UK Newswire Archive
Vigil for International Animal Rights Day - Friday 10th December
24-11-2010 21:23
The annual International Animal Rights Day (IARD) - 10th December - aims to remember the animal victims of human tyranny and call for the recognition of the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights (UDAR). The goal of this historic campaign is to build on the recognition of human rights, and persuade humanity that kindness and respect is due to all sentient creatures.Bristol Animal Rights Collective will be commemorating this day by holding a vigil in the city centre, not far from Hippodrome from 4pm - 7pm. Bring a candle (if you can) and join us!
Uni of Manchester Roscoe Building Occupation
24-11-2010 21:20
A press statement released by the occupants of the University of Manchester Roscoe building.Stop the country, take back the future!
24-11-2010 21:08
Italy - Senate, airport, train stations, cities: students have stopped the country fighting education reform and the cuts to education! These are very intense days in Italy: final cuts to the university has created a huge mobilization all over the country.Newcastle University Occupied!
24-11-2010 20:43
Newcastle University Occupied!Occupation at University of Bristol Union
24-11-2010 20:22
Thousands of university, college and school students, lecturers, teachers and community groups have taken part in a march and demonstration in central Bristol against education cuts. A group of students has now occupied the University of Bristol’s Union Building, holding a People’s Assembly.At midday, crowds gathered at Senate House to hear speakers, including an ‘open mic’ session where members of the crowd spoke about their reasons for joining the protest and views on the future of higher education. Many of those addressing the crowds were from local schools and colleges, and voiced their concerns about measures that are transforming the role of the university from a space for critical thought and creativity to a simple training institute. They felt they are faced with policies which do not appreciate the value of the arts, humanities and social sciences and which are redefining education as a market regulated commodity. A student speaker said:
‘it’s great to finally see some proper debate emerging on higher education in Bristol. We are here to develop a common voice against those who impose these policies on us’
At around 2.30 a group of students occupied the Anson Rooms in the Students Union building, holding a People’s Assembly to make voices heard that have not been represented by the Student Union reps. The group says they are committed to a positive, constructive rhetoric with concrete policy implications for our university and for higher education. They feel let down by the Students’ Union which denied them a forum for proper debate. One of the occupiers said: ‘the University here and the national bodies which represent it, such as the Russell Group have been too conciliatory in their relations with the coalition government. They have accepted the current austerity measures as an inevitability and have done very little to oppose them despite the significant changes they herald.’
The group says it stands in solidarity with all those who turned out for the protest today and opposes any sort of victimisation of any individuals by the media and by police. The group has expressed their views as follows:
1. We wish to express our solidarity with everybody affected by the education cuts including but not limited to university staff, current school and university students
2. We also wish to express our solidarity with all those affected by the austerity measures
3. We call for a union which represents the interests of all students and we demand an Emergency General Meeting
4. We demand that the plans for cuts are made public and we demand the University’s plans for spending to be made public; we demand an open book policy
5. We demand the vice chancellor take a stance against any education cuts
6. We should be allowed to continue learning in this occupied space with free access to come and go as we please
7. We condemn heavy-handed policing tactics which damaged the peoples’ protest
8. We demand no disciplinary repercussions for those involved in the protest
University of Sheffield Occupies!
24-11-2010 20:01
Sheffield University has been occupied by students opposed to the increase in tuition fees and education cuts.Support the occupation against Higher Fees and Public Sector Cuts!
Come and join us in Hicks Building LT 5 & 6.
Interview with an anarchist student occupier at Sheffield University
24-11-2010 19:25
Interview conducted today (24th November) with a student currently involved in the occupation of the Hicks Building at Sheffield University as part of the national wave of actions against education cuts.BBC coverage of Ratcliffe Trial
24-11-2010 19:23
The BBC have outdone themselves with their report on the opening of the Ratcliffe trial, claiming, "More than 1,000 people took part in the protest at the Nottinghamshire plant." (I append a screenshot in case they get around to correcting the article.)
The trial follows the arrest, in April last year, of 114 people at the Iona School in Sneinton. Note that 114 is a mere 11% of 1,000.
Presumably, the report is confusing the "Ratcliffe 114," as the incident and those involved have become known amongst activists, with the "Climate Swoop" which targetted Ratcliffe, the following October. While it might be understandable for a casual observer to get confused about the specific details of different actions against Ratcliffe, you'd expect a professional journalist would make some minimal effort to check their facts.
It is evident from the brevity of the piece, and its bizarre deviation from the facts, that the BBC have not bothered to send a journalist to sit-in on the month-long trial. Despite the case attracting considerable national media attention at the time, the circus has now moved on (presumably chasing somebody wielding a fire extinguisher).
Whatever your opinions about the tactical sense of trying to shut down a power station, the pre-emptive arrest of 114 people remains a unique and important moment in British policing which deserves serious attention. If the BBC aren't up to the task than it falls to the likes of Indymedia to report on the details of the case.
Report And Photos From Student Anti Cuts Demo
24-11-2010 19:22
Report And Photos From Student Anti Cuts DemoToday somewhere between 2000-4000 students, teachers and lecturers protested in central Bristol, meaning that the protest was probably the best attended Bristolian demonstration since the anti-war protests of 2002. Having congregated outside Bristol University's Senate House to hear union reps give short speeches at 12:30, the protest moved down to Clifton triangle, past the Wills Memorial building and down Park St, which was filled by protesters, the majority of whom were aged between 14 and 20. At the bottom of Park St the march was blocked from entering the centre by a police cordon, and so most of the march went back up Park St where protesters were hemmed in on all sides by police cordons.
In spite of this, large groups managed to break out, including those who went to the Bristol University Student Union building and have occupied the building. Near the intersection of Park St and Park Row about three small fireworks were set off, injuring no-one and doing no damage to anything. However already this is what mainstream media reports have decided to focus on. Small groups of protesters continued to give police the run a round for several hours this afternoon.
In sum the demo was well attended by young people, many of whom have never been on a protest before. There was a general sense of anger and hostility towards the ConDem coalition and in particular the cuts to the EMA and the proposals to triple university fees while completely withdrawing state funding from the arts, humanities and social sciences. Many students brought home made banners with a diverse range of slogans from 'Think Now Before Its Too Expensive,' and 'Thought is Not a Commodity' to 'Browne is Shit' and 'Tory Scum'.
Full article | 1 addition | 2 comments
Cardiff Students demo/occupation
24-11-2010 18:43
DIY portaloos
24-11-2010 18:25
Although the cops claim to be providing loos for protesters now, it seems the 2 portaloos aren't enough for 4-5000 people. Protesters get creative and set up their own public toilets.
gottapee?
PLEASE DON'T put videos of demo on You Tube
24-11-2010 18:25
Don't be an acciddental police informer!The demo today was fantastic - hats off the Youth for showing fresher non-hierarchical tactics than the anarchists could ever come up with. The secret is out: a moving, up for it demo cannot be contained!
I think today finally puts to bed the police lie that this is all some anarchist conspiracy. The students are angry - why aren't the rest of us? Can't wait for the unemployed demo, or the working tax credits demo, lets see the police try and bully those ones if they're as big as that!
A REQUEST to all those people on the demo who were filming on phones or cameras - the temptation will be to post your clips on You Tube, Facebook etc but PLEASE DON'T. This is becoming a major way that the police get the evidence they need to convict people, ruining people's lives just because they were brave enough to stand up for what they believe in.
Even of you didn't film 'hot stuff', footage can still be used to confirm that people were on the demo, to match clothes with faces, and other ways to trip people up.
So, why not write up your experiences on here instead? Remember to not include names, or places, and write from an internet cafe or somewhere other than your pc (NEVER post from your iphone) just to be doubly safe. Bristol Indymedia does not keep your IP address but there are other ways for the state to find out who wrote what.
So, please forward this request as far as possible if you agree with it, so everyone has the info. And hope to hear your stories!
One i heard already is a friend walking down Park Street when people started running past them in the middle of the road. Two student sisters were shouting at the them as they went past "why are you running? whats the hurry!". Someone whizzed past screaming "its a riot!" and the two sisters started screaming "A riot! A riot!"and started bombing down the street themselves! :-)
Freeskilling next week - 30 November - How to be Successful in Life
24-11-2010 18:25
7pm Better Food Company, Sevier Street, BristolNext week's freeskill is 'How to be Successful in Life', with James Hodgkinson
Identify what success means to you and how you can achieve more of it in your life. The session will look at what it is to be successful and how to get there.
Future Freeskills:
7 December Conscious Communication – How to say what we really want
Look at how we speak and listen based on what we feel and need. Learn how to adapt our language patterns to communicate more honestly, effectively and connectedly. Works immediately! With Laurel Pyne
14 December Laughing through Christmas
Need a safety valve this Christmas? Want to get ready with good strong laughter muscles? Want to enjoy the seasonal festivities? If so, this session has your name on it. With Joe Hoare
From the freeskilling team x x
Police Not Displaying Numbers on Today's Demo
24-11-2010 18:25
Despite having being repeatedly told that it is illegal for police officers to cover up their officer numbers when dealing with public dmeonstrations, notably after Climate Camp at Kingsnorth and then the G20 demo in London last year, it seems that some coppers still don't want to comply and make themselves identifiable.Despite having being repeatedly told that it is illegal for police officers to cover up their officer numbers when dealing with public dmeonstrations, notably after Climate Camp at Kingsnorth and then the G20 demo in London last year, it seems that some coppers still don't want to comply and make themselves identifiable.
While most the coppers who were out preventing several thousand school and university students from entering the town centre today had their numbers on display here's some evidence that the practice of covering up numbers is still practiced by some officers.
This is done so that officers are able to act in a violent and unlawful manner without being identifiable by their victims. The police have repeatedly reassured the public that this practice no longer happens. It would appear that this is not true.
Bristol University Students Union under occupation!
24-11-2010 18:25
Around 100-200 students have occupied the University of Bristol Students Union on Queens Road following the large student protest in Bristol today. They have tents and supplies inside the building and are willing to stay 'as long as possible'. They are currently in a meeting to discuss further action/statements/aims/demands.*will update with further news
Around 100-200 students have occupied the University of Bristol Students Union on Queens Road following the large student protest in Bristol today. They have tents and supplies inside the building and are willing to stay 'as long as possible'. They are currently in a meeting to discuss further action/statements/aims/demands.
*will update with further news
Full article | 1 addition | 2 comments
Brighton student protests
24-11-2010 18:21
Local news estimating at least 1500 peopleIt's getting chilly...
24-11-2010 17:22
Protesters say "It is cold as fuck" and claim they have been forced to burn copies of the Socialist Worker to keep warm. Policing true to the motto: "If you want to protest, we'll make you protest untill you get hypothermia!"
Fin out about so-called "kettles"...
Activist Hospitalised by Cops at Bristol Student Demo
24-11-2010 17:22
Initial reportBristol University occupied, 4000 on the streets, police arrest and assault students to maintain their order.
After initial fears from organisers that todays Student demo was going to be a damp squib, these concerns were waylaid as between 2000 and 4000 students and supporters took to the streets of Bristol.
The march did not stop at Wills Memorial as planned and instead moved into the city centre. As the police tried to contain the march groups split off in different directions. Bristol university union has been occupied and when all entrances were sealed by the police on the order of the uni president, activists broke through police lines and stormed the building.
We received reports of groups of students being kettled and attacked by Police outside wills memorial, the city centre and on college green.
On arriving at college green we found students and activists breaking out of kettles and scattering into the side streets.
An attempt was made to occupy the Council building but were held back by police who kettles and searched protestors.
Witnesses say as one protester was leaving the area he was set upon by three police men using their batons and fists. Comrades have taken him to the BRI with concerning injuries to his wrist.
We are aware of at least two arrests but have not further details at this point
With both our universities occupies and 4000 on the streets Bristol looks set be a major flashpoint for the movement.
An injury to one is an injury to all. Show solidarity in any way you can.
We have comrades in the occupations and the BRI but have no information about arrestees at this time but there is nobody gathered outside Trinity.
More information as we receive it.
A.A.T.C
Palestine Today 11 24 2010
24-11-2010 16:53
