UK Newswire Archive
10 of the Fortnum and Mason 145 found guilty
17-11-2011 14:55
Ten of the Fortnum and Mason 145 were today found guilty of “Aggravated Trespass” with Judge Snow saying that they intimidated F&M staff. They were part of the 145 people arrested during the end of the ukuncut planned occupation of Fortnum and Mason during the massive anti cuts demonstrations on March26th 2011.
A statement by those found guilty said: "As the government’s cuts continue to destroy the economy and people’s lives we will not be put off by these attempts at humiliating and punishing us." [see full statement below]
"Today, the 10 of us who were on trial have been found guilty of taking part in a protest. A protest that was dubbed ‘sensible’ by the senior police officer at the scene. We were standing up, or more accurately sitting down, against our government making harsh cuts to public services, whilst letting companies like Fortnum and Masons get away with dodging a total of tens of billions of pounds of tax every year. Then we are put on trial, whilst it’s clear the real criminals are the tax dodgers, the politicians and the bankers who caused this financial crisis and who continue to profit. We are supposed to have a democratic right to protest yet people like us, exercising that right and expressing our discontent feel the force of the law and receive harsh and disproportionate sentences. We have been convicted of Aggravated Trespass, an example of a law created in the 1990′s as an attack on our rights to protest and which is used in situations like this one to turn protesting into a crime. We will, of course, continue to fight this and will be appealing the judgement.
As the government’s cuts continue to destroy the economy and people’s lives we will not be put off by these attempts at humiliating and punishing us."
Also see:
Fortnum and Mason occupation trial begins
Prosecution of a F&M145 arrestee falls apart
Food Sovereignty: Reclaiming the global food syste
17-11-2011 14:55
War on Want's new report "Food Sovereignty: Reclaiming the global food system". The report outlines the pitfalls of the current corporate-led food system which has created a global food crisis affecting millions across the planet. More importantly it presents the framework of food sovereignty as an alternative solution which has been endorsed by hundred of thousands of people. It also presents case studies showing how farmers are already implanting the food sovereignty principles.
War on Want has been engaged with the fights against global hunger throughout its 60 years of existence. Our work has focused on challenging the roots causes of the crisis and supporting social movements in the Global South. We are also committed to build the food sovereignty movement in Europe.
War on Want and its partners believes that food sovereignty offers a political solution to a political crisis. We hope this report will inspire you to take action to reclaim our food system.
FM145: Defiant statement from the defendants outside of court
17-11-2011 14:52
Palestine Today 11 17 2011
17-11-2011 14:22
13 December: Oxford Census Refuser's court hearing in Reading
17-11-2011 13:25
Deborah Glass Woodin of Oxford, green activist, mother of two and widow of Mike Woodin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Woodin, is due in Reading Magistrates Court on Tuesday 13 December at 10am for refusing to complete the 2011 Census. Dale Farm Residents return as Inquiry opens
17-11-2011 12:55
Undeterred by last month’s brutal clearance, many families are returning to Dale Farm for Christmas.
In response Tory council leader Tony Ball is threatening to have them committed to prison for contempt of court if they breach an injunction preventing re-occupation. “They have nowhere to go,” says Patrick Egan, owner of Dale Farm House, who is presently giving refuge to l5 caravans on his property.“If forced off here they’ll have to move onto car parks. We’re not leaving Basildon.”
Next week, however, Travellers are meeting head on Ball’s challenge to seek planning permission before occupying another location. A public inquiry opens on Tuesday (22 Nov) into Dale Farm Housing Association’s bid to open a mobile-home park on nearby land for all those made homeless The land at Church Road, Laindon, was originally offered by the HCA, a government quango, to Basildon council to help it meet its duty to provide 62 new plots for homeless Travellers in ther district. It refused the offer.
Under the new plan, Basildon could be required to facilitate the release of funds by the HCA for the development. This envisages 12 permanent and 60 temporary plots, which would be made ready as soon as possible for those left without homes at Dale Farm since the eviction. Meanwhile, costs arising out of the direct action operation continue to multipy.
Residents are mounting numerous claims for injuries and damage to property, which may add further millions to the original £18m bill for the police-led assault and clearance, which now appears to have been entirely futile.
Residents are urging supporters to attend the Inquiry which opens at 10 am on Tuesday (22 Nov) at the Basildon Centre, St Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL.
Another Eviction in Hackney this Friday
17-11-2011 12:55
Two weeks after the successful resistance against two evictions in Mare Street, Hackney, another eviction is upcoming this Friday 18 Nov at 197 Mare Street at 10am.
Come along this Friday 10am, bring banners, sound system and people.
Fortnum and Mason UK Uncut protesters found guilty
17-11-2011 12:44
A group of protesters who occupied Fortnum and Mason during a demonstration in March have been found guilty of aggravated trespass.St. Andrews in Third Occupation
17-11-2011 12:37
St. Andrews keeps up the tactic of rolling occupations to oppose the fees and cuts in education. Under the banner of '36 Hours Against 36 Thousand' St. Andrews students are focusing discontent on the recent fee hike for Rest of UK students.P.S. - thanks to NCAFC for promoting us and Birmingham! Well done on recent demo too!
EDL finally admit that their agenda is racially-motivated
17-11-2011 12:05
The English Defence League issued a public statement yesterday on the EDL’s official Facebook page where they admitted that their agenda is actually racially-motivated. If the terminology in the EDL’s statement sounds familiar, that’s because it’s identical to the explicitly racist propaganda of the BNP, Neo-Nazis, and white supremacist websites such as Stormfront, complete with references to “race”, “dilution”, “genocide”, “indigenous” and “wiping us out as a race”.This article is published in conjunction with Pickled Politics (
http://www.pickledpolitics.com).
The overlooked Rupert Murdoch scandals
17-11-2011 11:49
The article is about Murdoch media scandals in this country, the US, and Australia which the British media has not covered, or has barely covered.A Month of Festive Action Against Atos and the Benefit Cuts
17-11-2011 11:40
Everywhere!
Join us in December for a month of protests, actions and demonstrations against poverty pimps Atos and the condem government’s Welfare Reform Bill.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122853381158514
It was the EDL wot won it (not)
17-11-2011 11:36
It seems that the EDL think that it was their pathetic efforts - flying to Zurich (so that's what happens to all those donations) with a tablecloth that somebody's mum had embroidered for a 'banner drop' - that changed FIFA's mind about 'poppygate'. Talk about an inflated sense of their own importance.
Census Refuser in Court in Birmingham: 5 January
17-11-2011 08:04
Roger Grenville, 66, a former Local Government Officer and local Councillor from Leamington, Warwickshire, is being prosecuted for refusing to complete the 2011 Census on grounds of conscience because of Lockheed Martin's involvement. Solidarity and support needed at the court hearing in Birmingham on 5 January.Kuwaiti protesters storm parliament - video link
17-11-2011 07:34
IN DRAMATIC scenes captured on video (see blog), protesters in Kuwait have stormed the country's parliament as anger rises over the corrupt regime.
Some Critical Notes on the General Strike in Oakland, California USA
17-11-2011 03:25
Remember, remember, the second of November -- and what needs to be done a lot better the next time around...
