London Globalisation

08-05-2013 12:33 | 2 comments

Anti-capitalists gear up for G8 protests

Anti-capitalists have been gearing up for the protests against the G8 Summit with Mayday actions across the country. The focus was on Primark and other businesses profiting from the global slave labour system which led to the death of 700 people in Bangladesh. There were angry protests in central London, Hackney, Lewisham, Birmingham, Brighton and Bristol, with the clear message going out that the disaster was not an accident but the inevitable consequence of the callous capitalist system. Stop G8 is holding another organising meeting in London on May 25 and May 26, before the big week of action in the capital from June 10 to June 14, featuring the #J11 Carnival Against Capitalism.

Other links: Stop G8 | Resist 2013 UK G8 Summit | Stop G8 on Twitter | They Owe Us

12-08-2010 22:24 | 3 comments

PFI Turns Into Ongoing PR Disaster for Barclays

Having spent £25m on the branding rights to London's new cycle hire scheme, the bright sparks in the Barclays marketing department have started a dialogue with the public which could last for several years. The scheme is part of a private finance initiative providing thousands of rental bikes in return for painting London's roadways in the bank's corporate colours.

Only minutes after the bank unveiled the bikes-for-rent in partnership with the city's Conservative administration, situationist guerrilla teams struck in the night to add their own mobile advertising messages under the Barclays logo. One of the messages, "Funding depleted uranium birth defects in Iraq", was particularly timely. New studies suggest that the ongoing genetic damage caused by the U.S. attack on the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004 may be worse than that caused by the atom bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 65 years ago.

Barclays was also targeted in Cambridge on Friday 30th July 2010.

06-03-2009 12:55 | 12 comments

Storm the Banks

Climate Rush activists gathered outside RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), Thursday 5th March to protest the incredible multi million pound pay out to Fred (the shred) Goodwin, former RBS Chief Executive, and more importantly, the banks continuing role in funding the climate changing industries of coal, gas and oil. Posting the largest losses in British corporate history, RBS lost £24.1 billion in 2008 and has since had billions of pounds of taxpayers' money pumped into it. Already the largest bailout to date, the government has agreed to inject a further £13 billion on top of the £20 billion already given, and to make a further £6 billion available. While the tax payer now owns at least 70% of its shares, the bank continues to operate as a private company,

On the same day as the Climate Rush demo outside RBS, the Bank of England reduced the base interest rate to 0.5% and announced the printing of £100 billion pounds of new cash to inject into the stalled economy. Next month, the G20 leaders (G22 to be more precise) will arrive in London to discuss further ways to get the poor to bail out the rich. Various groups are mobilizing to protest against the summit which the police are co-promoting as part of a 'summer of rage'.

The G20 Meltdown group say they're going to reclaim the City, 'thrusting into the very belly of the beast', with a four pronged assault on the Bank of England at noon on 1st April. That afternoon, as part of a series of actions leading up to the COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen, the Camp for Climate Action aim to expose how the discredited market mechanisms are being sold as a solution to climate change and are planning a climate camp in the city close the the Carbon Trading Exchange.

12-10-2008 19:47 | 8 comments

Capitalism isn't in crisis; capitalism IS crisis!

As financial markets continue to slump around the world, several hundred people gathered in the City of London on Friday 10th to voice their anger over the British governments plan to commit over 50 billion GBP of public funds to shore up 'confidence' in British markets.

Following a series of calls [1 | 2] that had been circulated in different websites and forums, angry students and activists meet in the late afternoon outside Bank tube station at the heart of the City of London. The demonstrators soon moved on to the prestige shopping centre (The Royal Exchange) which they attempted to storm, and then moved towards the Bank of England but were quickly repulsed by police. They then went on a tour of nearby streets, often pushing through police lines that seemed to be quite unprepared for the unfolding protest. Eventually there was a sit-down as the protesters reached Bishopsgate, and finally a short rally with speeches on the corner of London Wall and Bishopsgate, after which the demonstrators slowly dispersed. At the same time, a group of clowns also toured The City with placards such as "There's no business like no business".

Newswire Reports: City of London clashes, Pictures | Anti-Capitalist Demonstration at Bank | Stopping the city | Video

A similar demonstration has now been called in Edinburgh on the 24th of October.

28-11-2006 00:00 | 2 additions | 2 comments

Buy Nothing Day 2006

First suggested by Canadian artist Ted Dave in the early 90's, Buy Nothing Day has become an annual global event. Using Direct action and culture jamming, activists use this day to challenge consumerism and capitalist way of life.

This year, on 25 November, the Space Hijackers decided to resurrect one of their favourite projects: the half-price sale". Many actions and activities took place in Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Redditch and York.

09-10-2006 22:14

'i' the film - screening tour

Touring the UK this week, 'i' the film expands on the explosive prequel, "Eye of the Storm" and examines the relationship between media and power as manifest by the worlds largest all volunteer network of media activists - Indymedia.

Tue Oct 10 - London - RampART - 15-17 Rampart St (starts 8pm)
Wed Oct 11 - Brighton - The Cowley Club - 12 London Road
Thu Oct 12 - Nottingham - The Sumac Centre - 245 Gladstone Street, 7.30pm (read article | report and audio from screening)
Sat Oct 14 - Glasgow - Document 4 Intl. Human Rights Film Festival
Sun Oct 15 - Edinburgh - Quaker Meeting House, Victoria Terrace, 7pm
Mon Oct 16 - Edinburgh - Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 7.30 pm

28-04-2006 17:28 | 1 addition | 8 comments

Mayday Weekend 2006

Monday May the 1st saw the culmination of the MayDay weekend 2006. A series of demonstrations and protests took place all over the UK and beyond. In London up to 4000 people marched from Clerkenwell Green to Trafalgar square in the traditional TUC march. One of the largest blocs of the march was the Autonomous Bloc which consisted of up to 800 people, marching on the issues of precarity and migration. Meanwhile, the Space Hijackers were having a 'police victory party' outside the Bank of England [Pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4]

The march went off peacefully until the Autonomous bloc tried to bring its soundsystem into Trafalgar Square to be used as an open microphone for speeches and discussion. At that point police snatched the pedal powered soundsystem from the crowd and prevented the Autonomous Bloc from assembling in the square. It was not until the march finished that the soundsystem was given back. Whilst this was taking place thousands of people listened to speeches at the rally in Trafalgar Square. After 4pm, people dispersed.

See: Timeline of Events | London Roundup | Eyewitness Account
Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
Audio: 1 | 2 | Videos: 1 | 2

Other May Day demonstrations and protests around Britain included:

A Workers Memorial Day demonstration in London to commemorate those people who have been killed at work. In Manchester, a Chaos Mass bike ride took place, as well as a May Day march, an anti-nuclear demonstration [Video] to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, and a picnic against capitalism. A march [more] also took place in Cambridge against the privatisation of public services, as well as an 'Extra tea for mayday' action where activists visited ASDA to give extra tea breaks to the workers forced to work on Mayday.

In Newcastle a contingent from Tyneside Community Action for Refugees marched demanding the right to work for refugees and asylum seekers, in Liverpool the Merseyside May Day celebrations included a march and a rally in Princes Park, and in Nottingham a march and rally [more] also took place. In Scotland there was the traditional May Day march and rally in Edinburgh, and a MayDay parade in Glasgow.

For reports of the massive demonstrations in the US and the several Euro MayDay Parades in Europe, as well as the full UK's Mayday 06 events listing click at the 'Full Article' link on top.

02-12-2005 21:11 | 2 additions | 2 comments

No to Air Expansion As Climate Issue Hots Up

A coalition of eco-activists, climate change campaigners and local airport residents demonstrated in London outside the gala dinner of the the world's largest aviation industry conference on Tuesday 29th November. The area was heavily policed with mounted officers and dogs and pedestrian access to Tower Bridge bridge restricted. Aviation delegates arriving at London's Tower Bridge Walkways were greeted with a noisy protest and a brief attempt to block the route of delegate coaches was made.

Reports, pictures and video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | video | Cambridge | Edinburgh | Australia

Earlier in the day it was reported that Earth First activists distrupted the aviation conference [report]. The campaigners were opposing plans to expand runways and drawing attention to the fact that aviation is one of the fastest growing cause of climate change. The actions also coincided with the begining of the UN Kyoto "COP 11 / MOP 1" Climate Conference in Montreal, Canada, which runs until 9th December [Official website | Climate Justice Convergence Centre | Climate Justice Blog]

On the same day Tony Blair's 'pro-nuclear' energy review speech was also disrupted by Greenpeace activists at the annual CBI conference [GP report | earlier Downing St. 'coal' blockade report]. Campaigners are now preparing for the International Day of Climate Protest this Saturday, 3rd December, with climate demonstrations planned in over 30 countries - see UK Details | International Info. A late summer Climate Action Camp for 2006 has also been recently announced.

Also see: Climate Change IMC | IMC SouthCoast Runway to Ruin Feature (Nov 05)
Indymedia Pre-G8 2005 Climate Change Resources + Reports |
SchNEWS on Nuclear Power Craze | PlanetStupid | Stop Climate Chaos Coalition | Pledge To Take Action Against Airport Expansion | Raised Voices: Climate Testimonies | Heathrow's Third Runway challenged by villagers

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.

10-03-2005 00:01 | 3 comments

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...

London Globalisation Feature Archive >>

London Globalisation

08-05-2013 12:33 | 2 comments

Anti-capitalists gear up for G8 protests

12-08-2010 22:24 | 3 comments

PFI Turns Into Ongoing PR Disaster for Barclays

06-03-2009 12:55 | 12 comments

Storm the Banks

12-10-2008 19:47 | 8 comments

Capitalism isn't in crisis; capitalism IS crisis!

28-11-2006 00:00 | 2 additions | 2 comments

Buy Nothing Day 2006

09-10-2006 22:14

'i' the film - screening tour

28-04-2006 17:28 | 1 addition | 8 comments

Mayday Weekend 2006

02-12-2005 21:11 | 2 additions | 2 comments

No to Air Expansion As Climate Issue Hots Up

09-04-2005 13:21

Week of Action Against Iraq Pillage

10-03-2005 00:01 | 3 comments

Protests At G8 Ministerial Meetings

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