UK Indymedia

10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance Procession

28-10-2008 11:39

On Saturday 25th October 2008,several hundred people attended the 10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance procession which was led by many family members of those who have died in suspicious circumstances in police custody, prison and 'secure' mental health facilities.

In customary tradition the procession made its way in dignified silence from Trafalgar Square down Whitehall to Downing Street in dutiful respect to those who mourn the loss of loved ones and to invoke their memory and the collective injustices that their deaths represent. In the past year 182 such deaths have been recorded recorded, and a banner carried in the march listed over 2500 who have died.

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Is this what democracy looks like?

16-10-2008 11:22

On Tuesday evening, the University of Nottingham Students Union (SU) Council voted against a motion of no confidence in its Education Officer, Craig Cox. Cox held up a placard saying 'Bring Back Slavery' at a National Union of Students (NUS) event earlier in the year and was subsequently at the centre of a race hate investigation. The NUS has found Cox to be guilty of breaking equal opportunities guidelines and banned him from all non-democratic national events.

Cox has been allowed to stay in spite of a strong campaign by black and anti-racist students, who mobilised around 60 people to picket the meeting, and 2000 letters written to representatives. A fellow Conservative and personal friend of Cox's chaired the meeting and made the decision to close it to debate from all but voting Council members. Students have questioned the democracy of the system that has allowed Cox to remain in his post.

Newswire: Nottingham SU Council back racist | Riseup Radio: Say No to Racism Audio | Picket Nottingham Student Union | Students mobilise against racism on campus | Yet Another Racist at Nottingham Uni

Previous Features: Racist on Student Executive at Nottingham University | Nottingham and Slavery - A Hidden History

Links: University of Nottingham Students Union | NUS Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Campaign | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism topic page

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Racist on Student Executive at Nottingham University

07-09-2008 09:47

Recent news that Craig Cox, incoming Education Officer at the University of Nottingham, is being investigated by the police for an alleged race hate incident was no surprise to some students. Cox, who waved a sign saying 'Bring Back Slavery' at a recent National Uniont of Students (NUS) event, is the latest in a succession of students who have flirted with racism and fascism at the university.

Former examples include the the editor of a student paper that gave free reign to Phil Edwards (real name: Stuart Russell) of the British National Party (BNP), the debating society, Forum, who invited Holocaust denier David Irving to speak, and former BNP councillor, Sadie Graham.

Newswire: Yet Another Racist at Nottingham Uni | Meeting called at uni after BNP article published in student paper

Previous Features: Anger Over "Terror Arrests" at Nottingham University | Heavy Handed Police Condemned Over Peaceful Protest | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe

Links: University of Nottingham Students Union | NUS Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Campaign | Ceasefire Magazine | Notts Indymedia Anti-racism topic page

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Protests greet BNP "festival"

21-08-2008 17:41

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

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Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival"

11-08-2008 14:02

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

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No Salute to Israel, 60 Years of Apartheid is Nothing to Celebrate

01-07-2008 14:18

Today, a series of non-violent protest actions disrupted the 'Salute to Israel' parade. The parade celebrated 60 years since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Activists wished to remind the public that since its inception, Israel has been maintained through the constant oppression of the Palestinian people, in particular through ethnic cleansing.

The 'Salute to Israel' parade was a shameful show of support to a government engaged in war crimes. Sponsors included the Jewish National Fund, an organisation deeply involved in the colonisation of Palestinian land as well in anti-Palestinian discrimination within Israel. Activists wish to stress that the British government's authorisation, protection and support of this event is entirely unacceptable.

En route, the parade was greeted by activists with red dye on their hands to symbolise the blood of Palestinians killed by the Israeli government. In Trafalgar Square, both fountains were turned red after activists poured dye into the water and a Palestinian flag was unfurled at the entrance of the National Gallery. An activist climbed up a big screen which had to be turned off for most of the event. Also, another group attempted to get onto the roof of the National Gallery in order to unfurl a banner but were arrested in the process.

Police responded by making a series of ridiculous arrests, assaulting and detaining a woman for singing anti-zionist songs and deploying Forward Intelligence Teams to monitor and follow those attending the counter demonstrations.

Several Counter demonstrations were held by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Action Palestine and Friends of Al Aqsa while Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others drove three double decker buses draped with Palestinian flags and black balloons around the square and Rhythms of Resistance tried to drown out the Pro-Zionist hip hop gig.

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Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba

23-06-2008 12:35

In the early hours of Saturday morning, activists occupied and shut-down the HQ and only UK freight warehouse of Carmel Agrexco - Israel's largest agricultural exporter from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The occupation held for over 6 hours until they were forcibly removed at 12 noon.

During the occupation over 10 loading trucks intended for the warehouse were sent away. British supermarkets - accounting for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports - had some of their orders affected. The Israeli government has a 50% stake in the company. Exports include flowers, avocados and herbs grown in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

Newswire: Israeli Owned Agrexco Warehouse Shut Down | Carmel occupied! Israeli settlement exporter shut down| Video of Police Forcibly removing Activists but Failing to Make Arrests

Previous Actions: Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid

Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation

Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign | The Big Campaign | ISM London | ISM Palestine

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BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests

12-06-2008 12:41

On Tuesday June 10, Amber Valley Borough Council met at the Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley to hear the premises licence application for the BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival, scheduled to take place on land owned by party member and former Tory-councillor Alan Warner at Denby, Derbyshire from the 15th to the 17th August 2008.

Security at the meeting was tight. Protesters gathering outside were greeted by several van loads of Derbyshire's finest, evidence gatherers and a FIT Team. Inside, the police, who had initially raised no objection to the licence, claimed to have received "significant intelligence" which had forced them to reconsider their position. Fearing conflict between the BNP and anti-fascists they wished to see the imposition of new conditions including the erection of a seven-foot high fence around the site and the installation of temporary security lighting. When invited to sum-up their position the BNP representatives withdrew their application and stormed out of the meeting, insisting they would go ahead without the licence.

Newswire: Red White & Blue festival - Licence Refused | Red White Blue Festival licence refused | Protest Against the BNP: June 10 | Notts Stop the BNP objection to BNP licence application | Object to the BNPs "festival" | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism Topic Page

Previous features: East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe

Links: Amber Valley Borough Council | Antifa | Stop the Red White and Blue Campaign

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East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains

07-05-2008 20:33

On Thursday May 1, local elections took place in various parts of the country. While the far-right British National party (BNP) did not do as well as they had hoped, they were able to win one seat on the London Assembly, meaning that a fascist is now one of the twenty-five people running London.

While they made no gains in Nottinghamshire (where there were elections in Bassetlaw, in which the BNP fielded only one candidate), in Derbyshire they got their first two seats on Amber Valley Borough Council with Chris Roper taking Heanor East and Lewis Allestree winning Heanor West. In Heanor & Loscoe Paul Snell polled 512 votes, to the victorious Labour candidates 513. These results, while worrying in themselves, are of particular interest because it is within the Amber Valley area that the BNP are planning on holding their annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Newswire: Notts Stop the BNP objection to BNP licence application | Object to the BNPs "festival" | BNP take council seats in Amber Valley | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism Topic Page

Previous features: Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe

Resources: BNP and far-right election results: East Midlands | UK

Links: Antifa | Stop the Red White and Blue Campaign

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The Harmondsworth Four acquitted

22-02-2008 19:50

The four migrants accused of "conspiracy to commit violent disorder" during the Harmondsworth uprising in 2006 were today found not guilty. Relying on a clearly insufficiently indoctrinated jury, the attempt to single out and punish few individuals with violent criminal convictions and long sentences has been thwarted. Of course, all four have already served one year and three months in prison, on top of varying times in immigration detention. Now they will have to resume their struggle against the immigration system, which imprisoned them for seeking refuge in the first place, and will most probably be dispersed around Britain's detention estate until their cases are 'resolved'.

Today the Support the Harmondsworth Four Campaign held a protest outside Sodexho's London headquarters. There had been a solidarity protest outside the court every Monday [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5].

Background: letter from two of the Harmondsworth 4 to Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! | 'Report of the Investigation into the disturbances at Harmondsworth and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres', Robert Whalley | Chief Inspectors of Prison Report on Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre