UK Newswire Archive
Saturday in the Market Square
12-02-2012 14:55
Saturday 12th February was a normal Saturday, with no major political events planned in Nottingham as far as I know. Nevertheless, Notts SOS, the SWP, the Socialist Party and Occupy Nottingham were all busy trying to engage with the shoppers and passers-by in Market Square.
Notts SOS were campaigning against the proposed City Council budget which will see jobs and services slashed. Leaflets outlining what was being cut were given out and signatures collected for a petition to be handed in to the council.
The SWP and Socialist Party were both campaigning against the government's plans for the NHS and selling copies of their respective papers.
Occupy Nottingham however were still ensconsed at the top of the Square, explaining to people why they were there. Now approaching their fourth month, they've almost become part of the furniture and I find myself almost forgetting they're there. They must, however, have spoken to thousands of people by now.
Quite what the Nottingham public made of all this wasn't clear. Alongside the politicking, the town was busy with Forest fans making their way to the team's game with Watford and a couple were getting married in the Council House. One or both or neither of these facts may explain why there needed to be 4 CPOs defending the Council House.
The SOS stall didn't seem to be attracting anything like the attention it did when they were focussing on the NHS. Whether this is because people are unaware of the city council's plans or genuinely don't care isn't possible to say. Interest in the two parties seemed to be about normal, but perhaps those running the stalls might have a different opinion.
Occupy London stock exchange in court Monday 13th February
12-02-2012 14:07
Our application to appeal the court decision regarding the occupation by St Paul’s will be held Monday: At 10.30am 13 February,Court 71, Royal Courts of Justice at the High Court, Strand, London WC2.
Please come and join us in solidarity.
Bristol Has No Evacuation Plan For Nuclear Accidents
12-02-2012 12:55
Bristol has no evacuation plan for potential nuclear accidents at Hinkley and Oldbury
The Bristol group of South West Against Nuclear (SWAN) have been trying since last summer to get information from Bristol City Council on their evacuation plans for the city in the event of an emergency situation at either of the nuclear power stations nearby. These are at Oldbury, South Glos., to the north and at Hinkley Point, Somerset, to the south. We feel urgency about the necessity of evacuation plans since there are active plans now to build huge new nuclear reactors at both of these sites, in addition to the existing ones.
Finally we hear from them that they have no statutory duty to prepare off site plans for any nuclear power station incident, both places being officially deemed to be too far away, Oldbury at over 15 kms and Hinkley at 40 miles. It is scary to think that both the USA and France recommend evacuation plans for such incidents at 50 miles. However we are told, Bristol is entitled to be 'warned' in the event of a nuclear incident, and in the envisaged possible worst case scenario of being "threatened by a plume" people would be advised to shelter, not evacuate.
In the light of experience from last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster and ongoing effects of radiation over a huge surrounding area, we are holding an action to SURROUND AND BLOCKADE the nuclear power station at Hinkley on the 1st anniversary of the start of the Japanese calamity on the 10TH /11TH MARCH. Pledge now to join the action and stop the building of new nuclear Hinkley C. Stop New Nuclear in its tracks!
Email: campaign@stopnewnuclear.org.uk or swanactive@gmail.com.
Swan has regular meetings on Weds at 19:30 at
Kebele,14 Robertson Rd Easton, Bristol
int. day of action against repression / 10.03.2012 – Free J.A.I.B. (vienna)
12-02-2012 12:42
On the 13th of March 2012, the opening of their trial will take place.They are being accused of arson, facing a possible jail time of one to ten years
We call for and support every form and way of action.
We call for an international day of action on the 10th of March 2012.
Wall Street Excess and Main Street Distress: the Apple Connection
12-02-2012 01:31
Bob Lambert talk disrupted
11-02-2012 21:30
Ex-informant turned academic, Bob Lambert, faced heckling and embarrassment in St. Andrews during his first public engagement since news broke regarding the son he fathered with an activist.The Syrian Civil War and the Media Propaganda Offensive
11-02-2012 20:02
The 'Free Syrian Army' - the so-called 'rebel' group armed and funded by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar - is involved in a violent insurgency against the Syrian government. That is not just my opinion, it is the view of the Arab League observer mission sent into the country to gather evidence against the ruling Assad regime. But when reports didn't fit the political agenda, the League pulled the plug on the mission, and the Syrian government was subtlely blamed.99 Days of Occupation: Occupy Sheffield Moving On
11-02-2012 19:12
new occupy london squat - 'school of ideas'
11-02-2012 18:55
this week, 'occupy london' activists opened up a new community squatted building in the city, near old street. it is a deserted primary school with loads of beautiful airy classrooms, a small gym, and some pleasant outdoor space. it has lain unused for three years and the owners are awaiting planning permission before demolishing. in the meantime, the hope is to put it to good use for the community.
click on image for larger version. 'some rights reserved' - free for credited non-commercial use, otherwise contact author for permission
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since being quite violently evicted from the UBS-owned 'bank of ideas' squat, the campaigners have tried to occupy three further buildings, each time facing swift but illegal evictions at the hands of the police. however, this time they have made the new space secure, and after preparations over the past week, they are now opening up to the public.
the new occupiers have, so far, set aside a co-ordination office, an art project, a cinema, and a well-being area, as well as a cafe in the large reception hall and an exhibition covering the history and struggle of squatting. they intend to run a bike workshop, an internet cafe and tech area, gardening and permaculture training, and video and media projects including livestream.
currently they are inviting people in to the free/donation cafe, and they are open to offers and ideas for positive use of the other spaces available. the space will be open to the public from tuesdays to sundays from midday to 8pm each day.
among the projects starting up, there will be a continuation of the 'free university' initially started at the 'bank of ideas', where more than 400 talks, lectures, workshops and meetings took place over a couple of months. this was all run by more than two dozen professors who, unhappy at the introduction of £9000 fees, offered alternative qualifications there for free. among the many subjects covered were alternative economics, self-defence, and building renewable structures.
the new site, on the corner of bunhill row and featherstone street, was a purpose-built primary school until closing in 2009, and so it is decorated in lots of bright colours, gaining spectacular light from circular ceiling windows and glass walls. it has been empty for three years. the owners, the southern housing group, are hoping to demolish it and turn it into flats, but are awaiting planning permission for this, and in the meantime it is hoped they might be amenable to its use for the community. contact has already been made and an initial meeting set up.
the new website www.schoolofideas.org.uk will publicise all workshops and events and you can also call the info line on 07954 227762.
this afternoon saw the first events with workshops including 'laughter yoga', 'how to set up an eco-community project', and 'tales from the american occupy' - a visit by occupation activists who brought their experiences from chicago, rhode island, and oakland, with films, talks and workshops running all afternoon.
tomorrow (sunday) at 2pm, there will be an 'emergency squattastic' meeting to discuss the strategy for the house of lords lobby on wednesday. (more info on www.squashcampaign.org)
there is the usual wishlist of donations and offers of help required, including food, paint, tools, equipment, furniture, brooms, cleaning products, computers, and more than anything, people and skills.
if you can run workshops or write proposals, get in touch. if you can cook food or meet and greet, get in touch. if you can paint or sweep, get in touch. there are rota systems for all the necessary chores a viable community like this requires, so every offer of help ensures that the whole project continues to thrive.
the project aspires to run itself on an ideal and positive vision of a non-hierarchical, nurturing community, and while it can't always guarantee to get that perfect, it's a hell of a good aspiration.
La farce électorale
11-02-2012 17:19
Les hommes politiques sont des gigolos qui sont entretenus par leurs électeurs et électrices ...Silence Can DESTROY – April 2nd 2012
11-02-2012 17:12
The Scots who Fought Franco
11-02-2012 12:55
The sacrifices of 500 Scottish volunteers who fought Franco during the Spanish Civil War are being marked in a new exhibition which is being seen for the first time in Scotland.
URGENT callout for Legal Observers
11-02-2012 10:55
This is an urgent callout for legal observers ahead of futher enforcement action at Dale Farm. This is an urgent callout for legal observers ahead of futher enforcement action at Dale Farm. Previous experience not required as full training will be given. Briefing is 6pm on Tuesday 14 Feb 2011 at a Central London location.Previous experience not necessary as full training will be given. For details and to sign up email dalefarm(at)riseup.net .The new fascism - two photos that say it all
11-02-2012 09:18
One year on a Libyan student in the UK asks... was it worth it?
11-02-2012 01:05
At five: discussing the big stories in Bristol, Britain and around the world
After six: straight talking and investigative reports with Martin Summers and Marina Morris
Occupy Sheffield camp to end but a new phase begins
11-02-2012 00:26
CIA website allegedly hacked by ‘Anonymous’
10-02-2012 23:37
The website of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
http://www.cia.gov/ appeared to be offline Friday afternoon, shortly after a Twitter account associated with the hacker group “Anonymous” announced that it had been taken down. https://twitter.com/#!/AnonymousPress/status/168064051304341504