Against the G8 Summit 2008
01-07-2008 13:31
The G8 2008 will take place on Hokkaido, Japan from July 7th to July 9th. As in the last years, people from all over the world will protest this summit and the capitalist system it represents, both in Japan as in many places around the globe.
On Saturday the 5th of July 2008, the international Day of Action against the G8, people all around the world will protest against the G8 summit 2008 in Japan. People will be out on the street in Sapporo/Japan, in Berlin to demand Freedom Of Movement, in Dordrecht (Netherlands) to fight Fortress Europe and in London several groups (despite being harrased the London police) are calling for a Day of Action around the UK Borders Agency (Home Office) in Croydon to protest for Freedom Of Movement and Freedom to Protest! There will be also a Critical Mass to Croydon starting in Brixton at 10am.
On the Friday before there will be a solidarity protest with japanese activists , as the protest in japan has allready begunat 12am at the Japanese Embassy, Picadilly.
Londonfete | Reports from Protest in Japan: G8 Action Network | No G8! Japan | Entry denial and controls und Protestation against the tightening of immigration restrictions in relation to the G8 Summit
No Salute to Israel, 60 Years of Apartheid is Nothing to Celebrate
01-07-2008 15:18
Today, a series of non-violent protest actions disrupted the 'Salute to Israel' parade. The parade celebrated 60 years since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Activists wished to remind the public that since its inception, Israel has been maintained through the constant oppression of the Palestinian people, in particular through ethnic cleansing.
The 'Salute to Israel' parade was a shameful show of support to a government engaged in war crimes. Sponsors included the Jewish National Fund, an organisation deeply involved in the colonisation of Palestinian land as well in anti-Palestinian discrimination within Israel. Activists wish to stress that the British government's authorisation, protection and support of this event is entirely unacceptable.
En route, the parade was greeted by activists with red dye on their hands to symbolise the blood of Palestinians killed by the Israeli government. In Trafalgar Square, both fountains were turned red after activists poured dye into the water and a Palestinian flag was unfurled at the entrance of the National Gallery. An activist climbed up a big screen which had to be turned off for most of the event. Also, another group attempted to get onto the roof of the National Gallery in order to unfurl a banner but were arrested in the process.
Police responded by making a series of ridiculous arrests, assaulting and detaining a woman for singing anti-zionist songs and deploying Forward Intelligence Teams to monitor and follow those attending the counter demonstrations.
Several Counter demonstrations were held by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Action Palestine and Friends of Al Aqsa while Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others drove three double decker buses draped with Palestinian flags and black balloons around the square and Rhythms of Resistance tried to drown out the Pro-Zionist hip hop gig.
Newswire Posts Action Reports and photos of fountains and screen Climber | Report and Photos|
Press Releases Autonomous Actions For Palestine Disrupt Zionist Parade| 60 Years of Israeli War Crimes - Nothing To Celebrate |
Links Israel at 60 Protest Site| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Jews for Justice for Palestinians | Action Palestine| Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods | Friends of Al Aqsa | Palestine-UK Twinning Network |
Corporate Media Coverage of the Protests Al Jazeera Report |
Video Buses and Critical Mass | Woman assaulted by police for Singing|
Arrests As International Whaling Commission Fails To Protect Whales
26-06-2008 10:44
Fifteen people were arrested by police at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), held this year in Santiago, Chile. The protesters were supposedly trying to 'storm' the meeting but other reports state that the mere presence of people in front of the meeting's venue was seen as a 'security threat'.
The IWC meets annually to regulate the whaling industry and make decisions on conservation of whale populations. So far the meeting hasn't reached any agreements and the commission continues to be strongly devided between the pro- and anti-whaling nations. Skye Bortoli, an activist from Teens Against Whaling described the meeting this year as 'pathetic', saying "this body will be known in the future as a small group of ecologically arrogant people who are condemning the world’s whales to agony and oblivion for petty politics and a few lousy bucks."
Related Audio: Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson Talks in London | Interview With Nottingham Activist On Return From Whale Saving Mission
Related Newswire: Sea Shepherd Announces New Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Musashi | Iceland Defies Moratorium On Commercial Whaling - Whale Hunt Started | Norway Starts Whale Hunting Season
Previous Features: Armed Canadian Coast Guard Storms Conservation Vessel | Nottingham Activist Returns From Whale Saving Mission In Antartica | Injured Among Sea Shepherd Crew As Japanese Military Open Fire | Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers In Southern Ocean
Links: IWC official website | Wikipedia on IWC | Teens Against Whaling | Sea Shepherd Conservation Society | Greenpeace | Santiago Indymedia | Indymedia Ocean Defence
Full article | 2 additions | 6 comments
Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba
23-06-2008 13:35
In the early hours of Saturday morning, activists occupied and shut-down the HQ and only UK freight warehouse of Carmel Agrexco - Israel's largest agricultural exporter from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The occupation held for over 6 hours until they were forcibly removed at 12 noon.
During the occupation over 10 loading trucks intended for the warehouse were sent away. British supermarkets - accounting for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports - had some of their orders affected. The Israeli government has a 50% stake in the company. Exports include flowers, avocados and herbs grown in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
Newswire: Israeli Owned Agrexco Warehouse Shut Down | Carmel occupied! Israeli settlement exporter shut down| Video of Police Forcibly removing Activists but Failing to Make Arrests
Previous Actions: Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid
Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation
Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign | The Big Campaign | ISM London | ISM Palestine
Full article | 5 additions | 20 comments
Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied
18-06-2008 10:12
On 18th June, climate campaigners from ‘Leave it in the Ground’ occupied the UK Coal’s Lodge House site in Derbyshire by barricading themselves in a disused farm building and taken to the trees on the site of the open cast mine.
Under the cover of darkness activists secured themselves in the Prospect Farm building, on the site which is about to be devastated by huge machines. Food and supplies have been taken in for a long term occupation and barricades’ have been set up preventing police form bringing in specialist equipment down Bell Lane, Smalley Derbyshire into the heart of the site. Similarly, people are locked on by their necks behind the doors preventing force being used to gain entry. The protesters have claimed squatter’s rights.
Callout: Open Cast Coal site request for help
Newswire: Anniversary of the first week at Shipley Bodge | A visit to the Opencast Squat (photos) | Shipley Bodge squatted coal site recieves papers | Lodge House open cast mine site occupied | Climate change protestors occupy Derbyshire open cast site | Noise Demo at UK Coal Head Office Protest
Recent Features: Leave it in the Ground: Drax Coal Train Halted | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site
Links: Leave It In The Ground | Campaign Blog | Earth First UK | No Opencast! article in Do or Die | UK Coal | Greenpeace on Coal | Notts Indymedia Ecology topic page