- Anti-cuts protests in London
- Meanwhile in France...
- Sheringham: 14 year-battle against Tesco
- Defend Huntington Lane
- Counter-Olympics network initiated Anti-cuts protests in London There seems to be a growing movement against the cuts, which, if went unchallenged, threaten what's left of the social welfare system and further privatisation of public services. On the eve of the budget announcement on 19th October, there was a demonstration of around 200 people in Haringey, North London, called by Haringey Alliance for Public Services. People marched to a rally at the Civic Centre in Wood Green, where protesters called on Haringey councillors to demand adequate government funding, reject privatisation and refuse to implement cuts, or resign. Haringey Council estimates it will make £60m cuts over the next four years. The following day, when the cuts agenda was announced, saw a demo in central London against the cuts, which included student and trade union feeder marches. There was also an unsuccessful attempt to occupy Vince Cable's offices after the main demonstration, which resulted in four arrests. However, it seems people are getting into the spirit of things, with more demos and actions planned. There is a demo on Saturday, 23rd October, called by RMT to support the TUC anti-cuts meeting, which is being supported by the London regions of the fire brigades union, the civil service union, the teachers' union and several others.
Meanwhile in France... Around 1,500 petrol stations in France have run out of petrol or are about to close due to strikes over government pension reforms. On 18th October, the nationwide blockade of oil refineries was into its seventh day. Around one in four petrol stations is affected. Demonstrators also blocked access to Marseille airport. The proposal to raise the retirement age by two years, to 62, has sparked mass protests, including a day of demonstrations last Tuesday that brought out at least a million people onto the streets (unions claimed 3.5 million demonstrated). According to the latest opinion polls, more than 70% of French people continue to support strike action.
Sheringham: 14 year-battle against Tesco Tesco has won a 14-year battle to build a store in Sheringham, Norfolk - but not without a fight. The planning dispute has lasted 14 years and Sheringham's resistance has turned the town into a national test case over the issue of whether the supermarket chains are throttling the business diversity of local communities. The Sheringham Campaign Against Major Retail Over Development (Scamrod) put up an epic fight costing Tesco lots of money. With the new Tesco store on its way now, 'every little hurts' for Sheringham. Link: www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task;=view&id;=275&Itemid;=100
Defend Huntington Lane The Huntington Lane protest camp against a UK Coal open cast mine was threatened with eviction on 14th October. Protesters were threatened with arrest should they trespass upon the site where they were previously occupying tree houses. An eviction notice is yet to be served but the chain of events suggests its imminent arrival. People are being encouraged to pay a visit to the camp, whether it be to stay on, help out with defences, leave a donation or lend their moral support. The protesters are making plans to resist eviction from the site, which involves stockpiling food and preparing to settle in for the winter. Link: http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com
Counter-Olympics network initiated A new network against the corporate Olympics in London has been set up to oppose the grotesquely corporate face of the Games. The Counter Olympics Network (CON) is a network of groups and individuals who aim to "use the spectacle to strengthen existing campaigns and activism on local issues like housing, privatisation and surveillance." Link: http://counterolympicsnetwork.wordpress.com
- Meanwhile in France...
- Sheringham: 14 year-battle against Tesco
- Defend Huntington Lane
- Counter-Olympics network initiated Anti-cuts protests in London There seems to be a growing movement against the cuts, which, if went unchallenged, threaten what's left of the social welfare system and further privatisation of public services. On the eve of the budget announcement on 19th October, there was a demonstration of around 200 people in Haringey, North London, called by Haringey Alliance for Public Services. People marched to a rally at the Civic Centre in Wood Green, where protesters called on Haringey councillors to demand adequate government funding, reject privatisation and refuse to implement cuts, or resign. Haringey Council estimates it will make £60m cuts over the next four years. The following day, when the cuts agenda was announced, saw a demo in central London against the cuts, which included student and trade union feeder marches. There was also an unsuccessful attempt to occupy Vince Cable's offices after the main demonstration, which resulted in four arrests. However, it seems people are getting into the spirit of things, with more demos and actions planned. There is a demo on Saturday, 23rd October, called by RMT to support the TUC anti-cuts meeting, which is being supported by the London regions of the fire brigades union, the civil service union, the teachers' union and several others.
Meanwhile in France... Around 1,500 petrol stations in France have run out of petrol or are about to close due to strikes over government pension reforms. On 18th October, the nationwide blockade of oil refineries was into its seventh day. Around one in four petrol stations is affected. Demonstrators also blocked access to Marseille airport. The proposal to raise the retirement age by two years, to 62, has sparked mass protests, including a day of demonstrations last Tuesday that brought out at least a million people onto the streets (unions claimed 3.5 million demonstrated). According to the latest opinion polls, more than 70% of French people continue to support strike action.
Sheringham: 14 year-battle against Tesco Tesco has won a 14-year battle to build a store in Sheringham, Norfolk - but not without a fight. The planning dispute has lasted 14 years and Sheringham's resistance has turned the town into a national test case over the issue of whether the supermarket chains are throttling the business diversity of local communities. The Sheringham Campaign Against Major Retail Over Development (Scamrod) put up an epic fight costing Tesco lots of money. With the new Tesco store on its way now, 'every little hurts' for Sheringham. Link: www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task;=view&id;=275&Itemid;=100
Defend Huntington Lane The Huntington Lane protest camp against a UK Coal open cast mine was threatened with eviction on 14th October. Protesters were threatened with arrest should they trespass upon the site where they were previously occupying tree houses. An eviction notice is yet to be served but the chain of events suggests its imminent arrival. People are being encouraged to pay a visit to the camp, whether it be to stay on, help out with defences, leave a donation or lend their moral support. The protesters are making plans to resist eviction from the site, which involves stockpiling food and preparing to settle in for the winter. Link: http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com
Counter-Olympics network initiated A new network against the corporate Olympics in London has been set up to oppose the grotesquely corporate face of the Games. The Counter Olympics Network (CON) is a network of groups and individuals who aim to "use the spectacle to strengthen existing campaigns and activism on local issues like housing, privatisation and surveillance." Link: http://counterolympicsnetwork.wordpress.com