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Couple of pics from London Critical Mass, March
Couldn't attach these to the video article so here they are instead. A large turnout with good weather. I saw the result of three deliberate rammings by drivers, which resulted in angry confrontations. Its great to see cyclists supporting each other. Despite this the mood of the ride was exuberant. This time we were accompanied by a friendly motorcycle cop who helped with the corking and had words with several drivers. Judging by the accents there were plenty of foreign visitors joining in the ride which seems to be becoming something of a tourist attraction. There were also several impressive and powerful sound systems. See video http://london.indymedia.org/videos/8587
trafalgar square occupation ongoing tonight
dozens of people helped create an autonomous zone in trafalgar square this evening, pitching eleven tents and establishing a planned 24-hour occupation to campaign agains government cuts and to show solidarity with arrestees at last week's protests the 'occupation for the alternative' was called by activists angered by the police action to clear trafalgar square last saturday after it was occupied during the evening of the TUC march. that night, some people were injured and others arrested, as hundreds of police in full riot gear swept across the square and kettled protestors (http://london.indymedia.org/articles/8542). i don't really visit the square other than when protests are on, so not sure if it's always like this, but i noticed both last week and this that all the streetlights in the square area were off on both occasions. have seen this before during last year's student protests. the darkness makes it hard to film and photograph, and gives the police an advantage when they swoop in under cover of darkness. perhaps it's simply an eco-drive and the lights are always off - can anyone confirm? more info at http://occupytrafalgarsquare.wordpress.com/
HIV Positive Victim of Sex Trafficking and rape fa
Felicia Adjei, a vulnerable woman who was trafficked into the UK and brutally exploited in forced prostitution is facing removal to Ghana TONIGHT, 1 April 2011 on Virgin Airlines Flight VS657 at 10.20pm from Heathrow Airport. She is currently waiting in an immigration detention centre. Felicia comes from a very poor family who lived in a rural village and experienced extensive physical abuse from her father as a young girl. Eight years ago her father sent her to the UK. She thought she would study or work and send money home to support her family. She thought her father's friends had arranged legal paperwork. She had no idea what she was about to experience. Felicia was held in a house for nearly three years. During this time men came to the house at least 3 times per week and forced her to have sex. Sometimes she was given drugs in her food. She began refusing to eat or drink but she was forced to do so with violence. Sometimes she wasn't drugged and was physically forced to have sex with men using various sex toys that she has never seen before in her country. Sometimes she would not see the person raping her because she was drugged. If she struggled then she was beaten up by the men. She would often bleed heavily when she was forced to have sex and suffered with severe stomach pains but was never allowed to get any medical treatment. Felicia was not paid for the work she was forced into. As a result of this trauma she is now living with HIV and became pregnant due to rape. Felicia has only just begun to recover from the things that happened to her. She cannot recover if she is forced to return to Ghana. Not only are the relevant services not in place but the social stigma and pressures she will experience will prevent her from recovering and may endanger her life. Felicia is afraid to return to Ghana because she became pregnant out of marriage. This is considered taboo in her small village. She remembers when a young woman from the village became pregnant after being raped. The young woman was insulted and physically abused for years. The young woman became very depressed and later committed suicide. Felicia is frightened that the same thing will happen to her and does not want her life to end in this way. Felicia is also HIV positive. People in Ghana will see this as dishonour to the family. Attitudes in Ghana towards people with HIV are such that that Felicia will face only rejection, physical abuse, and insult and will be shunned and treated as an outcast. Felicia believes returning to Ghana will have a detrimental effect not only on her mental health, but her life will also be at risk. According to the United Nations: ... the government of Ghana lack[s] shelter facilities for victims of sex trafficking. With the interior ministers approval a trafficking victim may remain permanently in Ghana if deemed to be in the victim's best interest though no victims were given such residency during the last year. There was no formal referral process to transfer victims in protective custody to other facilities.[1] For these reasons it is critical that Felicia is not removed from the UK but is allowed to continue her recovery in a safe and supportive environment. The Poppy Project is calling on the government to suspend the orders to remove Felicia, to release her from the detention centre and to allow her to return to the specialist shelter where she has been supported. WHAT YOU CAN DO: See attached for sample model letters 1) Contact the airline: Felicia is set to be removed on Virgin Airlines Flight VS657 London (LHR) to Accra (ACC) at 10.20pm 1st April.
#26 March, The Story Told by Those on the Streets
The massive March for the Alternative demonstration and day of action has come and gone, and what a day it was! Indymedia London was busy reporting the whole day and, together with other radical media projects such as the x26radio live streaming, it offered reporting infrasructure so those taking part in the demonstrations, occupations and actions could tell the story collectively in real time, first-hand and in an unmediated manner. Reports kept coming in throughout the day whilst updates direct from the streets were being published to the Tumblewire. As the day went on people also contributed photos and videos, and post-action evaluation and analysis posts are still coming in. As a result it has been possible to document the day in this comprehensive roundup feature as well as in thetimeline of events. IMC-London would like to thank all of you that made the reporting possible! We are now presenting all these contributions in a thematic order hopefully making it more comprehensive. See it all here …. The day started with two main feeder marches. One that had been called as a South London Feeder march starting in Kennington park at 11am, and which included a call for a Radical Workers bloc. The other descending into central London from ULU in Malet Street called the ‘Education Bloc’ feeder march which included a Militant Workers bloc The South London feeder march left Kennington Park at about 11.30am and it quickly grew to over 5000 people making their way towards Westminster. Apart from the 300 strong Radical Workers bloc, this march also included the now infamous ‘Trojan’ horse, union members, as well as many local anti-cuts campaigns and groups from all around south London, including Lambeth Save our Services, Southwark Save our Services and the Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance Photo reports: Tumblepics: Video: x26radio stream: x26radio stream: Photos: Reports and Photos: x26radio stream: Photo reports: Tumblepics: Videos: x26radio stream: Photo reports: Tumblepics: Videos: x26radio stream: Photo reports: Tumblepics: Videos: x26radio stream: The "Occupation of Trafalgar Square’ started with a strong party atmosphere with people dancing to several mobile sound systems and a samba band. But eventually, at around 6pm, large numbers of riot police violently attacked those gathered with the excuse that someone had attacked the olympic clock in the middle of the square. People initially defended themselves from the police attack, but the hundreds of police lines forming all over the area proved too difficult to overcome, and thus* around 200 people were kettled in the middle of the square until the early hours of the morning. Meanwhile groups of people kept defending their ground outside the police lines stopping traffic at junctions, but they were repeatedly attacked with police charges and snatch squads grabbing targeted individuals. The area around the square was finally cleared off at around midnight with thick riot police lines formed on all the junctions leading to the square. Those trapped inside the kettle were initially detained, filmed and some arrested. Photo reports: Tumblepic: Videos: x26radio stream:
London Critical Mass March ride.
A large turnout with good weather. I saw the result of three deliberate rammings by drivers, which resulted in angry confrontations. Its great to see cyclists supporting each other. Despite this the mood of the ride was exuberant. This time we were accompanied by a friendly motorcycle cop who helped with the corking and had words with several drivers. Judging by the accents there were plenty of foreign visitors joining in the ride which seems to be becoming something of a tourist attraction. There were also several impressive and powerful sound systems.
M26: Latin American bloc - photos and report
British Workers, migrant workers, one class, one fight! The Latin American Coalition Against Cuts (COLACOR) came together to form a Latin American bloc on the south London feeder march leaving from Kennington park. We were joined by activists from the IWW to demonstrate against the worst attack on the working class in living memory. We marched to show the rest of the trade union movement that these cuts are affecting immigrants as well as British people. We don’t want to be made scapegoats for a crises that we did not cause. The crisis was caused by bankers who get paid millions whilst we who clean their offices survive on poverty pay. “Unemployment and inflation are not caused by immigration, Bullshit! Come off it! The enemy is profit!” We took to the streets to show that we will not be intimidated by attempts to use immigration controls as an anti-union tool. In Colombia, one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a trade unionist, people are often disappeared for unionising. Now those that have fled Colombia find that in Britain too immigrant workers are disappeared for organising; they are not killed but deported, snatched and bundled out of the county where they will no longer be a nuisance. “We´re workers, not criminals, NO ONE IS ILEGAL!” We have seen in our own countries the affects of austerity, extreme capitalism, privatisation, exploitation, enforced poverty, but we have also seen how popular uprising can bring down governments, defeat corporations and restore power to the people. This is only the beginning! We know that this war cannot be won by a simple A to B march; we must organize, resist, unite, and fight. We have to throw everything we have at this government of the rich, including a general strike. We need to build a wide and inclusive movement that not only opposes cuts but STOPS them. We will fight hasta la victoria siempre! COLACOR are: Latin American Workers Association (LAWAS), Latin American Women’s Rights Service (Lawrs), Golden Years (Años Dorados) Day Centre, Bolivia Solidarity Campaign, Colombia Solidarity Campaign, The Prisma, IWW IU 640 (Cleaners & Allied Trades), Hands off Venezuela, Quinto Suyo (Perú), Latin American Disabled Peoples Project (Ladpp), LARC Latin Americans Recognition Campaign UK and Latinos in London. We were also joined on the day by around a dozen teenagers and children who were the loadest and proudest protesters. ¡Arriba la juventud!
Pics: Marching against the Cuts!
Loads of people and some nice signs. The only way to make the day even better would have been for the sun to come out!
#M26: Odeon on Leicester Square occupied
London was a crazy, exciting and wonderful place on Saturday, 26 March. Taking a walk around town, and passing Leicester Square, we happened upon the occupied Odeon. Where did they get a flag that size?
#Extraterrestrials join #26March
Aliens are being stopped and search for no reason at all. But I bet those sandwiches were going to be a crucial tool for breaching the peace.
Oxford Circus to Picadilly
Going for a wander in Occupied London broken glass looks kinda pretty
Londinium (An Alien Perspective On March 26th)
Written for American audience, but perhaps amusing. Londinium A small settlement on the wide flowing river, the word itself perhaps meaning ‘wild place.’ There is no certainty about where the name came from, only theories. But I am going to pretend that Londinium means ‘wild place along the river.’ It was conquered by the Romans during the first decades of the common era. Nothing more than an outpost of the Empire, it remained occupied for a decade until the queen of the Iceni tribe led her armies against the Romans. When they retook Londinium, the forces of the queen burned the city to the ground. For an entire night, the ‘wild place along the river’ was a city of flames. East London As you undoubtedly know, the Empire has remained in control of Londinium for two thousand years. The ‘wild place along the river’ has since become a concrete and brick labyrinth populated by over 8 million people. It was one of the main nodes in the expansion of the Empire into North America and the center of global Capital for centuries. But it also served as a refuge for anarchists during the 19th and 20th centuries. East London was where many anarchists came to regroup and collaborate. Louis Michel, Erico Malatesta, and Rudolf Rocker all resided there at one point. The Whitechapel neighborhood in East London was home to a vibrant Jewish anarchist community, with many newspapers and organizations. These anarchist organizations contributed to numerous strikes in the neighborhood and also supported their members during long, protracted strikes. Peter Kropotkin and other anarchists created Freedom Books in the Whitechapel neighborhood in 1886. The bookstore is still there, in Angel Alley, just down the street from where Jack the Ripper killed his first victim. In 1993 it was firebombed by fascists but survived the attack. In the same building as the bookstore is ASS, the Advisory Service for Squatters, a group that provides free legal help and resources to the squatting population. There are dozens and dozens of squats in East London. Squatting is legal in England, it being a civil matter and not a police matter. If a house is squatted, the owner has to start a court process that often takes months, allowing people to live for free during that time. Because of this, the local anarchists can quickly set up infrastructure such as social centers, free stores, and housing. Although politicians and lawmakers are threatening to make squatting illegal, the reality of that happening is far from likely, given the state of the British economy. It is not just anarchists who take over buildings. People who have to wait months for state housing are allowed to take any house that is empty. With cuts to housing and housing aid, the government would find itself under even heavier scrutiny if it outlawed squatting. In one particular squat, there are four separate empty buildings that are connected by pathways along the rooftops. Lush trees grow around the old Victorian brick and gardens grow in planting boxes made from discarded shipping pallets. Rooms are slowly transformed from forgotten wreckage to livable, warm dwellings. Electrical cords and water hoses keep everything lit and people hydrated. Resources are shared amongst the rotating cast of characters who live there. The newest room, converted only recently, is going to be turned over to other anarchists once the current occupants leave. This is just one of many squats scattered throughout East London. There is much more local context that would take many pages to explain. In the links below you will be able to find some of this context. But let it be said that East London has been an anarchist center for over a hundred years and continues to be so to this day. And now… March 26th, Central London Piccadilly Circus, situated in the middle of London, is another radiant jewel of the Empire. While not as vertical as Times Square in New York City, it is certainly London’s equivalent. Surrounding a metal statue of Eros, the Greek god of love, are giant electronic billboards constantly flashing messages to the thousands of tourists and consumers who pass by each day. Piccadilly Circus is the center of a vast commercial district that pulls in millions of dollars a year. It is also where one of the longest street battles was to occur on March 26th, 2011. The Trade Union’s Congress (TUC) had called for a large march and rally against the recent austerity measures being imposed by the government. It was given the name ‘March For The Alternative’ and was meant to encourage the Conservative-Democratic coalition government to provide more green jobs, more government services, more work, work, work. During the build-up to March 26th, many people were expecting it to draw up to a million people and be comparable to the march against the Iraq War in 2003. Starting with the protests against the G20 in 2009, a wave of energy had been building in London with each new demonstration. The student protests and occupations, the storming of the Millbank Tower, and the local demonstrations against the borough councils had all been increasing the level of militancy of the population. A local Marxist academic (who had been fired for ‘inciting violence’ during the G20) and his cohorts had been telling the media that on March 26th, the city of London would be taken over. Not only did they say this, they also organized five separate street parties to take place on that day, each party representing the five points of the pentagram. This was to act as a curse against the royal wedding set to take place on April 29th. The TUC had been openly collaborating with the Metropolitan Police, coordinating their plans and ensuring that the march would go off peacefully. The stewards of the TUC would have no hesitation turning over unruly elements to the police. The march was set to be a point A to point B affair, all of it ending in a rally at Hyde Park where politicians from the Labour Party and other union leaders would speak. The business community of London felt safe with the collaborative plan between the TUC and the Metropolitan Police, knowing that all the protestors would be in one place, contained and harmless. Anyone who deviated from this official plan was obviously a mindless trouble-maker. Papers ran stories warning of evil anarchist plots to disrupt the legitimate demonstration. On the day of the march, several ‘feeder marches’ were to start at 11 AM in locations scattered around London, all of them separate from the main TUC march. One of them started in front of the University of London Union. One hundred and fifty red and black flags (the local colors) were distributed to the crowd, mounted on wooden poles. By 11, two thousand people, largely students and anarchists, were assembled in front of the Union. The feeder march kicked off and moved towards the Thames River. In this march, hundreds of people were dressed in black and as it moved hundreds of anarchist flags fluttered in the air. Nothing really happened on the way to the river, but when this march reached the river, this is what happened: The feeder march ran into and was absorbed by the main TUC march. While there, no one moved. The march was so big (over five hundred thousand people) that it could no longer move between point A and point B. For an intolerable amount of time, the feeder march was stuck within a cacophony of sheepish BAAAAH!’s and bovine MOOOOH!’s. A small group of liberals waiting in line for the port-a-potties implored the anarchist ‘cowards’ to take off their masks and do something their ‘children would be proud of.’ The A to B march stood perfectly still, waiting to get to the trough and then go home. To the delight of everyone, the march finally started moving and the first smoke bombs were lit, filling the air with the rancid stench of sulfur. The anarchists walked with the rest of march, listening to crowd favorites like the Buzzcocks’ “Orgasm Addict” on their sound system and chanting about burning the leaders of government. Once the feeder march reached a major road it quickly broke away from the TUC march, bringing with it roughly five thousand people who were bored, restless, and eager to do something other than drink from the trough. The break-away march proceeded into Central London, clumping together, gathering its strength, and getting as far away from the TUC march as possible. It soon entered the commercial district where the first targets were hit. Initially, paint bombs and large fireworks were the only things thrown, but soon large rocks began to crash against the windows of posh shops. The first cracked window evoked only silence from the crowd, but by the next target everyone cheered as the windows shattered. The police used small teams to intimidate the crowd, but they largely kept to the sidewalks, hoping that their cameras would be enough of a deterrent to prevent anyone from acting. The march would walk from target to target, stopping only when enough people were attacking in order to warrant a pause. This kept everyone safe and the cops away. Rocks and paint bombs flew over the heads of the police who were helpless and confused. Multi-colored paint splotches covered the faces, hats, and uniforms of every Metropolitan Police officer who tried to protect Santander Bank, Top Shop, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Starbucks, McDonald’s, lingerie shops, clothing shops, money exchanges, and jewelry stores. The march quickly weaved through alleys and streets, choosing direction organically, finding targets naturally, and moving constantly. When an HSBC bank was passed, people covered it with paint bombs and graffiti and smashed its windows. Changing direction later on, the march then passed it again. The bank was damaged even more, the doors were broken open with a dumpster, and dozens of people flooded inside and began destroying it. All but a few of them got out before the riot police arrived. Then the march passed the Ritz Hotel in Mayfair. Paint was everywhere, multiple windows were smashed, fireworks were thrown, the police were beaten with sticks and pegged with more paint-bombs while chants of ‘Class War!’ filled the air. The Ritz is a very glaring symbol of wealth in London and the fight lasted nearly ten minutes, ending with the police cowering and the guests at the hotel being evacuated to the kitchen. The words FAT CATS were left spray-painted on the wall. Only a few block away was a nine story squat, occupied a few days earlier, that was being used as a convergence center for the day. Draped from its sides was a giant banner with the squatting symbol that read “OUR SOCIETY IS BIGGER THAN YOURS” and another that proclaimed “CAPITALISM IS CRISIS”. The march went where it wished, destroyed what it could, and only dispersed when it merged with the occupation taking place at Oxford Circus. For two hours it had efficiently and relentlessly attacked the most obvious targets it could find. Two random men, drawn into the excitement and energy of the march, were overheard saying this to each other: “Where are we going next?” “The next fucking capitalist target!” These men stayed with the march, cheering whenever a window was broken. Indeed, these targets resonated with an angry, dissatisfied public. By the time the march had disintegrated, there were multiple separate groups roving the streets of central London. From this point onward, one could walk in any direction, find one of these nomadic groups, and be swept away into a confrontation or excitement. There were no cars on the street. It became normal for everyone, bystanders included, to walk on the street. The police were completely overwhelmed, especially now that multiple groups of random people were replicating the nomadic, roving tactics demonstrated earlier. While a giant Trojan Horse was being burnt to the ground in Oxford Circus, an anti-cuts group had occupied Fortnum & Mason, the famous grocer to the Queen of England. Hundreds of people shut down the store that sold jars of jam for eighteen pounds. This grocer was just down the street from Piccadilly Circus. As the day wore on, people began to clump around this occupation. In the area around Piccadilly Circus, there was no car traffic. Stores that had not been hit were boarded up, tourists took pictures of the damage, and whoever wanted free food or beer simply had to walk into a Tesco, grab whatever they wanted, walk past the distracted and confused employees, and leave. Central London had become free, host to a riotous, chaotic carnival of people who roamed the streets joyously. All of this activity eventually coalesced around Piccadilly Circus and the occupation at Fortnum & Mason. From here, multiple street fights broke about between the crowd of thousands and the lines of riot police. Everyone, young, old, male, and female, began to throw themselves and whatever they could find against the pigs in neon green. One young teenager, disregarding all the cameras, began to gleefully smash an ATM with a wild smile on her face while other beat the cops thirty away from her. These battles lasted for hours and were a constant back and forth between the forces of order and the forces of chaos. Every target that was within the domain of the chaotic crowd was torn apart. A Santander Bank, attacked earlier in the day, was broken into and trashed from the inside. Eventually, with all of the chaotic activity beginning to centralize itself in one area, the police started to push the crowd towards Piccadilly Circus. There was already one fire burning in Piccadilly Circus when the crowd was pushed back. Once the police had pushed that far, night had fallen. Further back, towards Trafalgar Square, away from the Fortnum & Mason that was now completely surrounded by police, people began to burn great piles of trash in Piccadilly. They assembled large barricades of garbage bags and construction fencing in the middle of the road. People began to gather everyone they could to feed the fires that soon attracted hundreds of people. These fires burned while tourists and consumers nervously ate their meals at TGI Friday’s and the Aberdeen Steakhouse. When asked why they were burning plastic, one diabolical arsonist responded, “We live in a city.” The person shrugged and said, “Fair enough.” Rather than host a mob of unthinking tourists, Piccadilly Circus hosted fires, revelry, and chaos that night. Until the fire brigade put them out, that is. With the death of these fires, normality, traffic, and commerce slowly resumed throughout the rest of the evening. Further to the east, closer to the river, three thousand people were assembled in Trafalgar Square, one of the five points in the pentagram (the other points being Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square, and the Hilton Hotel). Multiple fires burnt as people danced to jungle music. The metal lions and the central column of the square were covered in graffiti. The police held back until the 2012 London Olympic Clock was attacked with paint bombs. At this point, another street battle began that lasted into the wee hours. Shops were burnt and police were injured before everyone who remained in the square was surrounded. This was to be the last battle, ending at 3 in the morning of March 27th. Conclusion Central London became a liberated area for several hours on March 26th (in addition to over five million pounds being lost by businesses). Normality was disrupted and commerce was halted. Thousands of people joined in the attacks on the police and the destruction of ‘capitalist targets.’ The next day, the media would invent tales of masked anarchist ‘thugs’ hijacking a ‘legitimate’ protest. But when all of the diverse people involved in the fighting against the police read these sensationalized fabrications, they were able to clearly see just how law and order is maintained, how ‘legitimate protest’ are really just other words for passivity, and how rebellion is always maligned, denigrated, and attacked. London is a vast, pulsing node in the networks of the Empire. But the ‘wild place along the river’ is still home to the same foxes that roamed the forests that once lined the river Thames. They can still be seen, walking on the roofs of a squat or emerging from some slimy tunnel, looking ragged and worn but still surviving. They emerge at the most unlikely time and stare at you with apprehension. They do not want to be seen, these wild creatures crawling underneath the streets of the Imperial City. Like every major city of the Empire, London is a long-subjugated place. But a long time ago it was free and wild. Centuries of slavery have attempted to reduce the inhabitants into cattle and sheep. Nevertheless, there is still and always has been rebellion, just as there always will be. What happened on the 26th might be similar to other events that have taken place in London, but it is also something completely new. The extensive attacks on banks and other ‘capitalist targets’ that took place that day resonate in a completely different manner than they have before. With all of the money drying up in the UK and the EU, a line of riot police protecting an Apple store looks vastly different than it did in 2004. Not only that, there are more people who willingly attack DeBeers, Porsche dealerships, and Lloyd’s Bank than ever before. And now the Royals are set to marry off their son to some rich girl in a ceremony that will cost millions of pounds. The public will have to watch, some of them willingly and happily, others with disgust in their eyes, as an opulent spectacle is paraded in front of them. Already there are plans to disrupt the wedding, and it will be that much more difficult to pull it off after the victory of the 26th. But here is to the folks of London and all the others who travelled there to make that day possible. Godspeed and good luck in all of your future endeavors. It has been an absolute pleasure. Stay wild.
Video: Thousands head to Fortnums occupation
Thousands of people pitched up in central London to do more than just march from A-B.... Occupy for the Alternative!
protests 26 march
couple of pitures from the centre during the protests 26-th of March 2011 couple of pitures from the centre during the protests 26-th of March 2011
more pictures from 26, centre of town
more pitures from the centre during the protests 26-th of March 2011 more pitures from the centre during the protests 26-th of March 2011
138 UK Uncut chargees, 11 others so far
Bit of an update on charges etc from the March 26th... - Police have charged 149 people, 138 of those were charged with aggravated trespass as part of the UK Uncut occupation of Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly and bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on various dates, beginning on 9 May. The remaining seven were bailed pending inquiries. - 11 people were charged for various offences, including; possession of an offensive weapon, violent disorder, assault on police, criminal damage and drunk and disorderly behaviour. - There were 84 reported injuries during the protests, including at least 31 police, with 11 officers requiring hospital treatment. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12876705
Letter to UK Uncutters from the 'violent minority'
We're writing this to you to try and prevent the anti-cuts struggle being split up and weakened by the media. We are anarchists (well, anarcho-syndicalists, technically) - a word that is much misunderstood and misrepresented. We are also students, workers and shop stewards. We co-organised a 'Radical Workers Bloc' on the South London feeder march. The aim was to provide a highly visible radical presence within the workers movement of which we are a part, advocating strikes, occupations and civil disobedience. Saturday's demonstration was far bigger than anyone expected, and saw thousands go beyond a simple A-B stroll to take direct action. The UK Uncut actions on Oxford Street and in occupying Fortnum and Masons provoked harsh treatment from police, including mass arrests. When we reached Trafalgar Square, we headed for Oxford Street for the 2pm actions to put some of these words into action (anarchist and UK Uncutter were not mutually exclusive on the day!). When we arrived, we met up with other anarchists who had had the same idea. Wary of being kettled, we chose to stay mobile, causing disruption on Oxford St and the surrounding area, including to UK Uncut targets which were closed and guarded by riot police. Subsequently, several banks, the Ritz and other buildings were damaged or hit by paint bombs. There were some minor scuffles with police. There is a valid debate to be had over tactics - which ones further the anti-cuts movement or are counter-productive - and many of us would favour mass direct action over property destruction. Let's have that debate within the anti-cuts struggle, and not let the media divide us. But think about it from the store owners' point of view: a broken window may cost £1,000. A lost Saturday's trade through a peaceful occupation would cost many times more. Perhaps this helps explain the harsh police response to the UK Uncut occupation: it hits them where it hurts, in the pocket. Traditionally, workers have used the weapon of the strike to achieve this. But what about workers with no unions, or unions unwilling to strike? What about students, the unemployed? UK Uncut actions have been very successful at involving such people in economically disruptive action - and this seems to be on the right track in terms of forcing the government to back down on its cuts agenda. More and bigger actions in this vein will be needed to stop the cuts (in France, they call these 'economic blockades'). Like those in UK Uncut, we recognise that just marching from A to B or waiting for the government to be fair is not enough. The government, rich and tax avoiders will continue to seek to make the poorest in society pay for the defecit unless we make doing so the more expensive option. As UK Uncut announced on the demonstration 29th January "If the economy disrupts our lives, then we must disrupt the economy". The press coverage since Saturday has gone into a well-rehearsed frenzy of 'good protestor/bad protestor'. Some UK Uncutters have expressed outrage at being lumped in with the 'bad protestors', (correctly) stressing the peaceful nature of the F&M occupation. We think the whole idea of dividing 'good' and 'bad' protest serves only to legitimise police violence and repression. As we saw on Saturday, repression is not provoked by violent actions, but by effective actions - there is a long history of peaceful pickets and occupations being violently broken up by police, from the Chartists to the Miners Strike. Indeed, UK Uncut have frequently been at the blunt end of this in recent memory yourselves, with police responding to non-violent occupations with pepper spray and violent arrests. In this light, we would say keep up the good work. Let the mass arrests strengthen your resolve not deter you. And let's not fall into the divide-and-rule tactics that are the oldest trick in the rich's book. If we can help or offer any practical solidarity to the arrestees, please get in touch. We've previously hosted legal advice and training sessions with Fitwatch and the Legal Defence and Monitoring Group - we'd be happy to do this again. Or if the arrests are causing problems with employers, we'll help arrestees organise against victimisation. On Saturday most of the arrestees were UK Uncut activists. Next time it could be us. We - those of us fighting the cuts - are all in this together. Signed, Brighton Solidarity Federation Plus individuals from: Northampton, North London, Manchester, Thames Valley and South London Locals (our federal democratic structure means statements can only be issued in the name of a group if the group has had the opportunity to discuss it, and time is against us!)
Thugs hijack peaceful action in London!!
Saturday saw a small but violent minority of bankers, politicians and tax avoiders bring chaos to London. Police have identified several troublemakers by studying the FTSE 100 share index and are hopeful that prosecutions will follow. In the meantime they have warned the public to be on the lookout for the groups mysterious leader known as 'Osbourne'. Meanwhile Police spokeman paid tribute to the Black Bloc and UK Uncut for doing their bit to protect the public from the menace of unbridled capitalism. He said "Our officers felt truly honored to be pelted with paint filled eggs by those pricipled young people. It gives all of us hope for the future. We just hope that they succeed in their objectives before our jobs get cut as well." More heartwarming TUC pictures here: http://guy-smallman-photos.photoshelter.com/gallery/TUC-March-for-the-Alternative/G0000kNFcSlnHfwU More gratuitous riot porn here: http://guy-smallman-photos.photoshelter.com/gallery/Anti-Capitalists-target-tax-avoiders-and-clash-with-the-Police-26-3-11/G00008sDkIWFd3O0
parliament square protests to continue for royals
david cameron's threat to remove protestors from parliament square well before the royal wedding has been thwarted by the high court, who will not hear an obstruction case until may 9th.. the GLA recently fought brian haw et al in the high court appealing against a ruling that exempted the peace camp during the eviction of the democracy village last year. brian's legal team, and barbara tucker acting on her own, were told they would now have to move off the grass of parliament square. however, the court also gave them a stay of execution and a right to appeal before the end of this month. if the protestor's appeal is unsuccessful, they will be told they have to move their tents on to the pavement, enforceable by a high court injunction. however, westminster council have also lodged an 'obstruction of the highway' case against the protests, hoping to use this to prevent them from using the pavement area too. the two cases, while not officially connected, are thought to be part of MP's plans to remove the 'embarassment' of the decade-long protests against illegal and deceitful war-mongering, and are backed by david cameron's 'promises' to the house that the square would be cleared before the royal wedding. but today, the high court set a date for the 'obstruction of the highway' hearing, and the date is the 9th of may, long after the royal wedding. it's not inconceivable, on past record, that there may be a sudden 'security scare' or suchlike on the morning of the wedding, giving the police an excuse to remove protestors, but removing their banners or tents too would probably be highly unlawful and impossible to defend, so it looks like, unless the route of the wedding cavalcade is changed, the happy couple and their bloated entourage will have to pass by the protests. of course, since it is officially the queen who has the final say on whether the country goes to war, she and her heirs, especially the future king william, all have their hands covered thick with the blood of innocent iraqi and afghan citizens, including tens if not hundreds of thousands of women and children. of course, this dysfunctional family includes some of the uk's biggest tax-scroungers, literally living like kings on unfathomably large state hand-outs, as well as unfeasibly huge allowances like the common agricultural policy which pays out austerity-busting sums to the rich for simply 'owning' land. on the day of the royal wedding, the parliament square protestors will hopefully be the least of their worries, as unions threaten transport strikes, and activists threaten large demonstrations to disrupt this overblown and irrelevant spectacle, and contrast this excessive extravagance against violent cuts in jobs and services.
Blocking Traffic
This video illustrates 'targeting' behaviour used by the police, the FBI and those who work for them, often called 'Civilian Partners.' These include groups such as "Cellular on Patrol," "Citizens' Alert," "Neighborhood Watch," and the alumni of the FBI's "National Citizens' Academy." Also, often every kind of municipal employee, will participate. These groups practice pervasive harassment against American citizens often to the point where their victims commit suicide. The behaviour shown in this video is a form of 'vehicular harassment.' It often consists of one or more police officers and civilian accomplices intentionally creating a traffic delay, by obstucting traffic in their 'target's' direction of travel, 'with their vehicles.' This can be and 'is' done on all types of roadways and highways, and when done on a major highway will inconveience up to "1/2 MILLION" motorists, for several hours, just so that the police and FBI can inconvenience a 'single' target. This has been done to me at least 50 times over the last several years, all over the US. The last time was while I was driving southbound through New York city. The dead-giveaway is that the obstructing vehicles will disperse the 'exact' moment that the 'target' comes into view. You will often be able to observe 'tradecraft' on the civilian vehicles. What's even more amazing than the fact that they actually do this, is that they use 'our' tax dollars to carry this out!
M26 pics and report continued (2of2) - into night
continuation of pics and report on london's 'day of rage'. first part can be found here clicking on pics brings up larger version. all pics copyright, but free for non-commercial, radical use etc. - if in doubt, contact author part one here ............ police numbers built up, and 'fortnum and masons' was officially closed for business. as the remaining occupiers slowly emerged over a long period of time, they were taken into the side street, handcuffed, arrested, searched, processed, and eventually put onto coaches to various police stations where they were held well into the next day.
M26 pics and report (1 of 2) - daytime
while hundreds of thousands of people formed the official 'march for the alternative' from embankment, thousands more took part in organised and disorganised actions around the capital, including a spectacular occupation of fortnum and mason's - the piccadilly department store for the richest elite. clicking on pics brings up larger version. all pics copyright, but free for non-commercial, radical use etc. - if in doubt, contact author as tens and hundreds of thousands of protestors flooded the embankment, the official TUC march set off at 11.39, passing downing street just before midday, and heading to a rally of endless speeches including ed milliband who favours pretty much the same cuts, just spread out a bit. maybe that's the alternative the TUC have in mind. article continues part two here
#26march Trafalgar Sq in the evening Pics & Report
After a full day of determined activity, protest and action around central London hundreds of protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square from around 5pm. For the first few hours the square turned into a huge party with people mainly dancing to several mobile sound systems, a samba band as well as enjoying live performances over an open mic. But later in the evening, at around 8pm, huge numbers of riot police moved into the square charging into the crowd. At first protestors responded the attack by trying to defend the space, but finally the hundreds of riot cops moving in managed to re-take the square and to kettle around 200 people that got stuck between the thick police lines forming quickly all over the place. When we arrived in the area we found a square truly resembling the worst images of what a police state may look like. The lines of riot police were everywhere and new ones were being formed all the time, thus preventing anyone to approach the centre of the square and making any contact impossible with those trapped inside the kettle. The violent police operation didn't manage to stop crowds of people from gathering outside the police cordons, and from stopping traffic mainly in the south side of the square in the junction with the Strand. Police repeatedly charged these groups of protestors but people keept coming back towards the square. Eventually police moved extra riot police lines pushing people away from the area and cutting all access to the square. We left just a few minutes before lines of riot police lines pushed people away from the south side of the Strand around Charing Cross station and closing all posiible exits from the area. The kettle inside the square lasted for a few extra hours, with the last protestors not left out until after 2am, many of which were arrested. Here there are some pics. Even though the image quality is far from ideal due to the poor light conditions, at least they may help to visualise what the Trafalgar Square area looked like at the end of a determined day of protest and resistance to the Government imposed 'austerity measures'. .
Photos from March26March
People Power Pics 500,000 + people protest against the ConDemNation. |
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