London Feature Archive

10-04-2005 15:32

Roma Day march against racism

Around 300 people, predominantly Roma and Sinti people from across Europe, marched through London to show their opposition to anti-traveller racism. [pics 1 | 2 | background | traveller-support | newswire on paper - special traveller support edition | audio report | more audio]

News from outside London: "Tash" reports about another case of restrictive traveller law. An exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the "Battle of the Beanfield".

Read more >>

09-04-2005 13:21

Week of Action Against Iraq Pillage

The first days of April were designated as a 'Week of action against the corporate pillage of Iraq' by a group known as the Corporate Pirates.

The week kicked off with an April Fool's Pro-Pillage party outside the offices of Windrush Communications, organiser of the Iraq Procurement Conferences. Around eighty people turned up in pirate costume to protest against the corporate piracy of Windrush. Reports: [1 | 2] Pictures: [1 | 2 | 3].

During the following days, a wide variety of events unfolded. These included: a training for Non-Violent Direct Action, an open meeting that included speakers from Iraq, a candlelit vigil outside the Windrush Offices, an attempt to disrupt the news broadcast announcements of the election with an anti-war message, a creative forum at the Rampart Social Centre, and on Wednesday 6th activists ended the week of action with a protest bading farewell to Windrush Communications.

Full report and Background information here.

03-04-2005 00:25

Londoners Demonstrate for Freedom of Movement and the Right to Stay

Following the European call for action on April 2nd, a wide coalition of anti-racist groups joined up for a local demo from Clerkenwell to Haggerston Park. About 1,000 people marched through Hackney in bright sunlight, led by the Rhythms of Resistance samba band, greeted by locals and swapping agitprop.

A letter was delivered to Communication House, one of the immigration holding prisons, where people must report regularly and are often detained for immediate deportation completely unprepared.

The demo in London was part of the first UK-wide, decentralised, but synchronised action day for a radical and uncompromising "no" to immigration controls: People in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham, Oxford and Canterbury were out in the streets simultaneously and made clear that they don't think what the Tories think. For the first time, people with very different political cultures had mobilised together: the National Coalition of Anti-deportation Campaigns and the campaigns against detention centers along with committees to defend asylum seekers, direct action groups, trade unions, political and community migrant groups, noborder activists.

In Europe, demos and actions were announced in 41 cities and 11 countries. Check the audio reports for background interviews.

24-03-2005 20:07

International Day of Action Against the Arms Trade

On March 21st, as part of an International Day of Action Against the Arms Trade - called at the 'Destroy the Arms Trade' session at Beyond ESF to coincide with the second anniversary of the start of the second war on Iraq, groups and individuals took part in a number of actions against companies involved in the arms trade.

Netherlands | London | Brighton

24-03-2005 11:03

Mayday 2001 Mass Detention Compensation Claim Fails

Nearly four years after police trapped thousands of protestors in Oxford Circus for 7 hours without access to toilets, food or water during the Mayday 2001 protests, the High Court has has rejected compensation claims that people's "right to liberty" under the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached.

The compensation claims were brough by Lois Austin and Geoffrey Saxby who were caught by the police action in surrounding thousands of protestors - their lawyer argued that detaining people for a short while might be justified in certain circumstances, but that holding people for over seven hours was illegal imprisonment.

After a two week court case, on Wednesday 23rd March, Mr Justice Tugendhat said the Metropolitan Police were "duty bound" to impose an absolute cordon to prevent violence and the risk of injury to persons and property. He said the case was about the right to liberty and public order "and not about freedom of speech or freedom of assembly", adding that if water and toilets had been provided, "they would have been used as weapons against the police by a minority of the crowd".

There are around 150 other claims by people held by the police operation which were depending on the test case outcome. The two are now set to take the case to appeal.

Civil Liberties organisations fear the judgement will encourage the police to use similar methods in the future, specifically at the G8 Summit in Scotland this July. Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: "Today's judgment should alarm anyone who believes in the right to protest or that people should not be detained en masse like cattle."

See: High Court Outcome Report | Trial Report | Report and Mayday 2001 Pictures | Red Pepper Interview with Case Witness

For original 2001 coverage of the Mayday Protests see:
Indymedia Reports | Indymedia Timeline | Schnews | Undercurrents | Urban 75
Read more >>

22-03-2005 14:19

Mass Anti-War Protests Mark 2nd Anniversary of Attack on Iraq

Around the world, anti-war protests have been held on the 2nd anniversary of the attacks on Iraq [see global pictures].

On Saturday 19th March in London, a massive protest took place, passing by the US Embassy where members of the Military Families Against the War laid a coffin to remember the 100,000 plus dead caused by the war. Organisers claimed up to 200,000 people had marched through the streets of London. [see Short report | Statement to Blair + Bush | Policing Pictures | Anti-war Demo Pics | Samba Protest Pics | Creative Protest Images | Stop the War Demo Pics | Troops Out Images | Portrait Pictures | OutRage! Protest | Samba Surveillance | Policing Pictures + Report | US Embassy Pics | Assorted Protest Pictures | Picture Story | Placard-spotting Pics + Report | Summer of Dissent | Video Clips]

19-03-2005 01:24

Institute For Autonomy :: For a Life of Dignity Without Capitalism

The Institute for Autonomy is a newly occupied social centre in central London. Created in a disused university building in a city where house & rent prices continue to climb far out of the reach of the majority, it has lain empty and forgotten for over 5 years.

The Institute for Autonomy aims to be an open space for daily development towards autonomy. It is organised by open assemblies, and it is formed by a collective of people of different backgrounds and experiences. They state that "it’s vital for us to create a space where a different reality can be experienced, where new paths can be walked, along which can emerge common action, interest and identity amongst people".

The Centre is at 76-78 Gower Street, London WC1, and opened to the public on Saturday 19th March with a party that included films, music, cafe zapatista, info-shop and kids space.

Other ongoing projects and activities in the centre include: a library, a printing workshop and banner making, fortnightly Precarity Info/Sharing, regular film nights, a solidarity kitchen that opens three lunch-times a week, and a Cafeteria Rebelde.

10-03-2005 00:01

Protests At G8 Ministerial Meetings

Derby G8 Protests Go Ahead Amidst Massive Policing Operation

March 17th: Despite extraordinary measures approved by the Home Secretary to Ban all Marches in Derby [see pics of orders] and set up exclusion zones, the Derby G8 protests went ahead. A Critical Mass bicycle protest took place in the morning with around 40 people taking part - police arrested 12 cyclists [see pics], who were released on bail that night, however their bicycles have been kept 'as evidence'. Later amidst a militarised Derby with riot police [pics] stationed across the city, and several police surveillance units filming protestors, around 100 people gathered in the Town Square to protest against the G8.

See: Breaking News Reports from Derby M17 Protests
Pics: Bush + Blair Pied + General Photos
Pics: G8: Derby M17 Picture Collection
Pics: Derby Photo Report PtII
Friends of the Earth Interview at Derby M17

In the run up to the this summer's July G8 Summit in Gleneagles (Scotland), ministers from the eight more powerul economies have been holding 'mini-summits' around the country.

14-15th March: Coinciding with the International Energy and Environment Ministers' Roundtable meeting in London (see DEFRA link) a Climate Change Noise Protest was held on Tuesday 15th. Amidst heavy police security there were two arrests - including one person who was filming and whose film was seized. See Reports 1 | 2 | 3 and Pictures.

11th March: While the Employment Ministers of the G8 nations were meeting in London, activists staged a protest outside the Department of Trade and Industry and other locations [see report and pics 1 | 2 | 3]. Also see www.nodeal.org.uk for background and press release.

On Monday an Alternative Summit for Climate Justice called Moving Beyond the Greenwash was also held in London.

Other planned G8 Ministerial meetings include the G8 Finance Ministers in London (June 10-11th), the G8 Justice & Interior Ministers in Sheffield (June 16-17th), and the G8 Pre-Summit Foreign Ministers meeting in London (23rd June). For more protests and events follow the 'read more' link...

02-03-2005 23:55

Irish Embassy Occupied in Anti-War Action

British anti-war activists occupied the Irish Embassy in London on Wednesday 2nd March to protest the possible ten year jail sentence facing Ireland's Pitstop Ploughshares defendants when they go on trial in an Irish court on March 7th. See report and pics

The criminal charges facing the Irish peace activists (Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly) arise out of their disarming of a US Navy Plane at Shannon Airport on Feb 3rd 2003. The Irish Government continues to facilitate the US Military at Shannon Airport with thousands of US troops transiting through Shannon to and from Iraq each month. Just after the embassy opened for business, the protestors peacefully chained themselves together inside of the building in Grosvenor Place, whilst others have hung a banner reading, "PITSTOP PLOUGHSHARES: NOT GUILTY" outside.

See Indymedia Ireland | Trident Ploughshares
Read more >>

27-02-2005 00:02

Greenwash Guerrillas Tackle Polluters Again

On February 23rd, the 'Greenwash Guerrillas' were out and about again, this time visiting the second day of the 'Ethical Corporation Business/NGO Partnerships and Engagement London 2005 Conference', happily subtitled "How to make sure everyone gets what they want".

They timed their entry into the Swiss Cottage Marriott Hotel to coincide with a co-presentation by BP and Flora & Fauna International, but were soon ejected by the energetic hotel security and police.

The Greenwash Guerrillas say that leading corporate polluters, such as Rio Tinto, BP and Shell - to name just a few - are using events lsuch as this to try asnd hide their environmentally devastating activities behind a phony environmental and social facade. See report.
For more information, visit London Rising Tide Read more >>

26-02-2005 00:05

Protests Against London Olympics 2012

On Saturday 19th Fenruary a demonstration against the potential London Olympics took place with around two hundred people matching through east London. The day before people also protested outside the hotel where the IOC Olympic Evaluation Commitee were staying, hanging banners and making lots of noise. There was also a bicycle ride noise protest [report and pics].

The network NoLondon2012 is concerned about the environmental implications of a London games, the loss of emenities and housing during construction and the diversion of funds from grassroots projects.

The protests follow previous actions in London and the long running campaign against the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Read more >>

25-02-2005 09:23

Iraq-pillagers continue to be targetted

Thanks to the Coalition Provisional Authority's Order 39 the occupation of Iraq has coincided with a mass selling-off of Iraq's public assets. Here in the UK there has been an ongoing campaign opposing this process; a process which amounts in international law to the illegal pillage of Iraq. Read more >>

21-02-2005 20:20

Caminos de Resistencia (Paths of Resistance)

Indymedia Cinema presents a five-day festival of radical and independent film from Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and more. There will also be talks and presentations by Latin American solidarity groups, international activists, and film-makers, as well as Latin American food, drink, and music.

When: The festival takes place from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th February. Programme starts daily at 7pm, and on Saturday there's a doouble session starting at 2pm. All sessions are free but donations are encouraged.
Where: RampArt Creative centre, Rampart Street (off Commercial Rd), London E1. Nearest tube Whitechapel, buses 115, 15, 25, 254, 205.

FULL PROGRAMME:

Tuesday 22:
'EYE OF THE STORM' (Argentina Indymedia Resistance Film) and 'THE TAKE' (film about a worker-occupied factory in Argentina by Avi Lewis asn Naomi Klein)
Wednesday 23:
Short films from Cuba, and 'VENEZUELA FROM BELOW' (a film by Dario Azzelini and Oliver Ressler on the latest developments of the Venezuelan Revolution) With film-makers Q&A.
Thursday 24:
'BOLIVIA BASTA' (a film about gas privatisation in Bolivia) and 'PLAN COLOMBIA' (a film about US intervention in Colombia)
Friday 25:
Two short films from visiting CIPO-RFM Mexican Indigenous activists from the state of Oxaca, plus two Zapatista films 'EL FUEGO Y LA PALABRA' and 'CARACOLES'.
Saturday 26 (from 2pm):
'TRADING FREEDOM' indymedia film on the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) and 'EL DERECHO DE VIVIR EN PAZ' (the story of the assassination and torture of popular singer and composer Victor Jara by Pinochet regime in Chile) With singer Silvia Rox singing Victor Jara. plus Peruvian film and Peruvian singer Sofia Buchuck...
Then, from 7pm:
Cuban and Colombian HIP-HOP films and Live Music: 'INVENTOS: HIP HOP CUBANO' provides a unique insight into the realities and politics of contemporary Cuba. And 'ZONA MARGINAL', a documentary about the hip-hop group Zona Marginal and their work with the communities in Colombia.

19-02-2005 09:50

Oil Trading Exchange Occupied As Kyoto Becomes Law

On 16 February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol came into effect, legally binding most industrialised countries to greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2012. On the same day 35 Greenpeace activists halted trading on the global oil market by occupying the International Petroleum Exchange in London, and disrupting the trading - there were 27 approx arrests [audio report].

The Kyoto treaty was agreed in 1997, but has since been watered down by special provisions and has been often criticised as being too little, too late, and for promoting potentially damaging practices.

Later in the evening more activists blockaded and disrupted the oil industry's most prestigious annual gathering in a Park Lane hotel in London, complete with a banner reading "Climate Change Kills - Oil Industry Parties". There were also actions and events around the world - see global reports and pics. Recently (on 25th January) the Greenpeace Business Lecture itself a target of climate campaigners when the 'Greenwash Guerrillas' from London Rising Tide protested against what they called they Greenwash of Shell's Chairman, Lord Oxburgh [see report and pics].

Burning Planet March to US Embassy

On Saturday 12th February, hundreds of people marched to the US Embassy in London as part of the annual Campaign Against Climate Change Kyoto March [see full report and pictures]. Carrying all 141 national flags representing the current signatories to the Kyoto Protocol, together with costumes and bicycle powered sound systems, the march passed by the ExxonMobil offices [see exxonsecrets.org] and the Australian Embassy (Australia is the only major developed country not to have ratified Kyoto apart from the US), before arriving at the US embassy for speeches from many campaigners. There was also a critical mass bicycle protest starting from the Thames Flood Barrier [pics]. The event was also part of an International camapaign that saw events scheduled around the world, including Edinburgh in Scotland.

The next big mobilisations on Climate are expected to be at the G8 Summit in Scotland, with the last day of the summit, Friday 8th July, set aside as an International Day of Action Against Climate Change [draft call], and at the 'MOP' climate talks later in November.
See also: AUDIO: Speeches from Campaign against Climate Change Tour (london 3rd Feb) | Rising Tide | SchNEWS on Kyoto and Oil | Oilwatch Interview
Read more >>

18-02-2005 16:16

Anti-War Action: F15 Rememberance and Protest

On the anniversary of the massive international February 15th Anti-War demonstrations in 2003 (largest anti-war demonstrations in living memory), people throughout the land paused to remember the dead and to protest against war. In London a 'die-in' protest outside Parliament briefly blocked traffic [pics | 2]. In Glasgow the Day of Civil Disobedience saw an army recruitment office closed for the day and people blocking roads (as well as a high level of police surveillance and initmidation).

Other events took place in Brighton, Bristol [pic], Cambridge, Oxford, Menwith Hill, as well as Canterbury, Edinburgh, Greenwich, Lewisham, Plymouth, and Leeds. In Swindon a naming the dead event took place, while Nottingham saw an anti-war Critical Mass bicycle protest. In Stirling [2] in Scotland, a protest was also held outside an Army recruitment centre.

Upcoming are the March 19th - International Anti-War + Anti-Neoliberalism Protests, which coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the 'Shock and Awe' attack on Iraq and the Brussels EU Summit, with protests expected across Europe [see call for PGA Blocs]. Here, the Stop The War Coalition, CND and the Muslin Association of Great Britain has called for a massive Troops Home" national demonstration in London, while the Scottish Coalition for Justice Not War and Justice for Gordon Gentle Campaign have called a Troops out of Iraq March and rally in Glasgow. In the US, protests are expected in over 50 cities. March 19th also marks the start of 'Counter Terror: Build Justice' - an International Month Of Peace Action.

See also: Update on Fairford Five Appeal | Stop the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill - the right to protest in Parliament Square under attack - and reports 2, 3, 4. Read more >>

17-02-2005 21:59

CIPO-RFM to Speak in the UK

Activists from Mexican indigenous direct action group CIPO-RFM will be visiting the UK for the first time on a 5 date speaking tour to promote their struggle against globalisation in Oaxaca.

Admission to all the dates are free and two short films made by activists will also be shown. They hope to raise awareness about the recent increase in state repression being suffered by Mexican activists. There will also be a benefit gig on feb 18th in London.

More information

06-02-2005 12:09

Bring Peace Talks to Seida Please

Twenty Israeli military vehicles and two bulldozers have been occupying the village of Sieda in the northern Tulkarem district since early this morning placing the village under curfew and conducting house to house searches.

Electricity and the water supply in the village have been cut off. The Israeli military has closed all entrances to the village and are occupying the boys' school. Two family homes, belonging to Mohammed Zaki Raddad and Hussein Raddad are also occupied. Villagers fear that the bulldozers are there to demolish the homes of families of men wanted by the Israeli army. Volunteers from Canada, England and Denmark, who work with the International Solidarity Movement, are present in the homes where the Israeli soldiers are occupying the roof and ground floor of the homes, trapping the family inside on one floor. Israeli soldiers have invaded the village every night since the Eid, searching homes and harassing villagers. The soldiers have told the villagers they intend to remain in the village for at least three days.

05-02-2005 19:36

G7 Finance Leaders Get Noisy Welcome as Thousands Protest

As the G7 Finance Ministers met for dinner at Lancaster House in London on Friday 4th February, activists greeted them with a noisy protest. A giant 'Drop the Debt' digital counter recorded the number of children around the world who die needlessly as a result of poverty (at a rate of one child every three seconds). See report and pics | report 2.

The day before on Feb 3rd, tens of thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square to demand the elimination of world poverty. Nelson Mandela delivered the keynote speech where he called for millions of people to carry the message of ending poverty to the G8 Summit in Scotland in July, saying: "Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.". See report, pics, speech in full and comments. [MP3 Audio: hear speech in fullPart 1, Part 2] [Oxfam video]

Just days before, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at the World Social Forum 2005, the Call from the Assembly of the Social Movements pledged to take to the streets in mass mobilisations against the G8 Summit, while the Caracol Intergalaktika, the WSF International Youth Camp, called for mass resistance against the G8 and other summits taking place this year, including the IMF / World bank, FTAA and WTO.

See also: G7 Report - the G7 has no intention of cancelling the debt
SchNEWS on the G7 Finance Ministers' Meeting
Report on Church launch of Make Poverty History (Jan 29)
Read more >>

05-02-2005 16:21

More strangeness from the Occupation in Palestine

Reports of humanitarian work in the west bank between the 7th & 18th of Jan 2005

04-02-2005 12:10

Positive Global Movements: Can we reclaim globalisation?

Globalisation, in the hands of the corporations, is a means of colonising the new territories opened up by communication technology. In the hand of the people, it can be a medium to unite and put to work new global laws that preserve the livelihood of the people instead of securing profit for inhuman corporations.

Can the achievements of the Venezuelan people, who have taken up the challenge of being a fundamental block in the future of their country, be aided by the international community from USA intervention?

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304536.html

Can we stop the government of the most powerful country in the world from destroying the planet in its mad rush to keep its standard of living based on consumption?

Can alternative media finally have similar influence in building consensus with the population as opposed to the corporate media which imposes the bias of power seekers?

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304573.html

Can people unite and defeat the doom of this civilisation by corporative power greed?
As the women in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh did when they revolted against government supply of liquor to their villages. When Women Unite film www.rampart.co.nr (movements in motion Indian film festival).

These questions are being debated in the 6 days exhibition and film forums 'Positive Global Movements' from the 6th to the 12th of February at Rampart Creative Social Centre www.rampart.co.nr

Read more >>

London Feature Archive

10-04-2005 15:32

09-04-2005 13:21

03-04-2005 00:25

24-03-2005 20:07

24-03-2005 11:03

22-03-2005 14:19

19-03-2005 01:24

10-03-2005 00:01

02-03-2005 23:55

27-02-2005 00:02

26-02-2005 00:05

25-02-2005 09:23

21-02-2005 20:20

19-02-2005 09:50

18-02-2005 16:16

17-02-2005 21:59

06-02-2005 12:09

05-02-2005 19:36

05-02-2005 16:21

04-02-2005 12:10

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