Hardest Hit demonstration in Nottingham City Centre attracts hundreds, while Market Square occupation continues

On Saturday 22 October 2011 hundreds of people gathered in Market Square, Nottingham, to listen to speeches and offer support to the many disabled people being ‘hardest hit’ by Government policies of cuts to services and welfare.
Full story and pictures: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2113

Occupy Nottingham also continues in the Market Square taking a stand against the causes and effects of the capitalist crisis, now in its 10th day having moved towards the square’s water feature: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2116

Join the resistance!!

Latest news from Notts SOS, Notts Uncut, Occupy Nottingham, plus forthcoming events

A lot has been happening in Nottingham over the last couple of weeks and especially since the weekend … here are some highlights:

Occupy Nottingham! The occupation of the Old Market Square, starting on the same day of the October 15th ‘Jarrow march 2011’ demonstration against youth unemployment, is still ongoing after 5 nights. This was part of a global day of action against austerity and many occupations are continuing elsewhere. Details on Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2100. Although there was a slight drop-off of people after the initial surge over the weekend, numbers now seem to be growing. On day 5 there are now around 15 tents, a gazebo and a marquee. Join the occupation in the market square at anytime. Check out the link for the wishlist of things needed by the current occupiers.
Photos of day 6: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2105

Notts Uncut took action on the 15th October against the corporate tax avoiders on our high street: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2090

Action against benefit harassment: The two participants arrested after the day of action against ATOS Healthcare which saw people going inside the private examination centre on Stoney Street have been bailed again after appearing at the Bridewell, to allow time for “further investigations”. All bail conditions (restricting them from parts of the town centre) have been dropped. Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2087

Universities and Colleges industrial action – UCU members started their first phase of its industrial action on 10th October with ‘Work to Contract’. “By working to contract, staff will refuse to undertake extra duties or work outside their contracted hours.”

Forthcoming events

The Hardest Hit are holding a rally this Saturday 22nd October at 12.30 in Market Square to defend benefits and services used by disabled people. Notts Uncut are planning an action to support this and are meeting outside Parliament St. Boots at 11am. Come along and support the rally.

The next Notts SOS meeting is on Monday 26th October 2011 at the usual venue, the YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Rd, starting 7.30pm and finishing around 9pm. Then fortnightly thereafter – all welcome.

A public Meeting, ‘Our NHS is in Mortal Danger’ organised by Bassetlaw SOS with Unison and Unite trade unions will take place on 4th November, at Worksop Town Hall, starting at 7 pm. Go and find out about the Government’s plans for the NHS. Find out what is proposed, how this will affect you and what you can do to make your voice heard. Full venuw address is The Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall, Potter Street, Worksop, S80 2AH. A Save Our NHS meeting was held in Nottingham last month.

Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts are preparing for a huge demonstration in London on 9th November: http://nsafc.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/students-to-march-on-the-city-london-nov-9th/

A national day of industrial action will take place on Wednesday 30th November with millions of public sector and education workers going on strike over attacks on pensions. The government will be facing the “biggest trade union mobilisation for a generation” after the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called the day of action. There will be transport from Nottingham.

Benefit claimants fight back! – Nottingham and national coverage of action against ATOS Healthcare on 30th September 2011

17 towns and cities around the UK saw actions and protests outside Atos offices as part of the National Day of Action Against Poverty Pimps Atos ‘Healthcare’ who work on behalf of the Dept. of Work and Pensions.

ATOS are responsible for carrying out the notorious Work Capability Assessment, a ruthless health testing procedure which has led to thousands of sick and disabled people being denied or stripped of vital benefits.

Full report: http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/national-day-of-action-against-atos-round-up/

More on Nottingham action including photos and video of occupation of ATOS Healthcare examination centre on Stoney Street: https://nottssos.org.uk/2011/09/21/national-day-of-action-against-atos-30th-september-nottingham-event/
Nottingham Indymedia report: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2053

See also: ‘Independent’ testing for Mobility Citycard in Nottingham: http://ncclols.blogspot.com/2011/09/ncc-brings-in-atos-style-independent.html

More on Notts SOS about opposition to welfare cuts: https://nottssos.org.uk/tag/benefits/

Jarrow March 2011 comes to Nottingham – Saturday 15th October 2011

At the start of October, Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) and other activists started a 330 mile march from Jarrow to London. “Why? Because we’ve had enough, and we know that it doesn’t have to be this way.” It is 75 years since the first Jarrow March/Crusade of October 1936, when mass unemployment and extreme poverty in the north-east of England drove 200 men to march in protest from Jarrow to London.

Notts Save Our Services will be welcoming the 2011 march on Saturday October 15th, on a day which is exactly 30 years since Norman Tebbit spoke his infamous words at a Tory party conference after the riots of 1981: “I grew up in the ’30s with an unemployed father. He didn’t riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking ’til he found it.” Seems like they haven’t learnt much as we have experienced both widespread riots AND major job cuts in 2011.

Notts SOS is to welcome the marchers on the Forest Recreation Ground, and march with them to Market Square, where there will be a joint demonstration against the cuts. The route of the March has been agreed and marchers will approach the Forest from Nottingham Road (Basford) for a brief meeting up on the Forest Recreation Ground, then the march will go down Mansfield Road into the city centre ending up in the Market Square.

This will be a major anti-cuts day for Nottingham and everyone is welcome to join the march and/or rally in the square against austerity, unemployment and education cuts. The march will also be welcomed in Mansfield the day before (see comment to this article for details).

The itinerary for October 15th is as follows:
10.00 Meet at Hucknall Ambulance Station on Annesley Road. Continue down Annesley Road to Hucknall Market Place.
10.15 Rally at Hucknall Market Place (for about 10 mins)
10.30 Leave Market Place and continue down High Street. High Street becomes Portland Street and then Nottingham Road.
11.00 Straight on at roundabout onto Hucknall Lane. Hucknall Lane becomes Main Street.
11.30 Turn left onto Bulwell Market Place for 20 min rally and 10 min break.
12.00 Leave Market place on Highbury Road. Continue as Highbury Road becomes Vernon Road.
12.30 Take left fork onto Nottingham Road. Continue as Nottingham Road becomes Sherwood Rise.
13.00 Cross Gregory Boulevard onto Forest Recreation Ground. Notts SOS demonstration assembles here – around 30 mins.
13.30 Leave Forest, turning right onto Mansfield Road. Right onto Upper Parliament Street. Left onto King Street. Continue on to Old Market Square.
14.30 Rally on Old Market Square.

Marchers will continue the march on Sunday 16th from Nottingham Trent Univ Clifton campus.

Sunday 16th October – Nottingham to Loughborough
10.30am Meet Clifton Lane (outside Nottingham Trent Uni)
10.40 Continue down Clifton Lane
11.00 Take first exit at roundabout and continue down Clifton Lane
12.15 Continue through Nottingham Road to Gotham
1.15 Nottingham Road becomes Leake Road.
Arriving 5.30pm in Loughborough with a Rally

All welcome – see you there!

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