Nottinghamshire Feature Archive

Sadie Graham, the BNP's East Midlands Organiser, has taken Brinsley ward in Broxtowe, beating three other candidates. She has claimed a seat on Broxtowe Borough Council, following last week's local elections. She polled 439 votes in Brinsley, in the west of the borough.

Reverend Robert Murray, a local vicar running as a Labour Party candidate, received 295 votes, while independents Kenneth Phillips 109 and Wlady Wilhardt polled 185. In the last borough council elections, the BNP received 43% of the vote, but were beaten by Labour in a two horse race. This victory comes despite anti-fascist activity in the ward, including leafleting and a meeting. Attended by around 40 people, this event took place in February when Graham was the only candidate to have put her hat in the ring.

Report: Anti-BNP Demo in Beeston

Links: Sadie Graham Shoots Straight | Evening Post coverage | BNP councillor's neighbour

Mayday was celebrated properly in Nottingham. On the 1st May the PCS civil service union celebrated by going on strike, picketing and marching, including through Nottingham to a rally in the Congregational Hall. Picket lines sprung up with the sunshine all over Nottingham this May Day. Besides the main civil service workplaces (Revenue and Customs, Department of Work and Pensions, Driving Standards Agency) all sorts of office blocks in the City, housing a civil service work unit, sprouted a PCS picket in the door way: many experienced pickets; many first time pickets. Read full report.

On 5th May another Mayday march decended upon the city. Marchers rallied in the Brewhouse Yard, just around the corner from Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, departing just before one. The march was led by a samba band followed by the No Borders, No Nations, No Deportations banner. A good few hundred people made their way up Castle Boulevard, onto Maid Marian Way and then down Friar Lane. After having been at the Market Square and once back in at the rallying point, marchers were addressed by speakers talking about Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the occupation of Iraq, the rise of the BNP, the PCS strike last week and ID cards. There was also music by bands from Zimbabwe, Kurdistan and even Birmingham. Read full report.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

On the newswire: May 5th: Mayday 2007 | May Day in Nottingham (Round One) | Mayday in Nottingham (Round Two) | Nottingham Mayday 1 Event Pictures | Nottingham Mayday 2 Parade Pictures | Mayday Events at the ASBO Centre 1, Day Events | Mayday Events at the ASBO Centre 2, Night Events |

Links: UK Indymedia Mayday 2007 page | Wikipedia on Mayday | Global Indymedia article about conference and actions around the world

Labour takes climate change seriously by campaigning in an SUV in the Berridge Ward.

'A small tale that sheds some light on the ways of politicians....when the campaigners were challenged on their ostentatious fuel-guzzling monster, they at first tried to laugh it off, then claimed "er, it's LPG!"; this was clearly untrue, it was diesel, and when asked to demonstrate this (EG. by showing us the fuel nozzle, they refused, made their excuses and left. This from the same party that claims to be taking climate change seriously in Nottingham!'

Anti-Fascist activists hit Hucknall with leaflets to stop the BNP gaining a foothalt.

'The BNP have published their list of candidates for the Council Elections on 3 May. Including Parish councillors they are fielding a record 827 candidates across the country. The good news is that Nottingham city remains an area where there are no candidates standing. The closest places to Nottingham they are standing are Hucknall, Brinsley, Eastwood, Heanor and Ilkeston. The biggest dangers at the moment are Hucknall where last year the BNP pulled about 25% of the vote, and Heanor, where they lost by only 16 votes last time.'

Local activists call to 'Vote for Nobody'

'It's not just about making a mockery of the farce that is "representative" democracy. It's also about producing more spoiled ballot papers with "Nobody" scrawled across them than the official winning candidate, thus undermining their "legitimacy" (as if they ever had any) to push the same old business-friendly, community-trashing policies that they always do, regardless of who gets in.'

On the newswire: Sadie Graham gets elected | Berridge Labour SUV nonsense! | LAST PUSH TO STOP THE BNP! | Vote Nobody on May 3rd! | Stop The BNP by May 3rd | £7.2m to vote Labour?

Previous feature article: Don't vote! It only encourages them

Links: May 2007 Election candidates Nottingham City | Wikipedia on 2007 Elections | Electoral Commission | Vote Nobody!

Protesters take action at Derby nuclear plant on the 21st anniversary of Chernobyl, in solidarity with Faslane365 Environmentalist blockade. Twenty-one years ago today, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster caused large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia to be badly contaminated with radioactive material, resulting in the evacuation and resettlement of over 336,000 people. To mark the anniversary of this environmental and a humanitarian catastrophe, protesters today disrupted work at Rolls Royce Raynesway near Derby, which makes and tests the enriched uranium fuel rods that power Britain's Trident nuclear submarines.

The protest was timed to coincide with a blockade being carried out by a group of environmentalists at Faslane in Scotland, where the Trident submarines are based. One of the protesters, James Evans aged 24, said: "With the government intending to replace it's illegal Trident system, and to build more nuclear power stations in the UK, it's vital that ordinary people take a stand to prevent future nuclear disasters."

Previously on the newswire: Rolls-Royce Raynesway, Derby. Action, Protest, Blockade | Rolls Royce Blockade- Rainsway, Derby | Derbyshire police go over the top again - Rolls Royce

You are expected to turn out to vote on May 3rd. By this seemingly straightforward act you will tacitly endorse a sham democracy and are unlikely to change anything really important. Voting alone does not a democracy make. It crucially depends on which particular issues you are allowed to vote for, or not.

Why is our democracy a sham? Democracy is supposed to be 'rule by the People' but there are huge areas in the UK system of government where the People have absolutely no say at all, such as foreign policy and defence. They also cannot influence by voting the decisions of global organisations which may have a profound effect on the lives of UK citizens, such as the G8 and the WTO. Much the same applies to multi-national corporations and quangos operating within the UK.

So what are you allowed to vote for? A strictly limited set of policies contained in a party manifesto, mere promises which may or may not be honoured during the next term of office before you are permitted to vote again. Those who abstain from voting may not be able to bring about a proper democracy in the immediate future but at least they will have the satisfaction of knowing they are not helping to perpetuate a downright lie.

From the newswire: Vote Nobody! Campaign hits Cardiff city centre | Vote Nobody at the Welsh Assembly elections | Bristol Indymedia: Local Elections Round-Up | A Change is Gonna Come | Vote Nobody on May 3rd! | Election Circus Comes to Town! Brummagem Star issue 1
Other: General election 2005 | 66% saying the government is not by the will of the people | Just how little MPs knew about the Iraq war | Royal Prerogative | Party Whip

Climate activists from around the East Midlands managed to stop some operations at Radcliffe on Soar Power Station after climbing onto conveyor belts and dumper trucks inside the plant yesterday. The power station is located just outside Nottingham and is the 3rd biggest emitter of CO2 emissions in the UK. The owner of the plant, E-On, said operations ran as normal and that their environmental record is good with aiming to be a clean coalfired power station. A spokeswoman for the protesters said: "Putting pressure on individuals to reduce emissions when companies like E.ON are profiting from this polluting industry is obscene and irresponsible. We should not be burning coal in the 21st century."

The blockade lasted for 3 hours and 11 people were arrested all of which were later released. The action was part of 'Spring Into Action' - a week of workshops, entertainment and actions around the issue of Climate Change in Nottingham.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | photos from inside

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

Links: Spring Into Action | Notts Indymedia | Wikipedia on the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station

A busy week of workshops, gigs and actions around the issue of climate change has been taking place in Nottingham. Under the banner of 'Spring into Action' events took place in venues across the city. It showcased practical solutions to climate change. From workshops on bike maintenance, local food production, community compost projects and strawbale building to concerts and performances, it has been an action packed week. It will also acted as a showcase for existing projects in Nottingham including Country Parks, allotment projects and the Attenborough Nature Reserve. A lot of the events took place at the recently occupied former lace factory, also known as the J.B. Spray factory, which is located on Russell Street, Radford.

Links: Spring Into Action website | View programme

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

From the newswire: Nottingham Plane Stupid group formed | The Sprouting Activist - an interview | Foraging and Guerilla Gardening at Spring Into Action | Getting your message out there - workshop report back | Magical mystery tour | ‘Spring into Action’ targets Nottingham's climate criminals | Spring Into Action - Printable Programme | Spring Into Action Central Venue Announcement | Spring Into Action! | Spring into Action Workshop venues now online | Spring into Action - Critical Mass | Spring into Action programme now online | Climate Change Bill - they’re havin a laugh! | It's Hotting Up

Background: Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Veggies climate change page | Climate Change Denial (explores the psychology behind it) | How to Talk to a Global Warming Sceptic | RealClimate (climate science from climate scientists)

Over 50 people from Nottingham and Derby successfully blockaded the Faslane Nuclear Naval Base In Scotland today. Various blockade groups in intriguing lock-on devices and some plastered together blocked the main entrance to the site. Police started removing people from 8.30 onwards but had problems with removing people from a 6 way lock-on device, which held strong for another 2 hours. The police had to draft in specialist equipment from other forces to deal with the device. 18 people were arrested and have been moved to Paisley. The blockade lasted for over 4 hours. Whilst on the phone to someone at the scene, one could hear a lot of chanting and cheering as one protester managed to shout 'no to nuclear weapons' just before being put in a police van.

The action is part of an international campaign to blockade the naval base throughout the year in a bid to stop the replacement of the controversial Trident Missile System. Blockades have been taking place for the last few months by groups from around the country. See UK Indymedia Faslane Page for more reports.

Photos and reports: Robin Hood blockades the Base | Robin’s Trip to Scotland… Part 1. | some more pics

Audio: Nottingham folk blockade nuclear submarine base in Scotland - a radio piece

Timeline: see full article.

Links: Faslane 365 | Wikipedia on Trident Missile System | Wikipedia on replacement of Trident | More Trident Links

Previous articles: Stop Robbin’ the Poor - Notts says NO to Trident!! | Nottingham residents mobilise against Trident replacement | Fundraiser for Notts Faslane 365 this Sunday | Nottingham Faslane 365 sign-up stall | What will you be doing? | Nottingham Faslane 365 News : 6th Feb 07 | Nottingham Blockade of Faslane Trident Base

On Wednesday March 28th, people gathered on the Market Square to protest continued deportations to the Democratic Republic of Congo. After a while the protesters walked across town to Bridewell Police Station (next to the Magistrates Court) and made their feeling know about government policies. The Home Office plans to deport more Congolese people from the UK in spite of evidence that it is not only still unsafe for them to return but that the situation is worsening. In Leicester over 60 turned out in a demonstration. Other cities where protests happened simultaneously were London, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester.

In March a United Nations report described the situation there as ‘deteriorating’. The Bishop of Winchester objected recently in the Lords to government claims that the country was now safe, noting that every independent organisation with first-hand experience finds ministerial assurances of safety “simply incredible”. He said that the Country Guidance Case on March 28th, at which the situation could be re-evaluated by the government, “will hear fresh evidence of ill-treatment, torture and rape of returned refugees, both at the airport and at associated holding centres”. Asylum seekers in Nottingham need your help in putting pressure on the government to admit that its deportation policy is wrong.

Update: A second demonstration was held on Thursday 12th April. Read announcement and see report with photos.

From the newswire: Nottingham demo against deportations to Congo (photos) | Nottingham (and Leicester) demos against deportations to Congo (photos) | Stop Deportation to the Congo

UK Indymedia: Dozens Deported to DR Congo (feature article) | Migration topic page

Links: No Borders Nottingham | Notts Refugee Forum | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns

Previous articles: Anti-Deportation Protest at Nottingham Magistrates Court | Nottingham Police Station :: Forced Deportations Continue | Occupation at Labour Party Offices for East Midlands

" I went to the Playhouse Theatre, where the Lantern Parade was due to assemble from Wellington Circus. This was a really colourful event with thousands taking part. Giant puppets, youth arts, drummers, samba band and a fire show. Folks paraded from there, down Maid Marian Way, and into the square. The usual suspects there included the Sheriff of Nottingham, Lord Mayor, assorted troups of King John's Army, oh, and Robin Hood, & Maid Marian on a wire, bobbing about above the crowds. Fireworks from the roof of the council House, with guys on rotating wheels. A windmill decked with fireworks, and the crowd ohh'd and ahhh'd as yet another lot of fireworks, went off, from the Castle. Event finished at about 9pm. Now, I ask you. What other country in the world, puts on a main event of celebration in its public space, and closes down in the early evening? "

" It's lovely to have the Market Square finally finished, isn't it? Now we can start to use it again; as a great hang out, somewhere to sit around with our friends in the sun, but the question is ... Is it really our Square, or not? The council has its own agenda for the Square. It wants it kept clear of pretty much everyone except shoppers and commercial outfits. It tells us it’s employing Community Protection Officers for our safety, but all they seem to do is kick people off the steps when we try to meet by the Lions. Just try gathering there in any numbers at the moment. The point seems to be to keep away young people and anyone whose face doesn’t fit. "

Articles: £7.2m to vote Labour? | Market Square Opening Events : Saturday Pix 1 | Market Square Opening Events : Saturday Pix 2 | Market Square Opening Events : Construction & Preparation | Reclaim Slab Square (March 24) | Reclaim Our City! - leaflet text for Nottingham's Market Square reopening night | Vote for band to open new market square

Links: 'Reclaim Our City' Leaflet (PDF) | Wikipedia on the Old Market Square | Old Market Square Events (city council website) | Another Market Square site

As Britain continues the 2007 celebration of 'Abolition 200', the legal end of Britain's official involvement in trans-Atlantic slave trading, and with most eyes on the main slave trade ports like Bristol and Liverpool, our local councils seem quite unconcerned about direct or indirect involvement with the profits of slavery in Notts and East Midlands, and seem happy just to leave local churches to do the soul searching. Let's ask some questions...

An easy example of Notts involvement in slavery is the well-known Mellish family, whose name is probably best associated in local minds with a Nottingham school. The family is known to have had involvement with ownership and official dealings with plantation estates in the West Indies in the 18th century. Even a cursory look at the Mellish family online archive record reveals inheritance of slave plantation estate property from the governor of the Bahamas (John Tinker), and we can read about William Mellish's official dealings with plantation monies in Jamaica as Receiver General for the Customs & Excise (he was also MP for Retford).

Photos: George Africanus: Re-dedication of former slave's grave

Links: The Mellish and Buchanan Families of Blyth and Hodsock - A Brief History | The Nottingham Sparrow, Nottingham AF | 'Slavery - the Hidden History', Bristol Radical History Group | Anti-slavery march demands reparations for slave trade

The University of Nottingham's Amnesty International Society's held a protest against the continuing human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay. On Saturday the 10th of March folks dressed in orange jump suits re-created a Guantanamo scene on Long Row in Nottingham with people caged in.

It is now over five years since the first detainees were transferred to the detention camp and despite widespread international condemnation, hundreds of people from more than 30 nationalities remain there: without charge and with little hope of obtaining a fair trial. Alan Simpson, MP for Nottingham South, joined in the protest about half way through.

Audio: Interview 1 (with Alan Simpson MP and Amnesty people) | Interview 2 (with Amnesty people)

Photo: Close Guantanamo Bay [Please] Photoreport | Slideshow (avi/19M)

Links: Amnesty International Society | Amnesty International | The National Guantanamo Coalition | UK Feature article: Tackle the Shackles, Close Guantanamo | Other articles: Sheffield G8 Events: Guantanamo Bay orange jump suits | The Road to Guantánamo

Over 50 people came together at Nottingham University for an event called 'the Knowledge Lab'. The event was aimed at bridging the gap between activism and academia and to provide a collective space for anti-capitalist reflection. It is normally organised within universities, which the organisers say are 'institutions essentially geared towards the production of knowledge as a resource for corporate interest and as justification for particular constellations of power relations. Hence the 'Knowledge Lab' has become an attempt to claim back some of the university's space, resources and know-how from the military-industrial complex and make them available for people concerned about and working against the status quo of unceasing commodification, exploitation, war, and biospherical destruction.

It was the 4th time the event was organised and focussed on 'Knowledge' this time. Workshops were based around questions such as 'how do we know'? what is knowledge'? 'where do we gain our knowledge from'? 'does someone hold control over our knowledge'? 'how does gender affect knowledge'? 'how does education effect knowledge'? 'how are our senses affected by advertising and the media'? and 'how can suppressed knowledge be released into the mainstream'? Other sessions included a presentation and discussion on an alternative education project called 'Travelling School of Life', an experiment in anarchism and concensus decision making called 'SOMA' and an Open Spaces for Dialogue and Enquiry session aimed at looking at what knowledge is and what controls, thus affects it.

Audio: Organiser explains about the 4th Knowledge Lab | Chat with a Knowledge Lab regular about its history and aims | Audio of part of the Open Spaces for Dialogue and Enquiry session on 'Knowledge' | Affective Knowledge & Alternative Media (part 1) + (part 2)

Links: Knowledge Lab website | Peace Conference & Knowledge Lab :: some photos | Travelling School of Life Workshop at Knowledge Lab 4 in Nottingham | Audio reports and background from the 4th Knowledge Lab | Affective Knowledge & Alternative Media, some audio

To celebrate the McLibel Human Rights Victory Anniversary, there was a small demo on Thursday at the McDonalds restaurant at Exchange Walk

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg declared that the notorious and long running McLibel case was in breach of the right to a fair trial and right to freedom of expression, thereby voiding any solace that McNasty may have enjoyed from the trial.

The Court ruled that UK laws had failed to protect the public’s right to criticise massive corporations whose business practices can affect people’s lives, health and the environment. Meanwhile after spending £10 million to suppress free speach, McDonalds find that the most widely distributed protest leaflet ever, continues to be distributed worldwide... Mainly by a group in Nottingham!

Audio: Interview with an activist about McDonald's and all its works | Short bit of the interview

Previous reports: Nottingham Another Anti-G8-McDonalds event (2004) | Nottingham McDonalds Celebrating the McLibel Two (2005) | Nottingham Day of Action against McDonald's (2005) | Nottingham's part of the Worldwide Day of Action Against McDonalds (2006)

Links: McSpotlight | Veggies

The work to widen the M1 has started today near Sheffield. The M1 is due to be widened from Luton along Nottingham and Sheffield to Leeds, costing a total of £3.74 billion. Many people believe the widening will allow traffic to grow and cause more CO2 emissions. Road transport currently accounts for 21% of emissions in the UK and rises every year. The work started today is to widen a 2km stretch to four lanes between junction 31-32 near Sheffield. The contractors, Jacksons Civil Engineering, expect that the work will last for a year. Work on a stretch around Nottingham is due to start this summer.

The No Widening M1 Alliance has been rallying local residents and local groups currently exist in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Sheffield. Ever since the campaign launch and the first bannerdrop on motorway bridges around Sheffield it has been busy. Various promotional exhibitions by the Highways Agency have been picketed and distrupted by activists in Long Eaton (reports: 1 | 2 ), Kegworth, Selston and Sheffield (reports: 1 | 2 ) Various public meetings and benefit gigs have been organised and at the end of October a mass bannerdrop from Luton to Sheffield coincided with the publication of the Government's 'Stern Report' on Climate Change.

Links: No Widening M1 Alliance | The Highway Agency | Jackson Civils Engineering

Articles: Sheffield M1 widening starts! | M1 widening contract announced | Banner drops along M1 link roads to climate chaos | No M1 Widening Protest | The reality of M1 Motorway noise | Anti M1 campaign gains momentum | M1 widening opposition | No M1 widening visit Kegworth | Anti M1 widening group visit Selston | No M1 widening visit Long Eaton | M1 Widening? Multi occupational bridges! | No Widening M1 Campaign Launch

Nottingham used to run a vast network of trolleybusses. The first trolley was introduced in 1927 and in 1930 it had the largest fleet in the country. The last trolley bus operated in Nottingham until June 1966. Recently a new book was launched on the history of Nottingham’s Trolleybusses, and it does raise the question if bringing them back might become the way forward in making our public transport system ready in the face of climate catastrophy.

Some cities in Europe are upgrading their trolley bus networks and some are even planning the construction of new ones. With Britain having such as vast history on the ‘old trolley’, wouldn’t it be worth looking into the possibility of returning to this potential zero-emission way of transport?

In a recycling rate league table just released by the Government, Nottingham City Council came an embarrassing 339th out of 393 local authorities, with a combined recycling and composting rate of just 18.6 per cent for 2004-05.

Nottingham's Recycling rate is less that 3 per cent higher than the worst performing authority in the UK, Tower Hamlets. But it doesn't have to be this way, if next door neighbours Rushcliffe can achieved the second highest rate just short of 50 per cent, why can't Nottingham?

On Friday, Loughborough Magistrates Court rejected calls from the Crown Prosecution Service to slap ASBOs on the 24 Plane Stupid activists who they described as “highly organised extremists” that were arrested in connection with the shut down of Nottingham East Midlands short haul airport in September. In an apparent move aimed to avoid having the case heard by a jury, the charge of public nuisance was dropped, as was the charge relating to an alleged breach of the aviation and security act.

Plane Stupid lawyer, Mike Schwarz, described the action to the court as a “classic piece of civil disobedience” and reminded the court that “Tony Blair himself has described climate change as the greatest threat facing mankind.” Campaigner for Plane Stupid, Ellen Rickford, said, “The same day that we learn the government is pushing ahead with its airport expansion proposals, they try to use ASBOs to stamp out peaceful protest. Well, it seems their plans for that were as doomed as the aviation industry.”

Feature articles: Protesters occupy runway at East Midlands Airport | Plane Stupid's Day of Action

On the newswire: Court rejects ASBOS for airport activists | Climate activists shut airport in taxiway occupation

Links: Plane Stupid website | East Midlands Airport (EMA) website | Climate Chaos topic page | Indymedia Climate | Wikipedia on Climate Change

On Wednesday 6th December, Professor Sir David Williams came to Nottingham to talk about 'Public Order and Freedom of Expression'. His lecture at Trent University covered "both the traditional law and principles relating to freedom of assembly and with the impact of new legislation and new responses with regard, for instance, to anti-terrorism, to race and religion, and to new forms of protest. It will involve an inquiry into many pressing issues of legal, political and social concern".

Audio: Recording of the lecture and questions - mp3 21M

Links: Public Order and Freedom of Expression: Lecture at Nttm Trent University | NTU website on lecture

Articles related to the 'Right to Protest': Victory For Fairford Coach Campaigners | Sack Parliament! | Peace Camp Set to Defy Ban | Another SOCPA travesty | Parliament Sq. Protest Trashed by Police

Over 100 people took part in a demonstration in Lincoln on Saturday (2nd Dec) to voice their anger over the not guilty verdict given recently against Nick Griffin and Mark Collett on charges of inciting racial hatred as well as recent local press reports suggesting that the BNP are intending to stand a number of candidates in next years local council elections. Despite this increase in attention on the BNP the LARF (Lincoln Against Racism and Fascism) campaign is gaining ground with more and more people expressing support, especially young people.

Links: Stop the BNP! | Unite Against Fascism | Lincoln organises against the far right

Articles: Lincoln LARFs at the BNP (photos) | Demo Against the BNP Activities in Lincoln on Saturday 2nd Dec | Lincoln BNP member in court !