UK UK Newswire Archive
Social Centre Plus
26-04-2011 01:24
Local residents who occupied the old Job Centre on Deptford High Street with the aim of "converting it into an anti-cuts space for the community" have responded to a legally binding eviction order for this Tuesday by announcing a series of events, culminating in a "mass meeting of anti-cuts activists" the night before. The collective - who go by the name of Social Centre Plus - also plan to bring the local community together against the government's budget cuts, with spoken word concerts, children's days, film showings and market day cafés.
Members of the Social Centre Plus collective were in Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday 30th March to hear the Judge accept the argument of Paul Jackson from Victory Land, the owners of the site on 122 Deptford High Street, and rubber-stamped an order that allows Jackson and bailiffs to forcefully evict the occupation. "They've notified us that they'll arrive this Tuesday morning," Nasser Khan said. "So we've got a raft of activities to keep us busy in the meantime, and we're calling on the local community to come down and participate. It's your space, so we want to hear your ideas!"
When asked what the SCP Collective had planned for after the eviction, Khan replied that they hadn't discussed the issue. "What's important now is that we all work together to use the space as an effective space to counter the brutal cuts being implemented both by the Tories and Lib Dems in Westminster, and the Labourites running Lewisham Council," Khan continued.
Police Attempt to Disrupt Benefit Gigs in South London
25-04-2011 23:30
On Saturday 23rd of April and Sunday 24th of April, the Metropolitan Police attempted to harass and intimidate the management of two established and fully licensed venues with intelligence gathering - or 'fishing' - exercises. The two venues, both in the Borough of Lambeth in South London, were set to host benefit parties for FITwatch and London Student Solidarity Campaign respectively.North London Strike at Tindle
25-04-2011 21:22
North London and Herts NUJ on strike over non-replacement of staff by owners Tindle Newspapers Limited. Week 1: April 19, 2011, to April 21, 2011.
some background: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/apr/15/tindle-group-downturn
Heckler & Koch armed Bahrain regime
25-04-2011 20:23
With security forces in Bahrain attacking protesters and dragging doctors from their beds, it has emerged that Nottingham-based arms company Heckler & Koch has supplied 13 000 rounds of small arms ammunition to Bahrain. The ammo was for H&K rifles and submachine guns, which have been used by Bahraini police against the democracy movement in the last few weeks.
Although the sale took place before the current wave of unrest began, H&K cannot have been unaware of the repressive nature of the Bahraini regime. In 2009, the year the ammo was supplied, both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reported that Bahraini police were carrying out abductions, torture and beatings of political activists.
By arming repressive regimes such as this, H&K is complicit in their human rights abuses. The company has an international sales office in Nottingham, which has been the target of numerous protests in the four years since it was discovered.
Sheffield Universities to Charge High Fees
25-04-2011 19:11
Report and analysis on the recent decision of both of the city's Universities to charge near-maximum tuition fees.Palestine Today 04 25 2011
25-04-2011 18:54
In the first few hours, hundreds are estimated to have been massacred (over and above the 350 shot dead in the last three days) and thousands injured. Denied medical attention, they are left in the streets to die.Report from Pembrokeshire gig for Bradley Manning
25-04-2011 18:09
Report from Saturday's benefit gig held in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where Bradley's Mum and other relatives still live.Mayday! Mayday! Save our libraries!
25-04-2011 17:36
To celebrate International Workers’ Day Library Workers For A Brighter Future and Sheffield Uncut would like to invite you to the opening of the Sheffield Peoples’ Library
http://ukuncut.org.uk/actions/525 . The exact location is yet to be confirmed, but we will meet in Cathedral Square at 1pm and proceed to the venue which we will occupy and transform into a library.
Solidarity Attack In London For The Chilean Anarchists
25-04-2011 17:16
Around 3am on April 25 we paid a visit to SANTANDER BANK in Tooting High Road,South London.
STONES TO THE WINDOW AND SLOGAN FREEDOM TO THE CHILEAN ANARCHISTS!
Anarchists.
Save Hayward House Daycare
25-04-2011 16:23
It has recently emerged that the daycare service at Hayward House is to terminate on September 1st. This has generated considerable anger amongst service users, volunteers and staff. A campaign has sprung up in response, generating impressive media coverage and attracting a wide range of support in a limited period.
Upcoming Event: Save Hayward House Daycare Campaign Meeting, 7pm, Monday 16th May, Carlton Fire Station, Manor Rd, NG4 3AY.
On the newswire: Hayward House: Please sign petition against Closure | Hayward House: Interview with service user | Hayward House: Interview with campaigner | Campaign to save Hayward House daycare strengthens | The Cruellest Cuts
Hayward House daycare is unique in the area, in that, alongside personal, social and emotional care, it also provides superb medical palliative care from a highly skilled team of doctors and nurses. Many patients have described how their pain had been unbearable, and was not treated effectively in an oncology ward, yet the doctors at Hayward House were able to do enough to bring quality of life back to their last months or weeks. Patients are naturally very upset and angry at the proposed closure, and this is doing their health no good.
gig for Bradley Manning
25-04-2011 14:22
New Zealand Blues artist John McLean sings the Black Civil Rights movement song 'Woke up this Morning with my Mind on Freedom' for accused Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning at public meeting and gig at Giuseppe Conlon Hall, London, hosted by the London Catholic Worker. 17 April 2011
gig for Bradley Manning 2
25-04-2011 14:22
US Catholic Worker from Missouri, Steve Jacobs, performing anti-war songs at Giuseppe Conlon Hall, a London Catholic Worker house, at an event for accused WikiLeaks whistleblower Bradley Manning on 17 April 2011.
Dangerous Despot Arrives in London for Royal Wedding- Demo Tuesday 23rd, London
25-04-2011 13:29
King Mswati iii, the despotic ruler of Swaziland arrives with his entourage of 50 to stay at The Dorchester Hotel tomorrow - Come and vent your disgust at his disgusting opulence and that of our royals who think it's fine to invite him!For a detailed lowdown on Mswati see www.newint.org/features/2005/05/01/worldbeaters/
Dale Farm: MPs want eviction called off
25-04-2011 12:22
With the UK Government urging local councils to mount anti-Gypsy
clearance operations over the Easter holiday, speculation has sharpened
as to the fate of Dale Farm. The only Traveller-owned village - facing the furious
folly of a 20m euro bulldozer-led onslaught - is enjoying greater support than at
any time during its ten year-long siege.
( By Grattan Puxon , Dal Farm ) Meetings are taking place this week aimed at deterring Basildon Borough council from ordering the final assault, while voices from within all three major
political parties have called for restraint. Many are coming to see that
exclusion methods will exacerbate a fraught situation, not only for Dale Farm
families and the rest of Britain’s 350,000 Gypsies, but for the whole concept
of the much vaunted Big Society.
A delegation from an all party parliamentary group which, together with an Irish
Embassy representative, visited Dale Farm last week is to recommend that
fellow MPs back efforts to find alternative land for those facing eviction. Their
stance has the authority of the UN special rapporteur on the right to housing
Raquel Rolnik, who has appealed to the UK over the massive clearance plan.
“Land is available within Basildon if the council will only agree to use it,” said
Lord Avebury while lunching with the Travellers. “Eviction can most certainly be
avoided.”
Andrew Slaughter MP, Labour’s shadow justice minister, and MP Rodney Bickerstaffe,
former head of Unison, were among those at the meeting, together with Conservative Richard Bennett, one-time chair of the Local Government Association. Lib Dem MP Andrew George has recently put down a motion asking Parliament to endorse the proposition that there can be no justification for evicting Travellers such as those at
Dale Farm when there is nowhere else for them to go.
Before the week is over, a further team of legal observers will have received training
in London for deployment during what could to be a month of confrontation and demolition. They will join dozens already signed up by Essex University Human
Rights Clinic.
Harlow Against the Cuts, in company with anti-fascist and socialist groups, has
scheduled for Thursday one of a number of information nights held around the
country to recruit people willing to camp out with the Travellers. This volunteer
home-guard is said to number over one thousand, with more on social networking
yet to commit to a nonviolent protest.
Both the Children’s Commission and the Basildon Primary Care Trust have
expressed concern over the trauma likely to be inflicted on children during the
operation. The potential for human rights violations has been spelt out in an
internationally-backed legal memorandum and a pre-action letter served on the
council warns of judicial review proceedings should a final 28-day eviction notice
be served this week.
"We look at this as civil defence," said a Dale Farm mother. "Everyone
will be here to uphold human rights law and stop breaches of safety, which are
sure to happen when people are being dragged out and our homes crushed."
Info Night for Dale Farm
28 April 2011
Harlow Uncut
Gibson Court
Bishopsfields
Harlow, Essex
7.30pm
3 Catholic Workers Arrested at Downing St
25-04-2011 12:22
Good Friday Resistance: 3 Catholic Workers Arrested at 10 Downing St. - "Stop the Crucifixion of Bradley Manning, Iraq and Afghanistan!" Three Catholic Workers were arrested after they breached the security gate at the entrance of 10 Downing St. in London, the home of the UK Prime Minister in a "Free Bradley Manning" action.
Three Catholic Workers (CWers) were arrested after they breached the security gate at the entrance of 10 Downing St. in London, the home of the UK Prime Minister in a "Free Bradley Manning" action. The three arrested were Steve Jacobs of the Columbia Missouir, CW, Frank Cordaro of the Des Moines Iowa CW and Ciaron O'Reilly of Giuseppe Conlon House, London CW.
The witness took concluded the annual Good Friday Stations of the Cross organized by the London CW, the London CW Farm and the Oxford CW. In the introduction to the booklet prepared for this years Stations, the CW'ers note that Christians around the world remember that Jesus was crucified, suffered and died to show God's love for us
on this day. CW'ers believe that Christ continues to be condemned and crucified today, in those who suffer as a result of:
The Arms Trade – which crucifies the poor.
Climate Change - which crucifies creation.
War – which crucifies the innocent.
Torture – which is a form of crucifixion.
Nuclear Weapons – which threaten to destroy the earth
International Debt – which is like the burden of the cross to the poor.
Homelessness – which reveals the ragged face of the crucified Christ.
Immigration Policy-which condemns the innocent people fleeing
persecution, poverty and violence.
To highlight each of these forms of modern day crucifixions a “Geography of Suffering” was mapped out in the heart of London. Using the scripture reflections of Fr Emmanuel Charles McCarthy of the Center for Christian Nonviolence's Stations of the Cross as a
template, 15 sites within walking distance were mapped out to correspond to the 15 traditional Stations of the Cross.
http://www.centerforchristiannonviolence.org/data/Media/Stations%20of%20the%20Cross%20%5B03a%5D.pdf
Starting with the first station at 10 Downing Street, a procession of 20 people moved to the Ministry of Defense building, the Dept. of Energy and Climate Change offices, the arms dealer Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia headquarters, the Foreign Office, the Parliament, the Milbank – home of the Committees on Arms Export Controls, the Security Service MI-5 building, a Home Office building – responsible for immigration
control, former headquarter offices of Lockheed Martin – arms manufacture, the headquarters of Qinetiq – a British global defense technology company, offices of Rolls Royce – its military contract branch, the Defense and Security Organization offices, the Treasury Office and ending back at 10 Downing St.
When the group returned to 10 Downing Street. Ciaron O'Reilly made his way to the front of the crowd of tourists, close to the security gate. Frank Cordaro and Steve Jacobs followed close behind. At the same time a London police security officer open the security gate to let a car out of the Prime Ministers compound. That was all Ciaron,
Frank and Steve needed to slip past the security officer and set up their protest inside the security space separating the public and the Prime Ministers compound. (Stroke of luck? Act of God? There are no accidents... )
What followed was a 40 minute stand off between the London police and the three CW'ers. The time was not wasted. As soon as it was clear that the police were not going to remove the three CW'ers immediately, Ciaron started doing what he is known best for - “Soap Box” speaking.
As hundreds of tourists made there way past the site, Ciaron started to inform them of why we were holding our protest to free Bradley Manning. When he stopped Frank and Steve stepped in to fill in with the public education moment, with help from NYC CW'er Carmen Trotta and Oxford CW'er Sr Susan Clarkson.
At one point Frank was able to read the Gospel of Mark's Good Friday account – stopping to remind the crowds were Jesus was being tortured in the text.
Through out the stand off, different London police officers tried to negotiate with Frank, Steve and Ciaron to remove themselves from the site, informing them that they were illegaly occupying space that could get them arrested and taken off to jail. All three CW'ers told the officers that they were perfectly aware of the possibility of
arrest and jail and that despite this they were not going to remove themselves voluntarily.
Armed police showed up immediately, followed by a couple of vans of riot police. Police repeatedly informed Steve, Frank and Ciaron that they were going to be placed under arrest.
The 40 minute stand off concluded when the three CW'ers were escorted away from the prime ministers residence. All three were taken across the street, questioned and released – no charges as yet been made.
Flickr Slide Show of 2011 Good Fri. Stations of the Cross in London England
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frank_cordaro_and_the_dm_catholic_worker/sets/72157626433509611/
Flickr Slide Show of 3 CWers Arrested at 10 Downing St - 2011 Good Fri.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frank_cordaro_and_the_dm_catholic_worker/sets/72157626558462886/
For more info and updates contact:
Ciaron O'Reilly
ciaronx AT yahoo.com
Blog http://ciaron.wordpress.com/
London Catholic Worker
londoncatholicworker AT yahoo.co.uk
http://www.londoncatholicworker.org/
London CW Farm
http://www.thecatholicworkerfarm.org/
Phone: (44) (0)1923 777201 Mobile: (+44) 07983 477819
E-mail: thecatholicworkerfarm AT yahoo.co.uk
Britain, the traitor nation: Media disinformation and crimes against humanity
25-04-2011 11:43
The actual axis of evil is very busy. One pole, the dominant one, is in Tel Aviv. The other pole is Washington. In the middle is London, and now Paris. London gives the axis propriety with all the flummery. It also gives its cunning and its historical knowledge of imperialism. The power shifts backward and forward along that axis as busily as those jets carrying the psychopaths who pull the triggers.
3 Catholic Workers Arrested at Downing St.-"Stop the Crucifixion of Brad Manning
25-04-2011 06:32
LONDON -Good Friday Resistance: 3 Catholic Workers Arrested at 10 Downing St. - "Stop the Crucifixion of Bradley Manning, Iraq and Afghanistan!"Three Catholic Workers were arrested after they breached the security gate at the
entrance of 10 Downing St. in London, the home of the UK Prime Minister in a "Free Bradley Manning" action.
North London Strike at Tindle
25-04-2011 01:24
North London and Herts NUJ on strike over non-replacement of staff by owners Tindle Newspapers Limited. Week 1: April 19, 2011, to April 21, 2011.
some background: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/apr/15/tindle-group-downturn
gig for Bradley Manning
25-04-2011 01:24
New Zealand Blues artist John McLean sings the Black Civil Rights movement song 'Woke up this Morning with my Mind on Freedom' for accused Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning at public meeting and gig at Giuseppe Conlon Hall, London, hosted by the London Catholic Worker. 17 April 2011