The beginning of 2013 offers an opportunity to look back over our achievements (or lack of) in 2012. While the mainstream media obsessed over the Queen's Diamond Jubilee "celebrations" and the Olympics and Paralympics, Nottingham Indymedia has continued to report on the ongoing campaigns of groups as varied as tax campaigners (Notts Uncut), animal rights activists (opposing the badger cull) and en…

The latest in a series of solidarity demonstrations was held outside Morton Hall detention centre in Lincolnshire today. Two minibuses of people set out to let the nearly 400 detainees know that they have not been forgotten this winter. We spent over an hour moving round the perimeter chanting and making noise so that they would hear us. Some people climbed trees so that our banners would be …

1.00pm Saturday 8th December 2012

Meeting up at Starbucks on South Parade, Just south of the Market Square, Nottingham

People gathered, handed out leaflets and the Notts uncut banner displayed.  The issue being further aired by the media these last few weeks, was about the lack of tax being collected by the large corporations ..... set against the cuts in services applied to so many of the poore…

Broxtowe Save Our NHS target local MP Anna Soubry

This morning in Beeston the Broxtowe Save Our NHS campaign delivered its Christmas spectacular. A giant Christmas card was brought into Beeston, on which people were able to send their messages of seasonal goodwill to their MP, Anna Soubry. These messages were of course somewhat infused with the feelings people have about the NHS, and the dama…

Ilkeston FC welcomed Fan owned football club FC United of Manchester on Saturday 10th Nov in a Northern Premier League match. Ilkeston FC saw one of its largest matchday crowds when FC United of Manchester visited for last Saturday’s Northern Premier League match.

Early on Monday 29th October, sixteen people scaled the chimneys of West Burton gas-fired power station in Nottinghamshire, shutting it down and halting further construction. West Burton is one of the first of up to 20 new gas-fired power stations the Government has planned.

On the newswire: Gas power station occupied by No Dash for Gas | Police warn power station protesters | fifteen people scal…

The International Day of Action Against McDonalds (16th Oct) was marked by protests against the multinational fast food corporation by protests in Derby and Nottingham. During Saturday lunchtime activists in Derby picketed a city centre branch in protest at its unethical business practices. This was followed by a “mammoth” leaflet distribution on Monday in Nottingham city centre. Activists di…

On Saturday, a group of anti-workfare activists took to the streets of Nottingham to picket some of the corporate workfare profiteers and to highlight why workfare is such a dangerous idea. They visited Burton, Barnardo’s, Primark, Greggs and Superdrug with a banner, sound system and flyers. Campaigners say that workfare, when unemployed people are forced to work for their benefits, is an att…

Often dubbed the 'insecurity' industry by its opponents, the military-industrial complex that arms the police and dictatorships, runs increasingly militarised detention centres and controls housing for migrants is a many-headed hydra. In the past few days, Nottingham has seen activists take on the beast in different ways. On the morning of the 26th, anti-militarists took to the streets of the Lent…

Over thirty campaigners protested outside a Tesco store in Nottingham today in a peaceful demo against the intended badger cull, which is scientifically flawed, unrepresentative of the public's views and morally reprehensible.

On the eve of our phone blockade of the Lowell Group, yesterday, we had some great news. James Coll, who Lowell were threatening with litigation received letters from the debt collection company saying that they were closing his case and pleading with him to let the Nottingham Solidarity Network know. The threat of direct action from James’ enraged community was enough to make even a company …

It's been a month marked by a huge amount of infighting in the far right with BNP vs English Democrats, EDL vs Casuals United and "Zionists" vs Nazis. The far right scented blood after locals protested the decision to lease a building to a Muslim group in Thurnby Lodge, Leicester and even Nick Griffin was seen waddling about trying to get some action. More EDL supporters got banged up for being ra…

This weekend just passed Derby Animal Rights did a street stall in Derby City Centre raising public awareness of the suffering of dogs in our society - the plight of the staffie, the failings of 'BSL - breed specific legislation', greyhound racing, dog fighting, puppy farms and the use of dogs in vivisection.

Over the past few weeks, tensions have been building on the Thurnby Lodge estate in Leicester, over plans to convert a disused scout hut into a Muslim community centre. Residents unhappy with the local government decision to lease to the As Salaam charity have staged nightly protests against the group's meetings drawing as many as 250 people. When community tension is high, the parasites of the fa…

Protests have begun against Nottingham City Council’s plans for extensive felling of trees in Lenton. On Friday a small demonstration against the logging was held which attracted the attention of City Council staff and PCSOs. The council is planning to cut down 84 lime trees because of “aphid mess, falling branches and loss of light”, but the protestors say it is really a money saving strateg…

As many as 100 detainees at Morton Hall Immigration Removals Centre are refusing food in protest against their treatment by the authorities. The protest, which began on Monday night, has also seen protestors take to the roofs of buildings. The centre was under lock down for most of yesterday and detainees were confined to their rooms. A group of supporters who were in touch with people protes…

Rizwaan Sabir, a former University of Nottingham student who was wrongfully arrested under the Terrorism Act, has now found that police "made up" key evidence against him. An internal report by the West Midlands police also stated that interviews with witnesses in the case were “incorrectly recorded” although no officers will face disciplinary action. Sabir has labelled counter-terror oper…

G4S, the world’s largest security company, have won a £135m public contract to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in the Midlands and East of England and the North East, Yorkshire and Humber regions. The contract will effectively mean the privatisation of housing for asylum seekers, who have previously been housed by housing associations. Campaigners from No to G4S are seeking to challe…

Over 100 students refused to go to lessons and staged a protest outside the New College Nottingham High Pavement campus this morning. Students are angry about plans to concentrate students at the campus and radically alter student timetables next academic year, as well as claiming that they have been excluded from the decision making process.

Newswire: NCN strike: Interview with a student | S…

Saturday 16 June 2012

At 3.00pm on Saturday, people gathered in front of the Council House, Market Square with banners leaflets and a samba band.

The event was to coincide with the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20).

12.00 Noon Saturday 26 May 2012. Listergate, Nottingham

It was a very hot and sunny day.  People gathered under the shade of the trees opposite Topshop in Listergate, Nottingham

Leaflets handed out, speeches were made, childrens faces got painted, ballons blown up, [but kept exploding]. Cakes and samosas got eaten. Party games were played including musical statues and pass the parcel. A pol…

Tuesday 15 May 2012

ASLEF members were picketing outside Nottingham Train Station this morning.

This is the 5th one day strike in support of the ASLEF [Associated Society of Locomotive Steam Enginemen and Firemen] action against East Midlands Trains, a Stagecoach company.

Nottingham’s May Day events were the scene of controversy after protesters prevented Sir Alan Meale, the Labour MP for Mansfield, from speaking. Meale’s invitation to speak at the Notts Trades Union Council organised rally had already sparked condemnation in the run up to the day concerning his alleged support for “anti-working class” politics and his expenses claims. Protesters used whistles…

On Sunday 22nd April, Occupy Nottingham packed up its camp in the Market Square after 190 days. This brings to an end a six month occupation in which they have faced down threats from the far-right, extreme weather, the council and random drunken hordes on the weekends. Despite their decision to leave, the campers are keen to "make it quite clear that although we are leaving the Market Place, we a…

Thursday 5 April 2012

On Thursday 5 April, after a couple of earlier dates with the law, campers from Occupy Nottingham appeared at Nottingham County Court, [sitting in the Magistrates Court] Carrington Street.

Campers and supporters protested and displayed banners outside of the court, before and after the hearing. There was some media interest.

Thursday 29 March 2012

At around miday and later at 4pm, teachers  and supporters gathered in the Market Square to protest at Nottingham City Council plan for a 5 term Year.

The NUT says, the first of what may be a series of strikes attracted strong support from members. Almost all the schools involved in the strike were completely or partially closed.

Public Sector workers protest at Ken Clarke's constituency AGM.

Ken Clarke MP hosted his AGM at the Ruddington Grange Golf Club on the evening of Friday 22 March.  A group of local public sector workers, all members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) staged a protest demonstration at the Golf Club and presented Mr Clarke with an open letter complaining about the current governm…

Next Saturday (17th March), Nottingham Indymedia will be hosting two skill share sessions looking at Online Security (2pm) and giving an Introduction to Indymedia (4pm). The sessions will take place at the Sumac Centre in Forest Fields.

On Saturday March 10th, constituents of Anna Soubry's Broxtowe constituency displayed postcards signed by over 500 people asking her to reconsider plans to privatise the NHS.

They gathered outside Beeston Library where Anna Soubry was meant to be holding a surgery. Unfortunately when Ms Soubry heard of this she changed the location of her surgery.

Thursday 8th March 2012

About 10 days ago,  the Nottingham City Council served a notice on the Occupy Nottingham camp. That unless they stifted by the Monday 5th March, the council said they would start proceedings.  The camp said it wouldn't be moving.

At 3pm on Thursday afternoon [8th March] Nottingham City Council officials served the court hearing papers on the Occupy camp.