Scotland Culture Feature Archive
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Protest over multi million pound redevelopment of Edinburgh
Demonstrations have taken place throughout the city on redevelopment plans which may mean the demolition of some of Edinburgh's most historic and listed buildings. Protesters from 'Save Our Old Town' (SOOT) demonstrated on the Royal Mile outside the City Chambers as the Council discussed the £300 million development plans of both the Canongate and Market Street. With these, and many more 'redevelopment' plans for around the city, Edinburgh is changing quickly, and the Old Town is being destroyed quicker than you can say 'Listed Buildings'.
Links: Canongate Community Forum (SOOT) | Save Glenogle Baths Campaign | Save Meadowbanks Campaign | 600 protest against Meadowbank Stadium destruction
Two Days of Action Target Climate Criminals
Over the weekend of 3-4 Feb 2007, actions up and down the country and beyond targeted dangerous 'greenwash' being desperately pushed by corporations and politicians. The actions came in the wake of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Friday, which warned of world temperature rises of over 6C by the end of the century. The report indicated that a 4 degree rise would mean a 10% loss in global food production due to draught, flooding, water shortages. While the world slowly wakes up to the magnitude of climate chaos, Shell and Exxon Mobil last week announced record breaking profits. With the figures laid out so clearly, the nauseating hypocrisy spouted by corporations and politicians has spurred action from Paris to Aberdeen.
Links Press release for oil spill action | action report, photos & video | another video | Shell sponsorship background
Other actions Glasgow | Edinburgh | Plane Stupid | Greenpeace
Coming up Protest against ESSO, 9th Feb | Spring into Action
Climate Camp 2006 indymedia page | website | 2007 Camp 14-21st August | next organising meeting 17-18th Feb
Tenants occupation in Glasgow
Yesterday, Tuesday the 21st of june, tenants from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee occupied the offices of 'Communities Scotland' to protest the run-down of basic services and the erasure of publicly-funded housing in Scotland. They sent out a message that they are organised and willing to resist New Labour's privatisation agenda for housing in Scotland.
Paul's travel reports from and about the Middle East
"The media today in fact is reporting that it’s a success and they’ve called off the operation and killed I think 125 insurgents and detained however many more but the reality is what I’ve learned from the ground from NGOs operating and from making phone calls into that area the whole thing is like a mini Fallujah – they didn’t let people leave the city, there’s probably hundreds of civilians casualties and many, many homes destroyed and many displaced people and of course none of this is being reported in the mainstream media. It typifies the whole situation in Iraq.”
Paul O'Hanlon travels around the Middle East, and sends regular political updates to Indymedia.
After participating in the Cairo conference [1 | 2 ] from March 24th to March 27th 2005 in which the relationship of Israel and Palestine was discussed, he moved on to the Egypt/Israeli border at Taba/Eilat before passing along further to Jordan.
From there his next report was filed from Amman, where he primarily researched the human rights and political situation. Reporting about a local demonstration in front of the US embassy and meeting Robert Fisk in Beirut, Lebanon, 11 days later, he travelled along to Istanbul, where he was denied a visa to Syria. Then he accounted his time spent at the border imigration and after a long wait, search and questioning actually in the West Bank and Israel. His latest update from Amman, Jordan, features an interview with the independent journalist Dahr Jamail, who spent a lot of time as an unembedded journalist in Iraq and reports about a "Mini Fallujah" situation of "Operation Matador (near the Syrian border)".
Painting with the Zapatista in Scotland
“The art world belongs to everybody. It is not just for the illuminated that have access to the so-called temples of art. It’s like the history made by the people and now it is up to us to make worlds where many worlds fit, to paint them, to sing them, to write poems to the free men and women and to sing and sing. Let the words and the music and the poems and the colours announce that art belongs to everybody and is for everybody, like this world, like these dreams, like freedom!”. Gustavo C. P.
[Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group | Glasgow Zapatista Solidarity Group | Indy UK Zapatista section | IMC Chiapas | Indy Scotland ]
International solidarity with the people in Venezuela
On the 15th of august, the International Day of Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela, protesters took to the streets and meadows of Edinburgh to inform the public about the importance of the co-inciding referendum on the president in Venezuela in the struggle against neoliberalism, privatisation, exploitation and globalised trade competition.
In the distributed leaflet, the activists state, that they will support a Global Day of Action on October 12th, 2004. [reports and pictures: 1 | 2 | call | video]
Other international solidarity events happened in London during the week before the referendum [report] in the RampArt social centre, [video], protests took place in support of the Bolivarian Revolution in front of the embassy in The Hague, Stockholm, London [report | pics | video], Amsterdam [1|2], Mexico, Dominican Republic.
Oyster Wars: A play based on working-class struggle
Oyster Wars: A play, that links working-class struggle in the past with the present and the future in North Edinburgh. For the last week in June, the "Oyster Wars Project" took place in North Edinburgh. This Project consisted of a theatre show, an exhibition and a community event.
Frock On and On
On 7th of june, the second "Frock On" Festival took place in Glasgow.
"Frock On and On" was helt this time at the Govanhill Neighbourhood Community Centre for the daytime workshops for women, and in the Queenspark Glasshouse for gigs and spoken word in the evening,the artists, audience and the bar in between exotic plants and small animals.
"Our goal is to make links with and strengthen/build on the existing feminist community with aim of making feminism cool again.
Frock On is against homophobia, racism, ablism, ageism, and men bashing.
It's about talking, having fun, making new friends, subverting, resisting, doing it yourself, gossiping/networking, respecting, listening, dancing, eating, rioting, drinking, laughing, relaxing, empowering ourselves and others, clothes swapping, cycling, supporting our music, creating, growing, expressing ourselves, challenging ourselves, learning, scheming, giggling, planning, cups of tea, taking care of ourselves, gaining confidence and self esteem, finding our voices and keeping it real."
More information under http://www.frockon.org
.
Calton Hill blocked off by police to prevent Beltane celebration!
The Beltane Fire Society is celebrated every year the start of summer on the 30th of april on top of Calton Hill in Edinburgh with Theatre show and Fire Shows. This year, due to the spiralling costs mainly due to the Councils demands, the celebrations have been cancelled. However, although the official celebrations have been cancelled, the police and the council try to prevent anybody to have a private pagan celebration by police force...Here is a call for Resistance! And here is a report about what happened on Beltane at Calton Hill.
Anti-road protest in Edinburgh gets stronger and stronger!
Having just had a massive spring clean of our surroundings, site and paths we've now erected a large kitchen/ free cafe with an infoshop attached. Our stage is built, and after an initial performance by the "Beltane Drummers" from Edinburgh we now hope to host more local bands and musicians. There are two new treehouses in progress and our walkway system is ever extending. We would welcome vistors to come for short or long stays, or even just to pop by for a cup of tea and a read.
[ Bilston Anti Bypass Camp - News Update | Bilston Wood- Anti Road Protest Camp near Edinburgh | No Alignment Action Group]
Beltane Fire Society cancels festival in Edinburgh !
After 15 years of existence, Beltane Fire Society had to cancel its festival this year. Beltane on Calton Hill has become a major subcultural event in Edinburgh, attracting almost 14 000 people each year to its Celtic Pagan celebration.The Fire show is known for its exceptional, brilliant performances by the passionate, committed volunteers of the non-profit-making community arts organisation.
Now the costs are spiraling over £14,000 for the running of the festival, and so the self-funded, autonomous festival can not proceed. With the refusal of funds by the Arts Council, and the rising costs especially the costs demanded by the Council, the grassroots festivals organisers see themselves unable to cope with the rising demands.
[ full story | pictures of the festival | Beltane Fire Society | Tepooka]
Women against war- Womens' rights are human rights!
On International Womens' Day women all over the world made their voices heard. In Glasgow a two days diy-conference and gigs took place, named “ Frock On ”.
In Edinburgh an anti-sweat shop protest took place in front of GAP. Also in Edinburgh, “ Enact for Women ” has put together a weeks long program for, about and by women, located in various parts of the city, with the main focus on the conference about women and human rights taking place on Thursday, 13th of march. [Frock On | protest | Enact]
SAMHUINN PROCESSION by Beltane Fire Society
On Samhuinn, the Beltane Fire Society celebrates this pagan festival with a procession and a street performance. At Samhain we know, that we are entering winter; its celtic name meaning “ summer's end ” . It is a time of coming to terms with death, and to mediate on letting go of past hurts and wrongs.Symbols and customs involve apples and the red poppy, the Lammas symbol of blood upon the corn.
[ BFS Samhuinn procession | More pics ]
Nothing ever burns down by itself- theatre play on Global Action Days 19.-22. July 2001 in Genoa
Theatre Workshop launched its new play “Nothing ever burns down by itself” (in relation to the Chumbawamba song “Give the anarchist a cigarette” /Anarchy) on Thursday, Friday, Saturday (3./4./5. October) in Edinburgh.
The play is about the Global Action Days from 19.-22. July 2001 against the G8 summit in Genoa.
The play broke down the barrier between the audience and the players by the total removal of seats and stage, constantly moving artists, audience and requisites around, giving the audience the feeling of really having been there and to be involved.
Book to read about this topic:
On Fire - Genoa and the Anti-Capitalist Movement”, One -Off Press
Paperback, ISBN: 1902593545, £ 3.00
Big Blether .... is over for a couple of years!
We were blethering at Talamh Life Centre, Lanarkshire from 6-8 September 2002.
Roughly every two years, we, the grassroots activists come together to enjoy ourselves and to inspire and encourage each other. The whole weekend was about direct action, peace and environmental issues and campaigning for social and ecological justice. At this DIY gathering we had the chance to learn new skills and broaden our minds and share our hopes, fears and experiences.
There were workshops, practical skills sharing, networking, mutual support, positive solutions, solidarity, alternative lifestyles, blethering, music, sunshine, camping ...
Full story at:
article and pictures
Also see our website at:
http://www.j12.org/bigblether
