UK UK Newswire Archive
Laser Assault On Town Hall
29-05-2011 11:55
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On Saturday night, the laser unit of Nottingham Animal Rights powered up in the city centre and projected "Meat is murder" and the Angry Bunny (the NottmAR mascot) onto the town hall.
Across the country, awareness is growing of how damaging animal agriculture is to the environment and of the extreme savagery and animal suffering inherent in the meat industry.
With strong links to both heart disease and cancer (the two biggest killers in the western world) meat is considered by many doctors to be the "smoking" of the 21st century, and totally unnecessary with a balanced plant based diet.
Saturday marks the climax of National Vegetarian Week 2011 (http://www.nationalvegetarianweek.org/), the UK’s annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle.
Around the country, vibrant, progressive cities have boasted colourful, health promoting attractions and the spirit of carnival in their town squares - events such as "Meat free in Manchester!" and the huge "Bristol Vegfest!"
Nottingham is sadly left behind though.
At one point the town hall hosted the East Midlands Vegan Festival, a seasonal event overwhelmingly popular with Christmas shoppers and the second largest festival of its kind in the country... but the city council have now scrapped it and instead rent public space to all manner of meat markets, including stalls selling the most controversial of foodstuffs like Foie Gras (an 80% fat pate made from the massively swollen livers of force fed, factory farmed ducks and geese).
Some hoped that when the city council of Ghent, our sister city in Belgium adopted a meat free day recognizing the health and climate change benefits of cutting down on meat (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/13/ghent-belgium-vegetarian-day), Nottingham might follow suit?
It was not to be however, the decision makers seeming to have ears only for the schmoozers of lucrative, corporate, leisure franchises, not for the trickle of melting ice and not for the health complaints of the community that elected them to their ivory tower.
The laser used in these projections is no more powerful than the kind one would find in a modern DVD player (just radiating at a different frequency), but with a high degree of spatial and temporal coherence, a visible beam from a pen size semiconductor laser dims and diverges little over tens of kilometres facilitating all manner of creative and educational applications.
Lasers are a 60's sci-fi dream that has made it to mass-produced, cheap ubiquity, yet there remains nothing ordinary about laser light...
But then, in a city with such an anti-vegetarian council, perhaps the message of Nottingham Animal Rights found old walls in no ordinary darkness.
Trouble at Brook House IRC
29-05-2011 10:55
Continuing harsh relation between staff and detainees, has once again lead to protestManchester students chase arms company off campus
29-05-2011 10:12
Representatives of BAE were invited by the Mathematics Department to take part in an “industrial maths workshop” , intended to provide students with “experience in engaging with industry”. An email sent around the department also noted that another intention of the day was for the arms dealer “to fund a (sic) MSc project in which the supervisor will receive £500 to his/he r research budget”.
UK Uncut Challenges the Bankers.
29-05-2011 09:55
On a wet and windy Saturday afternoon around 50 Bristolians attended a UK Uncuts protest to save the NHS. The protesters were drawing attention to the relation between the huge bank bailout and the cuts being inflicted upon public services. Shoppers milling about were receptive to the protesters, many dressed as doctors, as they handed out leaflets and spoke to passers-by about the banks and the cuts.
On a wet and windy Saturday afternoon around 50 Bristolians attended a UK Uncut protest to save the NHS. The protesters assembled in Castle Park before moving to protest outside the Bristol Broadmead branch of Barclays. The protesters were drawing attention to the relation between the huge bank bailout and the cuts being inflicted upon public services.
Shoppers milling about were receptive to the protesters, many dressed as doctors, as they handed out leaflets and spoke to passers-by about the banks and the cuts.
Barclays bank was targetted due to its policy of avoiding paying UK taxes, its underpaid workforce as well as being part of the sector that protesters explained took ?1,000,000,000,000 of public money after having destroyed the world economy. In the midst of a government campaign to convince the public that human beings must accept cuts to public services and a decline in the standard of living, the protesters were angry that we are also being told that it was necessary to give billions of pounds of public money to millionaires who refuse to contribute to the public purse.
On protester explained, "it's like Robin Hood in reverse. I'm amazed that so many people believe the lie that we need to make cuts - if that's true, then where do they find the money to give to the banks?".
Full Story | The Bitter Irony of Using the Financial Crisis to Scrap the NHS (UK Uncut) | Britain Before and After the NHS (UK Uncut) |Keep Our NHS Public | Landsley's Ally on NHS Reforms Faces Conflict of Interest Questions (Guardian)A leaflet being handed out reiterated this point: the boss of Barclays takes ?11,000,000 per year in his pay packed, yet the banking sector is still receiving ?100,000,000,000 a year from the public purse.
At the same time ordinary Bristolians are facing ?30,000,000 cuts to services. A young activist explained "that's why we're here. Its about the banks really - somehow everyone has forgotten how much money they stole, and are being to convinced to blame the poor and the unwell for economic problems. It is such nonsense, but people believe it. We are here to tell them otherwise because the media won't".
After an hour or so outside Barclays, the protest moved to the nearby branch of NatWest. There were no arrests.
UG#552 - Defective By Design and The War on Sharing (Copyright or Community?)
29-05-2011 09:01
Dudley EDL members sent to prison
29-05-2011 01:01
Members of the EDL have been sent to prison for the part they played in the violent demonstration that was organised by the English Defence League in Dudley on the 17th July last year.
Weekly Blog Roundup: 28 May
28-05-2011 21:29
A brief roundup of the best posts to Oxford blogs which we'll try and post weekly. Its just links and summaries of posts by radical Oxford bloggers. If you have a blog you think we should add, chuck it in the comments.'Funk the Cuts' street party in Leeds city centre
28-05-2011 16:55
'Funk the Cuts' targets scores of high street banks and flagship stores in Leeds
Inspired by UK Uncut, a new group calling themselves 'Funk the Cuts' have set up in opposition to the government cuts currently being implemented. This Saturday saw the groups first day of protests as 40 people gathered outside the Corn Exchange in Leeds City Centre at 11.30am. From there they went on to highlight the alternative to the government cuts by targeting the banks who were bailed out by the taxpayer and two flagship stores avoiding paying the tax.
'Political parties' were set up inside Natwest, Barclays, Topshop and Vodaphone. Among the people involved in the protest were many people involved who were new to direct action. All four banks and shops were shut down for up to 20 minutes each - and hundreds of flyers were handed out to the public along the way.
A spokesperson for the group, Joseph Blake said:
“We know the energy that goes into having a party every weekend in this city. Funk the Cuts is a callout to channel this energy against the cuts. People across the UK are rightfully angry at the ideological cuts being implemented but feel helpless that there is nothing they can do about it. Funk the Cuts is about using direct action in a funky and creative way to encourage as many people as possible to take part.”
A student from Leeds University who helped set up Funk the Cuts said:
“Across Europe people are now starting to stand up against illegitimate government austerity measures which are protecting the very richest whilst impacting on the very poorest disproportionately. From the student protests in London, to the riots in Greece, the union protests in France and the recent demonstrations in the capital of Spain, ordinary people are coming together to say we won't pay for your crisis”.
InfoUsurpa 30th May - 5th June
28-05-2011 13:55
weekly radical events and actions listings for london
all events are free or on donation unless otherwise stated
Demonstrations against IMF today in Athens
28-05-2011 13:49
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgRTqLWVKd8
Critical Mass London ride 27-5-2011
28-05-2011 09:55
A very spirited and happy ride.
There were at least five or more sound systems, some of them amazing music and loud, and several skateboarders. It took an interesting route West for a change and didn't stray too far from Central London. Because of roadworks the ride was a tad slow at times and cars blocking lanes didn't help. A few drivers attempted to force their way into the mass of cyclists but they were met mainly with good humoured derision. Bikes were held high at a set of red traffic lights and in Piccadilly Circus. The ride more more less ended by invading Trafalgar Square and riding circuits around the fountains, followed by a bit of partying there to music.
Video to follow.
http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/
Reforming Our Understanding of Violence
28-05-2011 09:46
Structural violence is the effect of a systemic imbalance in society that prefers the interests of some over others. Its dynamics are less visible than that of direct violence, where the causes are generally easier to identify. The use of direct violence is mostly a state affair manifested in armed conflict. The participation of the general population is predominantly one of inaction. Structural violence, however, tends to involve the participation of the general population which is both a cause for concern and optimism.Solidarity with prisoners in Greece!
28-05-2011 09:17
FILAKI – documentary film about prisoners revolt in greek prisons (2007) http://vimeo.com/11082111 Police attack in Barcelona sparks wave of protests
28-05-2011 08:23
SPANISH protesters remain defiant after a brutal attack by police on the camp for real democracy in the centre of Barcelona on Friday.ESOL Students meet with Nottingham South MP
28-05-2011 00:55
Friday 27th May 2011
Protesting about cuts to these courses, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) met with Lillian Greenwood MP [Nttm S] at her constituency offices in Regent Street, Nottingham. They presented her with a report on the consequences of the policy. She heared many of their stories and explanations of the likely hardships it will lead to. She promised to raise the issues with the Minister and to transmit their concerns.
The government are preparing to cut much of this service. Even stranger, it had earlier pronounced that it expected imigrants to this country to have some ability with the english language as a condition of citizenship. Further, there is obviously a requirement for anyone seeking work here, to be able to speak english. Not very joined-up thinking ...... me thinks!
ESOL Cuts Will Devastate Language Education, says Action for ESOL
ESOL teachers and students are campaigning to defend ESOL programmes. They are warning that Government cuts in ESOL funding will devastate language provision for people who don’t speak English as their first language.
Currently, ESOL classes are free to students in receipt of a range of benefits, including Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Benefit. Others pay subsidised fees for classes.
But the government has proposed cuts amounting to 50% over 3 years. From September 2011, only those getting JSA and some receiving the new Employment Support Allowance, will be entitled to free classes. The cost of classes is also expected to rise to around £900.
In Nottingham, 76% of students do not receive JSA or ESA and are currently studying on free courses or paying subsidised fee rates. They will be expected to pay fees for the first time or fees that are 50% to 66% higher than before. This includes people in low waged employment, spouses of people receiving benefit and asylum seekers who have £35 to £39 a week to live on.
Campaigners warn that this will price many students out of learning English.
Campaigners have argued that these new measures discriminate in particular against women, who make up over half of current ESOL students in Nottingham. They argue further that it will make it more difficult for those who don’t speak English as their first language to find sustainable employment, access services, support their children in schools or to participate in society. They point out that many migrants bring important skills and experience to the UK and are keen to contribute to the society.
As a result of these cuts, the government will have to pay more for interpreters, whilst non-English speakers will find themselves caught in a trap of low-waged, insecure work.
Campaigners are angry that the Government has not carried out a credible assessment of the impact of these proposals, and the likely effects on individuals and the wider community. Rather, the Government seems to have the view that migrants simply come to the UK, learn the language and go home.
A spokesperson for Action for ESOL said:
“It is not easy to join ESOL classes and learning a new language is always difficult for adults. There are strict residency rules to meet before a person can join a class. Many may then wait months because there are not enough classes. Many juggle class times with long unsocial or irregular work hours. Many people on low wages may struggle with the current fee rates.
We are calling on the Government to rethink this disastrous policy. It will leave many people without the opportunity to learn English. It contradicts every statement the government has made about the importance of migrants learning English”
Action for ESOL is a national campaign alliance, and includes the lecturers’ union, UCU, the Refugee Council, the National Association for Teachers of English and Community Languages to Adults, trade unions and other organisations.
In Nottingham it is estimated that there are around 3000 to 3,500 ESOL learners in addition to 800 people currently waiting to join classes.
English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/ImprovingYourSkills/DG_10037499
Earlier Event:
English for speakers of other languages ESOL Rally in Market Square
http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/1074
Notts SOS
http://nottssos.org.uk
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Turkey’s top officials: A new regime should be established in Libya
27-05-2011 16:41
[Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, interview on ‘TRT Haber’ TV channel, 25 May 2011]
Arms Factory Attacked
27-05-2011 16:05
A group of pixies attacked Brighton arms factory EDO MBM in the early hours of Friday 27th May.This Week in Palestine week 21 2011
27-05-2011 16:03
Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for May 21st to 27th, 2011.