kept free of obstruction. However, these orders do not create any additional police powers [...] The powers available under this Act are very limited, are increasingly being challenged by protestors and do not provide any statutory framework to place conditions on processions and assemblies."

"Parliament Square is a World Heritage Site. [...] This area also attracts large numbers of protestors who hold very strong views and beliefs and some of their activities and behaviour may not be compatible with this vision [...] Government needs to define in the amended legislation any activities or behaviours they see as being unacceptable in this area."

"the MPS is increasingly having to deal with those who choose to protest in the SOCPA area in situations where a power of arrest does not exist [...] The MPS believes that a power to arrest should exist to prevent individuals continuing to commit an offence after they have been formally reported for it. This could be achieved by an amendment to s24(5) PACE."

"the MPS believes [...] it should also have the power to apply conditions on those protests comprising of only one person. [...] There is no obvious reason why this power, to impose conditions on a lone demonstrator, should be limited to the new designated area."

"the MPS believes that the POA should be amended to allow conditions to be placed on any procession or assembly or lone protestor to prevent a security risk wherever it takes place in the country."

Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
Sunday 11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/ Read more >>

09-05-2008 00:43

June 14: Climate Change After Party

Climate Caper, the after party for Climate Change, London will be hosted by The Synergy Centre. Read more >>

08-05-2008 16:11

SOCPA: Greater London Authority's consultation response

Key quotes:
"there have been three public gatherings on Parliament Square Garden with approval from the GLA since the introduction of SOCPA from 1 August 2005 until 30 November 2007."

"It may be appropriate to develop criteria to distinguish between assemblies and marches to focus on timing, scale, size, and information on organisers requesting permissions, for example."

"The impact on the Authority’s ability to manage the permanent protests and camping around Parliament Square has required a significant resource investment to prevent low level disorder issues"

"Trafalgar Square has a long and established historical tradition as a place to protest as opposed to Parliament Square, which does not have the same historical or symbolic character."

"if a protest takes place it will inevitably limit the public uses of the square, and the protests should be limited in duration."

Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/ Read more >>

08-05-2008 11:05

SOCPA: Westminster Council's consultation response

Key quotes:
"The City Council would propose that consideration be given to prohibiting the use of loudspeakers in Parliament Square and excluding the local authority’s power to grant consent."

"The City Council would propose that the police should consult the City Council before granting consent for a demonstration and for them to be required to have regard to any representations made."

"Parliament Square is one of the most prestigious, visited and photographed squares in the world and is a place the City Council is rightly proud of. The City Council recognises all individuals’ right to peaceful protect, but the extent and manner of such protest can often have a disproportionate detrimental effect on amenity. The south side of Parliament Square is often an eyesore; a blot on the landscape."

Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/
Read more >>

07-05-2008 17:07

Public meeting with delegation of Colombian social movements

at Amnesty International UK's Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London Read more >>

07-05-2008 16:59

60 Years - What a State!

Comedians defy Israel birthday party
Show for peace and justice challenges gala Read more >>

07-05-2008 15:38

Native American Political Punk & Traditional Dance Group Comes to London

Blackfire, political Native American (Dine') rock/punk from Arizona, U$A. First ever shows in the UK, with discussions on Indigenous rights struggles in the U$. Select shows with traditional Dine' (Navajo) dances by their group, The Jones Benally Family, and documentary screenings about sacred sites protection.

Read more >>

07-05-2008 15:31

Victory Against Trade Union Repression In Lambeth

Lambeth Council has been forced to back down from their plan to ban the Trade Union UNISON from their staff conference for workers in the Regeneration and Housing department, which takes place on 6 and 8 May 2008 at the Oval Conference Centre. Read more >>

07-05-2008 15:02

Mapuche tours Europe

Mapuche woman Moira Millan is currently giving talks in UK as part of a tour in fight against dams and orther corporate projects in Patagonia Read more >>

06-05-2008 22:50

Public meeting on 31/05: Binyam Mohamed: The Last Londoner in Guantánamo

Public meeting and film showing in west London on Saturday 31 May to raise awareness about the plight of Binyam Mohamed, the last Londoner in Guantánamo Bay. Speakers include Sarah Teather MP, Zachary Katznelson (his lawyers), Bisher El-Rawi (former detainee), Camilla Jelbart (Amnesty International and Bruce Kent. Film showing of "Outlawed" Read more >>

06-05-2008 17:22

Whitechapel Food Not Bombs - One year on

Through thick and thin, rain and sunshine, Whitechapel Food Not Bombs has been serving free vegan meals in the streets of London every (almost) Saturday for over a year. Read more >>

06-05-2008 16:31

Last Chance to Shut the Door on GM Human Beings,ACT NOW!

In just a few weeks British MPs will decide whether to allow scientists to start research on the ultimate step in genetic engineering: the creation of GM ‘designer’ human beings. In the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, now going through Parliament, the Government wants to allow the creation of GM human embryos, as the first step towards developing "safe" technology for creating GM babies. The creation of GM babies is not just a hypothetical scenario: leading British scientists, such as Robert Winston and Ian Wilmut, have already patented techniques for doing this, including patenting human semen and embryos.

If you care about the impact of GM on food and the environment it makes no sense to be quiet about this. Read more >>

06-05-2008 12:44

SOCPA - hospital interview with brian haw

audio interview with brian haw late last night at accident&emergency st thomas hospital after he was attacked in parliament square yesterday by police and held for more than six hours for an alleged public order offence. Read more >>