Taking its weekly Shut Down Guantánamo! demonstrations around London from April 2008, the London Guantánamo Campaign held a successful demonstration outside Starbucks Café in Oxford Street (Soho side) on 4 April 2008. The LGC was joined by campaigners from Amnesty International, We Are Change and Restless Beings. On a rare warm and sunny evening this month, twelve activists handed out leaflets and spoke to passers by about Starbucks’ collusion in torture and illegal detention. Many people were appalled to learn of Starbucks’ involvement and presence in Guantánamo Bay and stopped to talk about it and/or how awful the coffee they serve is anyway. Starbucks’ presence at Guantánamo Bay has been confirmed by lawyers visiting their clients there and recently allegations have been made that during interrogations detainees have been offered Starbucks coffee in return for confessions.  http://www.loweringthebar.net/2008/02/fbi-rejects-wat.html Other food outlets that have branches at Guantánamo Bay to help American soldiers deal with homesickness include McDonalds, Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut, not to mention the many other corporate sponsors of torture. We call on all sane individuals who know that torture is wrong and illegal to boycott these restaurants.
We will be repeating the action outside Starbucks soon…please join us if you can.

On 11 April, we held a longer, two hour demonstration outside the American Embassy in conjunction with Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq to mark the fifth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad in the war in Iraq. Around 25 people attended. Campaigners also remembered “ghost prisoners” and other detainees who have “disappeared” and/or have been rendered in the “War on Terror” to Abu Ghraib and elsewhere. We were also joined by We Are Change for a while during their 11th of the month truth action.

This week, we will be holding a stall on Saturday 19 April outside Ladbroke Grove tube station, Ladbroke Grove, W10, to raise awareness about the plight of Binyam Mohamed, the last Londoner in Guantánamo Bay. A victim of torture and rendition over the past six years, 29 year old Binyam’s return to the UK was sought by the government in August 2007 along with that of four other British residents; while three of these men have returned, the Americans are refusing to allow him to return. Binyam’s lawyers report that he is at the “end of his psychological tether” and cannot take much more. The stall will run from 11-3pm. Join us if you can.

Next month’s schedule of actions include:
Friday 2 May: 6-7pm: McDonalds, 291b Oxford Street, London, W1C 2DT (nearest tube: Bond Street) – near Oxford Street: McTorture and McJobs are both available at Guantánamo Bay: detainees have been offered “Big Mac meals” in return for confessions. Join us outside this outlet of a co-operator in torture.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The_McDonalds_at_Guantanamo.jpg

Friday 9 May, 6-7pm: US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ (nearest tube: Bond Street): Shut Down Guantánamo! vigil.

Saturday 17 May, 11-3pm: Ladbroke Grove tube station, Ladbroke Grove, W10 6HJ (nearest tube: Ladbroke Grove): a monthly stall to raise awareness about the plight of Binyam Mohamed, the last Londoner in Guantánamo, in his local area. For more details, please contact Sheraz: 07717 204 297/  al_musaafir@yahoo.co.uk

Friday 23 May, 6-7pm: US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ (nearest tube: Bond Street): Shut Down Guantánamo! vigil.

Friday 30 May, 3-6pm: Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ (nearest tube: Bond Street): Peace Picnic with People in Common: bring a dish to share (if you can) and bring your family and friends (children most welcome – it is half-term) to join us for a picnic for peace in beautiful Grosvenor Square (side bordering the American Embassy). For more details, please contact Mark: 07854 390 408/  marknbarrett@googlemail.com

Actions outside the US Embassy are currently held at the corner of North Audley Street and Upper Brook Street as the Embassy has completely shut off access to one side of Grosvenor Square. Come and join us there!

We will be updating details of vigils each month so please watch this space!