11th of October saw the first worldwide protests against surveillance measures such as the collection of all telecommunications data, the surveillance of air travellers and the biometric registration of citizens. In at least 15 countries citizens demanded a cutback on surveillance, a moratorium on new surveillance powers and an independent evaluation of existing surveillance powers.
In Liverpool, political campaigns came together to hold stalls in the city centre and distribute leaflets. Police riot vans surrounded and intimidated them, but surrounding crowds helped intervene to block the police and defend the stalls.
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According to European Union (EU) Directive 2006/24/EU, all telecommunications operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in EU will have to retain email and telephone connection data of their customers and users for up to two years. This means that data about every citizen's communication is retained without a specific reason. The very act of communication will become suspicious.
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London?
22.10.2008 13:39
Me
Leaflet Distributed
27.10.2008 11:43
In the light of climate change, economic collapse, abuse of civil liberties and war, we believe a new approach to law and law-making is now required. Let us fight together for democracy, government by the people.
In an authentic democracy everyone takes part in decision-making. Establishment party politics and voting are insufficient for this necessary development to take root, and democracy now requires us to develop a different political economy together.
The new political economy we must fight for can be summed up by the proverb: it takes a village to bring up a child. We don’t need surveillance cameras, ASBOs and DNA databases to raise a good society.
We don’t want to live in an open prison.
Instead, free humanity will flower in the form of village-sized communities with their own political economic self-determination, everywhere.
In a sane, free society, each street will meet regularly to share human warmth, decide what work needs doing, make political and economic decisions and generally keep an eye on things. Surveillance will be by the people on the government, not the other way around. Black, white, straight, gay, young and old, guest or resident: human beings will be in the driving seat together. Vulnerable minority people will no longer be excluded; an inclusive, working village is the best welfare system there is. Article 29(1) of the UDHR: "Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible."
In other words, individual freedom is bound up in the need to work for the community. Not for the company, or the state or global capital, but the local community. No more being herded around by market forces and naughty people. Government by the people.
Avocada
pics
10.11.2008 13:31
London
Berlin
Nicola