UK UK Newswire Archive
Palestine Today 23 09 2013
23-09-2013 18:15
My experience of arms dealers
23-09-2013 14:55
As part of the protests against DSEI in London a number of use managed to get a one night booking at the Novotel which is inside in the security barrier and was a popular hotel with arms dealers. We had planned to leave leaflets and stickers inside the hotel and perhaps even have some fun sending a few of them in the wrong direction :-)Much of the above we did but in the evening while having a drink in the bar we had the opportunity to speak with some of them.
We spoke with four guys, two were from Chemring, one from a German small arms company (didn't get the name) and the fourth from Land Rover. Speaking with them directly was a big surprise, the human element I suppose, they discussed the same sort of things we would do - the time away from family while travelling, the shit state of hotels like Novotel (bad food, lumpy beds) and the pressure to meet sales targets. We slowly turned the conversation around to the moral issue of what they did and it was clear they have no problem whatsoever, three of them were ex military and they regarded the arms trade as simply an extension of the military with many of the same people involved they had been in the army with. They all regarded the idea of the end of global conflict as laughable.
My colleague raised the issue of the protestors, some of which which we could still see across the river and their reactions surprised me. The guy from Land Rover said he was proud that he lived in a country where protest was openly allowed as he had seen regimes where the oppositive was true, the two from Chemring said they never really thought about them describing the protests as "background noise" and the man from the German company said he never really thought about them describing them as "stupid students we never take notice off". When I asked if the protests had ever made them question their choice of jobs there was genuine amazement, it was clear that they simply didn't understand the concept. I asked would would happen if there were violent protests and they were faced directly with protestors, to a man they thought this would be great fun ! As it was pointed out to me,
"80% of the people at DSEI at former soldiers, do you really think they will be worried by a few skinny vegetarians ?"
When I pointed out that many people regarded what they did with disgust I was met with shrugs and indifference, as the man from LandRover said, "war is a fact of human life, soldiers need guns and the rest and disgust with us will not change that".
Events upto the 29/09/13
23-09-2013 10:55
Hi Folks, So aye – there’s a lot of stuff on this week’s listing, and it’s quite film-heavy at that. Hope there’s something in here that grabs your attention.UG#662 - Leaving The Cave of Media Shadows (Transcending The Paltry Ego...)
23-09-2013 02:22
About the fights in Santiago – September 2013
22-09-2013 22:43
On September 11th 1973, the commander-in-chief of the Chilean army Augusto Pinochet took power over the democratically elected president Allende. Over the next 17 years, Pinochet killed and tortured thousands under his dictatorial rule. On the same day, in 1998, anarchist Claudia López was shot dead by cops of the reinstated democracy, while fighting at a barricade during a commemoration of the coup d’etat.Murder and resistance in Palestine
22-09-2013 15:57
Arrests at Greek Embassy solidarity protest yesterday
22-09-2013 14:12
'It'll be anarchy': Gordon Brown discussed using troops as bank crisis deepened
22-09-2013 13:48
#126: the Common House, Bent Bars, anarchism in Brazil & DJ BPM
22-09-2013 09:56
another fantastic radio show from london's DIY radical radio crew, recorded and aired on 20 September 2013:The Black Fish - action for marine animals
22-09-2013 08:55
Former Nottingham resident Wietse Van Der Werf, co-founder of 'The Black Fish', visited Nottingham tell us more about the threats facing the world's oceans and inspire us to join the growing movement of people taking action for its conservation.
Former Nottingham resident Wietse Vad Der Werf, co-founder of 'The Black Fish', an international marine conservation organisation which campaigns to end the industrial overfishing of our oceans, visited Nottingham as part of a national speaking tour to tell us more about their work, to learn about the threats facing the world's oceans and to be inspired to join the growing movement of people taking action for its conservation.
The presentation began with a screening of 'Losing Nemo', a six-minute, 3D-animated film about the state of the oceans. You can watch the film at http://vimeo.com/66514539
After finding that that illegally caught fish can be realised from illegal fishing quite close to the shore, Wietse realised that global organisations were not the only ones that could take action - there was a missing role for grass roots individuals.
This lead to the formation of The Black Fish, to empower ordinary citizens to take action, from documenting the activities of fishing ships at ports, to photographing illegally caught species or tracking ships with solar powered spy drones.
Their 'Marine Activist Training' enables regular people to take direct action on the seas, with fund raising planned to enable more people to take part.
Half of all fish caught worldwide feeds farmed animals - the most prolific marine predator is the pig, followed by chicken. Cats and dogs eat more fish than all the sharks and seals worldwide. Bluefin tuna have become so valuable - an individual can be sold for 3/4 million Euros - that major global corporations catch all they can - half of it illegally - not to sell to feed anyone, but to deep freeze and store as a future investment.
If land animals were threatened as species, or caused suc suffering as individuals there would be a huge outcry. The oceans as seen to be distant and bottomless, but many species are on the brink of extinction. The root cause of this devastation is over consumption. Even the promotion of 'sustainable' fish leads to increased sales of all fish and increased pressure on threatened species by generating a false sense that all is well.
The talk was held at The Corner, 8 Stoney Street, Nottingham, NG1 1LH
Extreme Rain & Climate Collapse
22-09-2013 05:58
Remember the UK floods, plus Germany and Eastern Europe? Now extreme rainfall events have hit Asia and the U.S. In Colorado, one year's worth of rain fell in 24 hours. Carolyn Baker reports from Boulder. Could these repeated hits take down the economy world-wide? Radio Ecoshock 130925Rules of Engagement: Anti-Fascism After Tower Hamlets
22-09-2013 02:37
In memoriam Pavlos Fyssas
21-09-2013 21:56
Thoughts on the Anarchist Witch Hunt Following Attacks in Bristol
21-09-2013 16:54
A statement from Bristol Anarchist Black Cross on the recent revelation by The Post and Avon & Somerset Police that they plan on "cracking down" on anarchist, rioters and extremistsBlack Fishies TONIGHT in Nottingham
21-09-2013 08:24
As part of the dynamic ''the Black Fish'' tour of UK they will be in Nottingham TONIGHT!!!!Small victory for Moses
20-09-2013 20:55
From Unity: “Moses was NOT deported last night. He is now back in Colnbrook detention centre next to Heathrow airport.Katsiaficas/Geronimo at Cowley Club - Oct16
20-09-2013 18:06
To celebrate the recent release of Asia's Unknown Uprisings Volume 2 (PM Press) George Katsiaficas and Geronimo will be speaking at several events in the UK (including the Anarchist Bookfair in London). They will discuss the Asian Wave from 1986-1992 which overthrew 8 dictatorships in 6 years, the 1980s German autonomous scene and discuss what links can be made to current uprisings, rebellions and revolutions.
This Week in Palestine Week 38 2013
20-09-2013 17:05
Stop the EDL in Sheffield tomorrow!
20-09-2013 14:14
The English Defence League are planning on marching through Sheffield on 21st September. We want to make sure that the EDL don't get to intimidate people and parade their hatred through the streets unopposed. Anti-fascists will be meeting by the First Start Building at the north end of Firth Park at 1pm.Egypt: The Junta helps strangle Gaza.
20-09-2013 13:17
The opposition in Egypt are not the only ones to suffer from the recent military take-over in Egypt. The citizens of Gaza are now a targetted victim of the Egyptial military elite.