London Social Struggles Newswire Archive

02-11-2007 16:03

United Friends and Family March 2007

The ninth annual remembrance march for those who have died in custody saw angry speeches by bereaved relatives outside Downing Street. The march started with a silent procession from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street. The Police tried in vain to speed things up and keep the traffic flowing. They have regularly made all kinds of petty attempts to harass the marchers. This year was no exception. They mobilized no less than 8 motorcycle outriders to steward a march of less than 200 people. Over policing, or just making a point?

Upon arriving at Downing Street the silent procession became a noisy explosion of anger led by Janet Alder whose brother Christopher suffocated on the floor of Hull Police station, while officers made fun of him. The Police attempted to enforce the SOCPA ban on megaphones. So Pauline Campbell took hold of the mic to remind them that she had been arrested 14 times and that previous attempts to prosecute her had failed dismally. The megaphone remained in use for the rest of the event.

After finishing at Downing street the march then proceeded to Parliament square for more speeches. The march was briefly held up by a particularly inept Police motorcyclist who parked his bike in front of the banner leading the procession. He was quickly surrounded by furious protesters and had to be removed from the melee by his colleagues. Deliberate disrespect, or just inept?
Read more >>

02-11-2007 12:44

Scrap CrossRail hole plot - latest demands to UK Parliament

Next week's scheduled announcement in the UK Houses of Parliament of the parliamentary/legislative programme ‘[called 'the Queen’s Speech'] is expected to include the current CrossRail Bill as a carry -over from the last session of parliament for it to be given further approval in the next session. The CURRENT CrossRail hole Bill-promoting minister at the UK Department for Transport Tom Harris has already been put on notice that he was out of order to have tried to pre-exempt and to curb serious scrutiny of the Bill in the Upper Chamber [House of Lords] Khoodeelaar! today publishes the texts of the summary of the latest demands for the scrapping of the Bill, not just for its scrutiny. Read more >>

02-11-2007 00:43 | 1 addition

Protest shackles Total Oil petrol station

During the Thursday evening rush-hour a dozen protestors caused a central London Total petrol station to close. Read more >>

01-11-2007 06:52

Protest at Camden Town Hall re : Danger Lab [To be built] 5th November 6.30

Protest against "The world's largest virus containment facility /animal testing lab"to be built in Camden - on Somers Town Council Estate.
The protest is Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, Camden, London WC1.
Monday November 5th 6.30pm
MI5 leaked the news to the Evening Standard newspaper amid security concerns when the NIMR / MRC bid for the land and also when they bought land on Hampstead Road where work has already started......

Read more >>

01-11-2007 06:34

Protest against "world's largest ever animal testing lab & virus containment lab

The protest is against the sale of govt land to the NIMR / MRC - in order to build the world's largest ever animal testing lab & virus containment facility. The site is at Brill Place, Camden - London, on a council house estate & very close to Kings Cross / Channel Tunnel link. MI5 leaked the news amid security concerns.
Protest at Camden Town Hall - Judd Street - {off of Euston Road}. Camden London WC1 - 5th November 6.30pm
Read more >>

31-10-2007 19:54

30/10/2007: London Mexican Embassy Protest, The World is STILL Watching

Tuesday 30 October 2007: Protestors returned to the London Mexican Embassy one year on from the scenes of police violence that greeted them on the 2006 protest. Read more >>

31-10-2007 12:26

LSE Students Occupy Board Meeting in Protest at Director's "Pro-Israeli" Stance

On Tuesday evening, over 20 LSE students silently occupied a meeting of LSE's governing body for over 30 minutes in protest at LSE Director Howard Davies' implicit support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Read more >>

30-10-2007 14:41

Wed 7th Nov, Central London: CWU Demo against selloff of 85 Postal Offices

Demonstration against Post Office Crown Office conversions in London
Read more >>

30-10-2007 08:44

9th Deaths in Custody Protest pics

The March was strictly policed and protesters ended up penned in, as usual. Read more >>

29-10-2007 16:04

Anarchist Bookfair 2007

The umpteenth Bookfair at the umpteenth venue. Read more >>

29-10-2007 11:32

Video of 9th March against Custody Deaths.

Every year families and friends of those who die in State custody march from Trafalgar Square in London, England, to Downing Street, the fortified official residence of the Prime Minister. Read more >>

28-10-2007 22:10

Slow Genocide

Burma Update etc Read more >>

28-10-2007 20:02

Jason McPherson -- Another Death in Custody not in the News

Last Saturday at the 9th Annual Rally against Custody Deaths, some familiar faces were missing, but like every year there were also plenty new ones, having lost a loved one during the past year. Amongst them the family and friends of Jason McPherson, who had died on the 18th January 2007 in Police Custody in Notting Hill. Unsurprisingly, only a local paper catering to the black community reported the incident at all, and the 'I'PCC's 'investigation' didn't turn up with anything yet. Read more >>

28-10-2007 19:04

SOCPA consultation re-opened

OK, so this isn't necessarily the good news it may seem at first :-/

The gushing intro from home secretary Jacqui Smith(*1) on 'the importance on protest to democracy' might reassure many readers they need read no further, sadly this is not the case...
Read more >>

28-10-2007 13:23 | 1 addition

Pic's from annual death in custody rally

The following are pictures from the United Families & Friends rally against custody deaths (courtesy of Kevin Blowe), and a recent related BBC report. Read more >>

28-10-2007 11:14

Burma: Total HQ and petrol station targeted again in London

Protesters picketed Total's London HQ and the Total petrol station near Baker Street this week.
Read more >>

27-10-2007 12:58

Call for nationwide prayer support for deaths in custody march

A public call to all Christians to support in prayer families of those who have lost a loved one in custody has been made by BMC3, the (Black Majority Churches Consultative Consortium) this week. Read more >>

27-10-2007 01:38

UK Deaths in Custody -- Facts, Figures, Suggestions

As some comments on a recent article indicate [see

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384167.html?c=on ], even top-notch activists often know precious little about this exceptionally grave and widespread abuse of state power, and even less about the decadelong struggle against it. So here's a few details, just in the nick of time for the 9th Annual Rally against Custody Deaths today (Assembly: 12:30 Trafalgar Square). Additions welcome! Read more >>

26-10-2007 12:02

Founding Statement of London ABC

founding statement of London ABC Read more >>

26-10-2007 11:43

Porto Marghera- free film showing Nov 9th London

Porto Marghera – the last firebrands
Screening and presentation/discussion of interesting Italian film

Friday, 9th of November, 7.30pm
Pullens Centre, Pullens Estate, 184 Crampton st. London SE17
Read more >>