The national domestic extremism unit has failed to impose anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) on two Catholic peace activists, during a trial arising from a demonstration to mark the anniversary of the Afghan war (see PN 2539).
The application cited 14 times over the past 21 years when Chris Cole had been arrested at protests involving spray paint or bolt-croppers. It sought to ban him from the City of…
Between 12 and 24 May, trade unionists and climate activists from the One Million Climate Jobs Campaign will be touring the UK in a Climate Caravan inspired by the Trans African Climate Caravan of Hope of 2011.
This month’s British Climate Caravan is demanding massive government investment to create one million new ‘climate jobs’.
Climate jobs are not ‘green jobs’ in the national parks or in pollution control. Climate jobs actually cut emissions of greenhouse gases: insulating…
On 11 March, anti-nuclear activists around the world mobilised against nuclear new-build and uranium-mining, marking the first anniversary of the start of the Fukushima disaster in Japan. Many people surrounded the Hinkley Point site in England, while in Wales these protesters gathered on the Menai Suspension Bridge, making the point that in the event of a major disaster at Wylfa, on the north coast of Anglesey, it would be virtually impossible to evacuate the island.
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Edinburgh Campaign Against Poverty blockade Tesco on 3 March, a national day of action against workfare. They also met with the manager of a British Heart Foundation shop to complain about the treatment of unemployed people on so-called work experience placements organised by A4E. photo: Mike, ECAP
During our weekly vigil at Faslane, a quiet discussion arose about doing an action at the army recruitment offices in Glasgow to highlight the dishonest propaganda used to persuade young people to to join the army. The offices are on a busy central bus route so we decided to act during the morning rush hour.
We made plans to spray paint the windows, hand out fliers and lock on to delay our arrest. Having never incurred a vandalism charge, I had reservations about what I was about…
The Douglas Valley hosted the Earth First! Winter Moot at the end of February. People from across Scotland and the UK piled into the Glespin community hall to strategise, debate and plan.
Two events highlighted the importance of centring things like Earth First! gatherings in areas of community struggle.
On the Saturday, people from the local community shared their experiences of living next to opencast mines.
The anger and passion was both chilling and…
Accomplice Janet Fenton, who is secretary of Scottish CND, was given 120 hours community service.
In 2010, the women had appeared at the court accused of a breach of the peace during a blockade of Faslane naval base.
During their trial, the pair were barred from arguing the case that they had a right to disrupt the illegal work at Faslane under international humanitarian law. In response they painted slogans indicating the failure of the court to uphold international…
On 17 March, a north Wales village, Y Parc, near Bala, whose local school is under threat became the first area to join a new alliance to lobby for the future of Welsh language communities, Cynghrair Cymunedau Cymru (the Alliance of Welsh Communities).
The launch was held during a day of protest in the village against Gwynedd council’s decision to seek to close Ysgol Y Parc.
The alliance is an initiative of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society),…
Jeju was named an ‘Island of World Peace’ by the South Korean government in 2005. Opponents have raised concerns over the environmental destruction of Jeju, which contains several UNESCO World Heritage sites, and its potential to escalate military tensions in the region.
Gangjeong villagers have been engaged in a five-year struggle, and 94% of Jeju islanders voted against construction of the base.
A popular protest slogan is: ‘Touch not one stone, not one flower’.…
The festival will involve music, comedy, poetry, performance, benefit gigs, presentations, visual arts, talks, discussions, debates, workshops, vigils and social events throughout Wales.
The festival takes place alongside the National Theatre of Wales production The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning by Tim Price which will be performed in three locations: Pembrokeshire, 12-14 April; Cardiff, 17-21 April; Flintshire, 25-28 April.
All performances will take place in schools,…
On 9 March, tens of thousands protested at Manama’s heavily-guarded Pearl roundabout, which a year ago was Bahrain’s Tahrir Square. Reportedly, riot police fired tear gas into the crowd and protesters threw rocks in return.
On 23 March, hundreds of demonstrators organised by the 14 February Revolution Youth Coalition broke away from a licensed demonstration organised by official opposition parties, to head once again for the Pearl roundabout. They were met with water cannon and…
The Ash Wednesday action was described by its organisers, Pax Christi, Christian CND and the London Catholic Worker, as a ‘celebration of resistance and repentance to nuclear war preparations’.
Seven Catholic Workers, a Quaker, a doctor and a priest were detained after the action, and searched by police…
Both Maya Evans, imprisoned in HMP Bronzefield on 29 February, and Gabriel Carlyle (PN promotions worker), sent to Lewes prison on 21 March, were sentenced to £355 in fines and court costs; both were imprisoned by Hastings magistrates court for two weeks for refusal to pay, after two years of fending off bailiffs.
The May 2009 action was a die-in for NATO’s victims in Afghanistan, held outside the gates of a base in north London.
The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 allowed the setting up of Special Immigration Appeals Courts.
These meet mainly in secret with only the prosecution and the judge knowing the full evidence against the defendant and the identity of witnesses.
The defendant is not allowed to know the details of some evidence obtained by security services, thus putting paid to the idea of a fair and open trial in such cases.
And now we have the recently introduced…
On 9 April, Easter Monday, former SAS soldier Ben Griffin will officially launch Veterans for Peace in the UK. The group, founded in the US over 25 years ago, is committed to resisting war through nonviolent action.
Speaking at the event will be British and US veterans of the Second World War, the Malayan Emergency, Vietnam, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ben Griffin said: ‘We live in a society that is constantly bombarded with one view of the wars that we…
Maria was the only Parliament Square camper given leave to challenge the new Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (PRASRA), which replaces the provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA) which expired at the end of March.
As PN went to press, it was still not clear when the high court would announce its decision. ‘Originally, they said they would make a decision [in the week of 20 March],’ Maria told PN. ‘However, they keep on pushing the date back…
On 10 March, after several days of creative demonstrations, 29 protesters broke into the construction site of a projected naval base on Jeju island, 62 miles south of mainland South Korea. Locals believe that the US navy intends to use the base as part of its anti-China policy.
Two international activists in the 10 March group, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Angie Zelter, and French activist Benjamin Monnet, were deported on 15 March.
The people of Jeju have been resisting…
Developments since the publication of the March issue of PN have, I fear, only served to confirm my analysis there of the Afghan ‘peace talks’ process (PN 2543).
In particular, the Taliban’s announcement that it is ‘suspending’ its proto-talks with the Americans should reinforce the crucial need for the international peace movement to mobilise public pressure to force the US to take the ‘peace process’ seriously and commit to a full withdrawal.
The suspension is due, in…
On 23 March, the British American Security Information Council (BASIC), a thinktank based in Washington DC and London, issued a report claiming that cancelling the replacement for Trident, Britain’s nuclear weapons system, would save the UK £83.5bn over the next 50 years.
According to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), just the £25bn cost of constructing the replacement nuclear submarines could pay for: the training of 120,000 nurses or 60,000 teachers; a £2,500 bonus for…
Faslane Peace Campers are announcing 30 Days of Nonviolent Direct Action against nuclear weapons at the Faslane naval base to mark the 30th birthday of the peace camp and the ongoing travesty of nuclear weapons. The actions will commence on Saturday 9 June 2012 and continue until 9 July.
Ready for action!
Over the last year a small group of us have been endeavouring to make the peace camp a healthy and happy place to facilitate direct action against Trident We are ready for…
