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WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S YER NO BUDGET ECO-PRANKSTER...
Issue 224, Friday 20th August 1999
ANARCHY IN THE UK
"A
picture is developing of a cabal of anarchist ringleaders who ally themselves
to protest movements and subvert them for their own ends."
-
Evening
Standard, August 11
What
is it about anarchists that makes everyone love them so much? While the solar
eclipse has been looming, their image has been stock fare for news editors and
police who have kept them paramount upon the nation’s consciousness, with
word of their suspected activities on everyone’s lips.
‘Anarchist
violence erupted at an eclipse site yesterday as police fought to close down an
illegal rave’
barked
the Express on August 11. What has so stirred the blood of this particular
tabloid? Apparently,
‘Officers
believe members of the anarchist group Reclaim the Streets - who played a key
role in the riots in London in June - are on the site’.
June
18’s memorable day of action against London’s financial centre, is
still playing on some people’s minds. And the trouble seems to be
spreading, with:
‘Anarchists
‘hijacking’
GM
food protest groups’
,
as proclaims the Evening Standard (Aug 11), identifying
‘links
between organisers of the GM food protests and those responsible for the 18
June action’.
No
shit, Sherlock. But the career of those anarchists seems not only to have
broadened; now, they’re mobile:
‘Some
of the most ancient stones in Penwith could be desecrated and vandalised by
travelling anarchists prior to next week’s total eclipse’
we read in The Cornishman (Aug 5). Again, it is
‘The
same groups of anarchists who have recently rioted in central London [who] are
on their way to target the Men an Tol stones near Morvah.’
Might they not be tired after infiltrating anti-GM groups and raving all
night? Apparently not; as, reports the paper, those wacky anarchists are
getting a bit arty:
‘We
believe that they intend to disrupt the eclipse celebrations at the
stones....by painting the holed stone white to make it look like a
Polo-Mint’.
Phew!
You can see why, in the words of one Cornwall resident reported in The West
Briton: ‘People are scared to go out of their doors. People will protect
their property in any way they can. The police seem to have no conception of
how scared everyone is out here.’
On
the other hand, the mass action and street carnival that London saw on June 18
was aimed at hurting some of the major financial institutions based in the
banking district – hardly a threat to yer average Jo(e), who stands to
gain as much ‘trickledown’ from the selling of futures as did Bob
Crachitt.
So:
from whence such terror? If, as the Evening Standard claims,
‘A
picture is developing of a cabal of anarchist ringleaders’
-
just who is painting it? The police have recently released to the press a
number of stills from CCTV footage of the riot, which, apparently, a crack team
of City of London and Metropolitan officers have been busily scrutinising since
the day. Their analysis, claim the police in a recent report, points to a
number of individuals orchestrating the rioting.
Police
‘have pinpointed six smartly-dressed men as the ringleaders’
babbles the Sun of August 10.
The
Mail lets on that
‘The ringleaders carried mobile phones and could be seen huddled in
corners apparently communicating with each other’
,
before offering the predictable revelation that
‘a number of rioters drank huge quantities of alcohol and took
drugs.’
The
Evening Standard of the day before adds, darkly:
‘One even carried a copy of the Financial Times.’
If
anyone who wore a suit must have been in charge of the riot, you’d better
not make too much effort dressing up for Hallowe’en this year, lest
you’re held responsible for the entire festival. By dint of similar
reasoning, the police note that some funds went into hiring the vans and
soundsystem for the event, and that someone involved in Reclaim the Streets has
a pot of wedge from his rich folks. Ergo: he funded the do.
The
police seem to be just the kind of people whose salacious minds lap up tabloid
sensationalism – and take it literally. You can imagine their team,
huddled wide-eyed over monitor screens, whispering to one another like children
telling ghost stories around a campfire. Look - there’s that
‘man
in a suit with a mobile phone who called the shots in the City riot’
(The
Independent). Well, someone at SchNEWS knows someone, whose sister’s
boyfriend’s cousin’s uncle plays darts with the person in that
photo; and he never actually carried a mobile. These kids seem to convince
themselves of more-or-less what they want to believe, before passing down the
hot gossip to the public.
For
theirs is the same kind of Playschool logic as makes for damn good copy, as
amply proven by the quantity of press coverage generated by the police report.
The police are by no means innocent of this, when that same report of theirs
announces their intent
‘to
achieve long-term attrition’
against direct action groups. It’s an informal conspiracy which is
convenient for all sides; the media get some great stories, the police and
government to engineer a climate favourable to their ends.
The
promise of a new police campaign against grassroots activists chimes
strangely well with a recent Home Office consultation paper, seeking to
increase police powers to target
‘animal
rights, and, to a lesser extent environmental rights activists’
.
The key shift here is semantic; at once redefining
‘violence’
to include
‘serious
disruption’
,
while loosening the category of
‘terrorism’
from one purely denoting certain types of violence against people, to the US
definition of
‘serious
violence against persons or property, or the threat to use such violence’.
The meaning of words is as much a site of struggle as the fields or the
streets, as well anyone might remember, who next gets nicked with banner in
hand, and labelled
‘terrorist’.
Meanwhile,
who reports on all the other groups around the world who took action on June
18; the unemployed, the unions, the landless and indigenous groups, who stand
to get at least as surely screwed by the free trade policies of the G8 summit
which then took place? In fact, there was one dissenting press article, which
spoke of June 18 in terms of IMF policy and the
‘social and environmental breakdown [which] is occurring across the
world’ (The Guardian Aug 14).
But,
you see, we know the author; glance at the name and you’ll see an aging
ex-superstar comedian from north London. (And the article all, presumably,
inspired by literature he gleaned from the info-stalls we did at a benefit gig
he put on for us last year).
One other paper, at least, puts forward a calm voice of reason . ‘Anarchist fears groundless’, says the Cornish Guardian on August 12, assuring us: ‘Fears that troublemakers would descend on Penzance on Monday for an “anarchist jamboree” proved unfounded.’
- An Italian national is currently being held after being arrested on June 18. He has limited English, but would appreciate support. Write to: Onofrio Lo Verso, TC3014, HMP Rochester, 1 Ford Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3SQ
CRAP ARRESTS OF THE WEEK
For
growling!
A
protester at the Smokey Bears Picnic was arrested and charged with harassment
after growling at a police dog!
For
mooing!
A
pantomime cow was arrested and charged with harassment and threatening
behaviour after going into a McDeath’s in Gloucester and saying MOO!!!
The front and back of the cow were held for some 6 hours, and are in Gloucester
Magistrates Court, 9.45am 13th September. In the meantime the cops are keeping
the skin as evidence.
IT'S NO TOKE
A
crack team of Hampshire’s finest made over 80 arrests at last
Sunday’s Smokey Bears Picnic on Southsea Common, Portsmouth. Arrests
made on the day included, bongo playing (SchNEWS can’t really argue with
that one after many sleepless festival nights), growling at a police dog and of
course the heinous crime of possessing cannabis. Inspector Kevin Whaller of
Hampshire police defended the police action as
“positive
policing“
while Superintendent Martyn Powell, said
“the
number of arrests justified the large police presence.”
However
Portsmouth’s well known subversive publication
“The News”
has
attacked the police actions in their editorial.
“The
actions of the police at this years rally make a mockery of last years decision
to ignore drug offences at the same event.”
So
what brought around this U-turn in police policy?
SchNEWS
has
tracked down a copy of the literature that inspired Superintendent Powell and
his boyz and feel we must warn readers of the true facts about cannabis:
- Marijuana is a drug. A drug which affects the mind. And don’t be fooled into thinking that just one toke, sorry, hit - is harmless. Many cases of psychopathology have been reported after a single dose.
- Recently, in quest for bigger thrills, some have injected marijuana directly into the bloodstream
- Many myths regarding marijuana have suggested that the cannabis drug can trigger sexual debauchery. During marijuana intoxication a persons control of his/her mind is loosened, breaks down moral barriers and contributes to immortality.
- Studies have shown that most people who take drugs have a somewhat poorly organised personality to begin with that’s why they take drugs.
All
the above were taken from "New Facts About Marijuana", Ambassador College Press,
California.
TURKISH EARTHQUAKE
As the toll continues to rises in Turkey, the blame for many of the earthquake
deaths has been put firmly at the feet of dodgy house builders. Aerial t.v.
footage shows many apartment blocks which collapsed only metres away from
others which remained intact. According to the Architects Chamber of Turkey
more than half of all buildings in Turkey disregard construction regulations
and are prone to collapse in an earthquake. The builders are often people with
political connections who put profit above safety, while corrupt officials look
the other way. Metin Munir writing in The Financial Times said
“What
building laws there are are virtually unenforceable because those who break
them are politically too powerful.”
6 years ago a cabinet minister was even fired because he tried to end building
trade corruption. Turkey has suffered a deadly earthquake on average every 18
months this century.
BLOWN AWAY AT THE ECLIPSE
At
an eclipse party at Summer Court between Truro and Bodmin attended by 1000+
people, 20 riot cops attempted to shut down one of the 5 sound systems and take
it away, while more of their kind sat waiting in vans. The crowd didn’t
take kindly to this disruption of their fun, and replied with bricks, spades
etc. Out came the CS gas, with a woman and her young daughter getting sprayed.
After a brief stand-off the press showed up, possibly preventing events
escalating even further. Crowd highlights apparently included a woman giving a
man a blowjob in front of the old bill, but SchNEWS don’t swallow that
story.
SCHNEWS IN BRIEF
We’re sure you’ve all heard - Hillgrove cat vivisection farm has finally been closed down because the owner is retiring (yeah, right) Congratulations all round. Anyone for Shamrock?
Home Secretary Jack Straw’s in trouble after remarks he made on a Birmingham radio show. Commenting after 100 armed police turned up at an Irish traveller’s wedding , Straw complained “there has been rather too much toleration of travellers ...travellers seem to think that it’s perfectly OK for them to cause mayhem in an area, to go burgling, thieving, breaking into vehicles, defecating in the doorways of firms and so on...” The matter has now been referred to the police and Comission for Racial Equality. Ever heard of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry, Jack?
Meanwhile SchNEWS can reveal the reasons for last weekends trouble down in Kent between asylum seekers and local residents – a misunderstanding of different traditions. This includes according to one local councillor ‘children playing in the street because they believe it’s the acceptable way’, Whatever next! Don’t they know roads are for cars
Maybe they should check out Broughton Road in West Ealing where pedal powered toddlers joined an open air tea party (let’s give the more up-beat name of say, reclaim the streets). Ealing is one of nine areas that will pilot the “home zone” project, which puts the rights of and their children before cars with 10 mph speed limits, traffic calming measures, whole streets even pedestrianised. The idea comes from the Netherlands, where there are 6,000 home zones.
A National Non Payment Collective has just been launched to help co-ordinate the fight back against tuition fees around the country. A briefing pack will be available soon from non-payment@onelist.com. Meanwhile its been estimated that students owe up to £15 million in upaid fees!
Spoilt brat Charlotte Townsend, reputed to be Britain’s second richest woman, has pulled out of an agreement to give Chesil Beach in Dorset to English Nature so it could become a National Nature Reserve. Townsend pulled out of the deal to hand over the 17 mile shingle ridge in protest at Labour plans to ban fox hunting.
The farce continues . Less than 10 months after opening, the much loved Newbury bypass is to be closed for two months to allow the top surface to be replaced. The estimated bill is £2.5 million and will be met by the contractors.
Rob Newman is doing a benefit gig for Sea Action, at the Komedia Tuesday 31st August. Tickets from the Brighton Peace & Environment Centre, £5-10 (pay what you can afford but remember it’s for a good cause)
Last week people dressed as bats swooped down on the Cubana Bar in London, which serves Cuban food and drink. However, Bacardi have paid them £12 000 to only stock their rum, despite the fact that Bacardi rum hasn’t been produced in Cuba since they were kicked out during the Revolution. For an info-pack on Bacardi’s dodginess and their manipulation and support of the US 40 year blockade of Cuba, contact Rock Around the Blockade c/o BCM Box 5909, London WC1N 3XX Tel: 0171 837 1688.
A homeless ‘tent city’ has been evicted after just three days by police. The Safe Park for homeless people was Ontario Coalition Against Poverty answer to the citys increasing homeless problem and the police’s hard-line against the city poor. A study in January described Toronto’s 26,000 homeless as a national crisis. Despite this, the mayor called the park protestors “professional bums,” and police officers have been working overtime in recent weeks to purge the city of squeegee kids, panhandler and homeless. Email: ocap@tao.ca Web: http://www.welfarewatch.toronto.on.ca/
Bath Reclaim The Streets 11th September, meet 12 noon The Circus.
121 FINALLY EVICTED
The
121 Centre in Brixton has finally been evicted after 150 riot police backed by
an armed squad and helicopter sealed off Railton Rd and adjoining streets
before bursting in through the first floor window. Within minutes the 8
occupiers had been removed and the council went about trashing and barricading
the building. Lambeth leader Jim Dickson said
“We
are systematically clearing up the borough and dealing with the legacy of the
past. Our action today sends out a very clear message to the squatters - the
council will keep taking action over squatted property until there is none
left.”
The
Centre, which had been occupied for 18 years is the latest victim in Lambeth
Councils plans to gentrify Brixton. Used as an advice centre for squatters as
well as a cafe, party venue and printing office, the building will now be
auctioned off to line some fat cats pocket.
OH, HOCKLEY-COKEY
Welcome
to the topsy turvy world of Hockley near Southend, Essex. North Thames Ltd, who
sponsor the Essex Wildlife Trust, want to build 66 luxury homes on land sited
next to an important wildlife reserve. The company butter up the local council
with some serious financial incentives(between £750 000 and £2
million) and get them to release greenbelt land they last year said would never
be built on. The money also helps them forget about their recently published
Biodiversity Plan which they said would help defend local wildlife.
A
protest camp has now been set up. Respect due to the kids who’ve sorted
it out. The Council reckon it’s disgraceful that 10-12 year old kids are
camping out (even tho’ the average age is actually 14). What should they
be doing - sitting at home staring at computer screens?
And
there’s more - the Southend Relief Road, which is going round Hockley,
may link to the A130, site of another protest camp, Gorse Wood at Rettendon,
whose crew have been helping out in Hockley. There’s a
“Save
the Woods”
march and picnic on Sat. 28th August. For details contact: 0831 678635/01702
206181.
IN DEEP WATER
The
infamous Narmada Dam in India has been raised to 85m, threatening 200,000
people's homes. As part of the Satyaghira (non-violent mass action),
protesters refused to leave when water from the dam flooded their valley.
Apparently, the
"Satyagrahis
were facing the increasing waters while the police were making merry at the
higher camp and some indulging in the liquor as it was the "gataari amavaas"
(dirty first-moon day)."
When the police sobered up, 62 protesters were dragged out of their homes,
beaten and arrested. For info on Narmada and the other 3,165 dams being built,
check out
http://ens.lycos.com/
AND FINALLY
A
panel of SchNEWS marketing consultants (most of them disaffected ex-Saatchi and
Saatchi high-flyers) have been reflecting on how to make anarchists seem more
exciting, sexy, more attractive for today’s youth. These are just some of
their ideas:
- 'Good old anarchism. As true today as it’s always been.
- 'Here's Gail Porter, with some letters from you about New Anarchism'
- 'Anarchy - won't dry your Ph balanced like a great taste all your family will love, even with problem hair. That's the Anarchist promise.;
DISCLAIMER
SchNEWS
warns all readers that like dope, New Labour can induce mild euphoria, a
distorted sense of reality, and a tendency to talk crap in a meaningful way.
When under the influence, everything takes on added significance despite the
fact that nothin’s ‘appenin.
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Last updated 18 September 1999
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