UK Indymedia

Wendland, Germany: Resisting Castor Nuclear Transport

09-11-2006 23:22

From Friday 10th of November, around 20,000 German police were mobilised to guard the transportation of highly radioactive nuclear waste from France to Germany [Map] in containers called "Castor". The destination was Gorleben a village in northern Germany in a region called the Wendland. Protest actions took place throughout France and Germany, especially on Sunday along the last 50 kilometres of the route on rail, and on the early hours of Monday during the final 20 kilometres by road. For many activists this years Castor transport was a prelude to the protests against the next G8 summit in Germany in June 2007, where many groups call for blockades motivated by past experiences in the Wendland.

Click here for daily Updates, further Reports and more Photos.

Reports in IMC-UK: Police endanger demonstration of high school students | Nuclear opponents delay waste transport | Attack on anti-castor camp thrown back | More nuclear waste reached Gorleben amid protests.
Photos in IMC Germany: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Photos at Umbruch Bildarchiv
Photo Galleries: "Village of Resistance Metzingen" (de)
Videos in IMC-Germany: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Castor video gallery in kanalB.

Links: IMC-Germany | IMC Chiapas | IMC-UK Feature Castor Transport 2005

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Plane Stupid's Day of Action

05-11-2006 15:38

Co-ordinated actions under the banner of Plane Stupid - including the occupation of Easyjet's London headquarters - took place today as part of a national campaign against short haul flights. Conceived at this summer's highly successful Climate Camp and enabled by the formation of affinity groups in Sheffield, Cambridge, Manchester, Southampton and London, it follows on from the occupation of East Midlands Airport, dubbed Climate Camp 2 in September.

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Repression in Mexico continues as UK prepares for action

02-11-2006 12:14

As the Federal Preventative Police (PFP) continue their advance on the city of Oaxaca in the hopes of dislodging the Oaxacan Peoples’ Popular Assembly (APPO), the determined residents are resisting the invasion with any means available to them [Pics: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]. This is being marked with a demonstration outside the Mexican Embassy in London at 5pm today, to coincide with the Mexican Day of the Dead [Earlier demo report] . Afterwards, there is a video screening of Brad Will's final footage [bittorrents: Es | En | DVD ] and discussion at RampART at 8pm. Meanwhile, the planned solidarity film screening on Saturday is temporarily on hold, following the eviction of the Dalston Squat on Thursday [Pictures: 1 | 2 Video: 1].

There is also a mass demonstration against climate change taking place in London on Saturday, marching to Trafalgar Square.

Recent reports about Oaxaca in IMC-UK Newswire: Mexican embassy covered in symbolic blood | Reports from Oaxaca (and what to do) | Timeline from Oaxaca City, 2 November, 2006 | Timeline from Oaxaca City, 2 November, 2006 (Part 2) | News From Mexico | Timeline from Oaxaca City, 2 November, 2006 (Part 3) | Latest from Mexico | Timeline from Oaxaca City, 2 November, 2006 (Part 4) | Oaxaca: the people win an important battle against the police! | Reporters San Frontiers investigates Brads death | Investigators slip up in Brad Will case, while seven journalists hurt in Oaxaca | Oaxaca 3rd November | London Mexican embassy protest video - 30/10/06 | Oaxaca: the battle of the Day of the Dead | Oaxaca Worldwide | 1.3 million people march in Oaxaca | Letter in Support of the People of Oaxaca.

Links: Mexico IMC (Es) | CML Mexico (Es) | New York IMC | Radio APPO (Es) and transliteration (En) | UK Climate pages

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Dalston Theatre Evicted

02-11-2006 09:15

Today police forces evicted the occupied Dalston Theatre in Dalston Lane, Hackney. Police came around 4.30 in the morning, climbing the massive building from several sides with ladders.

By 9.00h everyone is evicted from the theatre, police is still around the whole building. Read full story and the chronology of the building and 'Rebel Thanks to Everyone' from the Everything4Everyone collective..

Pictures 1 | 2 Video: 1

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Violence flares in Oaxaca, Indymedia reporter murdered

30-10-2006 00:10

"They might have the strength to impose their will, but we will never give them our consent". (Extract from the Radio APPO log)

Outrage spread around the world over the weekend following the killing of the documentary filmmaker and Indymedia video reporter Brad Will, from New York City at the hands of pro-government supporters who opened fire on unarmed protestors on the outskirts of Oaxaca, Mexico. Three others were also killed alongside him (making four dead in total); one member of Radio Universidad was injured.

On Sunday, more than 10,000 military swept the streets of Oaxaca. At their head were tanks with water cannons, laced with tear gas, followed by lines of 3,500 riot cops with batons. Behind them, a further 3,000 military police with automatic rifles. 5,000 army troops were waiting in the outskirts of the city while the paramilitaries continued attacking. Reports came in of snatch squads operating within the city centre, with police and military using helicopters and ambulances to grab protestors and injured people. Many arrests were reported, and at least two protestors were confirmed to have been killed in the clashes. See timeline of events. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5.

This unprovoked aggression by the Mexican State against the pacific and unarmed people of Oaxaca is one of the largest in the recent history of México and Latin America. As a result, the Zapatista Army of National Lberation (EZLN) is calling for a day of action on November 1st and announces a nationwide strike on November 20th [Call]

A peaceful demonstration against the repression by the Mexican state (police and military) of the Oaxaca workers and the general population took place in front of the Mexican Embassy in London on Monday evening [Press release]. 60-70 or more gathered in front of the Embassy, with a screening of Brad Will's final footage projected onto the Embassy's facade - violently interrupted by the police, resulting in eight arrests [Update on arrests: Tuesday | Wednesday]. Reports: 1 | 2 | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 and Video. On Wednesday night red paint was thrown on the walls, stairs and doors of the Mexican Embassy in London to symbolise the blood of the people of Oaxaca.

Discussion and screening of films related to Brad and the situation in Oaxaca are being organised for, Thursday 2nd (London, rampART) and Saturday 4th (London, E4E).

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Indymedia journalist shot dead by paramilitary during protest in Oaxaca, Mexico

28-10-2006 12:26

'William Bradley Roland, also known as Brad Will, 36, a documentary filmmaker and reporter for Indymedia New York in Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil, died today of a gunshot to the chest when pro-government attackers opened fire on a barricade in the neighborhood of Santa Lucia El Camino, on the outskirts of Oaxaca, Mexico. He died with his video camera in his hands.' (source: Narconews) Read NYC-Indymedia statement and a Call to all independent journalists to support the struggle in Oaxaca.

Call to Protest Outside Mexican Embassy in London, Monday 30th October 5pm

Brad had been in Oaxaca taking video and reporting on the state wide popular uprising and teacher strike that began in June with the violent attempted removal of the striking teachers from their encampment in the centre of Oaxaca City by federal police forces. 3 others were also killed alongside him (making 4 dead in total); 1 member of Radio Universidad was also injured: he was taken to the hospital in a volkswagen van as police would not let any ambulances come.

Since the beginning of the strike in June, teachers and other groups have formed the APPO - the Popular Assembly of the Oaxacan People - and have called for the removal of the governor of state Ulises Ruiz of the PRI. There is a long history of Mexico using government sponsored paramilitaries to repress social movements, including a massacre of hundreds of students in Mexico City in 1968. As reports of protesters surrounded by armed government forces and police continue to pour in, activists in cities around the world are planning protests at Mexican embassies and in cyberspace in outcry against the violent aggression against the people of Oaxaca.

Breaking News and Latest Updates: APPO Radio Live Broadcast (Sp> | Live Radio Transcript (Eng)

More updates: New York Indymedia (EN) | CMI Mexico (ES)

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Dalston Lane Theatre Faces Eviction

14-10-2006 22:52

The occupied theatre on Dalston Lane (Hackney, London) is currently facing eviction - the local council has got permission to demolish the buildings from next Wednesday. Dalston Theatre was occupied in February [pics 1 | 2] to protest against the gentrification of the area and has ever since been open as a community centre, hosting a variety of activities and workshops.

The first attempt to evict the building, in March, was successfully resisted. Now, the ocupiers are asking for support to resist the eviction once again. The week of resistance started with a "Day of Celebration" last Sunday, 15th Oct.

Updates: Mon 16th 1 and 2 | Tue 17th 1 and 2 | Wed 18th 1 | Tue 24th 1

Update Nov 1st: Dalston Lane Theatre is getting evicted since the early monrning: pictures 1 | 2

Read: The occupation in February: 1 | 2 | Articles on Indymedia UK: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | To the People of Dalston: Why We Are Here | History of Dalston

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The Discriminatory Asylum Vouchers

14-10-2006 20:11

Over 5,000 'failed asylum seekers' in the UK receive £35-a-week vouchers instead of cash for their NASS support under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, despite concerted efforts by the Home Office to open routes of enforced and 'voluntary' return to get rid of them. The so-called "hard-case support" claimants are stigmatised, demeaned and discriminated against on a daily basis. Yet, the House of Commons have recently debated extending the use of vouchers for more asylum seekers, 4 years after the original Asylum Voucher Scheme was abolished following huge public pressure [1 | 2] and a lot of criticism.

Read: Shaming Destitution: Citizen Advice Bureau's report | the Home Office review of the voucher scheme (pdf) | Token Gestures: the effects of the voucher scheme on asylum seekers (pdf) | Joint parliamentary briefing (pdf)

Links: Birmingham No Borders | other No Borders groups in the UK

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Community under siege in Mayo

14-10-2006 18:13

Since late 2000 there has been an on-going attempt by multinationals and the Irish state to devastate a remote coastal area of county Mayo with a toxic refinery and a high pressure production gas pipeline. Since the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours' small farms which the pipeline is to go through.

In August Shell announced that they intended to re-take the site in September, however during that month over a hundred people would gather at the gates when ever there was indications that such an attempt was to be made. Shell failed in September, but on the third of October a massive two hundred strong police unit forced a path for Shell. This week there have been sporadic sit down blockades of construction traffic and solidarity protests have taken place in locations across Britain and Ireland.

New: Rossport Solidarity action page

Reports from Mayo: Interview with Rossport Solidarity Camper | Rossport - Shell to Sea Video Report | S2S Oct 12 - 3 arrested in Mayo, Dempsey cornered in Galway | Bellanaboy, Community Under Siege - Day 11

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The Racist 'War on Terror'

13-10-2006 20:08

If the 'war on terror' were really about stopping terror, then you would have thought that, when the largest ever haul of bomb-making chemicals, rocket launchers and a nuclear biological suit were found by police at a house in Lancashire, the suspect would be interned for 90 days, the story would make headlines for days, and they would be assumed to be guilty. Well, that's what you would expect if the suspects were Muslims.

But in this case, they are white nationalists; one of the two was the BNP candidate for the Vivary Bridge ward of Colne last May. So the police assumed he was innocent: "He's not a terrorist and it's not a bomb factory", Superintendent Neil Smith said, reassuring residents. He has been charged under the Explosives Substances Act 1883 and remanded in custody, and is due to appear in Burnley Crown Court on October 23rd. The second suspect was released without charge.

Read: Genuine Terror Cell Found | The fascist bomb factory you won't hear about | The terror plot that didn't fit