Nottinghamshire Feature Archive

A number of alternative media projects have sprung up in Nottingham over the past months. In February the Riseup Radio project was launched, and this month sees a new edition of the Nottingham Sparrow, and steps towards the launch of a GreenZine aimed at young people.

Meanwhile, Notts Indymedia continues to go from strength to strength, with an astonishing number of contributions. In February, we hosted the UK Indymedia gathering, during which we were approached to produce a Nottingham pullout for The Mule newspaper. We hope that all of these projects flourish in the year to come, but they all need people to help make them work. That's where you come in!

Feature: Nottingham Hosts UK Indymedia Gathering

Newswire: GreenZine Open Meeting | Rebel bulletin The Nottingham Sparrow - March 2008 - No.3 | Riseup! Radio: #2 The March Show Now Online | Notts Indymedia Indymedia Topic Page

Links: The Mule | Riseup Radio | Nottingham Sparrow

Over a year ago, a rumour was doing the rounds in Nottingham libraries about the introduction of uniforms for library staff. The union reps looked into it and it was brushed aside as 'not going to happen for ages'. A couple of months ago they were surpised to hear that the uniforms would suddenly be introduced by March. No consultation, no advanced notice. So why does the council feel there is a need for uniformed staff in our libraries? And why does it threaten its own staff members with dismissal if they were to speak openly about these changes?

One library assistant did decide to speak out. Barbara, who's identity we cannot reveal, has worked in Nottingham's libraries for many years. She told Notts Indymedia in an interview about her anger over the decision by the City Council to introduce uniforms. In addition, she talked about the depletion of library service resources and the bully tactics employed by City Council managers to keep its staff in line.

Interview: Nottingham Library Assistant Speaks Out About Uniforms And Bully Tactics

From the newswire: Changes To The Library Service | Nottingham Library workers still resisting uniforms | Make nottingham Real, not PR stunts, uniforms & pool closures

Links: Nottingham Library Service | Unison | Evening post coverage: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Sign the petition in support | Download poster (PDF)

According to an undisclosed source, squatters at the ASBO centre have been given notice to quit the premises by 27th Feb.

Social activists, who initially squatted the building to provide a community space, have long since left. The remaining occupants have been implicated in a string of violent attacks against the Sankofa Foundation, a project supporting asylum seekers in the lower part of the building. An attempt to reopen another part of the building was also violently repelled.

The disastrous end of the squat has prompted some to question why the wider community who benefited from the ASBO haven't helped to sustain the project.

Newswire: ASBO Squat: Destroyed & Now Evicted | asbo evicted | and now for the positive asbo news | Sankofa Foundation in Crisis | ASBO, The Last Days | asbo squat - end of days

Previous feature articles: YES, we're open ! | Abandoned for over 7 years...

Background: Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council drops by at the ASBO | ASBO welcomed by community! | Nottingham Squatting Project, The Tidy-Up :: The pictures | Council serve eviction notice | New Squatting Project in Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Free Spaces Topic Page

Links: Asbo Website | Sankofa Foundation | Days of Action for Squats and Autonomous Spaces

Video: BBC report on the vandals, forcing the closure of the Sankofa Project

On the 10th April 2007, 11 people walked into the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and locked on to the coal conveyor and assorted plant there. Their objective was to take direct action to halt operations and thus to diminish the CO2 emissions of the E-on plant, the greenhouse gas thought to be largely responsible for climate change. They were all charged with aggravated trespass and throughout the court case (which lasted for 3 days), the defendants argued that yes, they did take these actions, but employed the defence of "duress of circumstances" or necessity, and pleaded not guilty.

On Monday 25th Feb, 10 defendants (one having had the charges dismissed due to lack of evidence) returned to court to receive the judgement. Judge Cooper had earlier said that he wished to compliment all the defendants on the way they had handled themselves and on the presentation of their case. However all were found guilty.

Audio: Featured in #2 'the March Show' on Riseup Radio

Features: Clean Coal On Trial | Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

On The Newswire: Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Judgement | Power station 10 found guilty | Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Verdict | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 1] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 2] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 3]

Links: Eastside Climate Action

On Thursday around 80 protesters marched around the University of Nottingham's campus to demand freedom of expression and an end to the University's repression of student activists.

The campaign was started following the arrest of a student at a Palestine solidarity protest on the campus in November last year. In spite of the University's deployment of undercover spies and a police cameraman, the mood was good and protesters recieved a warm reception from other members of the student body.

Audio: Freedom of Speech protest audio report

Photos: Pics 1 | Pics 2

Newswire: Protestors demand freedom of expression at University | Freedom of Speech demonstration at Nottingham Uni | Heavy Handed Police Condemned Over Peaceful Protest | Arrest at Nottingham Uni over Palestine Protest

Nottingham City Council were under fire this week from campaigners trying to prevent the local authority from closing one of the city's oldest and most cherished public services, the Victoria Baths leisure centre. A move to rush the closure this spring has been greeted by uproar from local residents, who gathered for a protest at the Council House.

Over a hundred people mounted a vocal and insistent protest that the recently announced intention to force the closure is unacceptable for the residents of St Anns and Sneinton. Dozens of children from William Booth infant school, one of the schools who regularly use the pool for swimming lessons, bore placards they had drawn and coloured, and chanted 'we want swimming!'. The next demonstration is planned for Saturday 1st March, 11.30am in Market Square.

Reports from the 17th February demonstration: audio | video

More audio: Featured in #2 'the March Show' on Riseup Radio | Public Meeting 1st March

Photos: Victoria Leisure Centre Public Meeting to Oppose Closure | Save Victoria Baths from closure, Demo at the Council House | Council propose to shut Victoria Baths, Sneinton

Articles: Council propose to shut Victoria Baths, Sneinton | City Council intends to Close popular leisure facility

Links: Save Victoria Baths! Campaign | Sign the online petition | 1st March poster | City Council online consultation

On Saturday and Sunday, Nottingham hosted a national gathering of the UK Indymedia network, bringing together around 40 people from as far afield as Scotland and Bristol.

A whole host of issues were discussed, such as the future of Indymedia, developments on the startpage and calendar, and aspects of moderating the site. A range of viewpoints on the role of Indymedia were expressed, and a number of proposals to take the project forward will be implemented as a result of the gathering.

Audio: Interviews At UK Indymedia Network Meeting

Articles: Notts Indymedia Launches Radio Show | Where Do We Go From Here? | Indymedia contributor comments on alternative media and Schnews gathering | Mexican Indymedia Activist Speaks In Nottingham | Introducing IMC-UK-PHOTO

Documentation: UkNetworkMeeting2008 | UK Indymedia startpage changes (2008)

Notts Indymedia and others have launched a new radio show called 'Riseup! Radio'. The community based podcast includes reports covering issues often overlooked by other local media, as well as music from local artists and bands, and chat about stuff that matters. Each month a new podcast will be downloadable through the riseup! Radio website, or by subscribing to our feed. Look out for extra features and new shows in the near future, but for now.. Download, listen, enjoy, distribute and comment on February's show !

Listen: #1 The February Show | #2 The March Show

Links: Riseup! Radio Website | RSS feed | Notts Indymedia Audio Archive

On Saturday, activists from across the Midlands and Yorkshire met in Nottingham to co-ordinate activities against the British National Party (BNP).

Around 100 campaigners met at the Queen's Walk Community Centre in the city for a conference organised by Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP.

Participants discussed the ways in which the BNP could be opposed, the formation of a regional anti-fascist network and the possibility of protests against the BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival.

Links: Midlands and South Yorks Activists Organise Against Racist BNP | Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP Event : Leaflet PDF

Newswire: Stop the BNP in Brinsley gains ground | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue

The trial of the eleven climate change activists who disrupted operations at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station on April 10th 2007 has started today at Nottingham Bridewell Magistrates Court. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated trespass and arguing that it was necessary to take such action in order to prevent the imminent threat that climate change poses to the human population. They are arguing that the threat of climate change on human life is so imminent & serious that it is a proportionate and reasonable response to commit aggravated trespass to try to reduce carbon emissions from England's 2nd largest CO2 emmiter, Ratcliffe on Soar power station.

This is the first time that the defence of necessity in relation to climate change has been used in a court of law. The defendants will call an expert witness; a climate scientist, and Royal Society Research Fellow, to prove to the court the scale and imminence of the threat that climate change poses.

Reports: Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 1] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 2] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 3] | Climate Change Trial Opens

Previous feature: Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

From the newswire: Climate change on Trial! | E.ON irony & hypocrisy in market square | Climate activists in court - report | Climate Change On Trial: Call for support demo | Evening Post depicts Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station as 'cutting edge technology' | E-on climate greenwash in Market Square | Rattcliffe 11 to face courts | Activists needle shareholders over E.ON nuclear power | Climate change activists target power station - photos from inside | Photo reports from the action: [1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5]

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

Links: E.On | Eastside Climate Action | Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Wikipedia on Ratcliffe On Soar | Ratcliffe On Soar (photo portrait by Alan Lodge).

From the 28th January, as part of an extended pilot scheme, residents of Nottingham will be subject to Voice Risk Analysis when telephoning to make a claim for Job Seekers' Allowance.

Voice Risk Analysis (VRA) software analyses a person's 'normal' voice and flags up changes in frequency and tone characteristics which may mean the person is lying. The DWP has helped to fund a series of local pilot schemes to study the effectiveness of the technology in reducing so-called "benefit fraud" (which pales into insignificance when compared with tax evasion by the rich). Even amongst those who worry about such things, there is scepticism about this usefulness of this technology as an anti-fraud tool. Mainstream critics say that savings do not necessarily mean the software is accurately pinpointing fraudsters, arguing that genuine claimants may also be deterred from claiming when entitled to benefits.

Links: Nottinghamshire Unemployed Workers Centre | Welfare Reform UK | Sheffield protest against changes to welfare | Nottingham Claimants Action

Background Links: Nottingham Proforma for Expressions of Interest for DWP City Strategy | Strategy: Nottingham Local Area Agreement | DWP Fraud and error - Voice Risk Analysis (VRA) | DWP Press Release: Hutton announces new technology to strengthen fight against benefit fraud | TUC lies, damned lies and lie detectors: introducing lie detector tests for benefit claimants | Handard - Social Security Benefits: Lie Detectors 23 Apr 2007 : Column 928W | Government to use voice 'lie detector' technology to catch benefit thieves | Advanced Validation Services (AVS)

Animal rights activists in Nottingham campaigning against the sale of Foie Gras in the city have found themselves the targets of police repression. On the evening of Friday December 14, campaigners were told that they could not use a megaphone, with the police citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 as their basis for this prohibition.

The heavy-handed police response is indicative of a national trend towards increasingly repressive policing of animal rights protests and a a more general limitation on the right to protest.

Newswire: Foie Gras Demonstrations Continue Despite Renewed Police Repression | Foie Gras protests continue in spite of increased pressure from police | Foie gras day of action | Foie Gras Not Fair to the Goose | Kick foie gras out of Nottingham

Links: Nottingham Animal Rights | Wikipedia on Foie Gras | Banfoiegras.org | Freedom to Protest

Audio: Fois Gras feature in audio - mp3

Broxtowe BNP councillor Sadie Graham appears to have been expelled from the party for setting up a "treasonous" blog, along with the party's Head of Administration, Kenny Smith. The blog, containing materials from anti-fascist organisations, called for the removal of Mark Collett, the party's Head of Publicity.

After a Stasi-like operation in which the BNPs 'Intelligence Department' (fronted by an ex-South African police official) recorded and spied on telephone calls of party members, stories are circulating on Nazi webforums that five BNP security entered Graham's house and ransacked it looking for further evidence. This is further bad news for the beleaguered fascist party who are already facing serious internal divisions and a revived militant anti-fascist movement.

Update: Sadie Grahams house raided by police | BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley

Features: Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe

Newswire: Sadie Graham Expelled from BNP! | 2nd Anniversarry of mums brutal murder by Kirkby Notts"freeSpeech"BNPcandidate | Nott's group go to BNP Conferance | Sadie Graham Shoots Straight| BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley

Links: Lancaster UAF | Antifa (UK)

While in London and Glasgow over 10,000 climate campaigners took to the streets to take part in marches over the weekend, in Nottingham, many people took to the delight of the East Midlands Vegan Festival and Sumac Crafts Fair. While these events have a strong social aspect, especially during these dark winter days, there are strong links with those who braved the bad weather to call for climate justice.

Campaigners organising the annual Vegan Festival pointed out that a massive proportion of climate change is caused by livestock farming and the production of meat/dairy products. They urged world leaders in Bali, attending the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference, "to take the urgent action needed to prevent the catastrophic destabilisation of global climate". Protests calling upon the world leaders for action on climate change have taken place across the world. The last week has seen many actions across the UK on various aspects of the climate change agenda.

Audio: Collected Interviews about the Vegan Festival. [Ronny] - mp3 16M

Photos: 4th East Midland Vegan Festival, Council House, Nottingham | Sumac Craft Fair

Links: East Midlands Vegan Festival | The Sumac Centre | Notts Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Climate Action Network Nottinghamshire | Eastside Climate Action

On Tuesday November 27, Nottinghamshire Police used a Taser stun gun on a man in Beeston. Although it has attracted only limited interest, it could be an important development. Tasers have recently been introduced to the police arsenal in the UK, having been widely used by police in the US and Canada for some time. This happened with minimal public debate, despite increasing concerns about their use across North America. Currently restricted to armed response officers there are calls from both senior and rank and file police officers for their use to be greatly expanded. They certainly aren’t going to go away any time soon

According to the Evening Post, Notts police were called to reports of a man acting erratically outside the Natwest on High Road, Beeston at 11.30am. The Post also indicates that there was a suggestion the man might have been carrying a firearm, however it is now clear the man did not have a gun and there is little in the article to indicate on what basis such suspicions might have arisen. The various eyewitness reports certainly indicate erratic behaviour, but if anything make the presence of a gun seem unlikely. One account has the man shouting, “Call the police,” while another has him pushing people about threatening to “knock you out.” Hardly behaviour which would indicate he was armed.

Links: Tasers in Nottingham | Police taser diabetic in a fit,when they should be arresting terror oil corprats | Canada Probes Taser After Another Death | USA - anotherone killed by police using "less" lethal taser | TASER GUNS BY UK POLICE ,HAVE BEEN CAUSING CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA | Taser’s don’t kill, Excited Delirium does!

Nottinghamshire Police have been condemned for their heavy handed dealing with a peaceful protest which took place at Nottingham University. The protest, which was organized by students, occurred outside the Hallward Library on the University Park Campus, to raise awareness about the Israeli West Bank barrier, aka 'the wall'. A mock wall was constructed and spray-painted with slogans and images.

After Nottingham Uni security failed to 'apprehend' the situation, the police were called. This resulted in the threat of arrest to a number of students. For 'breach of the peace', 'assaulting a police officer', 'filming a police officer'(!), obstructing a police officer and obstruction of the highway. One student was arrested to 'apprehend a breach of the peace'. The wall was dismantled (rather symbolic given the context) and moved on after about half an hour.

Links: Arrest at Nottingham Uni over Palestine Protest | Notts Indymedia Palestine page

Audio: This Week In Palestine – Week 48 | Week 47 | Week 46 | Full audio archive

Previous protests: Starbucks Not Welcome at University | Nottingham University Student Die-In :: to protest at ethical investments | 'Die-in' at Nottingham University to protest at unethical investments | Protests as arms dealers attend careersfair

Nottingham university students have been campaigning tirelessly over the last few weeks to get their University to get Starbucks off campus, and stop them selling their unethical beverages in the Hallward Library. Students were shocked when, a few weeks ago, their café in the main library on campus suddenly started serving Starbucks coffee. In a move that has upset a large part of the student body the university decided to change coffee supplier without any sort of student consultation and now the students are up in arms.

For the last two weeks students have manned an ‘anti-Starbucks’ stall outside the Hallward Library where the Starbucks coffee is being served (at nearly double its pre-Starbucks price). The movement against the corporatisation of our educational facilities has been swift; nearly 700 people have joined the Facebook group against Starbucks, hundreds of people have signed the petition and loads of cups of tea and coffee have been sold from a makehift stall outside the library to students who don’t want to pay £1.45 for a coffee.

Notts: Telling Starbucks to 'Buck Off' at Nottingham Uni. | Amnesty Protest in Nottingham City Centre - Close Guantanamo Bay [Please] | Starbucks national day of action, 18th August

UK: Whitechapel Knees Up against Starbucks | Sheffield IWW - Starbucks skanked to death | Anti-Starbucks picket in Cardiff | Chiapas Solidarity picket of Starbuck, Edinburgh

Links: IWW Starbucks Workers Union | Boycott Starbucks | Starbucks continues to Greenwash with Weak Environmental Policy | Starbucks Social Responsibility Newsletter

Demonstrations have been held this week in Carrington to save the local post office from closure. In the last fortnight, the Save Carrington Post Office Action Group has emerged and has been campaigning to keep the Carrington Post Office [CPO] open. They have urged people in the CPO's catchment area to write letters to the Post Office and Post Watch, asking for the CPO to be considered for further review after the public consultation. The action group has also delivered over 4,000 leaflets and its petition has collected 2000 signatures in just two weeks. In addition to carrying out its own branch assessment report, the group held a couple of demonstrations this week.

Futhermore, a wheelchair-using customer of the Post Office, attempted to travel to the two alternative post offices as suggested by the Post Office to see how accessible they really are. Doreen Sim, who has used CPO twice a week for the last twenty years to pay her bills and collect her pension, says the current journey takes her just 5 minutes from her home along all level terrain and wide pavements...

Articles: Save Carrington Post Office Demo Pictures (Saturday) | Save Carrington Post Office Demo Pictures (Tuesday) | Save Carrington Post Office: March to MPs Office with Petition | Save Carrington Post Office!

Links: Closure of Lenton Post Office | Post Office closure list of 180 is released | MPs raise Post Office closure doubts | Ministers accused as 2,500 Post Office closures confirmed | Post office closure response: services must be maintained for the most vulnerable

Asylum seekers, refugees, trade unionists and supporters from all over the North marched from the Home Office in Sheffield to Lindholme Detention centre near Doncaster between 26-28th October. The marchers were demanding "The right to work for asylum seekers" and stating that "Seeking asylum is not a crime." They finished at Lindholme immigration removals centre, the nearest such centre to Nottinghamshire, where asylum seekers are often held without having committed any criminal offence. The demonstration there on Sunday 28th was joined by supporters from Nottingham.

A rally was held at the fence of Lindholme and the marchers could hear detainees inside chanting in response to them. A candlelit vigil for those who'd died in detention centres was held and speakers from many countries, including the Congo, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Iran, Iraq and South Africa spoke. The demonstration is the latest in a series of protests at Lindholme making the demand to "Shut Down Lindholme!"

Links: "Dignity Not Detention" March on Lindholme | Photos from the start of the "Dignity Not Detention" march on Lindholme | The start of the "Dignity Not Detention" march on Lindholme (Pitsmoor) | Dignity Not Detention! march arrives at Lindholme | Dignity Not Detention! leaflet (pdf)

Previously at Lindholme: No Borders demonstration at Lindholme Immigration Removals Centre | Lindholme Noise Demo Photos | 10 Lindholme Detainees still free | Detainees held in 'filthy' conditions, Lindholme, nr Doncaster

In Notts: Nottingham demo called against deportation charter flight to DR Congo | Nottingham Congolese Community demonstrated against continued deportations | No Borders Nottingham 'National Day of Action on Asylum Rights' | Mayday in Nottingham (Round Two)

It was one of those things that the City Council wouldn't want to kick up a fuss about. After all, it was a controversial decision to merge the city's welfare rights department into the management of the housing benefit service back in September 2006. Employees were only told about the decision 2 or 3 days before it was implemented and were told in an email to 'keep quiet' about the issue. You can imagine people getting concerned over 'conflicts of interest' when you're supposed to get impartial and independent advice on welfare rights from people in the very same office as those authorizing the actual applications.

But thankfully someone decided she couldn't stay quiet over the issue. Sarah Roy, who worked for the council, posted an article on rightsnet.org.uk, a website for welfare rights workers to share information and knowledge. She posted the article in July but the City Council ordered the site to remove the posting instantly or else they would 'seek an injunction in the High Court and sue for damages'. The article was pulled. Another publication, called 'Benefits and Rights' also received legal threats from the council after it told readers it was to feature the issue in its next edition. They ran a 'shortened version' of the article. Sarah Roy was eventually fired over the issue. Read the full article for a second posting Sarah wrote on the Rightsnet forum, which has now also been removed.

Links: Benefits and Work newsletter | Evening Post coverage: (1) (2) | Nottingham City Council | Nottingham Claimants Action (NCA)