Happy New Year from London Indymedia, and please read on for some very special New Year Messages from some incredibly awesome friends, creators, activists, commentators, and supporters, including Occupy London, John Pilger & many more.

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a message from Stuart Christie
Author and Activist

While our horses (and cows) might not graze on Parliament Square, or NATO come to the aid of the people of Britain to implement regime change, or Tony Blair be dragged in handcuffs, screaming and kicking, from 29 Connaught Square to face justice for his crimes against humanity, there are, I hope, some reasons for at least a degree of optimism. The main one being that the anger and indignation manifested in the European, Russian and Arab springs will, hopefully, continue to build momentum, erode the power of tyranny, corruption and global capitalism, challenge emerging tyrannies, and throw up new forms of self-management and direct democracy. It's a never-ending struggle, I know, but someone has to do it . . .

As for predicting what 2012 might have in store for us, I have to defer to Karl Popper ('The Poverty of Historicism'): 'The course of human history is strongly influenced by the growth of human knowledge. We cannot predict, by rational or scientific methods, the future growth of our scientific knowledge . . . We cannot, therefore, predict the course of human history . . .' One of the most penetratingly discerning political predictions I know of was made by Thomas Jefferson in the mid 1770s, during the Revolutionary War, and is a quote that can be applied to all wars and all Revolutions:

‘The spirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless. A single zealot may become persecutor, and better men be his victims. It can never be too often repeated that the time for fixing essential right, on a legal basis, is while our rulers are honest, ourselves united. From the conclusion of this war we shall be going downhill. It will not then be necessary to resort every moment to the people for support. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effect a due respect for their rights. The shackles, therefore, which shall not be knocked off it at the conclusion of this war, will be heavier and heavier, till our rights shall revive or expire in a convulsion.'

Stuart Christie.

[Stuart has an incredible collection of films on subjects from the Spanish civil war, to the NHS, to Argentina, and many others, here, to watch for free, and you can also read some of his books for free online, here, here & here, and a preview of his new book[1], 'Pistoleros! The Chronicles of Farquhar McHarg 3:1920-24'[2], here.]

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a message from 'Occupy London'
Occupy London

Occupy London has had a busy two and a half months. We started with trying to occupy the Paternoster Square, home of the London Stock Exchange, but quickly got shuffled over to St Paul's Churchyard by London police. Here, we decided to stay, but we haven't stopped moving. At the time of writing we have spread to three additional sites: Finsbury Square, our "public repossession" Bank of Ideas on Sun Street, and the newly opened Occupy Justice, which finds its home in a disused magistrate's court in Shoreditch.
 
We've grown, but we haven't forgotten what brought us here in the first place. We came together to draw attention to an undemocratic, unjust and unsustainable system and to open a space for conversation about how we might change it.  We have built a real community right in the centre of London, without hierarchies, where everyone is part of the democratic process. We don't pretend to be perfect, but our movement is open, as are our hearts, and anyone who feels we're not moving in the right direction can join us and help forge that direction on the same basis as anyone else.
 
Occupy is part of a world movement of concerned citizens that spans all continents and struggles from the Arab Spring to the Spanish M15. We have proven this year that a strong movement can change the political atmosphere, that we can steer debate in the media and amongst politicians, and that we can make a dormant public wake up and pay attention to the inequality and injustice in the current system.
 
But much more importantly, we have started to change the system. We are working together for a socially and economically just alternative, one that is sustainable for us and our planet. London has a lot going on in 2012 - the Olympics, the Mayoral election - and worldwide we will see shifts in economic policies and agendas. It's a year where the movement internationally will be going out into communities, proving its worth to those hardest hit by the current economic crisis. 2012 is a big year and we've got to make it count.
 
We want to prove our worth to the people of London and we also want to change perceptions. No resolution of the failings we are so aware of is possible without a critical mass of individuals, families, community and civil society groups deciding that change is really possible. Occupy plans to take a lead role in making that happen. Come and join us!
 
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A New Year's message on London Indymedia is the ideal place for Occupy to add its voice as Indymedia is a pioneer in the process of linking up the chords of dissent and Occupy is a movement endeavouring to do the same thing, in tents.
 
The Occupy movement in the UK and Ireland has taken everyone by surprise, including the occupiers themselves. Nobody imagined that the movement would have got this far, grown so steadily and – along with UK Uncut – have had such an influence on bringing the issues of economic justice into the headlines on an almost daily basis.
 
From Cork to Nottingham, from Edinburgh to one tent on the Isle Of Wight, people from a remarkably wide span of society have taken space, held it and begun a focused and inclusive dialogue towards a more socially, economically and environmentally just society. Participatory democracy has become a daily event at over 45 sites across the UK and Ireland. This is a real, visceral politics that happens every day rather than once every five years.
 
Occupy has not found its full strength yet.  We believe that those who have held spaces through the winter will find that by spring the movement will be growing exponentially. And where is it going? Just more tents in front of churches and town halls?
 
Solidarity and escalation, taking the principles of real democracy into people's communities, schools, church halls and street corners. Occupy is a verb, it is an activity that is open to everybody. Once that offer reaches into everyone's lives, it will be a transformative experience - as it has already been for the thousands of people who have been holding their spaces and their daily people's assemblies through these last months.
 
Each month since Occupy started, there has been a national conference. The first was in London, the second in Edinburgh and the third will be on January 21st in the extraordinary 'Citadel of Hope' that was repossessed by the Sheffield Occupy camp only days ago. This interlinking of skills and ideas bound under the same determination to seek basic justice for all is capturing the public imagination whether the mainstream media is going to ever let that be known or not.
 
Occupy has no leaders and that is one of its many strengths. This is no single issue campaign but one that seems to have tapped into the disease itself – an unsustainable and unjust economic system – rather than the many symptoms.
 
With over 1,500 camps globally, the efforts already in place to create solidarity with the leading 15M movement and the millions of people in the Middle East and North Africa fighting for real democracy and an end to corrupt governments, the Occupy banner may well succeed in accomplishing what will be known as the first global revolutionary movement. And it's wired. And it's young. And it's in a tent near you already.

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a message from John Pilger
Writer & Filmmaker

London Indymedia is one of the prime sources for those of us determined to make sense of the world today. How refreshing to see London Indymedia people in action on stories the corporate media ignores wilfully or distorts. There is a widespread insurrection under way -- an insurrection of subjugated news and knowledge, as WikiLeaks has demonstrated. Indymedia is at the forefront of this revolution.
 
best,
 
John Pilger.

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a message from 'Bikes Alive'
Bikes Alive

NEW CYCLISTS' CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR "NON-VIOLENT SELF DEFENCE" AGAINST MOTOR TRAFFIC IN LONDON

 -- 9 JANUARY ACTION ANNOUNCED

Cyclists and other non-motorised road users suffer death and injury (not to mention being delayed, poisoned and terrorised) by the selfish, anti-social (and frequently illegal) behaviour of motorists - despite the fact that much of the traffic in urban areas like London is completely unnecessary. In the case of private cars, much of the traffic is there
for no other reason than the selfishness of the drivers concerned.

 The situation on major roads and at major junctions in London is exacerbated by the policy of Transport for London (TfL), which prioritises the speed and volume of motor vehicles above the safety and sanity of everyone else.

Since polite meetings and symbolic action are having, on their own, too little effect, some cyclists now plan to take non-violent direct action to defend themselves and other vulnerable road users.

The first such (publicly announced) event will be at the lethal junction outside Kings Cross station (where York Way meets Pentonville Road and Euston Road) at 6pm on Monday 9 January 2012. Bikes Alive is calling for cyclists and pedestrians to take steps to forcibly calm the traffic there for one hour; if there are enough particpants, the Kings Cross one-way system will be closed down from 6pm to 7pm that evening.

Unless TfL agrees to change its priorities as a result, Bikes Alive will endeavour to organise regular road closures, with the aim being to completely close down Kings Cross for at least one hour every week until TfL comes to its senses.

For more details of this plan, see bikesalive.wordpress.com; or e-mail bikesalive @ london.com

Albert Beale, on 020-7278 4474, has agreed to deal with media enquiries about this for Bikes Alive.

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a message from Donnacha DeLong
NUJ President

My main hope and guarded prediction for 2012 is that this will be the year when the revolution goes global. 2011 gave us the Arab Spring, the Libya conflict, the Occupy movement – but there's so much more to do. I'm particularly hopeful that we can make this country ungovernable and bring down this rotten government.

As President of the NUJ [1], I will continue to promote the campaign to Reclaim the Media [2] in the wake of the Hackgate scandal. We need to get more people involved, not just journalists from the mainstream, but also people from alternative media like Indymedia London and, of course, the people formerly known as the audience.

2012 will mark 100 years since thousands of workers in London took radical strike action – the Jewish tailors and textile workers organised by Rudolf Rocker and the dockers. 1912 was the mid-point of the syndicalist Great Unrest period of British trade unionism when workers rejected political parties and hierarchical leadership and focussed instead on direct action. Despite some gains from their actions, their revolution failed. The basic ideas of 100 years ago are being rediscovered and reborn in numerous movements around the world. I, along with others in the anarchist and trade union movements, will continue to give talks about the history of radical movements and, hopefully, inspire more people to get involved.

Donnacha DeLong.

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a message from John at 'The Good Ship'
Kilburn Events Venue

I am John at The Good Ship and I hope that the new year brings more of what has happened since the Arab Spring.  London Indymedia and the internet in general has done a great job of relaying information and this has helped to topple fascistic regimes, with hopefully Syria being next. I noticed in 2011 that a lot more people do not care any more about the gloomy economic outlook.  I'd like to see more of that in 2012, all of us are blessed and lucky, sod the new iphone, read more books.

all aboard...

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a message from Kick Nuclear
Kick Nuclear

2012 is going to be the year when the voices of the future come together and show our politicians what a bunch of short-sighted lard-arses they really are.  It was incredible to see so much activist energy coming up from the streets in 2011.  We are all campaigners for a fairer, cleaner world but we must work closely if we are to be strong enough to lead the way forward. 2012: galvanisation for the nation?

Kick Nuclear would like to thank London Indymedia, Rising Tide and everyone who has supporting the growing wave of opposition to the government’s bid to build eight new nuclear power stations. The momentum continues. In October 2011, 400 people blockaded the entrance to the Hinkley Point power station in Somerset to protest against EDF Energy’s plans to construct a new mega-reactor there.  On March 10th and 11th this year, Stop New Nuclear plans to do the same thing again – but this time with 5,000 people.

In London, Kick Nuclear’s main mission for 2012 is to show the UK that there are viable alternatives to nuclear power. Nuclear energy is a quick fix: it keeps our centralised, ‘business as usual’ system in place and cuts out the political headache of having to consider a new energy paradigm.  But history has taught us that quick fixes have a nasty habit of turning around and biting us on the rear. In the wake of Fukushima, how many more bites will it take before politicians accept that nuclear energy is too much of a liability to be considered a sustainable solution? We must follow the lead from Germany where a new energy framework sets out the route to a sustainable future that is cheaper and cleaner than the nuclear option. (Read more at http://boycottedf.org.uk) See you up a tripod soon.

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a message from London Campaing Against the Arms Trade
CAAT

2011 was another a busy year for London Campaign Against Arms Trade (London CAAT) and our work against the deadly trade in weapons.  The major event of the year was the DSEi arms fair rolling into town again to sell weapons to countries with dubious human rights records (Libya was a noticeable omission from the invitation list but Bahrain and Egypt were invited). London CAAT was part of the Stop the Arms Fair coalition that organised a number of actions prior to and during the fair.  The highlight of a full week of actions was definitely the protest at the National Gallery, where BAE Systems were hosting a dinner for DSEi attendees. The coalition got wind of this and were there to tell the arms dealers exactly what we thought of their disreputable business. Getting that close to the dealers (and the former defence secretary Geoff Hoon) was a rarity and the opportunity was well taken.  Other amazing actions from that week was a priest carrying out an exorcism on the site of the fair and Disarm DSEi blockading the waters surrounding the fair with kayaks.

The year also involved organising a film screening of the inspirational film Not in Our Name, about 9 activists shutting down Raytheon’s arms factory in Derry, Northern Ireland in protest at their involvement in the bombing of Gaza. One London CAAT member had the displeasure of dressing up as Jeremy Clarkson in the week of his controversial comments about the public sector strikes (we were at Top Gear Live, which is ran by Clarion Events, the owners of the DSEi arms fair). The tentacles of the arms trade reach many areas.

London CAAT looks forward to another year of campaigning against the elements of this evil trade within our city. Our January meeting will be  a planning session for the entire year so do come along if you want to help us plan what is going to be a full year of action. Big events coming up include the Counter Terror Expo at Olympia in April, the mayoral elections in May (which will be an opportunity to get the arms trade onto the political agenda) and a month of action against local arms companies in September.

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a message from Maria Gallastegui
from Peacestrike & Parliament square

2012 is going to be a very challenging year for all of us campaigning for justice and peace.

Following the student protests and civil riots of 2011, the bar has been raised and there is a great determination by the authorities to introduce water canon and plastic bullets. The Government fears an uprising by the people and is  determined to stifle effective protest. Astonishingly, Parliament Square has been closed off to the public for a year and a half! Such was the power of Democracy Village during the summer of 2010. Since then we have seen many more encampments and the recent St Pauls Occupylsx has been magnificent!. The symbolic encampments are very powerful as they show that, people, quite simply, have had enough and want change.

If you plan unpopular war,  then you must assume that there will be a public backlash. The authorities fear reprisal,and have upped the anti, in order to control marches and rallies.

The writing is on the wall. We have failed to get our troops home from Afghanistan. They have not brought our military back to this country because they need them strategically placed for the next war with Iran. This time we must be prepared with a plan of action. We cannot afford to think they won't attack Iran, we have to plan that they will, so that we are ready and effective.

What can we do to be effective against this madness. As peaceful people we must become disciplined and self reliant and trust that what we are about to undertake is right, because it is right. Morally, we each have a duty of care towards our fellow human being, whoever and wherever they are.

At some point, at a given time, we will need to SHUT DOWN for peace.

“DO NOTHING” and BUY NOTHING” is the only way we, the ordinary person will be taken seriously of by our Governments.

We must not allow the media propaganda to take over, and rule our hearts and minds. Things need  to change, we cannot sustain our life style as it is at present. Therefore it is better to break the system on our terms than leave it too late, and let it break us. We refuse to be manipulated and controlled with endless wars of oppression. We will peacefully resist. The window of opportunity WILL be ours!

Take courage, start to prepare now, emotionally, we will need to be strong.

Remember, the Times magazine voted the "Protester" the Person of the year 2011, that includes YOU!

Many thanks to all the staff at London Indymedia who work so hard in order for us to send our messages out!

Very best wishes to all for the "New Year 2012!"

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Please add your own New Year Messages below. 2012! See you on the streets!