Notts Cuts Watch #6 and Monday’s Notts SOS meeting plus other events this week

Here is the latest round-up of mainstream press reporting on cuts and anti-cuts action from Notts Indymedia.

Notts Cuts Watch #6 Week 6 Covering November 15-21: http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/articles/666
Previous reports: https://nottssos.org.uk/in-the-news/

Tonight’s regular Monday meeting is at 7.30pm at the usual venue. Details here: https://nottssos.org.uk/contact/

Events this week include Gedling school protest march on Thursday and student fees actions on Wednesday.

Also this week: Thursday 25th November. Sumac Debates: Cutting up our Communities
Venue: The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Forest Fields, Nottingham, NG7 6HX. 7.30pm. This is one of an ongoing new series of open discussions at the Sumac Centre with an anti-capitalist theme. Come to listen or talk or both.

1100 march in Nottingham against austerity [with videos and photos]

Notts Save Our Service banner used on demonstrationOn Saturday 20th November 2010 the lively demonstration and march called by Notts Save Our Services assembled on the Forest Recreation Ground. Well over one thousand residents, workers, service users, pension and welfare recipients, parents, teachers, university and school students from all over Nottingham and Notts brought themselves along on a misty morning, and carried placards and banners against cuts. We marched to Nottingham city centre down Mansfield Road and many more people clapped from the pavement or hooted horns as we passed. At Speakers’ Corner a rally was held with many speakers explaining the effect of the cuts and encouraging more people to get involved with Notts SOS. Queens Street had to be closed to accommodate everyone.

Watch a video of the march as it left the Forest (links to photos are further below) and an edited video of some of the speeches on the podium and singing before and on the march.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-CktNNTb44&feature=player_embedded#!]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzGj-xvhZbA]

Read press release advertising the march and rally: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/679.

Read collected media including photos following march and rally on Notts Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/697

Look at pictures of the march and rally from the Trades Council website: http://www.nottstuc.org/2010/11/pictures-from-todays-demo.html
Lots more photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonmack/sets/72157625306734629/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshcunninghamphotography/sets/72157625492249146
BBC Nottingham news article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-11803578 (only 500 though! Journalist must have counted or estimated numbers at the beginning when the march was assembling whereas we did a proper roadside count on Mansfield Road). Anyway ITV News said it was 3000! See also Evening Post website coverage.

More reports and media to follow.

Well done to all that marched. We hope this will inspire more people to get involved with Notts SOS. In January we will hold a conference in Nottingham to work out a wider strategy as we know there are many and diverse ways the government cuts will affect our lives. In the meantime we hope that more anti-cuts groups will form whether around a specific campaign like Save Gedling School or with a general ‘save our services’ aim. Notts SOS planning meetings are held on Mondays in the International Community Centre. Details of these meetings and other planned events can be found on our website.

To find out just some of what’s happening in Nottingham and Notts, read our Newsletter –
Notts SOS Newsletter No. 1
: [Word version] [PDF version]

Tory headquarters in Nottingham strewn with graffiti and windows smashed – second attack in one week

Photo of damage to Conservative Part HQ in Nottingham on 19th November 2010Nottingham Evening Post, 19/11/2010: “Tory headquarters in Nottingham strewn with graffiti and windows smashed”.

THE Tory headquarters in Nottingham have been vandalised for the second time in a week in protest at Government cuts and “in solidarity” with the Millbank riots.

Photographs on Notts Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/677
Statement on Notts Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/676

More news links from Notts SOS: https://nottssos.org.uk/in-the-news/

Leaflets for Saturday’s Notts SOS anti-cuts demo and for next week – with diary dates for November/December 2010

Download leaflet we’ll be handing out on the demonstration taking place on Saturday: leaflet_for_demo_nov_20_with_dates.pdf

Upcoming Campaign events:

22 November: Regular Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. Venue details here: https://nottssos.org.uk/contact/

24 November: National Walkout against Student Fees In our region, so far there are walkouts being advertised in Leicester, Lincoln and Loughborough and Nottingham.

25 November: WE ARE ONE ‘Night of Light’ demonstration in Gedling to protest at the government closure of Gedling School – meet 5:30pm at the Phoenix pub [directions here]. Brign Glo sticks, torches … anything bright. Call Dale Vizzard for details: 07833762387.

29 November: Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.

4 December: Protest against corporate tax evasion – 1pm outside Vodafone on Clumber Street, Nottingham with march onto Boots on Wheeler gate. Part of a nationwide protest against Vodafone and Boots who evade billions of pounds in tax.

6 December: Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.

National walkout against student fees – Wednesday 24th November 2010 – with East Midlands links [plus video of Millbank demo]

Following the huge and lively students’ and education workers’ demonstration on 10th November a National walkout against student fees has been called for Wednesday 24th November 2010.

Details of the walkouts are being compiled on anticuts.org.uk, the NCACF site anticuts.com and on Facebook

In our region, so far there are walkouts being advertised in Leicester, Lincoln and Loughborough and Nottingham.

In addition occupations have been taking place over the last few days at Sussex University in Brighton and also in Sheffield, plus websites have been set up to support those on last weeks demo: http://nov10.wordpress.com/ and
http://teneleventen.wordpress.com/.

LATEST NEWS 22/11/2010: http://soasoccupation2010.wordpress.com/The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, has just occupied the Brunei Gallery in protest at rising education fees and swingeing cuts. The occupation was proposed and decided on at an emergency general meeting of the Student’s Union last week. Please send messages of solidarity to: soasoccupation2010 [at] gmail.com
UPDATE: First message of solidarity was from Kathmandu! Thanks Aksel Lydersen – typical SOAS

Watch edited video of protest and direct action ourside Millbank Conservative HQ on 10th November 2010.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUlqfA712vU&feature=player_embedded#!]

Racism, Cuts and the Right – Nottingham Unity Committee leaflet and meeting announcement

Nottingham Unity Committee and Notts Stop the BNP will be holding a public meeting on 20th January 2011 to highlight how the right-wing may seek to take advantage of the climate of austerity to further a racist and nationalist agenda. Please put the date in your diary (if you’ve got a 2011 one yet!) and come to the meeting.
Venue: New Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham NG1 4EZ.
Time: 7.30pm
Download leaflet: nottingham_unity_ctte_cuts_racism_leaflet.pdf

From the Forest to the Square – All out for a big Notts demonstration against the cuts – Saturday 20th November

Saturday 20th November is when we must make the City and County authorities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire aware of the strength of feeling that is growing against cuts to services, jobs, welfare and education. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a locally or centrally controlled budget, we can’t allow these cuts to go ahead without a fight.

To find out just some of what’s happening in Nottingham and Notts, read our Newsletter –
Notts SOS Newsletter No. 1
: [Word version] [PDF version]

We will be assembling at the Forest Recreation Ground from 11.30am and marching at 12.30pm to the Market Square in Nottingham City Centre for a rally. The event is ‘Demonstration Against the Cuts ‘ and we say “There is an alternative. Make the rich pay for the crisis.” Bring your banners and placards (otherwise some will be available from Notts SOS). Let’s make it as big & noisy as possible!

Unless we refuse to accept them, all these cuts will go ahead while the well off people who govern us remain unaffected. If services and welfare are taken away, many people with illnesses and disability will suffer. If education is cut children and students of all ages will suffer. Facilities will close or get reduced and many more people will suffer. Is this the kind of society we want to live in?

All this,

  • while the banks remain bailed out with billions of pounds.
  • while vast city bonuses are still being given to individuals.
  • while private interests are being allowed to take over every aspect of life.
  • while huge corporate tax bills, like those of Vodafone or Boots, are avoided by sleight of hand.
  • while inequality of earnings is greater than ever.
  • while food and fuel prices are rising.
  • while billions of pounds are spent on weapons.
  • while billions of the world’s poor remain poor or are exploited for financial gain.
  • while the environment is ignored in the relentless search for profit and growth.
  • while the cause of the financial crisis remains virtually unchanged.

There must be a better way.

We won’t change the world in a day, but we have to take a stand against austerity.

Let’s remind the politicians who the Big Society really is.

We call on all workers, benefits and pension recipients, community groups, arts organisations, charities, school and college students, to unite and show opposition to the cuts in our region. Campaigners from nearby areas are welcome to join.

Notts Cuts Watch #5 and Notts SOS meeting on Monday 15th November 2010

The latest edition of Notts Cuts Watch is out.. Cuts Watch is round-up of media about the cuts and responses to then, courtesy of Nottingham Indymedia.

The next Notts SOS meeting is on Monday 15th November at 7.30pm at the usual venue, the International Community Centre. Details here. Come and help us prepare for the demonstration on November 20th.

Kerfuffle at tax-dodging Boots – in Worthing, West Sussex, but it could be anywhere …

This was circulated on the Community Action Network mailing list which is a network that is helping link up community solidarity groups around the UK. More info and links to groups in Worthing.

Kerfuffle at tax-dodging Boots

ANTI-CUTS protesters caused a kerfuffle at the Worthing branch of Boots at Saturday lunchtime, November 13, as they drew attention to the firm’s tax-dodging antics.

Five of them walked into the Montague Street shop and started handing out leaflets [see text below] to customers condemning the way Boots moved its HQ to a Swiss post office box to avoid paying some £86 million a year in UK taxes – while ordinary people are made to suffer by ConDem cuts.

It took some time for panicked staff to round them up from the two floors of the busy store and they and others then carried on the leafleting outside the two street entrances, attracting a lot of interest and support from shoppers.

Boots management called Sussex Police, who started asking activists to provide their names and addresses, which they declined to do.

The cops also said Boots was accusing them of harassing customers by forcing them to take leaflets, but on being told that this was not true they did not pursue the point.

Customers leaving the shop reported that Boots staff had tried to take from them the leaflets that they had been handed on their way in.

Around 300 leaflets were handed out in an effective mini-action that clearly left Boots rattled – as did the previous action down the road at Vodafone.

More of these actions will be staged in future. Why not come and join us next time?

Below is the text of the leaflet:

WHY BOOTS ARE WALKING RIGHT OVER ALL OF US!

DID you know that Boots The Chemist, that High Street shop with which we are all so familiar, is stealing £86 million a year from the British public thanks to a tax dodge?

That’s right! As exposed recently on BBC radio’s File on 4, it sneakily changed its HQ to a post office office box in Switzerland to avoid paying proper UK taxes and is now handing over only £14m a year instead of more than £100m.

Meanwhile, Boots boss Andy Hornby – the former chief of failed bank HBOS, walked away with more than £2m in his own pocket for his first nine months’ work.

It’s the same picture everywhere – Big Business is being allowed to get away without paying its fair share of taxes that the rest of us have to cough up. And the Fat Cat bosses are laughing in our faces with their massive pay cheques and luxury lifestyles.

This comes at a time when the Tory/Lib Dem government is telling us the country is broke and we’ve all got to make ‘sacrifices’. Thousands of people will be losing their jobs. Vital public services will be cut.

Those who cannot find work are to be punished with what amounts to slave labour or the threat of starvation. Only the rich are to be allowed a proper education with the massive hike in student fees.

The NHS is coming under attack from privatisation. We are all going to have to work until we drop dead because the state doesn’t want to pay us the pension we’ve earned.

This is not a coincidence! What we are seeing is a deliberate attack on the majority of the population by greedy global Big Business and its friends in the deeply unpleasant Conservative and Lib Dem parties. We say we have to fight back! The students in London have shown us the way – we have to make it quite clear to the ruling elite that we will not put up with DAYLIGHT ROBBERY from Boots or any other Fat Cat criminals!

Join the resistance!

Defend student occupation of Tory HQ – and follow up Day of Action on 24th November

Students and education workers at Conservative Party HQ - showing a lot more people than the so called rogue minority reported by the mainstream mediaSeveral people have already commented on this via our newsletter No 1, but I think we need more comments on here and a higher profile for the issue of tuition fees in the light of yesterday’s events in London. I for one want to place on record my support for those students who occupied Millbank Tower, Tory Party HQ.As others have said, the real violence here is the violent assault by the Tories and LibDems on the access rights of students, particularly working class students, to higher education. The comments of Aaron Porter, the President of NUS, calling his fellow protesters mindless hoodlums, were totally out of order. Up until the General Election Porter was to the right of the LibDems in that he supports tuition fees, though not any increase. Those who stormed Tory Party HQ were venting the frustration and anger not just of students but all those who are experiencing or will soon experience the Tory axe. The determination of these young people to say no to these attacks is an inspiration to us all – it is time for us all to stand up and be counted. Let’s mobilise as many students as possible for the demo on November 20th and show that thousands can demonstrate in Nottingham as well as London.

Liam

NEW – Press Release for Day of Action on Wednesday 24th November:
http://anticuts.com/2010/11/12/press-release-24th-november-walkout-and-day-of-action/

NEWER – Stop the hunt on the Millbank protestors (Facebook)

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