UK Newswire Archive
New DIY booklet on building lockons
09-11-2010 12:34
A new DIY booklet is being produced containing notes on designing, constructing and using devices used for ‘locking-on’ during protest actions. It mostly focuses on the mechanics of lock-on devices rather than the actual tactics employed in using them. ‘Delia Smiths Blockading for Beginners’ and ‘The Direct Action Handbook’ will remain essential reading on how lockons are deployed as part of an action.It is very difficult to obtain reliable first hand information on the effectiveness of different lockon designs and construction methods. Most lockon actions end without the devices being subjected to being cut up and if they are then few people get to witness it happening and even fewer report back on the methods used or the difficulties experienced.
Below is a short questionnaire which will hopefully provide a way for useful first hand experiences to make their way into the booklet. If you have first hand experiences, please copy and paste the questioned into an email along with your answers and send to
armedforaction@gmail.com, or reply as a comment below.
Antifascist Films at Bradford 1 in 12 Club
09-11-2010 12:26
Prison Play [1]
09-11-2010 12:22
Now Online for you to watchIn September Bristol Indymedia and Bristol ABC, in association with Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, put on a play called PRISON? A one man performance written and performed by Charlie Ryder. This is a true story which is creatively told using a variety of theatrical devices including puppetry, masks, physical theatre and dance.
Bristo Indymedia and Kollective Media filmed and edited this perfomance for you to watch onlline as we felt that this play was very powerful, engaging and thought provoking.
In September Bristol Indymedia and Bristol ABC, in association with Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, put on a play called PRISON? A one man performance written and performed by Charlie Ryder. This is a true story which is creatively told using a variety of theatrical devices including puppetry, masks, physical theatre and dance.
Bristol Indymedia and Kollective Media filmed and edited this perfomance for you to watch online as we felt that this play was very powerful, engaging and thought provoking.
PRISON?
In October 1993 Charlie Ryder took part in a demonstration to shut down the BNP headquarters in Welling, south-east London. This developed into a serious riot, and a few months later he was featured on the TV show Crime Monthly. He was arrested and after a two year wait was sent to prison for 16 months. In prison Charlie kept a scrapbook to record poems, letters and art work. Charlie, not a professional actor but an open and impassioned performer, has brought the scrapbook to life as a full production.
What does going to prison really entail? This gives a rare and honest insight into the prison system, putting a face to what is often the faceless idea of 'the prisoner'. The play depicts the trauma of prison, in particular the de-humanising effects of well known procedures, such as being strip-searched, are clearly examined.
Review from Pascale who watched the play on the night.
Review of 'Prison' by Charlie Ryder
A painfully honest performance from a creative activist....
My first night working at the Cube, with little knowledge of the performance scheduled that evening, I did not expect to have the privilege of witnessing such a heartfelt and unique performance that would leave others and myself highly moved and inspired.
'Prison' is a story told from the other side of the prison bars from Charlie Ryder, an intelligent and caring man, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time in a violent battle between anti BNP activists and police in the Welling race
march of 1993.
After Police video footage from the riot was exposed on national Television's 'Crime Monthly' along side Britain's most wanted criminals, Charlie's life would change forever.
In this one-man show, Ryder retells his agonizing tale, playing the part of his parents, prison officers and judge using props, wigs and puppets to enhance humor and darkness into the characters representation.
It was evident that Ryder was reliving painful memories in the story retold, with use of uncomfortable but powerful silences that left the audience in thoughts of reflection and empathy.
With amusing and compelling scenes of prisoners 'passionately passing drugs' and use of a soundtrack featuring Prodigy and Massive Attack, Ryder captured the audience continually.
In a deeper reflection, Ryder's story revealed the disgusting reality of the undeniable power of the media over the opinions of the nation and the many cracks within the British Justice and Prison system.
He says that he does not regret his actions against the BNP headquarters at Welling, as his experience opened up a new form of injustice and a cause for him to support now he is a free man.
Now acting as support for prisoners and freed prisoners, Ryder encourages the power of pacifism and creativity to create awareness of injustice.
I hope that Charlie can be an inspiration to all activists and prisoners.
http://www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org
http://bristolabc.wordpress.com
Full article and video of the play
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CASTOR finally made it to the dump in Germany
09-11-2010 11:55
The much delayed nuclear waste transport from France to Germany has reached the dump at Gorleben.Griffin's Last Gasp?
09-11-2010 11:50
'And now, the end is near, and so he'll face the final curtain.' Or will he?Direct Action cleaning
09-11-2010 11:22
Direct Action is not waiting for others to do it for us or askingpermission to take action.
Direct Action is empowering, especially if there's lots of us doing it!
Direct Action is making changes here and now to improve our lives and our
environment.
So, who's up for a bit of DIRECT ACTION cleaning?
Kebele is need of a bit of a big clean and tidy and it's up to us!
Come and get in on the action, this Sunday 14th November. It all kicks off
at 10am and we'll go on til the job's done (or around 4pm). If you can
just spare an hour or two it would be well appreciated. There's a variety
of jobs to do and we'll have plenty of tea and cake to keep us going. See
you on the frontline!
Prison Play
09-11-2010 10:22
Now Online for you to watchIn September Bristol Indymedia and Bristol ABC, in association with Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, put on a play called PRISON? A one man performance written and performed by Charlie Ryder. This is a true story which is creatively told using a variety of theatrical devices including puppetry, masks, physical theatre and dance.
Bristo Indymedia and Kollective Media filmed and edited this perfomance for you to watch onlline as we felt that this play was very powerful, engaging and thought provoking.
PRISON?
In October 1993 Charlie Ryder took part in a demonstration to shut down the BNP headquarters in Welling, south-east London. This developed into a serious riot, and a few months later he was featured on the TV show Crime Monthly. He was arrested and after a two year wait was sent to prison for 16 months. In prison Charlie kept a scrapbook to record poems, letters and art work. Charlie, not a professional actor but an open and impassioned performer, has brought the scrapbook to life as a full production.
What does going to prison really entail? This gives a rare and honest insight into the prison system, putting a face to what is often the faceless idea of 'the prisoner'. The play depicts the trauma of prison, in particular the de-humanising effects of well known procedures, such as being strip-searched, are clearly examined.
Review from Pascale who watched the play on the night.
Review of 'Prison' by Charlie Ryder
A painfully honest performance from a creative activist....
My first night working at the Cube, with little knowledge of the performance scheduled that evening, I did not expect to have the privilege of witnessing such a heartfelt and unique performance that would leave others and myself highly moved and inspired.
'Prison' is a story told from the other side of the prison bars from Charlie Ryder, an intelligent and caring man, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time in a violent battle between anti BNP activists and police in the Welling race
march of 1993.
After Police video footage from the riot was exposed on national Television's 'Crime Monthly' along side Britain's most wanted criminals, Charlie's life would change forever.
In this one-man show, Ryder retells his agonizing tale, playing the part of his parents, prison officers and judge using props, wigs and puppets to enhance humor and darkness into the characters representation.
It was evident that Ryder was reliving painful memories in the story retold, with use of uncomfortable but powerful silences that left the audience in thoughts of reflection and empathy.
With amusing and compelling scenes of prisoners 'passionately passing drugs' and use of a soundtrack featuring Prodigy and Massive Attack, Ryder captured the audience continually.
In a deeper reflection, Ryder's story revealed the disgusting reality of the undeniable power of the media over the opinions of the nation and the many cracks within the British Justice and Prison system.
He says that he does not regret his actions against the BNP headquarters at Welling, as his experience opened up a new form of injustice and a cause for him to support now he is a free man.
Now acting as support for prisoners and freed prisoners, Ryder encourages the power of pacifism and creativity to create awareness of injustice.
I hope that Charlie can be an Inspiration to all activists and prisoners.
http://www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org
http://bristolabc.wordpress.com
Activists stages Westminster Sit-in.
09-11-2010 08:22
Activists climbed inside the fenced area, guarded by a security firm, in Westminster Square.
Please see link for story.
My friend's article on Demotix
On Saturday 6th November 4 activists climbed over the fencing in place around Parliament Square. 3 of the men chose to leave the site after several warnings from the security guards present. Simon Moore, who refused to leave, has a High Court injunction which forbids him from protesting in Parliament Square. The police that arrived on the scene and spoke with Mr Moore did not wish to arrest him for breaching this injunction. The issue was left to be resolved by the security firm that guard the site. The guards are allowed to use "reasonable force" to remove a person from the site, as stated in trespass laws.
Protect freedom of speech, help Charles Atangana
09-11-2010 08:22
Bristol NUJ is calling on people to contact their MP and ask them to stop the deportation of journalist Charles Atangana. Take a few minutes to contact your MP and ask them to help...Here is the full story:
Charles Atangana, a Cameroon journalist who has been living Britain since 2004, is facing deportation after losing his case for asylum. He believes he will be killed if he returns to Cameroon.
The National Union of Journalists is staging a last-ditch fight on his behalf by seeking an injunction against any deportation order.
Atangana, 42, was an investigative business journalist in his home country - specialising in stories about financial corruption - and before fleeing to Britain had been detained without trial and tortured.
He has been living in Glasgow, where he worked as a volunteer adviser with the Citizens Advice Bureau and with a refugee body. He also continued to write articles for a Cameroonian magazine. He is now being held in an immigration detention centre.
The NUJ has organised a protest outside the UK Border Agency building in Glasgow at 1pm today.
A report by the Federation of African Journalists in May described Cameroon as "one of the worst jailers of journalists in Africa". It noted that 13 prominent journalists were currently being detained or had been attacked or threatened.
The report concluded: "Arbitrary arrests and criminal prosecution of journalists, as well as torture, have become routine forms of abuse against press freedom, inflicting huge damage to any confidence in the rule of law and democracy."
from; http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/aug/02/...eroon
Please take a few minutes to contact your MP:
You can contact them via; http://www.writetothem.com/
Here's what I wrote (feel free to base your letter on this...)
Dear Stephen Williams,
I am writing to you about the case of exiled journalist Charles Atangana. He is a Cameroon journalist who has been living Britain since 2004. It is not surprising that he has fled his native country as a report by the Federation of African Journalists recently described Cameroon as "one of the worst jailers of journalists in Africa... Arbitrary arrests and criminal prosecution of journalists, as well as torture, have become routine forms of abuse against press freedom, inflicting huge damage to any confidence in the rule of law and democracy."
Yet the government still plans to deport him. He believes he will be killed if he returns to Cameroon. I ask you to pressure the government to allow him asylum and in doing so help protect global free speech.
Yours sincerely,
Vodafone Shutdown in Broadmead for the Second Straight Saturday
09-11-2010 00:22
This saturday activists picketed and shutdown the vodafone shop in central Bristol in protest against coporate tax evasion and government cuts.
An Anarchist Against The Cuts writes: This saturday activists picketed and shutdown the vodafone shop in central Bristol in protest against coporate tax evasion and government cuts. After a very successful demo last week, which closed vodafone for the day activists decided a repeat performance was in order!
A wide variety of people, including anarchists, trade unionists, students and members of the anti cuts alliance kept the shop shut for a total of two hours. Several hundred leaflets were handed out, which explained vodafones tax evasion, government complicity and the fact that we are definately not "in this together", since whilst we pay with our services (and tax) the rich pay as little as possible.
Full Story | Vodaphone Broadmead Store Closed As Part of National Day of Action | Private Eye: Britain's 6BN Vodaphone Bill | London Indymedia: 21 Vodaphone Stores Shut in Anti-Cuts Action
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After a very successful demo last week, which closed vodafone for the day (https://www.bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/697351) activists decided a repeat performance was in order!
This time a public callout was sent out in advance and announced at the meeting of the Bristol & District Anti Cuts Alliance, in the hope that different people would be attracted to the demonstration. This did, of course, result in further police attention with two mounted officers following us from the castle park meetup to the vodafone store and 3 officers on foot keeping watch. However they kept their distance and didn't interfere.
When the first of us arrived at the vodafone store we found it was already shut in anticipation of our arrival! This raised the spirits of the five of us that had turned up, but not as much as the arrival of another dozen or so activists over the next twenty minutes. A guadian journalist interviewed a couple of the people present (Article: http://bit.ly/c6n4V7), and a BBC cameraman attended, but with no BBC journalist due to the strike, not that we would've spoken to a scab anyway!
A wide variety of people, including anarchists, trade unionists, students and members of the anti cuts alliance kept the shop shut for a total of two hours. Several hundred leaflets were handed out, which explained vodafones tax evasion, government complicity and the fact that we are definately not "in this together", since whilst we pay with our services (and tax) the rich pay as little as possible.
Vodafone opened up again around 3pm, and we were 'ordered' by them to move our picket from the front of the shop to the side, which we refused to do. After a brief disscussion it became clear that a number of people present were not up for the level of confrontation involved in blockading the shops doors, so a peaceful picket was kept up instead. We continued to engage with members of the public and some potential customers were turned away (and others encouraged to demand a free phone).
Austerity measures and capitalist greed arn't just going to go away - but neither are we.
Keep your eyes pealed and your ears to the ground for more up coming anticuts demonstrations and direct actions around Bristol, we're just getting started.
While your at it, why not show solidarity with our friends & comrades down the road in bath and attend the anticuts demonstration their on tuesday the 16th: http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/698026
UG#524 - Dispatches from The Chemical Civil War
08-11-2010 22:25
This week we continue looking at the toxic nature of the human separation from nature; we bring you 3 different pieces about the human engineering of toxic chemicals. First, an adaptation of Adam Curtis' BBC documentary Goodbye Mrs. Ant, on the rise and fall of the pesticide industry as purveyors of miracle cures, and how discovery of the pernicious effects of DDT lead to the growth of ecology and the environmentalist movement. Secondly, a 2009 interview with about the world's most fatal industrial chemical leak, the 1984 disaster in which a pesticide factory exploded in Bhopal. Finally, an interview with Emanuelle Schick-Garcia about her film, The Idiot Cycle, on how multinational chemical companies are both the world's biggest produce carcinogens and are intimately connected with the cancer treatment industry.
RePsycho Selling 'Vintage' Fur
08-11-2010 22:22
'Retro Superstore' RePsycho is selling 'vintage' fur at its store on Gloucester Road, please contact and ask them to remove it from sale!Many people might ask: "What's wrong with vintage fur? They're not supporting the fur industry, right?" The truth is that all real fur is second hand. It doesn't matter if the coat was made one year ago or fifty years ago, the fact is abundantly clear: an animal WAS murdered for its skin.
Animals are either farmed or trapped in the wild for their fur; there are currently approximately 50 million animals killed worldwide to satisfy a sick sense of fashion. On farms, sentient creaturesendure an agonising existance in cramped, bare, wire-mesh cages until they are gassed, anally electrocuted or have their throats slit and have their skins ripped from their bodies. Many animals are even skinned alive!
Wearing any fur garment, whatever the age of that garment perpetuates the idea that wearing fur is acceptable - for anyone with an ounce of compassion, that is blatantly not the case!
Real fur should always be worn first-hand - on the animal who was born with it!
Please contact RePsycho and ask them to remove all real fur from sale. Let them know that real fur is unacceptable, no matter how many hands it has passed through!
RePsycho
85 Gloucester Rd
Bishopston
Bristol
Avon
BS7 8AS
0117 983 0007
Royal Society Picket : Our Planet is not your experiment
08-11-2010 21:35
[POSTSCRIPT] Body-scan Alert - Not Suffering Indignities at Airports
08-11-2010 20:48
1) 'To opt out for a pat down, say “I opt out.”
2) 'Warning: Pat downs are no longer the simple search like those in the past. In some instances, as part of an “enhanced patdown,” the TSA screener may use the front of their hands to touch your genitals.
Should you feel that you or your child were inappropriately touched, call for a law enforcement officer.
If presented with the option to leave the checkpoint for a private screening, consider politely declining with a “No, thank you,” as you will likely be asked to remove your clothing. Pat downs can be performed in public view.'
3) Warning2: Should you sensibly choose to exercise that right, then you have to deal with the possible trauma of being groped and molested: 'TSA agents stand accused today of fondling the genitals of women and little children as part of their "enhanced pat-down" procedures being rolled out at airport security checkpoints.'
4) Warning3: Should you sensibly choose to quote your inalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution to protect yourself and your loved ones from these vile indignities, you may have to deal with being labeled a "domestic terrorist"!
5) Based on this escalation path of making the price of discontent progressively costlier and costlier, the vast majority will simply choose the body-scan. That appears to be the strategic thinking behind these enhanced pat down procedures and the occasional case of vile molestation which will be widely reported!
Further Details on Northern March Against Racism, 20 November, Newcastle
08-11-2010 20:10
Edinburgh Anti Cuts Alliance
08-11-2010 19:22
Edinburgh Anti Cuts Alliance meeting, Thursday 11 NovemberThe next Edinburgh anti-cuts meeting will take place on Thursday 11 November at 6 pm-8pm at the latest, in the Studio at St Augustine's Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL.
This room seats a 100 people and all are welcome.
Compassionate Living Fayre 2010
08-11-2010 19:22
Come along to the 2010 Compassionate Living Fayre!
Saturday 20 November sees the return of the Annual Compassionate Living Fayre to Augustine's United Church on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. Now into its 3rd year the Fayre goes from strength to strength. The Fayre is a unique event bringing together organizations campaigning for animal rights, human rights and the environment and is designed to introduce everyone to an ethical lifestyle, with free vegan food and tips on how to make local and practical changes.