SchNEWS 731 - GM: Against the Grain
15-07-2010 21:51
This week sees GM firmly back in the spotlight. On Wednesday the EU took a huge step in pushing forward the genetic modification agenda by copping out of regulation and putting the decision on whether to GM grow or not back into the hands of national governments. The European Commission approved changes to the rules which may break the deadlock that has prevented any significant cultivation of GM crops in Europe. What does this mean for GM production in the UK and other nation-states? And where does this leave the resistance movement?
SchNEWS 730: The Hole Truth
11-07-2010 13:17
As SchNews reports from the new Rossport frontline
There is still plenty of ire left in Ireland as campaigners ready themselves for another summer of action against Shell and their plans to despoil the coast of County Mayo with a new gas pipeline (see SchNEWS 719). The project is already a decade late and three times over budget; pretty impressive for a small community fighting one of the biggest multinationals in the world.
Rossport on the newswire:
Rossport Solidarity | Shelltosea Summer Gathering | Bristol Solidarity Night | Norfolk Shell gas terminal blockaded! | Shell due to start work
Democracy Village
08-07-2010 13:02
The appeal by Democracy Village after last week's High Court ruling will be heard at 10.30am this Friday (9th July) at the appeals court. In the meantime the camp is still going on strong, having started 'Operation Rolling Thunder', more – an ongoing programme of non-violent direct action. The village is calling out for people to come down and help on multiple fronts: to come and do actions, to help with the site, keep it tidy and maintain the gardens. There is a particular call-out for those with direct action skills and experience.
Full article | 1 addition | 3 comments
SchNEWS 729: They Think It's All Over ...ITT Is Now
03-07-2010 03:46
The EDO Decommissioners have all walked free after unanimous acquittals following the three week trial which concluded on Friday (2nd July) at Hove Crown Court. What began as a trial of the Decommissioners effectively ended up with the Brighton arms manufacturer, and the war crimes of the Israeli state, in the dock. Is it all over for EDO/ITT in Brighton? It might be now...
New Nottingham Indymedia site launched
01-07-2010 13:50
It is nearly 5 years since the launch of the original Notts Indymedia website. There have been a lot of developments on the internet since then. We want to stay at the forefront of future innovation, as Indymedia was before the popularity of blogging and social networking. We want to make sure you, the users, get the most out of the site.
As such, we have launched our new Nottingham Indymedia website. We think that it's easier to use and has better features than our old site. The new site runs using the Hyperactive content management system currently used by London, Northern and Denmark IMCs. Many thanks are due to Northern, London & Sheffield for giving us loads of help in getting up and running.
The old site hasn't disappeared - it will stay archived here - but you won't be able to publish to it any more.
SchNEWS 726: Slick Publicity
09-06-2010 22:02
In response to America's largest ever environmental disaster, Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, said, “I'd like my life back.” He seemed to have forgotten about the 11 workers who died on BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig when it exploded 40 miles off the Louisiana coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, on 20th April 2010.
Links: ragingpelican.wordpress.com
A Week of Action Against the Deportation Machine
08-06-2010 21:03
The first week of June saw a European Week of Action Against the Deportation Machine. Various events, protests and actions took place throughout the UK and other European countries with a common message: "Stop deportations! No to Fortress Europe! Freedom of movement for all!"
By trying to widen the scope and diversity of actions and groups involved, the Week tried to draw attention to the fact that anti-deportation is not a 'single issue campaign'. "People choose or are forced to migrate for a variety or reasons, from wars and armed conflicts fuelled by the arms trade and western interests, through poverty, exploitation, discrimination, gender oppression, domestic and state violence, to climate change."
Reports: Protest against deportation at Communications House reporting centre, London | Protest against deportation at Becket House reporting centre, London | Banner-drops Against Deportation in Cardiff | UKBA D-locked in Derby | Deportation travel agents awarded 'deportation profiteer of the year' title | Demo against deportation in Parliament Sq | Callout
Links: Stop Deportation | No Borders | NCADC
Israel kills 10+ on Free Gaza Flotilla taking aid to Gaza
08-06-2010 21:00
At 4.30am local time, armed Israeli troops boarded one of the boats in the Free Gaza Flotilla which was carrying construction supplies, medical equipment and schoolbooks to Gaza, in an attempt to break the siege which Israel imposed on Gaza over 1080 days ago.
35 UK citizens were aboard the boats, which carried activists from over 50 countries. The boats were reportedly 80 miles off the coast of Gaza, and many on the boats were said to be asleep when Israeli troops opened fire with machine guns. Many wounded have reportedly been taken to Israeli hospitals. Israel is on a media offensive claiming that its troops were attacked first. Even if it were true, they would need to explain why they were boarding a ship flying a Turkish flag in International waters.
A demo was held outside Downing Street yesterday afternoon and Stop the War had already called a demo for this afternoon at 2pm outside Downing Street.
ISM London stated that they were "horrified" by the incident but also stated that "We’re not surprised that the attacks took place in International waters, or that they were a reckless, murderous over-reaction to unarmed ships carrying medical supplies and building materials. Israel routinely meets non violent Palestinian protest with lethal violence."
On the 31st May protests were held across the country with reports coming in from London, Cambridge, Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, and Galway. In London the protest moved on from Downing Street to the Israeli Embassy, whilst in Bristol a protest was held in solidarity with Palestinians and the two Bristolians aboard the attacked convoy. In Galway a protest was held inside Marks & Spencer in protest of their support of the occupation, and in Manchester protesters attempted to storm the BBC building in protest of biased reporting.
There is also news that Israel vows to attack next Flotilla boat - possibly tomorrow
Video: Call for action from activist Caoimhe Butterly (Gaza TV News)
31st May Protests: London: 1 | 2 | 3 Cambridge: 1 | 2 | 3 Bristol: 1 Birmingham: 1 Sheffield: 1 Galway: 1 | Manchester protesters try to storm BBC
UPDATE: On Tuesday 15th June two survivors of the attack, Alex Phillips and Osama Qashoo who were on board the Mavi Marmara spoke at a public meeting in Sheffield organised by the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Full article | 1 addition | 6 comments
Hammer Time: The EDO Decommissioners go on trial
07-06-2010 17:24
After a full year and a half of one defendant being on remand in prison, numerous pre-trial hearings and several last minute postponements, the EDO decommissioners’ court case is finally kicked off on Monday. With the first date taking place exactly a week after the murderous attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla, the world has, yet again, been reminded of Israel’s continuous war crimes and much is at stake. A callout for solidarity with the decommissioners during the trial has been issued. There will be an 'If I had a hammer' themed demo in support of the decommissioners outside EDO/ITT on Wednesday 9th June between 4 and 6pm - Bring rubber and inflatable hammers. The decommissioners will be arguing that their action was taken to prevent greater crimes.
The trial comes just a few days after 9 people who attempted to decommission Raytheon in Derry during Israel's 2009 assault on Gaza were acquitted by a jury (see Ireland Indymedia and here) .
A reminder of what happened: In the early hours of 17th January 2009, during Israel's 'Operation Cast Lead' offensive against Gaza, six people broke in to the EDO/ITT weapons' components factory in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, and, allegedly, caused hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage to the production line. (see youtube for the local paper's video of some of the damage)
The six decommissioners barricaded themselves inside, and proceeded to break computers and other equipment, with the aim of preventing the factory from being able to produce weapons. The action stopped production at the facility until Israel’s bombing campaign was over.
Sheffield Anarchist Bookfair
06-06-2010 20:12
May 2010 saw an anarchist bookfair in Sheffield, the first in living memory for most of those attending, and a real success. It seems that interest in anarchism is having new growth, with social centres, bookfairs and co-operatives springing up around UK and the world. The basic principles like self-organising, equality, non-hierarchy, mutual aid and co-operation make a lot of sense to new generations who don't believe negative media demonization and want to find out for themselves how it works.
Links: An anarchist book fair for Sheffield | Sheffield Anarchist Bookfair — 22nd May 2010 | Audio: An Activist Guide to the Web | Audio: What is a Social Centre? | Audio: Tracking Corporate Complicity in the Occupation of Palestine | Audio: Anarchism 101 | Photos
