activists invaded alexandra palace this evening and took to the stage in a successful action highlighting the exclusiveness of the london esf, the police repression of autonomous spaces and actions, and no borders issues.
banners on the invaded stage
at 6.45 this evening, activists from autonomous centres organised an invasion of the main hall at alexandra palace to bring attention to the exclusive nature of the london esf compared to other european esfs in the past, and to report the police intimidation of activists at autonomous centres this weekend.
around 150 activists succesfully stormed the palace, took the stage, put up banners, and held a rapt audience for half an hour with various speakers at the microphone. security looked on hopelessly, while speakers explained in several languages (and with the help of volunteer translators) the reasons for their invasion.
they reported that while ken livingstone supports the esf, the various autonomous centres and squats around london have been victim to continual police harrassment, and any large groups of people have been prevented from leaving centres at once.
another speaker pointed out that ken livingstone is a card-carrying member of the labour party, the party that took us to war for oil!
the speakers were generally well-received and the full hall cheered.
another speaker told of how some activists had even been refused entry to the country from other european countries, thus excluded totally from both the esf and the autonomous meetings.
after nearly half an hour, the activists asked everyone to join them in solidarity leaving the building, and left as one group chanting 'solidarity' while some delegates followed.
the peaceful invasion was a success and brought the issues of the way this london esf has been hijacked to the fore.
once outside, the group began a reclaim the streets march, and true to form, the police responded violently. two witnesses told me that police had beaten activists and some had been arrested. around a hundred activists continued their march down the park towards 'beyond esf' followed by several police vans.
around 150 activists succesfully stormed the palace, took the stage, put up banners, and held a rapt audience for half an hour with various speakers at the microphone. security looked on hopelessly, while speakers explained in several languages (and with the help of volunteer translators) the reasons for their invasion.
they reported that while ken livingstone supports the esf, the various autonomous centres and squats around london have been victim to continual police harrassment, and any large groups of people have been prevented from leaving centres at once.
another speaker pointed out that ken livingstone is a card-carrying member of the labour party, the party that took us to war for oil!
the speakers were generally well-received and the full hall cheered.
another speaker told of how some activists had even been refused entry to the country from other european countries, thus excluded totally from both the esf and the autonomous meetings.
after nearly half an hour, the activists asked everyone to join them in solidarity leaving the building, and left as one group chanting 'solidarity' while some delegates followed.
the peaceful invasion was a success and brought the issues of the way this london esf has been hijacked to the fore.
once outside, the group began a reclaim the streets march, and true to form, the police responded violently. two witnesses told me that police had beaten activists and some had been arrested. around a hundred activists continued their march down the park towards 'beyond esf' followed by several police vans.
Comments
Hide the following 12 comments
Hardly a spontaneous protest
17.10.2004 01:06
Sofia Gkiousou
Ken's party = war party
17.10.2004 04:12
Yes: the reason is that Ken Livingston is associated with a war criminal responsible for violating the principles of the Nuremberg Trials. Have you heard of World War II? There was a big trial afterwards to try to set some principles of the limits of "justified" war. Tony Blair blatantly violated these principles. He is coresponsible for the massacre of more than 13,000 civilians in Iraq.
The Indonesians overthrew an extremely brutal dictator, responsible for the genocide of about 30% of the population of one culture; Saddam Hussein never got anywhere near this level of brutality. The Indonesians did this in 1998, without being bombed by the USA with UK support.
Sure, everyone makes compromises between idealisma and reality. Ken Livingston has made his choices of compromises, but so far AFAIK he has not put any pressure on the courts to send Tony Blair to the ICC (International Criminal Court) to be tried for war crimes. Did he call for Blair to be sent to the ICC at the Brighton meeting of the Labour Party?
Tony Blair is a war criminal! He is a bloodthirsty killer! He is a cold-blooded mass-murderer!
*This* is why protestors chose the speech of Ken Livingstone as a good time to make a point. If Ken Livingstone wants to play a role of "working within the system" of the Labour Party, he'd better now speak up about making war crimes illegitimate by having Blair (and colleagues) recognised by society as war criminals. He'd better take the risk of saying that the emperor has no clothes.
K. Livingstone supports a war criminal
Ken's party - war party
17.10.2004 04:58
Yes: because Ken Livingston is in the same party as a war criminal - Tony Blair - and his responsibility in his chosen role of "working within the system to change it" requires that he insist that Tony Blair be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court to be tried for war crimes. Blair should have the right to access to a defence lawyer, doctor and family to reduce the chance of being tortured.
Blair is coresponsible for slaughtering 13,000 people. Indonesians had a peaceful revolution in 1998 to get rid of a dictator much more brutal than Saddam Hussein; apart from the initial blatant lies by Blair (weapons of mass destruction, nuclear bombs in 45 minutes, ...), it was not up to the UK/US to massacre Iraqis even if it was only in order to remove one Saddam Hussein and replace him by a new "Saddam Hussein reloaded".
Blair is a bloodthirsty mass murderer who is a threat to society and should be locked up in the prison in the Hague: this is what Ken Livingston should be campaigning for. AFAIK, he has not tried to have charges laid against Blair.
This is why "Ken's party, war party".
kindly read the README
Why were the Police there?
17.10.2004 09:05
Badriya
The report says it was 'successful', not 'spontaneous'
17.10.2004 09:43
word search
Fair Play
17.10.2004 12:08
- from British Columbia
Joe Hill
Fair Play
17.10.2004 12:14
- from British Colombia
Joe Hill
Why we protest
17.10.2004 15:59
Sofia Gk
definitely dodgy
18.10.2004 11:49
can't believe it's not made up
Not about Race
18.10.2004 13:13
Well I think the women and non white people might find it a bit offensive to be referred to as "white boys" as might those over about 14 years of age.
The point of the uprising had nothing to with racism or fascism. It was a protest about the ESF, its lack of democracy and control by the SWP and Ken Livingstone. By describing it that way you deliberately trying avoiding the truth.
steve
Pictures
22.10.2004 16:54
leftwinger
not racist just pathetic
27.10.2004 10:39
Your country is waging a genocidal war in Iraq. Do you blockade airbases or storm government buildings? No: you courageously attack a bunch of left-liberal academics, students, trade unionists and refugees. And you kick over a table, ooh how hard.
This is the UK anarchist movement is it?
angry