Wales Newswire Archive

UK citizens must stand united if we are to be effective as a peace movement

South Wales (Heddlu) Police officer (collar number) 3896 has his photo taken with ex-EDL activist and Nazi Wayne Baldwin...

On the final leg of my five day Bradley Manning solidarity tour of Bristol and south Wales, I headed west from Cardiff early Sunday morning, through Carmarthen and on to Haverfordwest, where members of Bradley's family still live. My aim was to have a solidarity presence in Haverfordwest as Brad's trial begins in the US. See previous reports from: Bristol | Bristol/Cardiff. This report covers Sun 2 and Mon 3 June, with a few photos of banners etc. to illustrate.

Bradley Manning's trial starts Monday 3 June and this weekend activists around the world have been taking action in solidarity, including in London [Photos here | Links to reports etc. here] where around 250 people from all over gathered outside the US Embassy to hear speakers including Peter Tatchell, Vivienne Westwood and Craig Murray, music including David Rovics. There was also an ill-fated banner drop in Bristol [Report here], a smaller one with a replacement banner in Carmarthen and a presence in Cardiff and Haverfordwest. This is a brief report with some photos from Bristol and Cardiff.

The Bradley Manning solidarity event with Cor Cochion Caerdydd/Cardiff Reds Choir was put off today when it became apparent that the EDL were advertising an event in Cardiff and the choir decided to go to this first. Read this report for the full story. Here are some pictures.

EDL and a handful of locals held a march in Cardiff today, but were outnumbered 10-to-1 by antifascists. Photos to follow.

The big pink 'FREE BRADLEY MANNING' banner has been displayed, without incident, all over the place in the past 18 months or so: Wrexham, Cardiff, Bala, Haverfordwest (where members of Brad's family still live), Chester, Liverpool, Oswestry, north Yorkshire, London, the summit of Snowdon. It's designed to be re-used, attached to railings with easy-to-undo tapes.

In Bristol yesterday, at the start of a five day solidarity effort leading up to Bradley Manning's trial which begins in the US on Monday, this banner and another - 'TRUTH ON TRIAL' - were seized by cops who told me they would be destroying them. In fact they had already badly damaged the banners by hacking them off the railings with a knife and ripping them instead of undoing the bows, having refused my offer to remove them. Since the incident led to an arrest and threat of summons, the banners are now in police custody as exhibits A and B, with the arresting cops announcing as they escorted me to the exit door of Trinity Road police station: ' and when it comes to court we're going to apply for a destruction order.'

BGSG presents a solidarity event in Bristol to raise awareness and funds in an attempt to support social struggles and social movements in Greece.

Saturday 1 June is an international day of action for Welsh-American WikiLeaks whistleblower Bradley Manning, facing Court Martial on over 20 charges including 'Aiding the Enemy' and a possible sentence of life without parole or even potentially the death penalty if convicted. The trial starts on 3 June and is expected to last over two months. Bradley Manning dared to reveal the truth about US-led wars, US interference around the globe and much more, hoping that this information would trigger "worldwide discussion, debates, and reforms... if not... then we’re doomed as a species." He went on to say "I will officially give up on the society we have if nothing happens."

Brad still has many family members living in Wales. Cardiff Reds Choir/Cor Cochion Caerdydd is organising a solidarity event in Cardiff on 1 June. In London, there will be a protest outside the US Embassy . Worldwide events listed at bradleymanning.org.

In the final week of the 'Loss of Innocence' Exhibition of Children's Art from Gaza at Wrexham Cathedral, Rod Cox came to speak about how he collected this artwork in early 2009 as part of the Aid Convoy in the wake of the 'Operation Cast Lead' bombardment of Gaza by Israel, about the children who created the artwork, their trauma, injuries, lost families, destroyed homes and shattered lives, as well as their hopes for a peaceful future free from fear.

The Exhibition has now moved on to the local Yale College of Further Education where it will be open for viewing by students and the public in the Learning Resource Centre (library) for the next two weeks. From 4 June it will move again to St. Christopher's School in Hightown.

Today, 17 May, is the 100th day of the current Guantánamo hunger strike, with most of the 166 remaining prisoners now refusing food, including British resident Shaker Aamer. Like most of the others, he has not been charged with any crime and has been cleared for release, but with no prospect of actually being freed. Aamer has been held at Guantánamo for 11 years and joined the hunger strike in March. Over 30 prisoners are now being brutally force fed. Some are close to death. A global emergency three days of action has been called.

 http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/what-are-you-doing-on-17-19-may-global.html

Solidarity gig in West Wales, All welcome!

This review updates information on planning developments affecting new English Opencast sites. In addition, it has information on the sites that would be affected if UK Mine Holdings / UK Coal Operations were, as recent press stories indicate, to go into administration. In addition it has news on the the land slip at Hatfield Colliery, latest developments over the Helsley Wood Tip and opencast mining on the Canobie Coalfield.

Loss of Innocence

This is an exhibition of more than fifty pieces of children's artwork “some funny, some tragic, many beautiful” collected by Rod Cox during a visit to Gaza with the Aid Convoy early in 2009 in the wake of Operation Cast Lead, a sustained attack by Israel which, according to Red Crescent spokesperson Dr. Khalil Abu Foul, "did not just have 1500 killed, or 5000 wounded. It has traumatised the entire population, all 1.5 million." The exhibition is going to be in Wrexham for the next few weeks, starting with the Cathedral until 17 May.

LAON's Press Release questions the role the Scottish Planning System has played in this tragic sequence of events. It draws attention to the fact that 18 opencast sites are affected, not just the six often mention in most news items on this story and suggests that some form of public inquiry is needed if trust is to be restored into the Scottish Planning System and lessons learned so that this situation can be avoided in the future.

On Friday 20/4/13, Scotland's largest producer of surface mined coal, Scottish Coal went into liquidation. LAON's press release suggests that reasons other than those which have dominated news items about this event, lie behind this collapse. This press release aims at putting the record strait. In so doing, it raises questions as to whether large scale opencast mining operations, under present circumstanace will ever be profitable in Scotland again.

Thatcher may be dead but now we need to kill off her legacy. Come and dip into the activist toolbox this Saturday, for all the tools you'll need to join the struggle against capital and the state. Then let's go to work...bring on the north west European spring!

Around 60 people gathered at the Arc Statue in the centre of Wrexham at 5pm today to mark Maggie Thatcher's demise with a vigil for 'the workers and unwaged who are still living with Thatcher's legacy.' There was a silent vigil and then speeches.

Half a dozen members and supporters of Wrexham Peace & Justice Forum were out on the streets this morning as part of the Global Day of Action on Military Spending in solidarity with friends past and present who have the perseverance to continue to protest the wars in the face of widespread apathy. There have been actions today at Faslane (47 arrests), in Brighton, London and all over the place.

 http://demilitarize.org.uk/

North Wales Against Cuts has called for a silent vigil in Wrexham at 5pm on the day of Maggie Thatcher's funeral: Wed 17 April. The vigil will be held at the Arc Statue on Lord Street.