UK UK Newswire Archive
snooping legislation - local petition handover
17-07-2012 16:55
around a dozen local people joined organiser thomas cooper and 38degrees representative, sondhya gupta, to hand in a petition to jeremy corbyn MP against proposed government snooping legislation which is currently in committee stage at westminster.
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38degrees is a UK organisation with more than a million members utilising the internet to create a powerful voice able to influence government or big business with people-powered campaigns.
they decide on campaigns through an open system of proposals and polls and are funded by donations from their members.
their most notable success to date was the campaign against the selling off of vast tracts of public forest land. the ensuing campaign included a petition of half a million people, and thousands of emails to MPs, as well as an advertising and poster campaign. the result was a huge government climbdown over the privatisation plans.
among their current campaigns, 38degrees are working to publicise government plans for draconian legislation to access everyone's phone, email and internet use without scrutiny or warrant.
the campaign has already attracted more than 140,000 signatories, and in order to maximise and personalise the impact, 38degrees are asking people to organise local hand-ins to individual MPs. to date there have been dozens of these events.
in islington north, thomas cooper took up the baton and organised a meeting to hand in the uk petition and to represent the 926 local votes already registered against the bill.
despite last-minute diary clashes delaying mr corbyn, around a dozen local people joined in the event this morning at his constiuency office near finsbury park. when he arrived, jeremy assured the group that he was firmly against the legislation, and listened to a range of comments and observations from the group.
these included basic concerns of privacy, the right to freedom from intrusion into personal life, the dangers of databases, and the power of corporations, as well as the effect such legislation would have on the UK's right to pressure oppressive states.
after about half an hour of lively discussion, the MP officially accepted the petition and agreed to keep in touch as the bill progresses through parliament.
after mr corbyn left, people continued to share information and ideas about privacy, including alternative search engines such as startpage, the 'trackmenot' (TMN) plug-in for firefox browsers, the use of VPNs such as btguard, and the 'tor' anonymiser system.
EDO MBM shut-down after activists lock on to police cordon
17-07-2012 16:37
On Monday 16th July anti arms trade campaigners held a mass ‘citizens’ weapons inspection’ of the EDO MBM arms factory in Brighton.Jimmy Mubenga - no charges
17-07-2012 13:59
G4S employees in charge of Jimmy Mubenga on the flight when he collapsed and died will not face any charges despite counsel finding that his treatment constitued a "breach of duty". Instead the case will go to a dead-end inquest, like the inquest into the Iraq War that is still being dragged out.Omar Khadr: Canada must repatriate him immediately
17-07-2012 12:55
The betrayal and abuse of Omar Khadr has gone on for far too long: don't be a party to it, take action and add your voice to international calls for his immediate repatriation to Canada
Please take a few moments to add your name to the two petitions below to the Canadian government and copy and paste the letter to the relevant Canadian minister and Canadian High Commissioner to the UK
Take action now!
Omar Khadr, 25, is a Canadian prisoner who will have been held by American forces for 10 years on 27 July 2012; on this date in 2002, aged just 15, he was captured in Afghanistan. Shot, blinded, threatened with rape and other forms of physical and psychological abuse at Bagram and Guantánamo Bay, Omar Khadr is the only child soldier to have been tried as an adult before a military tribunal for war crimes allegedly committed as a minor since World War II. In October 2010, in a secret plea bargain and subject to the use of torture evidence approved by the military tribunal, Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to throwing a grenade that killed one American soldier and wounded another. As part of the plea deal, Omar Khadr was to have his sentence slashed to just eight years, of which he could serve the final 7 years in his native Canada. He has been due for release since October 2011. Although extradition proceedings have been commenced by the US and Canada in his case, Canada has not formally sought his return from the US; the US, on the other hand, is keen to return him, as it fears that the delay in honouring its side of the deal could deter other prisoners from entering similar plea bargains, on the basis that they may not be released eventually. Indeed, given Canada's foot-dragging, last week the US released another convicted prisoner to Sudan.
Canada has been constantly criticised for its failure to act in Omar Khadr's case. In 2010, the Canadian Supreme Court stated that the Canadian government had violated Omar Khadr's constitutional rights. Canadian Senator Roméo Dallaire, the retired army general who led UN forces in Rwanda during the genocide in the mid-1990s and an outspoken advocate for child soldiers, described his country's treatment of Omar Khadr as reflecting "Canada's moral drift" in 2010. The UN Committee Against Torture condemned Canada's stance in June 2012 and demanded the country seek the immediate repatriation of Omar Khadr.
The LGC has taken action for Omar Khadr with a letter writing campaign, along with an Amnesty International group, during the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 http://www.muslimdirectory.co.uk/viewarticle.php?id=484 and a demonstration and petition to coincide with his trial: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/08/456827.html and http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/dangerous-international-precedent.html The LGC also spoke at an Amnesty International UK screening last week of the documentary "Four Days in Guantánamo" (the trailer can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZrERVO19Dg).
At the very latest, Omar Khadr should have been returned to Canada at the end of May this year. Omar Khadr's lawyers are now taking his case to court to force the Canadian government to take back ONE Canadian citizen, who has spent almost half his life in illegal detention. WE CALL ON YOU TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AND ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TO HONOUR ITS OBLIGATIONS AND DUTIES TO ITS CITIZENS AND UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.
1. Add your name to the petitions (and then get your friends, family and colleagues to do likewise):
Senator Roméo Dallaire has put together the following petition to Public Safety Minister, Vic Toews, who has to sign the letter for Omar Khadr's release: http://www.change.org/omarkhadr
The following petition has also been put to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper: http://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-stephen-harper-repatriate-toronto-born-omar-khadr-to-canada-and-rehabilitate-him
2. Send letters to Minister Vic Toews and the Canadian High Commissioner in London:
Amnesty International UK has put together the following letter. Please add your name to it and send or amend/personalise it and send it off. Please let us know if you get a response:
Letter:
I urge you to take swift action to approve Omar Khadr's pending request to be transferred out of Guantánamo Bay and back to Canada.
July 27th 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of Omar Khadr being taken into custody by US soldiers in Afghanistan, where he was held for three months before being transferred to Guantánamo Bay, where he has remained ever since. He has endured a decade of human rights violations, without relief or remedy. Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern that Canada has failed to intervene to ensure that Omar Khadr's rights were properly safeguarded. As a result, numerous serious concerns, including his rights as a child soldier, detention without charge or trial, credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment, access to legal counsel and family visits, and fair trial provisions, have been disregarded by US officials.
The plea deal agreed to by Mr. Khadr in October 2010 was based on the understanding that, as of October 31, 2011 he would be eligible for transfer back to Canada. The Government of Canada acknowledged and accepted that transfer was integral to the plea deal by means of a diplomatic note provided to the US government at the time. In November 2010 former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon stated that "we will implement the agreement that was reached between Mr. Khadr and the government of the United States." US officials have indicated they would support the transfer and are in fact eager to see it go through to encourage other detainees at Guantánamo to enter into similar deals. His transfer application has been with your office for well over a year; and all necessary approvals for his transfer have been finalized by US officials. Your prompt approval of this transfer application will demonstrate that the Canadian government is now taking a strong stand for full and proper protection of Mr. Khadr's rights.
Yours Sincerely
Please send copies to:
The Honourable Vic Toews, (address: Dear Minister:)
Minister of Public Safety,
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Canada
E-mail: vic.toews@parl.gc.ca
Mr. Gordon Campbell, High Commissioner for CanadaHigh Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom in LondonMacdonald House
1 Grosvenor Square
London, W1K 4AB
Fax: 0207 258 6333
Other useful information:
Palestinian territories: Is it the 'Native American Reservation' of our time?
17-07-2012 12:50
Focusing on how illegal settlements continue to destroy Palestinian lives, with some new information, including first hand quotes received by Noam Chomsky and Human Rights watch, in addition to a clear explanation on Zionism, with interesting historical references of land purchases.Uranium Film Festival ends at Rio de Janeiro's Museum of Modern Art
17-07-2012 12:36
Saturday, July the 14th ended the 2nd International Uranium Film Festival in the Cinemateca Rio de Janeiro’s Modern Art Museum MAM. Three films from USA, Sweden and Germany were honoured with the Festival’s Yellow Oscar Awards. Bill Keislings "Not for Public Release: a Nuclear Incident in Lock Haven", USA, received the Best Feature Award and Swedish Filmmaker Marko Kattilakoski the Short film Award for his movie Coffee Break (Fikapaus). "Leonids Story" by German film director Rainer Ludwigs and Ukrainian producer Tetyana Chernyavska got the Yellow Oscar in the animated film category.
Pics from Yesterday's Citizen's Weapons Inspection at EDO in Brighton
17-07-2012 09:47
They came in the morning
16-07-2012 22:55
Many of us would like to find ways of getting "marginal" issues into the mainstream. There is one short film which is in with a shot. The film is called 'they came in the morning' by Leila Sansour, who spoke at the Bristol Palestine Film Festival in 2011.‘More 25,000 trees were uprooted to build a wall around Bethlehem. This is not fiction, this is true’.
This is the closing title sequence of the film, which captures the reaction of Walaja – a Palestinian farmer as he discovers that his livelihood has been felled, with no prior warning or idea of why.
Campaign says no to G4S in Nottingham
16-07-2012 18:55
G4S, the world’s largest security company, have won a £135m public contract to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in the Midlands and East of England and the North East, Yorkshire and Humber regions. The contract will effectively mean the privatisation of housing for asylum seekers, who have previously been housed by housing associations. Campaigners from No to G4S are seeking to challenge the company’s role.
Newswire: Citizens for Sanctuary- unholy alliance with G4S
UK: International campaign against G4S gathers momentum | Activists occupy roof of G4S HQ | G4S housing consultation disrupted
Call for witnesses and footage from arrest on Saturday
16-07-2012 18:55
During the anti-EDL mobilisation in Bristol on Saturday 14th July, a white male of medium build 5f 9” blonde short hair wearing a grey hoody, blue grey jeans, and red boots, was arrested near Redcliffe Bridge (Redcliffe side) around 2:30pm approximately.Weapons Inspection Update - EDO Brighton
16-07-2012 15:35
Full article | 2 additions | 16 comments
Squatting "not dead yet" in Netherlands
16-07-2012 13:40
http://en.squat.net/2012/07/16/netherlands-squatting-not-dead-yet/ for a report with more fotos.
Police made up evidence against terror suspect
16-07-2012 12:55
An investigation into the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit which arrested Nottingham student, Rizwaan Sabir, in 2008, has concluded that officers "made up" evidence against him.
Sabir was arrested for the possession of a document he had downloaded for his academic research. Terrorism expert and University of Nottingham lecturer, Rod Thornton, was interviewed by police about Sabir's studies but, he claims, was never asked about the documents themselves. Internal notes from a meeting of the Gold Group of detectives assigned to the case, however, reveal police quoting Thornton as believing the manual was a "tactical document", something that went on to become key evidence in the case against Sabir.
Dr Thornton's subsequent complaint that the police had misrepresented his evidence was upheld. The report of the standards unit of West Midlands police concludes that officers "made up what he said about the al-Qaida manual", effectively concluding that they fabricated evidence in the case against Sabir. The report also states that the Gold Group "incorrectly recorded" their conversation with Thornton. However, the standards board says that no officers will be investigated for misconduct. Thornton has referred the matter to the IPCC.
In an indication of how important the case was to the Home Office, the arrests were mentioned in a document released under the Freedom of Information Act entitled Islamist Terrorist Plots in Great Britain: Uncovering the Global Network, even though no charges were ever brought against the men arrested.
Thornton said: "The police were totally unprofessional. After their mistakes they tried to cover them up. I've seen some altered police notes, I've seen evidence made up. The whole thing seems to be a complete tissue of lies, starting from the cover up of their mistakes in the first place."
Sabir said: "I have known that the police lied and deceived in order to justify my arrest and treatment and this has now been proven.
"What should raise alarm bells is how and why the police think it is acceptable to make up information to send innocent Muslims to prison as terrorists. The onus is now on the IPCC to conduct a full and proper investigation into this matter."
Writing in Ceasefire magazine Sabir said: "The point is that abuses of Muslims (and increasingly political non-Muslims) are occurring on a daily basis yet go unnoticed. If you are not going to stand and fight today, when the Muslim (and increasingly wider) communities are being systematically and pro-actively targeted, then when will you?"
"Innocent people have been, are being, and will continue to be locked away unjustly and have their rights violated for reasons that will only fully become clear in history book, if at all. But it doesn’t need to be so. We must remember that until we all take a firm decision to get active and get involved, this will continue to remain an issue, even if it continues to be portrayed as a marginal nuisance affecting a minority."
Broken Cross Open Cast Site blockaded – police act as Scottish Coal security
16-07-2012 10:27
Mass Citizens' Weapons Inspection of EDO today
16-07-2012 09:07
See http://smashedo.org.uk/events/event/mass-action-against-edo
Citizens for Sanctuary- unholy alliance with G4S
16-07-2012 08:55
STOP G4S!
“I don’t want a prison guard as my landlord” – Zimbabwean asylum seeker in Sheffield
G4S (Group 4 Security) is the world’s largest private security army and the biggest private UK company with contracts worth £600m for security, managing detention centres, prisons and 675 court and police station cells. It is providing 10,000 guards for the Olympics costing us another £100 million
Now G4S and other security companies hope to get £135million of our money - to privatise the housing of people seeking asylum and put them in slum housing or “hostel accommodation”.
G4S lost a previous contract with the Government for ‘escorting’ deported asylum seekers as a result of 773 complaints of abuse and the death of an asylum seeker. Three G4S employees are on bail facing criminal charges for this death. From March 1st asylum seekers in Yorkshire and Humberside are being expected to face them and their sub-contractors as landlords.
The new contracts will mean the privatisation of the whole of asylum seeker housing. Nottingham (a “City of Sanctuary”) still maintains the humanitarian policies which have in the past housed Vietnamese, Kosovan, Sudanese, Kurdish, Zimbabwean refugees. If Nottingham Housing Associations lose the housing contracts, it will mean over 400 asylum seekers, families and individuals, dispersed to private landlords or hostels often miles away from children’s schools or family doctors. Dozens of local authority jobs will go with the contracts.
Fat cats and politicians will benefit from the misery inflicted on traumatised families.G4S chief executive Nick Buckles, according to the Annual Report, gets an annual salary and shares worth £2.4m and a possible annual bonus of £1.2m. His pension pot is at present worth £7m. Former Labour Home Secretary now Lord (John) Reid, is a director at G4S who put him on the payroll at £50,000 in 2008 when he was a backbench MP. G4S are also experts at tax avoidance, hiding their profits in 12 global tax havens including Bahrain – a repressive government that kills its own people, causing people to seek asylum…
Do you want your taxes to go to this giant profit-hungry security company?
G4S means INsecurity for asylum seekers, job losses for council workers
Flyer produced by No to G4S Nottingham(facebook: No to G4S Housing Asylum Seekers) in partnership with South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group. www.symaag.org.uk/ dignitynotdetention@yahoo.co.uk. Supported by Unison Local Government Branch Sheffield, Sheffield City of Sanctuary, Nottingham and Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign and many asylum and refugee community organisations
Nottingham Citizens for Sanctuary Establishes an Unholy Alliance with G4S
On the 6th July Notog4sNottingham members attended a public meeting of approximately 140 people, invited by Nottingham Citizens For Sanctuary (C4S) who created a “Commission” of 20 organizations including, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF), Unison, Himmah, several Churches, Mosques, Framework Housing Association, and Asylum Seekers and Refugees.
The Commission’s report is entitled Homelessness and Hope the commission claims this is “peer led research into the accommodation problems faced by those seeking sanctuary in the UK to date and substantially the deepest piece conducted into destitution in Nottingham”. 105 Asylum Seekers/Refugees interviews provide disturbing evidence regarding the extent and implications of the shortfalls, abuses in the asylum process both on individuals, families and children.
Notog4sNottingham hoped this would be a rare opportunity to ask UKBA and G4S some pertinent questions. From looking at some of the information on Citizens UK website http://www.citizensuk.org/chapters/nottingham-citizens/ Nottingham Citizens for Sanctuary are already forming a close working relationship with UKBA/G4S. This is a very detrimental position to take as it dilutes dissent, and getting onboard with UKBA/G4S neither provides extra resources or safeguards for asylum seekers.
The meeting room was set out in a similar way to ongoing high profile commissions (eg. Leveson Commission). The meeting started with a significant apology on behalf of Nottingham City Council Leader Jon Collins, who was due to Chair the meeting. It then became apparent why, as damning evidence of City Council housing and support failings emerged.
Commission panel member Andrew Redfern of Framework Housing Association spoke out about poor health and housing and also made an offer of two properties within their housing stock to those experiencing destitution.
Testimony from some very brave people highlighted their struggles against poverty, destitution and despair inside and out of the asylum process. One of the testimonies, from someone too fearful to attend, articulated how her house had been raided by 6 G4S uniformed staff, herself and family then transported in a caged van to Yarl’s Wood IRC, and how en route her son was unwell and G4S staff refused to stop and allow her child medical treatment, he became silent and later said “it was like being driven to a grave to be buried alive”. She then talked about being imprisoned for 50 days, and how scary Yarl’s Wood is for children, the terrible condition of those who are detained. Her last comment was that she was “terrified by the idea of G4S being my landlord and would do anything to avoid them.”
After hearing some of the very moving evidence from individual asylum seekers/refugees the audience was immediately invited to stand up to volunteer for various roles including being a part of the Welcome group working alongside G4S to monitor new arrivals or Hosting destitute asylum seekers. At one point, after a very emotional account we were asked by a member of the panel “stand up if this makes you angry ?. In relation to the question of G4S' reputation with those seeking sanctuary the meeting may well have allowed for the less discerning amongst us to begin to believe that G4S are actually OK, and that even if they are not then we can work with them to monitor them until they become OK.
UKBA Regional Head Gail Adams and G4S Midlands and East Director Jules Bickers sat in the first row waiting to give evidence. It soon became clear that questions to UKBA/ G4S had been given well in advance and all their answers were carefully prepared. However, when one panel member (also a refugee) asked the UKBA rep questions which were obviously spontaneous a fellow panel member rang a bell to silence him. Both G4S and UKBA representatives answered questions from members of the panel.
Throughout the 2 hour meeting no one from the audience was allowed to ask any questions but we were invited to stand up and volunteer at least 5 times in the 2 hour meeting.
The key recommendations (on Page8 Homelessness and Hope Report)
Firstly, Accountability and Accommodation; appropriate and specialist training to G4S staff in working with asylum seekers. A Welcome and Advocacy Service to welcome support and orientate new arrivals. Also, provide monitoring on housing standards and feedback to UKBA/G4S.
Secondly, Destitution and Dignity: a pilot scheme to look at available housing stock and utilize underused accommodation. For the City council in particular to look at arrangements to keep those in their properties.
Thirdly, Transition- Light at the end of the tunnel. To improve the ability to get National Insurance details and relevant paperwork bearing in mind that much of their limited ID won’t be acceptable to banks and not meet requirements to access public funds or employment.
However, UKBA and G4S had clearly stated that apart from the free training and the commission offering a signposting service, all the key recommendations were responded to vaguely or flatly refused. Nottingham City Council in its statement read out on behalf of Jon Collins stated it would be happy to act 'within the spirit of the commission'.
- UKBA stated that even trained volunteers will not be allowed to attend properties with G4S staff.
- UKBA has no money for any 'new add-on service' but invited the commission to get on board it's Regional Strategic Migration Partnership if funding is to be accessed from them for other possible initiatives.
- UKBA reiterated that asylum support is voluntary on the individual service user and they have to overcome their issues and want to engage with G4S.
- G4S offered opportunity to any volunteers to shadow their staff traveling in their caged vans.
UKBA emphasized that when cases are exhausted that compliance with the law to leave the country is actively enforced. That within the last two years a new system of review has been in place where two senior members of UKBA staff review cases on appeal. Speaking with an Immigration Solicitor after the event he believes that over 60% of these appeals award some status.
Despite a letter sent by NNRF, Nottingham City of Sanctuary, The Children’s Society (Nottingham branch) and Notog4sNottm requesting assurances that Local Strategic Safe Guarding Boards have been consulted as part of the contracts due diligence process, we have received no assurances that the Children’s Act 1989 and amendments have been applied to any part of this process.
The 2 hour meeting will certainly have gone some way to alleviating some of the concerns noted above. But let’s not forget in relation to the ‘budgetary pressure’ G4S got this contract because they were the cheapest option. They are quite happy to undercut other bidders. The report mentions nine times benefits to tax payers and the public purse on using G4S and civil society for free.
The last three closing comments encapsulate the mood of the meeting. Commission panel member Minister Karen Rooms said “we can't look at the past with this work.” Patsy Brand from NNRF stated “she looked forward to working with UKBA and G4S into the future.” The evening was ended by Commissioner Reverend Michael Brown reading the comment of Bishop Paul that this report is “Innovative, Disturbing, Challenging, and Sensible.” There was then lots of applause and back slapping for everyone involved including G4S. Finally it is important to note, as yet nobody outside of the procurement process has seen the contract.
Notog4sNottingham
Twitter @NoToG4SNotts
www.notog4s.blogspot.co.uk
California’s dysfunctional alliance between suburban greens
16-07-2012 08:23
California’s dysfunctional alliance between suburban greensPrivate tenants protest letting agent
15-07-2012 20:55
Protest by Haringey Private Tenants' Action Group against letting agent fees
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Private tenants protested outside Drivers & Norris (D & N) letting agents in Islington's Holloway Road yesterday (Saturday 14 July). The action was in support of two prospective tenants who paid a total of £300 in fees for reference checks which has not been refunded, despite no services being delivered to them by D & N, and no tenancy agreement having been signed.
The "D & N Three" asking for the money back - Phil Tsappas, Kyri Tsappas and a friend who is supporting them - are still homeless.??As Phil put it to me, there was "no deal, no contract signed" for a tenancy via D& N. Kyri told me that he and his fellow "applicants applied to secure a tenancy... Drivers & Norris failed to provide service."
The action was called by the newly-formed Haringey Private Tenants' Action Group (HPTAG) – the two-bedroom flat that the three people had applied for that is let by D & N is in Haringey. ??The Drivers & Norris Three walked into D & N's Holloway Road office shortly after 11am, asking for the fees to be refunded, and to speak to the lettings manager, Sean Corrigan, although they were told his was out. It appeared at one point that lettings staff had phoned Corrigan and that he was on his way, but this turned out not to be the case. Meanwhile, HPTAG people assembled in the street outside, with banners and a megaphone.
Phil Tsappas told me that their guarantor had been charged £60, and that he and Kyri had been charged £120 each for each reference check, making a total of £300 for all of them. The guarantor had failed the reference check. One of the D&N letting team told the D&N Three that the issue of the £300 fee was "not our fault, we didn't conduct it" (the reference check.)
Phil told me the check had been carried out on D&N's behalf by FCC Paragon, who he says seem to do reference checks for most of the letting agents in Haringey. The Three then went to another letting agent – Winkworth, who also use FCC Paragon and, according to Phil, quoted them £150 each for a reference check.
D & N staff declined to give me their names and told me they had no comment to make.
Phil says he's done some research and the cost charged to a letting agent by FCC Paragon for each reference check is "£17-£19, we think."??A Police Community Support Officer arrived shortly afterwards and asked those protesters inside the D & N office to leave, as it was "private property" and that the D & N "guys feel like they're being harassed". Two police constables and Islington Division's CCTV van also showed up soon afterwards, with the police remaining in the D & N office for the duration of the protest.
The D & N Three left the office to join the protest outside. PC 577 at one point came to the door to tell them one of them could come into to talk to a sales manager from the lettings team. The D & N three declined – one of them told me that this was the same D & N employee who told him on the phone that he should consider himself lucky D & N hadn't kept their whole £800 holding deposit.
Despite the pouring rain, most of the 800 leaflets the protesters had brought along were handed out to mostly sympathetic passers-by, including one of the very few customers going into the D & N office on what's normally its busiest day of the week.
Jacky Peacock, director of Brent Private Tenants' Rights Group – on of very few such organisations in the UK - explained to a concerned-looking PC NI 577 that there are currently "no regulations" in place on what letting agents can charge prospective tenants. Jacky told me tenants can only go to the Property Services Ombudsman if the letting agency is a member of one of the industry's associations. What about local trading standards officers? "Low on their list of priorities" according to Jacky.??Shoppers in busy Holloway Road were addressed by demonstrators by megaphone, who called for "affordable homes secure tenancy and end to rip-off fees!" One protester using a megaphone told the small crowd that "Drivers & Norris are having a laugh!"
One protester told me that letting agents offer "incentives that are designed to fail" - for every flat a letting agent has on books, five groups of applicants will look at it, "they take one [group of tenants], how many holding deposits do they keep?"
The D & N Three plan to return to demonstrate outside Driver some time end of next week, and until they get their money back.??Haringey Private Tenants' Action Group's next meeting is a on Saturday 21st July, 2012 11am, Cafe Life, North London Community House, 22 Moorefield Road, London N17 6QN, near Bruce Grove Station. All welcome. Email: haringeyprivatetenants@gmail.com
<!--EndFragment-->Miners take battle from mountains to Madrid
15-07-2012 18:55
Miners in the mountains of Asturias who have been on indefinite strike for nearly two months have arrived in Madrid to take their strike to the streets.
Faced by escalating police terrorism were wounded in the Spanish capital over the last few days by cannonades of plastic bullets and batons rained on them by the riot police.
The miners' only demand is that they be given back their jobs, with the Spanish State declaring an end to subsidies which effectively destroy the livelihoods of thousands of people, which effectively add up to the destruction of the main source of income to the region.
The strikes kicked off in the mountains of Asturias, (in the north of the country between Galicia and Cantabria) and then spread to other parts of Spain, including Leon and Galicia. Parrallels have already been drawn to the insurrections of Asturians in the Spanish Civil War as miners of the time led the charge against feudalism and autocratic repression.
Now the State is playing the same game and like in Britain where two of the strongest politically active cities have been targeted by EDL marches, political thinkers believe there is a conscious attempt to target the bases of popular dissent with the same fascist policies of repression as an attempt to prove the public are too comfortable to do anything when faced with dictatorship.
However, the miners have refused to lie down. The austerity cuts have been resisted with all manner of physical protest, as they barricaded themselves in streets and fired homemade rockets from the mountains in response to plastic bullets and tear gas from the militarised police repression. Roads were blockaded by burning tyres and trees which prevented dangerous men in riot gear reaching them except on foot, further slowing State forces. And everytime police units managed to overcome these defences and moved into the towns and villages they were greeted by verbal abuse by the elderly as well as the youngest generations as the local community turning out in force to support the miners.
The movement, hailed as one of the first joint regional resistances against the cuts in Europe has seen various other businesses strike in solidarity with the miners who bring in the majority of funds to other industries like services.
"We refuse to lie down!" exclaimed one of the miners. "All we want to do is work and there is any reason for the government call us terrorists. Mining is really hard work but we are prepared to fight to the end because our families are worth it"
The irony of the situation is that while the government decided to cut around 300,000,000 pounds of aid to the miners, and thus to the livelihoods of thousands of people reliant on their hard work in their local areas, they agreed to a 100,000,000,000 pound aid package to save the banks. "This is injustice of the highest order," said one of the miner's wives in a recent interview. "A government is supposed to take care of the people, not a select elite who individually earn millions every year. Every rescue package just means we pay for the blatantly irresponsible behaviour of the bankers, who don't even go to prison like in Iceland where they have been jailed for playing God with others' hard-earned saving".
The miners then proposed to take their fight for justice to the State capital and literally walked there over two weeks to voice their dissent. But rather than being met with dialogue they were attacked with bullets despite the overwhelming solidarity of many city-dwellers. "When they use bullets and batons to repress our democratic right to protest we are no longer in a democracy. This is a dictatorship which, like in Libya and Syria, has to be removed by any means necessary," exclaimed one protestor as blood dripped down her forehead.
And while the miners' power base is attacked in Spain, in London one of the largest military lockdowns in the capital's history continues to build up and with around a combined force of 50,000 private and public security personnel set to hit the streets for the Olympics, political commentators are fearful of a nationwide repression of the already impoverished under class. This class, which includes people from backgrounds as diverse as ethnic minorities, the unemployed and squatters will most likely be targeted by a wave of repression which is sure to increase their already impoverished state, with police controls, house raids and imprisonment without trial to become the norm. This will connect to the mass gentrification of areas around London over the last year with rent hikes as much as four times the original amount being recorded in areas like Hackney and Brixton.
Some of these factors were reportedly behind the riots last summer and with brute force and nationalist propaganda created by the Jubilee the authorities are expecting a smoothly operated authoritarian summer of profit for the fat cats from BP, Coca-Cola and McDonalds.