UK Indymedia - UK Newswire Archive

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UKIP Gerrard Batten Told On Your Bike At DPP Protest...

30-07-2010 13:57

He says he'd been invited by the Conservative Party pet monkey Freedom Association

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Freedom_Association

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Ffos y Fran coal train blockade solidarity demo

30-07-2010 13:27

Heading to Climate Camp Cymru on August 13th? 13 people who blockaded the railway at Ffos y Fran opencast mine in April are being sentenced at Merthyr Crown Court that day at 2pm. Why not drop by for a solidarity demo.

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Tesco anti community actions and local authority c

30-07-2010 13:24

As Tesco submits its panning application campaigners are hampered by the local authority

The people of Keyworth heard last week that Tesco had submitted a planning application for the much opposed store in their village. Tesco followed form and waited until the first week of the school holidays, when people will be away, to submit the application. The submission comes after several private meetings between Tesco and Rushcliffe Borough Council’s (RBC) planners who say that the community has only 21 days for consultation!

So it is Tesco and RBC on one side and the community of the Keyworth on the other. The undermining of the community’s campaign by RBC is shocking and some examples demonstrate this.

At the start of the campaign an RBC planning officer requested that people to not write individually to them to object as they do not have the resources to deal with this. They recommended that a petition should be sent instead. This is a complete deception: a petition, even with thousands of signatures, on carries the same weight as one objection!

The most damning and worrying evidence of RBC’s collusion/incompetence is in a shocking letter sent by Rushcliffe’s Head of Planning to the campaign recently : -

“A site the size of Selby Lane would not necessarily have been one where developers would consult with the local community and I am pleased that TESCO have held a public exhibition. The purpose of developers in engaging with the local community is for the developers to understand the local views and where feasible to take on board changes to their schemes to reflect those views rather than for letters to be sent to the Council. I would anticipate that any application they may submit would include a statement about the views expressed to them.

Ms S D Harley

Head of Planning and Place Shaping”

Note that the letter refers to the purpose of Tesco’s exhibition. RBC cannot know Tesco’s purpose, only what Tesco claim was their purpose. Uncritical parroting of Tesco’s claims displays blatant bias.

But even worse, the letter states that RBC planners are happy to listen to Tesco’s account of the community’s views and save the community the bother of writing to the Council to object !

Tesco had a mini exit questionnaire at their exhibition but admitted on three separate occasions that the results would not be independently audited, nor was the survey independently designed or administered.

It is not possible to know whether RBC’s actions and attitude is due to incompetence or collusion although until we obtain further evidence we should give the benefit of the doubt and suspect the former.

The trouble is Tesco are not incompetent at what they do – they are very, very good.

It is just a pity that our local authority has neither the will nor skill to remain impartial.

Update: RBC report they found technical problems with Tesco’s initial planning application and have asked them to resubmit. We will have to speculate about what is behind this – it is not as if Tesco don’t; know how to put together a planning application!

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DPP picket moves to the place Ian Tomlinson was killed!

30-07-2010 12:23

The demonstration is moving of to the spot where Ian Tomlinson was killed. Numbers estimated at around 200.

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Pentagon retaliates against WikiLeaks, Pvt. Manning

30-07-2010 11:23

In response to the WikiLeaks posting of tens of thousands of secret documents on the Afghanistan war, the Pentagon has launched a manhunt within the military and called in the FBI for possible prosecution of the actual whistleblower who supplied the evidence of US atrocities.

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Anti-afghan war action, central London, Sat, 31st July Trafalgar Square

30-07-2010 10:40

There will be a mass militant anti-Afghan war action on Saturday the 31st of July, meet at the north side of Trafalgar Square at 12:30pm sharp!

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Double standards

30-07-2010 09:22

Seen this article in the Observer - the local (Bristol) free paper.
Dated Thursday July 29th 2010

I writ about the first article but left the second one in - for the hell of it!
With the authorities claiming that cut-backs are austerity measures as a resulte of a reccession, threatening our services; why are they surprised when individual households make cut-backs.
It makes sense the first bill not to pay is the poll-tax, now re-branded as the council tax.
It is clear that we are not getting value for money, so why waste it?

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The Suffering of Fallujah

30-07-2010 09:02

War on innocents

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EDL ban women from Bradford demo

30-07-2010 08:30

Islamophobic EDL havebanned femal members from DEmo

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Park consultations - let's contribute!

30-07-2010 03:22

I just received the following email concerning council consultations about green space in the city. Let's respond! This council has a shocking track record when it comes to green space, and it would be great if IndyMedia readers could make it absolutely clear that we expect them to do better! We want more, and better, green space in this city!
Bristol City Council is currently carrying out two major consultations about the future of our area.

The first is about the plans for parks and green spaces in Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill.

The second is about planning and development. This includes sites that have been ear marked for development for business or housing and also changes to policies about how planning is decided.

There are several ways you can get involved in this.

There is a drop-in event on 22 September from 12pm to 8pm at the Salvation Army on Hassel Drive where you go and find out about the plans and have your say.

You can find out about and respond to the consultations at
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/agsp
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/siteallocations

Also, we have 18 copies of the planning and development plans which we can send to interested people.

If you would like to receive this please email me back [stacy[atnospam]eastonandlawrencehill[dotnospam]org[dotnospam]uk].

We will be organising a meeting in September for interested people who would like to come together to give a joint response to the plans and prepare for the event on the 22nd.

If you're interested in this please let us know.

Stacy Yelland
Communications Officer

Easton and Lawrence Hill Neighbourhood Management
The Old Bank, 108 Church Road, Redfield, Bristol, BS5 9LJ
Direct line: 0117 377 3638
Mobile: 07810506980

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The EDL put pig's head on Finsbury Park Mosque. Protest London 31st July 2.30pm

30-07-2010 01:35

The English Defence League are an Islamophobic organisation with links to UKIP, the BNP, National Front, Combat 18, Blood and Honour, White Pride, March For England and the English Nationalist Alliance. The English Nationalist Alliance will be marching in London on the 31st July. They plan to hand in an anti Islam and Sharia Law letter to the UK government in Downing Street.

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Nottingham Animal Rights and Vegan Campaigns

29-07-2010 23:24

As usual with 12 events in the coming fortnight life is too short to add them individually to the diary, though we'll try, so here is a summary from the fortnightly coordinating meeting.

Friday 30th: Vegan Free Food Giveaway

- http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1400
- Prepare foods at Sumac from 10am to get to town for 12-ish

Saturday 31st: Nottingham Pride
- http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1742
- Nottm AR leafletting on behalf of Refs4Pets (temporary pet fostering
for families fleeing domestic violence).
- Meet 10.30 at bandstand at Arboretum.
- Also fringe stall at Pride, with leaflets for Meat Free Monday / VeggieDay, which main speaker human rights
campaigner, Peter Tatchell, is endorsing (see http://www.veggies.org.uk/2010/07/make-yours-a-meat-free-monday/)

Sunday 1st Aug : Midlands Coalition meeting
- http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1440

Sun 1st: Derby Animal Rights fundraising gig

- 4pm at The Old Bell, Saddlergate, Derby DE1 3NQ

Sun 1st: Pagan Pride - http://www.paganpride.org.uk/?page_id=527.
- Meet at 10.30 Robin Hood Statue by Nottm Castle

Mon 2nd: Greyhound Action Benefit at Bar One in Derby.

Wed 4th to Mon 9th: Earth First! Summer Gathering near Ashbourne.
- Daily vegan cake bakery + campaign workshops with Veggies
- Help welcome on any day. Call Pat 07870 861837
- 25 miles from Nottm: http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/where.html
- Details from http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1735

Wed 4th: Derby Animal Rights Meeting
- Probable launch of foie gras campaign.

Thurs 5th and Tuesday 10th: Brinsley Animal Rescue workday
- Transport from Broxtowe and Hucknall

- http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1562

Fri 6th: Greyhound Demo
- 6.30 at the Nottm track.
- http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1535

Sat 7th: Lush campaign for Animal Protection Agency
- To be launched with a children's party on Saturday
- Followed by a media stunt on Wednesday 11th.
- Follow up with campaign at new exotic pet store at Japanese Water
Gardens (animal circus venue)
- and New World Exotics in Beeston selling skunks, meerkats, racoon etc.

Sun 8th: Riverside Festival
- possible AR leafletting - meet at Lions at noon

------

Hubbards Campaign
- Trading Standards say they can breed guinea pigs and rabbits without
a licence, so only RSPCA can deal with welfare violations.
- Stalls and leafletting continue - contact Nottm AR

------

Animal Rights Gathering : Fri 27th - Mon 30th August
http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1711

Veggies travelling 6pm Thurs - back 6pm Mon

------

Wilmot Dixon
- Leicester lab contractors
- Demos possible, subject to drivers
- 44 miles down M1 and M69 near Leicester. Route:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=ng7+6hx&daddr=LE10+0PR
- see http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/05/452184.html

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Land and Freedom

29-07-2010 17:24

On Sunday July 25th, People's Histreh and the Sparrow's Nest organised a showing of Ken Loach's Land and Freedom at the Broadway Cinema. The event forms part of a series of events in Nottingham commemorating the Spanish Civil War.

Land and Freedom tells the story of David Carr (played by Ian Hart), a member of the British Communist Party who travels to Spain to fight the fascists. Crossing the Catalan border he meets and joins up with members of the POUM militia. After being injured due to poor quality weaponry, he travels to Barcelona in time to witness the "May Days" of 1937 when Stalinists clash with anarchists and POUM members.

Although fictitious, the story clearly takes inspiration from the experience of George Orwell as recounted in Homage to Catalonia. Both Carr and Orwell fight with the POUM and are injured in time to witness the events in Barcelona. Carr's story has been developed somewhat with the addition of a hetrosexual love story, providing an emotional core to the narrative. In the film, Carr is also a committed member of the Communist Party, unlike the more independent Orwell. As such the film also offers an opportunity to explore Carr's disillusionment with official communism. This likely resonated strongly when the film was originally released in 1995, only 6 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Arguably the film lays it on quite thickly. Carr's return to the front just in time to see his unit - clumsily and tragically - disbanded by a former comrade is arguably contrived, but this doesn't detract from its very real emotional power. The film also does not obscure the political content of the revolution in the name of entertainment with one scene consisting of an extended meeting amongst recently liberated villagers about whether or not to collectivise their land. This scene will be curiously familiar to anybody who has spent anytime in lefty and anarchist meetings.

As an event, the film was clearly a major success with the cinema almost sold out. It also offered an opportunity to explore the complex politics of the Spanish Civil War which had been obscured during the recent re-dedication of the memorial to the International Brigades at County Hall. People's Histreh organised a stall in the foyer (pictured) with information about the war and the social revolution which took place at the same time. Various people expressed an interest and some they even managed to sell a couple of books.

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factory open day sat 7th august

29-07-2010 17:22

12-5pm doors open!
The Factory Opens its Doors

On the 7th August The Factory, Bristol's latest squatted social centre,
will be opening it's doors to members of the public for their second
Open Day.

On the 7th August The Factory, Bristol's latest squatted social centre,
will be opening it's doors to members of the public for their second
Open Day. Following on from the success of the previous Open Day on
8th May (which saw such interesting events as; a vegan cake stall,
free fruit and veg market, slide shows, tours of the building and
spooky tours of the basement) this month's event will include; a
donations based café, cinema room screening various political films,
games in Portland Square and even the possibility of live acoustic
artists!

hist:
The Factory was occupied by a group of people earlier this year
looking to create a free and open space for the community. Since it
has opened it has hosted such events as film nights, workshops,
cafés, discussion group, meetings and lots of other things! The
Factory relies on your participation to survive, and if you have an idea
or project you'd like to see take place then come along to the Open
Meetings every Thursday at 7PM.

check the website for more info, details of the day and how to get here!
2-8 cave street, st pauls, bristol, bs2 8ru

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Welcome to the Redesigned Site

29-07-2010 17:22

Welcome to the new look Bristol Indymedia website. We've redesigned the site so that (hopefully) it looks cleaner and is easier for users to navigate between various types of content, and we've rearranged some of the front page's sections.

Welcome to the new look Bristol Indymedia website. We've redesigned the site so that (hopefully) it looks cleaner and is easier for users to navigate between various types of content, and we've rearranged some of the front page's sections.

Probably the biggest change is the blogfeed on the far right hand column. While we've had an aggregated RSS feed from numerous Bristol based blogs for a while now, it used to appear halfway down the page, and so was not very visible at first glance. Now that it appears alongside the open newswire, we hope this will give more prominence to some of the excellent material that is being published by authors around the Bristol area.

When Indymedia started out in 1999/2000 the concept of using the web as a platform for user generated news content was quite new and groundbreaking, but fast forwards a decade to today and increasingly the web is used by people and groups as a way of directly publishing news to their audience. While we would still encourage people to publish directly to Bristol Indymedia, we recognise that there are a plethora of blossoming independent media platforms online, and that in many cases, the problem is no longer publishing material, but getting that material out to as wide an audience as possible. Consequently we want Indymedia to be a platform which supports and promotes other alternative media outlets, and we hope that the blogfeed will do this. If you write a blog, or would like to suggest a Bristol/SW based or focused blog for us to aggregate, please contact using the contact us

How To Contribute Articles A Brief Guide | Publish an Article/Event | Help Guide | Calendar | Indycycle | Bristol Just Living Positive Guide to Bristol | Get Involved with Bristol Indymedia | @bindymedia

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Boycott of Israel, new artworks for free reproduction (by Latuff)

29-07-2010 17:02

Copyleft artwork by Brazilian cartoonist Latuff, on behalf of brave Palestinian people and their struggle against US backed IsraHell's state terror.

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Sat7th: BBQ Benefit for Kilburn Unemployed Workers FREE

29-07-2010 16:57

BBQ benefit for newly founded unemployed group in Kilburn using the Direct Action Casework model.

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Democracy village, week 13: we fight on until the soldiers come home!

29-07-2010 16:47

Democracy Village People's Assembly will gather on Saturday July 31,
Victoria Tower Gardens, from 1 pm*

People are going to meet up at Trafalgar Square (north side) 12.30 to march
down to Victoria Tower Gardens, Abingdon St, London SW1P 3 for 1 pm.
Bring flags and banners for redecoration of the Green Boris Berlin Wall!

Democracy City Direct Actions from 4 pm onwards.

In this week -- the 13th week of the village -- our message is more
necessary than ever. US military intelligence has been busted by wikileaks
to expose the true nature of the warfare against civilians in Afghanistan.
Everything we have been saying on the village, in the media, to show up the
hypocrisy of Parliament's illegal wars has been vindicated. We represent the
majority of people, in both the US and the this country, who want out of
this war.

The village, as a collection of tents on a square of grass, may have been
evicted, but a Village is more than that. It's a community, a network, all
the energy and the ideas connected into that network. It's US!

See you there Saturday!

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Corporate Watch: Empowering the Occupiers: ELIN Seilbahntechnik

29-07-2010 16:26

Article with pics at

http://corporateoccupation.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/empowering-the-occupiers-elin-seilbahntechnik/

Mount Hermon, located in the Occupied Golan, is trying hard to present itself as a unique destination for Israelis and foreign tourists alike. Promoted as the only ski resort in Israel, the mountain slopes of the Hermon is busiest in the winter, when visitors can participate in various skiing activities. In the summer it is popular with hikers, and a new bike track was recently opened for adventurous cyclists. Although Israel’s occupation of the Golan is sometimes less visibly repressive than in the West Bank -most notably through the lack of checkpoints- it would be a mistake for any holiday makers to fool themselves into believing that a trip there does not make them complicit in the same brutal occupation. Despite its proximity to the Syrian Druze town Majdal Shams, any business on Mount Hermon is tightly controlled by the Israeli mountain top settlement Neve Ativ. Neve Ativ is build on the land of the Syrian village of Jubata ez-Zeit, completely razed by the Israeli’s after six day war.

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Bristol In Solidarity With Mr Ian Tomlinson

29-07-2010 16:20

12 noon