UK Newswire Archive
Brighton demo in solidarity with Libya
24-02-2011 19:14
Solidarity with the Middle Eastern and North African UprisingsDemonstrate 4.30pm Friday 25th February 2010, Old Steine, Brighton
Over the last eleven days the people of Libya, inspired by revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia and uprisings spreading across the Middle East and North Africa, have risen up against the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi. The regime has responded by shutting down phone and internet networks, attacking protests and massacring their own population from the air and with hired mercenaries. The casualties are not yet known but those murdered are estimated at 1000.
Cardiff demo in support of Libyan uprising
24-02-2011 18:31
105 Billion Monthly,3.5 billion daily,1.26 Trillion Yearly,.US War Cost
24-02-2011 18:26
The human, animal and environmental costs of the wars of the US, UK and NATOare incalculable. The fiscal cost is below.
Common Place Apology
24-02-2011 18:22
Here is a statment from the Common Place regarding events around this article.
The CommonPlace would like to apologise for not acting earlier with regard to the racist implications of this event. We are happy to see an apology and explanation from the promoters, and see this as a sincere willingness to make amends.
ConDem Circus coming to Cardiff
24-02-2011 17:24
Palestine Today 02 24 2011
24-02-2011 16:57
Notts County Council workers on strike
24-02-2011 15:23
On Thursday 24 February, Unison members at Nottinghamshire County Council were out on strike against £150 million budget cuts. The strike was timed to coincide with the council meeting where the budget was to be set.
There were pickets at many of the council's bases, located across the county, including at County Hall, the authority's main headquarters. Picketers at been in place at County Hall since before the building was opened at 5.30am and by 8am were covering all the entrances to the building.
Few people were deterred by the pickets, but it was noted by several people that it was very quiet for a Thursday. Whether this is because of the strike or if people have taken leave or arranged to work at home so as to avoid the strike isn't clear.
One person who did refuse to go in was a Labour councillor who explained he had never crossed a picket line in his life and wasn't about to start now.
Most people going into work didn't make much effort to engage with picketers, usually going out of their way to avoid eye contact. One council worker, however, tried to explain that while he was a Unison member, he was also a LibDem (evidently he wasn't embarrassed by this) and supported what the government was trying to do to fix the "mess" created by Labour.
Strikers on the vehicle exit apparently encountered a greater number of people and were able to stop at least on postal delivery coming in.
Reports from elsewhere in the County tell a varying picture, with only 1 picket at the Employee Services Centre in Rushcliffe Business Park and as many as sixty at Lawn View House in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
The council's own "disruption" page listed 2 customer service points, 6 day services and 11 libraries as being closed, at least for some of the day.
From 11am, strikers began congregating on Victoria Embankment for a march to County Hall and a rally (separate report to follow). Once that was completed a presence was maintained on the main vehicle entrance in the hope of ensuring any deliveries did not cross the picket line.
It is too early to confidently evaluate the impact of the strike action. While it may not have been as big as could be hoped for it is worth noting that after months of ignoring the union, the council organised a meeting to discuss their concerns as soon as the result of the ballot was announced.
The ballot was for open-ended action and meetings are planned over the next couple of weeks to see where the dispute can move forward from here.
Direct action in Warsaw over Polish-Israeli govenrment summit in Jerusalem
24-02-2011 14:56
Storming Lambeth Town Hall
24-02-2011 14:23
It began just like one of the many townhall protests in south London recently: Several hundreds of people had gathered outside Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton Square to protest, while the council inside was supposed to make a decision about implementing governments cuts. To the suprise of many, it became a great spontanous protest.
Briefly before 7pm some poeple entered the building to access the public gallery. It became soon obvious that only one of the two galleries was open two the public, obviously to limit the number of people allowed in the meeting. In addition to that, townhall security tried to check people after entering for banners and cameras, but seemed suprised by the amount of people and the energy of people pushing forward, while most police was busy to manage the crowed outside the building.
The poeple inside were finally kept from accessing the public gallery because security staff had closed the doors to the staircase, trying to enforce to let people in one by one, but completely failed to do so. Poeple started chanting and shouting, finally pushing the doors to the stairs open and soon about 100 people had occupied the public gallery. They then shouted down at the councillors to demand that the rest of the public waiting outside is allowed inside. The Mayor of Lambeth made an almost comical attempt to silence the public when his statement that their disturbance would "stop democracy from taking place here" drowned in laughter.
Meanwhile some people had also managed to get access to the floor of the council chamber, taking the microphones and talking to the councillors, giving the whole scene a chaotic flavour. After about 20 minutes the mayor and the councillors gave up their attempts to control the situation and all councillors left the chamber. At that point about 100 more people had managed to access the building , now taking over the councillors seats in the chamber. When sombody occupied the mayor's seat and annoucned the start of a public meeting, people cheered and applauded.
The occupiers then held a public meeting about organising against the cuts in the council chamber, with many speakers from different groups and initiatives, talking about the effects of the cuts on health care, public libraries, education and children. Speakers expressed disgust about Labour Councillors who, instead of fighting with the protestors against the governments plans, would readily implement the cuts on a local level. The march on 26th March was much discussed, with several speakers stressing the fact that this day can not be just a march through London and listening to some speaches.
There were several callouts to use 26th March to start occupations, strikes and direct action. As one speaker phrased it: "It is up to us if we use this day for our protest and make this a powerful movement, or leave it to the unions and politicians. If we leave it to them, this movement will end on the 26th March."
Personally, i have to say that some of the union (Unison) people speaking in the chamber annoyed me big time. Their contant request to "behave orderly" and to "vote on how long we want to occupy the townhall" seemed completely to ignore the fact that the occupation was a spontanous and un-orderly act itself, and any attempt to make the situation "orderly" seemed heavily misplaced here. After about 3 hours most occupier left the chamber, as nobody was really prepared for a longer occupation.
Meanwhile people were told that the council had met in secret and had quickly - protected by police - made a decision in favour of the cuts. This however was to be expected. If this is how councils will have to meet in the future, then we clearly see what this society is like. As a friend of mine recently stated: "It seems every council meeting is now becoming a mini-G8, well-protected from the people, and loosing any legitimation to represent the local communities."
After all, it was a great protest and very encouraging. Let's hope the momentum will stay, the cuts won't be a one day decision, there are numerous council meetings to come. We will have to see if councillors can flee the public forever or if they will have to face the fact that people are genuinely angry.
On February 24th there is a solidarity protest outside the Swiss Embassy (16-18
24-02-2011 14:04
On 24 February there will be a solidarity action at the Swiss embassy for Silvia, Billy and Costa .On the 15th of April 2010 Silvia Guerini, Luca Bernasconi (called Billy) and Costantino Ragusa (called Costa) have been arrested nearby Zurich, in Switzerland. Their car was stopped and searched by the police that found explosives, gas bottles, incendiary devices and communiques signed ELF Switzerland. From the communique is clear the intention to attack the construction site of the new IBM research center of nanotechnologies in Ruschlikon, Zurich.
Student campaign for Western Sahara launched
24-02-2011 13:24
Students for a Free Western Sahara aims to establish branches in schools and univesities across the UK and beyond. British MP welcomes the initiative.Oil, Libya and the New Threat to US Imperialism
24-02-2011 13:01
To Honour Mohamed Bouazizi
24-02-2011 12:46
An article from the popular press in South Africa on Mohamed Bouazizi and the revolutions in North Africa.Full article | 10 additions | 92 comments
Stop Anti-Traveller Racism At Leeds Common Place
24-02-2011 10:29
(How much lower can The Common Place sink?)Support Iraqi orphans
24-02-2011 09:46
Hussein Al-alak is a journalist, campaigner and chairman of Iraq Solidarity UK.Palestine Today 02 23 2011
24-02-2011 05:59
Violence erupted along the Gaza border a day after new Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz made his first visit to the Southern Command.Clashes began in the morning after a roadside bomb detonated next to an IDF patrol along the border. Mortar shells were then fired into the western Negev. None of the soldiers was wounded, and the IDF responded with tank fire in the direction of the terrorists.
Meanwhile, a large explosion in the southern Gaza Strip killed a 10-year old girl and wounded two others. Hamas said it was investigating the cause of the blast.
Explosions are common in Gaza. They often take place in the homes of terrorists, when explosives and other armaments detonate prematurely.
Lambeth Town Hall Occupation 23.02.11
24-02-2011 00:22
Lambeth Save Our Services <http://lambethsaveourservices.org> anti-cuts protesters occupy Lambeth Town Hall's Council Chamber during final Council budget vote.
Protesters made their way into Lambeth Town Hall and the Council Chamber where voting was taking place for savage cuts to the borough's budget of around £37,000,000.00.
It seems the first protesters pushed their way into the public gallery (despite some punches been thrown by town hall security) to make their feelings known and shortly after a man carrying a child walked into the chamber itself (giving a voice against the grotesque theatre of democracy that was being carried out through voting for these enormous budget cuts) - this triggered the disbandment of voting proceedings and while the councillors were leaving we, a third set of protesters, entered the chamber where we also made our feelings known.
The council budget vote continued elsewhere however and was passed - well, surprise surprise!
The protesters then set up an alternative budget debate and vote. With some interesting discussion and lively debate - a vote against the budget cuts was passed unanimously.
The question was then raised as to whether we would occupy the council chamber or leave the building. The vote was split, with one section leaving and the other staying to occupy the building.
Stop the cuts! We are being robbed!
Lambeth Town Hall: Chasing the councillors out
23-02-2011 23:22
Hundreds of people gathered outside Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton Square to protest
the Council Meeting which planned to meet to make the decision about the cuts.
When the meeting started, people entered the building. Security and police tried to
limit the number of people, only allowing a few poeple to get to the gallery, but people
pushed their way in. When the gallery was packed, people demanded the rest of the public
to be allowed to enter and kept the council meeting from starting. After several
helpless attempts by the mayor to control the situation, the councillors and the mayor
gave up and left the council chamber, and about 150 more people managed to enter and occupy
the Town Hall.
The occupiers then held a public meeting about organising against the cuts in the council chamber, with many speakers from different groups and initiatives. ( This video only covers one speech about the planned closures of public libraries and by some children from Loughborough Junction about the scrapping of funding of playground
Outside the #Lambeth Town Hall #Occupation
23-02-2011 23:22
Tonight the Lambeth council was supposed to vote on the cuts. Whether they did it or not is hard to say. The meeting hall was stormed by protestors, who did not quiet down even when they were threatened that the meeting would be adjourned. The protestors were set on staying, so the mayor and council members left. They went into hiding and what happened is hard to say. If they aren't absolute loosers they have dissolved the council in the meantime and will join us in the street soon.
While a spontaneous meeting was held inside, with open mic and several speeches, some dude (I think someone called him "Steve") epically failed at giving and interview, and fled.
So far so fun, here's some impressions from outside.