THE VODAFONE-Y WAR

In the past week as many as 21 Vodafone stores have been hit with direct action. The phone giant have become a widespread target for the national anti-cuts campaign following their multi-billion government-sanctioned tax-dodging shenanigans (see SchNEWS 745, 739)

It kicked off all over the country, with ‘mobile’ hit squads in Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Birmingham, Oxford, London, Brighton, Hastings, Worthing, Portsmouth, Weymouth and Bristol - with two or more branches being shut in most cities.

Many stores were already braced for action after the public announcements of the planned demos, and as soon as protesters turned up at one branch, others in the city started to shut down in nervous solidarity. Pickets and blockades in some cities were made up of splinter groups from larger anti-cuts marches that were going on at the same time.

While the police haven’t taken kindly to the campaign, with arrests seen in Birmingham, Brighton and Oxford among others, there has been strong support from the man and woman on the street. Squirming out of an alleged £6 billion tax bill seems to have stuck in the craw of a cut-shocked public and there have been widespread displays of solidarity with the campaigners. One Brightonian passerby even remarked, ‘shame we’re not French’...

More action is planned for this weekend, including more Vodafone demos and citywide marches against the cuts.

* For more and details of an upcoming action near you see www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/467227.html