Nottinghamshire Social Struggles Feature Archive

Over 300 people came together in Nottingham today to voice their opposition against the city's gun crime and gang culture problems. The families of victims of violent crimes, such as the killing of Nathan Williams in the Meadows last year (read article) came together to call for 'Peace And Unity' and to put an 'End To The Killings'. A march started at the Forest Recreation Ground around midday and made its way to the city centre along Mansfield Road. The march was very loud and cheerful and attracted a lot of attention.

On arrival in the centre there was a rally in the Market Square, with talks and speeches by members of families that have been affected by violent crime as well as some of the organisers. Speakers included Paula Platt, who lost her 14 year old daughter Danielle in 2004 as she walked through the St Anns area after the Goose Fair in October 2004. Sarah Wallace, who lost her 20 year old son Daniel over a year ago in a stabbing in Radford, any so many others ..... The list of grieving parents is just too long. Added urgency to the proceeding, since there was yet another shooting in the St Anns area just this last thursday. As the crowds had gathered, silence was observed with thoughts of those, so affected.

Audio: Peace And Unity - a radio piece

Photo: Peace and Unity March : Nottingham 1 Demo | Peace and Unity March : Nottingham 2 Event in Square

Links: Supporting Communities | Azuka Nottz

From June 6th to 8th the "representatives" of eight of the most powerful states from the global north are planning to meet in Heiligendamm near Rostock in Germany. Without any legitimacy to decide about global politics they will coordinate their decisions and therefore stand for the continuation of the state the world which for the majority means hunger, misery, war, and exclusion. Despite police repression and political propaganda, the summit will face one of the biggest mobilisations ever to shut down the G8.

People from Nottingham report:
Nottingham folk report from G8 in Germany #1
Nottingham folk report from G8 in Germany #2
Nottingham folk report from G8 in Germany #3

Recent news: Reports of over 10,000 people involved in blockades of the summit yesterday. Pics 1, 2, 3, 4

Indymedia: IMC Timeline of Events (eng) | Indymedia Germany in English | UK Indymedia feature

Links: Dissent! (Germany, in English) | Dissent! (UK) | G8-TV | Anti-G8 Action Faction

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

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

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 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

The situation faced by Asylum-Seekers in the UK is enough to make you realise we live in an insane society. In the East Midlands a centralised HO reporting building has been set up in the small town of Loughbrough, twenty miles from the towns where most A-Ss actually live.

The new centre is like Fort Knox. Its barred windows and security checkpoints make it clear that if they don’t want you to get out, you won’t. Many from Nottingham have been told to attend Nottingham with no indication of whether they can claim the fare back. Little or no information has been given about how to get to Loughborough, when the switch would be made, and how to get more information about it. One of the first asylum seekers to be transferred to the new office was told to sign on the fifth of every month! What if it’s a weekend? Who would invent such a system except an idiot; or a sadist trying to prevent A-S having any identity except one of dependency on the system.

Defend the NHS! March and rally - Sat 23rd Sept - 11am Forest Recreation Ground (assemble 10am) Nottingham.

This year the East Midlands faces 5,000 job losses (with 1,200 to go in Nottingham), £200 million worth of cuts, the sale of NHS Logistics, hospital ward closures, a review of NHS Direct and Patient Transport Services, and operations undertaken by private health firms run solely for the profit of shareholders. We say it's time the Government stepped in to stop thee cuts and end privatisation of our local NHS. Join us!

Links: Unison website | Download flyer | UK Indymedia health topic page | NHS England | Download 'Nottingham Trade Union Solidarity - Issue 5' | Mischief Makers build giant syringe in support of NHS march on Saturday

There was a large turnout for East Midlands rallys supporting public service workers’ day of action to protect their pensions. In Nottingham hundreds marched from the Forest recreation ground to a city centre rally, while in Derby strikers picketed their workplaces. The actions were called as part of what was hailed as the biggest industrial action since the General Strike in 1926.

Nottingham's new-look rinky-dink Thingy - which still needs a name - also also made another early outing to provide musis for the occassion.

Nottingham pictures: 1 | 2 | 3 | Derby pictures | Call to action

The Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign group have decided to show its solidarity with the people of Jenin by establishing friendship links between the two cities with the eventual aim of twinning. The first step is to send representatives from Nottingham to the UK Palestine Twinning Conference to make links with the University, with schools, with Trade Unions and with local people in Jenin.

There are 2 events leading up to these representatives going out to Jenin , both of which hope to Raise awareness of the issues and realities of Occupation in Palestine – especially in Jenin and to raise funds to make this Link between these cities Possible: There is a ‘Solidarity Festival’ 12noon - 11pm, on the 25th March of Music, films, poetry, art, workshops, food and fun being held hat the Sneinton Community Centre (Old School Hall) and there is a ‘Evening for Palestine’ 7pm, Thursday 30th March being held at the Kashmir Centre – live music – Palestine Dinner and Yvonne Ridley Speaking.

'Building bridges in Palestine' - party and exhibition - Middle East Party - Sunday 19th March, Wax Bar, Broad Street, Nottingham, 4-8pm. An exhibition of drawings, photographs and paintings from Palestine by Paul Gent + speakers. Live music from long Journey Home. Exhibition runs from 5th - 24th march 2006

Links: Download 'Evening for Palestine' flyer (PDF) | Building bridges in Palestine - party and exhibition | Palestine Eye Witness Reports and UK/Palestine Twinning | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Wikipedia on Jenin | How to get to the Old School Hall

A demonstration outside the power station at 7am on the 28/2/06 had Amicus stewards from Electricity Distribution in Mansfield, A Unison branch secretary from Ashfield, a couple of car loads of students from Nottingham, and supporters from as far off as Scunthorpe, turning up to join the picket line. They've gone back to raise money and other solid support.

50 construction workers, members of the GMB and Amicus, at Cottam Power Station near Lincoln are into the second week of an all-out unofficial strike. The issue is very simple: multinational companies are moving workers around the EU to undercut wages - in this case, as laid down in the Construction Industry "Blue Book". (Download PDF). They're trying to do an Irish Ferries on construction workers in Britain.

Links: In support of the strikers at Cottam power station, near Lincoln

Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday for a day of talks, information, discussion and workshops on the theme of peace.

The Nottingham Students Peace Movement's conference welcomed Sam Azad (International Federation of Iranian Refugees), author Milan Rai and Alan Simpson MP to lead a discussion on "justice not vengeance." They were followed by lecturers Richard Keeble and Beryl Aldridge and Notts Indymedia's Wietse talking about combating media bias. Both sessions welcomed extensive audience contributions. Various workshops were later held on alternative media, creative campaigning, civil rights and black activism.

Event photos
Listen to media bias debate
See full timetable

Notts County Council is planning £21m of budget cuts, resulting in hundreds of redundancies and cuts in services to some of the most vulnerable people in the County. Workers and community groups will lobby the Council meeting on Thurs 23 Feb at 1pm outside County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham.

The lobby is part of a series of actions designed to make the Council re-think its plans to make sweeping cuts to jobs and services.Up for the axe are around 500 jobs and a dramatic reduction to meals at homes for older people, home care and economic regeneration initiatives. Notinghamshire County Council is claiming that the cuts are necessary to meet budgetary pressures, but it masks a wider political agenda to privatise services.

See: http://www.nottsunison.org.uk for more info

Yesterday four members of NAIL met with the Environment Agency (EA), to discus Waste Recycling Groups (WRG) plans to build the third incinerator in Nottingham. Latest: The EA has issued the license that WRG need to be able to run their existing incinerator. The EA has in principle agreed to issue a license to operate the proposed expansion of the Eastcroft Incinerator.

More info on the NAIL camapign and the proposed incinerator expansion, see previous UK feature: Pollution for profit - we need to stop it!
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/329458.html

Nottingham Police, allied with authoritarians at the local council and the Home Office, have been wasting taxpayers' money on a wave of offensive posters intended to terrorise dissidents and the socially excluded. This campaign has escalated with attempts to terrorise those involved in subvertising the posters.

Recent instances have included the return of the especially sinister anti-begging campaign, where the state spreads slanderous accusations accusing beggars of bankrolling drug dealers. This campaign has been connected in previous years to deaths of homeless people in cold weather, and to physical assaults on homeless people due to incitement by the posters. The campaign even led to violence and reduced revenue for Big Issue vendors who are engaged in an entirely legal activity.

On Saturday 3rd December, a community day was held in Sneinton, Nottingham, to raise awareness of the proposed expansion of the Eastcroft incinerator and promote recycling through fun and games. Sneinton's Rubbish Day Out was an event organised by the local community and the NAIL campaign.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp in Mayo, Ireland was set up as local residents oppose of Shell's plan to build an unprecedented high pressure gas pipeline through the hamlet of Rossport, on the wild rugged coastline of north-west Mayo, Ireland. Five of these local activists, aka The Rossport Five, were subsequently imprisoned for refusing to obey a court order forbidding them from preventing contractors hired by Shell access to their farms and those of their neighbours. After 3 months in prison, they were released when Shell asked that the court order be lifted. The struggle has won significant victories in securing their release, and in preventing Shell building the development this year, as they had planned to do, but the battle is far from over...

Two participants in Rossport Solidarity Camp will be on a speaking tour of Britain in November and will speak in Nottingham at the International Community Centre, 61b Mansfield Road on the 10th November. The talk starts at 7pm and is free.

Links: Justice for the Rossport 5 | Shell to Sea network | Indymedia Ireland | personal report with pictures from the Rossport Camp, by Dean | Rossport Solidarity Camp speaking tour dates

A roof top protest by environmental protesters is causing quite a stir in Derby, they have camped out on top of the soon to be demolished bus station roof and have been there for a week now, as part of a last ditch attempt to stop it being knocked down to make way for a £90 million Riverlights scheme. Protesters need help

The last two days saw the AIESEC careers fair taking place at Nottingham University. The Portland Building, where the Students Union is based was full of businesses promoting their oppertunities for the under and post-graduates. People within the university informed the students attending the fair about some exhibitors: 'the problem is, they supply arms to countries with appalling human rights records'.

Arms manufacturers such as Caterpillar, BAE systems and Rolls Royce exhibiting at the fair were targeted because of their non-commitment to ethical responsiblity and the way in which they 'lie about the truth'. The protest, organised by NSPM, took place on both days of the fair. The Student Environmental and Ethical Network (SEEN) is organising an ethical careersfair later in November.

19/10/05: Students at Leeds University succesfully shut down BAe stall at the AIESEC careersfair at Leeds Uni.

Links: Nottingham Student Peace Movement (NSPM) | Environmental and Social Justice Committee | Student Environmental and Ethical Network | Stop Caterpillar :: Violations of Human Rights | Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) | The Ethical Student | AIESEC Nottingham Careers Fair | Environmental and Social Justice Committee | Previous article about NSPM

Nottingham Peace rally in response to the London bombings

On Saturday afternoon, scores of people gathered for a peace rally in Nottingham in response to the London bombings. The event in Market Square was arranged by the Nottingham Muslim Action Group.

Organisers said the aim of the rally was to remember the victims of the bombings and promote solidarity between people of all races and faiths. and of course, no-faiths. The event was backed by a range of other faith groups.

After two-minute silence, 56 white balloons were released to represent and remember those that died as a result of the London explosions.

A similar rally was held last weekend in Leicester.


more ....
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/07/319509.html