LISBON (AFP) – Portugal's first mass general strike in more than two decades brought the country to a halt Wednesday to protest spending cuts the government says are vital to avoid financial disaster.
Both public and private sector workers joined the one-day strike, which follows similar stoppages in countries such as Greece and France, as governments are forced into unpopular cost-cutting programmes.
The head of the main UGT union, Joao Proenca, said, "It is the biggest strike ever staged," after workers ranging from teachers, train drivers and firemen to doctors and entertainers all walked out.
Manuel Carvalho da Silva, the head of the major CGTP syndicate, estimated the number of strikers at three million, but no official figures were available.
The transport sector was crippled, with no flights taking off or landing at any airport. More than three-quarters of train services and 60 percent of bus services were cancelled, operators said.
Lisbon's metro system was closed for the day, along with the ferries linking the two sides of the Tagus.
The strike, the first time since 1988 that private and public sector workers had come together, also hit banks, media and petrol deliveries, while hospitals were treating emergency cases only and thousands of schools were closed.
Even the police were refusing to issue parking tickets.
Union leaders said the strike had a "massive impact" on the private sector, with less than 10 percent of the workforce turning up at Volkswagen's Autoeuropa plant near the northern city of Porto.
"The mobilisation of workers is enormous," said Manuel Carvalho da Silva, the head of the major CGTP syndicate.
But Labour Minister Helena Andre claimed the impact on the private sector was small, saying that electricity demand had not fallen, while witnesses said small businesses were unaffected.
Earlier Andre told TSF radio, "All Portuguese people understand that the government's margin of manoeuvre to change policy and row back on the proposals in the 2011 budget is practically nil."
"Without the measures we have already taken and those which will come into force next year, the consequences for the Portuguese and the economy will be a great deal worse," she said.
"We are seeing attacks every day on the Portuguese public debt and their negative consequences for the economy, and therefore we are calling on all Portuguese to unite in order to overcome this moment of difficulty."
The strike began on the stroke of midnight with union members setting up picket lines across the country, including outside Lisbon's international airport.
Scuffles broke out between police and union activists at a picket outside a postal sorting office in Lisbon, although no charges were filed.
Two women were injured when the manager of a hypermarket ran his car into a picket line in the north of the country. He was arrested.
However Lisbon metro driver Jose Marques told AFP that the public understood that it was not a strike over wages but to defend "everyone's rights".
The unions' anger has been stoked by government plans for a drastic round of spending cuts and tax rises worth some five billion euros (6.85 billion dollars), which are currently being pushed through parliament.
The package of cuts is intended to reduce the deficit from 7.3 percent of GDP to 4.6 percent next year in a bid to quell growing international unease over the state of Portugal's finances.
The main opposition party said on Tuesday it would not block the government's 2011 budget, paving the way for its adoption on Friday.
But the unions say the cuts are intolerable, particularly from a Socialist government.
"We cannot accept that the first, second and third priority of Portugal is the deficit," UGT chief Proenca said, referring to the country's 10.9 percent unemployment rate, an all-time high.
Portuguese bond yields ticked up seven basis points on Wednesday to 6.799 percent, following sharper rises earlier this week amid concerns over deficit-reduction efforts.
Prime Minister Jose Socrates has rejected suggestions that his country is next in line after Ireland to receive a European Union bailout, saying that Portugal did not need financial aid.
Friday 26 November 2010
Thursday 25 November 2010
STUDENTS IN LONDON CLASH WITH POLICE
On November 24, students marched and clashed with police in London and other cities today in a national walkout and day of protest against tuition fees and education cuts. Smoke grenades, fireworks and paint/spray cans were set off, and fires lit around parts of London as protestors clashed with police. Later in the afternoon, police on horseback mounted attacks on demonstrators by suddenly charging them at high speed. Police also used gas in their attempts to disperse protestors. Many protestors were held in a police cordon, between police lines, known as a “kettle” for several hours before being released 2 at a time, then 10 at a time later in the evening. A number of protestors managed to break out of that cordon, and have the police surrounded. Protestors understood that keeping mobile and moving about quickly avoided them being kettled by police. Police made repeated attempts to kettle more protestors that arrived in the evening, but the protestors escaped police control tactics and marched unhindered around central London, with angry students lighting fires, and shop windows and cars belonging to the rich being smashed.
Many universities have also been occupied by students and are currently ongoing.
See links for detailed reports and photos:
STUDENT CUTS PROTEST - PICS AND ACCOUNT (PART ONE)
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/6118
STUDENT CUTS PROTEST - PICS AND ACCOUNT (PART TWO)
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/6119
STUDENT CUTS PROTEST - PICS AND ACCOUNT (PART THREE)
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/6121
EXCELLENT PHOTOS FROM DEMOTIX:
http://www.demotix.com/news/517384/london-student-protest-opposed-police
http://www.demotix.com/news/517012/student-protest-takes-over-whitehall-london-uk
http://www.demotix.com/news/517474/students-protest-london-over-fee-hikes
Tuesday 23 November 2010
South Korean temporary workers' strike
Temporary workers' strike at Hyundai Motor gains steam with support from labor groups
ULSAN, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- A sit-in strike by temporary workers of Hyundai Motor, the nation's largest automaker, was gaining force as an umbrella union group with nearly 140,000 members pushed Monday for a general strike to join the protest in demanding formal employee status for the workers.
About 550 workers have taken over the automaker's main assembly line in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, since Nov. 15, clashing with riot police and partially crippling the factory's production. On Saturday, one worker tried to set himself on fire during a rally.
The Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU), the country's largest industrial union in the automobile, steel, machinery and shipping sectors, said after a meeting of representatives Monday that it will call a general strike in early December unless Hyundai Motor's management agrees to open negotiations with the striking workers.
A total of 401 KMWU representatives attended the meeting and 302 of them, or 75.3 percent, approved the general strike plan, union officials said.
"If the prolonged strike makes it impossible to operate manufacturing lines normally, the company has no option but to shorten the operation and close the factory," Hyundai Motor's Vice President Kang Ho-don said in a letter to employees.
With the strike gaining momentum, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office vowed to sternly act against the extended walkout.
"The strike by irregular workers of Ulsan factories is illegal," Lee Young-nam, senior prosecutor in charge of public safety, said, expressing concern that the labor dispute could grow into a full-blown and long-lasting one if the temporary workers form an alliance with other labor organizations.
He added that his office is currently preparing criminal proceedings to hold protesters responsible for the damage claimed by the company.
Hyundai Motor filed a suit last week against 27 workers who led the walkout, seeking 3 billion won for financial damage, and Monday filed another suit against them seeking an additional 3 billion won, doubling the compensation amount.
According to the company, the strike is expected to cause more than 100 billion won in production losses by Tuesday morning if the walkout continues throughout the day. It is the biggest loss caused by a non-regular workers' strike, the company noted.
"If the Korea Metal Workers' Union joins the strike, prosecutors will consider a response at a national level accordingly," Lee said.
The dispute began when the irregular workers, hired by a Hyundai Motor subcontractor, urged the automaker to abide by a Supreme Court ruling in July that contract employees who have worked for more than two years should be considered permanent workers. The case was remanded to the high court for further review.
The union of Hyundai Motor's formal employees remains undecided whether to join the irregular workers' move, according to union officials.
While the union of full-time workers at Hyundai Motor had gone on strike almost every year since its establishment in 1987, in 2009, it had a strike-free year after union leaders promised to cooperate to ride out a global financial crisis. The union also agreed to a wage deal in July this year, marking its second year without a strike.
Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors control more than 70 percent of the domestic auto market.
-----------------------------------------
ULSAN, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- A sit-in strike by temporary workers of Hyundai Motor, the nation's largest automaker, was gaining force as an umbrella union group with nearly 140,000 members pushed Monday for a general strike to join the protest in demanding formal employee status for the workers.
About 550 workers have taken over the automaker's main assembly line in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, since Nov. 15, clashing with riot police and partially crippling the factory's production. On Saturday, one worker tried to set himself on fire during a rally.
The Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU), the country's largest industrial union in the automobile, steel, machinery and shipping sectors, said after a meeting of representatives Monday that it will call a general strike in early December unless Hyundai Motor's management agrees to open negotiations with the striking workers.
A total of 401 KMWU representatives attended the meeting and 302 of them, or 75.3 percent, approved the general strike plan, union officials said.
"If the prolonged strike makes it impossible to operate manufacturing lines normally, the company has no option but to shorten the operation and close the factory," Hyundai Motor's Vice President Kang Ho-don said in a letter to employees.
With the strike gaining momentum, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office vowed to sternly act against the extended walkout.
"The strike by irregular workers of Ulsan factories is illegal," Lee Young-nam, senior prosecutor in charge of public safety, said, expressing concern that the labor dispute could grow into a full-blown and long-lasting one if the temporary workers form an alliance with other labor organizations.
He added that his office is currently preparing criminal proceedings to hold protesters responsible for the damage claimed by the company.
Hyundai Motor filed a suit last week against 27 workers who led the walkout, seeking 3 billion won for financial damage, and Monday filed another suit against them seeking an additional 3 billion won, doubling the compensation amount.
According to the company, the strike is expected to cause more than 100 billion won in production losses by Tuesday morning if the walkout continues throughout the day. It is the biggest loss caused by a non-regular workers' strike, the company noted.
"If the Korea Metal Workers' Union joins the strike, prosecutors will consider a response at a national level accordingly," Lee said.
The dispute began when the irregular workers, hired by a Hyundai Motor subcontractor, urged the automaker to abide by a Supreme Court ruling in July that contract employees who have worked for more than two years should be considered permanent workers. The case was remanded to the high court for further review.
The union of Hyundai Motor's formal employees remains undecided whether to join the irregular workers' move, according to union officials.
While the union of full-time workers at Hyundai Motor had gone on strike almost every year since its establishment in 1987, in 2009, it had a strike-free year after union leaders promised to cooperate to ride out a global financial crisis. The union also agreed to a wage deal in July this year, marking its second year without a strike.
Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors control more than 70 percent of the domestic auto market.
-----------------------------------------
Monday 22 November 2010
ANTI-NATO PROTEST LISBON
Reuters) - Portuguese police detained 42 anti-NATO protesters who blocked a road near the military alliance's summit venue in Lisbon on Saturday.
"They are detained for identification. It was an action of civil disobedience. They were blocking an avenue leading towards the venue. There was no violence," a police spokesman said.
Security was tight for the two-day NATO summit and protests by Saturday afternoon were peaceful and small.
Campaigners from Portugal, other European countries and Canada said in a statement: "We are using civil disobedience to highlight the violence committed by NATO in Afghanistan. They are meeting here today to perfect their arsenal of destruction."
Security forces have also barred more than 200 people from entering Portugal since Tuesday, when they revived border checks on the frontier with EU partner Spain for the first time since 2004 to prevent violence during the summit.
In April 2009, hundreds of youths rioted in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, setting fire to buildings as NATO marked its 60th anniversary.
Peace groups planned a peaceful anti-summit rally in central Lisbon later on Saturday.
(Reporting by Andrei Khalip; editing by Ralph Boulton)
World
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53050920101120
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53054820101121?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a54:g12:r1:c0.577095:b39683442:z3
http://www.demotix.com/search/context/query/ANTI-NATO%20PROTESTS%20IN%20LISBON/sort/relevance
"They are detained for identification. It was an action of civil disobedience. They were blocking an avenue leading towards the venue. There was no violence," a police spokesman said.
Security was tight for the two-day NATO summit and protests by Saturday afternoon were peaceful and small.
Campaigners from Portugal, other European countries and Canada said in a statement: "We are using civil disobedience to highlight the violence committed by NATO in Afghanistan. They are meeting here today to perfect their arsenal of destruction."
Security forces have also barred more than 200 people from entering Portugal since Tuesday, when they revived border checks on the frontier with EU partner Spain for the first time since 2004 to prevent violence during the summit.
In April 2009, hundreds of youths rioted in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, setting fire to buildings as NATO marked its 60th anniversary.
Peace groups planned a peaceful anti-summit rally in central Lisbon later on Saturday.
(Reporting by Andrei Khalip; editing by Ralph Boulton)
World
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53050920101120
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53054820101121?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a54:g12:r1:c0.577095:b39683442:z3
http://www.demotix.com/search/context/query/ANTI-NATO%20PROTESTS%20IN%20LISBON/sort/relevance
Saturday 20 November 2010
Greece: Thousands March in Thessaloniki to Commemorate 1973 Revolt
Media Summary
See photos on demotix
http://www.demotix.com/news/511314/thousands-march-thessaloniki-commemorate-1973-revolt
Thousands of people marched in Thessaloniki on Wednesday to commemorate a 17th November 1973 student revolt that was crushed by the military junta then ruling Greece. Thessaloniki, Greece. 17/11/2010
Thousands of people marched in Thessaloniki on Wednesday to commemorate a 1973 student revolt against a US-backed junta, but brandishing banners protesting the financial crisis gripping Greece.Around 10,000 demonstrators took part in the annual march, with a large turnout from student groups, workers and leftist party supporters. After at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, riot police fired teargas at groups of stone-throwing protesters.
See photos on demotix
http://www.demotix.com/news/511314/thousands-march-thessaloniki-commemorate-1973-revolt
Thousands of people marched in Thessaloniki on Wednesday to commemorate a 17th November 1973 student revolt that was crushed by the military junta then ruling Greece. Thessaloniki, Greece. 17/11/2010
Thousands of people marched in Thessaloniki on Wednesday to commemorate a 1973 student revolt against a US-backed junta, but brandishing banners protesting the financial crisis gripping Greece.Around 10,000 demonstrators took part in the annual march, with a large turnout from student groups, workers and leftist party supporters. After at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, riot police fired teargas at groups of stone-throwing protesters.
Friday 19 November 2010
MORE G-20 PHOTOS AND SIT IN STRIKE BY SOUTH KOREAN WORKERS
On Monday at least 400 "irregular" workers from a Hyundai subcontractor began a sit-in strike at the Ulsan plant demanding that they should be hired on regular contracts. Y'day the strike continued and expanded to assembly lines in Asan and Jeonju...
s1600/74507_130454370345171_100001418267150_174932_4991640_n.jpg">
Meanwhile the Hyundai management hired hundreds of mobsters to attack the struggling workers with the aim to break the strike as soon as possible!!!
See also related articles
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
http://worknworld.kctu.org/news/articleView.html?idxno=240001
NATIONAL STUDENTS PROTESTS WED 24TH NOVEMBER
| 18.11.2010 22:46 | Public sector cuts | Liverpool | Manchester
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/468196.html
After the massive recent student protest in London the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) have called for a national day of walkouts and protest on the 24th of November.
NCACF: http://anticuts.com
Facebook event page for the 24th: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134751449911080
London (subject to change):
12noon Trafalgar Square (called by National Campaign Against Cuts & Fees)
1pm Horse Guards Avenue to Parliament (called by Youth Fight for Jobs)
2pm protest at Lib Dem HQ
5.30pm Mass protest at Downing Street to link student action with wider trade union movement
http://anticuts.com/2010/11/15/press-release-24-november-london-event/
Manchester
12 noon Uni Place (tin can)
12.30 March via MMU
13.30 March to town hall
http://standagainstcuts.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177964952219969
Elsewhere:
BOURNEMOUTH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149671685079025
BRISTOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165161463516345
BROCKENHURST COLLEGE (HAMPSHIRE): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162283583810492
BURY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156816764361244
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123388704388977
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161354780568633
EALING, TWYFORD SCHOOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102105446527586
EDINBURGH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176423545707934
HEREFORD: http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=842
LEEDS COLLEGES: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156282571082392
LEEDS UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129466560445230
LEEDS UNIS TEACHIN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132348860153316
LEICESTER: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123405477720241
LINCOLN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130118687042933
LIVERPOOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100821293322538
LIVERPOOL LJMU: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173585069320186
LONDON KINGSTON UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170329922986533#!/event.php?eid=164501303583681
LONDON WEST THAMES COLLEGE LONDON: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160099844025748&num_event_invites=0
LONDON UCU: http://www.facebook.com/pages/UCA-Walkout-National-Day-of-Action-Against-Cuts/107657832637702?ref=mf
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163619150338046
MILTON KEYNES SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166040690085441&ref=ts
NEW CROSS, HABERDASHER’s ASKE’s HATCHAM COLLEGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177738032241069
NEWCASTLE UNI WALKOUT/ TEACHIN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132467673475881
NEWCASTLE RGS: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123648397695469
NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001901283084
TAUNTON, RICHARD HUISH COLLEGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148524455194222
SURREY UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159719290733155
WYEDEAN, MONMOUTH & CHEPSTOW: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128881170503266
Planning Meetings
LONDON QMUL PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141182095931912
GLASGOW PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141525512564838
LONDON ULU PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161582350546070
LONDON LSBU PLANNING MEETING: http://savesouthbank.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/lsbu-student-organiser-meeting-wed-17th-november/
ANTICUTS
Homepage: http://ANTICUTS.ORG.UK
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANGRY MOB HALTS LEWISHAM COUNCIL MEETING IN LONDON
riotact | 18.11.2010 15:02 | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
An angry mob brought proceedings to a standstill at Lewisham Town Hall last night as Mayor Steve Bullock presented the first round of cuts to public services to be made in the borough.
Around 100 people of all ages and backgrounds gathered outside the Town Hall in a demonstration called by local Unions and Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance (1). Impassioned speeches were heard whilst pissed of College students played with the traffic as Lewisham residents demanded No Ifs, No Buts, No Lewisham Cuts.
The protesters then moved inside where some people were admitted to the meetings but around 40 people were refused access by twitchy security. Chants rang out again from buth inside and outside the meeting until eventually the door was opened and the last remaining protesters entered the room to join the noisy crowd inside. Tory lacky Bullock threw several strops at the disruption before halting the meeting all together.
Police were called, a large security presence entered the room and the meeting was reconvened about fifteen minutes later. This allowed petitions containing the names of around 20,000 people to be presented to the Councillors demanding that Lewisham Libraries stay open.
A Lib Dem and Labour councillor were effectively drowned out in the noise as people banged on the walls chanting Shame On You and No Tory Cuts. When Mayor Bullock spoke, chants of Cut Your Wages appeared to leave him visibly shaken.
Councillors will meet on the 29th November to vote on the cuts. Another demonstration is planned then (2) which promises to be much larger as resistance to the cuts grows across the borough.
Meetings, demonstrations and protests are being organised across the Capital as an unprecedented anger sweeps the country at the chinless twats in Government. The students, who aren’t going anywhere (3), showed the way at Millbank and it is quickly becoming clear that it was just the beginning. With all three main political parties lining up against the working class the only meaningful sound left in politics is that of breaking glass.
(1) http://lewishamanticutsalliance.wordpress.com/
(2) http://www.freelondonlistings.co.uk/events-categories/details/26384-stop-the-lewisham-cuts.html
(3) http://anticuts.com/2010/11/15/advertise-for-the-24-november/
riotact
Homepage: http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/
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POLICE CURRENTLY ON RIOT TRAINING EXCERCISE AT RAF FAIRFORD
18.11.2010 12:37 | Public sector cuts | Repression | Social Struggles
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/468154.html
Police training to deal with riots
300 police are currently in the middle of a two day riot training excercise at RAF/USAF Fairford. Interesting timing. Report from the BBC today, unfortunately it came too late to get over there for any pics or footage of what they're doing whilst dressed up as students being 'dealt with' by their colleagues:
Report here: http://directactionstation.com/?p=2957
Kate
e-mail: ktholcombe@aol.com
Homepage: http://http//:www.directactionstation.com
----------------------------------------------------
TORY OFFICES IN NOTTINGHAM SMASHED
Published: November 18, 2010 11:09 by Tory Scum Hater |
http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/676
The Tory offices in Nottingham were last night visited by individuals who hate Tory scum. We smashed some windows, painted some messages including "Fight the cuts" and "Tory Scum".
We did this because we are sick of politicians attacking common people on behalf of the rich. Politicians who have no idea what the lives of common people consist of, and should have no control over their our lives.
We did this because we believe in acting autonomously with the rage in our hearts. And we did this in solidarity with those arrested for being at Millbank, and all people who are getting fucked over by the cuts and capitalism on a daily basis.
------------------------------------
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/468196.html
After the massive recent student protest in London the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) have called for a national day of walkouts and protest on the 24th of November.
NCACF: http://anticuts.com
Facebook event page for the 24th: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134751449911080
London (subject to change):
12noon Trafalgar Square (called by National Campaign Against Cuts & Fees)
1pm Horse Guards Avenue to Parliament (called by Youth Fight for Jobs)
2pm protest at Lib Dem HQ
5.30pm Mass protest at Downing Street to link student action with wider trade union movement
http://anticuts.com/2010/11/15/press-release-24-november-london-event/
Manchester
12 noon Uni Place (tin can)
12.30 March via MMU
13.30 March to town hall
http://standagainstcuts.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177964952219969
Elsewhere:
BOURNEMOUTH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149671685079025
BRISTOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165161463516345
BROCKENHURST COLLEGE (HAMPSHIRE): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162283583810492
BURY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156816764361244
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123388704388977
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161354780568633
EALING, TWYFORD SCHOOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102105446527586
EDINBURGH: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176423545707934
HEREFORD: http://anticuts.org.uk/?p=842
LEEDS COLLEGES: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156282571082392
LEEDS UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129466560445230
LEEDS UNIS TEACHIN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132348860153316
LEICESTER: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123405477720241
LINCOLN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130118687042933
LIVERPOOL: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100821293322538
LIVERPOOL LJMU: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173585069320186
LONDON KINGSTON UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170329922986533#!/event.php?eid=164501303583681
LONDON WEST THAMES COLLEGE LONDON: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160099844025748&num_event_invites=0
LONDON UCU: http://www.facebook.com/pages/UCA-Walkout-National-Day-of-Action-Against-Cuts/107657832637702?ref=mf
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163619150338046
MILTON KEYNES SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166040690085441&ref=ts
NEW CROSS, HABERDASHER’s ASKE’s HATCHAM COLLEGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177738032241069
NEWCASTLE UNI WALKOUT/ TEACHIN: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132467673475881
NEWCASTLE RGS: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123648397695469
NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001901283084
TAUNTON, RICHARD HUISH COLLEGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148524455194222
SURREY UNIVERSITY: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159719290733155
WYEDEAN, MONMOUTH & CHEPSTOW: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128881170503266
Planning Meetings
LONDON QMUL PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141182095931912
GLASGOW PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141525512564838
LONDON ULU PLANNING MEETING: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161582350546070
LONDON LSBU PLANNING MEETING: http://savesouthbank.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/lsbu-student-organiser-meeting-wed-17th-november/
ANTICUTS
Homepage: http://ANTICUTS.ORG.UK
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ANGRY MOB HALTS LEWISHAM COUNCIL MEETING IN LONDON
riotact | 18.11.2010 15:02 | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
An angry mob brought proceedings to a standstill at Lewisham Town Hall last night as Mayor Steve Bullock presented the first round of cuts to public services to be made in the borough.
Around 100 people of all ages and backgrounds gathered outside the Town Hall in a demonstration called by local Unions and Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance (1). Impassioned speeches were heard whilst pissed of College students played with the traffic as Lewisham residents demanded No Ifs, No Buts, No Lewisham Cuts.
The protesters then moved inside where some people were admitted to the meetings but around 40 people were refused access by twitchy security. Chants rang out again from buth inside and outside the meeting until eventually the door was opened and the last remaining protesters entered the room to join the noisy crowd inside. Tory lacky Bullock threw several strops at the disruption before halting the meeting all together.
Police were called, a large security presence entered the room and the meeting was reconvened about fifteen minutes later. This allowed petitions containing the names of around 20,000 people to be presented to the Councillors demanding that Lewisham Libraries stay open.
A Lib Dem and Labour councillor were effectively drowned out in the noise as people banged on the walls chanting Shame On You and No Tory Cuts. When Mayor Bullock spoke, chants of Cut Your Wages appeared to leave him visibly shaken.
Councillors will meet on the 29th November to vote on the cuts. Another demonstration is planned then (2) which promises to be much larger as resistance to the cuts grows across the borough.
Meetings, demonstrations and protests are being organised across the Capital as an unprecedented anger sweeps the country at the chinless twats in Government. The students, who aren’t going anywhere (3), showed the way at Millbank and it is quickly becoming clear that it was just the beginning. With all three main political parties lining up against the working class the only meaningful sound left in politics is that of breaking glass.
(1) http://lewishamanticutsalliance.wordpress.com/
(2) http://www.freelondonlistings.co.uk/events-categories/details/26384-stop-the-lewisham-cuts.html
(3) http://anticuts.com/2010/11/15/advertise-for-the-24-november/
riotact
Homepage: http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/
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POLICE CURRENTLY ON RIOT TRAINING EXCERCISE AT RAF FAIRFORD
18.11.2010 12:37 | Public sector cuts | Repression | Social Struggles
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/468154.html
Police training to deal with riots
300 police are currently in the middle of a two day riot training excercise at RAF/USAF Fairford. Interesting timing. Report from the BBC today, unfortunately it came too late to get over there for any pics or footage of what they're doing whilst dressed up as students being 'dealt with' by their colleagues:
Report here: http://directactionstation.com/?p=2957
Kate
e-mail: ktholcombe@aol.com
Homepage: http://http//:www.directactionstation.com
----------------------------------------------------
TORY OFFICES IN NOTTINGHAM SMASHED
Published: November 18, 2010 11:09 by Tory Scum Hater |
http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/676
The Tory offices in Nottingham were last night visited by individuals who hate Tory scum. We smashed some windows, painted some messages including "Fight the cuts" and "Tory Scum".
We did this because we are sick of politicians attacking common people on behalf of the rich. Politicians who have no idea what the lives of common people consist of, and should have no control over their our lives.
We did this because we believe in acting autonomously with the rage in our hearts. And we did this in solidarity with those arrested for being at Millbank, and all people who are getting fucked over by the cuts and capitalism on a daily basis.
------------------------------------
Wednesday 17 November 2010
SOUTH KOREAN WORKERS CLASH WITH RIOT POLICE
Yesterday's Yonhap reported the following:
Hyundai Motor contract workers taken into custody...
see link CINA
http://blog.jinbo.net/CINA/?m=2006-02
Scores of non-regular workers of Hyundai Motor (factory in Ulsan) were taken into custody Monday during a heavy clash with riot police in a rally to demand formal employee status with the country's largest automaker.
More than 300 unionized contract workers were staging a protest in front of their factories in this city, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Riot police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators after a series of physical confrontations, but the workers reassembled at another factory building and were continuing their protest, according to witnesses.
And here's yesterday's news report by AFP:
Twenty injured in clash at Hyundai car factory
South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor said Monday that 20 people were injured in a violent protest by hundreds of temporary workers.
The company said 20 of its permanent employees were injured in an attempt to drive out temporary workers who have occupied an auto plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan.
Riot police used tear gas to end a violent protest by hundreds of temporary workers inside and outside the factory and detained 50 demonstrators, Yonhap news agency said.
Some temporary workers were injured, it said.
The dispute began when a contractor took over the company's car seat production. Temporary workers have refused to sign contracts with the new company, demanding formal employee status.
South Korea has an estimated 5.3-million "non-regular" or temporary workers, whose bosses are unwilling to employ them on a permanent basis, which would give them greater rights.
The union of Hyundai Motor's full-time workers has a history of militancy, going on strike almost every year since its establishment in 1987.
But in 2009 it had its strike-free year in a decade and a half after union leaders promised to help it ride out the global downturn. The union also agreed a wage deal in July 2010, marking its second year without a strike...
-------------------------
Tuesday 16 November 2010
Direct action against coaltion and wars-Central London
|Sat 20th NOv
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467985.html?c=on#comments
Revolting | 15.11.2010 13:23 | Public sector cuts | Repression
Everyone to the streets-London24th November. The fightback continues.
March from Hyde Park corner to Trafalger Square and be ready for action.
FIGHT BACK!
Carnival against the coalition of scum!
Central London Saturday 20th November
Enough is enough!
Following the great outburst of anger of students at Millbank we must not lose momentum.
Everyone but the rich and their protectors are being abused by this coalition of scum they call the government. We will not wait months for another fucking union A-B march which achieves absolutely nothing.
We will fight back now! Fuck the rich! Fuck the cops! Everyone to the streets on Saturday November 20! We will party in Parliament Square and if the cops try and stop us with their usual violence-WE WILL FUCKING DEFEND OURSELVES!
Unite against the bastards-whatever you call yourselves-student, worker, poor, Muslim, anarchist, socialist, communist, human-these fucking scum are destroying us and our planet-FUCK THEM!
Fucking politicians come on TV and call a few smashed windows violence. Yet they send a bunch of terrorists called troops to murder and destroy entire countries-all in the name of profit. We protest their violence and are met by armed thugs with batons and shields. Self defence is not violence. Property damage is not violence.
Join the Stop the War march but not as a block-Hyde Park Corner-Noon. Go as groups or individuals. Take different clothes to change into away from the cameras. Hide your face! Be prepared at any stage during the day to take direct action. Ignore the stewards-they work with the cops and Stop the War are a government front to keep the fucking wars ongoing by stopping meaningful Direct Action.
On the march pull down barriers-block the polluting traffic that makes us sick.
Word is spreading – there are many of us going to this and we are ready for real action.
Reclaim Parliament Square and then the streets of London!
GET FUCKING ANGRY-THEY ARE DESTROYING OUR LIVES AND OUR PLANET!
WHEN DARK TARGET THE BANKS! They fund the destruction and wars and steal your money.
This is only the beginning (next 24th Nov, 4th Dec)-RISE UP!
Spread the word!
Feel free to make your own poster, rewrite and circulate. Put it on facebook or twitter or whatever
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467985.html?c=on#comments
Revolting | 15.11.2010 13:23 | Public sector cuts | Repression
Everyone to the streets-London24th November. The fightback continues.
March from Hyde Park corner to Trafalger Square and be ready for action.
FIGHT BACK!
Carnival against the coalition of scum!
Central London Saturday 20th November
Enough is enough!
Following the great outburst of anger of students at Millbank we must not lose momentum.
Everyone but the rich and their protectors are being abused by this coalition of scum they call the government. We will not wait months for another fucking union A-B march which achieves absolutely nothing.
We will fight back now! Fuck the rich! Fuck the cops! Everyone to the streets on Saturday November 20! We will party in Parliament Square and if the cops try and stop us with their usual violence-WE WILL FUCKING DEFEND OURSELVES!
Unite against the bastards-whatever you call yourselves-student, worker, poor, Muslim, anarchist, socialist, communist, human-these fucking scum are destroying us and our planet-FUCK THEM!
Fucking politicians come on TV and call a few smashed windows violence. Yet they send a bunch of terrorists called troops to murder and destroy entire countries-all in the name of profit. We protest their violence and are met by armed thugs with batons and shields. Self defence is not violence. Property damage is not violence.
Join the Stop the War march but not as a block-Hyde Park Corner-Noon. Go as groups or individuals. Take different clothes to change into away from the cameras. Hide your face! Be prepared at any stage during the day to take direct action. Ignore the stewards-they work with the cops and Stop the War are a government front to keep the fucking wars ongoing by stopping meaningful Direct Action.
On the march pull down barriers-block the polluting traffic that makes us sick.
Word is spreading – there are many of us going to this and we are ready for real action.
Reclaim Parliament Square and then the streets of London!
GET FUCKING ANGRY-THEY ARE DESTROYING OUR LIVES AND OUR PLANET!
WHEN DARK TARGET THE BANKS! They fund the destruction and wars and steal your money.
This is only the beginning (next 24th Nov, 4th Dec)-RISE UP!
Spread the word!
Feel free to make your own poster, rewrite and circulate. Put it on facebook or twitter or whatever
Monday 15 November 2010
REPORT ON SMASH SEOUL, SMASH G20 PROTEST IN LONDON
SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY MADCAP SECURITY OFFICIALS’ FIREARMS AT THE READY DURING THE SMASH SEOUL, SMASH THE G20 PROTEST ON FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2010
On Friday 12 November, people from various leftist groups and organizations turned up at the south Korean embassy in London to stand in solidarity with south Korean workers, G20 protestors, prisoners and all anti-G20 activists from across the globe who took part in the G20-protests in Seoul, south Korea on 11-12 November and condemn the Lee Myung Bak fascist style puppet regime of south Korea for it brutal onslaught on south Korean workers and their rights.
Protestors handed out anti-G20 fliers to the passing public highlighting the issues.
However from the very start of the protest, south Korean officials of the embassy took a hostile stance towards the protest being held outside the front door of their embassy. Their armed security personnel immediately came out of the embassy and stood at the front of the entrance looking very uneasy and brandishing firearms in full view of the people lawfully protesting. Thus it appears they are so very worried about protestors handing out a few fliers, they now feel the urgent need to brandish firearms about the place to try and intimidate protestors and keep them away from the puppet embassy.
The British diplomatic police (also armed), as usual, were called in and were soon lording it over the protestors and throwing their weight about in less than 10 minutes, by ordering people to move to the other side of the road to their ‘designated’ protest area (10 metres away). The recent Millbank Tower Tory HQ riots are still fresh in the minds of the UK police force. Hence their fear of a possible repeat of those events at the south Korean embassy had enough people turned up. The police told us that the south Korean puppet officials had said that they were feeling very intimidated and harassed by our presence outside the embassy. That was the UK cops’ pretext to get us all arrested if we didn’t move. Is that also the reason why the south Korean embassy security felt the need to brandish firearms at the protestors? That they felt intimidated by people handing out fliers outside their front door? No, it is because they want to frighten us from protesting in larger numbers outside their puppet embassy in future. They think they can use the same vicious underhanded gangster-style tricks that they use against their own people of south Korean against protestors in Britain. A far cry when one considers how the south Korean puppet authorities use their tried and tested method of tear gas and brutal crackdowns and repressions against south Korean labour activists, civic organisations, or anyone who dare utter a word of sympathy in relation to North Korea. One south Korean member of the organisation ‘Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Declaration’ was inflicted with a 2 year prison term on November 8, on the charge of violating the draconian National Security Law of south Korea. He was sentenced for two years behind bars, charged with possession of ‘enemy-benefiting’ music CD-s praising the North of Korea (DPRK).
We initially refused to move and remained standing right outside the entrance of the embassy on the pavement (public highway) until the very last minute, when we were almost certain we were all going to get arrested under Section 14 (5) of the Public Order Act. At that point, we decided we would shift slowly over to the other side of the road and begin condemning the south Korean regime via a large megaphone so that the embassy staff could hear us loud and clear. Better to be there and piss off the south Koreans for a few hours, rather then give them the full satisfaction of having us removed completely from the embassy area in the back of a police van to the delight of those inside the puppet embassy.
One courageous protestor decided to remain defiant and risking arrest and receiving a Level 3 fine of maximum of 1000 pounds as punishment, refused to obey police orders and continued to stand right outside the embassy and continue handing out anti-G20 fliers. He was being harassed by the cops as usual and threatened with arrest if he did not move to the other side of the road to join the rest of us. But he remained defiant
The protestors condemned the UK cops for their own behavior in general, as well as the government agencies of south Korea for conducting crackdowns on undocumented migrants, during which migrants are brutally arrested, illegally imprisoned and then deported. The authorities of south Korea were also condemned for the detention and expulsion of several Philipino G20 activists. South Korean Police had been carrying out illegal and racist stop and search procedures just before the G20 Summit on whoever they think looked ‘suspicious’ or had ‘dark skin’. The government at the same time is continuing to carry out devastating attacks on south Korean workers, activists, labour unions and civic organisations
The demo called for the release of all south Korean prisoners, jailed under the draconian National Security Law. They condemned the south Korean embassy staff in London for brandishing firearms at the protestors who had the lawful right to be there outside the embassy, and demanded the dissolution of the brutal NIS (south Korean Secret Police) of south Korea. The G20 was condemned by the protestors as a bunch of crooks, by accusing them of attempting to make the world ‘safe’ for neo-liberal capitalism by forcing emerging economies to shoulder part of the burden of the crisis, promoting trade and investment liberalization dressed up in ‘new robes’, negotiating weak financial reforms that largely allow financial speculation to on unchecked and reviving the ailing IMF and other IFI-s, and this agenda being pursued despite the fact that neo-liberal capitalism is clearly a failed model, which only increases poverty and inequality around the globe.
Whilst this was going on, the courageous and defiant protestor handing out fliers and refusing to move to the “designated” protest area on the other side of the road and under threat of arrest or even worse (had south Korean security staff at the embassy opened fire on the protestor), was indeed arrested under section 14(5) of the Public Order Act (causing harassment, alarm or distress) ….i.e. and in this case, also for disobeying a legal order made by a senior police officer. He was driven off in the back of a cop car under the loud megaphone chants of “NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, - FUCK THE POLICE!
At the police station, the police initially told the arrestee that he could be held until Monday 15 Nov if they could not have got him into court on Saturday 13 Nov. At midnight on Friday 12, luckily, he was released after been cautioned. Whilst being held for nearly 10 hours, he was also quizzed by the cops in an interview room, and asked about what happened outside the embassy and who the organizers of the event were in the interests of information gathering.
“NO COMMENT” was the response given to all questions by the brave and trusted comrade.
Well done to everyone who turned up on the day!
GLOBALISE RESISTANCE!
SMASH THE G20!
CAPITAL KNOW NO BOUNDARIES, SO WHY SHOULD WE.
SMASH THE LEE MYUNG BAK REGIME OF SOUTH KOREA!
FREEDOM TO ALL LABOUR ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SOUTH KOREA AND ACROSS THE GLOBE!!
And finally,
TO ALL SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY PUPPET SECURITY PERSONNEL AND THEIR SOUTH KOREAN NIS AGENTS IN LONDON!
We say,
IN THE INTERESTS OF NOT TURNING UP THE HEAT AND AVOIDING A FLARE UP IN YOUR EMBASSY AREA, YOU HAD BETTER KEEP ALL YOUR FIREARMS AT BAY AND OFF THE STREETS OF LONDON, AND STOP BRANDISHING THEM AT PEOPLE WHO LAWFULLY PROTEST THE FASCIST-STYLE BRUTAL LEE MYUNG BAK REGIME OUTSIDE YOUR PUPPET SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY!
WE ARE NOT INTIMITATED AND WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY FIREARMS BEING BRANDISHED BY A BUNCH OF THIRD RATE CROOKS AND AGENTS OF THE TREACHEROUS LEE MYUNG BAK PUPPET REGIME OF SOUTH KOREA RESIDING IN THE SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY IN LONDON!
SMASH SEOUL, SMASH THE G20
smashg20.blogspot.com
On Friday 12 November, people from various leftist groups and organizations turned up at the south Korean embassy in London to stand in solidarity with south Korean workers, G20 protestors, prisoners and all anti-G20 activists from across the globe who took part in the G20-protests in Seoul, south Korea on 11-12 November and condemn the Lee Myung Bak fascist style puppet regime of south Korea for it brutal onslaught on south Korean workers and their rights.
Protestors handed out anti-G20 fliers to the passing public highlighting the issues.
However from the very start of the protest, south Korean officials of the embassy took a hostile stance towards the protest being held outside the front door of their embassy. Their armed security personnel immediately came out of the embassy and stood at the front of the entrance looking very uneasy and brandishing firearms in full view of the people lawfully protesting. Thus it appears they are so very worried about protestors handing out a few fliers, they now feel the urgent need to brandish firearms about the place to try and intimidate protestors and keep them away from the puppet embassy.
The British diplomatic police (also armed), as usual, were called in and were soon lording it over the protestors and throwing their weight about in less than 10 minutes, by ordering people to move to the other side of the road to their ‘designated’ protest area (10 metres away). The recent Millbank Tower Tory HQ riots are still fresh in the minds of the UK police force. Hence their fear of a possible repeat of those events at the south Korean embassy had enough people turned up. The police told us that the south Korean puppet officials had said that they were feeling very intimidated and harassed by our presence outside the embassy. That was the UK cops’ pretext to get us all arrested if we didn’t move. Is that also the reason why the south Korean embassy security felt the need to brandish firearms at the protestors? That they felt intimidated by people handing out fliers outside their front door? No, it is because they want to frighten us from protesting in larger numbers outside their puppet embassy in future. They think they can use the same vicious underhanded gangster-style tricks that they use against their own people of south Korean against protestors in Britain. A far cry when one considers how the south Korean puppet authorities use their tried and tested method of tear gas and brutal crackdowns and repressions against south Korean labour activists, civic organisations, or anyone who dare utter a word of sympathy in relation to North Korea. One south Korean member of the organisation ‘Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Declaration’ was inflicted with a 2 year prison term on November 8, on the charge of violating the draconian National Security Law of south Korea. He was sentenced for two years behind bars, charged with possession of ‘enemy-benefiting’ music CD-s praising the North of Korea (DPRK).
We initially refused to move and remained standing right outside the entrance of the embassy on the pavement (public highway) until the very last minute, when we were almost certain we were all going to get arrested under Section 14 (5) of the Public Order Act. At that point, we decided we would shift slowly over to the other side of the road and begin condemning the south Korean regime via a large megaphone so that the embassy staff could hear us loud and clear. Better to be there and piss off the south Koreans for a few hours, rather then give them the full satisfaction of having us removed completely from the embassy area in the back of a police van to the delight of those inside the puppet embassy.
One courageous protestor decided to remain defiant and risking arrest and receiving a Level 3 fine of maximum of 1000 pounds as punishment, refused to obey police orders and continued to stand right outside the embassy and continue handing out anti-G20 fliers. He was being harassed by the cops as usual and threatened with arrest if he did not move to the other side of the road to join the rest of us. But he remained defiant
The protestors condemned the UK cops for their own behavior in general, as well as the government agencies of south Korea for conducting crackdowns on undocumented migrants, during which migrants are brutally arrested, illegally imprisoned and then deported. The authorities of south Korea were also condemned for the detention and expulsion of several Philipino G20 activists. South Korean Police had been carrying out illegal and racist stop and search procedures just before the G20 Summit on whoever they think looked ‘suspicious’ or had ‘dark skin’. The government at the same time is continuing to carry out devastating attacks on south Korean workers, activists, labour unions and civic organisations
The demo called for the release of all south Korean prisoners, jailed under the draconian National Security Law. They condemned the south Korean embassy staff in London for brandishing firearms at the protestors who had the lawful right to be there outside the embassy, and demanded the dissolution of the brutal NIS (south Korean Secret Police) of south Korea. The G20 was condemned by the protestors as a bunch of crooks, by accusing them of attempting to make the world ‘safe’ for neo-liberal capitalism by forcing emerging economies to shoulder part of the burden of the crisis, promoting trade and investment liberalization dressed up in ‘new robes’, negotiating weak financial reforms that largely allow financial speculation to on unchecked and reviving the ailing IMF and other IFI-s, and this agenda being pursued despite the fact that neo-liberal capitalism is clearly a failed model, which only increases poverty and inequality around the globe.
Whilst this was going on, the courageous and defiant protestor handing out fliers and refusing to move to the “designated” protest area on the other side of the road and under threat of arrest or even worse (had south Korean security staff at the embassy opened fire on the protestor), was indeed arrested under section 14(5) of the Public Order Act (causing harassment, alarm or distress) ….i.e. and in this case, also for disobeying a legal order made by a senior police officer. He was driven off in the back of a cop car under the loud megaphone chants of “NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, - FUCK THE POLICE!
At the police station, the police initially told the arrestee that he could be held until Monday 15 Nov if they could not have got him into court on Saturday 13 Nov. At midnight on Friday 12, luckily, he was released after been cautioned. Whilst being held for nearly 10 hours, he was also quizzed by the cops in an interview room, and asked about what happened outside the embassy and who the organizers of the event were in the interests of information gathering.
“NO COMMENT” was the response given to all questions by the brave and trusted comrade.
Well done to everyone who turned up on the day!
GLOBALISE RESISTANCE!
SMASH THE G20!
CAPITAL KNOW NO BOUNDARIES, SO WHY SHOULD WE.
SMASH THE LEE MYUNG BAK REGIME OF SOUTH KOREA!
FREEDOM TO ALL LABOUR ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SOUTH KOREA AND ACROSS THE GLOBE!!
And finally,
TO ALL SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY PUPPET SECURITY PERSONNEL AND THEIR SOUTH KOREAN NIS AGENTS IN LONDON!
We say,
IN THE INTERESTS OF NOT TURNING UP THE HEAT AND AVOIDING A FLARE UP IN YOUR EMBASSY AREA, YOU HAD BETTER KEEP ALL YOUR FIREARMS AT BAY AND OFF THE STREETS OF LONDON, AND STOP BRANDISHING THEM AT PEOPLE WHO LAWFULLY PROTEST THE FASCIST-STYLE BRUTAL LEE MYUNG BAK REGIME OUTSIDE YOUR PUPPET SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY!
WE ARE NOT INTIMITATED AND WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY FIREARMS BEING BRANDISHED BY A BUNCH OF THIRD RATE CROOKS AND AGENTS OF THE TREACHEROUS LEE MYUNG BAK PUPPET REGIME OF SOUTH KOREA RESIDING IN THE SOUTH KOREAN EMBASSY IN LONDON!
SMASH SEOUL, SMASH THE G20
smashg20.blogspot.com
Friday 12 November 2010
LONDON STUDENTS REVOLT
PHOTOS AND REPORTS FROM STUDENT ANTI-CUTS DEMO CENTRAL LONDON
PHOTOS OF STUDENT ANTI-CUTS DEMO CENTRAL LONDON 10 NOV 2010
http://www.demotix.com/from/europe
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=PHOTOS+OF+STUDENT+RIOT+LONDON+NOV+10&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
During the 40,000 strong student march against tuition fees, a few hundred students stormed the Conservative Party Headquarters on Millbank and occupied the reception area. The 15 foot tall plate glass windows on the ground floor were all smashed.
The police were heavily outnumbered and endured a constant barrage of missiles including placards, bottles and cobble stones dug up from the pavement.
A number of protesters ran past police lines and succeeded in making to the roof of the building to the delight of the crowd below. They let off fire extinguishers before dropping one into the small group of riot police directly below. Fortunately, it seemed to miss. At least eight police and protesters were taken to hospital.
A SMASHING GOOD DAY
More than just a student protest, more of an anti-cuts anti-tory revolt on the streets vy all sections of the population, and a sign of more to come.
Let this usher in the start of more such militant actions.
WELL DONE TO ALL WHO TOOK PART!
GIVE THE TORIES AND THE SYSTEM THE KICKING IT REALLY DESERVES!
SMASH THE CAPITALIST STATE
FOR SOCIALIST REVOLUTION!
FB-AUCPB
VIOLENT: Students smashing windows, London protest over tuition fees at 30 Millbank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGr-dV4Mlac&feature=related
REPORTS
The anger against the assaults on workers, students and the poor crashed down on the Tories on Wednesday. It was the biggest demonstration against the government since David Cameron went into Downing Street. It was brilliant to see so many students and lecturers take the initiative and give a focus for the hatred millions feel about the Tory cuts. Militant protest is the way to push back the attacks. The 50,000 students, lecturers and other protesters who took to the streets were fighting £9,000-a-year tuition fees that will close university education to most working class students. They are also fighting against the cuts in courses and staff, and the ending of the Education Maintenance Allowance. The mood of anger that has swept Europe arrived in London. The lively protest was filled with anger as protestors chanted “Tory scum”. But they were also revolting about much more too. The demo—and the occupation of the Tory headquarters in the Millbank Tower—were a sign of the fury against the Tories pampering the rich while assaulting the poor. And it showed the anger at a society where profit comes before any human need. Tory headquarters at Millbank is the symbol of all that. As the demonstration marched past, a large group broke away into the building’s courtyard. Then some occupied the foyer. More and more joined them until up to 5,000 students and lecturers were protesting against the Tories blocking the road outside. They brushed aside the few police officers defending the Tory tower. Protesters lit bonfires in the courtyard and chanted against the Tories. One student told Socialist Worker, “We got a few police helmets and threw them on the fires.” Some demonstrators smashed several of the building’s front windows—to massive cheers. And protesters on the pavement sat on office chairs, and a sofa they’d removed from the building. Students burned bright red flares in the courtyard. Some demonstrators appeared on the building’s roof, waving banners. It was nearly an hour before a unit of riot police turned up and blocked the doors to stop more people entering the building. But the carnival atmosphere outside continued. The riot police were pushed back on several occasions by the sheer number of protesters. Eventually, using brutal force, the police were able to drive the protesters out.
Reflections on the invasion of Millbank Tower
Last Hours | 11.11.2010 22:08 | Other Press | Public sector cuts | Workers' Movements
During yesterday’s protest against cuts to education crowds stormed Tory headquarters. Windows where smashed and offices destroyed. As a result we can witness the capitalist system bend and buckle in its attempts to dismiss these acts of anger as illegitimate.
Amongst the 1,000s that played some role in the invasion of Millbank Tower, were workers and students from all areas of society. We condemn both the media claim that a small group of anarchist antagonists where responsible (juxtaposed by their own images showing thousands rallying around the building) as well as the notion that the students involved are part of a privileged class. The idea that working class youth are some how exempt from the desire for education is both naive and patronising.
Full text with links and images at http://www.lasthours.org.uk/blogs/refund-our-future-reflections-on-the-invasion-of-millbank-tower/
This is an anonymous report we received
Arriving at the starting point of the demo the energy (and noise) levels were already extremely high. There were thousands of young people from all over the country, but it seemed that the whole event was being carefully controlled by stewards. All the placards had lame reformist slogans (admittedly with a few vaguely funny ones) and we were expecting a pretty tame march from A to B. When we finally found the Anarchist (or “Radical Workers and Students”) block, after fighting our way through Trotskyists and NUS stewards. We were disappointed to see that it was pretty small and not in a very good position in terms of visibility. On the march itself, the only act of civil disobedience we saw was a short lived attempt by about 20 people to sit down and block the road. However, when we passed the Millbank building the anarchists had been split up a little and when we looked back to try and spot some red and blag flags we were surprised to see that they were in amongst a group of probably hundreds of others attacking the building. People were running into the foyer, trying to smash windows and graffiti-ing the walls, with little police resistance. Because we didn’t see exactly how it started we don’t know how true the mainstream media’s claim that a small group of anarchists “hijacked” the peaceful protest by instigating property damage is. One thing though is for absolute certain, that self-identified anarchists were themselves only a small minority of all the people engaged in all the acts of civil disobedience and property damage. Even at this point there were literally hundreds of people either directly pushing against police, throwing stuff at them or smashing things. The NUS claim that there were over 50 000 people in total at the demonstration and only a minority took part in the “violence”. A “minority” of this number would still mean far more people than usually have attended British demos in recent years, let alone taken such militant action.
That first incident seemed to die down quite soon and we assumed it would be easily put down by the Met, based on previous painful experience of their capabilities. Besides, we had already seen more property damage than had happened at the London G20 protests, and of a more suitably symbolic building so it had already been more of a successful demo than we’d been expecting. We walked on and soon came to the end point of the march. Predictably enough for a demo organised by bureaucrats, we were expected to stand around listening to speeches and chanting in a space controlled by security guards and stewards. We decided “fuck this” and were on our way back down towards where we came from, when we noticed smoke coming from the courtyard in the Millbank building. The energy there then was pretty excited and there were virtually no police in sight, there was a small line of cops at the entrance and people were already throwing stuff at them – to a degree rarely seen at demos in Britain. However, we had received a call out to go to the business and innovation centre where apparently something was going down. We never made it there because as we were walking down we saw a crowd of people with a sound system break away from the crowds to the end point. They went down a side street and had a mini Reclaim-The-Streets style party with a line of riot police watching, whilst blocking the way to the Lib-dem headquarters. Amusingly that street was called “Cowley Street” the same name as that of a famous leader of the Brighton squatting movement during the great depression. People danced to dub step for a while and threw stuff at cops before going back toward the Tory hq where the fires were still burning. When we went back there we saw a push-and-shove situation with the cops in front of one of the big glass walls, that was already nearly completely smashed apart.
The stand-off continued for a while, with heightening tensions, amplified by shouts of support from thousands of people behind. Some demonstrators were already inside waving placards and further trying to help break the glass. When the crowds saw that people had got on to the roof and were waving banners, red and black flags and their fists in the air, they screamed encouragement and further energised those at the front lines. Eventually some people started smashing apart a different glass wall and the police didn’t even try to stop them. It came down with a resounding crash and we all piled in to the foyer of the building, there was probably over 100 people in this area, some smashing windows, some pushing against cops to gain to access to the stairs, all shouting “tory scum, tory scum”. There was a tense stand off at the door to the stairs for a while and the very few cops guarding it seemed shit-scared and confused, (not at all the “brave thin blue line” that David Cameron claims) but finally this was resolved and we got the doors open. This enabled many to make their way through the building, smashing what they could and making their way to the roof. Many managed to escape through the fire exit after staying as long as they individually felt necessary, but according to news reports some were still inside hours later, and many later got arrested.
More on the attack on the Millbank building:
The storming of the Tory party HQ occurred about an hour after the organised march had already started gathering at its final destination point to watch important people deliver pre-recorded (largely inaudible) messages on a giant TV screen. A high-spirited spontaneous demo had been occupying the square outside of the building with a bonfire of placards since the march had passed it by en route. This was despite the stewards’ attempts to file everybody by the building unnoticed, and the crowd seemed a broad representation of demo participants (mostly unmasked with a variety of placards and signs); far from the ‘organised contingent of troublemaker anarchists’ that Aaron Porter, the MET and the mainstream media have predictably reported as at the heart of all transgressive action. In fact, the radical student and workers’ bloc called for by Sol Fed and Afed was disappointingly small and disorganised; comprising just a handful of red and black flags amongst other demonstrators, and seemed to get broken apart 2/3 of the way through the march when cops held the crowd back at a roundabout.
When the plate glass windows of the building started getting smashed, the atmosphere within the square was energetic. The entire crowd seemed behind the actions, cheering support for those at the front, calling for people to move in en masse, and continuously pushing forward in an attempt to do so. This action did not seem in any way pre-planned, but happened spontaneously in the midst of a lively and diverse mass demo of students wanting to direct their anger directly at some of those responsible for selling out their futures (continual chants of ‘Tory scum’ and the like).
There were relatively few cops defending the building at this point and the crowd was able to push through at various points using bodymass with minimal physical interaction once the windows had been broken. Many, once in, set about helping others to join them by smashing other windows (lots of them without masks) to open the atrium up to the surging crowd. Greater numbers were only prevented from getting into the atrium (which filled up quickly) by the lifts having been disabled and the stairwell being blocked off by cops with drawn batons. However the police were lacking in numbers and were prevented from forming a solid line by protestors linking arms and using effective bodymass (we witnessed one individual dearrested by the crowd after having been pulled by cops from this group). Eventually the few police defending the door withdrew, enabling many of the crowd to join comrades on the roof.
Physical violence inside was minimal at this stage, consisting mainly just of pushing, with cops outnumbered and therefore unwilling to antagonise, and protestors intent only on getting further into the building. In fact most of the violence named by the news reports seems mainly to refer just to property damage. This consisted mostly of smashed windows and fire hoses/extinguishers set off, although we have also heard reports of a fire extinguisher dropped from the roof, and we left relatively early. The crowd packed into the square remained supportive of those within the building, cheering and waving at people on the roof. After less than half an hour of our having joined the initial group of occupiers on the roof, a decision was taken collectively by a spontaneous meeting of lots of those present to leave the building together as a group, which we did successfully, a small number of people remaining behind. Having locked their doors, the tory offices which occupied the lower floors of the building (and those inside them) remained untouched.
PHOTOS OF STUDENT ANTI-CUTS DEMO CENTRAL LONDON 10 NOV 2010
http://www.demotix.com/from/europe
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=PHOTOS+OF+STUDENT+RIOT+LONDON+NOV+10&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
During the 40,000 strong student march against tuition fees, a few hundred students stormed the Conservative Party Headquarters on Millbank and occupied the reception area. The 15 foot tall plate glass windows on the ground floor were all smashed.
The police were heavily outnumbered and endured a constant barrage of missiles including placards, bottles and cobble stones dug up from the pavement.
A number of protesters ran past police lines and succeeded in making to the roof of the building to the delight of the crowd below. They let off fire extinguishers before dropping one into the small group of riot police directly below. Fortunately, it seemed to miss. At least eight police and protesters were taken to hospital.
A SMASHING GOOD DAY
More than just a student protest, more of an anti-cuts anti-tory revolt on the streets vy all sections of the population, and a sign of more to come.
Let this usher in the start of more such militant actions.
WELL DONE TO ALL WHO TOOK PART!
GIVE THE TORIES AND THE SYSTEM THE KICKING IT REALLY DESERVES!
SMASH THE CAPITALIST STATE
FOR SOCIALIST REVOLUTION!
FB-AUCPB
VIOLENT: Students smashing windows, London protest over tuition fees at 30 Millbank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGr-dV4Mlac&feature=related
REPORTS
The anger against the assaults on workers, students and the poor crashed down on the Tories on Wednesday. It was the biggest demonstration against the government since David Cameron went into Downing Street. It was brilliant to see so many students and lecturers take the initiative and give a focus for the hatred millions feel about the Tory cuts. Militant protest is the way to push back the attacks. The 50,000 students, lecturers and other protesters who took to the streets were fighting £9,000-a-year tuition fees that will close university education to most working class students. They are also fighting against the cuts in courses and staff, and the ending of the Education Maintenance Allowance. The mood of anger that has swept Europe arrived in London. The lively protest was filled with anger as protestors chanted “Tory scum”. But they were also revolting about much more too. The demo—and the occupation of the Tory headquarters in the Millbank Tower—were a sign of the fury against the Tories pampering the rich while assaulting the poor. And it showed the anger at a society where profit comes before any human need. Tory headquarters at Millbank is the symbol of all that. As the demonstration marched past, a large group broke away into the building’s courtyard. Then some occupied the foyer. More and more joined them until up to 5,000 students and lecturers were protesting against the Tories blocking the road outside. They brushed aside the few police officers defending the Tory tower. Protesters lit bonfires in the courtyard and chanted against the Tories. One student told Socialist Worker, “We got a few police helmets and threw them on the fires.” Some demonstrators smashed several of the building’s front windows—to massive cheers. And protesters on the pavement sat on office chairs, and a sofa they’d removed from the building. Students burned bright red flares in the courtyard. Some demonstrators appeared on the building’s roof, waving banners. It was nearly an hour before a unit of riot police turned up and blocked the doors to stop more people entering the building. But the carnival atmosphere outside continued. The riot police were pushed back on several occasions by the sheer number of protesters. Eventually, using brutal force, the police were able to drive the protesters out.
Reflections on the invasion of Millbank Tower
Last Hours | 11.11.2010 22:08 | Other Press | Public sector cuts | Workers' Movements
During yesterday’s protest against cuts to education crowds stormed Tory headquarters. Windows where smashed and offices destroyed. As a result we can witness the capitalist system bend and buckle in its attempts to dismiss these acts of anger as illegitimate.
Amongst the 1,000s that played some role in the invasion of Millbank Tower, were workers and students from all areas of society. We condemn both the media claim that a small group of anarchist antagonists where responsible (juxtaposed by their own images showing thousands rallying around the building) as well as the notion that the students involved are part of a privileged class. The idea that working class youth are some how exempt from the desire for education is both naive and patronising.
Full text with links and images at http://www.lasthours.org.uk/blogs/refund-our-future-reflections-on-the-invasion-of-millbank-tower/
This is an anonymous report we received
Arriving at the starting point of the demo the energy (and noise) levels were already extremely high. There were thousands of young people from all over the country, but it seemed that the whole event was being carefully controlled by stewards. All the placards had lame reformist slogans (admittedly with a few vaguely funny ones) and we were expecting a pretty tame march from A to B. When we finally found the Anarchist (or “Radical Workers and Students”) block, after fighting our way through Trotskyists and NUS stewards. We were disappointed to see that it was pretty small and not in a very good position in terms of visibility. On the march itself, the only act of civil disobedience we saw was a short lived attempt by about 20 people to sit down and block the road. However, when we passed the Millbank building the anarchists had been split up a little and when we looked back to try and spot some red and blag flags we were surprised to see that they were in amongst a group of probably hundreds of others attacking the building. People were running into the foyer, trying to smash windows and graffiti-ing the walls, with little police resistance. Because we didn’t see exactly how it started we don’t know how true the mainstream media’s claim that a small group of anarchists “hijacked” the peaceful protest by instigating property damage is. One thing though is for absolute certain, that self-identified anarchists were themselves only a small minority of all the people engaged in all the acts of civil disobedience and property damage. Even at this point there were literally hundreds of people either directly pushing against police, throwing stuff at them or smashing things. The NUS claim that there were over 50 000 people in total at the demonstration and only a minority took part in the “violence”. A “minority” of this number would still mean far more people than usually have attended British demos in recent years, let alone taken such militant action.
That first incident seemed to die down quite soon and we assumed it would be easily put down by the Met, based on previous painful experience of their capabilities. Besides, we had already seen more property damage than had happened at the London G20 protests, and of a more suitably symbolic building so it had already been more of a successful demo than we’d been expecting. We walked on and soon came to the end point of the march. Predictably enough for a demo organised by bureaucrats, we were expected to stand around listening to speeches and chanting in a space controlled by security guards and stewards. We decided “fuck this” and were on our way back down towards where we came from, when we noticed smoke coming from the courtyard in the Millbank building. The energy there then was pretty excited and there were virtually no police in sight, there was a small line of cops at the entrance and people were already throwing stuff at them – to a degree rarely seen at demos in Britain. However, we had received a call out to go to the business and innovation centre where apparently something was going down. We never made it there because as we were walking down we saw a crowd of people with a sound system break away from the crowds to the end point. They went down a side street and had a mini Reclaim-The-Streets style party with a line of riot police watching, whilst blocking the way to the Lib-dem headquarters. Amusingly that street was called “Cowley Street” the same name as that of a famous leader of the Brighton squatting movement during the great depression. People danced to dub step for a while and threw stuff at cops before going back toward the Tory hq where the fires were still burning. When we went back there we saw a push-and-shove situation with the cops in front of one of the big glass walls, that was already nearly completely smashed apart.
The stand-off continued for a while, with heightening tensions, amplified by shouts of support from thousands of people behind. Some demonstrators were already inside waving placards and further trying to help break the glass. When the crowds saw that people had got on to the roof and were waving banners, red and black flags and their fists in the air, they screamed encouragement and further energised those at the front lines. Eventually some people started smashing apart a different glass wall and the police didn’t even try to stop them. It came down with a resounding crash and we all piled in to the foyer of the building, there was probably over 100 people in this area, some smashing windows, some pushing against cops to gain to access to the stairs, all shouting “tory scum, tory scum”. There was a tense stand off at the door to the stairs for a while and the very few cops guarding it seemed shit-scared and confused, (not at all the “brave thin blue line” that David Cameron claims) but finally this was resolved and we got the doors open. This enabled many to make their way through the building, smashing what they could and making their way to the roof. Many managed to escape through the fire exit after staying as long as they individually felt necessary, but according to news reports some were still inside hours later, and many later got arrested.
More on the attack on the Millbank building:
The storming of the Tory party HQ occurred about an hour after the organised march had already started gathering at its final destination point to watch important people deliver pre-recorded (largely inaudible) messages on a giant TV screen. A high-spirited spontaneous demo had been occupying the square outside of the building with a bonfire of placards since the march had passed it by en route. This was despite the stewards’ attempts to file everybody by the building unnoticed, and the crowd seemed a broad representation of demo participants (mostly unmasked with a variety of placards and signs); far from the ‘organised contingent of troublemaker anarchists’ that Aaron Porter, the MET and the mainstream media have predictably reported as at the heart of all transgressive action. In fact, the radical student and workers’ bloc called for by Sol Fed and Afed was disappointingly small and disorganised; comprising just a handful of red and black flags amongst other demonstrators, and seemed to get broken apart 2/3 of the way through the march when cops held the crowd back at a roundabout.
When the plate glass windows of the building started getting smashed, the atmosphere within the square was energetic. The entire crowd seemed behind the actions, cheering support for those at the front, calling for people to move in en masse, and continuously pushing forward in an attempt to do so. This action did not seem in any way pre-planned, but happened spontaneously in the midst of a lively and diverse mass demo of students wanting to direct their anger directly at some of those responsible for selling out their futures (continual chants of ‘Tory scum’ and the like).
There were relatively few cops defending the building at this point and the crowd was able to push through at various points using bodymass with minimal physical interaction once the windows had been broken. Many, once in, set about helping others to join them by smashing other windows (lots of them without masks) to open the atrium up to the surging crowd. Greater numbers were only prevented from getting into the atrium (which filled up quickly) by the lifts having been disabled and the stairwell being blocked off by cops with drawn batons. However the police were lacking in numbers and were prevented from forming a solid line by protestors linking arms and using effective bodymass (we witnessed one individual dearrested by the crowd after having been pulled by cops from this group). Eventually the few police defending the door withdrew, enabling many of the crowd to join comrades on the roof.
Physical violence inside was minimal at this stage, consisting mainly just of pushing, with cops outnumbered and therefore unwilling to antagonise, and protestors intent only on getting further into the building. In fact most of the violence named by the news reports seems mainly to refer just to property damage. This consisted mostly of smashed windows and fire hoses/extinguishers set off, although we have also heard reports of a fire extinguisher dropped from the roof, and we left relatively early. The crowd packed into the square remained supportive of those within the building, cheering and waving at people on the roof. After less than half an hour of our having joined the initial group of occupiers on the roof, a decision was taken collectively by a spontaneous meeting of lots of those present to leave the building together as a group, which we did successfully, a small number of people remaining behind. Having locked their doors, the tory offices which occupied the lower floors of the building (and those inside them) remained untouched.
Thursday 4 November 2010
IRISH STUDENTS CLASH WITH RIOT POLICE IN DUBLIN
Dublin students demo rows with cops and attacks Dept of Finance
| 03.11.2010 19:11 |
Riot police attacked students in Dublin today with dogs, armoured vehicles and horses after the students protesting against government cuts occupied the Department of Finance and threw eggs at the Dail.
Upwards of thirty students occupied the Department of Finance in the centre of Dublin with a couple of hundred supporting them in the streets outside.
Another larger group of students was reported outside the Dail throwing cans & bottles at it. Several students seem to be injured in the suppression of the protest.
Tens of thousands of students are demonstrating as part of the USI protests against plans to introduce fees, these students carrying out the occupation appear to have broken away from the main demonstration which is taking place around the corner in Merrion square. Student members of the WSM, eirigi and the SWP are at the scene. (pic via indymedia.ie )
It has been reported that eggs were thrown at the building and that four Gardai horses soon arrived on the scene. Thousands of students had marched from Parnell Square to Merrion Square, where they were to addressed by student leaders, among them Union of Students in Ireland President Gary Redmond.
The registration fee is expected to rise to 2500 euro, a rise of 1000 euro. USI says this will force thousands of students will be forced to drop-out.
Shockingly USI distanced itself after the Gardai attack on the protest not from the police violence but from the student occupation, with a statement that said "USI is saddened by the actions of a small minority of people who staged a sit-in protest at the Dept of Finance, shortly after the USI protest march today. This anti-social behaviour was completely separate from USI’s demo." The statement did not say what, if any, mandate they had to issue condemnations of their members and will be likely to raise a considerable outcry at USI congress this year. It reflects a long pattern of conservative USI leaders being elected in quiet periods who get left behind as student militancy sweeps past them
A WSM reporter at the scene said that "The numbers outside the Department are still growing as people come up from the other at the Dail. There are now maybe four hundred on Baggot Row. The Dail was egged and bottled by a breakaway march of about a thousand, many of whom are here now. The Department is also being egged." Inside the Dail, Ciaran Cannon reported on Twitter that empty bottles, cans, several eggs and a sliced pan had been thrown.
Further updates came in from our three reports on the spot as follows
"Some of the crowd outside are now trying to push through the doors to get into the Department, a line of Gardai are trying to push them back" (14.35)
"Riot vans are being brought up, students are now throwing eggs at these" (15.05)
Horses used against protest in Dublin"Line of horse cops trying to clear the streets, totally surrounded by sitting students now. Well over five hundred on the street, can't see more. Line of cops in front of the building too" (15.12)
"Riot cops have now formed a line, there is a sit down protest in progress in front of them. The students occupying the building have been got out, kicking. " (15.15) - this cut off with the word people, see below
"At least three students have been injured. Cops are hitting people on the head with batons" (15:24)
"Seems gardai are gaining upper hand, crowd dispersing, someone put up a free beer poster"(Johnny Fallon at 15.26 on Twitter)
"They batoned lines of people, dragged away a lot of people but at least some were just thrown outside the cordon rather than arrested. Now they're forcing people away with a line of riot police. At least one person was injured in the eviction. Sorry for the last text, was getting smacked" (15.28)
"Riot cops, horses and a dog have forced everyone back down towards Stephen's Green. Still at least a hundred people facing off with the line of police on Stephen's Green, they are being run back. We have just been charged by horses" (15.40)
"About three hundred folk outside the dail, just leaving now. Things seem to be quieting down now. Reports of some arrests, unsure on that point" (16.00)
Reports on offical state media (RTE) published an hour after these clashes were first reported here on wsm.ie reported the deployment of mounted Gardai and armoured vehicles and that "Violent scenes are continuing between a large number of riot police, gardaí and students. Some students have bloody noses and one student has been carried away, possibly unconscious." but went on to claim that "Some students have expressed deep upset at the outbreak of violence."
In advance of the protest Free Education for Everyone (FEE) had issued a call to meet up to form a Socialist bloc at The Ambassador Theatre. FEE said defeating the cuts "will only happen if students like you get involved." and describes itself as "an active campaign against fees and youth unemployment that strives to organise second and third level students right across the country. It is currently organised in UCD, Trinity, Maynooth, NUIG, UCC and UL. FEE has organised a series of protests, blockades and occupations against fees. FEE members are actively involved in their Students’ Unions as well as building FEE.We are aiming to build a mass movement that can defeat fees and education cuts. "
This morning the Taoiseach refused to say in the Dáil if third-level fees would be introduced or capitation fees increased in Budget. Brian Cowen said it was imperative that all areas would be considered for reductions and no area could be ringfenced or immune to cuts.
The last major student march was in 2008 when 15,000 people demonstrated and this led to the promise not to reintroduce fees. USI are saying 25,000 have marched today while Gardai claim there are 12 to 15 thousand on the streets.
Homepage: http://www.wsm.ie/c/students-storm-department-finance-dubin
http://www.wsm.ie/c/students-storm-department-finance-dubin
---------------------------------
STUDENTS OCCUPY GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY LONDON
STUDENTS angry at a rise in tuition fees have occupied one of their university buildings and plan to stage an all-night protest.
Around 50 students marched into the Deptford Town Hall building, part of Goldsmiths University, with banners saying ‘They say cut back, we say fight back’.
Earlier today, Universities Minister David Willetts announced that universities in England would be able to charge up to £9,000 per year.
A lot of the annual fee rise, up from £3,290, will replace funding that was cut in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Goldsmiths Student Union campaigns officer James Haywood said the protestors planned to stay in the building, which contains senior management offices, all night.
Mr Haywood said: “It’s not just about the tuition fees. It’s about the cuts.
“Senior management has made it clear they support the increase in fees. They’re refusing to join our campaign.”
http://savegoldsmiths.tumblr.com/
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467368.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRANCE ...MORE STRIKES AGAINST AUSTERITY
"The political bankruptcy of the existing parties and organizations is a historic challenge to the working class. In struggling to bring down Sarkozy’s government and block implementation of social cuts, the goal cannot be to bring to power a PS government. They must fight to build a workers’ government carrying out socialist policies, as part of an international struggle against capitalism in Europe and worldwide.
The WSWS has called on workers and youth to create their own committees of action to coordinate their struggles, independent of the unions and bourgeois “left” parties. Readers in France are invited to contact the WSWS to help build a party in France to lead the fight for this perspective."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
France: More strikes, opposition to social austerity
3 November 2010
Continuing strikes in the airline sector and calls for student resistance to President Nicolas Sarkozy’s pension-cutting law, after the defeat of the oil strike last week, pose more sharply than ever the need for an open and conscious political struggle against the government.
With his disregard for popular opposition—most prominently the oil strike by port, refinery and transport workers, some of whom struck for over a month—Sarkozy has made clear that he intends to push through the cuts, come what may.
Backed by the “left” parties, the unions have called off the oil strikes and made no move to protest police strike-breaking, despite polls showing 65 percent support for continuing strikes against the cuts. The pension cutting bill was officially voted into law last week and is now being submitted for a constitutional review.
Working class opposition has run into a wall of resistance from the state and the entire political establishment.
Significant sections of workers and students are continuing strike action. Air France pilots and flight attendants will strike from November 5 to November 8 against cuts in their benefits packages arising from the Bill on Financing Social Security in 2011 (PLFSS 2011).
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467341.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TUBE STRIKE IN LONDON
Tube unions branded Transport for London "barefaced liars" after its management attempted to claim minimum disruption during today's 24-hour strike.
London Underground services were crippled by strike action called by the RMT and TSSA over safety-critical job cuts.
All 11 of the capital's Tube lines were hit by the walkout, the latest in a series of strikes over plans by TFL to axe up to 2,000 jobs including 800 station staff.
The mood on the picket lines was one of determination, RMT London regional organiser Steve Hedley told the Star.
"There are less stations open today and less trains running, so from our point of view it's all going very well," he said.
"The response from commuters has been very positive. The commuters are not stupid. They know what this is about - job cuts and safety."
Transport for London claimed that more than 40 per cent of Tube trains were operating yesterday morning despite the strike.
But RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Rather than resorting to bare-faced lies about what everyone out there in London knows to be the truth about the disruption to services, TfL should face up to the reality that today's action has actually been the most successful to date and get the message that the time has come to stop cutting and start talking."
Mr Crow also condemned attempts by management to brush the union's well-founded safety concerns under the carpet.
He said: "The attempt to belittle and denigrate our members and to play down the safety issues at the heart of this dispute has definitely hardened our resolve and that is shown in the magnificent support across the network for the action today."
Speaking at a joint press conference today, both unions said they did not want to disrupt the holiday season with more strike action.
A fourth strike is planned for Monday November 29 but TSSA leader Gerry Doherty said: "Although our members will make the final decision, I will not be urging them to take any action during the festive season.
"Our argument is not with Londoners and the travelling public, our argument is with Boris Johnson. We do not want to disrupt families during Christmas or the New Year."
-------------------------------------------
| 03.11.2010 19:11 |
Riot police attacked students in Dublin today with dogs, armoured vehicles and horses after the students protesting against government cuts occupied the Department of Finance and threw eggs at the Dail.
Upwards of thirty students occupied the Department of Finance in the centre of Dublin with a couple of hundred supporting them in the streets outside.
Another larger group of students was reported outside the Dail throwing cans & bottles at it. Several students seem to be injured in the suppression of the protest.
Tens of thousands of students are demonstrating as part of the USI protests against plans to introduce fees, these students carrying out the occupation appear to have broken away from the main demonstration which is taking place around the corner in Merrion square. Student members of the WSM, eirigi and the SWP are at the scene. (pic via indymedia.ie )
It has been reported that eggs were thrown at the building and that four Gardai horses soon arrived on the scene. Thousands of students had marched from Parnell Square to Merrion Square, where they were to addressed by student leaders, among them Union of Students in Ireland President Gary Redmond.
The registration fee is expected to rise to 2500 euro, a rise of 1000 euro. USI says this will force thousands of students will be forced to drop-out.
Shockingly USI distanced itself after the Gardai attack on the protest not from the police violence but from the student occupation, with a statement that said "USI is saddened by the actions of a small minority of people who staged a sit-in protest at the Dept of Finance, shortly after the USI protest march today. This anti-social behaviour was completely separate from USI’s demo." The statement did not say what, if any, mandate they had to issue condemnations of their members and will be likely to raise a considerable outcry at USI congress this year. It reflects a long pattern of conservative USI leaders being elected in quiet periods who get left behind as student militancy sweeps past them
A WSM reporter at the scene said that "The numbers outside the Department are still growing as people come up from the other at the Dail. There are now maybe four hundred on Baggot Row. The Dail was egged and bottled by a breakaway march of about a thousand, many of whom are here now. The Department is also being egged." Inside the Dail, Ciaran Cannon reported on Twitter that empty bottles, cans, several eggs and a sliced pan had been thrown.
Further updates came in from our three reports on the spot as follows
"Some of the crowd outside are now trying to push through the doors to get into the Department, a line of Gardai are trying to push them back" (14.35)
"Riot vans are being brought up, students are now throwing eggs at these" (15.05)
Horses used against protest in Dublin"Line of horse cops trying to clear the streets, totally surrounded by sitting students now. Well over five hundred on the street, can't see more. Line of cops in front of the building too" (15.12)
"Riot cops have now formed a line, there is a sit down protest in progress in front of them. The students occupying the building have been got out, kicking. " (15.15) - this cut off with the word people, see below
"At least three students have been injured. Cops are hitting people on the head with batons" (15:24)
"Seems gardai are gaining upper hand, crowd dispersing, someone put up a free beer poster"(Johnny Fallon at 15.26 on Twitter)
"They batoned lines of people, dragged away a lot of people but at least some were just thrown outside the cordon rather than arrested. Now they're forcing people away with a line of riot police. At least one person was injured in the eviction. Sorry for the last text, was getting smacked" (15.28)
"Riot cops, horses and a dog have forced everyone back down towards Stephen's Green. Still at least a hundred people facing off with the line of police on Stephen's Green, they are being run back. We have just been charged by horses" (15.40)
"About three hundred folk outside the dail, just leaving now. Things seem to be quieting down now. Reports of some arrests, unsure on that point" (16.00)
Reports on offical state media (RTE) published an hour after these clashes were first reported here on wsm.ie reported the deployment of mounted Gardai and armoured vehicles and that "Violent scenes are continuing between a large number of riot police, gardaí and students. Some students have bloody noses and one student has been carried away, possibly unconscious." but went on to claim that "Some students have expressed deep upset at the outbreak of violence."
In advance of the protest Free Education for Everyone (FEE) had issued a call to meet up to form a Socialist bloc at The Ambassador Theatre. FEE said defeating the cuts "will only happen if students like you get involved." and describes itself as "an active campaign against fees and youth unemployment that strives to organise second and third level students right across the country. It is currently organised in UCD, Trinity, Maynooth, NUIG, UCC and UL. FEE has organised a series of protests, blockades and occupations against fees. FEE members are actively involved in their Students’ Unions as well as building FEE.We are aiming to build a mass movement that can defeat fees and education cuts. "
This morning the Taoiseach refused to say in the Dáil if third-level fees would be introduced or capitation fees increased in Budget. Brian Cowen said it was imperative that all areas would be considered for reductions and no area could be ringfenced or immune to cuts.
The last major student march was in 2008 when 15,000 people demonstrated and this led to the promise not to reintroduce fees. USI are saying 25,000 have marched today while Gardai claim there are 12 to 15 thousand on the streets.
Homepage: http://www.wsm.ie/c/students-storm-department-finance-dubin
http://www.wsm.ie/c/students-storm-department-finance-dubin
---------------------------------
STUDENTS OCCUPY GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY LONDON
STUDENTS angry at a rise in tuition fees have occupied one of their university buildings and plan to stage an all-night protest.
Around 50 students marched into the Deptford Town Hall building, part of Goldsmiths University, with banners saying ‘They say cut back, we say fight back’.
Earlier today, Universities Minister David Willetts announced that universities in England would be able to charge up to £9,000 per year.
A lot of the annual fee rise, up from £3,290, will replace funding that was cut in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Goldsmiths Student Union campaigns officer James Haywood said the protestors planned to stay in the building, which contains senior management offices, all night.
Mr Haywood said: “It’s not just about the tuition fees. It’s about the cuts.
“Senior management has made it clear they support the increase in fees. They’re refusing to join our campaign.”
http://savegoldsmiths.tumblr.com/
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467368.html
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FRANCE ...MORE STRIKES AGAINST AUSTERITY
"The political bankruptcy of the existing parties and organizations is a historic challenge to the working class. In struggling to bring down Sarkozy’s government and block implementation of social cuts, the goal cannot be to bring to power a PS government. They must fight to build a workers’ government carrying out socialist policies, as part of an international struggle against capitalism in Europe and worldwide.
The WSWS has called on workers and youth to create their own committees of action to coordinate their struggles, independent of the unions and bourgeois “left” parties. Readers in France are invited to contact the WSWS to help build a party in France to lead the fight for this perspective."
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France: More strikes, opposition to social austerity
3 November 2010
Continuing strikes in the airline sector and calls for student resistance to President Nicolas Sarkozy’s pension-cutting law, after the defeat of the oil strike last week, pose more sharply than ever the need for an open and conscious political struggle against the government.
With his disregard for popular opposition—most prominently the oil strike by port, refinery and transport workers, some of whom struck for over a month—Sarkozy has made clear that he intends to push through the cuts, come what may.
Backed by the “left” parties, the unions have called off the oil strikes and made no move to protest police strike-breaking, despite polls showing 65 percent support for continuing strikes against the cuts. The pension cutting bill was officially voted into law last week and is now being submitted for a constitutional review.
Working class opposition has run into a wall of resistance from the state and the entire political establishment.
Significant sections of workers and students are continuing strike action. Air France pilots and flight attendants will strike from November 5 to November 8 against cuts in their benefits packages arising from the Bill on Financing Social Security in 2011 (PLFSS 2011).
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467341.html
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TUBE STRIKE IN LONDON
Tube unions branded Transport for London "barefaced liars" after its management attempted to claim minimum disruption during today's 24-hour strike.
London Underground services were crippled by strike action called by the RMT and TSSA over safety-critical job cuts.
All 11 of the capital's Tube lines were hit by the walkout, the latest in a series of strikes over plans by TFL to axe up to 2,000 jobs including 800 station staff.
The mood on the picket lines was one of determination, RMT London regional organiser Steve Hedley told the Star.
"There are less stations open today and less trains running, so from our point of view it's all going very well," he said.
"The response from commuters has been very positive. The commuters are not stupid. They know what this is about - job cuts and safety."
Transport for London claimed that more than 40 per cent of Tube trains were operating yesterday morning despite the strike.
But RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Rather than resorting to bare-faced lies about what everyone out there in London knows to be the truth about the disruption to services, TfL should face up to the reality that today's action has actually been the most successful to date and get the message that the time has come to stop cutting and start talking."
Mr Crow also condemned attempts by management to brush the union's well-founded safety concerns under the carpet.
He said: "The attempt to belittle and denigrate our members and to play down the safety issues at the heart of this dispute has definitely hardened our resolve and that is shown in the magnificent support across the network for the action today."
Speaking at a joint press conference today, both unions said they did not want to disrupt the holiday season with more strike action.
A fourth strike is planned for Monday November 29 but TSSA leader Gerry Doherty said: "Although our members will make the final decision, I will not be urging them to take any action during the festive season.
"Our argument is not with Londoners and the travelling public, our argument is with Boris Johnson. We do not want to disrupt families during Christmas or the New Year."
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Dockyard shut by anti-nuke activists
Dockyard shut by anti-nuke activists
Monday 01 November 2010
Anti-nuclear campaigners successfully blockaded all entrances to a Plymouth dockyard today.
They were protesting at the role the site plays in maintaining Trident nuclear submarines.
Up to 150 people from England, Wales, Scotland and Switzerland peacefully occupied parts of the Devonport Dockyard from 6am - preventing traffic from entering and leaving for three hours.
Eleven of the activists - some of whom had locked themselves together - were arrested by Ministry of Defence police who patrol nuclear establishments across Britain.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/10/467165.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
FBU members hold second strike as bosses keep up sacking threat
Monday 01 November 2010
London firefighters defied sacking notices and the imposition of a new shift system today in the first of two planned strikes this week
London firefighters defied sacking notices and the imposition of a new shift system today in the first of two planned strikes this week.
Bringing fire stations to a halt all over the capital, Fire Brigades Union members set up picket lines across the city, including in Bow, Stratford and Shoreditch.
The eight-hour strike started at 10am today after the London Fire Authority failed to withdraw sacking notices for their entire workforce in London firefighters.
FBU officials said that the London Fire Authority plans to re-employ firefighters on inferior contracts, including the imposition of shift changes.
Despite fire chiefs' attacks in the media, several motorists could be seen honking their horns in support of striking firefighters in east London.
Tower Hamlets branch secretary Chris Boag pointed out that if the threat of mass sackings were withdrawn, the union would halt the strike immediately.
"They are seeking to impose new conditions of service which will not benefit us or the community," he said.
"We are prepared to make changes to improve efficiency but not with a gun to our head.
"Their plans will reduce night cover leading to a closure of stations and statistically more people die in fires at night."
Mr Boag also criticised the use of private contractor AssetCo, which owns all red fire engines in London, to help break the strike.
He said the company's approach was "like someone walking down the street, eyes closed and picking five people at random to be firefighters for the day."
Mr Boag added that London Fire Authority chief Brian Coleman was "politically motivated" in his call for firefighters to be sacked.
Fire chiefs have accused some firefighters of being resistant to change due to having second jobs.
Stratford firefighter Nick Sadler defended their right to have second jobs because of the comparatively low pay they receive.
"No one does this job for the money. I get £1,800 take-home pay a month. I do it because I love it and to serve the community.
"If I didn't have a second job, I would not be able to afford a house locally."
johnm@peoples-press.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brixton in London Anti-Cuts March & Vodafone Protest
The march and rally that took place in Brixton to protest about the imminent cuts in social spending attracted around 200 local people. At midday the rally started at the Brixton Oval, where representatives from Lambeth Save Our Services, Lambeth Pensioners Group, the local branches of UNISON, GMB, NUT and UCU unions, and workers from the Lambeth One O'clock Clubs gave speeches about how the imposed cuts will be afecting the local sercvices. Then, a rather ritualistic march started around central Brixton and into the market area. It wasn't exactly an expression of anger as seen in other parts of Europe, but it may, at least, represent the start of a local mobilisation.
Once the march ended, and as part of a UK-wide campaign, a group of people made its way to the Vodafone store right next to Brixton tube station to protest against the company's avoidance of a £6bn tax bill, effectively shutting it down for most of the afternoon
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5842
---------------------------------------------------------------------
21 VODAFONE STORES SHUT IN ANTI-CUTS ACTION
30th october: around 100 people gathered at Speakers Corner before splitting into groups to target Vodafone stores. It didn't take long with the first store closing with the arrival of the protestors and by half twelve all three stores on Oxford St were shut down [report 2, 3] So far we've heard 5 in total are closed, including Brixton [report]. It's a similar story in other places where stores were closed ahead of planned direct action and protests or when demonstrators arrived.
In Glasgow people started early with the store in Buchanan St. Other shut downs include two in York, two in Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Hastings, Oxford [2] and two in Brighton where police made several arrests.
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5834
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SPOOKED RIOT POLICE FORCED TO RETREAT AS 600 YOUTHS CLASH WITH THEM IN CENTRAL LONDON
CONFRONTATION BETWEEN YOUTH AND RIOT POLICE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT
A rave party in the heart of central London continued throughout the Sunday after hundreds of revellers took over a disused eight-storey building on Saturday 30 October
Police arrested eight people after a stand-off with riot police on Saturday night, when bricks and bottles were thrown and a number of buildings and vehicles were damaged.
Some party-goers had claimed the police, who at first attempted to stop them accessing the building, were overly aggressive.
Organisers said in the face of the economic crisis, unemployment and homelessness, raves like this, which were common in the late 1980s, were likely to see a resurgence. Scumoeen: The Squat Monster's Ball was organised by word of mouth and on Facebook, with the location disclosed via a secret telephone number on Saturday night.
On Sunday morning the party was still going strong, with hundreds of revellers spilling out onto New Oxford Street between High Holborn and Museum Road and deafening techno music pumping out into the surrounding streets.
About a dozen officers stood watch on nearby corners, while the crowd, aged between about 18 and 35, emerged into the sunlight.
Several police officers were hurt on Saturday night after bottles were thrown during clashes with a crowd of up to 500 people. Police car were set alight.
The officers called for backup after being "rushed" by the crowd with dozens of riot squad officers from the force's Territorial Support Group arriving on the scene. Bricks and bottles were thrown and at one point the crowd charged police with a wheelie bin.
The injuries to police officers were described as "minor stuff" with one suffering non-serious cuts to the head. A woman in her 30s suffered a cut face, while a man in his 20s needed treatment for intoxication.
Monday 01 November 2010
Anti-nuclear campaigners successfully blockaded all entrances to a Plymouth dockyard today.
They were protesting at the role the site plays in maintaining Trident nuclear submarines.
Up to 150 people from England, Wales, Scotland and Switzerland peacefully occupied parts of the Devonport Dockyard from 6am - preventing traffic from entering and leaving for three hours.
Eleven of the activists - some of whom had locked themselves together - were arrested by Ministry of Defence police who patrol nuclear establishments across Britain.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/10/467165.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
FBU members hold second strike as bosses keep up sacking threat
Monday 01 November 2010
London firefighters defied sacking notices and the imposition of a new shift system today in the first of two planned strikes this week
London firefighters defied sacking notices and the imposition of a new shift system today in the first of two planned strikes this week.
Bringing fire stations to a halt all over the capital, Fire Brigades Union members set up picket lines across the city, including in Bow, Stratford and Shoreditch.
The eight-hour strike started at 10am today after the London Fire Authority failed to withdraw sacking notices for their entire workforce in London firefighters.
FBU officials said that the London Fire Authority plans to re-employ firefighters on inferior contracts, including the imposition of shift changes.
Despite fire chiefs' attacks in the media, several motorists could be seen honking their horns in support of striking firefighters in east London.
Tower Hamlets branch secretary Chris Boag pointed out that if the threat of mass sackings were withdrawn, the union would halt the strike immediately.
"They are seeking to impose new conditions of service which will not benefit us or the community," he said.
"We are prepared to make changes to improve efficiency but not with a gun to our head.
"Their plans will reduce night cover leading to a closure of stations and statistically more people die in fires at night."
Mr Boag also criticised the use of private contractor AssetCo, which owns all red fire engines in London, to help break the strike.
He said the company's approach was "like someone walking down the street, eyes closed and picking five people at random to be firefighters for the day."
Mr Boag added that London Fire Authority chief Brian Coleman was "politically motivated" in his call for firefighters to be sacked.
Fire chiefs have accused some firefighters of being resistant to change due to having second jobs.
Stratford firefighter Nick Sadler defended their right to have second jobs because of the comparatively low pay they receive.
"No one does this job for the money. I get £1,800 take-home pay a month. I do it because I love it and to serve the community.
"If I didn't have a second job, I would not be able to afford a house locally."
johnm@peoples-press.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brixton in London Anti-Cuts March & Vodafone Protest
The march and rally that took place in Brixton to protest about the imminent cuts in social spending attracted around 200 local people. At midday the rally started at the Brixton Oval, where representatives from Lambeth Save Our Services, Lambeth Pensioners Group, the local branches of UNISON, GMB, NUT and UCU unions, and workers from the Lambeth One O'clock Clubs gave speeches about how the imposed cuts will be afecting the local sercvices. Then, a rather ritualistic march started around central Brixton and into the market area. It wasn't exactly an expression of anger as seen in other parts of Europe, but it may, at least, represent the start of a local mobilisation.
Once the march ended, and as part of a UK-wide campaign, a group of people made its way to the Vodafone store right next to Brixton tube station to protest against the company's avoidance of a £6bn tax bill, effectively shutting it down for most of the afternoon
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5842
---------------------------------------------------------------------
21 VODAFONE STORES SHUT IN ANTI-CUTS ACTION
30th october: around 100 people gathered at Speakers Corner before splitting into groups to target Vodafone stores. It didn't take long with the first store closing with the arrival of the protestors and by half twelve all three stores on Oxford St were shut down [report 2, 3] So far we've heard 5 in total are closed, including Brixton [report]. It's a similar story in other places where stores were closed ahead of planned direct action and protests or when demonstrators arrived.
In Glasgow people started early with the store in Buchanan St. Other shut downs include two in York, two in Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Hastings, Oxford [2] and two in Brighton where police made several arrests.
http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5834
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPOOKED RIOT POLICE FORCED TO RETREAT AS 600 YOUTHS CLASH WITH THEM IN CENTRAL LONDON
CONFRONTATION BETWEEN YOUTH AND RIOT POLICE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT
A rave party in the heart of central London continued throughout the Sunday after hundreds of revellers took over a disused eight-storey building on Saturday 30 October
Police arrested eight people after a stand-off with riot police on Saturday night, when bricks and bottles were thrown and a number of buildings and vehicles were damaged.
Some party-goers had claimed the police, who at first attempted to stop them accessing the building, were overly aggressive.
Organisers said in the face of the economic crisis, unemployment and homelessness, raves like this, which were common in the late 1980s, were likely to see a resurgence. Scumoeen: The Squat Monster's Ball was organised by word of mouth and on Facebook, with the location disclosed via a secret telephone number on Saturday night.
On Sunday morning the party was still going strong, with hundreds of revellers spilling out onto New Oxford Street between High Holborn and Museum Road and deafening techno music pumping out into the surrounding streets.
About a dozen officers stood watch on nearby corners, while the crowd, aged between about 18 and 35, emerged into the sunlight.
Several police officers were hurt on Saturday night after bottles were thrown during clashes with a crowd of up to 500 people. Police car were set alight.
The officers called for backup after being "rushed" by the crowd with dozens of riot squad officers from the force's Territorial Support Group arriving on the scene. Bricks and bottles were thrown and at one point the crowd charged police with a wheelie bin.
The injuries to police officers were described as "minor stuff" with one suffering non-serious cuts to the head. A woman in her 30s suffered a cut face, while a man in his 20s needed treatment for intoxication.
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