Signs of Revolt is an exhibition that weaves together the story of the past decade's social movements against Capitalism, War and Climate Change. Using archive material, design, photography, video, media, and documentation, the exhibition reveals the story of a decade of creative resistance, from the Seattle anti-WTO demonstrations in November 1999 to the upcoming climate justice mobilisations in Copenhagen in Decembrer 2009. The exhibition showcases work produced by artists, designers, activists and collectives from within the social movements active during this decade, including Indymedia London.

The opening took place on Friday 13th and draw a large crowd, followed with a weekend long "Festival of Radical Communication" with a series of talks, presentations, debates and film screenings which also attracted the interest of a large number of visitors and passers-by. The exhibition run for a week until Sunday 22nd with a very good attendance throughout [Pics: Opening night | Exhibition | Flickr sets: 1 | 2 | 3]

Read on for exhibitors details and more info ...

UPDATE: 'Oppose' have occupied the UAL rector; Nigel Carrington's office today for 6 hours, resulting in a meeting with the deputy rector for an hour to air their views. See their blog at the bottom of this article for latest updates.

Students from London College of Communication last night (09/11/09) occupied the Main Lecture Theatre over changes implemented by senior management. The group, 'Oppose', formed at the end of the academic year 08/09 in light of the 'efficiency programme' proposed by the recently employed head of college, Sandra Kemp. The programme presents 16 courses to be cut and approximately 180 staff to be made redundant.

On Friday, 6th November, pro-Palestinian activists carried out a blockade at Carmel Agrexco's depot in Hayes, Middlesex. The activists locked themselves to oil drums filled with concrete and positioned themselves to block the two access roads to the depot.

At about 6 o'clock this morning a group of London students and international activists, including members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), blocked the two gates leading to the depot. The activists seek to raise awareness of the UK's continued role in the purchase of goods produced in Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank as well as Carmel Agrexco's role in the sustenance of Israel's illegal expansionist activities in Palestine.

Plane Stupid activists along with three residents from Heathrow this evening targeted one of the potential third runway designers at this years Architects of the Year Awards held at London's Intercontinental Hotel.
Architect group Pascall and Watson, nominated for Transport Architect of the Year have been at the forefront of airport expansion since the early 1960's.*
The activists stormed the podium and gave a short speech** before offering Pascall and Watson the "We don't give a Shit" award in protest at their 50 year aviation portfolio including expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin and Abu Dhabi airports. Other activists handed out leaflets to the audience. Once the award had been presented the activists left of their own accord.

Saturday 24th saw another successful edition of London's Anarchist Book Fair. The same as in previous editions, the event was very well attended throughout the day. It is difficult to say exactly how many people made it there, but looking at it from our stall we can easily say that hundreds of people (if not thousands) spent the day checking out the stalls, networking, attending sesssions and, our guess is, plotting too.

The Anarchist Book Fair has undoubtedly become a focal point for the radical, alternative, autonomous and anti-authoritarian political movements of this island, and as such, it offered a large program of talks, presentations, workshops and meetings. London IMC and Dissident Island were busy recording audio from some of these, so here there is a selection:

• Capitalism's Present Crisis: How Will It End?
• London's 2012 Olympics 
• Too Many Prisons, Not Enough Justice 
• Chat With Aki Nawaz (Fun-Da-Mental)
  
• An update with what's happening in Greece
• Ian Bone
• Postal Workers Talk

About 50 people gathered outside the Home Office in central London demanding the immediate release of Iraqi detainees who were deported to Baghdad two weeks ago but were returned to detention after the Iraqi authorities refused to admit them. A number of them have been on hunger strike since Monday, 19th October, in protest at their continued detention and inhumane treatment. One of the hunger strikers addressed the crowd from detention via a phone-loud speaker link and read out a statement by the hunger strikers.

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, a British soldier from York, who has recently returned from active service in Helmand province, Afghanistan, lead thousands of anti-war protesters through central London on 24.10.09. The march attended by up-to 10,000 called for all British troops to be brought home from Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Glenton has been court-martialed for refusing to return to Afghanistan, now he faces up to two years in jail for desertion. The protest ended in Trafalgar Square where people listened to speeches denouncing British involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

More photos: 1 > 2 > 3

At the 28th annual London Anarchist Bookfair, you can also join workshops and discussions on subjects such as ‘Greece – after the insurrection’, ‘Capitalism's present crisis’ arranged by the super cool MUTE, find out about ‘Radical journalism’, be entertained by anarchist clowns in ‘The Coming Revolution’, and learn all about ‘Current Anarchist Strategy’, then come see us, London Indymedia, at our ‘Morning Meeting’ to tell you all about this great new website and it’s many exciting hidden features, or come see us at our stall, where we’ll be selling hot new DVD’s, Indymedia laptops and mobile phones! (well, one of those is true), and you can tell us how great our super new revolutionary web site is.

See the full timetable here

“As capitalism collapses around us in the market of ideas the anarchist pound is buoyant.”

All that on Saturday not enough for you? then read more . . . .

The rampART Social Centre was evicted at 5:30am this morning by 45 police, bailiffs and a priest.

After over 5 years and many eviction scares it has finally happened... 3 people and a dog were inside when police attempted to chanisaw the door. They also had climbers going up to the roof conjuring up memories of the raid during the G20 in April. Police are blocking the entrance to all three roads leading to the social centre with vans and their bodies. They are handing out a piece of paper with a telephone number to call to get belongings out of the building. If you are able to help move or store stuff please contact the rampART collective - rampart@mutualaid.org.

Protesters met in London on Monday 12 September as a part of an international day in support of the 'Minga' - the united struggles by Latin American native people - and to protest against the increasing threat of agro-fuels both to them and, through global warming to the planet as a whole.

The protest was a part of a Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth called on the anniversary of Columbus landing on Abya Yala (the Americas), 517 years ago by the Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indigenas (CAOI). In London the action supporting the 'Minga'- the collective mobilisation of people from along the Andes - Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru - marching together in their refusal to accept the destruction of their land was organised by the Coordinadora Latino-Americana which unites a number of Latin American solidarity groups here.

On 11th October 2009, activists descended upon Sainsbury’s on Cromwell Street, West London to highlight the sale of Israeli and illegal Settlement produce by both Sainsbury’s and other major supermarket chains. Coming from a diverse range of campaign organisations, around 40 activists stood in solidarity with the Palestinian call for a global boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign.
Enterring the store, protestors held up an array of settlement and Israeli produce demanding that the supermarkets put a halt to their sale and reminding consumers of their capacity to effect change by not buying these goods. See video of the protest.

With just a week to go until climate activists converge on EOn's Ratliffe on Soar coal power station, the company has announced that it is scrapping plans to build a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth. Climate Camp promised to return to Kent to stop a new power station being built at Kingsnorth, and this summer launched 'Tipping Point' a social centre in Gillingham to bolster the local campaign. The project has been busy making connections and doing direct action training expecting a long drawn out battle, but on Wednesday 7th of October Eon announced it was dropping any immediate plans to replace the existing power station with another coal-fired power plant.

Six activists from No Borders London today held a protest at the Arora International Hotel near Heathrow airport against Arora International's plans to turn its four-star hotel at Gatwick, Mercure, into yet another immigration prison (see press release)

After a 'friendly' chat with Tim Jurdon, Head of Planning at Arora Management Services Ltd., protesters unfurled a banner reading 'Arora Prisons International' and started to leaflet guests and staff in the lobby. After about 10 minutes, they were dragged out by security guards. See photos below, and a video of the protest here.

ALSO READ - Arora International Hotel Occupied

The 28th London Anarchist Bookfair is taking place on Saturday 24th October 2009 from 10am to 7pm, and the venue is, for the 3rd year running, Queen Mary & Westfield College, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS [map] This year, apart from the wide variety of anarchist groups and individuals having meetings, the organisers are hoping to have a few surprises. Check the Bookfair's webiste for updates.

Indymedia London will again have a stall at the bookfair, as well a doing a presentation / workshop about using the site and its new functions at 11am in the Lecture Room 1. See full list of stalls, meetings and presentations.

UCU and the SWP are reporting a victory in the Tower Hamlets College strike.
The so-called victory is that there are no compulsory redundancies. Instead the 13 at risk workers who formed the basis of the indefinite strike ballot were re-deployed or won appeals or have accepted enhanced voluntary redundancy.
There has been no agreement that there will be no further cuts or compulsory redundancies, or any other agreement honouring existing terms and conditions.

The Tower Hamlets College Strike continues.

Teachers again affirmed support for continuing the indefinite strike action in a mass meeting Tuesday. About 150 people voted to stay out, with 13 abstentions and no votes against. At the meeting a number of people expressed their understandable concerns about surviving longer with no income and more people talked about how students were suffering, but many more people argued that the students know what we're doing and support us.

On Friday 18thm at 11am, two people entered the Ahava store in Monmoth Street, Covent Garden and closed the shop by locking themselves inside. Under the banner of 'Stolen Beauty from Stolen Land', they set out to highlight the sale of beauty products manufactured on illegal Israeli Settlements on Occupied Palestinian land.

In line with Saturday's International Day of Action Against Ahava, supported by the International Solidarity Movement, Code Pink, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign, the actions support the Palestinian non-violent efforts at resisting the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Non Commercial House is a squatted autonomous space on 165 Commercial Street, London, E1 (next to Bishopsgate, Liverpool st tube station) This place is basically a giant Free Shop, for people to share, recycle what they dont need, take what they need. It is an amazing and very succesful project that started just over 3 months ago. It is also a very uplifting example of an anti-capitalist and anti-hierarchy pro-active stand. Not only rejecting what we see as a source of misery in our world (capitalism and all that...) but creating alternatives, directly, with our own tiny little hands! Direct action as a bunch of people simply getting together and doing what they want to do, and having fun doing it! :) It is opened to the public from Friday to Sunday 12-8pm.

Related recent posts: Squats and Autonomous Spaces Timetable | Key party | InfoUsurpa Events Listing 21st - 27th September | CALL OUT help with South London's Library House

Throughout the country today actions are taking place in solidarity with the workers of the Vesta Blades factory on the Isle of Wight. This morning the offices of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) was targetted by protesters who dropped banners and built a mini windfarm in the lobby. SEEDA is being pressured to withdraw £3m of public money they've said they'll give Vestas for a R&D facility despite the Danish company pulling its manufacturing from the UK. Tonight there will be a protest at the Department of Environment and Climate Change, in Whitehall Place, central London.

Over 250 teachers at Tower Hamlets College are in day 10 of an indefinite strike against cuts in courses and jobs.

A mass meeting of 160 strikers today reaffirmed our decision for all out strike. The strike seems to becoming more rather than less solid. Many people have joined the union and the strike at the Poplar (6th form) site and a few members who were working at another site came out this week. Some team leaders and middle managers who were expected to go back to work after a few days are still out.

From the UK National Squatters Meet-up in Bristol way back in March a callout was released for people involved in squats and autonomous spaces. It encouraged 2 days of direct action on the 18th and 19th September 2009 around housing and the creation of more autonomous spaces at this time of crisis. Now we're in September and the days are approaching...

Anti-militarist activists have begun actions against the largest arms fair in the world, the Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition.  The fair, held in London's docklands every second year, has been the target of ongoing protests since 2001.  For updated coverage of the anti-DSEi actions this year, keep an eye on Indymedia UK's feature coverage.

Tuesday 8th September, London, and the Disarm DSEi protests begin with a tour of the "attractions" in the city.

Reclaim the Future 5 had loads of bands and other entertainment on various stages, including a bike powered cinema.

Last wednesday (3rd September), as the Camp for Climate Action finished up clearing the site of this years climate camp, a group of activists pitched a tent within the grounds of E-on owed Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire. The tent was emblazoned with the words “Climate Camp is coming” in reference to their plans to shut down the power station in October.

Reclaim The Future 5: brief report and photos from the event

Just so any nimby hippy haters can't accuse us of leaving the wonderful Blackheath site as a shit heap, here's the proof that climate activists respect our sites and don't leave them looking like the average festival.

The decision has been made to prosecute peaceful activist artists the Space Hijackers for impersonating police on 1st April 2009 at the G20 Summit demonstrations.

It is alleged that the group entered the City of London wearing police uniforms in an armoured personnel carrier with the intent to deceive the public into believing that they were members of the Police force. The Space Hijackers vehemently deny any intent to deceive or that they had any sinister motives.

The last day of the Camp devoted almost entirely to packing everything up.

Friday was the first full day of workshops at the camp [pics] after two days of set up - concentrating on it's main purpose, direct action training, education around climate change, and skillshare. Around 35 sessions ran throughout the day on a wide variety of topics including the first of five daily mass direct action trainings [Pics 1|2|3].

In the afternoon a group of over 150 people left the camp to protest outside Barclays Bank in Canary Wharf, before marching through the streets, with banners reading "Climate Killer Coal" and "More Future Less Capitalism" all without interruption by police [photo report|2|3|4|5] [press release] [cc website pics] [twitpic 1|2] [video 1|2|3]

Meanwhile representatives from the Council were given a guided tour of the camp and the police met with the camp liaison team outside the gates. Climate Camp Radio (who are broadcasting every evening) also published the live show they produced on Thursday evening [download]

See Timeline | CC Website Photos | CC twitpic Stream | CC Video Stream | Youtube Site Videos
See also: Flickr Pictures | TV News Reports | Why London? | Legal Advice | Camp Workshop Timetable | "Why we're doing this" | how to report from the streets | Location

IMC Feature coverage: Wed: Swoop + Taking the Site | Thursday Day 2