Report from the afternoon session of day 5 of the Ratcliffe trial

Trial Day 5 - Cheryl Cole more effective than direct action.

Anti fur demonstrations have been taking place regularly outside Paul Smiths recently since they have launched a new line of real fur clothing.

An (incomplete) overview of how the age of austerity has affected Nottingham and Notinghamshire over the last week or so. This is largely culled from various local media outlets, so apologies for some of the dodgy analysis.

David Cameron has promoted the “Big Society” as an alternative to the “big state.” If we are to believe his "vision," independent groups, volunteers and cooperatives will take over many of the functions currently provided by government.

As the meat trade prepares for its annual frenzy of eviscerating millions of turkeys, Nottingham's Veggies crew rolled into Sheffield on November 25th, 2010, with Animal Aid's Friend or Food campaign.

"Internet minister" and public schoolboy Ed Vaizey was in Notttingham today, but managed to avoid protesters eager to challenge him about the Coalition government's cuts.

Nottingham students joined the nationwide protests against the proposed ConDem cuts to education on Wednesday. Around 60 students walked out of Toot Hill school in Bingham and had a rally in Nottingham Market Square. Meanwhile, students at the University of Nottingham marched from the Student Union to the Vice Chancellor's office, and later held a teach in.

Meanwhile the recently attacked Notting…

Ratcliffe Trial suspended for three days and The Power Station continues to contribute emissions.

Our latest Press Release contains more good news for the Minorca Opencast Protest Group (MOPG)and more bad news for UK Coal plc as the fight to stop a new opencast application continues is now published as Pr 85 'Campaigners resistance to opencast mine proposals hears encouraging news from MP'. It also contains the results of MOPG's  2010 AGM.

Update following the first week of the month long trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

Continuing from yesterday, Barrister for the prosecution, Miss Felicity Gerry continued to hack her way in reading through the significant sized list of papers, maps, equipment and property. Laying out the sophistication of the plans.

After Monday's administrations and argument, the trial of 20 activists accused of "conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass" at Ratcliffe power station got underway properly on Tuesday, with the jury being introduced to the prosecution's main elements of the case.

On the newswire: BBC coverage of Ratcliffe Trial | First witness called for the Ratcliffe Trial | Day 2 – Prosecution’s Opening Statem…

NOTTINGHAM TICKETS SOLD OUT - December 1

Join the National Climate March in London

Coach leaves Salutation at 8:00am

Tickets £10 (waged) £6 (student/unwaged)

The prosecution continued its case this morning.

Students from Nottingham University and Toot Hill School in Bingham protest against higher university fees and the axe of EMAs.

23 November 2010 Nottingham Crown Court



Barrister for the prosecution, Miss Felicity Gerry continued to outline their case.

Wednesday 24th November 2010,



The Conservative Party HQ was closed for business today. 

The BBC have outdone themselves with their report on the opening of the Ratcliffe trial, claiming, "More than 1,000 people took part in the protest at the Nottinghamshire plant." (I append a screenshot in case they get around to correcting the article.)

Yesterday the first witness was called by the prosecution - Raymond Smith, former plant manager at the Ratcliffe on Soar power station.  The defence probed him on E.ON's record on sustainability.

23 November 2010 Nottingham Crown Court



After yesterdays administrations and argument, today started with the jury being introduced to the prosecutions main elements of the case.

A year and a half after being pre-emptively arrested alongside more than 100 other people, 20 climate change activists began a month-long trial at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

On the newswire: Ratcliffe conspiracy to trespass trial opens today | Ratcliffe on Trial - Day 1 - cheap pix | Defendants & Supporters outside Nottingham Crown Court ahead of the Ratcliffe Trial today | Ratcliffe on Tr…

Resistance to the age of austerity has continued in Nottingham. On Wednesday night/Thursday morning, vandals struck at Conservative Party offices Nottingham, breaking windows and scrawling graffiti. On Saturday, more than 1,000 people marched from the Forest Recreation Ground to Market Square in a protest organised by Notts Save Our Services.

On the newswire: 1100 march in Nottingham against aust…

On Saturday 20th November, hundreds of folks gathered for a demonstration / protest march in opposition to the governments cuts to welfare, public service, care etc etc .... [oooops sorry, I meant the governments public spending review].

On Saturday 20th November, hundreds of folks gathered for a demonstration / protest march in opposition to the governments cuts to welfare, public service, care etc etc .... [oooops sorry, I meant the governments public spending review].

18 months after 114 people were initially arrested at the Iona School in Sneinton, 20 climate change activists have begun a month-long trial today. They were originally arrested on 13th April 2009.



On Monday 22 November 2010, they have appeared to answer charge at Nottingham Crown Court: that they conspired together to cause aggrevated trespass at the Radcliffe Power Station. The trial is expected …

A recent decision not to approve a new opencast mine application gains Government endorsement after a Public Inquiry - the first victory for Anti Opencast Campaigners for at least five years. This decision has implications for all prospective English applications including the Minorca application in  Leicestershire 

Whilst we wait for the expensive media camera crews to prepare their news reports for 6pm / 6.30 this evening, here's one I took earlier with a battered, 2nd hand, 19th century mobile phone. Everyone is Indymedia!

A year and a half after being pre-emptively arrested alongside more than 100 other people, 20 climate change activists will begin a month-long trial today.