Liverpool Repression Feature Archive

On Monday 2nd of March 2015, there were demonstrations in over 30 towns and cities around the UK (plus Toronto) against Maximus, the US based health insurance corporation that has taken over the contract from the French IT Company Atos to administer the Work Capability Assessment on behalf of the Department Of Work And Pensions. Atos announced its exit from the contract in early 2014 following an intense period of direct action against the company by groups such as Disabled People Against the Cuts.

The day of action was timed to coincide with the first working day of the new contract, with the spotlight turned on Maximus as well as the continued use of Work Capability Assessments and the life-threatening consequences of the ongoing government attacks on the sick and disabled.

In central London, to the chorus of "David Cameron is a W*****" (YouTube) activists from DPAC hit the streets, taking direct action to block traffic and at one stage bringing traffic to a standstill on Victoria Street in the shadow of Big Ben.

The demonstrations across the UK on the streets were complemented with an online Twitter campaign using the hashtags #Maximarse and #ScrapWCA, the latter trending for a number of hours. This gave the opportunity for those unable (including through sickness and disability) to make it to demonstrations to vent their anger and frustation around the Work Capability Assessment and at a government hell-bent on targeting the sick and disabled.

On the Newswire: Maximarse is more than a farce | Mental Health Resistance Network Statement | Wrexham joins National Day of Protest Against WCA & Maximus

Other links: Johnny Void | Video: Maximarse the Movie (YouTube)

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Cases against people who refused to complete the 2011 census in England and Wales are starting to come before the courts. Judith Sambrook, who declined to fill in her form in protest at the government's contract with WMD manufacturer Lockheed Martin to process census data, had a preliminary hearing at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Remembrance Day 11/11/11 with her case now adjourned to 8 December (tbc). Over 20 supporters attended the court in solidarity with Judith to demonstrate against Lockheed Martin and the wars it fuels, holding a vigil at the war memorial afterwards. Other known cases are in Liverpool on 8 December, Reading on 13 December and Birmingham on 5 January. There are bound to be more in the coming weeks and months.

Recent articles on the newswires: Birmingham court hearing 5 January | Reading court hearing 13 December | Liverpool court hearing 8 December | Judith Sambrook next court hearing tbc | Photos and reports from Wrexham 11/11/11 court hearing [ 1 | 2 ] | Local group in solidarity with census refuser | Occupy London in solidarity | Flyer for download | Support Conscientious Census Objector | Solidarity from Canada | Demo and Vigil at Census Court Case
Previous articles on the newswires: Guantanamo/Abu Ghraib Interrogation Firms and the Census | Supplementary Census Questions | Don't Co-operate (Scotland) | Boycott Census (Ireland) | For the non-religious | Discussion on Census Data Security | Census e-action day | Count Me Out: info | Count Me Out: Disarm the Census | London Demo Report | Dodgy Census Stats | Why I will be breaking the law | Lockheed Martin and the Census | UK Census 2011 | CACI Torturers in Scots Census Rehearsal
Elsewhere: Count Me Out | No Census Taking Part | Ethical Census (Scotland) | SACC on the Scottish Census | CACI gets immunity from US law | Canadian Resistance to Lockheed Martin's involvement in Census | The Register: Lockheed Martin suffers network 'intrusion' | How to complete your census without Lockheed Martin profiting | Guardian: Boycott Census | No2ID on the Census | London Guantanamo Campaign on the Census | Red Pepper: Why to Refuse the Census | CorpWatch on Lockheed Martin Interrogators | Guardian on torture link | Ekklesia on the Census | Book review: Prophets of War (on Lockheed Martin) | Lockheed Martin announces census contract | CACI announces Scottish census contract

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An entirely legal demonstration in solidarity with international Freedom Not Fear day was disrupted and halted in Liverpool this afternoon, and two arrests were made, provoking an astounding show of anger from the public. Read more >>

Members and supporters of Wrexham Women for Peace and Wrexham Peace and Justice Forum visited the TOTAL petrol station in Hoole, Chester again last night as part of the continuing calls for TOTAL to get out of Burma. Read more >>

A British demonstrator at the G8 summit was badly injured by German police water cannon on Thursday 7th June. Read more >>

Only two players have been produced by the Liverpool FC youth academy since they moved to Kirkby in 1998. That's a shocking record! It can't just be a coincidence that the academy is near to a chipboard factory that pumps out tonnes of cancer-causing chemicals every year. A school, public playing fields and houses are also easily within range of Sonae's pollution. The company have been in and out of Huyton Magistrates Court, but tiny fines and official indifference have left them free to cause all the disease and death they like. Read more >>

Condoleezza Rice - Secretary of State and former National Security Advisor to the Bush Administration - toured Liverpool on the weekend beginning 31st March. She visited LIPA & was serenaded by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Mersey poet Roger McGough was due to compere the concert in her honour, but withdrew his support. Masses of protesters turned out and let Rice know she was not welcome here.

Liverpool Foots the Bill…And People Say Scousers Are Thieving Bastards

Sat 1st April - Maritime Museum visit Rice, Straw and Liverpool's Rich Cultural Heritage

Reports from main demo Liverpool Unites to 'Unwelcome' Terrorist Mastermind Rice| Photos | Photos | Photos | Photos | Photos | No Scouse for Rice video

Reports from LIPA Protest - Friday Lunchtime Protests Against Condi Visit to LIPA
Report & pics from LIPA demo

www.condiwatch.co.uk

On Indymedia: 30 Mar - Protests outside Condi's hotel | Protestors, performers & police get ready for Condi visit
Previously:1 | 2

Other media: Daily Post articles - 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
icliverpool.co.uk online discussion

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A Taser is an electronic stun gun. Technically they are classed as a 'less lethal' alternative to a normal firearm, however concern about deaths resulting from their use is growing in the US where they have also been issued to beat officers.
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Today, Friday 28th of February was the National Day of Action against government plans for a compulsory ID card and ID database. Our group was only set up in early January and quickly and successfully organised a worthwhile protest here in Liverpool. Read more >>

The Governments proposed Identity Card Bill has now entered the comittee stage where a comittee will spend just two and half weeks examining it before it goes on to the third reading. Despite having major implications for every person in the UK, this bill is being rushed through parliament. Liverpool Defy-ID has been formed to organise local resistance and action to stop the proposed bill becoming law. This is part of a growing nationwide network of resistance to a bill which would give the state unprecedented surveillance powers over all of us. In the current climate of eroding civil liberties and lack of democratic accountability, it seems obvious that these powers will be used to extend government invasion into our daily lives, re-inforce social inequalities and stifle political dissent.

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“WELL, what a year it’s been!” says Mike Storey in a very “Carry On” comedy style in the Merseymart letters page 8.1.04. “Liverpool won the competition...” says Mike, but not without spending over £14million pounds of council tax payers money without consulting us. Money spent on PR, propaganda and thousands of window stickers, regalia, enamel badges and even jackets for the selected few. Read more >>

Last Friday Night Merseyside police raided the Caribean Centre, on Upper parliment street Read more >>

The Oxton Festival, a free event scheduled for 6th and 7th September, has been banned by Wirral Borough Council. Read more >>