Critical Mass in Southampton
In solidarity with everyone protesting against the G8 and global poverty, as well as to highlight a positive step people can take towards reducing global pollution and climate change (go by bike!) roughly 35 cyclists set off from Hoglands Park in central Southampton- also the meeting point for the Make Poverty History demo which, unlike our little outing made the local TV news...
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Caterkiller Week of Action
The recent week of action against CATerpillar which took place in Nottingham, Derbyshire and Solihull ended with a procession through the streets of Brighton on Saturday 25th June in protest against High Street Stores selling CAT footwear and clothing. [Full Story | 6 comments ]
Smash EDO Take On The Law
Update: A legal observer was arrested on the 16th , and has now been released on bail pending a pre-trial review at Brighton Magistrates court on Thursday 23rd June.
In a spectacular march through Brighton on Saturday June 11th, 150-200 protestors showed that they would not be intimidated by the violence meted out at the May 31 Big Demo at EDO MBM by Sussex police.
After an open mic event on The Level where several protestors spoke out against EDO MBM as well as the draconian Harassment Act interim Injunction brought by the company against peaceful protestors outside their factory, and Sussex Police’s brutality trying to enforce it, the march began.
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Protect Our Woodland - Titnore Woods
POLICE were called to a council meeting in Worthing on Friday June 10 after protesters stormed the stage.The borough council's planning committee was discussing highly controversial plans to build 900 homes and widen a road through woodland in Titnore Lane, Durrington, Worthing.
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Animal Rights activists target Wickham laboratories
On 23 April, a piece of street theatre took place in Wickham, Hampshire. William Cartmell, owner of the nearby Laboratory that experiments on
animals, was put on trial in front of a jury of mice. Despite the rain, a
good time was had by all. A short demo was held afterwards at the nearby
lab.
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Environmental Rock in Southampton
On Saturday 30th April, Environmental Rock 2005 saw a return of the popular all-day environmental awareness and entertainment event at The Hobbit pub in Bevois Valley, Southampton. Around five hundred local residents and students flocked to the venue to listen to bands and acoustic acts, sample the organic food and drink, as well as taking the opportunity to speak to local and national environmentalists about what can be done to reduce our impact on the planet.
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Pedal Powered Revolutionaries
In 1992 in San Francisco cyclists started riding together monthly to assert themselves as traffic in a ride that became known as Critical Mass. Since then Critical Mass has spread to over 300 cities around the world and become a common feature of protest culture. To celebrate 10 years of critical mass, over 800 cyclists took to the streets in London last year with a bike samba band, live guitar from a rickshaw, multiple sound systems, mad bikes the like of which have to be seen to be believed. It was massive, and it happened again on Friday April 29. At least 500 cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboards joined the 11th Annivesary in London [photos 1, 2, 3, report]. There will also critical masses in Glasgow, Liverpool and Nottingham [photos] - and probably other cities around the country as well.
On Saturday 30th April there was a successful mass "against climate change, pollution and the G8" in Worthing, Sussex. Meanwhile, in Sheffield on June 11th and the 15th there are more rides to coincide with an anti-war demo and the G8 meeting of Justice and Interior Ministers in Sheffield taking place 15th/17th.
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EDO activists in Court again.
After their High Court appearance earlier in the month 1, and the adjournment then, 10 EDO activists where again at the High Court on Friday the 22nd of April to have their case heard. Representatives of the Arms Manufacturer EDO/MBM technologies have sought an injunction to effectively prevent protests outside their premises in Brighton. The proposed injunction would prevent any artificial noise or amplification devices from being in the “exclusion zone”. This effectively amounts to a private corporation buying its own private martial laws enforceable by the police.[Full Story | 1 comment ]
Anti-G8 Critical Mass in Sussex
A 'CRITICAL Mass' cycle and skateboard ride against climate change and the G8 is being held in Worthing, West Sussex on Saturday April 30.
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Housing still major issue as New Forest becomes latest National Park.
The New Forest in Hampshire has become the latest National Park in the last month.
A meeting of the National Park Authority will convene on April the 11th to officially take over the running of the forest. But does this change in status mean anything for the forest, the wildlife in the area, and local residents?
Will this mark a significant change in the protection of species within the forest? Some local campaigners think not.
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Harassment Law Used Against Anti-War Campaigners
On 25th March, Smash Edo, Bombs out of Brighton and 14 individuals were issued with intended injunctions under the 1997 Harassment Act, to be heard in the High Court on April 14th.
The law was first introduced to protect people from stalkers but was then used against anti-vivisection groups.. This is the first time it has been used against an anti-war or anti-arms trade group.
“SmashEdo” aims to shut down EDO MBM using awareness-raising and Non-Violent Direct Action tactics.”
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International Day of Action Against the Arms Trade
On March 21st, as part of an International Day of Action Against the Arms Trade - called at the 'Destroy the Arms Trade' session at Beyond ESF to coincide with the second anniversary of the start of the second war on Iraq, groups and individuals took part in a number of actions against companies involved in the arms trade.
Netherlands | London | Brighton
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South-East Anti-G8 Assembly
THE THIRD "Resist G8" South-East Assembly is being held on Sunday April 3. The venue is is RISC, 35-39 London Street, Reading and the Assembly will be taking place from 1.30pm to 6pm.
The Resist G8 South East Regional Assembly is a co-ordination of groups and individuals opposed to the G8 and who are mobilising towards the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland in July 6th-8th.
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Rough Music stirs Brighton
A NEW local radical newsletter has been launched in Brighton, East Sussex. Rough Music describes itself as a "trouble makin' dirt diggin' monthly" and hopes to complement Brighton's famous SchNEWS weekly newsletter, which covers national and global issues rather than purely local ones.[Full Story | 2 comments ]
Protests At G8 Ministerial Meetings
Derby G8 Protests Go Ahead Amidst Massive Policing Operation
March 17th: Despite extraordinary measures approved by the Home Secretary to Ban all Marches in Derby [see pics of orders] and set up exclusion zones, the Derby G8 protests went ahead. A Critical Mass bicycle protest took place in the morning with around 40 people taking part - police arrested 12 cyclists [see pics], who were released on bail that night, however their bicycles have been kept 'as evidence'. Later amidst a militarised Derby with riot police [pics] stationed across the city, and several police surveillance units filming protestors, around 100 people gathered in the Town Square to protest against the G8.
See: Breaking News Reports from Derby M17 Protests
Pics: Bush + Blair Pied + General Photos
Pics: G8: Derby M17 Picture Collection
Pics: Derby Photo Report PtII
Friends of the Earth Interview at Derby M17
In the run up to the this summer's July G8 Summit in Gleneagles (Scotland), ministers from the eight more powerul economies have been holding 'mini-summits' around the country.
14-15th March: Coinciding with the International Energy and Environment Ministers' Roundtable meeting in London (see DEFRA link) a Climate Change Noise Protest was held on Tuesday 15th. Amidst heavy police security there were two arrests - including one person who was filming and whose film was seized. See Reports 1 | 2 | 3 and Pictures.
11th March: While the Employment Ministers of the G8 nations were meeting in London, activists staged a protest outside the Department of Trade and Industry and other locations [see report and pics 1 | 2 | 3]. Also see www.nodeal.org.uk for background and press release.
On Monday an Alternative Summit for Climate Justice called Moving Beyond the Greenwash was also held in London.
Other planned G8 Ministerial meetings include the G8 Finance Ministers in London (June 10-11th), the G8 Justice & Interior Ministers in Sheffield (June 16-17th), and the G8 Pre-Summit Foreign Ministers meeting in London (23rd June). For more protests and events follow the 'read more' link...
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CIPO-RFM to Speak in the UK
Activists from Mexican indigenous direct action group CIPO-RFM will be visiting the UK for the first time on a 5 date speaking tour to promote their struggle against globalisation in Oaxaca.
Admission to all the dates are free and two short films made by activists will also be shown. They hope to raise awareness about the recent increase in state repression being suffered by Mexican activists. There will also be a benefit gig on feb 18th in London.
More information
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First South Coast IMC screening
SOUTH COAST INDYMEDIA successfully held its first video evening on the evening of Tuesday February 8 in Worthing, West Sussex. It is planned to be the first of many such events across the region covered by this site and anyone who would like to help stage an event should get in touch.
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Campaign to Smash Edo
Smash Edo is a group of people campaigning to remove EDO MBM Technology Ltd from Brighton. EDO MBM is a subsidary of the multinational arms manufacturing company, EDO Corporation. At EDO MBM's factory on Home Farm Road, Moulescoombe, they are manufacturing bomb racks, release clips, arming mechanisms and targeting equipment; all of which has been used in the recent Iraq invasion. The campaign wants to shut down EDO MBM through raising awareness and direct action (Read more).
The campaign has been active for some time now. From Sunday 29th August to Thursday 2nd September there was a 5 day protest camp, with daily protests and a non violent direct action day. See reports [1] [2]. Several actions have taken place: Reports: [1] [2], and [Indymedia UK feature]. Recently there was a public meeting, and every thurday at 4.00 there is a Bring The Noise Demo, at Edo factory, Home Farm Road, off Lewes Rd. There have been several arrests, and in December 2004 six activists were fined a total of £1500 to be paid by the end of January. Currently several other activists are on trial for aggravated trespass - for a roof occupation. See [Press release] [Report]
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Council blocks anti-corporate sites
COMPUTER software blocking access to anti-corporate political sites has been installed by a local authority in West Sussex, a newsletter has revealed.
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Welcome to South Coast Indymedia!
A welcome message from the people at SouthCoast IndyMedia Centre. This early days yet, but nevertheless we would welcome comments, article ideas and newswire posting to the site. Obviously the focus is on news from the SouthCoast, so if you've recently taken part in an action in the SouthCoast please get in touch.Welcome to South Coast Indymedia!
This site has only just been created and those putting it together are new to the process, so please be patient while we work at making this worth your while.
Our aim is to provide a readily accessible source of news and information on the Kent, Sussex and Hampshire area of the south of England. While obviously there is likely to be a focus on the kinds of actions and groups featured on other IMC pages, we hope to go beyond this on the South Coast site.
We will be extending an invitation to all kinds of community groups and campaigns (well, almost all - racists and fascists are not welcome here!) to use South Coast IMC as their own site, a place where they both post news of their own and catch up with others'. The regional nature of these pages will mean that events can be advertised, and noticed, that would not normally be big or exciting enough to post on national indymedia - nobody wants to bore people at the other end of the country with news of their latest leafletting session or fund-raising crochet night.
You don't have to become involved with South Coast Indymedia to use it. But we would like people with an interest to get involved. These are very early days indeed (as you may have spotted by now...) and the possibilities of this adventure are (almost) endless.
Watch this space.
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