UK Feature Archive
Heathrow Terminal 5: Crane Occupation ended
08-10-2003 16:23
Press Release | BBC Coverage (1 | 2) | Pictures | Video
Jonny cycles through Edinburgh on anti-gm pilgrimage
05-10-2003 16:21
The progress of Jonnys journey can be followed via his website.Map of his planned tour, by Sheffield IMC.
2 activists from Totness,see Westcountry Indymedia are on the way, and 2 other activists have been [ 1,2] passing by Bayer and Monsanto, reported on Cambridge Indymedia. In total 20 pilgrims, including 73 years old Mary Keynes, are cycling or walking to London to raise awareness for the issue of GM food and crops and to participate in the Tractor and Trolley Demonstration.
For more background information: [Bio-technology special page,LABB leaflet, Biotech Indymedia].
Palestine update & Hiphop Tour
05-10-2003 00:07
Educational charity Markaz at-Tanwir are bringing a Palestinian Hiphop outfit called DAM to the UK for an awareness raising tour and to generate funds for a computer centre in the Rafah refugee camp. Only last week in Rafah, the IOF demolished 18 Palestinian homes, leaving 44 families homeless. Also, 9 Palestinians, including a child who died of fright, were killed and more than 30 others were wounded by the Israeli occupying forces.
The tour kicks of on Thursday at the Scala, London with Fundamental. Full tour details HERE
Electronic Intifada | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Arab Media Watch | Al-Awda | Palestine Report
Thessaloniki Prisoner Solidarity
04-10-2003 22:17
Links: Main feature | Most recent update | update Oct 5/6 | Upcoming UK Solidarity
London Rising Tide target the Tate re. BP sponsorship
04-10-2003 03:39
LRT's ongoing actions against the planned Baku-Ceyhan pipeline.
Climbers hung the 'No Public Money for Baku-Ceyhan pipeline' banner across the road while a few of us wandered in, distributing 'How much do you know about BP, sponsor of Tate Britain?' leaflets to staff and public alike. Many staff muttered their agreement with the anti-BP sentiments but were nervous to be seen associating with us. The public were pretty receptive, especially some initially bemused but soon on-side students from Chester, one of whom now has a picture of us outside holding the 'BP sponsors climate chaos' banner as part of her 'my trip to London' film.
Original article:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/10/278320.html
GM corporation to stop trials due to direct action
04-10-2003 03:21
Bayer CropScience - previously known as Aventis have - has announced that they now intend to stop testing crops in this country. Just less than 2 months ago anti-GM activists at the Earth First Summer gathering decided to target the company company Bayer Crop Science. Several actions have already been carried out but this announcement comes before the campaign could properly get going.Bayer made clear that direct action played a major role in their decision. Dr Julien Little of Bayer CropScience was cited as saying: "(...) if we are not going to get anything out of [trials on oil-seed rape] because they are wrecked there is little point so this year we will not be doing any."
Bayer had asked the government to allow vaguer descriptions of test sites so that they could not be found and trashed by activists. But the proposal has been vetoed.
Links: Full reports [1],[2],[3] a Bayer update, background info on Bayer, Stop Bayer campaign
End the Occupation Demo 27th Sept
28-09-2003 11:29
Between 10 and 100 thousand people (eleven ?) from all over Britain marched against the occupation of Iraq in London yesterday.
Pictures and comments: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ]
Pictures, story and comments: [ 1 ]
Women contingent: [report and pics]
Video: [1 long clip, 1 short clip, 1 quicktime virtual tour of crowd]
Debate about coverage of demo on IMC: [ 1 ]
Simultaneously, in Edinburgh a banner drop and a rally took place, whilst it was streaming down with rain.
Oxford Post Workers Walk Out
21-09-2003 17:43
UPDATE (Thursday 25th): Striking Oxford postal workers won reinstatement yesterday for their two sacked colleagues, and voted to return to work.UPDATE (Monday 22th): Oxford postal workers voted for continued strike action in the face of management's attempts to break their union, the CWU. This came after management sacked two people as a deliberate provocation.
This weekend, postal workers from Oxford staged a wildcat strike in response to agressive posturing from the chief executive, Allan Leighton. The strike started 5pm Friday, and workers intend to remain on strike until Monday, when they will discuss the next step.
report | responses to no vote | UPDATE and video | update 2
Legal Update: DSEi, Anti-War protests and others...
12-09-2003 14:53
Legal Update 16th September here.
Samba player in deep trouble after having been badly beaten by police and spending two days at Charing Cross police station; Witness appeal.
Liberty are asking for reports from people who were stopped and searched, ASAP. An email list has been set up for people who were arrested / beaten etc..
Since the 1st of September, 144 people have been arrested in protests against the Defence Systems and Equipment international arms fair (DSEi) that has been taking place in East London. Policing tactics have been condemned by a wide range of people and Liberty is have won the right to seek a High Court injunction over use of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000; they have also offered to provide legal representation for anyone stopped or detained under this legislation. Bindmans Lawyers have also requested information or witnesses from DSEi.
- Legal resources:
- Activists' Legal Project
- Legal Defence & Monitoring Group
- free B.E.A.G.L.E.S. legal resource centre
- Urban75 legal page
Numerous requests for witnesses have been made on the UK indymedia newswire [1 2 3 4 5 6]. There have also been several videos posted showing police violence against demonstrators which may provide evidence [ 1 2 - more can be found on the full reports from the 9th, 10th and 11th September].
Meanwhile, Anti-War demonstrators are still being threatened with - and receiving - harsh sentences. Protestors from Fairford come to trial next week while some are still fighting to get the charges reduced before they come to trial (Background to the case). Yet others are still looking for witnesses and some, like Ulla Roder (who was arrested for damaging a Tornado war-plane), have had their trials delayed numerous times.
Further afield, Simon Chapman and the Thessalonikki 7 remain imprisoned in Greece (solidarity website). Simon's first appeal has failed (against the charges) and he is currently awaiting the results of a second appeal. Key evidence such as the video have been re-submitted. In the United States, webmaster of raisethefist.com Sherman Austin has been imprisoned for 1 year; he has since been subject to death threats and is being kept in solitary on the grounds of safety as a reason.
DSEi: In Solidarity With Anti-WTO Protests in Cancun
11-09-2003 16:20
Thousands of protesters, peasant and farmers organization, workers, environmentalists, trade unionists and many other groups opposing the World Trade Organization, corporate globalisation and militarism from around the world and Latin America are converging in Cancun, Mexico this week, the location for this weeks WTO meeting.
On Wednesday, Korean farmer Kyong Lee took his life in protest against WTO policy, while demonstrators tore down the fence surrounding the summit but refused to enter the summit grounds. The Mexican president Vicente Fox had ordered a police-led campaign of misinformation and barricades (Report) and prevented a teach-in organized by the International Forum on Globalization. Police repression is high. At least 8 protesters have been seriously injured during the Thursday march. Many other protesters throughout the week have been injured, threatened with deportation, banned from Cancun and refused entry to the country.
Breaking news:
Saturday report
Radio report
Starhawk
Photos [1][2]
A timeline of up-to-date events as well as ¡Radio Hurakán! (Mirrors 1 2 3) are also available.
Background: UK IMC article
September 11th - DSEi Weapons Dealers' Dinner
11-09-2003 15:27
The official week of events (6th-12th sept) against DSEi, Europe's largest arms fair had seen counter-conferences, vigils, film screenings, protests, direct action, and blockades all taking place - see the DSEi 2003 Special Section). Sept 11th was the penultimate day of the arms fair:
Trafalgar Square became Red Square, as anti-arms trade campaigners filled its famous fountain with fake blood. See Photos and Report and Report Two,
Sept 11th was also the auspicious date chosen for the DSEi / DMA Gala Dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in central London. Arms dealers dined in luxury while around the world the dead were remembered (see Guardian article).
Anti-Arms protestors and peace activists showed their disgust outside the hotel throughout the evening with a noise demonstration. Diners arriving were greeted with shouts of "How many children have you killed today?", while the surrounding streets were repeatedly blocked by cyclists and drummers. Hundreds of police, some in riot gear sealed the area off and were overly aggressive, injuring at least one person who needed hospitalisation (see witness appeal).
There was strong support from passers by, while at least one person infiltrated the hotel dressed in a ball dress. Free food was given out as people stayed late into the night making as much noise as possible, banging pots and pans.
After holding their arms fair gala dinner on September 11th, the world's arms industry left the Lancaster Hotel under heavy police guard. They were able to leave the area via Lancaster Gate Tube Station, which, closed to members of the public, was commandeered for arms dealer only transport.
See Full Timeline
Reports: 1, 2
Pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4
Audio: Samba soundscape from arms gala dinner, Meeting the DSEi dealers
Video: 3 short clips, video 2
Recent mainstream articles: 1,2, roundup
Second Day of Action: Arms?- No Way! Shut down DSEi!
10-09-2003 12:02
"Whose streets? Our streets!"
Early in the morning the Dockland Light Railway (DLR) was stopped in the first of several actions (see reports: [1] [2] and pics: [1] [2] [3]) with activists D-locking themselves onto the train at various stations or climbing onto the roof (see video). This disrupted the DLR for much of the day. Also on the DLR, activists engaged in "train theatre" posing as arms dealers (report and pics). On their way to the Excel centre they announced they had arms for sale two opened their cases revealing various sets of arms (prosthetic and dolls arms) they had to sell.
At Custom House DLR (pic others went to a "Meet the Delegates" action. From eight in the morning a Critical Mass left from the City of London to the Docklands (pics: [1] [2] and video. On their way to the Excel around a hundred cyclists blocked traffic while comedian Mark Thomas entertained the crowds. Just after nine the Palestine support group, International Solidarity movement (ISM) visited the Israeli arms company Rafael in an attempted office occupation, later unfurling banners outside.
At eleven o'clock the two meeting points of "Storm the Death Fair" at Connaught Bridge underpass and "Blockade the Death Fair" at Canning Town roundabout allowed affinity groups to converge to form mobile groups forming and splitting as they engaged in their various actions. At Canning Town the group was prevented from moving by police but soon shoved their way through and moved off down Silvertown and along Victoria Dock road.
At Connaught Bridge a car partially blocked the ExCel approach road in a D-lock action (pics) while groups moved in a variety of directions, many up to Connaught roundabout and some down to the underpass (pics: [1] [2] [3]), blockading the traffic for several hours. Groups remained mobile; some pushing through police lines as other roads nearby were temporarily occupied or blockaded.
As pink and silver Samba drummed their way along Victoria Dock rd (pics), blocking the road with crash barriers, clashes occurred as police pushed the crowd against the railings of a recreation park. Samba managed to move off up Freemasons Road joined by Sheffield samba band and preceded to block the A13 main road (pics). There were scuffles and arrests as police chased the crowd in different directions.
Meanwhile at the ExCel centre six activists infiltrated DSEi, occupying two tanks, daubing them in ‘Stop Death’ banners and locking on, before being removed by security (see press release, pics and video). Some delegates are forced to walk to DSEi due to the disruption caused by the protests (see delegate video).
At 4pm the Reclaim the Streets party mobilised many of the roaming affinity groups at Rathbone Market where a crowd of around 300 took to the streets soon meeting up with a critical mass bicycle group complete with sound system. On the A13 the crowd was eventually blocked in by police (video), later being forced into a park (video), which police had cleared with mounted riot police (video). They were slowly released in small groups after being photographed (reports: [1] [2] [3]).
Meanwhile next to Canning Town DLR a second RTS group occupied the roundabout, as the DLR was again stopped, banners hung on top of the flyover ("Disarm DSEi"), arms delegate buses blockaded and riot police deployed. With another samba group playing, there were more arrests and scuffles as police cleared the roads, later blocking in two main groups of protestors for several hours as people tried to push through police lines (pics: [1] [2] [3]).
The day had seen a high level of disruption around the arms fair, especially given the relatively small numbers of protestors, while police continued using stop and search powers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (reports: [1] [2] [3] pics: [1], [2]). There were many arrests, some targeted, some quite violently, throughout the day.
See Full Timeline.
Links:
Reports: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27]
Pictures: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19,20, 21,22,23, 24, 25, 26]
Audio,
Video:[quicktime,wmv:1, 2,3,4,5, mpeg]
Miscellaneous: Pensioner protest, Corporate media: [1 ,2] Call for evidence of legal support [1,2,3]
Arrests update: 10th, 11th.
Reports from corporate press: [1] [2] [3]
First Day Of Action: Fluffyness Against DSEi Arms Fair
09-09-2003 10:39
The first of the two Days of Action against DSEi arms fair have started early this morning. Indymedia UK is covering what is happenning in the streets around the ExCeL building and other locations around London. Click on the "Read More" link below and then croll down to see the timeline of events of Tuesday 9th of September. You can also listen to the live web radio stream. Mainstream Media reports 61 arrests so far in relation to actions against the DSEi arms fair in the last days. Human Rights group Liberty have condemned the policing at the DSEi arms fair.
Summary:
In the morning one arms company had their doors D-locked whilst another got paintball decoration. Red paint, symbolizing blood was distributed over the main entrance. The CAAT march finished with speeches and before the next event "Fluffy DSEi" policing increased massively. Blockades took place in the afternoon when about 200 people were condoned off for a while. 16 people were arrested today.
Links:
Reports: [ 1, 2,3 ,5, 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15, 16]
Pics: [1,2, 3,4,5, 6,7, 8,9,10,11,12]
Audio/Radio: [1,2]
Videos: quicktime : [1,2,3,4, 5, 6, 7] wmv: [1,2,3,4,5,6] ,mpeg,avi,
Other coverage: Italy IMC, IMC Germany
Miscellaneous: [Infrastructure Information, Background, Mainstream press, Press complaints campaign: [1,2,3], BBC "have your say" ]
Demonstrators besiege Dungavel refugee prison
08-09-2003 20:29
Sticks, boots and bare fists beat a rhythm of resistance on the razor-wire fence around Scotland’s refugee prison, Dungavel, last Saturday 6th September. Over 1,000 demonstrators travelled to the south Lanarkshire countryside to demand the closure of Dungavel and freedom for the men, women and children imprisoned within.
Pics [1, 2, 3,] audio
Samba! Monday Events against DSEI
08-09-2003 15:36
A samba action has taken place in London at the BAE offices in London just before 9am this morning. An attempt was made to bestow an award to the company. Entry was gained to the foyer by 6 suited anti-arms campaigners. There were two arrests of people using D-locks on tables. The people arrested are now at Charing Cross Police Station where there has been a supportive samba noise demo. Click here for full report - pictures [1,2] - [ 2 short video clips, longer video clip on Imc Italy]- audio.
On the way from the BAE action to Charing Cross police station the group stopped by at the Army Recruitment Office to voice their protest against the war machine.
In the morning, delegates to the NATO military committee meeting in Cambridge were greeted by a lively show of the street theatre "performing for peace" on Monday morning.Pictures.
Round-up of Weekend Events Against DSEi
07-09-2003 22:02
Sunday, September 7th:
The two day long Disarm DSEi Conference has started this morning in London. Several workshops, trainings and presentations have taken place at the Convergence centre. Issues discussed have ranged from war and arms trade to Climate Change, whilst, at the same time, workshops on Non Violent Direct Action, Indymedia and Legal briefings have also taken place. All of this has taken place under increased police surveillance. Police stationed just outside the main entrance to the convergence centre, kept taking photographs and video of all those going in or out of the building [Photos]. Some cases of police harrassment were more extreme as several activsts have been followed around the streets of East and North London [Report]
In Cambridge protesters marched on a hotel where defense chiefs from NATO countries have been meeting. The De Vere's hotel was described, by a demonstrator, as having "become an extension of the military bases in the area putting up soldiers from the USA, the UK and other countries". Speakers voiced their discontent about De Vere's involvement with arms dealers and armies and linked the Cambridge NATO meeting with the DSEi arms-fair. [Report & Photos]
Saturday, Sept 6th:
In the morning a boat action took place in order to prevent military ships to enter the Docks for display at DSEi. Several activists were arrested, but released later co-inciding with a solidarity protest in front of Charing Cross Police Station. Read more.
At midday, several hundred people marched from Victoria embankment, past Downing street and Parliament Sq to the Imperial War Museum with two samba bands adding funky rhytms and a positive athmosphere. The march ended at the museum's gardens where a rally took place with speakers from different groups addressing issues of arms trade and in particular the DSEi arms fair.
Waterborne action defeats navy
07-09-2003 01:00
Saturday, Sept 6th: DSEi attempted to sail 4 warships along the river Thames, through Gallions Reach Lock and into the Royal Victoria Dock near the Excel exhibition centre on Saturday morning.
Three sperate affinity groups attempted to stop the naval vessals getting into Albert dock and DSEi by trying to block the lock gates with people in the water and to prevent the swing bridge from opening by locking-on with D'locks. There was a four hour window in which the tide allowed entry into the docks. The 30 activists succeeded in disrupting the manoeuvre, and the last 2 ships in the convoy aborted their mission and had to stop 7km down stream. Around sixteen people were arrested and taken to Charing Cross Police Station, where a solidarity protest took place to support the arrested and to wait for their release. Some were released without charge - others were charged with swimming in the dock or attempted criminal damage....
Links:
Boat action: reports [1,2]; pics [1,2] - video;
Charing Cross police station prisoner solidarity assembly: [pictures | video]
WTO talks in Cancun collapse
06-09-2003 02:48
Thousands of protestors, peasant and farmers organizations, workers, environmentalists, trade unionists and many other groups opposing the World Trade Organization, corporate globalisation and militarism from around the world and Latin America converged on Cancun, Mexico, the location for last week's WTO Summit which ran from the 10th to the 15th of September.For Indymedia coverage and up to date information on the events and protests that took place see cancun.mediosindependientes.org and the feature in IMC-UK World Page.
Other anti-WTO protests also took place across the planet. Click here for reports and images.
More Actions Against DSEi
06-09-2003 02:01
In recent days three more actions have been carried out against firms due to exhibit at the DSEi Arms Fair in London 9-12th September. Further protests against DSEi in London and NATO's Military Committee in Cambridge are expected over the next few days.
Birmingham
On 5th Friday activists from Birmingham staged a roof-top protest at the headquarters of Caterpillar(UK), in Desford, near Leicester, unfurling a banner reading "Caterkillar – Demolishing Palestine – Demolishing Peace". The action was in protest at the sale of Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozers to Israel (see report and pics).
Surrey
On Wednesday 3rd activists occupied the roof of a BAe Systems Factory in Byfleet, Surrey hanging a banner reading "Destroy the arms trade" (see report).
Sheffield
Meanwhile on Tuesday 2nd around twenty people took action against Fluent Ltd, a computer modelling software company in Sheffield. Several campaigners barricaded themselves inside the revolving doors while more people climbed up onto the canopy above the main entrance and hung a banner reading "Fluent Deal in Death" (see report, pics). The action followed anti-arms street theatre in the city centre.
DSEi Arms Fair Venue (Excel) Blockaded
02-09-2003 12:48
One of the activists, Laura Semple from Oxford, said "DSEi is one of the leading arms fairs in the world, where more than 600 arms companies will be queuing up to strike deals with oppressive regimes and to fuel conflicts all over the globe. We intend to shut it down."
See: Report 1, Update 1, Update 2, Photos, Videos.