UK Social Struggles Feature Archive
Red Zone Attacked
20-06-2003 23:42
The Day of action in Thessaloniki against the EU summit sees two demonstrations proceeding against the institutions of power.
The red zone was attacked. The police fought the demonstrators, including the Disobedienti, off with CS-gas. Another demonstration went to the Macedonian/Greek Border to support the Roma in the refugee camp with food and medicine, but the activists were refused entry to Macedonia.
Reporting Both IMC Athens and IMC Thessaloniki are momentarily experiencing technical server problems.
Quick,comprehensive coverage at our timeline | Personal Reports [1|2|3|4|5] | [Short Update|Longer Update| Legal Team Update | report from Struggle Initiative | Pictures: [LaHaine|2|3]
"Here even God does not have jurisdiction"
20-06-2003 00:36
The anti-authoritarian/anarchist demonstrations [videos 1 2 | photos 1|2 |3|4|5 |personal reports 1|2|3] started from the occupied university campus, and went around neighbourhoods where refugees and immigrant workers live to show their support and solidarity...
Frock On and On
18-06-2003 23:00
On 7th of june, the second "Frock On" Festival took place in Glasgow.
"Frock On and On" was helt this time at the Govanhill Neighbourhood Community Centre for the daytime workshops for women, and in the Queenspark Glasshouse for gigs and spoken word in the evening,the artists, audience and the bar in between exotic plants and small animals.
"Our goal is to make links with and strengthen/build on the existing feminist community with aim of making feminism cool again.
Frock On is against homophobia, racism, ablism, ageism, and men bashing.
It's about talking, having fun, making new friends, subverting, resisting, doing it yourself, gossiping/networking, respecting, listening, dancing, eating, rioting, drinking, laughing, relaxing, empowering ourselves and others, clothes swapping, cycling, supporting our music, creating, growing, expressing ourselves, challenging ourselves, learning, scheming, giggling, planning, cups of tea, taking care of ourselves, gaining confidence and self esteem, finding our voices and keeping it real."
More information under http://www.frockon.org
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Build up begins for Thessaloniki
17-06-2003 22:00
Anarchist techs have installed their radio broadcast software on Law Faculty computers and are currently broadcasting Ozzy Osbourne tunes and news updates in 4 languages including English. You can listen to the broadcast in MP3 software such as WinAmp, iTunes, or XMMS - just open the stream at http://dimitra.law.auth.gr:8000. The US consulate is closed although everything remains peaceful at this point. There are nearly 20,000 security personnel including a division of the Greek army around the Summit.
Protests at EU Summit in Thessaloniki
15-06-2003 23:00
Thursday 19 June The Greek Social Forum, an umbrella of leftists, NGO, trade unions and students, called for a demo about immigration in the center of Thessaloniki [Report | Pics | collection of pics] | Friday 20 June Demo in Chalkidi | Saturday 21 June Demo in the city of Thessaloniki.
Practical Information | Schedule [1 | 2]
Reporting Up-to-Date confirmed and unconfirmed information from the streets -> Indymedia Dispatch | Timelines (es) | Live multilingual radio stream being broadcast by anarchists who have taken over the University Law Faculty's computer lab. Use Zinf, WinAmp, iTunes, or XMMS to open the stream from http://dimitra.law.auth.gr:8000 .
Mayday 03: "Serious Disruption To The Business Community"
02-05-2003 23:00
MAYDAY: WEAPONS OF MASS CONSTRUCTION May 1st 2003Mayday 03: "Serious Disruption To The Business Community"
LEGAL UPDATE: Were you arrested or injured on Mayday? Did you see anyone being hit or arrested? If so please read here and here for more details.
Around the world people were out on the streets celebrating Mayday. In London the stage was set for a series of protests making the links between Arms and Oil as well as other issues. For full coverage of Mayday in London complete with pictures, audio and video see the Timeline of Events. Overall thousands joined several protests throughout the day with smaller demonstrations during the morning. In the afternoon protestors gathered at the offices of Lockheed Martin (arms manufacturers), which had already been closed for the day by the protests. One march managed to break away and danced its way through the streets of london along with critical mass bicycle protestors, complete with mobile sound system and samba band, resisting several attempts by police to surround the crowd.
Others were not so lucky and were violently pushed back by police and surrounded (one person was knocked unconscious). This group was held for several hours and slowly moved to Trafalger Square with a police escort of around 40 police riot vans!
The breakaway group ran around the streets visiting covent garden, parliament square, leicester square and many other locations in a loud carnival like procession, police all the while trying to keep up. At the scheduled 4pm Shell Oil protest meet up point on the Strand police again tried to surround the crowd, but once again the people broke free and continued occupying different streets.
Later different crowds met at the Strand end of Trafalgar Square where people danced for several hours to a sound system while becoming increasingly surrounded by police. Police invoked Section 14 of the Public Order Act, giving people until 7.05pm to disperse or face arrest for causing 'serious disruption to the business community'. As the dancing people refused to disperse / were fully surrounded, riot police were deployed on top of the hundreds of officers on the ground. Trafalger Square itself (where people had been told they could legally gather) was cleared forcibly by police, with riot police chasing a split crowd away down different streets attacking several and making arrests. The surrounded group were held for several hours until late and slowly released one at a time, many being seareched and photographed.
Many observers commented on the completely over the top police reaction. Much of the media seem seemed to be disappointed that their much predicted 'bloodbath riot' did not materialise and while some said that this was due to the policing, it was clear that if a riot had been the plan then there had been plenty of opportunity for this during the afternoon when the streets really did belong to the Mayday crowd. Millions of pounds worth of lost revenue was reported, and many of the firms seen as part of the oil / arms death machine had warned employees to take the day off work, as had other companies who are part of the global capitalist exploitation of the planet and workers.
London's Metropolitan police had earlier issued "advice" to companies and City police were running their own timeline until 7:20pm when "no demonstrators within the City boundary" were left.
In the days building up to Mayday there had also been a series of supporting actions and protests by Campaign Against The Arms Trade. This Mayday was also the 3rd birthday of Indymedia UK.
The annual Trade Union march to Trafalgar Square continued to gather support this year, with Globalise Resistance, Stop the War Coalition, War on Want, World Development Movement, and the TUC coming together to oppose war, racism and privatisation. Both protests were joined by the Socialist Stockbrokers, and in the City of London people vacuumed up after capitalism!
Further protests were planned for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Bradford and beyond.
Press hysteria surrounding the protests has been at a lower level than in previous years, although there have still been a flurry of articles and some terrible journalism / propaganda (1 | 2 | 3)
UK Reports
Bristol:Dozens of protesters outside the army careers office at around 15:40.
Also in Bristol, the Labour Party headquarter was occupied early this morning. 5 protesters were arrested.
Glasgow:Mayday celebrators occupy a petrol station in the Southside of Glasgow.
Sheffield:Sheffield STWC staged a visual display of photos of people protesting all over the world outside the Town Hall at 5pm. Pictures. On Saturday 3rd Sheffield Against War also held a Mayday demonstration against War, Racism and Privatisation (pics)
Wrexham:Mayday protestors in Wrexham urged passing motorists to boycott McDonalds with a banner hang.
LiverpoolBelated account of the Liverpool MayDay stroll here.
NottinghamNottingham had it's Mayday with a Stop the War demo on Saturday 3rd. Pics and Report.
ChesterfieldThe Chesterfield Trades Council Mayday demonstration was joined by the Sheffield Samba Band for the march through the town on Monday 5th May (pics and video)
Other London Reports
- Pre-emptive Mayday Action at Bechtel's HQ in Hammersmith.Full report
- Mayday protest at Victoria exposes Crown Agents' role in war profiteering.Full report
- Brutal Repression by the Metropolitan Police - eyewitness account
- Assorted photos released by Associated Press and Reuters from Mayday london.
- Zapatista MayDay action outside Mexican embassy in London. Report and photos.
- May Day - a taste of freedom, a personal account
- B&W Photos of demos,cycle ride, and the police riot that followed.
- Mayday Football Tournament 2003 (report)
Global Reports
Up to 20,000 people protested in Buenos Aires (Argentina) at Brukman and on the Plaza de Mayo (pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5).
In Bolivia about 100,000 took part in a march in 
La Paz, and another 50,000 in El Alto. 200,000 took to the streets in Bogota, Colombia.
In Sweeden, demonstrations with red and black banners were held in about 25 locations. About 1500 people marched and danced to heavy music in Stockholm, 600 gathered in Malmö, 200 in Uppsala, 1500 in Gothenburg. Clashes with police, and smashing of windows happened in Stockholm, reportedly started off by police. Read the report in Italian or in English .
Spain: around 10,000 people marched in Zaragoza in two different marches, around a thousand in Teruel, 1,500 in Andorra, where anti-Franco guerrilleros buried in common ground were paid homage, around 300 people in Huesca. Read report in Spanish.
In Madrid,the leader of the communist union suffered an aggression and had to be evacuated from the demonstration.
Read report in Catalan from Barcelona.
Italy (all reports in Italian): In Rome, 50,000-60,000 people marched and another 500 - 1,000 participated in a critical mass. Report and time line, pictures: |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|. In Milan, around 50,000 demonstratros took to the streets according to organisers, in a climate of festivity. Read report and picture. Reports also from Torino,Sicilia and Naples.
France (all reports in French: demonstrations were held in Paris, (reports, pictures) in St. Etiene, (pics and reports in French) and Liège, where a school was occupied and turned into a Temporary Autonomous Zone for four days.
Switzerland: Zürich (in German): 4000 people in Basle and 7000 in Zürich, 1500-2000 people in 'revolutionary bloc' in Zürich (after the official march had dispersed). Luzern (in German): Robocops in Luzern. Solothurn (in German): 300 demonstrators shouting "Nazis out!', 'several 1000 swiss franks damage'
Lausanne (French). Bellinzona (Italian). Lugano (Italian).
Germany:
Berlin: in total 60 actions, demos and streetparties; biggest 'revolutionary May 1st demo' in Kreuzberg with 5000-10000 strong crowd; 6pm 'spectrum' demo of 2000 in Mitte (former East). According to police sources, around 1,300 people demonstrated, with 139 arrests, and 175 police officers injured. Read reports in Italian or in German: |1|2|3|, video, and pics kreuzberg.
Frankfurt: Antifa demo, (traditionally there are Nazi marches on May 1st; Nazi organizers didn't show up, few skinheads isolated, no clashes) report |1|2|
Nürnberg: 1000 demonstrators; 44 arrested (all released at 10pm). report and pics.
Hamburg: 1000 demonstrators; fluffy; report with pictures
Oldenburg: 400 strong demo; march briefly blocked by riot police who retreated after verbal exchanges; street party into the night:
Austria: Bregenz: 100 demonstrators, mostly kurds and turks;
===========================
Other Global Reports:
| Thessaloniki | Prague | Paris | Australia 1,2 | Dublin Pictures,report | Portugal 1,2 |
Mayday Archive:
Mayday 2002 | Mayday 2001 | Mayday 2000
Beltane Fire Society cancels festival in Edinburgh !
17-03-2003 23:00
After 15 years of existence, Beltane Fire Society had to cancel its festival this year. Beltane on Calton Hill has become a major subcultural event in Edinburgh, attracting almost 14 000 people each year to its Celtic Pagan celebration.The Fire show is known for its exceptional, brilliant performances by the passionate, committed volunteers of the non-profit-making community arts organisation.
Now the costs are spiraling over £14,000 for the running of the festival, and so the self-funded, autonomous festival can not proceed. With the refusal of funds by the Arts Council, and the rising costs especially the costs demanded by the Council, the grassroots festivals organisers see themselves unable to cope with the rising demands.
[ full story | pictures of the festival | Beltane Fire Society | Tepooka]
Protest and attempted occupation at Spanish embassy in Edinburgh
11-03-2003 23:00
The Spanish embassy in Edinburgh was targeted by about fifty activists, who attempted to occupy the representative institution of the Spanish state and its politics. Scuffles broke out and two people were at one point thrown to the floor and handcuffed by police, but later released without charges or arrest.
The action at the Spanish embassy had the aim to reveal the repressive measures in conjunction with the war-propaganda as well as the further institutional ignorance towards right-wing, fascist structures in Spain.
[full report and picture | more pictures| picture1 | | picture2 | theoretical background]
Edinburgh Claimants destroy forces recruitment brochures
28-02-2003 00:00
On Wednesday, 26th of february, Edinburgh Claimants have destroyed armed forces recruitment material in an Edinburgh Job Centre in resistance to the threatened war with Iraq. The shredded material was returned through the letter box. The group also explains its action, that “ The army and other armed forces try to take advantage of unemployed people?s poverty ”[full story | Edinburgh Claimants]
World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, World Economic Forum in Davos
27-01-2003 23:00
Whilst Civil Society gathers in Porto Alegre for the 3rd World Social Forum to debate alternatives to neoliberalism and economic globalisation, world finance "leaders" and CEO's of the main global corporations meet behind closed doors for this year's summit of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos to further implement economic globalisation policies.
Update Jan 31st: WSF ends with brutal police repression. Police violently attacked protesters and bystanders on the last day of the World Social Forum. It started when a Mapuche woman who was attending the WSF was arrested with charges of "obscene acts" for bathing nude in a river. Activists saw this and organized over 400 people to protest by nonviolently taking their clothes off in solidarity. When the nude protest left the youth camp to march downtown the police attacked. After injuring and arresting some of the the nude protesters the police lashed out at journalists and bystanders. An unknown number of people were hospitalized or arrested as a result of the police assault.
Video of the protest | Photos of the Nude Protest Against Police Brutality | More Photos
The World Social Forum in Porto Alegre started on the 23th of January and will continue until January 28. The WSF presents itself as a space for diverse activities, workshops, debates and lectures about alternatives to the current economic and political state of affairs, as well as a space for the exchange of ideas, experiences and struggles.
The activities of this year's WSF began with a "March for the Peace against the Militarization and the War" [photo and report (bra). At the same time, and parallel to them main march, another anti-capitalist demonstration took part in the streets of Porto Alegre. Photo and reports 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
The workshops of January 24 included a "Conference against the militarization and the war", and a debate on "Communication for the exertment of the Citizenship". On the same day Greenpeace organised an anti-nuclear action against the installation of Angra III's Nuclear Plant in Rio De Janeiro.
January the 25th saw a conference of the People's Global Action as part of the event "Life After Capitalism" which debated issues of participatory democracy and notions of consuption and income. A meeting of the global network of Social Youth Movements also took place. At the same time different marches and demonstrations took place in the streets of the city.
For latest updates and reports in English see IMC-Brasil.
Hear daily Radio stream [offline now] from Porto Alegre.
For a full programme of events see the WSF website.
At the same time, in the Swiss city of Davos another type forum was taking place. The summit of the World Economic Forum (24-28 Jan) met in secretive talks whilst fences and hundreds or riot police [photos 1 | 2] protected the "global economic leaders" from up to 5000 anti-capitalist demonstrators that thook the streets of Davos and the nearby city of Fideris [photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ].
On Sunday 26, people returning from the mountain city of Davos were met with hundreds of riot police in Bern and clashes ensued [photos].
For latest updates and reports see IMC-Switzerland, the Anti-WEF website and the Netstrike against the WEF.
Argentina rebellion anniversary
21-12-2002 23:00
ARGENTINA REBELLION ANNIVERSARY D 19 - 21: Global Piquet
On December 19th and 20th massive mobilizations took place in Buenos Aires, throughout Argentina and around the world, to mark the 1 year anniversary of the popular rebellion in Argentina ousting former President Fernando de la Rua.
European movement converges on Social forum
10-11-2002 23:00
A European Social Forum took place in Florence, Italy the week of 6/10th November billed as ≥an open meeting space for in-depth reflection, democratic debate, free exchange of experiences and planning of effective action among entities and movements of civil society engaged in building a planetary society centred on the human being.≤ It is an offshoot of the World Social Forum that took place in Porto Alegre, Brasil a where 'civil society', Unions, NGO's and activists converged to give a positive counter to the World Economic Forum of business leaders in Davos and later New York.
The official event ran concurrently with a number of other initiatives including: The Euro@ction Hub project [pics | report] - an interconnection tool and space to reflect upon the media, processes of political production, communication between activists and new forms of expression; The Disobedienti No Work No Shop space - an axis of discussion and experimentation researching questions of knowledge and intellectual properties, income and new forms of workplace conflicts, Zapatism and diplomacy from below, Europe and migrants; Additionally the Cobas union and MAT held separate events showing the breadth and limits of such a European social justice movement.
Check out Global Radio in English from Sherwood Communicazione.
Reports:
Sat 9th: Up to 1 million people are currently taking the streets of Florence to demonstrate their opposition to the War; see participant's first impressions and overview. Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Photos:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6, videos: 1 | 2 and video streaming.
Fri 8th: Disobedienti occupy Caterpillar factory, meanwhile a Hub Street parade has taken place [Photos 1 | 2 | 3]. Report of a NoSweat seminar. Photos of the critical mass.
Thu 7th: Day One + pics, A Hub report, and explanation. Photos of anti-war demo at US Army base Camp Darby 1 | 2
There have been rumours of the borders being blocked, and reports are coming in of a UK participant being turned back.
Big Blether .... is over for a couple of years!
08-09-2002 23:00
We were blethering at Talamh Life Centre, Lanarkshire from 6-8 September 2002.
Roughly every two years, we, the grassroots activists come together to enjoy ourselves and to inspire and encourage each other. The whole weekend was about direct action, peace and environmental issues and campaigning for social and ecological justice. At this DIY gathering we had the chance to learn new skills and broaden our minds and share our hopes, fears and experiences.
There were workshops, practical skills sharing, networking, mutual support, positive solutions, solidarity, alternative lifestyles, blethering, music, sunshine, camping ...
Full story at:
article and pictures
Also see our website at:
http://www.j12.org/bigblether
Thousands take to the streets after 2 killed in cold blood
01-07-2002 23:00
On Wednesday 26th June during demonstrations in Buenos Aires the police shot in the head and killed two young men in an execution style murder. Tear gas was also used against the anti-government protesters in the worst riots since the government was toppled last December.
On the following day thousands of people took to the streets outside the National Congress Building to protest over the deaths, and calling for President Eduardo Duhalde to resign. At the same time teachers and state workers also went on strike against the government's repression and Argentina's worsening economic crisis, brought on by the austerity measures imposed by the IMF. On Friday 29th the governor of the State of Buenos Aires ordered the arrests of two policemen and suspended over 100 others after a newspaper published photographs which showed the police shooting one of the demonstrators in cold blood.
A statement from IMC Argentina said "We just received notice that one of the murdered piqueteros is Dario Santillan, 21 years old, a friend from the La F Neighborhood. Dario, part of the MTD (Unemployed Worker's Movement) in the area, was a bricklayer who worked every day in a factory making bricks for a new community hall. He lived on land taken a few months ago, on a vacant farm. All of us participating in Indymedia had the fortune of sharing with him several pickets, assemblies and unforgettable conversations. In these moments we don't have words to express our pain and our anger. His murderers will pay for having stolen from us this beautiful friend."
Read reports discribing the huge mobilisation of homeless people, workers, assemblies, students, and leftist parties that took the city center for several hours. The roads were again blocked and travel was impeded in Neuqu»n, Salta, Jujuy, Mendoza, Ri€ Negro, Chaco, Tucum∑n, Santa Fe, Catamarca, La Pampa, and various parts of the country. Media coverage of the events was also criticised for serving the powerful's agenda. "The crisis has caused two new death", was the title in the local newspaper as if the crisis had shot the bullets without resorting to the services of the police. Right after that, amounting to the intimidation campaign, the same daily said that today "they will try to march to the Plaza de Mayo", as if this were an exploit, rather than a right.
[ Argentina IMC | Argentina IMC in english | Summary of Available Photos & Audio]
Actions against the Seville EU summit
21-06-2002 22:00
EU Summit in Seville: General Strike and Actions.Million people against liberalisation of Labour Laws
23-03-2002 23:00
On Saturday March 23 up to 2,000,000 marched in Rome against the proposed abolition of art.18, an article of the labour law preventing workers from being fired without valid reasons. The demonstration went ahead despite calls from the Berlusconi government to suspend it in the wake of the killing of Marco Biagi - adviser of the Minister for Welfare - on Tuesday 19th in Bologna.
The Italian Police deemed 'credible' a document published on Thursday 21st March on the website www.caserta24ore.org in which 'The Red Brigades Combatant - Communist Party' claimed responsibility for the murder.
The killing of Biagi has been widely condemned by the institutional left in Italy which quickly moved to use today's demonstration as a show of opposition to terrorism and as a call for "national unity" that in the 70's established the premise for a crackdown on social movements.
COBAS, Disobbedienti and the social centres movement have condemned the murder as a 'pro-regime homicide'.
The timing of the murder, and the way in which it was quickly linked by the Berlusconi government to the Left, raises memories of the 70's and of the 'strategy of tension' which saw state sponsorship of terrorist acts which were then blamed on the left.
A general workers strike against the reforms of the labour law will go ahead at some point during the month of April. Indymedia Italy | Foto
Fiesta for Life in the Docklands 2001
10-09-2001 22:00
The Campaign Against Arms Trade and the umbrella group Disarm DSEI have joined in a "Fiesta for Life against Death" in the Docklands of London to shut down DSEI, the largest arms fair in Europe.Coverage from Gothenburg EU summit protests
17-06-2001 22:00
Thousands converge in Sweden's second largest city to protest at the European Union summit. Migration, corporate Europe and militarisation are among the many issues raised by protesters.Mayday 2001 Timeline
30-04-2001 23:00
Timeline of events and actions in London on Mayday 2001.