UK Indymedia

A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

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Carnival Against Vivisection

21-08-2008 20:18

In solidarity with Sean Kirtley, who was imprisoned by the state for supposedly organising legal demonstrations against Sequani's vivisection laboratories, activists will be making a stand for the animals with a march and rally against Sequani labs on September 6th in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

Since campaigning against vivisection labs has been criminalised under Section 145 of the SOCPA legislation, such as operating a website critical of a company like Sean did, the event has been organised without organisers and is not an authorised event.

Hereford Police have already shown concern for the day of action by contacting NETCU Watch and are appealing for organisers to identify themselves, in the hope of finding somebody responsible. Despite this, the call for mass action has been promoted by various groups including Antispe Britain, West Midlands ALF, Stop Sequani Animal Testing, SHAC, and the Western Animal Rights Network.

Sequani newswire: Sean Kirtley Moved Prison | The tormented and the witness: Inside Sequani Limited EXCLUSIVE REPORT! | ALF Support The Carnival | why come to the carnival | GSK and Mars vending machines sabotaged | Sean Kirtley's Appeal Launched | Independent: Judge who sentenced animal rights activist was fan of blood sports | AR Protesters Illegal Arrest at Arromight Hereford [Videos: 1 | 2] | Activist arrested for writing in the ground | ALF Chickin' Nickin' For Sean | Sequani Trial Talk | Law-lord ruling to free Sean Kirtley? NETCU on the run | Felix Says "Free Sean Kirtley" | Solidarity actions for Sean Kirtley | Serious Implications for Freedom of Speech as Activist Jailed for 4.5 years | NETCU and Judge Ross crucify civil liberties | Response to state crackdown on peaceful protest | Support Freedom of Speech - Support Sean!

Indymedia UK topic pages: Stop Sequani Animal Testing | SHAC

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Rossport - Update straight from the front line

01-09-2008 17:51

The week ending 31st August saw Rossport Solidarity camp reborn and the week of action against offshore pipeline work extended.

The week of action was called in anticipation of the arrival of the world’s largest pipeline ship, the Solitaire. However, due to bad weather conditions the ship’s arrival was delayed. Nonetheless, actions took place throughout the week against preparatory pipeline work, including disruption of dredging work designed to create the trench for the pipe, site invasions into Shell’s compound, and a visit by Shell to Sea kayakers to the Solitaire.

Friday the 29th of August saw better weather conditions and the arrival of the winching rig and cable and the return of the dredging machine into the bay.

The Navy also arrived (the first time the Navy has ever been used in an operation against a civil demonstration).

If the good weather holds, Shell will attempt to complete the near shore part of the pipeline in the next few days.

Believed to be booked up for the next 2 years, the Solitaire has a very short time frame to complete its part in the pipeline construction. Resistance now is crucial and the Rossport community have made a call out for people to come to the area to support the campaign. Check out feature additions and comments for regular updates.

Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

The rest of the article outlines some of the recent history of the campaign...

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Rossport: The Time is Now

21-08-2008 18:45

Saturday saw the start of a week of action in Rossport, County Mayo, as Shell attempt to push forward with the next stage in the Corrib gas development. In late July Shell commenced preparatory pipeline work and built a compound on Glengad beach, former home of the Rossport Solidarity Camp. There were heart breaking scenes as the company began their destruction of this once pristine bay. Tens of locals resisted, many were arrested and one hospitalized. This week, the world’s largest pipeline ship, the Solitaire, is expected to enter the bay to begin work on the offshore pipeline. Believed to be booked up for the next 2 years, the Solitaire has just 2 weeks to complete its part in the pipeline construction. On Saturday, a crew of boat activists, fresh from the Climate Camp’s Rebel Regatta, reclaimed Glengad beach. Occurring on the day the Solitaire was due to arrive in the area, this is the first in a series of actions aiming to stop pipeline work. The Rossport community have made a call out for people to come to the area to help them resist at this crucial time.

Newswire: Rossport: The Time is Now | Rossport update | Urgent Call Out: Mayo Needs You! Now Is The Time

Previous features: Rossport: Another Season of Resistance | Shell to Sea campaign intensifies as work on refinery begins | Community under siege in Mayo

Video: Locals resist Shell’s occupation of Glengad | Shell to Sea campaign video

Links: Shell to Sea | Rossport Solidarity camp | Indymedia Ireland Mayo page | Indymedia UK Rossport Solidarity page

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Protests greet BNP "festival"

21-08-2008 18:41

Between the 15th and 17th August, the BNP held their annual Red, White and Blue (RWB) "festival" in Denby, Derbyshire. This is the second year that the event has been held in this location. Last year there was little organised resistance, with only a single protester in attendance. This year saw more significant and diverse mobilisations against the event.

A rally was held in Codnor, by Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism (UAF). Despite people attending from as far afield as Brighton and Lancaster, this demonstration was relatively small and never came close to the 700 people limit imposed by Derbyshire Police. Elsewhere, activists associated with Antifa made their way cross country and attempted to barricade the road in order to prevent access to the site, resulting in clashes with police.

Local feeling against the RWB has been strong and many residents of Codnor, Denby and Amber Valley attended the demonstrations against it (some of them members of the recently formed Amber Valley Stop the BNP group).

Previous Features: Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival" | BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP

Links: Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Smash The BNP's Scumfest! | Unite Against Fascism | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page

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Hunger strike in Campsfield as deportee takes his own life in Iraq

14-08-2008 11:25

Update: The Campsfield detainees ended their hunger strike "before anyone suffers ill effects from the hunger strike."

Some 50 refugees held at Campsfield immigration prison, near Oxford, are on hunger strike in protest at their continued detention. The hunger strike was started on August 9th by 13 Iraqi-Kurdish detainees, who demanded that forcible deportations to Northern Iraq are stopped. This is the second such protest at Campsfield this year and one of many throughout the UK detention estate.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi-Kurdish refugee has taken his own life after being forcibly returned to Iraqi Kurdistan. Hussein Ali shot himself in his home in Sulaimania on August 10th, two days after he was deported to Erbil via Jordan. An emergency demonstration in support of the hunger strikers, called by the Campaign to Close Campsfield, was held outside the immigration prison on August 12th.

Reports: Campsfield detainees on hunger strike | Unacceptable death of Hussein Ali | Two more deaths of asylum seekers

Links: National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigs | Campaign to Close Campsfield | International Federation of Iraqi Refugees | Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq | No Borders UK

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Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival"

11-08-2008 15:02

Between 15th and 17th of August, the fascist British National Party (BNP) is holding its annual Red, White and Blue 'festival' on a farm in Denby, Derbyshire. In previous years this so-called 'family festival' has brought together BNP members and white supremacists from across the world to enjoy Nazi marching songs and drunken glassings. The event has past off largely unremarked upon in previous years, with just a token response from the anti-fascist movement. Last year when the event was held in the same place, there was only one single protester. This time, however, local campaigners involved in Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP have been mobilising since late last year. The call has subsequently been taken up by Antifa England, Lancaster Unity, Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism among others.

Newswire: Will It Be All White On The Night? | The Alan Warner (BNP) Supporters Club | BNP Begin Arriving for Festival, While Anti-Fascists Leaflet Codnor | RWB toilet supplier targetted | BNP's Second Licence Application Rejected! | Protest against fascist BNP's Red, White & Blue | New paint job for the RWB's fascist farmer

Previous Features: BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP

Links: Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Smash The BNP's Scumfest! | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page

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Climate Camp - Quick Links

10-08-2008 12:00

Latest news: SMS text alerts | IMC UK Climate Camp 2008 topic | up-to-date timeline

Coverage: Climate Camp Radio | Vision On TV daily news shows | Envirospeak uploads and ongoing discussion.

Links: Camp for Climate Action website | Network for Climate Action | Days of Climate Action

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Climate Camp: Kingsnorth Power Station Breached

09-08-2008 12:43

Saturday August 9 is the Climate Camp Day of Mass Action, when "the climate camp will go beyond talk and culminate in a spectacular mass action to shut down Kingsnorth. Permanently!"

Campaigners intended to try and shut down the power station by land sea and air - with some success - with four main colour-coded "blocks." The Blue Block (or Great Rebel Raft Regatta) attempted to approach Kingsnorth power station by water along the River Medway. Not wanting to be outdone, the Silver Block had planned to approach from above. The Green Block meanwhile focused on making its way through the undergrowth, with the Orange Block completing the set with a children-friendly march to the main gates.

Newswire: Water inlet shut down by activists | E.ON's Defences Breached Following Olympic Efforts by Protesters | Video of climate camp orange bloc march to Kingsnorth | Climate Camp Radio - Saturday evening show for download | Climate Camp 2008 March to Kingsnorth | Police Assault Teenage Activists at the Climate Camp Children's Revolution | Eco Hero Kayak Crew splash out on the Medway | Climate Camp Radio - Saturday lunchtime show for download | Kayakers arrested in the Medway | Climate Camp Radio, day of mass action. Listen to live stream 1pm and 7pm. | Children's Revolution March From Climate Camp on Kingsnorth Day of Mass Action | Rebel Regatta and Section 21 of the Medway Ports Byelaws | Climate Camp Silver Group- Call Out For Flying Devices | Children's Revolution at the Camp for Climate Action Plans Peace Campaign

Links: Climate Camp website | Great Rebel Raft Regatta | Full Climate Camp 2008 Coverage | the very latest: Climate Camp timeline

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Climate Camp: How The Police Radicalized An Entire Generation

09-08-2008 00:37

Mass harrassment, terror tactics, theft, lies and propaganda, excessive force: the relentless campaign of intimidation by police at this years Climate Camp that started with raiding the camp and confiscating essential equipment, has also now included the premeditated political use of blanket stop and search, night-time terrorising of the climate camp site, confiscating pushbikes, blockading food supplies, and harrassment of media and legal observers.

Late Tuesday night/very early Wednesday morning police attempted to terrorise the camp with a low-flying helicopter and by storming the gates with sirens blaring and riot cops shouting. The same night police cut locks and took away bikes after telling people to leave their bikes in the car park. From the beginning the police used excessive force against climate campers (photos) including women, children and legal observers. See newswire post on police bullying.

Links: Climate Camp website | Full Climate Camp 2008 Coverage | the very latest: Climate Camp timeline

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Climate Camp Day 6: Action Spreads Across South East

08-08-2008 10:23

On the sixth day of the Climate Camp, people took action at sites across the South East. Climate activists shut down the Vopak fuel depot in Thurrock, the biggest holder of biofuels in the South of England. At Gatwick Airport, activists dropped banners at the main concourse of the airport and at the trainstation while others locked themselves to railings. In London, 15 students staged a die-in in front of the Royal Bank Of Scotland HQ while lying in a pool of oil. Eon’s replica of the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station at the Legoland park in Windsor was occupied by one inch tall climate change campaigners.

Meanwhile, police saw their opportunity to move in to evict Bodge House, a disused farmhouse on the proposed site of an open cast coal mine, which was occupied in June. The site, near Shipley, Derbyshire is now the scene of hordes of police and bailiffs as they try make their way through the house's defences. With people hidden in tunnels and locked in lock-ons, the eviction is estimated to last 2-3 days. Bowl Court social centre in London was also evicted by police, who were reported saying 'we're not stupid, we knew you'd all be at the Climate Camp'.

Also see: Climate Camp Media Review For 7th August | Tons more beautiful images of Climate Camp Life published | Climate camp - talking to locals | Climate Camp: Police Extend Stop & Search Powers | Climate Camp Radio - Thursday lunchtime show for download | Camplife - Pics from Climate Camp and Onsite TV Studio | Some random snaps from site | Hoo Section 60 | Climate Camp Wednesday pictures | Food vans stopped a mile from Climate Camp by cops | The Wednesday Climate Camp breakout

Links: Climate Camp website | Full Climate Camp 2008 Coverage | the very latest: Climate Camp timeline

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Heathrow to Kingsnorth Climate Caravan 2008

07-08-2008 22:27

From Sunday 27th of July to Sunday 3rd of August, the 'Heathrow to Kingsnorth Climate Caravan' that traversed London by foot and wheels, made it's way to the Climate Action Camp 2008 near Kingsnorth power station in Kent [Pics] The 60 mile Caravan route, that mostly followed the south side of the Thames, started near Heathrow Airport after a Climate Conference had taken place on Saturday 26th in Harlington [Pics 1 | 2] The Caravan was hosted along its route by local communities who supported the participants with food and accommodation. A series of events took place every night to act as local outreach in the run up to the Camp, as well as to meet and share experiences with local people and groups taking collective action against the root causes of climate change in their communities.

The caravan, that was supported by the Bicycology cyclists' collective and the Notts Veggies, was joined by a group from Bristol, whilst other Caravans left Scotland and Nottingham for Kingsnorth too. A Little Peace Boat also sailed it's way to join the Climate Camp protesters before moving on to Westminster.

Newswire Caravan Reports: 29.07.08 Climate camp caravan - film stop | Climate & Capitalism, Climate Caravan Visits The City [Press Release] | News from the Climate Caravan | Caravan tour of Liverpool St | Climate Camp Caravan at Oxleas Wood 31-7-08 | No New Coal March - Rochester | Caravan and March to Climate Camp 3-8-08 [Video]