UK Anti-racism Feature Archive
Corp Media Watch :: Sun Starts Hate Campaign Against Travellers
14-03-2005 14:22
The Sun started a campaign on Wednesday the 9th of March to "stop (the) Gypsy invasion". One front page was followed by another, which claimed mass popular support for their racist ramblings. By the second day the Daily Mail had caught up on this incursion onto their own home ground and come out with their own headline.
Previous coverage: [1] [2 | 3| 4 | 5 | 6] Recently activists from Cambridge have been involved in supporting the traveller commnity in Cottenham, where settlements are threatened by eviction. See reports [1 | 2] One site, Paynes lane has already been evicted. See photos [1]
Activist who visited Sheffield now in Israeli Prison
22-12-2004 12:49
Kelly, one of two activists who visited Sheffield in April to talk about Palestine and show a film, has now been imprisoned in Israel for filming.
Protest at UK's "Guantanamo Bay"
26-10-2004 16:08
Britain continues to hold 14 foreign nationals who have never been charged with any offence. The supposed evidence against them remains secret. They were never questioned by the police. They have not been put on trial.
These men are detained under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which allows the Home Secretary to detain indefinitely any foreign nationals if he has 'reasonable suspicion' that they have links with 'international terrorism'. At hearings last year, the government acknowledged that some of the 'evidence' could have been obtained by torturing detainees elsewhere, e.g. Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib.
On Sunday 3 October, around 100 people gathered outside Belmarsh Prison in south east London to protest against the indefinite internment of the 14 prisoners, and to demand the repeal of the UK's anti-terrorism laws. A wide range of people were present, from Muslim leaders to grass roots activists, incluiding Lawyers and anti-racism campaigners. A number of speeches were made, and an open microphone included poetry and music. Photos 1 | 2.
Urgent Appeal: Write Letters to Internees in Belmarsh Prison
Read article Guantánamo in our back yard
Photos of earlier protest on Sunday 4th April
Campaign Against Criminalising Communities
Naseh Ghafor must stay!
20-08-2004 23:00
Naseh Ghafor a resident of Burngreave, Sheffield, was on hunger strike for six weeks from the 8th July to oppose his deportation to Iraq. He had sewn up his lips and was refusing medical attention. He has now removed the stitches from his mouth and stopped his hunger strike.
He believes he will be killed if he is deported to Iraq. His father and brother were killed there and his sister and mother are missing. There is more detailed background information on the NCADC web site. Local and national politicians are offering no hope to Naseh.
Local activists had organised a 24 hour rota to watch over Naseh while he was on hunger strike. Direct action, in the form of road blockades resulted in coverage in the local media and there was a demonstration from Burngreave into the centre of Sheffield on 21st August.
Daily vigil: 5pm, every day, on Ellesmere Green (top of Spital Hill) for Naseh Ghafor's right to live, stay and work in this country.
Saturday 21st August: Don't Let Naseh Die - Demonstration, from Ellesmere Green, Burngreave to Sheffield Town Hall | Photos: [1].
17th August: Milton House protest
12th August: Burngreave Road protest [video] | [photos]
7th August: Burngreave Road was blocked in a spontaneous protest by friends and supporters of Naseh for nearly an hour [ photos: 1 | 2 ] after a protest at Chatsworth where Sheffield MP David Blunkett was opening a scent garden.
Defend Naseh Ghafor web site | Defend Naseh Email List | Sheffield Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers | No one is illegal | No borders
Stop Ethnic Cleansing
19-08-2004 11:03
Links: [Traveller Support][East Anglia Social Forum]
Calls for rally at Paynes Lane, 22nd August: [1][2]
Israel condemned by NUJ for treatment of independent journalist, Ewa Jasiewicz
17-08-2004 22:00
UPDATES:
Journalist Ewa Jasciewicz now held in detention for over 14 days as Israeli court fiasco continues.
19 AUGUST: Ewa is to be released from jail, but has still been forbidden by the IDF from entering Palestine.20 AUGUST: Ewa remains locked up until at least Sunday, following an appeal by the Israeli Government [reports: 1 | 2 ]
The National Union of Journalists has condemned the Israeli Government for its treatment of journalist Ewa Jasiewicz, who was detained whilst entering Israel last week and remains in prison.
Ewa's appeal against deportation from Israel will be heard on Thursday, August 19th.
[ Telephone call from Ewa | Background on Baha | Ewa on Iraq | The "Intifada of the Empty Stomach"]
Thugs Attack Marks & Spencer Picket
12-07-2004 02:02
A regular Saturday picket of Marks & Spencer in Manchester was attacked last weekend (3rd July) by an organised group of thugs. They assaulted some of the picketers, grabbing leaflets out of their hands, attempted to turn over the campaign stall and destroyed some placards. The attack lasted for over quarter of an hour before police eventually arrived on the scene.
The picket has been a regular presence outside M & S in protest at the relationship between the company and the Israeli state. According to the Jerusalem Report (5 June 2000) Marks & Spencer support Israel to the tune of approximately $233 million in trade every year. The picketers are calling for a boycott of M&S whilst the 'special relationship' continues and Israel maintains its military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
The picket has not been without incident. Only a week earlier two men were detained by police officers outside the store for possessing imitation firearms, in reality toy guns which were being used as props for mock military checkpoints. In March two people were prosecuted for 'affixing placards to council property' and 'depositing a paste table on the highway without lawful authority or excuse’ outside the store. Marks & Spencer are now reported to be planning on bringing anti-social behaviour orders against the picketers.
Victory To The Intifada Pickets
10-05-2004 21:17
As part of the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign, a picket of the Marks and Spencer store in Oxford Street has been taking place in London every Thursday since October 2000. This is in fact, the longest running protest in the UK against the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip The campaigners state that M&S is the biggest British corporate sponsor of the state Israel, arguing that: "The history of Britain's biggest clothing retailer Marks and Spencer demonstrates how consumer habits in Britain are tied to the oppression of other peoples. Marks and Spencer has championed the state of Israel and thus connived in the dispossession and suppression of the Palestinians. Our comforts and pleasures, which Marks and Spencer so eagerly service, have been bought at an unacceptable price."
On Thursday 6 of May the picketers were out in force again, facing a counter-picket by pro Israel demonstrators, and an increased police surveillance. Photos: 1 | 2
L'Oeuf c'est plus fort que Le Pen (the Egg is mightier than Le Pen)
28-04-2004 15:32
"The blacked out limo was delayed from leaving the car-park for ages, forced to go at a snails pace by hastily erected barricades, and sit down protests in front of the car. Every time the police threw the first line aside, more just joined the back of the crowd." A.
"We were stopped at a traffic light in the mini bus we'd used. Who should pull up next to us by pure coincidence? A car covered in rubbish and eggs with the scumbags inside! Griffin had his window down and when he saw us the look on his face will never leave me..." L
The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside. When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.
Two men who appeared to be BNP supporters were taken away by police outside the hotel before Le Pen and associates left the building. Witnesses saw a large machete-type weapon in the boot of their car that was also taken by police.
Reports, pictures and comment [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] | Battle To Stop British Fascists Hots Up
Battle To Stop British Fascists Hots Up
27-04-2004 11:08
Last weekend saw many communities across Britain take to the streets in protest against the fascist BNP and its allies. The BNP have found a fertile breeding ground in the current climate of racism generated as part of Bush and Blair's war drive, combined with mainstream press and politicians making asylum seekers into society's scapegoats. They are now launching the biggest ever fascist electoral offensive in postwar Britain, in the run up to the Euro-elections. However, more and more people are waking up and responding to this danger.
In Altrincham, near Manchester protesters ambushed the car of Le Pen, while in Wickford, Essex, a protest by local villagers stopped the BNP from assembling outside their rail station. There were also protests against fascist activities in South London, Birmingham and North Wales, amongst others. These may mark the opening skirmishes of one of the greatest battles for a generation in the long struggle to keep Britain free from fascism.Research by the Independent Race and Refugee News Network which was based on on exit polls of 539 voters and focus groups, was carried out during local government elections in autumn 2003 in Burnley, Oldham and Calderdale indicates that, "the younger one is the more likely one is to vote BNP. Around one in three of 18-25 year-olds said that they voted for the BNP... hardly anyone in the 18-25 category voted Labour. In this age group, large numbers of young men have been attracted to the BNP's message - making it the only party whose support is predominantly male." See the Who votes BNP? article on their site for more about their research (conducted by the Searchlight Educational Trust and Vision 21) which concludes that "The bad news for those opposed to the BNP is that support for the party is not based on apathy and general disgruntlement but positive endorsement for their policies among a core of young men."
Actions: [Le Pen Ambushed] [Wickford Action] [Birmingham Rally] [Southall] [Leeds and Bradford]
Links: [United Against Fascism] [CARF] [Antifa Britain] [Other Links]
Hunger strike asylum seekers close to death
09-03-2004 16:06
A protest has been announced by a Glasgow based Refugee Solidarity Campaign for Thursday 18 March 11.30 a.m. in Edinburgh.
Three Iranian Kurdish refugees, who have been refused asylum in Glasgow, Britain, are on hunger strike. The Three men, Faroq Haidari, Farnborz Gravindi and Mokhtar Haydary, have now been on hunger strike for about 3 weeks. They have apparently now stopped taking fluids, and are in a really bad way. Friday, the 5th of March, two of the men blacked out and were admitted to hospital.
The men are faced with a harsh choice, as once refused asylum they have no right to work, housing or benefits of any kind. They must choose whether to return to Iran and face arrest, imprisonment, torture - perhaps death, or stay and starve on the streets of Scotland.
Around 200 people attended a hastily organised solidarity demonstration the evening of Tuesday, March the 2nd, outside the city chambers (council offices). In a statement read out to protestors, the men say they would rather die than return. Supporters say they are close to death. Faroq Haidari, Farnboz Gravindi and Mokhtar Haidari are getting weaker by the hour. More information: [1,2]
FAIR TRADE FOR LIVERPOOL!!!!
02-03-2004 13:14
Stop The Apartheid wall at The Hague!
21-02-2004 23:00
At the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague - Netherlands, from the 23rd to the 25th of February, there is a hearing as to the legality of the Apartheid wall being erected across Palestine [court schedule].The wall's construction - which has been criticised by the International Committee of the Red Cross - is widely seen as further land grabbing by the Israeli government, who couch its existence as a necessity for security in protection of the Israeli state.
State sponsored protests
On Monday the 23rd, Zionist groups are having a high profile demonstration in front of the ICJ. The local Israeli embassy has sponsored students and members of Zionist groups in support of the wall to protest outside the Court and has provided full colour pictures of bomb victims to 'Christians for Israel' who are carrying them on street protests. ZAKA, an Israeli 'rescue organisation', has brought to the Hague the two halves of a Jerusalem bus destroyed in a suicide bombing.
Anti-Apartheid Wall protests
25 anti-Wall protestors will be there to represent the concerns of the Palestinians along with the Palestinian Environmental NGO’s Network (PENGON) and other Palestinian solidarity groups, who have organised symposia, exhibits and protests around the time of the hearing. These groups will be bringing to The Hague Palestinians whose lives are affected by the Wall, including Sharif Omar (farmer from Jayyus), Fayez Tanib (farmer from Tulkarm) and Terri Balata (school administrator from Abu Dis separated from her school).
The Mayor of The Hague, Deetman, banned anti-Wall protesters from demonstrating in the morning, which will limit press awareness of the anti-Wall presence. The anti-Wall protestors will now march in the afternoon and hold a vigil outside the ICJ, remembering Palestinian victims of the Israeli occupation. Meanwhile, in Palestine, people are organising strikes, direct action and marches in support of the hearings in The Hague.
a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk">Indymedia UK - check the 'Latest News' section. Or, why not follow the streaming video live from the hearing?
The Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign | Amnesty International - legal background | International Solidarity Movement | Palestine Monitor | Electronic Intifada | Gush Shalom: He, En, Ar
Noise Demo - Lindholme Detention Centre
30-01-2004 15:13
Saturday 31st January was a Europe Wide Day of Action against Refugee Detention and for Migrant Rights. As part of this day there was a noise demo outside Lindholme Refugee Detention Centre near Doncaster with a good turnout from from Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds.
The Sheffield Samba Band contributed to the noise and have some photos on their site.
January 31 - European Day of Migrant Struggles
30-01-2004 13:34
On 31 Jan 2004, the first European day of Migrant Struggles took place simultaneously across Fortress Europe in 11 countries and 49 cities, see the noborder web site and the round-up on the global indymedia site for an overview of the actions, and click here for a round up of actions in Europe.
At Lindholme Detention Centre, near Doncaster, there was a noise demo: timeline | photos | videos.
In London, there was a No Borders Protest at Waterloo Station and on Friday a Anti-Daily Mail Demo at which there was a counter, pro-hatred, BNP demo. In the evening there was a post demo party at Kentish Town Social Center.
A short video of the waterloo station action and the adbusting actions of the previous nights has been produced. Note how happy the eurostar staff were to collect up our leaflets in order to deny others access to it.
10min, 170mb~, smaller versions will follow: ftp://italy.indymedia.org/imc_italia/video/310104high.avi
Requires divx codec: linux | mac | windows
At Campsfield there was a small protest as part of the 10 in the UK. In Manchester there was a poor turn out.
In Athens 3,000 people marched on an anti-racist demo.
Reports of actions from Indymedia Centres across Europe: Austria | Barcelona (Photos) | Brussels (Photos: 1 | 2) | Belgrade | Estrecho / Madiaq | Istanbul | Russia
Immigration Sweeps Becoming More Frequent
14-12-2003 00:14
As we approach the Christmas period, London Transport Police are gearing up to “keep London safe for Christmas" (words of a police officer outside Victoria Station). They are reportedly achieving this by implementing immigration sweep and deportations, outside of tube station.
Original Report | Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns
Close Campsfield Now!
30-11-2003 18:41
From 150 to 300 people turned up and demonstrated to close Campsfield now. An Oxford and London based samba band sent its rhythms to give moral support to the detainees, while speakers from very different backgrounds talked to an equally heterogenous crowd. At 2 pm the crowd moved to Oxford, where the demonstration continued in Broad Street, the samba band music attracting a big crowd. Both in Campsfield and Oxford there was a heavy and intimidating police presence, which seemed totally unjustified given the peaceful and colourful nature of the protest.
Meanwhile, three banners mysterisouly appeared snagged high on the perimeter fence the night before, on the 28th. Stating "No One is Illegal", "No Deportations" and "No Detentions", these banners were clearly visible to detainees inside providing much needed morale boost for the asylum seekers.
[Report on the demo and background information on Campsfield] [Report and picture] [Report and pictures of the banners] [Campaign to Close Campsfield]
Glasgow Demonstrators Denounce Deportations and Evictions
11-11-2003 14:12
"This is beyond humanity", cried a woman from Rwanda. "I fled for my life from Rwanda, now this Friday here in Glasgow they are coming to evict me and deport me."
Demonstrators rallied outside the Glasgow City Council Chambers in George Square last night, 9th November, to denounce the Council's new policy of evicting refugees who have been refused asylum. Protestors erected tents in the Square to illustrate the reality of the State's inhuman policies.
Asif, a refugee from Afghanistan, spoke on behalf of the Glasgow Refugee Action Group. "The Glasgow City Council are making millions of pounds from their contract with the Home Office to take refugees. Now they are throwing the refugees out on the street....We appreciate the support of ordinary people in Scotland. This is not the end of our struggle but the beginning."
Freeing Asylum Seekers from Oakington
11-11-2003 11:01
Concerned individuals in Cambridge have therefore set up the Cambridge Bail Circle. The Bail Circle aims to attract individuals from the area and link them up with Oakington detainees identified by lawyers as having arguable cases. The individuals are asked to meet the detainee, attend court with them for a "bail hearing", and stand as "surety" for the them. The asylum seeker is then at least freed from detention whilst they await the review, although conditions are imposed.
Asylum Seekers - No One Is Illegal
10-11-2003 13:40
In Liverpool, campaigners slept out in the streets in solidarity with destitute asylum seekers [pics | call].
In Scotland, over 1000 protesters expressed their opposition to the imprisonment of refugee children at the remote and isolated Dungavel Detention Centre. On November 10th, people protested in Glasgow against the eviction of 200 refugees from their accommodation.
Destitute women asylum seekers joined up with the Global Women Strike Campaign in an antiwar protest in London, simultaneously highlighting the ongoing breeches of human rights by Section 55 [ report | Amnesty InternationalAfghanistan report].
In Cambridge campaigners join up with refugees from Oakington Detention Centre and support groups to cope with the current repressive measures and proposed new cuts of human rights.
In Manchester a refugee died in September after setting fire to himself in desperation of having his benefits cut.
National Coalition for Anti- Deportation Campaigns | Asylum Rights | Asylum Support | Asylum Policy | Joint Council for the Welfare of immigrants
