UK Indymedia Feature Archive
Leeds Bradford indymedia launch
01-04-2004 13:06
People from Leeds and Bradford have joined forces to create Leeds Bradfod Indymedia, the all new independent grassroots news site for the two cities and the whole of West Yorkshire.
To celebrate this, we're hosting two launch days. The first one will be in Leeds on the 8th of April. Launch day will include
- a photo exhibition on life in Balata, the biggest refugee camp in the West Bank, Palestine
- indymedia presentation and workshops
- loads of films!
- stalls, food and music
All these are happening from 12 noon till 8pm at the Wrangthorne church hall, Hyde Park Terrace (near Hyde Park Corner). Here's a map
Following that, we're having our launch party at the Fenton Pub, Woodhouse Lane (map)- from 9pm onwards.
See you on the day! the Leeds Bradford Indymedia crew
Sheffield Social Forum Launch
25-03-2004 22:14
On Saturday 27th March the Sheffield Social Forum is holding a launch event (wiki) from 1000 - 1700, At the Royal Institute for the Blind, Mappin Street.
There are lots of workshops (wiki) planned and an Indymedia Lab (wiki).
Free software / Indymedia / Wireless Networking / Hacktivism
Sheffield IMC (Wiki) with help from SlugBug and ShefNet, will be running a day-long media activist / free software / wireless workshop. There are plans to link up with WTF?! via IRC, #esp on irc.freenode.net (web interface).
The collective will also be running a workshop The grassroots go global - the emergence of Indymedia during the day with help from Penni of the London-IMC collective.
Sheffield IMC would encourage folks who participate in the event to post their reports to the Sheffield IMC newswire. We would really like to write a good feature about this after the event.
The Fourth World War in Oxford
27-02-2004 14:08
To start with there were announcements, then John introduced Dissent! and explained that the network is horizontal and to organise direct action, especially against the looming G8 summit. A brief presentation of Oxford Indymedia was also given.
The first screening was a brilliantly edited film about the Oxford folks who managed to close the House of Commons for 10 minutes after the Hutton report came out. It was very empowering.
Then came The Fourth World War. Wow. The film jumped from country to country describing injustice and showing how ordinary people will not put up with it anymore. Footage from Argentina showed thousands chanting "The other is me" and the white hand meaning basta. The footage of Chiapas where the Zapatistas began was moving because it showed how even the poorest campesinos had finally had enough and were so brave they confronted an army post and closed it! The soldiers just refused to use their guns. Lots of other footage of, for instance, Buenos Aires, showed police firing tear gas, but protesters demonstrating against the International Misery Fund grabbed tear gas canisters and lobbed them back at the riot police. Memorably one protester used his hollow drum to cover a gas canister. Palestine - well, what can one say. The horror of seeing footage of Jenin again; the little girl with the wrecked arm; wrecked blessed bodies; wailing families; total injustice. The Zapatista Caravan was shown having reached the Zocalo in 2001 where thousands and thousands protested to no avail (except that they have ignited protest throughout the world!). Iraq was shown too, of course with the Apeman's voice mouthing obscenities like "we must protect the people of Iraq and the oilfields". Quebec, London, New York and Korea were featured and Genoa 2001 too with startling footage of Carlo Guiuliani - the film was dedicated to him and Rachel and Tom among others. Finally back to Buenos Aires where the chant was "Ahora eres nosotros".
Can we win the Fourth World War? Having seen the film, you know, I think we're in with a chance. WE ARE EVERYWHERE!
The next Indymedia / Undercurrents screening will be announced in the Oxford Indymedia calendar. If you want to help organise these screenings, come to the next Oxford Indymedia meeting (see the calendar) or join the imc-oxford discussion list.
Report and Pictures
More links: Dissent! A Network of Resistance Against the G8 | The Fourth World War | We Are Everywhere | Subcomandante Marcos on the fourth world war
IMC Leeds open meeting, 2nd of March at Oblong
23-02-2004 16:16
Some of you might have noticed that for the past few months imc-leeds has become a bit active again. This is just the begining, we've got big plans for the future :-)
To start with, Leeds Indymedia is soon to be renamed and cover the Bradford area too. We are now organising the launch events, one in Bradford and one in Leeds. Details will follow very soon.
But for now, if you want to get involved, come to our meeting! We meet on the first Tuesday of every month at Oblong, Westfield Rd. Next meeting is on Tuesday 2nd of March, at 8 pm (click here for a map)
Digitales 2004 In Brussels, Women In ICT
26-01-2004 18:50
The Brussels ICT-trainingcenter for women Interface3 organised the third Digitales-days event this week. For three days workshops and forums were organised where (mostly) female trainees, ICT-professionals, cyberartistsen media(h)ac(k)tivists from Belgium {1} {2}, the Netherlands {1} {2}, Germany, France {1} {2}, Spain, Italy {1} {2} {3}, the US and Canada could meet eachother. This unique initiative didn't just give women in the ICT training program a chance to meet with female artists and activists. It was also a nice occasion for female cyberactivists to get in touch with each other and exchange experiences. Check out the reports about the whole event on Indymedia Belgium.
WE Seize! : Getting To Grips With Information Society
13-12-2003 00:54
The Geneva03 "We Seize" Polymedia Lab ran from Dec 9 to Dec 12, and even a few hours before it closed its doors, people were still working on about 10 permanent work-terminals and 30 laptops. A few hours prior, the number of connected laptops had peaked at around 40. Within the same building, a radio studio and various video streaming boxes were continuously in action - including streaming a live radio show to Resonance FM in London where it was transmitted over the airwaves.
The Polymedia Lab was an experiment in free sharing of knowledge and software, cables, boxes and food, and in some cases even clothes. It came together despite initial problems on Dec. 9th, when the authorities suddenly decided that the project could not take place at the scheduled location by closing it down [pics]. Eventually, Geneva City Council provided the Palladium, a stylish culture venue. Strangely enough, when the council was asked for a space a few weeks ago, they were not able to find something, claiming that all spaces were fully booked.
All this was taking place at the same time as the official UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, Switzerland. Throughout the week a video and audio stream was broadcasted worlwide by HighNoon. Activists demanded that the UN Summit addressed issues of intellectual property, human rights, the right to communicate, infowar, the rights to cheap generic medicine, and to free software as a model for technological development. Some of the issues addressed and debated, and projects put into practice in the Polimedia Lab included: Seizing... You can't beat the feeling! | All technology to the multitude | Free Software | Become the Media! | Switch TV! | Gasparri redux | We proclaim our precarious state | Pirate pride | WSIS Reload | Attention as a common good | Digital Denied | Intellectual Property | Reclaim the media - Reclaim the money | Small cybersoviets growing up... | Icome and action | Cielito Lindo | Hacklabs | Yomango
A one day event labelled as World Forum on Communication Rights also took place in Geneva alongside the WSIS summit on Thursday 11th. This was an independent civil-society led initiative, open to all seeking democratic, just and participative media and communication. This event was initiated by the Communication Rights in the Information Society campaign (CRIS), it is led by a coalition of international NGOs.
WSIS? Seizing! - Reports from Friday 12th
12-12-2003 23:23
The last day of the WSIS saw the evaluation questions begining. Even the BBC reporters blog covering WSIS noted the lack of momentum and the general feeling of impotence within WSIS on Friday.
In central Geneva the anti WSIS demonstration organised for midday in the main shopping street next to the railway station was stopped by Police. As people began to gather a steadily growing number of police in riot gear stopped anyone they thought might be there for the demonstration and searched them and their bags, also checking and recording passport details and ID papers. It was a public show of intimidation, but people stood their ground. The numbers present were hard to estimate since the aggressive policing encouraged people to spread themselves down the street, but we reckon there were around 50-60 people (excluding corporate press and undercover police).
After a banner had been unfurled the police announced that the demonstration would not be allowed and that people must disperse. Shortly after the first arrests took place as three people who refused to show their ID papers were dragged and carried away. There then followed about half an hour where more people were dragged off [video] and pushing took place as the police presence grew until they had dispersed the crowd, they also confiscated banners and other items. There was a report of one man being beaten inside one of the police vans.
Two follow up protests took place - one at the train station where people covered their mouths to represent the silencing of critical voices - and another outside the police station where two of the arrested had been taken. Here there were reports of police charging at the demonstraters and dispersing them. There were something like nine arrests, but all were later released. Read report and pictures and audio: french report.
An immediate message of solidarity came out from the Civil Society end plenary session condemning the police repression and once again focussing attention onto the freedom of communication and expression, and the direct hypocrysy seen here in geneva (also see story 8 reporters banned after peaceful protest). It was later followed up by a Press Release and adopted within the official closing statement, which caused some trouble inside wsis and outside with police, as well as not a little confusion.
At the Polymedia Lab (see review) the High Noon video streaming continued (pic) and a radio show was streamed live from the Lab to Resonance FM in London (mp3 dowload) while more analysis and coverage continued to be published. As the WSIS was concluding so too was the Polymedia Lab, with the grand final gala Yomango dinner - people logged off from their computers and joined together for a fine communal meal, followed by a party (attended also by visitors from WSIS). By 2am the net connection was closed, the beer had run out, and the Palladium hall provided by the authorities was cleaned and cleared.
There will now be a process of evaluation on all sides, but what is certainly clear is that the WSIS has been (and has been shown to have been) a non inclusive summit, more interested in business than development issues. But while community media and communication rights were pushed out of the main agenda, their influence and agenda was everywhere. With the next phase set for Tunisia 2005 you can sure that the WSIS will remain controversial, and also that the links made here in Geneva will strengthen the growing movement around media justice and communication rights.
Other Recommended Reports + Links:
Five audio pieces from civil society orgs in/out wsis:
Reporters without borders / South African photographer / SIL - letters for the unwritten languages / media caucus / governments and open source
Audio: "Spontaneous" demonstration of "joy":
50 people from Tunisia gather outside the UN to show they joy about the next WSIS being held in Tunisia! (french)
"Shaping Information Societies for Human Needs":
Civil Society Declaration to the World Summit on the Information Society
Press Statement of the Indigenous Peoples Delegation
Community Media Forum Review [it]
WSIS RFID Story: China: The Real Risks
WEMF celebrates / reflects - media Activists expose "Infowar"
Richard Stallman: Combatting Terror Tactics
European and North American Womenaction Reports
Also see Indymedia features in Switzerland and Italy
Friday 12th: Anti-WSIS Protest
12-12-2003 00:00
Today friday, there was an anti-WSIS demo in the centre of Geneva, near the train station, at around 12.00 uk time. As people began to gather a steadily growing number of police in riot gear stopped anyone they thought might be there for the demonstration. The protest was broken up with Police dragging away demonstrators. Follow-up demonstrations were also attacked by the Police. The repression was condemned. Details...
A the same time, and during the whole day, a series of presentations, discussions and talks took place in the a the Polymedia Lab. These included a talk by Richard Stallman on 'Combating Terror Tactics'. The day ended with a Yomango style free dinner for all those present. The Civil Society plenary issued a press release denouncing repression against We Seize!. And in London Resonance FM broadcasted into the city's airwaves live from Geneva.
Summary Of WSIS Reports - Thurs 11th
11-12-2003 23:23
Presentations and workshops continued thoughout the day at the Polymedia Lab, including open source swaps, Yomango, and culture hacking amoung others, while films were also shown in the venue while the High Noon video netcast streamed an impressive collection of films and content, spinning across the globe through the time zones (review).
Inside WSIS (pics) Thursday saw the the World Forum on Communication Rights (WFCR), with an impressive list of speakers covering issues such as Human Rights, Poverty, Communications for Peace and communications during war, Copyright, Trade, and (Resisting) the Enclosure of the Global Knowledge Commons. Speakers also denounced the increasingly excessive use of intellectual property rights as an income protection mechanism, reserving knowledge for the elite and preventing public knowledge from reaching the legitimate public domain. The Civil Society statement on Communication Rights was also released [see Highlights | Commentary].
In the evening, around 50 activists involved in the alternative events WSIS? We Seize! put up a projector in front of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and screened the short film "Give me the Mermaid" - a film criticising the intellectual property regime - on the outside walls of the building. An "official" invitation for the event had been distributed inside the Palexpo building, and a number of civil society and media representatives followed the invitation. The film was a compilation of clips with Disney figures acting as the voices of corporate power. The WIPO is an international institution that harmonizes intellectual property laws on a US based model, giving corporations full right to decide on intellectual property. Rather than inspiring creativity, as the industry claims, activists maintain thatintellectual property rights are a means of control of knowledge in the hands of a few powerful business actors. The police initially tried to stop the screening, but were persuaded to go easy when presented with the invitation to the screening, printed by the group, which looked like a formal and official invitation from WSIS.
Audio : Listen to reason for action targeting WIPO
Video : Watch Give me the mermaid (scroll, clip starts at 20:08) [download]
Read more : Wipe Out WIPO! | WIPO Hit by Little Mermaid | Call for Protest
Pictures : 1 | 2
Summary of WSIS Reports - Wed 10th
10-12-2003 12:23
Around the corner at L'Usine the Strategic Conference got underway a day late (pics). See reports from the following sessions: Hacklabs, InfoWar and Autonomous Media. The proceedings were streamed and the IRC participation and notes are archived. In Vienna there was also a banner drop reading "Save The Digital E-COLOGY".
At the WSIS itself and ICT4D exhibition continued (pics 1,2), news surfaced of an important intervention into the security regime of the UN Summit, where a group of independent researchers had spoofed the registration process to reveal how RFID chips were embedded in the passes and how delegates privacy is threatened by a security system that breaks the principles of the Swiss Federal Law on Data Protection, the European Union Data Protection Directive 95/46/ECand the UN guidelines concerning Computerized personal data files (See Press Release, Picture Story).
Meanwhile Radio Non Grata, a pirate radio station set up by Reporters Sans Frontieres after their exclusion from the WSIS was shut down by Police in France - where they were broadcasting from. RSF have over the past days been highly critical of both the WSIS (labelling it a "masquerade") and the UN (see report).
Tunisia, where the next part of the WSIS is due to be held in 2005, is fast becoming a very hot topic. Indeed both the RFID and RSF press releases mention it as a prime cause for concern. It has an appalling record on human rights and the freedom of expression, and currently the 2005 Summit is planned to be headed by Habib Ammar, under whose Ministry of the Interior torture of political dissidents was widespread. Reports have also come in from inside the WSIS Palexpo of the effective censoring of Terra Viva, a newspaper produced by Inter Press Service, which has been critical of Tunisia.
Other reports have also described how some exhibitors are refusing to be interviewed or filmed (including UNHCR and Microsoft - especially about the immigration registration kit), and how some activists have been prevented from handing out flyers inside the WSIS.
Geneva03 events will continue overr the next few days - see new Schedule
Tuesday 9th: Digital Divide: Cops Raid Polymedia Lab
09-12-2003 12:54
News from Geneva that the police have raided the Polymedia Lab on Tuesday, 9th December, at 11am local time. The Polymedia Lab was planned in for today's S-Conf open conference event to take place. Whilst the participants are currently consulting legal counsel, events have temporarily moved elsewhere. Meanwhile, action committees are formed to deal with the issues of space and accomodation.
Reports: short | long | Quicktime Video Clip | Performance review | Denial of new space | Meeting notes
Streaming audio | pictures | | irc.indymedia.org #sconf
Newswire reports: [1,2,3, 4, 5]
More information under: [WSIS? We Seize! | Polimedia Lab website | uk feature site | Wiki website | World Summit on Information Society]
Reports From Monday 9th
08-12-2003 23:27
Today the Geneva03 platform held a press conference at which the text of the press release was presented, illustrating the main points of its discontent with the official discussions: quote: "The official agenda of this UN/ITU Summit talks about free access to information, the digital divide and equality of opportunities, in reality its doors are closed, its discussions exclusive and the agendas of those who attend it concealed..."
Civil Society elements, participating in the official discussions, did not refrain from also publishing a press release on its views. Although less direct the main message was still critical of the official process and in particular it states that "At this step of the process, the first phase of the Summit, Geneva, December 2003, our voices and the general interest we collectively expressed is not adequately reflected in the Summit documents." Indeed some of the more progressive sections of civil society are organising their own fringe event, the World Forum on Communication Rights(program), to discuss their vision of the future of Information Society. There were also reports from yesterday's contention between the delegates that couldn't agree on the government declaration. The civil society plenary has decided to make their own declaration and are drafting a civil society plenary declaration that will support free and open software, against media monopoly etc."
Many human rights and communications rights activists from around the world are holding meetings sharing their experiences and planning campaigns. Just one of the new initiatives announced today included the plan to create a global index to monitor communication rights and repressive regimes around the world. Many are also preparing to present the Charter of Communication Rights, which today had an addition unanimously accepted which denounces info-war in terms of the targetting of journalists in conflicts and the attacking of civillian communications structures and media and so on.
Rumours that the workers of the ITU, who are hosting the whole WSIS, were to go on strike tomorrow have been denied. However the situation remains that 80-100 workers will lose their jobs at the end of December. While many have said privately that they are angry at their situation, and would like to take some form of action, they are in a difficult position. Their contracts forbid them from engaging in 'political activity' and they are represented by a company union, which means any organising meeting they hold has ITU management representitives
The spaces and infrastructure that are going to host the alternative conferences, workshops and projects are in their final stages of preparation. The co-ordination meetings of S-CONF which starts tomorrow and continues on Wednesday, looking at the strategic alternatives on the fundamental issues facing information society, have been concluded and its shedule is now complete (NB. it will be streamed live and archived). A conference about migration, labor, media and organizing and their relation to information society is also scheduled for the 9th.
Meanwhile the the WSIS infrastructure is also taking shape at the Palexpo centre right next to Geneva airport. In the massive halls the facilities for exhibitions and the main summit are being prepared. Bizarely the security checkpoint hall was still this morning being cleared of mountains of straw and what smelled mostly like cow shit. In the adjoining hall the ICT4D exhibition (Information and Communication Technology for Development) and forum was taking shape with some strange bedfellows - The Ministry of Information Industry PR of China rubbing shoulders with APC South Africa. One interesting installation being set up was the African Village which contains a streaming radio studio - a joint collaboration with AMARC and Radio Lora which will be broadcasting each day in several languages (including english language 8am-9am GMT) - listen here.
The registration process to the ICT4D exhibition has been a real mess all day. Participants that had registered were consistently not found in their databases, with passes being issued apparently just on trust. Combined with the clear lack of training of those in charge of operating the systems it was a wonderful opportunity to get a badge in exchange with very poor personal data. The security to the ICT4D space was also lax enough to allow non accredited people to roam freely, despite a number of soldiers setting up the barbed wire outside throughout the day. Indeed the area around the Palexpo centre is now being fenced off and screened off to provide a sterile area for the governments, corporations and corporate media representitives who are now arriving, including tomorrow the World Bank Group.
End Comment: Last night two swiss corporate journalists were overheard to say "wow, it's like back in 1968" - "yeah" replied to the other, "it's like '68, but with laptops!".
[All Geneva03 events| latest news]
Lost Film Festival tours Scotland
02-11-2003 08:37
West Philadelphia's Lost Film Festival hits the Halt Bar, Woodlands Road, Glasgow, next Thursday 6th of november at 7.30 pm, and the Forest Cafe in Edinburgh next Friday, 7th of november, 7.30pm.(doors open at 7pm to get your drinks and food).
The Lost Film Fest is a traveling showcase of truly independent (read: anti-corporate) film, presented by Scott Beibin, Festival Director/owner Bloodlink Records.
The program features scathing and hilarious social commentary from North America and beyond in the form of narrative shorts, documented pranks, and hot amateur protest footage from around the world appropriately called "Riot Porn" by the festival organizers.
2003: The summer of Resistance Camping
07-08-2003 22:57
Raisethefist.com webmaster sentenced to one year in jail
06-08-2003 23:02
The shut down of Raise The Fist website was first reported on LA Indymedia and San Fransisco Indymedia when the heavily armed FBI raided the home of the webmaster in February 2002.
Now, on August 4th 2003, the court ruled one year in prison, exceeding everybodys expectation. Sherman took a plea bargain because he feared his case was eligible for a terrorism enhancement, which could have added 20 years to his sentence. The plea deal had called for him to serve four months. more info.
An Audio report is available on Radio4all.
Summer of Resistance Europe 2001
29-07-2003 22:00
Timeline and reports from Summer of Resistance actions in Genoa, July 2001Free Software Matters
20-07-2003 23:00
Sheffield Indymedia is screening Revolution OS at The Showroom Cinema on Saturday 26 July at 4.00pm. It's a film about the anti-microsoft rebellion, the Free software movement and GNU/Linux, the Free alternative to Windows.
Read on for some more information about the Free software movement and why it matters and for some news from the Sheffield Linux community.
Sheffield Indymedia Radio On Air (Webcast too)
15-07-2003 09:18
Sheffield Indymedia Radio presented its second show on Tuesday 15th July between 7pm and 8pm BST.Don't hate the news, make the news!
10-07-2003 19:51
Monday 21st July - 7pm - East Oxford Community
Centre, Princes Street
Find out how you can get involved in Oxford's own Indymedia. Discover what 'open publishing' really means, and how the website works in practice. Watch exciting alternative video made here in Oxford, and learn how to become part of a global network. Find out how to bypass the conservative corporate media and learn how to exchange news and information freely and directly.
Come to the launch and tell your friends!
DON'T HATE THE MEDIA - BE THE MEDIA!
30-06-2003 23:00
We are proud to announce that Leeds Indymedia is now live. First launched by activists for the WTO protests in Seattle in late 1999, Indymedia (link to global site) has become a global network of locally based websites offering independent, non-corporate news coverage. Leeds Indymedia is an open-publishing platform for news, issues, actions and analysis reporting on grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial, social justice, environmental and political issues.
