oxford samba mayday madness

Campsfield
On Saturday we joined the regular last-Saturday-of-the-month demonstrations at the Campsfield immigration prison nr Kiddlington.
After speeches about the situation inside, the scapegoating of asylum seekers by political parties and the media, and how people can get invoved in visiting detainees, we went round to the back of the centre to entertain the detainees in their exercise yard and call out messages of support.
The old 12 foot metal fence was feeling vulnerable because people had played music on it. So another less musical fence was erected in front to protect it. Was a bit flimsy - no idea how long it'll last!
People inside were shouting out, playing along and waving out of the windows.
People visiting detainees and making noisy protests outside makes a big difference to people inside so get involved.

Busking for Campsfield
We then had a bit of a busk in the beautiful sunshine in the city centre, gave out leaflets and raised around £100 for the Close Campsfield Campaign
www.closecampsfield.org.uk

Port Meadow in the thunder and lightning (very very frightening)
At about 1.30 am in the rain we played at the Beltane party at Port Meadow amid fires, mayday madness and an awesome natural light show. Wow. Our Maestres hands had to be spotlit with torches so we could see what we were supposed to be playing. Thanks to the great saxophonist who came and jammed along.

May Morn on Magdalen Bridge
We cunningly positioned ourselves in the middle of the crowd of revellers and once the choir had finished singing from the top of the tower and the bells started to chime we started up with our energetic beats that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Hurrah! All the drummers have bruised knees but it was worth it! It was a great subversion of traditional pageantry through anarchic carnival.

International Workers Day March
Monday saw us join up with the pro-Pensions, pro-Palestine pro-Peace March from Bonn Square to the East Oxford Community Centre. We were all a bit knackered but stopped traffic all the way through town and had people leaning out of windows and stopping shopping to cheer us on and have a dance.

Thanks to the drummers and the dancers and the drivers and the drinkers and the diggers and the dreamers that made it a beautiful Beltane and a miscreant May morn.


Join us on Fridays, South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street, 6-8pm

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