London Social Struggles Newswire Archive

03-03-2008 17:21

Second court reprieve for RAMpart2

The squat opened as a backup venue to the rampART social centre in east london today enjoyed it's second courtroom reprieve. Twice now it has been served with an application for a Interim Possession Order. The first time the claimants failed to turn up at the hearing and today they admitted that they had failed to correctly serve notice on the defendants so it was thrown out of court. The owners will be apply for the third time and the papers are expected to be served sometime Tuesday with a court date probably sometime next week (although it could be earlier if there is an available time slot at the court).

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03-03-2008 14:58

Demonstrate Against Deportations to Cameroon

This demonstration is a prompt response to recent killings in Cameroon orchestrated by the dictatorial regime of Paul Biya. The situation in Cameroon is not safe at all and is expected to become worse during the coming days. Read more >>

02-03-2008 08:01

Freedom of Assembly denied.

On Saturday 1st March 2008 in Trafalgar Square, London there was a large police presence and a small turnout for the 2nd Day of Action.
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01-03-2008 05:32

The Camp for Climate Action Will be Held in Hyde Park Says the Evening Standard

"Eco Warriors plan to hold the next climate camp in Hyde Park near Buckingham Palace, according to a leaked memo received by the Evening Standard" was the story splashed across two pages of the first edition of the London newspaper on Friday, 29 February 2008.

BBC London broadcast exactly the same story later in the day, in spite of the fact that the national meeting of the Camp for Climate Action in Nottingham, which is planning to vote on the location for this summer's climate camp this weekend, had not even started yet.
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29-02-2008 20:48

Hammersmith Goldhawk Rd protest against Total Oppression in Burma

Seven protesters demonstrated at the Raven Total station at 372 Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith against the French oil company on Thursday 28th February. Total's pipeline in Burma was built with forced labour and the company has for years been the largest western sponsor of the brutal regime, funding the military junta with hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
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29-02-2008 20:26

No Borders Benefit at RampART 1 tomorrow night!

No Borders Benefit, Saturday 1st March, from 7pm, RampART 1

We celebrate the struggle for social spaces and for freedom of movement with another No Borders benefit party on Sat 1st March (7pm til late). Refreshments, films, info stall, and - of course - good music. Read more >>

29-02-2008 10:30 | 4 additions

Photo Essay - Londons Secret Social Centre

Londons Secret Social Centre...

When a possession order was granted to the owners of the squatted block of properties in rampart street which houses the rampART social centre, a scurry of activity began to secure a new building to act as a backup venue during the uncertain period prior to eviction. A suitable property was found and entered for the first time on new years eve and occupied a couple of days later.

Only a short walk from the rampART, the new building was also a commercial premises with three floors. While the area of each floor was only about two thirds of that enjoyed at the rampART, the new building benefited from the addition of a basement which looked like it could make a great gig space. The ground floor had a tiny kitchen but with a bit of work it would clearly make a good space for a cafe and free shop. The first floor was mostly open plan, a good place for large meeting. Meanwhile the upper floor had been subdivided into offices and planned to use it for residential accommodation. The most exciting thing about the new space however was the yard which gave us potential to do things we could never do a rampART.

Despite all it's potential, the place was a mess. The owners had completely trashed every floor. Wiring had been cut, light switches smashed, false ceiling and lights pulled down, partition walls torn down or holed. Additionally, the only two toilets in the building had been smashed to pieces. However, we didn't think it would take long to put in shape. We took over a load of bedding and cushions, fold up table and chairs, water, wind up torches, candles, smoke alarms and fire extinguishers and settled in. Now split between occupying two spaces we put a call out for help occupying both buildings and preparing the new building to become a social centre... Read more >>

28-02-2008 22:15

Children's Revolution and New Youth Movement Could Save Humanity from Extinction

A national summit meeting of children and teenagers and university students dedicated to saving the human race from extinction caused by global warming, to be held on the site of the planned third runway near Heathrow Airport this summer is being proposed by the Earth Aid Environmental Campaign.

A new youth movement is beginning to emerge in Britain as university students spearhead a drive to recruit other students to the environmental cause, and there are now plans for young people from all over Britain to come together and join forces to lend support to a massive new Children's Revolution campaign.
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28-02-2008 14:47

SOCPA Movie tonight, London + 'We Own the Streets' - Sat 1 March: Press Release

Free screening tonight (Thursday) in London of "SOCPA - The Movie", ahead of Day of Action on Saturday (1 March) in London and elsewhere against existing legislation restricting freedom to protest around Parliament (SOCPA) and its possible extension to the whole of the country.
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27-02-2008 10:54 | 5 additions

On top of Houses of Parliament roof

Anti-Heathrow expansion protesters have climbed on to the roof of the Houses of Parliament next to Big Ben.

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25-02-2008 19:46

rampART and RAMpart2 evictions

All very gloomy news from the various parts of the rampART. This morning there was a hearing to decide whether there would be an appeal against the granting of the possession order relating to Rampart Street. The judge decided there would be no appeal. Read more >>

25-02-2008 18:58

Scientology as Sci-Fi Fascism (corrected)

(if an administrator could remove the previous version of this article it would be much appreciated)

Today I was reading Ur-Fascism (

http://www.pegc.us/archive/Articles/eco_ur-fascism.pdf) by Umberto Eco. In it he addresses a common political problem: how to define fascism. The problem is the incoherence in fascism either as a philosophy or a movement. Anti-capitalist or pro-business, conservative yet revolutionary, contradictory both within and between movements which take the name. Eco identifies a number of characteristics which are common to fascist movements, while acknowledging that not all will be present in any one movement or philosophy, and that a number of perceived contradictions do not prevent movements being categorised together. These characteristics are described as Ur-Fascism, or Eternal Fascism, the base on which fascist traditions may be built. Read more >>

24-02-2008 23:50

8 March; Serco picket; Iran; Reproductive Freedoms: Feminist Fightback events

Upcoming events organised by Feminist Fightback. Read more >>

23-02-2008 15:03

Marylebone Road protest against Total Oppression in Burma

Ten protesters held a demonstration at Dorset House Total petrol station at 170-172 Marylebone Rd on Thursday calling on the French oil company to stop fuelling oppression in Burma with hundreds of millions of pounds a year to the brutal regime. Total has for many years been the largest western supporter of the military regime. Villagers forced as slave labour to build Total's gas pipeline nicknamed the soldiers oppressing them as the "Total Battalions".
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23-02-2008 14:36

Weird Load visits leafy Chiswick

After January's thousand strong meeting against Heathrow expansion, protest continues apace.

This week saw a 50,000 leaflet doordrop, and today local campaigners were joined by Baroness von Reichardt, partner Mr Spunky and members of her World Famous Treatment Rooms. Read more >>

22-02-2008 14:06

Report: Cuban speaking tour launch in London

Cubans come to London – Socialism into the 21st century speaking tour

Rock Around the Blockade’s (RATB) 2008 Cuban speaking tour got off to a strong start on Thursday 21 February with a packed inaugural meeting at Bolivar Hall in London, hosted by the Venezuelan and Cuban embassies. Read more >>

22-02-2008 11:21

InfoUsurpa and OffLine London now published together

Please download, print and distribute. Read more >>

21-02-2008 17:56

Rambo IV sneak premiere at rampART burma night, TONIGHT

Tonight (21st Feb, 8pm) at rampART there is a sneak premiere of the new Rambo film along with short films about the situation in Burma (now called Myanmar) and campaigns to force Total Oil to end it's economic support of the military junta.

Films start 8pm at 15-17 rampart street.
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21-02-2008 10:36

Mayday 2008

reclaim mayday Read more >>

21-02-2008 00:54

Alert - M&S picket on Oxford Street cancelled for one week only

The demonstration outside Marks and Spencer in solidarity with the Palestinian people will be cancelled on Thursday, 21st February because supporters will be attending the opening rally of the Cuban Speaking Tour at the Venezuelan Embassy, see http:www.cubansarecoming.org
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