UK Newswire Archive
Demo against new detention centre for families
06-07-2011 22:55
Croydon NoBorders is calling for a demo in Haywards' Heath, Sussex, against the opening of a new detention centre for children and families in nearby Pease Pottage.
Gather in Haywards Heath at 1pm with banners and instruments. More details to follow.
Italy: No TAV press conference – “This is the people’s resistance”
06-07-2011 21:01
Social cleansing in Calais: Massive crackdown following Home Sec's visit
06-07-2011 20:47
Nottingham Workers Join June 30 Strike
06-07-2011 18:55
On June 30th, members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and University and Colleges Union (UCU) took part in coordinated strike action. Strikers marched from the Forest recreation Ground into the city centre. There was also a lobby of the county council meeting in the morning and in the afternoon, Notts Uncut visited the usual targets.
In the newswire: J30 Strike against the cuts. Nottingham Events: 1, 2 | Over 1200 march in Nottingham … | June 30 Strike – March and Rally | June 30th: County Hall Lobby | JCP and Atos Origin superglued shut
Pickets appeared outside schools, job centres, the crown and magistrates courts and even the British Geological Survey in Keyworth. Notts Uncut spent the morning visiting pickets, distributing food, by all accounts receiving a warm welcome.
The march formed up at the Forest Recreation Ground outside the old clubhouse. As might be expected, there were placards and banners from all the participating unions. Unison, the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) and Unite also had banners on the march, as did Notts Uncut and Notts SOS. many people had also brought home-made placards, some of them clearly having required considerable effort to produce.
The march was started just after 11.30am, by a GMB branded town cryer (no I don’t know either?). Marchers made their way down the Mansfield Road, pausing regularly to ensure the march didn’t spread out unduly.
Numbers on marches are always difficult to estimate. I have heard figures from NUT officials suggesting there were as many as 2,500. This seems on the high side to me. I was told as we were leaving the Forest that the police estimated the crowd at 1,300-1,500 people, so there’s no dispute that there were over 1,000 people. This is not to be sniffed at.
At the bottom of Mansfield Road, the march turned right and into Trinity Square for a rally. This it turns out is not an ideal space, the architecture makes it feel isolated from the rest of the city and the speakers ended up standing on the blocks in the middle of the square, as if they were speaking in the round.
There were speakers from the unions involved, Notts SOS and assorted others. While this was going on, protesters were able to visit campaign stalls around the edge of the square and even had the opportunity to throw wet sponges at “David Cameron”.
After around half an hour, some marchers moved on to the rally/meeting in the Albert Hall. The rally at Trinity Square continued for a little longer. At that point some people went on to the Albert Hall and others joined Notts Uncut to visit the usual targets. The police were, as at the last Uncut action, expecting them and stationed outside most of the well-known tax dodgers (Vodafone, Primark, HSBC etc.). While I wasn’t there, I did hear that there was a minor scuffle with an agitated member of the public on Clumber Street, but it seems that nobody was injured. By the time I made it to the Albert Hall everything there had come to a close.
For Nottingham this was clearly a significant day politically. It is to be hoped that the unions can build on this first day and move forward. Of course, for teachers, the fast approaching summer holidays are a major impediment to action. Nevertheless, with other public sector unions making noises about balloting for action in the autumn, there is a real opportunity to tackle the government’s attack on pensions and the wider austerity agenda.
Palestine Today 07 06 2011
06-07-2011 14:37
Why the News of the World Scandal Indicts Capitalism
06-07-2011 12:44
Increasing social control in Nottingham
06-07-2011 10:55
There is a growing tendency for Nottingham City Council, the police and other authorities to seek ownership of and the right to regulate and control public space in the city. The redevelopment of the Market Square has meant that the former centre of public life in the city has been taken into the ‘ownership’ of the City Council for fee-paying markets and attractions. Ever increasing concentrations of CCTV cameras monitor everything and everyone, and now there is a proposal to monitor everyone’s car as well. Meanwhile, so-called Community Protection Officers patrol the streets, looking for people to harass for standing on the wrong steps, taking photos or providing entertainment. Whose city is it? Ours or the Council’s? Isn’t it time we refused to be controlled?
The plight of Slab Square
Nottingham’s Old Market Square has been the focus of the city’s civic life for centuries, hosting the centuries old Goose Fair until 1928. It has been the site of many important political and community gatherings throughout the ages.
The square was redeveloped by the City Council between 2005-7 at the cost of £7m. The redesign included a controversial ‘Speakers Corner’ which some saw as enshrining freedom of expression whilst others claimed it was an attempt to sideline political protest. Since the redesign, the Council has sought to rent out ‘our’ square out to the highest bidder. As a result there is usually little space left for public gatherings. Nottingham’s Mayday organising team have asked for the Market Square as a site for their annual event every year and are always turned down. Likewise, the unions asked for permission to rally in the square on J30 but a commercial market was already in place so they had to make do with the arse end of the Cornerhouse AKA Trinity Square. Organisers of events in the square cannot bring their own equipment – they have to hire tents from the Council at great expense. Only big money concerns can afford this and the public liability costs of putting on an event in the square. The historic gathering place of the people of Nottingham has been enclosed and sold off by the authorities.
Cameras, cameras, everwhere
If, against the odds, you do manage to gather in the square, your movements will be watched by the many hundreds of CCTV cameras that litter the city centre. Nottingham is one of the most heavily surveilled cities in one of the most heavily surveilled countries on the planet. Even the CPOs have got cameras on their hats here. But that’s clearly not enough for the City Council whose latest scheme is to send a camera-equipped car round to record every car’s numberplate and location. As one wag commenting on the Nottingham Post put it ‘Maybe the 100k Super Spy Car could be used to take pictures of, and record information about, the allegedly dodgy Joco and his closet Executive Group. Nottingham might then become a little more transparent in its governance arrangements.’ Whilst ordinary people are surveilled intensely, it should be noted that the Council are still refusing to publish their spending details and still turning down Freedom of Information requests right, left and centre.
Half coppers
While it would certainly be nice for the Council if they could automate all of their social control, they do still need some humans to do the dirty work. A small army of CPOs and PCSOs regularly patrols the town centre looking for excuses to throw their weight around. It could be standing on the steps of the Council House, it could be riding your bike where it’s not permitted… or it could be something really serious like busking. Whilst these actions are framed as ‘community protection’ their real aim is social control (and making a few bob for the Council while they’re at it).
Fight back
It doesn’t have to be this way. It is important to remember that social control is resorted to because the authorities are afraid of what we are capable of. Nottingham has a history of rebellion from the historic Reform and Cheese Riots to the anti-Poll Tax campaign and Reclaim the Streets. Even in the last few months the apparatus of social control has been attacked by direct action against a surveillance company.
Redesigning the city centre to stop us from gathering, attempting to record our actions and sending armies of goons to harass us are all setbacks to free expression and autonomy but they do not constitute total control. We can find ways to organise ourselves that evade these measures and undermine them. It is vital to the future of any dissenting movements that we do fight against these controls and overcome them.
"...Liberty and Justice for all"? Prisoner Solidarity Protest, US Embassy,4 July
06-07-2011 09:23
SEND Project at the Sneinton Festival
06-07-2011 08:55
Saturday 2nd July
SEND Urban Arts Project contibuted to the Sneinton Carnival events at the Greenway Community Centre on Trent Lane.
With their own tent at the festival .... it provided a comfy liar for the dragon to chill out after the carnival parade.
They say:
"SEND aim to provide enjoyable and engaging sessions where young people are able to develop transferable skills whilst exploring their creativity. We are committed to creating a positive environment that fosters improved self-confidence and self-esteem through experiences with music, arts and technology, encouraging young people to pass on skills and information to their peers".
SEND Project Nottingham
http://sendproject.wordpress.com
Sneinton Festival
http://sneintonfestival.org
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Edinburgh Uncut: The Death of Public Services
06-07-2011 08:55
This weekend, Edinburgh Uncut decided to make the most of the fantastic weather by taking the opportunity to do a bit of outdoor protesting in Princes Street.
Eco-village social media platform being developed! HELP needed!
06-07-2011 01:21
NHS Anniversary Event: BBC roundabout, Nottingham
05-07-2011 22:55
Tuesday July 5th Nottingham.
There was a further protest against privatisation of the NHS from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm at the London Road ‘BBC’ roundabout.
The object was to raise awareness, leafleting to help publicise the main city centre rally at Speakers’ Corner (the Clough Statue) in Nottingham from 12 noon on Saturday 9th July. This will be followed by various activities around the city centre. These protests form part of a “day of action to save our NHS”.
Press Release:
Campaigners celebrate NHS 63rd Birthday
Campaigners in Nottinghamshire will celebrate the 63rd birthday of the founding of the National Health Service (NHS) on Tuesday 5th July 2011, by holding protests warning of the threat it faces from the coalition government.
In Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS) will take over the London Road roundabout from 4pm-7pm. They plan to use the event to warn of the threat to the NHS and also to publicise a larger rally in Market Square at 12 noon on Saturday 9th July.
In the north of the county, campaigners from Bassetlaw Protecting our People and Services and Bassetlaw Save Our Services will hold a “birthday party” outside Bassetlaw Hospital from 11am-2pm.
The protests are an opportunity to celebrate the NHS and everything it has achieved, but are also an opportunity to warn people about the danger posed by the Health and Social Care Bill, currently going through Parliament.
Campaigners warn that despite the ‘listening exercise’ and government spin, the Bill still leaves the door open for private companies to take over the NHS.
Barry Donlan from Bassetlaw said, “Our NHS isn’t broken. So we don’t need to fix it. It has higher satisfaction levels and better outcomes than inefficient and unfair systems like the USA. At a time of supposed austerity, to spend £1.7 billion on restructuring the NHS and replacing it with an untried system seems the height of folly.”
Harry Powell from Notts SOS said, “The ‘pause’ to allow the government to listen’ has been followed by some changes and an extensive PR campaign. But we should not be fooled. The ‘reforms’ are still a very real threat to the NHS and there remains a pressing need to kill the Bill.”
Notes for editors
1.Notts SOS will also be holding a rally at Speakers’ Corner (the Clough Statue) in Nottingham from 12 noon on Saturday 9th July. This will be followed by various activities around the city centre. These protests form part of a “day of action to save our NHS”.
Government’s Health and Social Care Bill
Notts Uncut Supports Notts SOS NHS Day of Action
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Cabbies go-slow protest around Nottingham
05-07-2011 22:55
Tuesday 5th July 2011
Over the last couple of days, cab drivers have staged a go-slow protest around Nottingham City streets over new parking regulations proposed by Nottingham City Council.
From Monday 4th July, the city council is issuing fines to drivers who stop in places other than the approved taxi ranks.
The authority says the measures are necessary to keep traffic moving.
Drivers say it is unfair as there are 411 Hackney cabs and only 201 taxi rank bays. Hence they are expected to drive around lots, looking for fares and adding to the existing carbon emissions I guess.
Coucil statement about all of this:
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15093
____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>
Push the EDL out of Pompey!
05-07-2011 22:51
On saturday 16th July, the English Defence League will try to invade Portsmouth for the second time. We are calling on anti-fascists to stand against their racial violence and oppose the march through the city streets.'West Papua – The Road to Freedom', 2nd August 2011, Oxford
05-07-2011 22:30
Invitation to attend 'West Papua – The Road to Freedom', 2nd August 2011, Oxford, UKWest Papua has been illegally occupied by Indonesia for over 40 years. As part of the
ongoing campaign for freedom, the Free West Papua Campaign and the International
Lawyers for West Papua are honoured to invite you to a very special conference: West
Papua – The Road to Freedom.
Attacked, kettled, hassled by cops at Demo ?
05-07-2011 22:19
Counter Demo 13th July Westminster Central HallPalestine Today 07052011
05-07-2011 18:41
The Age of Evictions ... and Resistance!
05-07-2011 17:55
Two different communities. One living in Clifton Mansions, an inner city block of long term squatted flats in Brixton, south London. The other made of 90 families part of the UK's largest Traveller community in Dale Farm, a former scrap-yard purchased by the Travellers ten years ago near Basildon, Essex.
They both now face one common problem: the threat of eviction. Dale Farm's long battle has now reached a critical point as Basildon council yesterday served a final notice of eviction giving families until midnight on August 31st to abandon their homes. The community of squatters of Clifton Mansions have learnt that the police is planning to block off Brixton's Coldharbour Lane on Tuesday 12 July to enforce the eviction of all the people living in the 22 flats. [Read more]
See calls from both communities for solidarity in resisting the planned evictions: Clifton Mansions | Dale Farm
Clifton Mansions:
Clifton Mansions On Coldharbour Lane is a community of squatters in the heart of Brixton. Squatted since the 1990's the 22 flats are home to a large and diverse group of people. The residents have repaired and maintained the properties after Lambeth Council left them empty and neglected. Clustered around a central courtyard Clifton Mansions is a safe and vibrant community where violence and abuse are not tolerated.
On Tuesday 12 July 2011 the police plan to block off Coldharbour Lane and enforce the eviction of all the people living in Clifton Mansions. Making the astonishing claim that evicting Clifton Mansions will somehow solve the problem of drug crime in Brixton, the police failed to consult with local councillors before pushing ahead with this plan. Clifton Mansions residents have received only two weeks notice that they are to be evicted from their homes.
Following the evictions, Lambeth Council will pay Camelot, a private company, to provide “live-in guardians” to occupy Clifton Mansions. The squatters have been providing a free guardian service for years. Why make people homeless and then pay a multinational company to occupy their homes?
Eventually Lambeth wants to sell Clifton Mansions to property developers, further reducing Lambeth's social housing stock in central Brixton. Clifton Mansions will be turned into luxury flats priced well beyond the means of the local community.
Please contact the council and the police to let them know what you think.
Show your support on eviction day:
12 July – 8am – Clifton Mansions – 429 Coldharbour Lane
They're closing the street so lets have a party!
Dale Farm:
Dale Farm, in Crays Hill, Essex, is the UK’s largest Travellers’ community, consisting of nearly a hundred separate properties, lying well outside the village and made up of extended family plots or yards.
Most are owned by Travellers of Irish heritage, although some Romani families also own yards. The estate is divided in two sections, the front part (about 45 plots) has planning permission; while the back part (52 plots) despite numerous applications and appeals, has been refused planning consent, even though the site was previously a disused scrap yard! 90% of traveller planning applications are initially rejected compared to 20% overall.
Caving in to racial prejudice, Basildon District Council (BDC) has set aside 9.2 million pounds to demolish the homes in the back 52 plots and have asked the Home Office for 10 million more. This could happen as early as June. We view the destruction of half this community as ethnic cleansing.
The planning history of the area has shown that the site had been used without planning permission since early 1990’s for a variety of industrial uses. In 1992 BDC issued Enforcement Notices against various unauthorised commercial activities that were being pursued on the site. Part of the land at the east side of the site was previously the subject of two temporary consents for the breaking of motor vehicles, sale of vehicle parts and dealing in scrap metals. This use ceased following the vacation of the?land by the business proprietors in 2001.
When the unauthorised development of the application site first came to the Council’s attention in September 2003, the land to the east of the site had been used as a scrap yard from 1978 until 2001 under a permission granted by the Council to be used as such. If an exception was allowed for the scrap metal yard, surely an exception can be made for a vulnerable minority group to continue to live there, particularly given that many of them have already been through traumatic experiences of forced eviction.
In May 2005, the BDC voted to take direct action, setting aside some three million euro for an eviction and demolition operation. Residents sought a Judicial Review of this decision and won in the High Court. This judgment was overturned by the Court of Appeal on 22 January 2009. An appeal to the House of Lords was denied on 14 May 2009. After extensive research into the needs of Travellers and Gypsies in the UK, on 20 July the Department for Communities and Local Government informed BDC and the Gipsy Council that the District Council is required to provide sufficient land for 62 (sixty two) additional pitches. This requirement can be easily met by BDC if it decides to grant planning permission for the 52 (fifty two) unauthorised pitches already in existence at Dale Farm.
As mentioned before, the main desire of the families is to not move from Dale Farm; they wish to get planning permission for permanent residence to continue living in the site they privately own.
We say no to home demolitions, and no to ethnic cleansing!
