Fear for M&S shareholder's investments as Act Now Human Rights group goes National with their Boycott campaign

Clarion call from "The Spirit of Christmas"

November 12, 2009

Dan Viesnik explains why CAAT supporters dress up for the Spirit of Christmas and the message they are bringing to visitors.

Members of London Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), East London Against the Arms Fair (ELAAF), the London Catholic Worker and Trident Ploughshares met vistors outside the Spirit of Christmas Fair at London's Olympia, on 7 November 2009

After a successful opening of the exhibition on Friday night, the show opened its doors again on Saturday morning for the 'Festival of Radical Communication' that continued until Sunday evening. Throughout the weekend there were a series of presentations, talks, discussions and film screenings that were well attended by visitors and passers-by.

Indymedia London gave a presentation entitled 'Indymedia Vs Social Media: After 10yrs of Indymedia, What's Next?' on Sunday afternoon. This talk looked into the impact of the 'social media' tools in today's use of the internet, and how this impacts on Indymedia's own existance, whilst looking at the future of the IMC project. The Indymedia London talk was preceded by session by a group of professional photographers entitled 'I'm a Photographer, not a Terrorist, Bringing Home the Real News'. This talk addressed issues around the State's criminalisation of those taking images during the reporting of political events, and how prhotographers are organising against this.

Here there are some snaps of these two sessions, as well as more photos of the work on diplay at the 'Signs of Revolt' exhibition:

The opening night of the 'Signs of Revolt' exhibition took place on Friday 13th November 2009, which was attended by a large crowd. The show continues until Sunday 22nd, so if you missed the fun you still have a change to see the exhibition.

Here there are some photos of the evening:

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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 ...

SOLDIER ARRESTED FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST AFGHAN WAR

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, the soldier who faces desertion charges for refusing to return to Afghanistan, has been arrested and charged with five further offences for speaking out in opposition to the presence of troops in Afghanistan.

This is a politicised look at the my last six months living in what was a mass squat in Stepney Green. I’m writing this at the request of another L&S member who pointed out that lots of what I have been doing over the last few months is political and worth recording. I already knew it was political to a point, and I had started writing up action reports and articles on the place I’ve lived for the half a year several times, but it always fell apart after a few lines because it felt too personal to express properly. Now that all of the events are in the past, I’ll try and record it in an intentionally personal manner – it is better to have any record at all than none.

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.

Indymedia's 10th Birthday is coming up!

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Zelda Jeffers appeared at Bedford Magistrates Court on Monday November 2nd. She was sentenced to 16 days in prison for refusing to pay a fine of £450 for a 'No Borders' protest at Yarlswood Immigration Detention Centre.

Anarchists set off fireworks and danced to drum and bass music in Parliament Square last night in celebration of Guy Fawkes attempt to blow up the Palace of Westminster.

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.

Campaigners hold second protest against plans to turn Gatwick hotel into a
detention centre

5th November 2009, 7pm

* Arora Management Services Ltd plans to turn its four-star Mercure
Gatwick hotel into an immigration detention centre.

* Campaigners vow to target Arora and Mercure until the plans are dropped.

Anti-detention campaigners are currently holding a peaceful protest at the
Mercure London City Bankside Hotel (71-79 Southwark Street SE1 0JA)
against what they describe as the hotel company's "cynical, profit-driven
opportunism." They are distributing leaflets to staff and guests,
demanding that Mercure/Arora drops its plans to turn one of its hotels
into an immigration prison.

From the SAVE THE FOUNDRY CAMPAIGN:

News just through that a hotel is to be built on the grounds of The Foundry next year. The plans are to be displayed shortly. The Foundry is a national treasure. Help re-house/re-locate The Foundry savethefoundry@gmail.com

Another good ride, apart from a few impatient drivers.

Video http://www.archive.org/details/CM30-10-09

Hundreds of miniature refugee tents lie scattered across the Millennium Bridge, highlighting the fact that millions are being displaced by climate change, and millions more will be in future if we don't act to stop it.

An mp3 of Chomsky's talk at LSE on Thursday night, entitled Human Rights in the 21st Century.

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An mp3 of Chomsky's talk last night, entitled Crises and the Unipolar Moment.

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.

Over 50 Students and activists protested and disrupted a lecture tonight at the London School of Economics (LSE) by Daniel Ayalon, the controversial Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel. Protesters greeted Ayalon outside of the lecture on LSE’s campus with placards and banners, whilst inside audience members heckled the controversial Minister as a "racist" and "murderer" in relation to the illegal occupation and violence carried out by the Israeli state.
Ayalon was in the UK to meet British government officials and speaking at the LSE ahead of these talks in a lecture s titled "The Middle East: The View From Israel". Security at the university was tight, with private security and police officers keeping a close watch on protesters. The Minister began and ended his lecture amid boos and chants of “Free, Free, Palestine” whilst his speech was interrupted relentlessly throughout with audience members questioning Israel’s atrocities.

Please forward widely  *

InfoUsurpa brings  you this weeks events happening in London Social Centres and beyond...

At this years London Anarchist Bookfair I grabbed Musician, Activist, Punk, Broadcaster and Musilim, Aki Nawaz who was there to introduce his film 'To Gaza With Love'.

A small group, but a workshop that brought up many very interesting ideas about the reasons for Prisons. We began by thinking about the kind of crimes that often get people into conflict with the courts.

Organised by: Bristol and Brighton Anarchist Black Cross