UK Globalisation Feature Archive
Iraq-o-mat: Cleaning Dollars for Corporations
11-05-2005 12:23
Mayday 2005 - Euromayday and More
01-05-2005 00:05
This years Mayday Events saw Euromayday protests and actions happening in 20 cities around Europe, all based around the theme of 'precarity'[Photos] The Euromayday events have been happening over the last years in Europe, and getting bigger every year, with parades of causalised workers, temps, part-timers, immigrants and unemployed marching through Europe's capitals to demand new social rights for the most marginalised [see audio background interviews 1, 2 from globalproject.info]
London
Precarity Action The location of the euroMAYDAY/Flexmob action were texted to people's mobile phones at the last minute. Several hundred turned up at the Hackney Tesco, including Sambistas and a banner "All we have to loose is our chainstores". They stayed for some time before a huge police presence moved them out. Reports of several violent arrests [Arrest appeal]. The day finished with everyone continuing on to London Fields
[ Timeline | IMC London Feature | Precarity Assembly Report | Personal Account ] [ Reports and Pictures: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ] [Videos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4]
At the same time, the TUC Trade Union March formed at 12pm [More] At 2pm, the Spacehijackers cricket match was played in Parliament Square [report]
London Critical Mass celebrated their 11th year of monthly bike rides with a huge event on Friday 29th April [Pics 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6], as well as a G8 bike ride benefit in the evening of May 1st. Other Critical Mass rides took place around the country for Mayday weekend.
Glasgow
A Reclaim The Streets Party started off at 1pm [Timeline and Reports], the Camcorder Guerillas screened their new G8 film "Why Close the G8" at 4pm, while the usual STUC Mayday Rally takes place at George Square at 11am. On Friday there was also a Critical Mass bike ride.
See Indymedia Scotland for further round-up of the days events.
Other actions
In Birmingham there was a march through The Bullring™ in support of workers' rights in response to the asset stripping and demise of Rover which clashed with a pro-capitalist bloc extolling the virtues of unfettered capitalism, ending with a picnic in Pigeon park by the cathedral [Report].
In Bradford the first Critical Mass Critial Mass for some time went ahead successfully this Mayday. [Report].
In Lancaster Mayday Picnic on the Priory field at 1pm, as part of the reclaiming International Workers' Day festival.
In Sedgefield (Blair's constituancy) there's a pre-election Mayday WMD Festival running May 1st-2nd with music, comedy and a peace camp set up.
Liverpool saw a critical mass on the Friday followed by a Trade Union march and then gig on the first. [Announcement]
Manchester held a party on Plattlands Park with a critical mass leading off to it. [Announcement] [Audio report]. There was also a Trade Union march, and before the Radical Bookfair.
Oxford Oxford International Workers' Day: Pensions not War [Photos] and Oxford samba Mayday madness [Report and Pics]
In Ireland, the scene of last years major Against Fortress Europe Mayday demonstrations, Dublin will have an Anti-G8 Reclaim The Streets Party on Monday 2nd, as well as a Euromayday Precarity Block on the usual Trade Unions march on Saturday 30th April.
See Also:
London: 30th April Anti-authoritarian Film Festival
Oxford: May 2nd Protest against war on Iraq and pensions
Worthing: Friday Anti-G8 Critical Mass
Euromayday Net Parade | CopyRiot euroLANparty005
Argentina: Workers Defend Zanon Occupied Factory
23-04-2005 20:21
A delegation of 30 workers traveled some 1,200 kilometers to manifest their determination to defend the factory at all costs. Inside the courthouse a small delegation of workers presented a petition with thousands of signatures from all over the world in support of the workers of Zanon who have set an example that workers can produce and manage even better without a boss or owner.
Read more...Background
Zanon Kidnap/Torture: [en][es][fr][de][gr]
March for Expropriation Law: [en][es][it]
Links: [Zanon/FaSinPat Site][Grupo Alavío] [Argentina Indymedia][WorkersWithoutBosses.net][Zmag: Argentina]
Week of Action Against Iraq Pillage
09-04-2005 13:21
The first days of April were designated as a 'Week of action against the corporate pillage of Iraq' by a group known as the Corporate Pirates.
The week kicked off with an April Fool's Pro-Pillage party outside the offices of Windrush Communications, organiser of the Iraq Procurement Conferences. Around eighty people turned up in pirate costume to protest against the corporate piracy of Windrush. Reports: [1 | 2] Pictures: [1 | 2 | 3].
During the following days, a wide variety of events unfolded. These included: a training for Non-Violent Direct Action, an open meeting that included speakers from Iraq, a candlelit vigil outside the Windrush Offices, an attempt to disrupt the news broadcast announcements of the election with an anti-war message, a creative forum at the Rampart Social Centre, and on Wednesday 6th activists ended the week of action with a protest bading farewell to Windrush Communications.
G8: Genoa: Police on Trial for Brutal Diaz Raid
06-04-2005 20:18
In the raid on the Diaz school over 90 people were arrested. At least 62 people suffered injuries after police savagely beat people, some still in their sleeping bags - 31 people were taken to hospital, three of them in a critical state. Some are still receiving medical treatment.
Almost four years after the raid various high ranking police officers stand accused of fabricating evidence (eg planting molotov cocktails) and trying to cover up the responsibility for the attack. Many of the police who took part in the raid are still not identified since they wore masks and no identification numbers.
The trial is expected to resume later towards the end of the summer.Meanwhile the trial of officres accussed of torture at Bolzaneto detneion centre, were those arrested were taken, continues.
With the latest G8 Summit due in July this year in Scotland, civil liberties groups will be watching the behaviour of the authorities very closely indeed.
Reports: Diaz Victims Group Statement
Amnesty International Statement Re Genoa Police Trials
Genoa G8 Trials: Laptop Seizure And Punishment | (2)
Inhuman And Degrading Treatment" Of Bolzaneto G8 Detainees
Links: Genoa Supporto Legale (en) | Italy Indymedia Genoa Pages | Genoa Justice Campaign | The Committee for Truth and Justice for Genoa
Indymedia 2001 Coverage:
Indymedia Genoa Newsblast - IMC Compilation Reports: one | two
IMC UK Genoa 2001 Timeline | Genoa Features
See also: PGA reports page | PGA pictures page | Collected Reports (various sources) | Horrific Raid at GSF / IMC Account
Mainstream Press: Guardian: Now, the reckoning | Guardian (AP): G8 Protesters Were Abused
See also: UK G8: Cases dropped against G8 arrestees
Mass Anti-War Protests Mark 2nd Anniversary of Attack on Iraq
21-03-2005 04:49
On Saturday 19th March in London, a massive protest took place, passing by the US Embassy where members of the Military Families Against the War laid a coffin to remember the 100,000 plus dead caused by the war. Organisers claimed up to 200,000 people had marched through the streets of London. [see Short report | Statement to Blair + Bush | Policing Pictures | Anti-war Demo Pics | Samba Protest Pics | Creative Protest Images | Stop the War Demo Pics | Troops Out Images | Portrait Pictures | OutRage! Protest | Samba Surveillance | Policing Pictures + Report | US Embassy Pics | Assorted Protest Pictures | Picture Story | Placard-spotting Pics + Report | Summer of Dissent | Video Clips]
March 19th also marked the start of 'Counter Terror: Build Justice' - an International Month Of Peace Action.
The "Troops Home" demonstration was organised by the Stop The War Coalition, CND and the Muslim Association of Great Britain, and followed several days of activities at a Peace Camp set up in Trafalgar Square [see pics 1 | 2].
Protests also took place in Glasgow, Scotland with around 2000 people demonstrating [see pics and reports 1 | 2] and Dublin in Ireland [see pics and reports 1 | 2 | 3].
Over 50,000 people marched in Brussels against the new EU Bolkestein Directive, proposed new attacks on public services, and labour reforms in a European Action Day that took place just days before the EU summit. There were also anti-war protests in Athens (2, 3, video) Barcelona, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy (2), Melbourne (2), Poland (2, 3, 4, 5), Sydney, Johannesburg and many other cities.
Protests also took place in across across the US. See major feature report for San Francisco where over 10,00 people took to the streets - see also New York ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ) , Chicago (Photos: 1 | 2 Video: 1 ), and Fayetteville, North Carolina ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ) .
Thousands also took to the streets in Portland (Photos), smaller towns in Oregon ( Photos: 1 | 2 ), Las Vegas ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ), Baltimore (Photos: 1) , St. Paul ( Photos: 1 ) , Boston (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ), Houston ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 ), Madison ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 Video: 1 ), Nashville ( Photos: 1 ), Miami ( Video: 1 ) Atlanta ( Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 Video: 1 ) , Pittsburgh (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ), Champaign Illinois ( Photos: 1 ), Cleveland ( Photos: 1 ) , and Milwaukee. Elsewhere in California, thousands took to the streets of Los Angeles (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ) and many people from all over the Central Valley gathered in Fresno for "the Rally in the Valley" (Photos: 1 | 2 Video: 1 | 2 ). There was a protest in San Diego (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ) and in Eureka, thousands braved the rain to demand an end to the occupation of Iraq and the immediate withdrawal of US troops (Photos). On Friday, there was a protest in Reedley (Photos)
G8 Clampdown in Derby
20-03-2005 22:29
The biggest police operation [ 1 | 2 ] since the 1984-85 miners' strike was mounted in Derby to protect a G8 Environment Ministers Meeting between 15 and 19 March 2005. This involved orders under Section 13 of the Public Order Act to ban the holding of "public processions through the City of Derby" (funerals were exempted) for five days and then under Section 14 a protest was allowed on the 17 March which involved a "designated protest site of Derby Market Place", a time limit and a maximum number of 3,000 protestors.
Events on M17 started with a Critical Mass bicycle protest in the morning with around 40 people taking part, police arrested twelve cyclists, who were released on bail that night, however their bicycles have been kept "as evidence".
Around 100 protestors then gathered in the only place they were alowed to — the Market Place — and spent the afternoon hanging around, listening to some samba, eating snacks from Veggies and watching Bush and Blair get pied. The point of the protest was explained by a representative of Friends of the Earth, "We're trying to take this opportunity with the G8 Environment and Development Ministers meeting just outside Derby to send a direct message to those ministers, particularly about the rhetoric that's being used in terms of climate change, and actually trying to encourage them to take action rather than just talk about the issue — and also to stop pumping our tax-payers' money into new oil developments and actually look at real solutions to climate change."
The G8 Justice and Home Affairs ministers are due in Sheffield between 15 to 17 June 2005 and Sheffield Dissent has a g8-sheffield email list to discuss what protests might be organised — now we have an idea of what to expect...
Guatemala fights with riots and strikes against the Free Trade Agreement
16-03-2005 20:12
For about one week the economy of Guatemla has practically been shut down by strikes. And there is no end in sight. Primarily the protests are against the ratification of the central american free trade agreement CAFTA with the USA. But many people in Guatemala want to also bring down the neo-conservative government.
More information:
[ Guatemala section on Chiapas Indymedia | report | FTAA protests Imc | Indymedia San Fransisco Bay | pictures | original article on Indy Germany | coverage by Christian Aid | BBC world ]
Background information:
- talk by human rights activist about massacres committed during civil war
- Guatemalan Environmentalists fear for Safety
- critical developments in Guatemala
- Guatemalan Elections Update
- Activists to Host Language Learning Expedition to Guatemala
- past CAFTA protests
- Indy at the FTAA protests
Protests At G8 Ministerial Meetings
10-03-2005 00:01
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...
Iraq-pillagers continue to be targetted
25-02-2005 09:23
CIPO-RFM to speak in Cambridge.
17-02-2005 21:02
Activists from Mexican indigenous direct action group CIPO-RFM will be visiting the UK for the first time on a 5 date speaking tour (including Cambridge: Wednesday 23rd February, 8pm Films, Bharat Bhavan -- old Mill Road Library) 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.
G7 Finance Leaders Get Noisy Welcome as Thousands Protest
05-02-2005 19:36
The day before on Feb 3rd, tens of thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square to demand the elimination of world poverty. Nelson Mandela delivered the keynote speech where he called for millions of people to carry the message of ending poverty to the G8 Summit in Scotland in July, saying: "Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.". See report, pics, speech in full and comments. [MP3 Audio: hear speech in fullPart 1, Part 2] [Oxfam video]
Just days before, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at the World Social Forum 2005, the Call from the Assembly of the Social Movements pledged to take to the streets in mass mobilisations against the G8 Summit, while the Caracol Intergalaktika, the WSF International Youth Camp, called for mass resistance against the G8 and other summits taking place this year, including the IMF / World bank, FTAA and WTO.
See also: G7 Report - the G7 has no intention of cancelling the debt
SchNEWS on the G7 Finance Ministers' Meeting
Report on Church launch of Make Poverty History (Jan 29)
Martial Law Declared in Nepal
04-02-2005 12:33
Nepal: All communication links were cut after the King Gyanendra's announcement of suspending parliament and fundamental rights, on Tuesday, 1st of february.
Airlinks have been closed, roads blocked, other transport links delayed. Armed security forces in riot gear are deployed. Leaders of major political parties, trade unions and student organisations are under house arrest or detained. Army is stationed in the editorial offices of all national dailies in order to censor. Outside of Kathmandu, the Maoist strike is apparently observed.
A student demonstration at Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara was fired on by a military helicopter gunship leaving several protestors badly injured if not dead; all FM radio broadcasts outside of Kathmandu are blocked and those broadcasting in Kathmandu play only entertainment-oriented programmes; the BBC FM station recently established in Kathmandu is forbidden from broadcasting the news in Nepali; news stands outside of the Valley have been closed; and a 72-hour blockade on long-distance public bus travel in and out of Kathmandu is in place.
[ full report] [ Zmag Coverage 1 | 2 ]
Positive Global Movements: Can we reclaim globalisation?
04-02-2005 12:10
Globalisation, in the hands of the corporations, is a means of colonising the new territories opened up by communication technology. In the hand of the people, it can be a medium to unite and put to work new global laws that preserve the livelihood of the people instead of securing profit for inhuman corporations.Can the achievements of the Venezuelan people, who have taken up the challenge of being a fundamental block in the future of their country, be aided by the international community from USA intervention?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304536.html Can we stop the government of the most powerful country in the world from destroying the planet in its mad rush to keep its standard of living based on consumption?
Can alternative media finally have similar influence in building consensus with the population as opposed to the corporate media which imposes the bias of power seekers?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/01/304573.html Can people unite and defeat the doom of this civilisation by corporative power greed?
As the women in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh did when they revolted against government supply of liquor to their villages. When Women Unite film www.rampart.co.nr (movements in motion Indian film festival).
These questions are being debated in the 6 days exhibition and film forums 'Positive Global Movements' from the 6th to the 12th of February at Rampart Creative Social Centre www.rampart.co.nr
Painting with the Zapatista in Scotland
02-02-2005 21:06
“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 ]
Demonstrations and actions against the WEF in Switzerland
19-01-2005 22:04
Last Saturday 15th of january 2005, the first demonstration against the World Economic Forum in Davos has taken place in Winterthur, Switzerland. About 400 people demonstrated without any conflict arising. Another 400 demonstrators voiced their resistance in Chur and Adelsberg to the forthcoming WEF proceeding from 26-30th of January. In Aarau a creative action happened, whilst in Thun a political flashmob confused passers-by, leading to a spontaneous protest. In Heiden, an attack against the UBS, a giant bank consortium, occured. In Zurich, an anti-repression group burnt down a training camp for anti-terrorist units in protest against the WEF security preperations. In Bern, the "Tour de Lorraine", educates with films, theatre and gigs.
On Saturday 22 January a day if Descentralised Creative Actions was called agiainst the WEF summit. Around 1.500 people (Italian report) took part in a series of civil disobedience actions [Timeline in Italian].
Berna: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Davos: 1 | 2 | 3
Burgdorf: 1
At the same time, there was a solidarity action in Oxfrod.
More protests are planned during the week in Berna, Davos, Lugano and Basilea. For more up to date information see:
[AntiWEF 2005 | IMC Switzerland - links to languages ]
Indigenous Fightback in Southern Mexico
03-01-2005 20:43
At the end of last year activists from UK Indymedia spent a month in Mexico. A country where the gap between rich and poor is higher than ever and extreme poverty is evident everywhere. However in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas we encountered some truly inspiring tales of indigenous resistance.
In Oaxaca CIPO-RFM are organising direct action against the polititions and institutions that oppress them. They organise through democratic assemblies and maintain a CIPO PROTEST CAMP which has been attacked by the authorities. The state repression against them has recently increased though they remain defiant and should hopefully be speaking at UK events this February.
In neighbouring Chiapas we visited the Zapatista Caracol of Oventic. Here we interviewed the Zapatistas about their present situation. It is now exactly 11 years since the 1994 uprising, we were shown some of their more impressive achievements including the health service and education systems that they have installed for local people. They are presently appealing for international assistance for the Oventic.
NB Most links are to IMC photo essay posts.
No-Sweat: Hijacking The Brands
08-12-2004 17:16
On sunday 28 of November, there was a curious demonstration at the finish line of the Nike Run London Race at London's Surrey Quays, as various space-hijackers, culture jammers and No Sweat campaigners came together to engage in a spot of coporate image sabotage.
After spending an afternoon painting banners and customising clothing with Nike swooshes, the anti-corporate activists set off for the event. As the estimated 30,000 runners were arriving at the end of the race, the protesters stood next to the finish line whilst holding banners that read "Sweatshops ROCK!", "Child Labour is good for the economy!", "We need little hands to do the small stiching" and "Brand Your Kids". Another protester set up his very own Sweatshop, selling a spoof Nike perfume "Sweat".
The Nike organisers were getting suitably annoyed by the protests, but there was little they could do as the finish line was in a public park, and as such it was public not private property. Read full report and photos.
For more in depth info on Nike see NoSweat briefing.
Victory for Iraq Pillage Protestors, case closed as Prosecution runs scared
25-11-2004 23:00
The women's defense argued that they could not be charged with aggravated trespass, 'the of disruption of a lawful event' as infact the Iraq Procurement conference was unlawful as it was facilitating the pillage of Iraq which was under occupation by the US and the UK at the time of their action. Naomi Klein who was to have been a key witness at the trial attended a press conference at the NUJ on wednesday the 24th of November to speak about the implications of the CPS's decision in relation to this first attempt to put the Pillage of Iraq on trial.
See also Fallujah Eyewitness Newswire article (27th Nov).
Protests at Band Aid Whitewashing Poverty Issues
18-11-2004 09:37
On the 14th November outside the recording studios in Hampstead where "Do They Know It's Christmas" - Band AID 20 (named after the 20-year anniversary of the original) was being re-recorded, demonstrations took place by protesters arguing that Band Aid is little more than a screen "whitewashing the real issues behind world poverty". Shouts of 'real aid, not band aid', 'don't whitewash Africa' and boo's were audiable over the screams of fans and onlookers. One protester was arrested for handing out leaflets explaining the reasons for the protest - [read full report].
Protesters from the Dissent! Network, organising against the G8 Summit, argue that the song is obnoxious, patronising and out of date with the real situation in Africa
"This isn't about creating a record to support people in Africa- this is a kodak moment for Bono, Midge Ure and for Blair to manipulate public opinion and push through a destructive economic agenda to serve Western economic interests."
As Britain gears up for the G8 summit next July, Blair's government together with Bono and Geldof are doing everything they can to convince the public into believing that real action is being taken on issues such as Climate change and poverty in Africa.
The original Band AID single produced in 1984 raised £9.5 million. The 2003 G8 summit in Evian cost £400 million. The security budget for the 2005 summit in Scotland is set at £150 million. The war in Iraq has so far cost the UK taxpayer £80 billion pounds and rising. The continuing loss of life due to poverty and war is unquantifyable.
International development campaigners - the World Development Movement (WDM) - also condemned the lyrics as promoting a "negative and inaccurate picture of Africa and its problems." The organisation, which has been campaigning on issues effecting Africa for over 30 years and was one of the founders of both the fair trade movement and Jubilee 2000, drew attention to several lines in the song which it described as "patronising, false and out of date".
Director of WDM, Mark Curtis said on Tuesday 14th: "The song perpetuates the myth that Africa’s problems can somehow be blamed on lack of rainfall and failed harvests. It conjures up an image of a continent inhabited entirely by starving children with flies on their faces sitting in the sunbaked bed of a dried up stream."
"African poverty is not an unfortunate accident of geography and climate. It is largely the result of damaging policies such as free trade forced on Africa by rich countries."
Several initiatives are now underway to re-write the lyrics - upload your own, or send lyrics or recorded audio files to doyouknowitscapitalism@yahoo.co.uk
