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Another EDO decommissioners trial update

29-06-2010 20:01

The jury went out in the EDO decommissioners trial this morrning.

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Report on today's demonstration at Mexican Embassy in London: Freedom and Justic

29-06-2010 19:35

Demonstrators calling for freedom for the Atenco prisoners in Mexico protested for over 3 and a half hours in front of the Mexican Embassy in London today 29th June. The protest was part of an International Day of Action, coinciding with the Supreme Court of Justice of the Mexican Nation meeting to decide the future of 12 political prisoners from the small town of San Salvador Atenco near Mexico City.

Protestors defied police to take up position directly in front of the Embassy entrance, refusing police orders to move to the opposite side of the road. After around 20 minutes the possibility of arrest under the Public Order Act forced the dozen or so demonstrators to move a few yards back to a traffic island in the middle of the road.

Nevertheless leafleting continued right in front of the Embassy while Mexican revolutionary songs blasted out a message of defiance. Certainly the Embassy authorities were well aware of the protest as their Security officers were filming and photographing demonstrators.

"The Atenco prisoners have been imprisoned for the crime of standing up for the poor peasant farmers of the area," said Esther McDonald of the UK Zapatista Solidarity Network, who organised the protest. "It was therepresentatives of the state who committed violent atrocities at Atenco: Amnesty International has detailed shocking systematic sexual assaults and rapes by the police on 26 women during and after the police assault on Atenco in May 2006."

The events of 3rd /4th May 2006 were sparked off when police tried to arrest peasant farmers selling flowers in the street. When locals went to the flower-sellers aid and drove off the police, a massive state force gathered and then invaded Atenco. Police killed two youths, Alexis Benhumea and Francisco Javier Cortes, and arrested over 200 people. Dozens of homes were invaded without warrants, and hundreds of people were tear-gassed and beaten. Police subjected 26 women to serious sexual assaults, including rape, in attacks described by Amnesty International as "torture".

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Palestine Today 06292010

29-06-2010 19:17

Audio
Welcome to Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org for Tuesday, June 29 2010.

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Bloody Oil – Drum Em Out

29-06-2010 18:33

Samba over the Millenium Bridge to St Pauls
On Monday the 21st June 2010 In protest over The World National Oil Companies Congress protester marched from London’s Tate Modern to the Grange St Paul’s Hotel where In the middle of the death and destruction sown by oil companies all over the world, the industry’s “greatest minds” gathered together to celebrate and plan more carnage.

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short vid report 2

29-06-2010 18:22

sit-down outside parliament gates after invading grounds as part of operation 'rolling thunder'

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short vid report 1

29-06-2010 18:22

sit-down outside parliament gates after invading grounds

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high court verdict on democracy village

29-06-2010 18:22

the high court today gave the right to the GLA to evict the democracy village from the grass at westminster parliament square. five of the campers are launching an appeal on points of law, and the camp will be safe until at least the weekend while that process begins. villagers are also calling out for experienced activists to join forces with them to resist an eviction and to confront the government over its illegal wars.

today the high court granted both a possession order and an injunction against the democracy village in parliament square.

in a document of some thirty pages, the judge dismissed claims of 'ancient rights' as baseless, and also said their european human rights are not 'fully engaged'.

five people representing the camp then announced, on legal advice, that they would be appealing. their lawyers, bindmans, feel that there are grounds for appeal on several points of law.

now, they have a stay of execution until 4pm on friday to present their appeal. after that, the appeal process would take between two weeks and two months, but at this stage it is unclear whether a further stay of execution would be granted for that period.

meanwhile, the democracy villagers have once again made a call-out for other experienced activists to join them in what they describe as the best opportunity in years to directly confront the government over its illegal wars.

they have announced a programme of non-violent direct action under the name "rolling thunder" - more news on this in a separate article.

 

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democracy village "operation rolling thunder"

29-06-2010 18:22

after today's high court verdict, the democracy villagers have made another call-out for experienced activists to join them at the start of a new campaign od non-violent direct action against the government's illegal wars.

the democracy village has survived against all odds in parliament square for nearly two whole months now.

during that time they have been responsible for many direct actions, some of which have had national publicity.

with the possibility of an eviction imminent (depending on a further high court decision on friday when an appeal is lodged (see http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/5083) they are calling out for experienced activists to join them both to help resist the eviction and also to help plan and execute a continual series of non-violent direct actions in the area.

they are calling the new campaign "operation 'rolling thunder'", and believe it represents the best opportunity for years to directly confront the government over its illegal wars for profit and resources.

the square is not without problems. it has attracted a large number of homeles people, many with alcohol and substance abuse. while every effort has been made to include these people in decisions and day-to-day matters in the square, it has been a huge responsibility for many of the activists providing 'care in the community' while also planning strategies and actions.

visitors should be aware of these problems beforehand, but also shouldn't let them be a reason not to get involved in the camp and in the new campaign of action. the experienced activists have already set up strategies and processes to minimise the problems, and with help from more activists, the camp can function and succeed.

the campers are calling for other established groups like climate camp to get involved as well as individuals. if the camp can be radically expanded, it can be a real challenge to any government wanting to sweep it away at a time of huge cuts and with around 75% of the british public supporting the main demand of the camp to stop the afghanistan war.

to kick off the 'rolling thunder' campaign, this afternoon ten activists rushed the gates of parliament and managed to invade the grounds. it took some time for police to round them all up, but eventually they were dragged outside where they continued a sit-in infront of the gates with banners and press attention. (see attached short vids of the later stages of the incident).

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Strategy of Tension rears its head again in Greece?

29-06-2010 18:11

Following the Greek bomb which hit the office of the minister of public order, killing one police officer last week, another spate of bombings has targeted both union leaders and a policeman in Thessaloniki. Is there more to this than meets the eye?

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Athens 29-6-2010 , during and after the demonstration against the IMF measures

29-06-2010 17:57

Athens 29-6-2010 , during and after the demonstration against the IMF measures
 http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/06/athens-29-6-2010-during-and-after.html

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Graffiti Legal Advice

29-06-2010 17:13

Some www.hurtyoubad.com have made a video of helpful legal advice by a legal expert.

For anyone who likes to go out tagging or writing, and may find themselves getting interviewed down at the station...

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Volunteers Needed at Free Vegan Food Fair – Saturday 30th October 2010 at Broadmead Baptist Church,

29-06-2010 15:22

In Centre of Bristol. Are you free to help out?
This is a vegan outreach event, aimed at non-vegans, and we’re looking for some help!

If you are not vegan, and would like to find out more about veganism, please come along to enjoy the day! For more info including times and venue, see www.bristolanimalrights.org.uk/freeveganfoodfair or contact 07595745441
If you can help with any of the following in the lead up to the event, or on the day, give us a shout: freeveganfoodfair@gmail.com

• Promoting the event – putting out fliers in your local area and door to door leafleting, putting up posters, etc.
• Do you have any spare fridge or freezer space that we can store food in during the lead up to the event?
• Can you do some vegan cooking for the event?
• Would you like to join the planning group? Get in touch with us so that we can give you times and venues of meetings and copy you into minutes.
• Driving food and other equipment to and from the venue on the day
• Set up on the day from 8am
• Clearing up on the day from 4.30pm
• Help during the day with a range of tasks including serving food, cooking in the kitchen, leafleting outside, wearing a cow costume, handing out food samples outside the event, holding a donation bucket, asking people to fill out evaluation forms, introducing talks and cooking demos, assisting cooking demos, etc!
• Filming or photographing the event

For more info, see www.bristolanimalrights.org.uk/veganfoodfair


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Right to Education International Student Conference (Birzeit University)

29-06-2010 14:54

The Right to Education Campaign, endorsed by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign National Committee (BNC), are pleased to issue a call for participants to the first international conference in Palestine on student activism, to be held on the 27th and 28th of July 2010 at Birzeit University in occupied Palestine. The full invitation and registration form is available on the Birzeit R2E website ( http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article939).

Fakhoora.org is providing limited funding for international delegates to the conference. Students at universities in Europe email sammutj[AT]caabu[DOT]org for more information on the application process for this.

Pass it on to any other students that you think will be interested.

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Ambient Picnic 2010

29-06-2010 14:38

Celebrating Surrey Festival at Loseley Park
I did not think the Ambient Green Picnic could get worse than last year. I was sadly proved wrong.

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"Vince- Send my friend to school!"

29-06-2010 13:51

Students in Twickenham ask Vince Cable to pressure world leaders to meet promises made on ensuring all children will receive primary education by 2015.

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Eye witness: Sea Shepherd frees 800 endangered bluefin tuna

29-06-2010 13:51

Sea Shepherd diver cuts tuna pen
This is an eyewitness account from an action by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which set out onto the Mediterranean Sea last month in search of bluefin tuna poachers. As one of the most valuable fish in the world, the bluefin populations in the Mediterranean region have been reduced by over 85% in the last 50 years due to relentless industrial overfishing. Crew member Wietse van der Werf reports.

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Tate Summer Party Crashed with Oil Spill - Licence to Spill

29-06-2010 11:55

Performers Carry Oil Drums
On the evening of the 28th of June at approx 7:15pm, Liberate Tate In protest over BP’s sponsorship of the arts performed a “Solemn” oil like spill at the Tate’s Summer party.

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Report: 26 June Demo in Solidarity with Victims of Extraordinary Rendition

29-06-2010 11:47

On a hot Saturday afternoon at the end of June, as the British media and government sought to use British troops as a weapon on the home front to defend their senseless warmongering in faraway lands on Armed Forces Day, the London Guantánamo Campaign took a stand against the indefensible and marked a far more poignant anniversary with a demonstration in solidarity with victims of extraordinary rendition outside the US Embassy in Mayfair on UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

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St Pauls Carnival - a brief history

29-06-2010 11:22

A look at the history of St Pauls Carnival
Chloe Banks looks forward to Bristol's historic St Pauls Carnival with a brief history of the event.
Chloe Banks looks forward to Bristol's historic festival with a brief history of the event.

The St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival is one of Britain's best-loved and most vibrant celebrations. In 2008, over 65,000 people were attracted to this diverse area of central Bristol to experience the stunning costumes, sensational sounds and sparkling atmosphere. One can't help but wonder what the original inhabitants of the area would make of the sunshine shenanigans.

The transformation of St. Pauls from its beginnings could hardly be more marked. The St. Pauls of today has a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. Mention its name to an outsider and they may whisper words of riots and drug-dealing, talk to a resident and they will tell you of community-spirit and creativity.

Its architecture is equally two-faced: behind all the modern concrete and eye-catching street art, you can still catch glimpses of the original splendour of the Georgian buildings. Indeed, St. Pauls was originally one of the most luxurious and wealthy parts of the city; a prime choice for a merchant's family home. And, like much of Bristol, that luxury was built on the profits from the slave trade. An irony that is hard to miss on the first weekend of July, when Carnival rolls into town.

St Pauls Carnival took on its current name in 1991, having started life, 43 years previously, as the St. Pauls Festival. The initial idea was to create an event to help improve relationships between the European, African, Caribbean and Asian inhabitants of the area. The shift from wide multiculturalism to a more concentrated African Caribbean focus began in 1975, when the Trinidadian, Francis Salandy, took over the organisation. Fortunately this shift, and the subsequent move from 'festival' to 'carnival', has not changed the inclusive feel of this annual event for people of all ages and backgrounds...

Continued on www.guide2bristol.com

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Growing Concern

29-06-2010 11:07

The financial outlook for UK is not looking good.

Mainstream press and in-depth analysis paint a worrying picture.