Events Calendar
Thursday 11th March, 6pm @ Coventry Peace House: West Midlands No Borders evening
Don't Wreck The Wrekin
Anti-coal campaigners have set up a protest camp in Shropshire to fight the establishment of an open cast coal mine in an area of outstanding local beauty.
In 2007 UK Coal submitted plans to Telford and Wrekin Council to open cast mine 900,000 tons of poor quality coal from an area at the foot of the Wrekin in Telford over 32 months. The plans included destroying parts of an ancient woodland and will be responsible for a minimum of 1,500,000 tonnes of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. The Wrekin is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
After discovering last week that many of the trees had already been felled signaling that work was due to begin imminently, West Midlands Climate Action and a coalition of local groups and activists last week swooped upon the Huntington Lane Surface Mine Site to claim the land.
As part of Fossil Fools Day, West Midlands Climate Action are putting on a weekend gathering at the newly established Huntington Lane Camp from April 1st to 4th. The weekend will include a ramble over the proposed Surface Mine Site, Banner drops, campaign planning and most importantly carrying out any work on site that needs doing to help establish a permanent base on site. They are calling on people to attend the weekend, and to support and defend the camp in any way they can.
Links:
West Midlands Climate Action | Defend Huntington Lane
Previous actions against open cast mines: Ffos-y-Fran | Mainshill Solidarity Camp | Broken Cross | Shipley
Remember Gaza
From December 27th 2008 to January 18th 2009 Israeli bombers pounded Gaza. The Israeli assault was the most violent since the occupation began in 1967. On the eighth day of the attack Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) entered Gaza and remained there for two weeks. Throughout the 22 days of the assault civilians were delierately targeted, hospitals were attacked, schools were bombed and 1417 people were killed, including at least 318 children.
The international Palestine solidarity movement is calling for January 2010, the first anniversary of the massacre, to be a month of solidarity actions in support for the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. One such call has come from the Free Gaza movement, whose volunteers broke the siege in order to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza during the massacre.
On December 27th demonstrations, commemorating the first day of the massacre, were held in Brighton, Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham while a thousand strong demonstration was held outside the Israeli embassy in London. Elsewhere Manchester's Target Brimar campaign has called for 22 days of waging peace, incuding several actions against Manchester based arms manufacturer, Brimar, who supply equipment used in Israeli fighter aircraft, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign has called for a week of action, from the 9th to the 17th of January, against supermarkets selling Israeli goods, a mass 'die in' is planned in Trafalgar Square on the 16th and Smash EDO have called for a mass demonstration against EDO MBM/ITT, now ITT Integrated Structures, who supply components for F-15s and F-16s used by the Israeli military.
The Viva Palestina convoy was supposed to arrive in Gaza today, breaking the siege and bringing much needed medicine and rebuilding materials. However, the convoy has not been allowed to enter Egypt and has been in Aqabah, Jordan, since December 25th. On the 27th the convoy members began a hunger strike calling for the Egyptian government to allow them to enter. Activists are also arriving in Egypt to join the Gaza Freedom March, a march from Egypt into Gaza and to the Erez crossing. Freedom marchers have already suffered repression from the Egyptian authorities with dozens arrested (and then released) and a Gaza massacre memorial in Cairo shut down.
Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign|Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign|Smash EDO|Target Brimar|Palestinian Return Centre|Gaza Freedom March|Viva Palestina|Free Gaza Movement|Palestinian BDS Campaign|
BNP Membership Leak 2.0
On 20th October 2009 a list containing personal details of BNP members was leaked for the second time by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks. According to Wikileaks the latest data reflects the state of the party membership as of April 2009. An analysis of the data alludes to the successes and failures of the antifascist movement within the UK.
The claims of a 'surge' in BNP membership since the European elections appear to be false. The figures show a unique paid annual membership of 11,811 which is significantly less than the 14,000 recently claimed by the BNP. The list leaked in November 2008 showed a membership of 12,802 names although this list was widely regarded to include non-members who had shown an interest in the party.
Wikileaks state that a total of 35,000 memberships appear on the list, but after this number reached 33,000, 100,000 has been added to all subsequent membership ID numbers. "It has the effect of making the BNP look larger to new recruits and those they talk to, since the numbers on their membership cards are all over 133,000" say Wikileaks. This was a tactic originally adopted by the German nazi party after 1919 who added 500 to every member's number to exaggerate the party's strength, and was regarded as a key propaganda tactic to increase support.
The number of lapsed memberships also appear to be significantly high which indicates the party is poor at retaining committed support. A member of the state-funded antifascist group 'Searchlight' stated "people join the party because they're angry, agitated or curious, but they leave in equal numbers out of the bottom". However most BNP supporters are unlikely to join a political party so the figures exhibit a skewed representation of the current landscape of fascism in the UK.
Birmingham Related Articles: Fash Get The Brum Rush | EDL is BNP front group | Birmingham kicks out EDL | Birmingham kicks out EDL.. again
Related Articles: BNP Threatens Free Media | Keep Question Time Nazi Free | No to the BNP! No to the Racist Labour Government! | Secret BBC Location
Resistance To The Fur Trade
With fur back in season so is the resistance to it. From raids at farms to sabotage of shops, this autumn has so far been another round of biting back. In the last two months farms imprisoning mink have been closed down in Germany by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and found abandoned in Italy by the Animal Liberation Investigation Unit (ALIU), while various shops selling fur have given up the cruel trade.
Since the launch of the West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group (WYARG) in August Best Vintage, Room 7, Accent Clothing and TK Maxx have stopped selling fur and with Daniel Footwear promising to follow suit, focus is now on Next One Leather (the last fur shop in West Yorkshire), by targeting their store and associates (1 | 2 | 3). In the West Midlands, the Western Animal Rights Network (WARN) launched a campaign against Madeleine Ann, ensuing three shops going fur free, with demos lasting under a month (1 | 2 | 3 | Video) after products were eventually sent back to the suppliers, ending their sale of fur products (Video). On the same day Le Scarpe issued a fur-free statement leading to harassment from police and new targets established in Cheltenham, while in the capital protests have escalated as anti-fur activists locked onto the London Fur Company's stall at the London Fashion Weekend, causing the organisers to ask the company to pack up and leave (Videos: 1 | 2).
Update: After two houses of campaigners in Leeds were raided in connection with an ALF action against Next One Leather, the fur shop has gone fur-free.
Links: West Yorkshire Animal Rights Group (WYARG) | It's A Knock Out | Next One Leather Campaign | Western Animal Rights Network (WARN) | Bite Back Magazine | Animal Liberation Front (ALF) | Max Mara Campaign | Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT)
Sean Kirtley Released From Prison After Appeal Victory!
The Final Nail In The SOCPA Coffin?
In May 2008, following an 18-week trial costing over £4.5 million, the operator of a website criticising animal testing, Sean Kirtley, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for allegedly organising legal protests. He was found guilty under Section 145 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) for "interfering with the contractual relationships of a laboratory" by campaigning against Sequani Limited and its business associates. He was released this month after his appeal was successful.
Solidarity direct action included a Carnival Against Vivisection in September against Sequani and anonymous ALF activists painting a city centre, walls and bridges, liberating hundreds of chickens, redecorating a fur shop, vandalising a hunter's car and sabotaging vending machines (1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5).
Newswire: A letter from Sean Kirtley to Gagged! | "Free Sean" | GSK and Mars vending machines sabotaged | Sean Kirtley's Appeal Launched | ALF Chickin' Nickin' For Sean | Law-lord ruling to free Sean Kirtley? NETCU on the run | Felix Says "Free Sean Kirtley" | Sollidarity actions for Sean Kirtley | Serious Implications for Freedom of Speech as Activist Jailed for 4.5 years | NETCU and Judge Ross crucify civil liberties | Support Freedom of Speech - Support Sean! | Sequani Trial Update - One Remanded - Three not guilty so far... | Jury out to decide the fate of the Sequani Six (longest AR trial in history) | How to be a seriously organised animal rights criminal - Section 145 SOCPA. | The Sequani Six say thanks for the support
Previous feature: Police repression at Sequani demo | World Day for Animals in Laboratories March | Anti-vivisection campaigners convicted of blackmail | Solidarity For Political Prisoner Sean Kirtley | Carnival Against Vivisection | Sequani Besieged by Surprise Action
Links: Free Sean Kirtley | Sequani 6 | Stop Sequani Animal Testing | NETCU Watch
Indymedia UK topic pages: Stop Sequani Animal Testing | SOCPA
Full Story | 1 addition | 10 comments >>
Police repression at Sequani demo
Together with the Gateway to Hell Campaign a demo was organised outside Sequani Labs in Ledbury, Hereford. Vivisectors are always telling us British Labs are like hotels for animals so around 30 activists decided to highlight this disgusting lie by having an all day demo outside Sequani (a contract research organisation).Firstly, police threatened an activist with arrest for using the term "puppy killers", saying it's offensive. Next they were trying to obtain details from lawful protesters, which angered them when they were refused. The demo was so succesful with such a good atmosphere that passers by started to pap their horns, this was met with blue lights by the police who followed them, issuing £30 fines to the motorists.
Previous features: World Day for Animals in Laboratories March | Anti-vivisection campaigners convicted of blackmail | Solidarity For Political Prisoner Sean Kirtley | Carnival Against Vivisection | Sequani Besieged by Surprise Action | Indymedia UK Stop Sequani topic page
Largest Shareholder Barclays and Top Investors Dump HLS
This week it was announced Barclays and four other large investors dropped all shares in Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), Europe's largest and most exposed vivisection laboratory. LSR stock owned by institutional shareholders has now fallen to 12%, placing HLS $4 million below the NYSE minimum listing standard for market value (the only stock exchange listing the company, a major target in the campaign to close HLS).
Following a legal challenge against the CEO's proposal to purchase all of the outstanding LSR stock, an intense global campaign and recent repression against SHAC in Birmingham, a total of 797,284 shares have now been sold. Barclays Global Investors, Barclays Plc, Hartford Investment Management Company, Rice Hall James and Associates LLC, Bank of New York Mellon and Wells Fargo sold all their shares, of which over 400,000 were held by previously largest shareholder Barclays.
Barclays campaign: Global (Videos) | London | Direct action | SHAC topic page
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SHAC supporter unlawfully arrested at Barclays Bank
During a regular demo outside Barclays (due to their support for Huntingdon Life Sciences) a group of teenagers came to find out what the demo was about. The police were called, they arrested one teenager (Video) for alleged criminal damage (kicking the door of Barclays) which activists claim he didn't do, then refused to take details of bystanders who were witnesses to the non-crime. See update on arrested person and the SHAC topic page for information on the ongoing campaign.
Update: Another arrest at Barclays
Over a dozen university occupations for Palestine
Students across the country are holding occupations and sit ins in solidarity with Gaza. SOAS shut down a MOD exhibition on their campus whilst students at LSE declared victory after seven days when the university agreed to all of their demands.
They are followed by others at King's College,Essex, Warwick, Sussex , Birmingham and over 80 Oxford University students have occupied the historic Bodleian building to demand that the university releases a statement condemning the attack on Gaza and cancel the lecture series at Balliol College inaugurated by Israeli war criminal Shimon Peres. There are also early reports of occupations at Manchester Met, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge [Pics], Bradford, Queen Mary, Sheffield Hallam, Nottingham, Strathclyde and Manchester universities. Update Wed 28th: The occupations have started to bring in results as both Sussex and Bradfod students have declared "victory" [See Sussex and Bradford declarations] On the other hand, the Cambridge University occupation is under threat of eviction [more] Update Sun 1st Feb: Nottingham occupation violently evicted [more | video] Update 11th Feb: Golsmiths University and the University of East Anglia are occupied.
In Yorkshire, students have occupied a building at Leeds University whilst the Bradford AGM voted to give the university the weekend to comply with demands to support the Palestinians, or expect action on Monday. On Tuesday morning, around 80 students occupied the university boardroom. The students say they "are enraged and horrified by the unspeakable atrocities that have been committed by the Israeli military on the people of Palestine, and ... will not tolerate the complicity of ... institutions of education in this violence."
Regional features: Cambridge | Nottingham | Sheffield
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Birmingham School rejects ARK as Academy sponsor
The Governing Body and the Head Teacher at Harborne Hill School, Birmingham, have rejected Absolute Return for Kids (ARK), the controversial sponsors of the proposed Harborne Academy, from taking over their school.
The Governing Body unanimously voted to stop ARK after it emerged that they were intent on destroying vital educational ties with local partnerships and organisations built up by the school over years. They were also shocked to find out that, despite Birmingham City Council saying that staff terms and conditions were ‘sacrosanct’, ARK refused to give any meaningful guarantees to their prospective employees. This means that ARK can refuse to acknowledge unions or any national agreements on pay and conditions. Their short track history so far has shown their contempt for their employees.
Newswire Reports: Harborne Hill School rejects ARK as Academy sponsor – so should St Alban’s! | Oppose Orimiston Academy!
Related News: Occupation of ARK by Wembley teachers in pictures | Furious parents occupy the lobby of venture capitalist firm | Video: Smash School Privatisation: The Wembley Tent City Eviction
Previous Feature: Teachers Occupation Defends Wembley Sports Ground From Privatisation
