UK Indymedia - Nottinghamshire

The Arms Trade: From Nottingham to Georgia

24-08-2008 16:54 | Anti-militarism | Nottinghamshire

In recent weeks, international headlines have been dominated by conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. What may not be apparent is the role played by Nottingham-based arms company Heckler & Koch. It has emerged that Georgian elite forces fighting in the province have been illegally armed with Heckler & Koch assault rifles.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Georgian military "used indiscriminate and disproportionate force resulting in civilian deaths in South Ossetia". However, that hasn't stopped these war criminals from becoming customers of Heckler & Koch.

Upcoming Event: Monthly picket outside Heckler & Koch's Nottingham offices from 4pm Monday 8th September at Easter Park, Lenton Lane.

Previous Features: Protesters Return to Nottingham Weapons Manufacturer | Protesters Target Nottingham Weapons Manufacturers

Links: NottsAntiMilitarism | Campaign Against the Arms Trade | Wikipedia on the South Ossetia war | Notts Indymedia Anti-militarism topic page

Japan issues arrest warrant for Nottingham activist

22-08-2008 18:13 | Animal Liberation | Ecology | Ocean Defence | Nottinghamshire

Japan has issued an arrest warrant for a Nottingham-based activist, alleging that he damaged the country's whaling fleet. Warrants have been issued for Daniel Bebawi, a member of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and two American volunteers and the Japanese government has sought to have the three placed on the Interpol wanted list.

The three all participated in the Sea Shepherd Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Leviathan in December 2006 and January and February 2007. The charges apparently stem from an collision between Japanese whaling vessel Keiko Maru and the Sea Shepherd ship Robert Hunter. The incident was investigated by the Australian Federal police at the time, with forensic evidence demonstrating that the Kaiko Maru had rammed the Robert Hunter.

Interviews with Dan: Back in Nottingham (audio) | On board the ship (text)

Reading: Sea Shepherd press release | Evening Post article

Previous feature: Nottingham Activist Returns From Whale Saving Mission In Antartica

Links: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society | Operation Leviathan website | Wikipedia on Japanese Whaling | Indymedia UK Ocean defence page

Protests greet BNP "festival"

21-08-2008 18:41 | Anti-racism | Nottinghamshire

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

Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival"

11-08-2008 15:02 | Anti-racism | Nottinghamshire

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

Derbyshire Coal Mine Occupation - Eviction Happening Now

11-08-2008 11:11 | Ecology | Nottinghamshire

It is now confirmed that the police have launched a full eviction attempt at the Bodge House squat in Shipley, Derbyshire. The house is located on the site of a proposed open cast coal mine.

Update Thursday 14th August: Two tunnelling protestors have been brought to the surface after spending over a week underground. The eviction is now over.

Update Sunday 10th August: Eviction is still ongoing at Bodge House, in Derbyshire. This is the 4th day of the operation and 4 people were arrested earlier today. The house is very heavily barricaded and 2-3 people are still reported to be inside. 4 vans of police and bailiffs still in attendence.

Update Friday 8th August: (added comment by Jane) - We were there today to give support to those still in the house. We arrived about 11.00am. There were loads of police as would be expected and 3 people were taken out of the house while we were there and taken to Ripley police station. We were not allowed near so could not see who it was. Around 3.00 in the afternoon a chap in a suit and 2 women in inappropriate shoes turned up. We think they were from the bailiff teams. They spoke to the chief inspector in charge and went to the house. All the time the bailiffs on site had been cutting down the trees surrounding the house and trying to get in the front door of the house. They succeeded just before the 'suits' arrived. We left around 4pm to run some film to ITN but I heard later that the bailiffs had started up a generator to get air to the people in the tunnel under the house but left the site around 5.30. they are due back tomorrow (Saturday) to get the 2 people in the tunnel out. Anyone who can get there, please get there to give support.

Update Thursday 7th August: Around 7.45am about 60 police and 50 bailliffs arrived at the house. Throughout the day the police have been trying to get through the barricades and defences. Local people and media have been at the scene. So far 3 people have been removed from lockons and a cargo net outside the house and have been arrested. 7 people are still inside and are heavily barricaded in, included being hidden in tunnels under the house. The bailiffs have put up security fences and although they have managed to enter part of the building, the eviction attempt has been stopped for today. It is estimated the eviction will take at least another couple of days.

Newswire: Bodge House (Shipley) coal tunnellers evicted after week underground | Short audio - Bodge House eviction | Eviction Of Coal Mine Protest Site (Bodge House) - pictures

Go there: Directions to the site (PDF)

See feature articles: Derbyshire Opencast Mine Squatters: Eviction Imminent | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site

Mainstream coverage: Bailiffs 'just eight feet' away from underground eco-protesters at Smalley | Arrests at Smalley coal mine protest | Protesters evicted from Smalley site

Climate Camp: Down With the Eastside

08-08-2008 19:20 | Climate Chaos | Nottinghamshire

From 3rd-11th August 2008, the Camp For Climate Action is being held in Kingsnorth, Kent near the proposed site of the first coal-fired power station in the UK since 1984.

Notingham residents are amongst those participating in the camp, organising themselves as part of the Eastside "neighbourhood" which also includes the good citizens of other Eastern parts of the country including Derby, Cambridge and Norfolk. Unfortunately, a Nottingham man is among those who have fallen victim to overzealous policing and was arrested, accused of "possession of a bladed article" (hardly an unusual situation for a camper).

Newswire: Riseup! Radio #7 August Show – Climate Camp Special | Climate Camp Location & Route (from Nottm or Anywhere) | Nottingham Riders Set Off For Climate Camp | Sumac Climate Action Garden Party: The Pictures 2 | Sumac Climate Action Garden Party: The Pictures 1 | Sumac Garden Party | Climate Camp Jingle

Notts climate features since last camp: Derbyshire Opencast Mine Squatters: Eviction Imminent | Free Food in Nottingham | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site | New Old Coal for Notts | Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham | Convictions For Activists - Climate Criminals Walk Free | 'Clean' Coal On Trial | Biofuels Conference Disrupted At Concerns Over Multi-National 'Greenwash' | Nuclear No Answer To Climate Change | DIY V3 Wind Turbine Workshop

National features: Climate Camp - Quick Links | Climate Camp: Kingsnorth Power Station Breached | Climate Camp: How The Police Radicalized An Entire Generation | Climate Camp Day 6: Action Spreads Across South East | Heathrow to Kingsnorth Climate Caravan 2008 | The not-so-secret 'guide to policing protest' | Climate Camp: Site Taken

Derbyshire Opencast Mine Squatters: Eviction Imminent

23-07-2008 21:57 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Free Spaces | Nottinghamshire

On Friday July 18 UK Coal were granted a possession order for the Squatted farmhouse on the planned Lodge House open cast coal mine site near Smalley in Derbyshire. It is anticipated that an eviction is imminent, particularly as the climbing team used against road protesters has been seen around the site.

On Tuesday June 18, 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. and claimed squatter’s rights.

Newswire: Police try and enter Bodge House | Pictures from the Bodge House opencast - 13/07/08 | Bodge House - Eviction Alert! | Eviction gets go ahead - Bodge House | Call out for help at Shipley Bodge Site | Ongoing Open Cast Coal Mine Occupation, Derbyshire - update from court | Activists disrupt work at site of opencast coal mine | Leave it in the Ground… in Court and a protest | Shipley Bodge squatted coal site recieves papers

Previous features: Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site

Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike

19-07-2008 15:30 | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Nottinghamshire

On Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, local government workers in Unison and Unite took part in a 48 hour strike. The action was in response to the "final" 2.45% pay offer made by the employers (which, given the current rate of inflation, constitutes a real terms pay cut) and part of a wider struggle being waged against the public sector against what the government call "pay restraint."

In Nottinghamshire there were picket lines at various council offices and 82 schools were shut as caretakers, teaching assistants, admin staff and midday supervisors walked out. There was a march from the Forest Recreation ground to a rally in the Market Square on the first of the two days.

Newswire: Local Government Strike: Day Two | Local Government Strike: Day One | Council workers to strike over pay

Previous Feature: Notts Workers Join National Strike

National Feature: Local Government Workers Strike Over Pay

Links: Notts Unison | Unison | Unite: Amicus | T&G | Notts Indymedia Workers' Movements topic page