On March 8th, Nottingham City Council met to approve the 2010/11 budget. Like many council budgets this included a series of cuts to services, in this case amounting to £18.8 million. Nottingham City Unison called a lunchtime protest outside the Council House to show their opposition. Disabled campaigners blocked the tram to express their anger at the proposals.

Council plans to close Victoria Leisure Centre, which were brought forward to save money, have also faced opposition and their is growing dissent about plans to close libraries in Wilford and Beechdale.

Unison's protest coincided with the first day of a forty-eight hour national strike by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) over attacks on their redundancy scheme. In Nottingham strikers marched from Castle Meadow to the International Community Centre (ICC) for a rally.

On the newswire: Protest against cuts at city council | PCS strike March 8/9

Previous features: Protests against county council cuts | Nottingham City Council workers protest job cuts | Campaign to save Victoria Baths takes fight to the council | Credit Crunch Hits Nottingham

Links: Unison Nottingham City Branch | Public and Commercial Services Union

On March 5th 1990, Nottingham City Council, then as now Labour-led, met to set the Poll Tax rate for the city. Protesters burst into the council chamber dressed as Robin Hood. Several councillors were custard pied and the campaigners were arrested by the police. Despite expert evidence that custard pies were not dangerous, the Magistrate failed to see the funny side and two of the campaigners were sent down. This action was part of a wave of protests, disruptions and riots at council meetings across the country which set the scene for the famous riot in Trafalgar Square at the end of March, the day before the tax was to come into force in England and Wales.

To mark the 20th anniversary of this event, Nottingham Radical History Group organised an event to look back on the struggle. This is part of a wider project to make available documents from the time and to record interviews with some of participants in the struggle so that the lessons of the campaign are not lost.

Upcoming event: Wednesday March 31st 3pm Trafalgar Square to commemorate 20th anniversary of Poll Tax Riot. "Open loud hailer, top speakers, Class War, misty-eyed memories, pub afterwards!"

On the newswire: The Poll Tax: twenty years on

Links: The Sparrow's Nest | Nottingham anti- Poll Tax 1989-91: press cuttings, newsletters & leaflets | Notts Indymedia History newswire

Students at Sussex University came into violent conflict with riot cops on Wednesday (3rd) as they occupied the executive nerve centre of their university. Several weeks in the planning by Stop the Cuts campaign in association with the university's Anarchist Society, around 80 students rushed the 'fortified' Sussex House building with a supporting demo outside of around 300 people, all in protest against the proposed cuts to university funding. The occupation was part of a national day of action, called against £950m of government cuts to higher education announced on February 1st. There were also actions in Norwich, Leeds and London.

Following the effective takeover of the National Front by suspected state asset Eddie Morrison, the NF have sought to capitalise on the perception amongst many hardcore racists that the BNP is now too mainstream, describing the larger organisations decision to "allow" non-white members a "sell-out" and explicitly calling for BNP members to jump ship. Unfortunately, the Front's credibility in the eyes of fellow members of the master race cannot have been helped by news that they have been chased out of Ripley in Derbyshire without even offering token resistance.

Hoping to create a bit of a stir, the Front had said they would be selling papers in Heanor, Ripley and Ilkeston as part of a so-called "day of action". They didn't even bother showing up in Heanor and only five 'warriors' of the 'master race' actually made it to Ripley town centre. There, anti-fascists confronted the tiny group and, without any struggle, they gave up their flag and large stacks of racist literature before legging it out of town, followed by taunts and abuse. They made a brief trip to Ilkeston later on but had turned tail and run home before anti-fascists were able to catch up with them.

On the newswire: National Front lose their flag and chased out of Ripley | NF Gaffe! | Eddy Morrison & The NF Split by Malatesta | 2010: The BNP, NF & EDL by ‘Malatesta’ | Fuhrer Eddy Morrison Takes Over NF by ‘Malatesta’

Previous features: BNP difficulties in Notts | EDL riot in Stoke | Fascists rally in Nottingham | Anti-fascists challenge BNP's return to Derbyshire | BNP candidate "would revel at causing some havoc"

Links: Antifa England | Love Music Hate Racism | Notts Stop the BNP | Unite Against Fascism | Notts Indymedia anti-racism newswire

In the early hours of February 26th, Nottinghamshire County Council voted to endorse a controversial budget which will see jobs cut, care homes sold off to the private sector and the cost of services for the elderly and disabled increased. Campaigners opposed to the plans rallied in Mansfield and outside County Hall to show their anger at the proposals and council workers are currently being balloted for industrial action (but not a strike) against a related attack on terms and conditions.

The county council's programme of cuts comes in a political climate in which all the main political parties have expressed their belief in the need for cuts to public sectors in light of the economic damage wrought by the banking collapse and subsequent bailout. The Labour-run city council are also planning to cut staff as well as closing Victoria Baths along with libraries in Wilford and Beechdale.

On the newswire: County Hall budget protest: Report | Demo against council cuts: Thursday 25th | Notts council workers rally for jobs

Previous features: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike | Public service workers out to protect pensions

Links: Fair Pay Action Group | GMB Notts General Branch | Notts County Unison

Greece has once again been rocked by protests, strikes and civil unrest. This time in response to a series of swinging government cutbacks aimed at bringing the country into line with neo-liberal dogma and reducing it's budget deficit. In response to proposed attacks on worker's rights and pensions, virtually the entire country came out on strike on Wednesday. 30,000 marched through Athens and violently clashed with police. There is widespread anger at the governments attempts to deal with the economic crisis by dipping into the pockets of the poor. Marchers in Athens shouted, "No sacrifices! Make the rich pay for the crisis!”

The ongoing Fur Free Nottingham campaign against shops that sell fur has claimed another victory. Vintage Warehouse, on Lower Parliament Street, have agreed to adopt a fur free policy. The company follows Kitsch, Baklash and Cow who have all adopted fur free policies following protests outside their shops by Nottingham animal rights activists.

Over 50 million animals are killed every year for their fur and there are virtually no legal controls for the welfare of animals on fur farms. Animals on fur farms are caged raised and killed using methods such as neck breaking, anal electrocutions and gassing. Animals are sometimes skinned alive for their fur.

The protesters are now vowing to step up their campaign against Cashe and Flannels, the few remaining clothes shops in Nottingham that sell fur.

Newswire: Anti fur demonstration with a difference at Cashe Nottingham | Vintage Warehouse adopt a fur free policy during protest | Nottingham Animal Rights into the Teenies | Flannels protest after recent successes with local anti fur campaign. | Cow sign anti-fur pledge

Previous feature: Nottingham Animal Rights get active

Links: Campaign for a fur free Nottingham | Nottingham Animal Rights | Notts Indymedia Animal Liberation newswire

A mass hunger strike by migrant women detained at Yarl's Wood immigration prison in Bedfordshire has been ongoing since 5th February, 2010. The hunger strike, which involved some 84 women at the start, was sparked by detainees demanding that "the frustration and humiliation of all foreign nationals [in detention] ends now" (see demands below).

On 8th February, a violent attempt by Serco security guards to break up the protest saw 70 women being locked in a corridor for up to 8 hours without access to food, water, toilet or medical care. Many collapsed and about 20, who climbed out of a window, were beaten up and taken into isolation cells [detainee's account]. Four of the women, singled out as 'ringleaders', were taken to Bedford police station and subsequently transferred to HMP Holloway prison in London, without being charged with any offence or brought before a judge.

A number of protests in solidarity with the hunger strikers have taken place. On 10th February, students and campaigners held a two-day solidarity hunger strike at the London offices of Serco, the private security company that runs Yarl's Wood. Two days later, on 12th February, a noisy demo was held outside Serco's offices, with around 50 people present. 84 Northwest No Borders activists also took part in a 24-hour fast in solidarity with the 84 detainees on hunger strike. 66 people in Bradford also took part in a one-day solidarity hunger strike. On 17th February, a protest was held outside HMP Holloway in solidarity with the 'Yarl's Wood four'. On 21st February, a protester was held inside the perimeters of Yarl's Wood [press release | pics]. Another protest at the Serco offices in London has been called for Friday, 26th February.

A similar mass hunger strike in Yarl's Wood in June last year was met with violent assaults on detainees by Serco security guards. Again, a solidarity protest was held at the company's offices in London, where protesters sneaked a look at its 'protest response plan'.

Links: No Borders London | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)

The state has begun handing down vicious sentences to men accused of participation in the rioting in London that occurred during a protest against the Israeli attacks on Gaza (see SchNEWS 661-662). Ten young men have been jailed for their role in protests demanding an end to Israel’s invasion of Gaza early last year – and more are to follow in the coming weeks.

Links:
Indymedia coverage of the protests: Feature | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Recent Indymedia articles:: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
No More Isolation | Schnews 710

Activists have shut down the premises of arms dealers Heckler & Koch for the day. Anti-arms trade campaigners occupied the roof of the building and blockaded both gates to the Lenton site. Police have been refusing to allow any one to enter or leave the Easter Park industrial estate.

According to reports, the protesters entered the site at around 6am. The final lock on was not removed until around 12.30pm. The rooftop occupiers agreed to come down once the blockade was lifted. Those arrested were taken to Bridewell police station.

H&K; is the world's second largest manufacturer of small arms and have been used by child soldiers in Africa, mercenaries in Iraq and criminal gangs in Serbia. The Easter Park premises are the company's UK headquarters. The Shut Down H&K; campaign have been picketing and campaigning against the company's activities in Nottingham since 2008.

Newswire:Heckler and Koch successfully shutdown | An open letter to Heckler & Koch

Previous features: Shut Down H&K; Goes to Church | Campaigning against Heckler & Koch Weapons in Germany and the UK | Campaign Against Nottingham Arms Manufacturer Enters New Phase | The Arms Trade: From Nottingham to Georgia | Protesters Return to Nottingham Weapons Manufacturer | Protesters Target Nottingham Weapons Manufacturers

Links: Shut Down H&K; | Notts Anti-Militarism | Ceasefire Magazine: The gun maker next door | Notts Indymedia Anti-Militarism newswire

Anti-fascists in Nottinghamshire have expressed pleasure at the BNP's drubbing in a by-election held in the Hucknall Central ward for a seat on Ashfield District Council following the death of the incumbent Tory councillor. The BNP would normally be expected to benefit from a low-turnout, but only managed 7.5% on a 32% turnout, coming fifth behind UKIP.

Compounding the BNP's problems, a group calling themselves "Broxtowe Reds" claim to have vandalised vehicles belonging to Dave and Nina Brown with paint stripper. The Browns are local BNP councillors who turned against the party leadership following Sadie Graham's expulsion from the party, but have now returned to the fold.

Meanwhile, autonomous anti-fascists in Nottingham have produced the first edition of a newsletter dubbed, "Burnt Flag." The newsletter includes analysis of the EDL's visit to the city in December last year, a record of anti-fascist actions through 2009 and a report on the second leaking of the BNP's membership list.

On the newswire: Broxtowe BNP vehicles damaged | BNP trounced in Hucknall election | Burnt flag: new nottingham antifascist newsheet | Stop the Nazi BNP in Hucknall! | BNP Candidate Standing at Hucknall Central By-Election

Previous features: EDL riot in Stoke | Fascists rally in Nottingham | Anti-fascists challenge BNP's return to Derbyshire | BNP candidate "would revel at causing some havoc"

Links: Antifa England | Love Music Hate Racism | Notts Stop the BNP | Unite Against Fascism | Notts Indymedia anti-racism newswire

According to local rag the Evening Post, Nottingham City Council has "Nottingham City Council has banned large-scale graffiti art to take place at youth clubs. Those affected will reportedly be The Arches, Russell Youth Club and St Ann's Adventure Playground. It is not specified in the article what law or procedure has been used to do this.

The alleged ground for this ban is that legal graffiti encourages illegal graffiti or gives an appearance of neglect. This is based on the so-called "broken window theory."

While the ban appears to be restricted to council-run youth clubs, this is not clear and there is some concern that the ban might extend further, possibly to private graffiti displays (like that on the side of OhMyGosh records on Mansfield Road). Even if it's scope is tightly restricted, the removal of a legal space for young people to express themselves has been strongly criticised.

On the newswire: Graffiti art with consent banned in Nottingham | Is the writing on the wall for Cllr.Collins?

Nottingham grafitti showcase: OhMyGosh Graffiti / Spray Art Session Finished | OhMyGosh Charity Live Graffiti Art Session Street Party: Pix 1 | OhMyGosh Charity Live Graffiti Art Session Street Party: Pix 2 | Spray Art at the ASBO - Pictures | City Arts, Graffiti Art :: Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham | Forest Fields Youth Club: Artwork and Graffiti 1 | Forest Fields Youth Club: Artwork and Graffiti 2 | Graffiti Artists in the Arboretum, Nottingham

Links: Questionmarc | Tash: Graffiti and wall arts (Flickr page)

Last Sunday (8th) two teams of activists blockaded the gates of Cargoflora and Carmel Agrexco in protest at the importation of flowers from occupied Palestine. Several of the blockaders were severely assaulted by staff at the Cargoflora depot.

Action Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Open Letter to Cargoflora
Previous Indymedia coverage of action against Agrexco: 1 | 2 | 3 |

Links: Corporate Watch | BIG Campaign

Also in SchNews 709: | SLUNG OUT ON YER FRONTIER French cops crack down on migrant welfare centre| I‐RAN AWAY Security forces clash with protesters on anniversary of 1979 revolution | SERCO‐MPLICIT Women's hunger strike inside Yarls Wood detention centre is met with violence by Serco guards | COLD TURKEY 19 Turkish anti militarist activists on trial | WEST BANK STORY Israeli army target ISM in attempt to quash anti wall protests | FLYING IN THE FACE As residents across the UK team up to stop airport expansion | SUS‐SEX APPEAL Conference centre occupied by uni students | AND FINALLY... Confusion as EDL accuse left wing groups of attempting violent infiltration to frame them as racists...

On Sunday, 7th February, French Police attacked the Kronstadt Hangar as part of an ongoing campaign of repression against migrants, which included the destruction of many migrant camps and squats in July 2009. The Hangar had been hired by the No Border Network and the French organisation SôS Soutien aux Sans Papiers as an autonomous space for migrants and activists struggling for the right to freedom of movement. Before the Hangar was opened, migrants had been meeting up outside the night shelter during the day, but the night shelter had finally closed at about the time the hangar opened its doors on 6th February.

Previous articles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Links: Calais Migrant Solidarity | No Borders London |

On Saturday February 6th, the Save Victoria Baths campaign held a demo in protest at the council's plans to shut Victoria Leisure Centre on April 1st. The event was well attended and attracted a fair amount of media attention. Although the council seems to have made its decision, campaigners believe the fight is far from over. They will hand over a petition against the closure on Monday February 8th.

The campaign has also announced on its website that users of the Victoria Leisure Centre have formally threatened legal action against the council over its sudden announcement that the centre will be closing on April 1st. The legal action asks the council to withdraw the decision and keep the centre open whilst the planning process is undertaken, echoing the appeals of the campaign. London public law firm, Pierce Glynn are acting on behalf of the users, seeking a judicial review, accusing the council of failing to take into account the fact that no planning application has been submitted, that this process will take at least several months, and failing to take into account the impact this will have on users, especially disabled ones.

On the newswire: Report from Save Victoria Baths demo 7/2/10 | Save Victoria Baths: Interview | Council does the dirty on the Save Victoria Bath Campaign

Previous features: Victoria Baths axed early in city budget | Credit crunch hits Notttingham | Nottingham City Council: Mired in Corruption | Council Under Fire From Campaign To Save Leisure Centre

Links: Save Victoria Baths | Petition | Nottingham City Council LOLs

Concerned about underperformance by Nottinghamshire Police Force, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) have taken the unusual step of sending in an "elite squad" to review the force's practices. Zoe Billingham, the Inspector for the eastern region, explained: "We're concerned about the enduring issue of Nottinghamshire Police's under-performance. There has been improvement in the city, but crime is not falling as fast as in other areas of the county. People in Nottinghamshire don't feel safe in some areas."

The team's work will reportedly cost £75,000. The six person team includes two serving chief constables and, bizarrely, Tony Wilkinson, former chairman of discount store Wilkinsons Ltd.

This move comes at the end of what diplomatically might be described as a "difficult" year for Nottinghamshire Police.

On the newswire: Christmas Appeal - Spare some coppers for a Copper | Another shoplifting copper caught with their trousers down | Police dog handler on trial | Demo against Notts Police & £700,000 bill for arresting 114 enviro activists | Taser Frenzy in Nottingham | Another young, black man dies in a police cell | Police spent £700.000 on climate action bust operation | Heroes of law and order

Previous features: Notts Police Face Scrutiny | Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid | Tasers in Nottingham

Related links: Inquest | Nottscops: Unofficial Nottinghamshire Police Photo Archive | United Campaign Against Police Violence | Notts Indymedia Repression topic page

Ever keen to get an up close and personal look at the world's most troubled regions, SchNEWS was fortunate enough to sweet-talk Brightonian Al Jazeera journalist, Medyan Diarieh, recently returned from reporting in Afghanistan. As a Palestinian who has extensively covered the conflicts in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iraq and Turkish Kurdistan for many years, he's a man with a useful perspective on events on the ground in what's become Britain's longest war since the days of Empire. Medyan has become a well known figure amongst pro-Palestine and anti-war protesters, informing the public in the Arab-speaking world of the UK's solidarity movements.

Interviewer: So what was it like arriving in Afghanistan?

Medyan: When I arrived in Kabul I could see even from the plane that it is a very poor city. When you walk from the airport you can see Turkish army and American armies, but the airport is very small and the electricity is cut off for half an hour at a time. Once I went to the street, I knew everything about this country. There is no life at all. The electricity is sometimes on sometimes off, no clean water, no sanitation at all. And this is in Kabul. Outside the city is nothing, most people don't know what a cooker is - they just cook on wood. Most of the roads in Afghanistan have not been concreted. The water you see on the street is sewage water coming from the houses since no proper sewage system is in place. Some of the streets I visited have a stream of dirty water running, and they are really hazardous. The houses are very poor. This is Afghanistan.

Also in SchNEWS 708: A HONDURAN LOBO-TOMY 'Return to democracy' sees the coup leaders holding on to power and upping the repression | INSIDE SCHNEWS Decommissioner James Elijah Smith is moved again, this time to Sheppey | STOP 'N SUE Kingsnorth Climate Campers win in the High Court against unlawful police stop and searches, protesters expect big payouts | VOULEZ VOUS COUCHE? No Borders and SoS Soutien open an autonomous safe space in Calais | TREADING A FINE LINE RBS branch in art attack, this time because of tar sands | DIAMONDS ARE FOR NEVER Top jeweller Tiffany subjected to protests for their involvement with Botswana's ethnic cleansing of the Bushmen | OVER THE MAINSHILL? Report of last week's eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity camp | BLAIR FACED CHEEK Anti-Blair demos outside the Chilcot Inquiry | ..AND FINALLY.. Swordfish sabotages Total Oil pipeline in Algeria

Early Monday morning bailiffs and police under the auspices of the National Eviction Team (http://ukevict.com) began the long expected eviction of Mainshill Solidarity camp. (See SchNEWS 681 for the beginnings)

At the time of going to press the eviction was still ongoing with the tunnel teams working 24/7 to get at the hold outs underground - 43 arrests have been made so far - the majority charged with aggravated trespass.

Mainshill in South Lanarkshire, is the proposed site of a massive open-cast coal mine. Ten years of local opposition (Mainshill is set to be the fifth such mine in the area) culminated in the protest site. The camp was occupied 7 months ago in solidarity with communities in the Douglas Valley and support has been consistent ever since, with the camp kept well supplied by neighbours - including a full Christmas dinner. The site is owned by Lord Home, who is set to profit from allowing Scottish Coal to dig out 1.7 million tonnes of coal from Mainshill.

Also in SchNEWS 707: GONE TO POTTERIES The English Defence League embark on a racist rampage through Stoke | CALAIS: GIMME SHELTER French police evict a night shelter and destroy the makeshift camp erected by migrants in protest | FESTIVAL CLAMPDOWN: TOKING THE PISS The Police War on Fun continues with the prosecution of a festival owner for allowing cannabis to be smoked on the premises | CRAWLEY: NO BOARDERS A coalition of No Borders activists and local nimbys help derail plans for a new deportation centre in Crawley | ..AND FINALLY.. James Cameron proves once and for all that 9/11 was an inside job

Campaigners are mobilising to make a final attempt to stop the deportation of Brian, Chelsea and their mother Selina Adda to Ghana

Selina Adda a national of Ghana and her two children aged five and nine years, residents of Nottingham for the last five years; are currently detained in Yarl's Wood IRC and due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Wednesday 27th January 2010 @ 14:50 on British Airways flight BA0081 to Accra.

Their asylum claim and all further legal avenues have been rejected.

Update (27/01/10): Selina and family have not been deported! See article for info.

Previous features Anti-deportation campaign for Notts family

Newswire: Selina Adda did not fly yesterday | Sanctuary for the Adda Family | Sanctuary for Brian, Chelsea & Selina

Action: Petition | BA Customer relations

Links: Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum | National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigners