11-11-2003 23:10
UPDATES 14th Nov:
"Chasing Bush" SMS Text Tracking Website for the State Visit Launches 14th Nov:
Sedgefield Welcoming Committee Protest Announced 14th Nov: Vietnam Vet Ron Kovic will now lead a delegation of STOP BU$H protestors to Downing Street at 11am on Monday 17th where they will hand in a 100,000 signature petition demanding that Bush's visit be called off.
13th Nov:
National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice briefs journos + State Visit Timetable Announced 13th Nov:
Stop the War Coalition Considers Legal Action 11th Nov: With less than one week to go before the
State Visit of US President Bush to the uk, discussions and arguments around high security versus the rights to demonstrate have hit fever pitch, with widespread coverage on TV and in the newspapers. Stories have centred on US demands to close down large areas of central London with figures like London Mayor Ken Livingstone saying that this must not happen.
While the Stop the War Coalition and Muslim Association of Britain - the main organisers of the largest march - have said
police will not allow the route of their march to pass parliament or along Whitehall, the police have however said those areas will remain open, althought they have also said that daily road closures at short notice are to be expected.
While the main focus of protests will be in
London, other demonstrations are also happening in
Sheffield,
Manchester,
Cambridge,
Bristol,
Oxford, and many other towns and cities. In London, several days of protests will see a range of actions from mass civil disobedience to street parties.
Listings of planned protests:
see
London Listing |
ResistBush.org |
Stop The War Coalition Muslim Association of Britain (national day of fasting) |
Bristol and Swindon |
Cambridge |
Chester |
Sheffield |
Oxford |
Sedgefield |
York |
Aylesbury |
Exeter |
Leeds |
Bradford |
Manchester |
Glasgow | Edinburgh [
1,
2] |
Menwith Hill | more to follow... |
Also See:Bare your Bum at Bush 1 |
Bare your Bum at Bush 2 |
Scrap-Bush Women's Collective |
NOT WELCOME Pretzel Campaign |
Main Online Petition Against Bush Visit (7000+) |
Petition 2 |
Street Party Against Bush |
Stencils and Stickers |
SMS Text Tracking System for Bush visit |
Virtual March on US Embassy (20th Nov) Recent Actions:Bush Statue Toppled by West Yorkshire Peace CampaignersCambridge: Activist on Bridge urges Commuters to STOP BUSH Legal Advice:ResistBush info (includes 'Sessional Orders')
|
Section 44 Terrorism Act info (authorised for use) |
Liberty Section 44 Search Monitoring Form (pdf - includes police powers info) | Section 60 Powers |
Info from Irish Gluaiseacht |
Activist Legal Resource FTAA After tea with Tony and the Queen, George will pack his suitcase and head to Miami, where he will be taking part in the fifth
Summit of the Americas on the 20-21st of November - for more on the FTAA see
here
Read more >>
10-11-2003 18:00
A co-ordinated protest in London's Camden Market scored a victory against Caterpillar, the company that supplies the Israeli army with bulldozers and tanks. Rhythms of Resistance were joined by members of the Sheffield Samba Band in this protest. At the same time, various groups including the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the International Solidarity Movement took over Camden High Street with several banners, some of which where designed to represent the (in)famous wall Israel is building inside the West Bank. [Pics 1|2]. A street theatre performance also recreated an Israeli checkpoint in the middle of one of the busiest street markets in London [Photo]
The protesters approached the manager of the chain of shoe shops Future Designs explaining the issues relating Caterpillar with the violent Israeli occupation of Palestine. He said that until today's demonstration, he was unaware of the connection between Caterpillar and the repression in Palestine. He then thanked the demonstrators and promised to remove all Caterpillar stock as well as writing to the company to explain his decision. At a time when millions were ignored over the War on Iraq, today's small action showed how effective direct action can be.
Read more >>
28-09-2003 09:29
12-09-2003 12:53
11-09-2003 13:27
The official
week of events (6th-12th sept) against
DSEi, Europe's largest arms fair had seen counter-conferences, vigils, film screenings, protests, direct action, and blockades all taking place - see the
DSEi 2003 Special Section). Sept 11th was the penultimate day of the arms fair:
Trafalgar Square became Red Square, as anti-arms trade campaigners filled its famous fountain with fake blood. See
Photos and Report and
Report Two,
Sept 11th was also the auspicious date chosen for the DSEi / DMA
Gala Dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in central London. Arms dealers dined in luxury while around the world the dead were remembered (see
Guardian article).
Anti-Arms protestors and peace activists showed their disgust outside the hotel throughout the evening with a noise demonstration. Diners arriving were greeted with shouts of "How many children have you killed today?", while the surrounding streets were repeatedly blocked by cyclists and drummers. Hundreds of police, some in riot gear sealed the area off and were overly aggressive, injuring at least one person who needed hospitalisation (see
witness appeal).
There was strong support from passers by, while at least one person infiltrated the hotel dressed in a ball dress. Free food was given out as people stayed late into the night making as much noise as possible, banging pots and pans.
After holding their arms fair gala dinner on September 11th, the world's arms industry left the Lancaster Hotel under heavy police guard. They were able to leave the area via Lancaster Gate Tube Station, which, closed to members of the public, was commandeered for arms dealer only transport.
See
Full Timeline Reports:
1,
2 Pictures:
1,
2,
3,
4 Audio:
Samba soundscape from arms gala dinner,
Meeting the DSEi dealersVideo:
3 short clips,
video 2 Recent mainstream articles:
1,
2,
roundup
Read more >>10-09-2003 10:02
The second main day of protest against the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) took place at London’s Docklands on Wednesday 10th September. Activists, anti-arms organisations, students and the public, angry, both about the items on sale, the well-known human rights abusing countries invited, and the devastation caused by weapons and munitions, attempted to "Shut DSEI by any means possible". This was the day that bargaining at the DSEi arms fair began in earnest and general press were prohibited from entering (see
pics from inside:
1|
2|
3|
4).
"Whose streets? Our streets!" Early in the morning the Dockland Light Railway (DLR) was stopped in the first of several actions (see
reports:
[1] [2] and
pics:
[1] [2] [3]) with activists
D-locking themselves onto the train at various stations or climbing onto the roof (see
video). This disrupted the DLR for much of the day. Also on the DLR, activists engaged in
"train theatre" posing as arms dealers (
report and pics). On their way to the Excel centre they announced they had arms for sale two opened their cases revealing various sets of arms (prosthetic and dolls arms) they had to sell.
At Custom House DLR (
pic others went to a
"Meet the Delegates" action. From eight in the morning a
Critical Mass left from the City of London to the Docklands (
pics:
[1] [2] and
video. On their way to the Excel around a hundred cyclists blocked traffic while comedian Mark Thomas entertained the crowds. Just after nine the Palestine support group, International Solidarity movement (ISM) visited the Israeli arms company Rafael in an
attempted office occupation, later unfurling banners outside.
At eleven o'clock the two meeting points of "
Storm the Death Fair" at Connaught Bridge underpass and "Blockade the Death Fair" at Canning Town roundabout allowed affinity groups to converge to form mobile groups forming and splitting as they engaged in their various actions. At Canning Town the group was prevented from moving by police but soon shoved their way through and moved off down Silvertown and along Victoria Dock road.
At Connaught Bridge a car partially blocked the ExCel approach road in a D-lock action (
pics) while groups moved in a variety of directions, many up to Connaught roundabout and some down to the underpass (
pics:
[1] [2] [3]), blockading the traffic for several hours. Groups remained mobile; some pushing through police lines as other roads nearby were temporarily occupied or blockaded.
As pink and silver Samba drummed their way along Victoria Dock rd (
pics), blocking the road with crash barriers, clashes occurred as police pushed the crowd against the railings of a recreation park. Samba managed to move off up Freemasons Road joined by Sheffield samba band and preceded to block the A13 main road (
pics). There were scuffles and arrests as police chased the crowd in different directions.
Meanwhile at the ExCel centre six activists infiltrated DSEi, occupying two tanks, daubing them in ‘Stop Death’ banners and locking on, before being removed by security (see
press release,
pics and video). Some delegates are forced to walk to DSEi due to the disruption caused by the protests (see
delegate video).
At 4pm the
Reclaim the Streets party mobilised many of the roaming affinity groups at Rathbone Market where a crowd of around 300 took to the streets soon meeting up with a critical mass bicycle group complete with sound system. On the A13 the crowd was eventually blocked in by police (
video), later being forced into a park (
video), which police had cleared with mounted riot police (
video). They were slowly released in small groups after being photographed (
reports:
[1] [2] [3]).
Meanwhile next to Canning Town DLR a second RTS group occupied the roundabout, as the DLR was again stopped, banners hung on top of the flyover ("Disarm DSEi"), arms delegate buses blockaded and riot police deployed. With another samba group playing, there were more arrests and scuffles as police cleared the roads, later blocking in two main groups of protestors for several hours as people tried to push through police lines (
pics:
[1] [2] [3]).
The day had seen a high level of disruption around the arms fair, especially given the relatively small numbers of protestors, while police continued using stop and search powers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (
reports:
[1] [2] [3] pics:
[1],
[2]). There were many arrests, some targeted, some quite violently, throughout the day.
See
Full Timeline.
Links:Reports: [
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26,
27]
Pictures: [
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26]
Audio,
Video:[
quicktime,wmv:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
mpeg]
Miscellaneous:
Pensioner protest, Corporate media: [
1 ,
2]
Call for evidence of legal support [
1,
2,
3]
Arrests update:
10th,
11th.
Reports from corporate press:
[1] [2] [3]
Read more >>
08-09-2003 13:36
A samba action has taken place in London at the BAE offices in London just before 9am this morning. An attempt was made to bestow an award to the company. Entry was gained to the foyer by 6 suited anti-arms campaigners. There were two arrests of people using D-locks on tables. The people arrested are now at Charing Cross Police Station where there has been a supportive samba noise demo. Click here for full report - pictures [1,2] - [ 2 short video clips, longer video clip on Imc Italy]- audio.
On the way from the BAE action to Charing Cross police station the group stopped by at the Army Recruitment Office to voice their protest against the war machine.
In the morning, delegates to the NATO military committee meeting in Cambridge were greeted by a lively show of the street theatre "performing for peace" on Monday morning.Pictures.
Read more >>
07-09-2003 20:02
Sunday, September 7th:
The two day long Disarm DSEi Conference has started this morning in London. Several workshops, trainings and presentations have taken place at the Convergence centre. Issues discussed have ranged from war and arms trade to Climate Change, whilst, at the same time, workshops on Non Violent Direct Action, Indymedia and Legal briefings have also taken place. All of this has taken place under increased police surveillance. Police stationed just outside the main entrance to the convergence centre, kept taking photographs and video of all those going in or out of the building [Photos]. Some cases of police harrassment were more extreme as several activsts have been followed around the streets of East and North London [Report]
In Cambridge protesters marched on a hotel where defense chiefs from NATO countries have been meeting. The De Vere's hotel was described, by a demonstrator, as having "become an extension of the military bases in the area putting up soldiers from the USA, the UK and other countries". Speakers voiced their discontent about De Vere's involvement with arms dealers and armies and linked the Cambridge NATO meeting with the DSEi arms-fair. [Report & Photos]
Saturday, Sept 6th:
In the morning a boat action took place in order to prevent military ships to enter the Docks for display at DSEi. Several activists were arrested, but released later co-inciding with a solidarity protest in front of Charing Cross Police Station. Read more.
At midday, several hundred people marched from Victoria embankment, past Downing street and Parliament Sq to the Imperial War Museum with two samba bands adding funky rhytms and a positive athmosphere. The march ended at the museum's gardens where a rally took place with speakers from different groups addressing issues of arms trade and in particular the DSEi arms fair.
Read report.
Photos: [1 | 2 | 3 | 4| 5 | 6]
Videos: [1 | 2]
Read more >>
06-09-2003 23:00
Saturday, Sept 6th: DSEi attempted to sail 4 warships along the river Thames, through Gallions Reach Lock and into the Royal Victoria Dock near the Excel exhibition centre on Saturday morning.
Three sperate affinity groups attempted to stop the naval vessals getting into Albert dock and DSEi by trying to block the lock gates with people in the water and to prevent the swing bridge from opening by locking-on with D'locks. There was a four hour window in which the tide allowed entry into the docks. The 30 activists succeeded in disrupting the manoeuvre, and the last 2 ships in the convoy aborted their mission and had to stop 7km down stream. Around sixteen people were arrested and taken to Charing Cross Police Station, where a solidarity protest took place to support the arrested and to wait for their release. Some were released without charge - others were charged with swimming in the dock or attempted criminal damage....
Links:
Boat action: reports [1,2]; pics [1,2] - video;
Charing Cross police station prisoner solidarity assembly: [pictures | video]
Read more >>
06-09-2003 03:26
Campaign Against The Arms Trade (
CAAT) has published a full report and briefing about the companies, countries and issues at the DSEi arms fair. The report contains details, including names and addresses, of the companies - what they make, etc, as well as countries and issues of concern (see
report summary,
full pdf report).
Companies at the fair include Bulgarian small arms firm Arsenal Company, which is reported to have ‘sold small arms for $7-8 million to Chad and Angola’ and in was named as a supplier of arms to Sierra Leone, in breach of the UN embargo. Other CAAT briefings and press releases include:
Debunking the DSEi MythsDSEi Secret Invite List ExposedSyria (axis of evil country) Invited To Arms FairPublic to Foot £1M Policing Bill Other News:
Mark Thomas to Open DSEi Convergence Centre - 6th SeptemberDisarm DSEi Press Release: International Protestors to Target UK Arms FairFluffy DSEi NVDA Press ReleaseCorporate Watch on DSEi Arms FairCAAT Release: Protests Challenge London Arms Bazaar Links:
Disarm DSEi,
Destroy DSEi,
Fluffy DSEi
Read more >>
06-09-2003 00:01
In recent days three more actions have been carried out against firms due to exhibit at the DSEi Arms Fair in London 9-12th September. Further protests against DSEi in London and NATO's Military Committee in Cambridge are expected over the next few days.
Birmingham
On 5th Friday activists from Birmingham staged a roof-top protest at the headquarters of Caterpillar(UK), in Desford, near Leicester, unfurling a banner reading "Caterkillar – Demolishing Palestine – Demolishing Peace". The action was in protest at the sale of Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozers to Israel (see report and pics).
Surrey
On Wednesday 3rd activists occupied the roof of a BAe Systems Factory in Byfleet, Surrey hanging a banner reading "Destroy the arms trade" (see report).
Sheffield
Meanwhile on Tuesday 2nd around twenty people took action against Fluent Ltd, a computer modelling software company in Sheffield. Several campaigners barricaded themselves inside the revolving doors while more people climbed up onto the canopy above the main entrance and hung a banner reading "Fluent Deal in Death" (see report, pics). The action followed anti-arms street theatre in the city centre.
Read more >>
04-09-2003 09:58
In a truly hypocritical move, police have been using Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to stop and search people suspected of being anti-arms campaigners in and around the area of the DSEi arms fair, due to be held next week.
Reports have come in of several instances of the anti-terror legislation being used to stop, detain and search people.
The use of Section 44 allows vehicles and pedestrians to be stopped and searched for no reason. People may be asked to remove outer clothing (coat, hat even shoes) but no more than that. Bags may be searched and pockets emptied. Male officers may search women although they should not touch them. People should receive a ticket after they have been searched which should specify the date, location, officer conducting the search and the results of the search. There is no legal requirement for people to provide their name and address.
LIBERTY, the human rights group, released a 13 page report (
pdf)in July focusing on the misuse of Section 44 against anti-war demonstrators around USAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, during the concentrated bombing of Iraq earlier this year. The damning report detailed fundamental breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights in the extensive use of anti-terrorism laws to prevent citizens taking part in legitimate protest and to harrass them. At its most extreme an anti-terrorist order was served on an 11-year-old girl.
See
Indymedia Feature - more on
Section 44
Read more >>02-09-2003 10:48
Around 40 campaigners blockaded the two main entrances to the Excel Centre in London's Docklands throughout the morning on Monday 1st September, while tanks and other military hardware waited to be brought inside. Excel is the venue for the DSEi arms fair due to be held next week from 9th-12th Sept - a week of counter events, protests and actions will run alongside starting on the 6th (see
Disarm DSEi.
One of the activists, Laura Semple from Oxford, said "DSEi is one of the leading arms fairs in the world, where more than 600 arms companies will be queuing up to strike deals with oppressive regimes and to fuel conflicts all over the globe. We intend to shut it down."
See:
Report 1,
Update 1,
Update 2,
Photos,
Videos.
Read more >>
02-09-2003 09:54
On 28th August campaigners occupied the offices of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) in a protest against its role in the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline and arms exports (see
pics).
At least five people, some from London Rising Tide barricaded themselves into Brown's office and, in the spirit of participatory democracy, attempted to open a constructive dialogue with ECGD staff over the Baku-Ceyhan project.
A banner reading 'Exporting Corruption, Guaranteeing Destruction' was unfurled, but security guards for ECGD office building Exchange Tower and police refused to allow any protest to take place (including the leafletting of local shops) on Exchange Tower's private property.
In recent years the Export Credits Guarantee Department has come under increasing fire for using public money to subsidise the arms trade, for supporting projects enmeshed in gross corruption, and for failing to carry out sufficient research into the benefits of the projects it supports for local people.
Read more >>
20-08-2003 19:20
Recently a flurry of psychogeographical flyers have hit London exhorting people to destroy DSEi with 'Sex Majik'
Quote: "Our calculations show that the Fibre Optic Cables running from the City of London to the Docklands, along the A13, can channel the psychic currents we generate in our psychogeographical activities with enough precision to shut down the arms fair on September 11th 2003."
Read more >>
19-08-2003 23:00
| 2 additions
Peace campaigners have won the right to challenge police decisions to detain and prevent them from demonstrating against the war on Iraq at Fairford air base in March this year. Over 120 people from two coaches were searched, detained, and forcibly returned to London with a huge police escort. Granting permission for their judicial review case to proceed Mr Justice Richards commented that the issues it raised were "substantial" and "of importance" to merit a full High Court hearing.
Read more >>
06-08-2003 09:48
Update 8.8:The last protester detained has now been released. See also anaylsis and editorial for August 7 on IMC-Israel
Latest from IMC-Israel, 6.8.: 1 2
Breaking news 5.8.2003: Indymedia Israel reports 45 detained,3 arrested in protests in Mas'ha against seperation wall.
For a year now, Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists have been calling attention to the building of the Separation Wall by Israel in Palestinian areas. Although it is the most acute threat to Palestinians getting bigger as we speak, the US sponsored Road Map to peace nor the corporate media paid attention to their pleas. But, this month it seems that finally the world is starting to listen. Dozens of pictures on the mainstream newswires and heated debates on Indymedia UK, and yes, protests too!
Read more >>
17-07-2003 13:41
LIBERTY, the human rights group, has released a 13 page report focusing on the policing of anti-war demonstrators around USAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, during the concentrated bombing of Iraq earlier this year. The damning report details fundamental breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights in the extensive use of anti-terrorism laws to prevent citizens taking part in legitimate protest and to harrass them (by mid-april the campaign group
Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors alone had recorded 89 stop and searches under
Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 carried out against just 26 people!), as well as the excessive use of various other public order legislation. At its most extreme an anti-terrorist order was served on an 11-year-old girl (her father is now seeking legal redress) and 3 coach loads of demonstrators were "kidnapped" by police (see indymedia
feature), also the subject of a
legal action (also see
Fairford Coach Action).
Download full Liberty report: (pdf)
Corporate Media Coverage of Liberty report
War on Freedom and Democracy (10 page Statewatch pdf, Sept 02)
Read more >>
11-07-2003 13:36
Between 6-12 September, one of the world's largest weapons and arms fairs, Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEi) will take place at the ExCeL Centre in London's Docklands. In parallel a coalition of over 30 groups are organising a week of events against the arms trade, including a two day counter conference, film screenings and exhibitions, vigils, protests and direct action against the arms fair itself.
Further explanation of DSEi.
Two years ago up to one thousand campaigners demonstrated outside the Docklands arms fair with a carnival style 'Fiesta of Life Against Death' - see Indymedia
coverage | archive (
1), (
2), (
3) | SchNEWS (
1), (
2) |
Squall. That day would prove to be more significant than anyone could have imagined, with the date being
11th September 2001. This year the arms fair will be open for business on the anniversary of the
Sept 11th attacks, with the counter mobilisation running from 6th - 12th September, (which also coincides with the
WTO Meeting in Cancun, Mexico 10th-14th). Campaigners are also calling for a
boycott of the ExCeL centre where the DSEi exibition is taking place. There is also going to be a
weekend of anti-DSEi events in London taking place on July 26-27, and a
"counter conference" is being planned as part of the Disarm DSEi week of actions.
There are also plans for demonstrations at the RAF Fairford
Air Tattoo that is taking place between 15-20 July. The event "provides western military powers with the chance to flaunt their power" and "an opportunity for arms companies to advertise their wares" (see
Fairford Peace Watch).
For more information and background see:
Disarm DSEi Campaign Campaign Against the Arms TradeRecent SchNEWS on UK Arms Industry =================
Read more >>10-09-2001 22:00
The Campaign Against Arms Trade and the umbrella group Disarm DSEI have joined in a "Fiesta for Life against Death" in the Docklands of London to shut down DSEI, the largest arms fair in Europe.
Read more >>
