"Stop Torture Flights" Day of Action
30-06-2006 01:40
Saturday, 24th June, saw a day of protest at 5 British airports (Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh, Gatwick and Birmingham International) against the so-called rendition flights, used by the CIA to secretly and illegally transport 'terror suspects' arrested or kidnapped around the world for 'interrogation' in other countries, where torture of prisoners is practiced. The protests were supported by Birmingham Guantanamo Campaign, Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, Save Omar Deghayes Campaign and Edinburgh Stop The War Coalition. The 5 are among tens of British and European airports where CIA-owned or chartered jets have been logged.
In Birmingham, about 20 people took part in a vigil on the A45 outside Birmingham International Airport to "demand action to put a stop to the CIA's torture flights". They were later joined by people from Oxford and Coventry. In Edinburgh, the protest involved about 35 people from different campaigns. Banners and placards read "Stop the torture flights", "Stop the War". In both cases, activists were dressed up in orange jump suits, worn by detainees in Guantanamo, and shackled and handcuffed. Similar protests took place at Glasgow, Gatwick and Prestwick airports.
The UK and other EU governments have repeatedly dnied any knowledge of such flights, despite the mounting evidence of their complicity. A report by the Council of Europe's rapporteur, Dick Marty, said European governments, including Britain, were complicit in these abuses. The report was debated by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27 June. [the report in pdf]
Read more: El-Masri suing CIA for flight to prison | List of CIA torture planes | CIA's secret jails | CIA aircraft flying into Scotland | Europe knew | Europe's agreement
Amnesty International's report | Liberty's page on extraordinary rendition.
"Boycott Israeli Goods" National Day of Action
27-06-2006 23:25
As the British government continues to boycott Palestinians by refusing to recognise their democratically elected government, by joining the EU in a blockade of aid and by entertaining Israeli leader Ehud Olmert in London whilst bombs rain down on Gaza, activists around the country have answered a call from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign (BIG) to join a day of boycott action against Israeli apartheid.
During the day of action on Saturday, 24th June, pickets and demonstrations took place at stores selling Israeli products across the UK: in Liverpool, Brighton, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Southport, Cardiff, Darlington, Brixton, Oxford, Nottingham, Birmingham, Exeter, Halifax, Brent, Durham, Sheffield and Manchester. Concerned individuals took part in creative actions to persuade the public not to buy Israeli goods and demand that retailers do not stock them.
In Brighton campaigners picketed Waitrose calling on the corporation to adhere to its ethical buying policy by not buying goods from apartheid Israel. Another picket was held outside a highstreet store selling CATerpillar goods, who have a contract with the Israeli military for the supply of military bulldozers used in illegal demolitions of Palestinian homes. In the West Midlands activists drove a replica CATerpillar bulldozer through the high street as a creative way of highlighting the way in which CATerpillar fuels the occupation. Across London activist picketed supermarkets selling Israeli goods and delivered letters to store managers informing them of the boycott.
The actions today were part of a concerted campaign calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against apartheid Israel. Prevous actions and campaigns include:
Agrexco: Corporate Complicity in the Ethnic Cleansing of the Jordan Valley | Letting Apartheid Bloom | The Uxbridge Seven: Day One | Day Two | Seven Blockaders Acquitted
Caterpillar: Caterpillar Manchester Protest 2005 | Anniversary of Rachel Corries' Death | Caterkiller Shrewsbury Shut Down | Anti Caterpillar Motorcade | Rhythms of Resistance Anti Cat Shoes Protest | Caterpillar Trade Fair Action | Caterkiller Awarded Housewrecker of the Year | ESF Florence Action
Supermarket protests: Boycott Van | Marks and Spencers Stencilled | Repression of M&S; Protesters
Academic boycott: AUT Boycott | NAFTHE Boycott | CUPE Ontario | COSATU (South Africa).
Sporting boycott campaigns include Stop Arsenal supporting Israeli Apartheid | Scotland Pitch Invasions | Free Jerusalem-Stop Connex and Alstrom.
Full article | 5 additions | 4 comments
Eviction Resistance at The Square
22-06-2006 02:30
The Square occupied social centre, based at 21 Russell Square, London [Map], is facing eviction fom Friday, June 23rd. A call out has been made to resist the eviction and to hold a Festival of Resistance, involving autonomous groups, social centres activists, live bands, DJs and participants from The Square.
On Friday, 23rd June, around 60-70 people followed the call for solidarity and to resist the eviction from the early morning. The building was festooned with an array of flags and banners, and the mood was light but determined. Apart from a couple of oficers from Camden Council that eventually turned up, made some telephone calls and then left, no other form of 'authority' showed up or attempted eviction. [Mid morning update | Pics 1 | 2 | 3]
On Saturday, around 400 people attended the concert in support of The Square, which featured live music in two stages and a couple of sound systems in the basement [Report]. A talk and film screening about repression in Mexico also took place in the evening, organized by Z.A.P.
Meanwhile, in Sheffield, another occupied social centre, Matilda, is also fighting threats of eviction [Read full feature].
Campsfield detainees on hunger strike
18-06-2006 13:00
"...Most of us have been here for a long while now. There are people who have been detained for up to two years and down to three months. We are cramped in here like animals. We are treated like animals and moved around different detention centres like animals. The immigration service have taken husbands from their families and taken people who ran away from persecution in their various countries, and dumped everyone in here."
-letter from hunger strikers
The latest unrest follows the desperate actions of a Somalian man who went onto the roof and threatened to kill himself, and the takeover of Campsfield by GEO (the company formally known as Wackenhut) who are eager to cut costs at the expense of detainee and staff conditions. However, the detainees have made it clear this is not a specific protest against the new management but against detention in general.
On Thursday night a candlelit vigil by supporters encountered an enthusiastic and noisy response from detainees, and a group of inmates carried out a yard occupation until 5am Friday morning. Meanwhile GEO have been bribing detainees with vouchers to try and break the strike.
More support demos will take place soon. For further details contact: 01865 558145 (Bill MacKeith), 07791 744260 (Robert Robinson), or 01865 726804/07968 292499 (Teresa Hayter and Bob Hughes), Meanwhile a national day of action has been called for 22nd June.
Related:latest letter from detainees | update | call for vigil | original report | national day of action
Links:Close Campsfield campaign | Background on Wackenhut/Group 4/GEO
Hundreds of thousands protested against government and police violence in Oaxaca
18-06-2006 11:02
On Wednesday, 14th of June, at 3am police units started to shoot teargas from helicopters on the encampment of striking teachers, from the Oaxaca Democratic Teachers’ Union, Section 22 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE in its Spanish initials). Shortly afterwards thousands of police, armed with tear gas, smoke grenades, stun grenades and firearms, stormed the occupied main Plaza in Oaxaca where teachers have been gathering for 23 days to protest against Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz and for better education.[NarcoNews] The union building was stormed and four journalists from Radio Planton were the first to be arrested. After the police retreated, the teachers retook the central square. [Statement of the EZLN]. At about 6pm the University Radio was raided by police and the transmission cut off.
On Friday, hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Oaxaca against this police brutality and to demand the resignation of the governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.
Since the Other Campaign begun, state repression has increased, with a red alert anounced by the EZLN after a brutal police attack in Atenco about a month ago.
Pictures [1 | 2] | Video (12,5 mb)
[Indymedia Oaxaca | Indymedia Chiapas | global Indymedia | Indymedia UK Zapatista page | Indymedia Germany | Indymedia SF Bay | Indymedia Portugal | EZLN Blog | Local newspaper | La Jornada ]
Full article | 2 additions | 2 comments
Matilda's Eviction
16-06-2006 09:49
The Matilda Social Centre in Sheffield has now been vacated and 111 Matilda Street is once again a empty building left to rot, RIP Matilda. The names of most of the bands that played the building in the last year have been painted in the windows and poems have been written and songs dedicated.
The final chapter in Matilda's story started on 14th June 2006, one year on from the G8 protests that were based in the Matilda Convergence Centre, Yorkshire Forward, the owners of the building, tried to evict the social centre on health and safety grounds but this was resisted and the building was squatted. The events of the day were reported on BBC Radio Sheffield.
The squat didn't last long however, "30 persons unknown" were due in court for tresspass on Thursday 22nd June at Sheffield County Court and pages from this web site were cited as evidence. There was a protest outside but the case was lost — the judge awarded possession for Yorkshire Forward and their agents asked that the building be vacated by 9am on Tuesday 27th June.
An open letter was written to Jan Wilson, the leader of Sheffield Council, about the eviction and people started to move things out of the building. There was no big farewell party and on Tuesday morning some people turned up for the handover of the building, it made page 2 of the Sheffield Star, but Yorkshire Forward failed to appear.
Several days after the Matilda Collective had abandoned the building Yorkshire Forward secured it and installed a 24-hour security guard and surveillance equipment.
In the end "the energy seemed to have flowed out of the Matilda collective and the will to resist had gone", much like in London where another social centre, The Square, which was facing eviction and resisted for a week before issuing a dissolution communique, "it very quickly became clear that there simply wasn't the energy to go on".
Some events that were due to take place in Matilda have been cancelled, others like the Indymedia "Summer of Truth" film festival have been relocated and some have yet to find a new home.
Matilda and the huge number of events that took place there won't be forgotten in a hurry and perhaps the moles of the Matilda Collective will reemerge somewhere else and reclaim another abandoned building...
[ Photos | German Report | Greek Report ]
The Gaza Sea Weeps Blood
11-06-2006 16:12
On Friday, 9th of June, the Isreali Navy shelled families holidaying on Gaza beach. Ten people were obliterated in the bombing and children were left screaming over the mutilated bodies of their loved ones. Please follow the Full Article link for more details. [listen to audio interview with surviving member of the family]
The situation in Palestine is becoming more desperate in every area of life, from the continual land theft and increase in illegal settlements across the West Bank to the daily incursions, assassinations and arrests.
Reports:
Check out the links below to read and listen to reports form across the region. For constant updates, please visit the International Middle East Media Centre website.
Palestine Today [ Mon, 5 June | Tues, 6 June | Wed, 7 June] | This Week in Palestine [2nd June] | Analysis from Palestine | Report from the West Bank | AL Numan report | New Fateh-led force in West Bank | Interview about the non-violent movement in Palestine | Israeli Army repression of non-violent protests in occupied Bilien
Student uprising as Caravan visits Athens
07-06-2006 15:13
Since the beginning of this week, members of the AA Caravan have been working with students at the Politecnik University in Athens. The students have occupied their university in solidarity with their striking tutors as well as raising their concern over the proposed changes to the education law and privatisation of the Greek educational system. In the last few weeks almost all of the universities and colleges in Greece have been occupied by the majority of their students. After lectures and teachers went on a national strike in a long lasting dispute over pay, students around the country took over more than 300 buildings and university grounds.
Last week demonstrations took place all over Greece. In the city of Tessaloniky over 5000 students took to the street, in Athens over 7000, when other protests happenend in smaller cities and towns across the country. Many demonstrations were marred by police violence in an attempt to portray the students in a bad light. A few days ago student assemblies agreed to continue their occupations and a 15.000 strong demonstration in Athens on Thursday (June 8th) was met with huge quantities of tear gas.
Photos: AA Caravan starts workshops with students in Athens, Greece | Photos from the 15.000 strong student demonstration in Athens | Radical wall art - Politecnik University, Athens | More photos from the occupied universities and last weeks demonstrations | Last weeks student demonstrations in Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion (Crete) | Online map showing all occupations | Photo-essay from Thessaloniki's Occupations | Photos from demonstrations in: Ioannena | Patras | Volos
Video: Undercurrents news channel | Greek students occupy universities (video/mp4 2.5M) + Greek version (video/mpeg 3.2M)
Links: AA Caravan Indymedia | Athens Indymedia | Article by AA Caravan member in German | Greek Embassy in Paris is occupied in solidarity with the Greek Students | A description of the proposed changes | Statement of the Plenary Meeting of Greek Student Assemblies | During the last 3 weeks there is quite some unrest in Greek universities
Full article | 1 addition | 8 comments
Gay and Lesbian Activists Defy Moscow's Gay Pride Ban
29-05-2006 20:13
Despite a total ban and threats of mass arrests by Moscow's mayor, topped up with pledges of violent counter-protests by religious leaders, local right wing groups and fascist militants, over 200 people took the streets in defiance in central Moscow for the first ever Gay Pride march in Russia on Saturday 27.
As soon as the lesbian and gay activists gathered by the Kremlin in Manezhnaya Square, strengthened by a contingent of mainly anarchist supporters and some internationals, around 100 fascists and religious fanatics started to attack them, whilst, at the same time, around 1000 riot police pushed and kicked demonstrators out of the square. But despite enduring high levels of harrassment and violence, the activists proved their stubborness in defending their right to protest, and kept coming back trying to gather. As a result over 120 people were arrested, most of which have already been released but charged with disturbing the peace and illegal gathering.
Reports: 1 | 2 | 3. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3
Related news:
- OutRage! Russian Embassy demo 2nd March call and report.
- Defiant Gay Pride goes ahead in Warsaw.
- IMC-UK Gender Page.
Full article | 1 addition | 2 comments
Protests Against The Economic Blockade Of Palestine
24-05-2006 18:15
A replica of the Israeli wall and a large banner with the words "Stop Starving Palestinians, End Israel's Occupation and Recognise Palestinian Democracy", acted as a back drop for the up to 20,000 demonstrators that gathered in London's Trafalgar Square on Saturday 20 of May.
Reports: 1 | 2 | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
The demonstration, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was prompted by the Israeli government's decision to strengthen the economic blockade of the Palestinian people after the landslide victory of Hamas in the recent Palestinian elections. The Israeli and US governments, together with the EU, brand Hamas as a terrorist organisation and have therefore stopped vital aid and funding from reaching Palestine, with devastating effects on the everyday lives of Palestinian people living in the Occupied Territories.
An Emergency Vigil was held in Sheffield on Thursday 25th May, called by Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
For daily reports of life under Israeli occupation see the Middle East Media Centre and the Palestine Today audio reports in the IMC-UK newswires. Also check out IMC-Israel and IMC-Beirut for information about grassroots strugless and campaigns in the Middle East.
