RECLAIM REMEMBRANCE CAMBRIDGE!

a.c.a. | 10.11.2002 20:35 | Cambridge

Reclaim remembrance street party at Number Zero Social Centre in Cambridge! (article 1)

RECLAIM REMEMBRANCE CAMBRIDGE!

The day went off well - more than one hundred celebrating life in the street - playing tag, multiple crossings, and just dancing in the street at moments. It was particularly effective given that the Guardian just reported that British Aerospace was sponsoring the official remembrance day activities. That really drove home the need to reclaim the day! Police were entirely frustrated but weren't bright enough to figure out a way to stop us!

See you soon - your friends at anti-capitalist-action

a.c.a.

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

BAe S, the British Legion and a good action

10.11.2002 22:21

This is a heartening thing to see, especially in the way it shows up BAe Systems' despicable sponsorship deal
with the British Legion. Wouldn't do any harm to send the British Legion a message I reckon:
Festival of Remembrance, Jeremy Lillies – 020 7973 7265;

jlillies@britishlegion.org.uk
Lisa Burrell, The Royal British Legion, 020 7973 7280 or 07971 142 011

Here's that article as well...

Anger as arms firm sponsors
Poppy Day

Julia Day, Guardian
Friday November 8, 2002

A row is raging over the British Legion's decision to allow arms
manufacturer BAE Systems to sponsor this year's Poppy Day.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade has likened the
Remembrance Sunday sponsorship to "King Herod sponsoring a
special day reserved to prevent child cruelty". But the company
rejected the criticism and said its support of Poppy Day, with
the BAE Systems logo on promotional material, was entirely
appropriate. "For me it's almost like King Herod sponsoring a
special day reserved to prevent child cruelty," said Richard
Bingley, a spokesman for the CAAT.

"BAE is the country's largest arms exporter. Its weapons have
recently ended up in Israel, Zimbabwe, India and Pakistan. But
its main function is to produce massive weapons systems which
are designed to kill, often as many people as possible. "That
contradicts completely the aims of Remembrance Sunday," Mr
Bingley told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

But a spokesman for BAE Systems defended its sponsorship,
saying it was an appropriate charitable donation.

"For probably the whole of the last century we have provided
equipment for the British Armed Forces. "It does not seem
entirely unusual that we should sponsor the Royal British Legion
in the way in which we have. We, after all, are the legacy
company that made the Spitfire, the Lancaster and many of the
ships of the Royal Navy. "The Royal British Legion are all about
remembering the war dead. This is a charitable donation," said
the spokesman.

Mickey Portillo

bigger next year?!?

11.11.2002 17:10

what a wicked day! We had our fun and made our point, running rings around the old bill (often quite literally). Our aim was in part to protest at the latest war effort, and also to highlight the hypocrisy of those who use events such as remembrance sunday and armistice day to meet the requirements of their own belligerent agenda (i bet bomber blair's wearin a poppy!) Basically I think we did just that, and I reckon that next year we should all organise locally to do something similar. Remembrance Sunday often reminds people of the genuine human costs that wars involve, and so it is an ideal time for an anti-war protest. There is no better way of honouring the dead than to celebrate the power of life and peace, and if more people organise similar fun n frolics next year, this could become an important date in the activist calendar.

mAt

UK Indymedia

RECLAIM REMEMBRANCE CAMBRIDGE!

Comments

BAe S, the British Legion and a good action

bigger next year?!?