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Category: Protest

  • There are TWO trials of Palestine Action activists this week that need YOUR support

    In Manchester, two Palestine Action trials take place this week for defendants who have plead ‘not guilty’ for their actions at the sites of Israel’s arms trade and their facilitators. They appear in court to state that Israel’s largest arms firm, Elbit Systems, is guilty: those resisting genocide are not.

    Palestine Action: in the dock for saving lives

    On Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 December, one Palestine Action activist will stand trial in Manchester Magistrates Court for a 2023 action in which they occupied the overhang of the Deansgate offices of Fisher German.

    Fisher German were, at the time, landlords for the Elbit’s Staffordshire drone engine factory, UAV Engines – known to export arms components to Israel. Fisher German have since publicly cut ties with UAV Engines and Elbit after the months-long campaign of disruption.

    As part of an ongoing campaign against those complicit in Elbit’s business-of-bloodshed, Palestine Action has targeted Fisher German dozens of times.

    The real estate company was first targeted back in 2021 – with an occupation of the roof of their Birmingham offices (Vine Property Management in Harborne) which also saw the site covered in paint. Three activists were eventually found not guilty in court of the resulting charges.

    These same offices were then hit with five covert actions over 2022, with activists breaking windows and dousing the property in red paint, marking it with a symbol of the blood shed by the company’s Israeli business partners:

    Palestine Action

    Fisher German temporarily abandoned the Birmingham premises in August 2022.

    Similar actions took place at Fisher German offices across the country throughout the two year campaign. Most recently in 2023, a single activist occupied the roof of the entrance to Fisher German’s Manchester offices, which had also been occupied by a coalition of trade unionists, who also demanded that Fisher German cut ties with Israel’s largest arms company:

    It is this activist which is facing trial this week.

    ‘The accuser, not the accused’

    Then, from Wednesday 4 to Friday 6 December, that same activist and one other will appear in Minshull Street Crown Court charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespass in relation to an action at the Elbit Systems ‘Ferranti’ factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester in February 2021.

    As the Canary reported at the time, protesters from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion, armed with banners and red paint, said their early-morning raid on the Israeli-owned Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is because they “will not accept an economy based on devastation, occupation and war”:

    After relentless direct action at the site, the Elbit Ferranti factory – which formerly produced imaging technology for Israel’s drones – has been shut down for good since 2022.

    The two activists facing trial at Minshull Street have had all defences ruled out by the judge – meaning that they will not be permitted to speak on Palestine, Elbit Systems, the genocide in Gaza, or any of the substantive reasons why their action proved necessary.

    Regardless, Palestine Action said in a statement that:

    they appear in the court as the accuser, not the accused, in the knowledge that Elbit System’s criminal enterprise will not last in Britain.

    Featured image and additional images via Palestine Action

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Flash mob takes over British Museum to call out its planet-wrecking £50m BP donation

    On Saturday 30 November the Great Court of the British Museum was taken over by the Climate Choir Movement flash mob when around two hundred visitors at the British Museum café stood up and broke into three-part harmony to sing: ‘It’s time to drop BP! Don’t take their dirty money!’:

    The singers, including members of Bristol Climate Choir, then processed to the entrance of the British Museum Great Court, the largest covered public square in Europe, and performed the classical hit Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss, complete with new anti-BP words:

    With this performance, the UK-based environmental choir network had pulled off their most dramatic stunt yet.

    Three masked actors, representing museum director Nicholas Cullinan, BP boss Murray Auchincloss and chair of museum trustees George Osborne, paraded with the choir:

    British Museum

    A second banner declared ‘Human Culture from the Beginning to the End: The British Museum with British Petroleum’:

    British Museum

    Their message was clear. It was time for the British Museum to drop its controversial financial deal with BP.

    British Museum: taking dirty money from BP

    Last year it was announced that the British Museum’s exhibitions would no longer be BP-branded after its existing five-year sponsorship wasn’t renewed. However, the Museum has continued working with the oil giant in a different way – by controversially accepting £50m from BP towards its 10-year redevelopment plan. Critics of the deal have also pointed out the conflict of interest in the Chair of the Museum and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne having multiple links with BP.

    This year has seen multiple catastrophic climate events, and is set to be the hottest year ever on record with floods, drought, and heat killing thousands.  Against this backdrop, BP has scaled back climate targets while making profits of billions of dollars. It has also abandoned its goal to cut oil output by 2030. BP has also been accused of fuelling the ongoing genocide in Gaza by providing oil to refineries that produce fuel for IDF war planes. Previously, the oil giant was also awarded oil licences from Israel in waters off the coast of Gaza.

    The highly controversial decision to take BP’s dirty money has only added to the ongoing debate about ethical fundraising and sponsorship in the culture sector, with it initially causing concern among trustees and appearing to lead to Muriel Gray’s resignation from the Board. In June this year, the director of Tate, Maria Balshaw, spoke out about BP’s sponsorship deal, saying that “the public has moved to a position where they think it is inappropriate”.

    Profiting from wrecking the planet

    Climate Choir Movement musical director Kai Honey, who arranged the songs, said:

    The British Museum showcases objects from cultures and countries across the world. By slashing their renewable energy division, BP is contributing to the collapse of the world’s stable climate, out of which human cultures arose. BP is not giving money to the British Museum out of the goodness of its heart.

    This is a strategic decision to look like a responsible company, to gain social consent for continued oil and gas exploration.

    Bristol resident and Climate Choir co-founder Jo Flanagan added:

    We now know, due to recently unearthed documents, that major oil companies including BP were alerted to the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels as early as 1954, that the product they profited from could pose a threat to the stability of the Earth’s climate.

    Now, shocking evidence shows they were denying, dismissing, and downplaying the risk of burning fossil fuels during really early attempts to crack down on sources of pollution. At the same time, they spent millions to boost their public image as a responsible partner in the search for climate or clean air solutions.

    This is a carbon copy – pun intended – of exactly what the tobacco industry did when they knew their products caused cancers, and then used cultural sponsorship to deflect attention from failure to act on the damage they caused.

    British Museum: BP or not BP?

    A spokesperson for BP or not BP? which has campaigned against BP sponsorship of the British Museum said:

    The British Museum’s director, Nicholas Cullinan, is still trying to defend the museum’s indefensible decision to accept BP’s dirty money. In an interview with the Sunday Times he was asked ‘will accepting it cause us reputational damage?’  and the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.

    For over 10 years, we have joined with allies from across the arts, the climate movement and with communities directly impacted by BP, in opposing this toxic partnership. By continuing its cosy relationship with BP, Cullinan and the Board of Trustees are choosing to collude with one of the planet’s biggest fossil fuel villains and failing in their legal duty to protect the Museum’s reputation.

    Featured image and additional images via Andrea Domeniconi

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • 16 Just Stop Oil prisoners will have their appeals heard ALL AT ONCE in unprecedented case

    It was confirmed on Saturday 30 November that the Court of Appeal will conduct an extraordinary mass hearing of 16 Just Stop Oil political prisoners, arising from four separate cases, who received combined prison sentences of over 41 years for peaceful protest. The hearing has been listed for 29 and 30 January 2025 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

    Just Stop Oil appeal hearings are a landmark case

    The four cases, all involving actions by nonviolent civil resistance group Just Stop Oil, include the following:

    • The Whole Truth Five – Roger Hallam (5yrs), Cressida Gethin (4yrs), Louise Lancaster (4yrs), Daniel Shaw (4yrs), and Lucia Whittaker De Abreu (4yrs) received record breaking prison sentences for planning nonviolent disruption on the M25, to stop the granting of new oil and gas licences:

    Just Stop Oil Whole Truth Five

    • M25 Gantries – George Simonson (2yrs), Theresa Higginson (2yrs), Paul Bell (22 months), Gaie Delap (20 months), and Paul Sousek (20 months) participated in that same action, by climbing onto gantries over the M25.
    • Navigator Tunnellers – Larch Maxey (3yrs), Chris Bennett (18 months), Samuel Johnson (18 months), and Joe Howlett (15 months) occupied tunnels dug under the road leading to the Navigator Oil Terminal in Thurrock, Essex.
    • Sunflowers – Phoebe Plummer (2yrs) and Anna Holland (20 months) threw soup on the glass protecting Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting:

    While the actions in these cases are markedly different from one another, they are united by being nonviolent and taken in an attempt to save lives, as well as by the disproportionate sentences imposed.

    Where’s Walney?

    These came after disgraced John Woodcock (‘Lord Walney’), an oil and arms industry lobbyist falsely presented to the public as an ‘independent’ Government adviser, called for groups such as Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action to be treated as equivalent to serious organised criminals.

    Since then an unprecedented sentencing inflation has taken hold, despite Britain’s prisons crisis, with multiple peaceful protestors jailed for longer than if they had committed violent or sexual offences. The practice is at odds with Britain’s history and international practice and has been condemned by the United Nations and other international observers [7].

    The appeals against all four sets of jail sentences will be heard by a full session of the Court of Appeal, led by Lady Justice Carr (the Lady Chief Justice).

    Points of appeal will include whether a conscientious motivation should be treated as mitigation, and whether throwing soup on glass should be sentenced as an act of violence, if it caused some damage to the frame.

    The outcome will be a defining moment for the right to protest in Britain, with far reaching consequences for our basic democratic rights and freedoms.

    Just Stop Oil sentences violate basic human rights, says UN

    Lex Korte, spokesperson for the Free Political Prisoners campaign, said:

    A subset of judges have responded all too eagerly to the call from the disgraced Lord Walney, the arms and oil industry lobbyist, to jail peaceful climate campaigners for longer than if they’d committed serious crimes of sexual violence.

    This would be insane at any time, let alone in the midst of climate breakdown and Britain’s prisons crisis. It is corruption designed to shield from accountability the fossil fuel industry, which has systematically suppressed from the public the scientific evidence about the catastrophic impacts of their deadly businesses.

    As the UN has made clear, these sentences violate basic principles of human rights, democratic freedoms and international law. What’s at stake in this hearing is not just the freedom of some courageous individuals. It’s the credibility of the British legal system and the lifeblood of democracy itself.

    The demands of the Free Political Prisoners campaign are:

    • To put a stop to the role of arms and oil industry lobbyists, such as Lord Walney, in drafting laws that criminalise those who expose the violence and lies of those industries.
    • To ensure that everyone who has taken reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent mass loss of life has the opportunity to properly present that as a defence to criminal charges
    • To end the jailing of people for taking peaceful action to protect life and to uphold international law.

    A ‘chilling response to legitimate protest’

    James Skeet, spokesperson for Just Stop Oil, noted:

    We’ve passed the 1.5 degree threshold that was supposed to keep us safe, as governments continue to serve the oil and gas lobby, whilst locking up young people for trying to preserve their chance of a future. In years to come, people will question the priorities of our judiciary, and will ask ‘who were actually the real criminals’?

    Tim Lancaster, political prisoner family member, said:

    Prison is a poor solution for most problems but it is a chilling response to legitimate protest. Good people should not be imprisoned for raising the alarm about climate change. Organising and participating in peaceful protest, when Sunak broke the law by selling oil licences, should not result in lengthy prison sentence. I welcome the decision to hear these appeals together and the opportunity it provides to right this wrong and to treat these brave, principled people with kindness and respect.

    Featured image supplied

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Hastings Palestine Protest goes viral, sparking copycat demos across Europe

    An unusual roadside protest in Hastings has gone viral, attracting over three million views worldwide and sparking similar actions in towns and cities across Europe. It was over Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and apartheid across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    Hastings: going viral over Palestine

    The simple drive-by action of people holding placards on the side of the A21 spelled out a powerful message that resonated across the world:

    Hastings Palestine Protest

    It read: “In the Last Year. Israel has killed. 16,000 children in Gaza. There are 16,00 children. In Hasting. Imagine. This town. With no children. Stand up. Speak out. Stop the genocide”:

    The one minute video, filmed from a passing car and set to the track ‘Where do the children play?’ by seventies folk musician Cat Stevens – now known as Yusuf Islam – was picked up and shared on all the major social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook with thousands of comments remarking on the moving post, heaping praise on the people of Hastings and the “humanity” of its inhabitants.

    And since it was first shared on 9 November the same action has been replicated in Wales, Ireland, Oslo, and in towns and cities like Hitchin and Ealing.

    One X account in the name of Rania had over 1.6 million views alone with over 550 comments. The video was also shared on the Instagram account of political analyst Yousef Alhelou, attracting 832,000 views, 87,000 likes and hundreds of supportive comments such as “Powerful and thought-provoking activism. Well done Hastings”, “Love to the people of Hastings. It gives us all hope in humanity”, and “Thank you Hastings. Great action. Tears are running over my face”.

    On X, @Karen_commited said:

    Every town could/should do this. Such an effective way of drawing people’s attention to the ongoing genocide.

    @Hirubaig1 wrote:

    Good people of Hastings, thank you!

    And @zeenatroomanev said:

    Thank you Hastings for showing the world that humanity is still alive. Your efforts won’t go unnoticed.

    As the video continues to be shared and reposted, the number of views now totals over 3 million.

    Raising awareness of Israel’s genocide

    Israel’s 13-month assault on Gaza has so far resulted in over 44,000 Palestinian deaths including over 17,500 children.

    The action, staged by the Hastings & District Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was designed by member Phil Colley.

    He said:

    I was brought up on images from WW2 and taught that such a genocide mustn’t happen again. But it is happening again, just as the International Court of Justice said was plausibly happening as far back as January, as did UN experts and genocide scholars.

    Today, Gaza has been turned into a modern-day extermination camp, our government is actively involved and yet no one is sounding the alarm. Journalists that do speak out are now being harassed and arrested under draconian anti-Terrorism laws. It is shameful beyond belief. But we the people must not stay silent or, because it’s just too awful, pretend it is somehow not happening. We must stand up and speak out and demand action from our representatives. I’m so proud that in Hastings we are doing exactly that.

    Featured image and additional images supplied 

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Youth Demand hit the West End, causing rush hour chaos at Piccadilly Circus

    Supporters of Youth Demand have taken part in mass co-ordinated actions that saw disruption across the West End before a mass blockade of Piccadilly Circus by 200 people and eight groups total. They are demanding a two-way arms embargo on Israel, and for the UK government to halt all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021. The action came after the group’s week of swarming across the UK – which was also highlighting our government’s complicity in multiple crises.

    Youth Demand: shutting down the heart of Black Friday capitalism

    At 6pm on Friday 29 November, a group of 30 people blocked traffic on the junction of Oxford Street and Orchard Street, holding Palestine flags:

    Youth Demand Piccadilly

    Simultaneously, allied supporters of the following groups were staging disruption at other locations – including the Disney Store and the Apple Store – in the West End: Palestine Pulse, XR for Palestine, Ealing Friends of Palestine, Prayers4Gaza, Thanet For Palestine, Prayers4Gaza, Seeds of Gaza, and Fight Racism Fight Imperialism:

    Ella Taylor, a 20 year old student from London, was one of those who took action. She said:

    A week ago the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu. The same court that has stated there is a ‘plausible’ case of genocide in Gaza. And yet our government continues to licence F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. What more evidence do we need? What are we waiting for? Our country is arming a genocide, so we have a responsibility to disrupt the business-as-usual that facilitates this.

    At 7:30pm, all of the groups joined together to blockade Piccadilly Circus, with hundreds of supporters blocking the roads and causing disruption to Central London. Red, green, black, and white flares were lit and supporters held placards and banners reading ‘YOUTH DEMAND’, ‘BOYCOTT ISRAEL’, and ‘NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL- NO MORE SHOPPING – A GENOCIDE IS HAPPENING – GAZA – SUDAN -CONGO – UHYGUR’:

    One Youth Demand supporter was arrested.

    Disney and Black Friday: fuelling genocide

    A spokesperson from Palestine Pulse said:

    While Disney donates to Israeli organisations, tens of thousands of innocent children have been massacred by the Zionist military gang. Disney has not uttered a word in support of Palestinian children whilst marketing its propaganda and products as child friendly with moral lessons. If Disney truly had morals it would choose the to condemn the mass slaughter of children at the hands of the Zionist state and would support relief for Gazan children. Please donate to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund

    Youth Demand said that “Young people will not accept our politicians supporting the murder of innocent people. This week, young people are taking action in cities all around the country. Join us for our Winter Gathering and fundraiser event on 7 December in East London”.

    You can find out more about Youth Demand, and support future actions, here.

    Featured image and additional images via Youth Demand

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Protesters condemn Fiji ‘complicity, silence’ over Israel’s Gaza genocide

    Asia Pacific Report

    A Fiji solidarity group for the Palestinians has accused the Rabuka-led coalition government of “complicity” in Israel’s genocide and relentless war in Gaza that has killed more than 44,000 people — mostly women and children — over the past year.

    The Fijians4Palestine have called on the Fiji government to “uphold the principles of peace, justice, and human rights that our nation cherishes”.

    “We urge our leaders to use their diplomatic channels to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, to support international efforts in providing humanitarian aid to the affected regions, and to publicly express solidarity with the Palestinian people, reflecting the sentiments of many Fijians,” the movement said in a statement  marking the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

    The group said it was “ashamed that the Fiji government continues to vote for the genocide and occupation of Palestinians”.

    It said that it expected the Fiji government to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

    The Fijians4Palestine group’s statement said:

    It has been over one year since Israel began its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

    Over the past year, Israeli attacks have killed more than 44,000 Palestinians living in Gaza, equal to 1 out of every 55 people living there.

    At least 16,756 children have been killed, the highest number of children recorded in a single year of conflict over the past two decades. More than 17,000 children have lost one or both parents.

    At least 97,303 people are injured in Gaza — equal to one in 23 people.

    According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, every day 10 children lose one or both legs, with operations and amputations conducted with little or no anaesthesia due to Israel’s ongoing siege.

    In addition to the killed and injured, more than 10,000 people are feared buried under the rubble.

    A Fiji protester with a "Your silence kills" placard
    A Fiji protester with a “Your silence kills” placard rebuking the Fiji government for its stance on Israeli’s war on Gaza. Image: FWCC

    With few tools to remove rubble and rescue those trapped beneath concrete, volunteers and civil defence workers rely on their bare hands.

    We, the #Fijians4Palestine Solidarity Network join the global voices demanding a permanent ceasefire and an end to the violence. We express our unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people.

    The Palestinian struggle is not just a regional issue; it is a testament to the resilience of a people who, despite facing impossible odds, continue to fight for their right to exist, freedom, and dignity. Their struggle resonates with all who believe in justice, equality, and the fundamental rights of every human being.

    Families torn apart
    The images of destruction, the stories of families torn apart, and the cries of children caught in the crossfire are heart-wrenching. These are not mere statistics or distant news stories; these are real people with hopes, dreams, and aspirations, much like us.

    As Fijians, we have always prided ourselves on our commitment to peace, unity, and humanity. Our rich cultural heritage and shared values teach us the importance of standing up for what is right, even when it is not popular or convenient.

    Today, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, not out of political allegiance but out of a shared belief in humanity, justice, and the inalienable human rights of every individual.

    We unequivocally condemn the State of Israel for its actions that amount to war crimes, genocide, and apartheid against the Palestinian people. The deliberate targeting of civilians, the disproportionate use of force, and the destruction of essential infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, are in clear violation of international humanitarian law.

    The intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group is evident. The continuous displacement of Palestinians, the destruction of their homes, and the systematic erasure of their history and culture are indicative of genocidal intent.

    The State of Israel’s policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, characterised by racial segregation, discrimination, and domination, amount to apartheid as defined under international law.

    Oppressive regime
    The construction of settlements, the separation wall, and the system of checkpoints are manifestations of this oppressive regime. Palestinians are subjected to different laws, regulations, and treatments based on their ethnicity, clearly violating the principle of equality.

    We call upon the Fiji government to uphold the principles of peace, justice, and human rights that our nation cherishes. We urge our leaders to use their diplomatic channels to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, to support international efforts in providing humanitarian aid to the affected regions, and to publicly express solidarity with the Palestinian people, reflecting the sentiments of many Fijians.

    We are ashamed that the Fiji government continues to vote for the genocide and occupation of Palestinians. We expect our government to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

    The silence of the Fiji government is complicity, and history will not forgive their inaction.

    Our solidarity with the Palestinian people is a testament to our shared humanity. We believe in a world where diversity, is treated with dignity and respect. We dream of a future where children in Gaza can play without fear, where families can live without the shadow of war, and where the Palestinian people can finally enjoy the peace and freedom they so rightly deserve.

    There can be no peace without justice, and we stand in unity with all people and territories struggling for self-determination and freedom from occupation.

    The Pacific cannot be an Ocean of Peace without freedom and self determination in Palestine, West Papua, Kanaky and all oppressed territories.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Activists push back against Black Friday and ask ‘do you REALLY need to buy that?’

    On Friday 29 November, in the midst of the Black Friday rush, three activists from Scientist Rebellion and Growth Kills scaled the façade of INNO on Rue Neuve in Brussels using a seven-metre ladder to perch on the building’s cornice:

    Black Friday

    Black Friday: is this really the future?

    Once there, they sprayed a 13-metre advertising hoarding with washable paint, applied with a fire extinguisher. Once the advertising was covered, they stuck up a series of posters with water-washable glue to form the following slogan: ‘What future do we want?’ Beneath this question, a five-metre-wide banner bore the statement, ‘Let’s decide together!’:

    Simultaneously, around ten other activists arranged a circle of chairs to sit in and engage in a discussion on various themes linked to overconsumption and its central role in the ecological crisis. At the centre of the circle, a banner displayed the same question: ‘What future do we want?’, surrounded by multicoloured lines symbolising the links between the participants and this collective reflection. The session began with a declaration.

    Meanwhile, near the action, scientists in white coats approached passers-by to raise awareness, interview them, amplify their answers over a loudspeaker and invite them to join the discussion circle. Finally, two other activists unfurled a banner bearing the message: ‘Let’s redirect the collective energy towards what really matters!’

    Several actions also took place in the Netherlands and Germany around Black Friday, as part of this campaign. In shops on the shopping streets of twelve cities, clothing labels were replaced with awareness-raising messages, while second-hand clothes were added to the shelves to promote recycling as an alternative to fast fashion. In Amsterdam, activists visited the offices of Adidas and Amazon to confront them about human rights abuses in their supply chains. On 23 November in the Netherlands, activists blockaded the Inditex distribution centre.

    Economic growth doesn’t bring happiness

    With this action, the activists aim to highlight the existential danger posed by the ecological crisis, and the central problem of over-consumption that is its main cause. They denounce the myth of infinite economic growth, which serves as a pretext for extracting ever more resources while destroying ever more of the biosphere on which our survival depends. They propose a solution: degrowth; that is:

    • A drastic reduction in our consumption of resources, whatever the effect on GDP.
    • A transformation towards an economy that puts the well-being of all people and the planet before the interests of a handful of ultra-rich people.
    • The creation of assemblies of citizens drawn by lot which, as past experience of citizens’ assemblies has shown, are far more capable of taking rational decisions than politicians guided by short-termism and lobbies.

    These concerns and the call for degrowth align with numerous systemic scientific studies linking ecology and economy, as well as a report from the European Environment Agency and an open letter signed by leading experts and over 100 civil society organisations.

    In a written statement, Growth Kills and Scientist Rebellion declared:

    The belief that economic growth is essential for our well-being is a myth that mainly serves the interests of a wealthy few. Instead of endlessly increasing production, we should focus on producing what is truly essential for everyone’s well-being and ensuring fair distribution.

    The belief that economic growth can align with environmental respect is equally misleading, as climate disasters multiply, pollution worsens, and biodiversity continues to decline without signs of improvement. Economic growth is inherently tied to overconsumption, driving the relentless extraction of resources at the planet’s expense. We must urgently rethink the economy to reduce resource consumption while ensuring everyone’s well-being, regardless of economic growth.

    Our campaign, rooted in collective ecological restoration, aims to inspire a global grassroots movement that empowers individuals to restore balance and biodiversity through shared responsibility. Connected with one another, we can rediscover our power to act and restore life.

    A campaign rooted in collective energy

    The activists are calling on all citizens of the world to follow their example by taking back control of public space, dominated by advertising and the consumerist infrastructure, in order to organise talking circles similar to their own, with the aim of launching a mass popular movement in favour of degrowth and participatory democracy.

    Manua, strategy and global campaigns coordinator at Scientist Rebellion, said:

    The aim of this action is to spark a global citizens’ movement by reclaiming public spaces with circles of chairs, creating opportunities for reflection on degrowth. By aligning the launch of this movement with Black Friday, we seek to present an alternative way of living together.

    While Black Friday promotes a narrative that is ecocidal, consumerist, and insular—driven by social inequality and the endless growth of commodities—we propose these people’s assemblies in public spaces. These assemblies invite us to rediscover social bonds, engage with the living world through constructive dialogue, unlock new collective imaginations, and emerge strengthened to question our lifestyles and societal activities.

    There is an urgent need to revive the ancient tradition of the agora and forum, where political life was inseparable from the daily lives of citizens. These spaces were arenas for discussion and exchange, essential for “making society.” We believe that such “talking circles,” open-air democratic forums, can serve as a catalyst for future sovereign citizens’ assemblies with binding decision-making power at all levels. In the face of biodiversity collapse and the climate crisis, we aim to restore everyone’s power to act.

    This global initiative is part of a campaign launched last June in Brussels by the Growth Kills and Scientist Rebellion collectives, kicking off with a week of bold actions, including a blockade of the European Commission on the eve of the European elections. Following this week of action, since September activists from both movements have taken to the streets to engage directly with the public, igniting conversations around shared concerns, hopes, and visions for a sustainable future.

    They have collected the responses of citizens using a microphone. Depending on the action, they either amplify them directly in the public space using a loudspeaker, or record it and use it in the form of quotes displayed in place of advertisements.

    Black Friday: it doesn’t have to be this way

    In this way, they transform the public space from a space of consumer propaganda into a genuine democratic forum. Through this approach, the activists put forward a holistic vision of activism, aiming to build a grassroots movement that strengthens the social fabric as a basis for preventing future disruption and instability in our lives.

    Manua concluded:

    Our mission is to reawaken the creative spark within each of us, pouring this energy, with love, into public spaces. To reclaim the imagination of these spaces, we must come together as a collective whole, united by purpose and possibility.

    We believe this shared reflection can reawaken the strength within us all, restoring confidence and grounding us in a community poised for action. Our commitment to public engagement embodies our conviction: only a genuine grassroots movement can ignite the societal shift essential for true sustainability.

    Through collective action, we work to rekindle life and restore harmony in our fractured world. Together, we reclaim, we restore, and we create anew.

    Black Friday

    Featured image and additional images supplied

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Here’s everything you need to know for Saturday’s March for Palestine

    Pressure is growing on the Labour Party government to end its support for Israel’s war crimes as tens of thousands are set to march in London on Saturday 30 November in solidarity with Palestinians – on the 22nd major demonstration for Palestine since October 2023.

    March for Palestine number 22

    It comes the day after the annual UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and a national workplace day of action on Thursday 28 November that was backed by the TUC.

    The march will continue the demand for the UK government to abide by international law, ending all complicity with the Israeli genocide, including an immediate arms embargo.

    Tens of thousands of demonstrators will march through London on Saturday to highlight their anger and frustration with the UK government’s continuing refusal to take meaningful action to end their complicity with Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Last week the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    The UK government signalled it would enforce the warrants if the wanted men arrived in British territory, but continues to allow arms exports to Israel to commit the crimes the ICC has judged to be indictable. Indeed, the UK Government refuses to describe Israel’s actions as a genocide, despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that that is plausibly the case.

    This week the Palestinian solidarity movement in the UK has held a series of actions to show the breadth and depth of the opposition to the government’s illogical and immoral position.

    On Wednesday hundreds of Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) supporters came to parliament to lobby their constituency MP in person. Then, there was a national workplace day of action backed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), in which workers and students organised a wave of protests and meetings around the country.

    Never stop

    Ben Jamal, PSC director, said :

    Keir Starmer and David Lammy are still hiding from their responsibilities under international law, but their cover is blown. The world’s highest courts have confirmed that our leaders are giving political, military, diplomatic and financial support to a state carrying out war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    The resistance to their complicity from ordinary citizens is growing in strength and spreading form the streets into workplaces across the land. This week saw unprecedented support for our latest workplace day of action with the backing of the TUC representing millions of British workers.

    We will never stop lobbying, protesting, and boycotting until our Government, corporations and public bodies end their complicity with Israel’s decades of oppression of the Palestinian people.

    The march will leave Park Lane at 1230pm. It ends with a rally at Whitehall at 2:30pm.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gallery: Palestinian musicians, poets and solidarity partners in vibrant celebration

    Asia Pacific Report

    Palestinian diaspora poets, singers and musicians gathered today with solidarity partners from Aotearoa New Zealand, African nations — including South Africa — in a vibrant celebration.

    The celebration marked the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and similar events have been happening around New Zealand today, across the world and over the weekend.

    Images by David Robie of Asia Pacific Report.

    UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
    1 of 15
    1 UN Palestinian Solidarity Day at Fickling Cultural Centre. Image: David Robie /APR
    2. UN Solidarity Day . . . Palestinian introductions. Image: David Robie/APR
    3. UN Solidarity Day . . . more introductions. Image: David Robie/APR
    4. UN Solidarity Day . . . support from Africa. Image: David Robie/APR
    5. UN Solidarity Day . . . Angi Taulua from Tonga. Image: David Robie/APR
    6. UN Solidarity Day . . . South Africa and Palestine’s destiny intertwined. Image: David Robie/APR
    7. UN Solidarity Day . . . South Africa and the Bo-Kaap murals for Palestine. Image: David Robie/APR
    8. UN Solidarity Day . . . ethnicities ensemble. Image: David Robie/APR
    9. UN Solidarity Day . . . message from a midwifery researcher. Image: David Robie/APR
    10. UN Solidarity Day . . . an attentive audience. Image: David Robie/APR
    11. UN Solidarity Day . . . beautiful singing. Image: David Robie/APR
    12. UN Solidarity Day . . . Maher Nazzal, Janfrie Wakim and part of the audience. Image: David Robie/APR
    13. UN Solidarity Day . . . Kia Ora Gaza’s Roger Fowler sings “Palestine”.
    14. UN Solidarity Day . . . Bo-Kaap “Murals for Gaza” in Cape Town, South Africa. Image: David Robie/APR
    15. UN Solidarity Day . . . Bo-Kaap – “Peace for Palestine”. Image: David Robie/APR


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Palestine Action just scored a hat trick against genocide-complicit UAV Engines

    With two visits to UAV Engines Staffordshire plant already this week, Palestine Action went for the hat trick today – which this time targeted the factory roof.

    Palestine Action does the triple against UAV Engines

    From 4.45am on Thursday 28 November, two activists scaled the high roof of the building next door, giving them a vantage point to target Elbit’s Israeli drone maker:

    The activists managed to throw bricks to break through the roof of UAV Engines, spray red paint inside the building and damage contents within the Israeli weapons factory:

    On Monday 25 November, Palestine Action started the week by shutting down the UAV Engines plant, locking-on inside vehicles, to block the factory gates. On Wednesday 27 November, they were back again, to once more blockade the gates to the Shenstone plant, and close production down.

    Now, Palestine Action returned, and this time its actionists scaled the roof of one of the factory’s two buildings. The action coincides with blockades at the Department of Business & Trade and the Foreign Office by allied groups, including the Palestinian Youth Movement.

    In addition to these actions, on Tuesday 26 November, the UAV Engines factory was the scene of a well-attended protest by Palestine solidarity activists from the local community.

    Complicit with Elbit

    UAV Engines is operated by Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer, and produces engines for Elbit’s killer drones. In addition to making engines for Elbit’s Hermes 450 drone, which has been deployed as a mass-murder device throughout the Gaza genocide, the UEL AR731 Wankel-type rotary engine, produced at the Staffordshire factory, is being used in Israeli Harop Kamikaze drones, which are currently being upgraded to kill autonomously.

    Elbit have dishonestly claimed that they do not export to Israel, but this is disproven by export license data for military end use.

    Every day UAV Engines factory loses production, Palestinian lives are saved, and Palestine Action have been targeting the plant since the start of our four-year long direct action campaign. Blockades, occupations, vehicular lock-ons, and now another assault on the factory roof, have shut the plant down repeatedly.

    UAV Engines most recent accounts show that the company is now losing money – nearly half a million by the end of 2023.

    This week’s actions come in the face of mounting state repression, designed to stifle protest, by terrorising activists, and locking them behind bars.

    So-called anti-terror laws have been used to smash into people’s homes, detain family members, and hold activists for days at a time, without charge. Yet, none of these people have subsequently been charged with any ‘terrorist’ offence. Palestine Action now have 22 political prisoners in Britain.

    Do not intimidate Palestine Action

    A spokesperson for Palestine Action said:

    Our level of activity this week, should be seen as a clear rejection of the attempts to intimidate us, and show that we will not be cowed. It is the State’s thugs who are the real terrorists, along with those involved in producing the weapons used by Israel to bomb hospitals, schools, mosques, and now even tents. The British government itself, is a participant in the Genocide, and one day it will be them, and their Israeli pay-masters, who will be facing trial, and imprisonment, for their crimes against humanity.

    Featured image via screengrab

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Cry harder, Elbit: Palestine Action SHUT UAV Engines for second time this week

    Palestine Action were back in Staffordshire on Wednesday 27 November – blockading Elbit-supplying UAV Engines factory for the second time in a matter of days; disrupting Israel’s weapons supply chain in the process.

    Palestine Action blockade UAV Engines for a second time

    Following on from Palestine Action’s blockade of UAV Engines on Monday 25 November, when activists locked on inside vehicles, blocking both gates to the site, others returned today, to once again disrupt the weapons factory:

    UAV Engines Palestine Action ElbitLock-ons were once again carried out inside vehicles that blocked the factory’s main gate:

    UAV engines Elbit Palestine Action

    UAV manufactures engines for the killer drones of Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer. As well as producing engines for Elbit’s Hermes 450 drone, which has played a central role in the Gaza Genocide, the UEL AR731 Wankel-type rotary engine, produced at Shenstone, is being used in the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IMI) Harop Kamikase drone, which is currently being upgraded to kill autonomously.

    At Shenstone, cops faffed around – unsure of how to deal with Palestine Action as usual. After several hours, they finally made arrests:

    Today’s action, and the one on Monday, came in the face of unprecedented state repression.

    Unparalleled state repression – thanks to Elbit and Israel

    22 Palestine Action activists are currently being held in British prisons, for resisting complicity in genocide, with some subject to repressive ‘counter terror’ powers, even though none of these political prisoners are charged with any terrorist offence.

    UAV’s Shenstone factory has been targeted since the beginning of Palestine Action’s four-year long direct action campaign, and since October 7th 2023, we have shut the site down repeatedly, with blockades, occupations, and vehicular lock-ons. Our relentless commitment to closing them down, has led to the Staffordshire firm reporting its first ever operating loss.

    A spokesperson for Palestine Action said:

    As the British government’s complicity in the Gaza genocide becomes more and more exposed, their answer is repression, and attempting to intimidate those fighting to end their complicity. In the face of this repression, our direct action campaign will not waver, our political prisoners remain strong, and history will judge those with blood on their hands, and those fighting to end the genocide.

    Featured image and additional images via Martin Pope

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • BREAKING: four Insulate Britain activists NOT GUILTY after judge allows truth to be told in court

    Four Insulate Britain supporters have been acquitted at Woolwich Crown Court for actions taken during Insulate Britain’s 2021 campaign of nonviolent civil resistance demanding the UK government insulate Britain’s cold and leaky homes; a campaign that was later called prescient by a number of commentators.

    Insulate Britain: not guilty and speaking truth to power

    Emily Brocklebank, Ruth Cook, Ana Heyatawin and Iain Webb were on trial before Judge Grout for common law public nuisance for participating in a roadblock on 27 September 2021 at M25, J14, near Heathrow.

    After a six day trial, the 12 person jury took only an hour to return a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

    In a marked contrast to earlier Insulate Britain public nuisance trials under Judge Silas Reid, Judge Grout allowed defendants to speak about the climate crisis in their closing speeches.

    They were allowed to describe their motivations for taking action with Insulate Britain, to talk about their concerns for their families in the light of expected climate impacts, the poor state of Britain’s housing stock and the fact that civil resistance is necessary when successive governments have failed to prepare for what is coming.

    In her closing speech, Ruth Cook, a grandmother and director of a small training company from Somerset said:

    You have heard that I am a Quaker. The essential thing about Quakers is that they are known for speaking truth to power.

    She went on to talk about her fears about climate breakdown, her previous experience working for a charity in providing food aid to refugees in Greece and about the recent flooding across England and Wales.

    She posed the question of what will happen to Woolwich and the surrounding areas when the Thames Barrier is no longer sufficient to protect against rising water levels? Ruth had been late to the proceedings on Monday because of travel disruption caused by the extensive flooding across England and Wales, including her hometown.

    Threatening all of us

    In his closing speech, Iain Webb explained that the climate crisis threatens all of humanity and likened the government’s response to that of a fire brigade attending a house fire and doing nothing. He said:

    Throughout history people have taken action knowing that the odds were stacked against them but they did anyway because it was the right thing to do… 2023 was the hottest recorded year in our lives and sadly it will be the coldest year we will know going forward as the crisis only will get worse. This is why we were on the road and we will continue to do the right thing and raise the alarm.

    Following the verdict, Ruth said:

    I am incredibly proud of what Insulate Britain achieved – taking to the streets day after day, knowing we risked being remanded in custody. Our aim was to shame the government into addressing the climate crisis by insulating our homes. The UK has the worst housing stock in Europe, leading to thousands of preventable deaths from cold and damp, as well as forcing people to choose between eating and heating.

    At 72 years old, I was a law-abiding citizen until September 2021. Insulate Britain – its demands, the people I met, and the trust we shared in taking action together—showed me that nonviolent civil resistance was the only way to ensure our voices were heard.

    Ana Heyatawin, a grandmother and Samaritan from Somerset said:

    Truth and reconciliation are the tasks at hand, and the time is now. I have the privilege to speak the truth and honour my conscience. What greater purpose could there be than striving to save our children?

    In the 23 Insulate Britain jury trials for public nuisance charges to date, four trials have resulted in a hung jury, three trials have resulted in acquittals, thirteen have resulted in a guilty verdict and three have been deferred. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has applied for retrials in three cases where the jury failed to reach a majority verdict.

    The CPS has chosen to summon a total of 56 supporters to answer at least 201 charges of public nuisance across some 45 jury trials, with trials planned up to June 2025. These trials have been heard across Inner London, Hove, Lewes, Reading, and Woolwich Crown Courts.

    Featured image via Insulate Britain

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Action is happening for Palestine three days this week. Here’s what’s on.

    This week marks a critical moment in the movement for Palestine solidarity. With Israel’s devastating violence in Gaza ongoing, it’s so important to continue to raise our voices for justice. The International Criminal Court’s recent issuance of arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant – as well as Hamas commander Mohammed Daif – highlights the growing global condemnation of Israel’s actions.

    Now, we need to escalate the pressure. So, there are three days of events happening for the rest of this week.

    Thursday 28 November: Workplace Day of Action for Palestine

    Thousands of workers and students across the country will take action in workplaces, colleges, and communities, demanding an immediate ceasefire and an end to Britain’s complicity in Israel’s crimes. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Unison have endorsed the day, and actions will range from rallies and walkouts to bake sales and wearing Palestinian scarves and colours.

    Some rallies include:

    SOAS Rally, 1pm, Malet Street, London: Staff and students from across London will gather to defend the right to protest on campus. Speakers include Jeremy Corbyn, Lindsey German, Andrew Feinstein, and Haya Adam.

    Bradford Royal Infirmary Lunchtime Rally, 12:30–1:30pm, Main Gate (Smith Lane): Health workers will call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Gaza.

    Cambridge Divest Now Rally, 12pm, Great St Mary’s: Staff and students will rally and hold a post-event assembly to demand universities divest from Israeli assets.

    This workplace day of action is shaping up to be the biggest yet. Whether you organise a small event at work or join a rally, every action counts. To find out more and for a full list of actions go here, and support the day using #Workplaces4Palestine.

    Also on Thursday, workers will be taking action in central London in the early morning as part of the People’s Arms Embargo movement. This action is called by Workers for a Free Palestine, Sisters Uncut and London for a Free Palestine.

    Friday 29 November – International Day of Solidarity

    On Friday it is the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. A host of actions are taking place, and people are encouraged to put a poster in their window as a show of solidarity and to help mobilise for the National Demonstration the following day. Click here to download a poster or you can use the pull out from the latest copy of the Morning Star newspaper.

    Saturday 30 November – National Demo

    The next National Demonstration for Palestine will be on Saturday 30 November in Central London.

    Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators are set to march to Whitehall from Park Lane on Saturday in demand of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, for an end to Israel’s drive to war in the Middle East and for the US and UK to halt arms sales to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

    There will also be demands on the UK government to confirm that the Israeli prime minister, who faces an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, will be immediately arrested should he set foot in this country.

    Speakers at the rally outside Downing Street announced so far include actors Juliet Stevenson and Khalid Abdalla, Oxfam CEO Halima Begum, Palestinian Dr Ahmad Mukallalati, and MPs Kim Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn.

    • Date: Saturday 30th November
    • Time: Assemble 12pm
    • Location: Park Lane, London, W1K

    It’s vital we keep up the pressure on those in powers – in our workplaces, in our communities and on our streets. Together, we can show that the people of Britain stand in solidarity with Palestine.

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • From Tragedy to Resistance: ‘white paper’ protest anniversary | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • From Tragedy to Resistance: ‘white paper’ protest anniversary | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Overseas activists mark Urumqi fire, ‘white paper’ protest anniversary

    Dozens of overseas activists gathered to light candles in London over the weekend to mark the second anniversary of a fatal lockdown apartment fire in Xinjiang’s regional capital Urumqi that sparked nationwide protests.

    At least 30 activists from China and Hong Kong converged on St Mary-At-Hill church in Billingsgate to mark the anniversary of the Nov. 24, 2022, fire, which left at least 10 people dead, all of them Uyghurs.

    According to media reports, the death toll was likely higher because the COVID-19 lockdown prevented fire and rescue teams from reaching the building in time.

    Firefighters spray water on a fire at a residential building in Urumqi in China's Xinjiang region, Nov. 24, 2022.
    Firefighters spray water on a fire at a residential building in Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang region, Nov. 24, 2022.

    The fire prompted a spontaneous protest and commemoration by mostly young people at Urumqi Road in Shanghai, many of whom held up blank sheets of paper to symbolize their desire to protest — and their awareness of Chinese censors who are quick to clamp down on any slogans or protests critical of the government.

    The sheets of paper sent the message that people were upset, but that authorities gave them no voice.

    Protests spread to other cities across China as the fire became a catalyst for a wider outpouring of public anger at the loss of freedom and the damage done by pandemic lockdowns to the economy.

    At that time, many social media accounts showed footage of people in cities holding up white sheets of A4-sized printer paper, with some of them even chanting for the removal of President Xi Jinping.

    People gather for a vigil and hold white sheets of paper in protest, in Beijing, over coronavirus disease restrictions, during a commemoration of the victims of a fire in Urumqi, China, Nov. 27, 2022. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)
    People gather for a vigil and hold white sheets of paper in protest, in Beijing, over coronavirus disease restrictions, during a commemoration of the victims of a fire in Urumqi, China, Nov. 27, 2022. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)

    In the wake of the demonstrations, which came to be known as the “white paper protests” and which subsided after a few days, the ruling Chinese Communist Party moved quickly to end the three-year zero-COVID restrictions.

    But many demonstrators were still targeted in a subsequent crackdown on dissent.

    ‘Human awakening’

    Singing and lighting candles for the victims, participants in Saturday’s event, organized by the overseas pro-democracy group China Deviants, also displayed a replica sign that read “Urumqi Road.”

    They also read out anonymous messages of support from Chinese nationals who were unable to attend in person for fear of political reprisals.

    RELATED STORIES

    Mute Protest: Chinese crowds hold up blank sheets to hit out at lockdowns, censorship

    One year later, Uyghurs demand accountability for deadly Urumqi fire

    Angered by lockdowns, protests spread in China amid calls for Xi’s ouster

    “Human awakening requires knowledge and information before it can form a personality capable of independent thought and action,” one message said. “Right now, the conditions for that don’t exist in mainland China.”

    “Even if people are awakened, they still have no choice but to grow old in silence, lonely and desperate,” the message said. “Bless you, all of young people, for carrying on the struggle with such passion.”

    A speaker addresses the gathering at St Mary-At-Hill church in Billingsgate, London, marking the second anniversary of the fatal lockdown fire in Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang region, Nov. 23, 2024.
    A speaker addresses the gathering at St Mary-At-Hill church in Billingsgate, London, marking the second anniversary of the fatal lockdown fire in Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang region, Nov. 23, 2024.

    A young man who gave only the pseudonym Youhan for fear of reprisals said he was “stunned” by the “white paper” protests when they broke out.

    “I saw people in China daring to stand up, and shouting slogans that nobody had shouted since 1989,” Youhan said, in a reference to the weeks-long pro-democracy movement on Tiananmen Square and in other Chinese cities, that ended with the June 4 Tiananmen massacre.

    “I came here today to commemorate my compatriots who died due to pandemic lockdowns,” he said. “Judging from recent developments, the kind of struggle we saw two years ago could break out again soon, because China’s economy hasn’t shown any sign of economic recovery [since restrictions were lifted].”

    Similar vigils were held in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Tokyo, the organizers told RFA Mandarin.

    Imprisoned Hong Kong activists remembered

    Some activists in London also displayed information about the recent sentences of up to 10 years handed down to democracy activists and politicians in Hong Kong, who were jailed for “subversion” under the 2020 National Security Law for organizing a democratic primary election.

    A woman holds a blank sheet of paper as demonstrators protest the deaths caused by an apartment complex fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, at the Langson Library on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, in Irvine, California, on November 29, 2022. (AFP Photo/ Frederic J. Brown)
    A woman holds a blank sheet of paper as demonstrators protest the deaths caused by an apartment complex fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, at the Langson Library on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, in Irvine, California, on November 29, 2022. (AFP Photo/ Frederic J. Brown)

    A recently-arrived Hong Konger who gave only the nickname Wai for fear of reprisals said many activists in Hong Kong and China share the same beliefs.

    “It was the anti-extradition protesters in Hong Kong who passed on the will to protest to young people in mainland China, who then took part in the white paper movement,” Wai said. “It was the desire to stand up and oppose injustice.”

    “The saddest and most infuriating thing about the Urumqi fire was that the authorities actually locked people in their homes and didn’t let them out due to pandemic restrictions, and even locked the fire escapes, which is tantamount to murder,” Wai said.

    Dozens of young Chinese — many of them women — were quietly detained across the country for taking part in November’s “white paper” protests.

    A police officer asks a woman to leave as she holds white sheets of paper during a commemoration of the victims of a fire in Urumqi, in Hong Kong Kong, China November 28, 2022. (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu)
    A police officer asks a woman to leave as she holds white sheets of paper during a commemoration of the victims of a fire in Urumqi, in Hong Kong Kong, China November 28, 2022. (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu)

    Sources familiar with the crackdown in Beijing said at least 40 people are missing and believed detained following a protest at the city’s Liangmahe district on the night of Nov. 27.

    A former “white paper” movement protester who gave only the pseudonym Dan Mu for fear of reprisals told RFA Mandarin in a recent interview that she had attended the Liangmahe protest after witnessing an online deluge of public anger, sadness and mourning in the wake of the Urumqi fire.

    “I didn’t forward a single message to my friends, nor did I write anything,” she said. “What I was thinking at the time was, what’s the point? If you have the guts, you should take to the streets.”

    “Just then, the people of Shanghai took to the streets, and Beijing was the following day,” Dan said.

    “We walked to the south bank of Liangmahe [river], where a lot of people were shouting slogans, like ‘freedom not lockdowns!’,” she said.

    “I was very scared when I left the house,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would make it back OK, but I still wanted to go.”

    Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Jasmine Man for RFA Mandarin.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Keir Starmer has corrupted the UK – all to protect genocidal Israel

    The following article is a comment piece from Jewish Network for Palestine (JNP) on the Labour Party government, Keir Starmer, and British state using anti-terror laws against journalists and activists.

    Ever since the coming to power of the Labour Party government in June 2024, headed by a famous ex human-rights jurist, the British government has used police forces in the UK and its dependencies in a highly controversial, arguably illegal, and deeply damaging manner, to support Western imperialist interests rather than using its influence to oppose Israel’s illegal and immoral genocide against the Palestinians, and now also against other countries in the Middle East.

    The British state: bending to the will of genociders

    Highly respected journalists, academics, and retired politicians were arrested through the improper use of the Terrorism Act 2000, and in Jersey under the Terrorism Act 2002.

    The arrest few days ago of a senior civil servant, Natalie Strecker, is but the latest legal atrocity enacted against public figures who are acting for the end of the genocide in Gaza, the release of the hostages on both sides, and a peaceful, just, and negotiated solution to the colonial conflict in Palestine.

    Strecker, a lifelong peace activist supporting Palestinian human rights, joins a long list of well-known and respected others who have been intimidated by the unlawful use of the Terrorism Act, both the UK and its dependencies.

    Journalist Richard Medhurst, former ambassador Craig Murray, respected journalists Sarah Wilkinson and Asa Winstanley, the Israeli activist and second-generation Holocaust survivor Yael Kahn, author and activist Tony Greenstein, historian and author Prof. Haim Bresheeth-Zabner, and now Natalie Strecker, were all arrested on false pretences and a misuse of the anti-terror legislation.

    Are all these people terrorists, or do they support terrorism in any manner? Why are so many of the arrestees Jewish anti-Zionist peace activists? We find this behaviour totally uncalled for, unacceptable and illegal, an abuse of the legal system, and an undermining of the rights of the British people.

    Why is all this taking place such a short time after the coming to power of the famous jurist, Sir Keir Starmer?

    The answer was provided by Keir himself, more than once.

    Keir Starmer must stop this campaign against peaceful activists and journalists

    Starmer is a committed and unreconstructed Zionist, as he keeps telling us all.

    He has been using a new approach against critics of Israel by using the law for illegal purposes of silencing, intimidating, punishing, and criminalising a totally legal, moral, and principled position taken by these people, and many thousands of others. It is a position mandated by international law, International humanitarian law, UN numerous resolutions, and the Genocide Convention of 1948, requiring us all, everywhere, to act against genocide or attempted genocide in every way they can, and against those who support and abet genocide.

    As a committed Zionist, Starmer chose NOT to conform with the law, but to oppose it.

    Instead of accepting the view of the International Court of Justice – the highest UN court on earth – he denies their interim ruling in March 2024 that Israel is committing ‘plausible genocide’ and demanding it puts a stop to the mass murder in Gaza.

    We call on the government to stop this campaign of besmirching and hounding peaceful activists such as Strecker, to stop supplying arms to states under genocide investigation, and to actively support international law and international humanitarian law.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • It’s Monday, which means Palestine Action are blocking arms factories with vehicles

    Palestine Action started the week with a bang – despite the state having locked up so many of their activists. Undeterred, people once again shut down a weapons factory in Staffordshire crucial to the supply of arms to genocidal Israel and war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Palestine Action target Elbit in Staffordshire

    On Monday 25 November, activists from Palestine Action returned to the site of UAV Engines, locking on inside vehicles in front of the gates of the factory to prevent production of Israeli drone engines:

    Operated by Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons company, the site has once again been targeted by Palestine Action activists, refusing to bow to unprecedented police repression:

    Palestine Action Staffordshire

    UAV Engines manufactures drone engines for Elbit’s drones, which are tested on Palestinians and are currently used for genocidal attacks against Palestinians in Gaza. While the company denies it exports to Israel, export license data for military end-use by the State of Israel proves their denials false. Elbit’s and its UAV Engines-designed and produced parts have been linked to documented war crimes, including the murder of seven aid workers in Gaza in April 2024.

    Currently, 22 Palestine Action political prisoners are detained in Britain for resisting complicity in genocide, some subjected to repressive ‘counter terror’ powers. So, activists have made clear in Staffordshire today: Elbit are the criminals. Those resisting Elbit’s role in genocide will not relent:

    After tireless action by Palestine Action, the Staffordshire firm last year reported its first ever operating loss, with continuous impacts on productions and profits caused by those determined to see Israel’s arms trade forced out of Shenstone.

    Since 7 October 2023, in the face of continual government participation in the genocide, activists have worked without fail to intensify actions against Elbit’s Shenstone operations: shutting it down with occupations, blockades, and vehicular lock-ons again and again, against a factory targeted since the very start of Palestine Action’s four-year long direct action campaign.

    Featured image and videos via Palestine Action

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Islamabad Locked Down As Imran Khan’s Supporters Plan To Protest


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and was authored by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Supporters out in force as more Palestine Action activists imprisoned on bogus terrorism charges

    At Westminster Magistrates Court, eight more Palestine Action activists have been remanded to prison – after being raided and arrested after an action against Israel’s Elbit arms factory in Filton, Bristol, on 6 August. In an appeal at the Crown Court they will apply for bail – ahead of a trial in November 2025.

    All eight, as with ten others charged in August, face criminal – not terror – charges, despite having been arrested and interrogated under Terrorism Act powers deployed to deny them their rights.

    Palestine Action: more Elbit Filton activist remanded to prison

    People came out and rallied in support of the Palestine Action Filton activists:

    Palestine Action Filton Elbit

    All eighteen are political prisoners, subjected to abuses of power and process by Counter Terrorism Policing South East and other police forces – for alleged acts of resistance against complicity in genocide. In August, activists drove a van into and dismantled the Filton, Bristol research hub of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company, causing £1m in damages against products including quadcopters.

    Despite their repression, they are said to be faring well, smiling in the court in front of a packed public gallery – steadfast in the knowledge that they have been imprisoned by a state acting out of its deep complicity in Israel’s genocidal campaign.

    They have all been charged with aggravated burglary and criminal damage, while six have also been charged with violent disorder – none charged under the terror laws which police have abused against them.

    They continue to be investigated through Counter-Terrorism Policing investigatory powers, with rights experts having expressed alarm over these powers being deprive Palestine Action activists of the legal protections that should be afforded to them.

    Severe restrictions

    Those imprisoned for over a hundred days so far have been subjected to arbitrary and severe restrictions, including being denied reading materials, religious practice, medical privacy, and being prohibited to communicate with other prisoners:

    From 5am on Tuesday 19 November, police raids broke down doors and detained the eight, along with others detained and not charged. The individuals and their families had property destroyed in police raids, with many family members unable to return to their homes since Monday.

    At Westminster Magistrates Court and at the Hammersmith and Newbury police stations where activists were being held, hundreds have mobilised in solidarity with the Palestine Action political prisoners:

    Featured image and additional images via Guy Smallman

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Elbit loses MoD contract worth £2.1bn – probably thanks to Palestine Action

    Elbit Systems UK has lost its largest-ever British arms contract, worth over £2.1bn, after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) scrapped its Watchkeeper drone programme with Elbit subsidiary UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS). It comes after Palestine Action sustained years of direct action against the company – which had already resulted in it losing several other contracts.

    Elbit: £2.1bn down the shitter

    Elbit, Israel’s largest weapons company, had spent over twenty years on the Watchkeeper programme with partner-firm Thales. Their joint venture, U-TacS, has been subjected to over three years of relentless direct action by Palestine Action, causing significant damage to premises and disruption to their operations.

    The government has claimed that the move is part of their decommissioning of outdated models. Yet, the Watchkeeper drone has only been in service for six years, and the MoD asserted in 2022 that the Watchkeeper’s ‘out-of-service’ date was not expected to be reached until 2042.

    The drone, custom-made for the British MoD, is modeled entirely upon the Hermes model made by Elbit for the Israeli military. The Hermes 450, is routinely used to massacre and surveil the Palestinian people, and is marketed as “battle-tested” upon them as a result. The Hermes has been linked to documented war crimes committed by Israel, both during and before the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Given the close compatibility of parts between the Watchkeeper and the Hermes, U-TacS is also involved in direct supplies of weapons parts to Israel.

    While U-TacS has consistently denied that it sells weapons to the Israeli military, U-TacS’ export licenses for sale of goods for ‘military end-use’ in Israel suggest that their statements are false.

    All Palestine Action’s fault?

    Disruptive action by Palestine Action activists at the U-TacS site has been ongoing since May 2021, when four activists stormed and occupied the factory – remaining on the roof for six days. In the years since, ceaseless actions and disruption at the site have massively hamstrung the factory’s operations.

    Since the genocide in Gaza commenced in October 2023, actions against the site have intensified including vehicular lock-ons to prevent entry, while the most recent action at U-TacS saw a lorry smash into the building before activists took to the roof to occupy the site.

    From atop the roof, activists used paint filled fire extinguishers to damage drones inside the factory. This action led to structural damage of the premises, halting operations for several weeks.

    This constant disruption, forcing the site shut for days-on-end, causing severe delays to production. In 2023, Elbit Systems UK CEO Martin Fausset stated that “The culture in the UK is if you’re one day late, you might as well be six months late. It’s equally unacceptable. So that understanding is something we have to be very careful with”.

    Elbit: out of business in the UK?

    This is not the first instance in which Elbit has been forced out of MoD contracts by direct action, having two contracts worth £280m revoked in 2022 for failing to meet “operational sovereignty” standards.

    A Palestine Action spokesperson said:

    Elbit losing its biggest contract signifies the beginning of the end for the Israeli weapons maker’s presence in this country. Direct action undertaken by hundreds of activists has consistently disrupted the operations of Elbit Systems, leading to significant delays in production, as well as damage to weaponry. There’s no doubt that direct action works, and it’s more necessary than ever to deploy effective tactics against the Israeli war machine

    Featured image via Palestine Action

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • New film from the makers of The Big Lie will expose the ‘censoring of Palestine’

    The recent arrests of 10 Palestine Action activists and other activists using counter-terrorism laws are just the “tip of an intimidation iceberg” of attacks on freedom of speech and dissent, according to the producer of a new film. It is from the makers of The Big Lie – and will be called Censoring Palestine.

    Censoring Palestine – at any cost

    Norman Thomas of Platform Films said:

    We are seeing a state-sponsored clampdown designed to silence anyone who speaks out or demonstrates in support of Palestine. The arrests we’ve seen so far are just the tip of an intimidation iceberg. The government is criminalising dissent.

    Thomas’s comments are based on research carried out for the new Platform Films documentary Censoring Palestine which will be released in December.

    In recent weeks police raids on activists including Sarah Wilkinson and Asa Winstanley, and the arrest of the Jewish academic Haim Bresheeth, have caused outrage and anger, but, according to Thomas, these in no way reflect the true scale of the problem.

    He said:

    In the course of making our film, we’ve coming across so many cases of people who’ve been treated scandalously by the police and whose only crime has been to protest against the genocide in Palestine.

    Police break down their doors, impose curfews on them, restrict where they can and can’t go, limit their use of social media, confiscate equipment they need for work and, in some cases, treat them with brutality.

    Thomas says they are also collecting more and more many stories of “doxing” — Palestine supporters being reported, often anonymously, to their employers.

    He says “people are being smeared to their employers as antisemitic simply for going on a Palestine demo. Some even lose their jobs. Teachers and students in particular have been attacked in this way”:

    This kind of victimisation and intimidation thrives on being kept secret. We are appealing to anyone who has been targeted, whether by the police or in their workplace, to come and tell us their story. We will respect total confidentiality but we must expose the extent of what’s happening.

    ‘It was a scam’ – but on a far, bigger scale

    Platform Films are the producers of Oh Jeremy Corbyn – The Big Lie, which tells the story of the rise and fall of the Labour Party leader and was shown across the country last year. Mr Thomas says the current attacks on pro-Palestine activists have a strong echo of the way antisemitism was weaponised against Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters.

    He said:

    The same people determined to smear Corbyn are now taking part in a campaign to smear the pro-Palestine protesters. But this is all on a much bigger scale and, I think, reflects the desperation of the pro-Israel lobby and the size of the Palestine solidarity campaign.

    The film Censoring Palestine, which stars legendary filmmaker Ken Loach, will be released next month and local groups are being invited to set up screenings. Thomas said “as with our previous film about Jeremy Corbyn we will make no charge to screen the film, but donations will be welcome”.

    Watch the trailer below:

    Featured image via screengrab

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • “Trillions, Not Billions”: Climate Activists Protest as COP29 Closes in on a “Bad Deal”


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • “Trillions, Not Billions”: Climate Activists Protest as COP29 Closes in on a “Bad Deal”

    Seg1 protest

    On the final official day of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, it is still unclear if this year’s United Nations climate summit will lead to an agreement before the end of the official conference or if talks will extend into the weekend. The COP29 presidency has released a draft text that calls for a $1.3 trillion in annual climate financing by 2035, but it only obligates rich countries to provide $250 billion of that total. Climate justice activists and members of civil society who held a protest at COP29 on Friday say that amount falls far short of what’s needed, demanding “trillions, not billions.” Democracy Now! was there.


    This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • DEFRA gets in hot water over bottom trawling – as 200,000 people step in

    On World Fisheries Day, Thursday 21 November, a coalition of ocean advocacy NGOs gathered outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in London to deliver a petition signed by almost 200,000 people from across Europe. The petition calls for an immediate ban on bottom trawling fishing within the UK’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to protect these vital ecosystems from harm, and biodiversity in the oceans more broadly:

    bottom trawling fishing

    The group included the Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition, Oceana UK, Blue Marine Foundation, Environmental Justice Foundation, outdoor brand Patagonia and wildlife filmmaker and marine biologist Inka Cresswell:

    Ban bottom trawling

    Despite over 35% of UK waters being designated as Marine Protected Areas, many of these regions remain at risk due to bottom trawling—a highly destructive fishing practice that involves dragging heavy nets across the seafloor.

    This method not only destroys fragile habitats but also threatens marine wildlife, undermining the very purpose of these protected areas. According to analysis of satellite data from Global Fishing Watch by Oceana UK, 33,000 hours of suspected bottom-trawl fishing activity took place in the UK’s offshore MPAs last year alone. The coalition argues that without a comprehensive ban on bottom trawling, the UK’s ability to protect 30% of its seas by 2030 will fall short:

    The two sites with the most apparent bottom trawling activity, the Western Channel MPA and Southwest Deeps (East) off the Cornwall coast, are both critical biodiversity hotspots, supporting species like small-spotted cat sharks and cuckoo rays. The Southwest Deeps also stores 1.67 megatons of carbon, which are equivalent to the emissions of over 1 million return flights from London to Sydney.

    The petition was delivered ahead of the next phase of the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) consultation on the protection of MPAs, a key opportunity for the government to step up and enact meaningful change. With the MMO’s review under way, the timing of this petition delivery is crucial, as it highlights the public’s growing demand for the UK government to take definitive action to protect marine biodiversity.

    An ocean emergency which the UK government is contributing to

    Tom Collinson, Advocacy Manager at Blue Ventures said:

    Small-scale fishers and fish workers are on the frontlines of the ocean emergency. As marine life is destroyed by heating seas, overfishing and pollution, their livelihoods are hit hardest. The UK government must take urgent action to protect both our oceans and the communities that depend on them. Banning the most destructive practice – industrial bottom trawling – from sensitive protected areas should be the starting point.

    Amy Hammond, Campaign Lead at Oceana UK, added:

    Any marine ‘protected’ area being bulldozed by bottom-trawl fishing is protected in name alone. We cannot continue to praise politicians for meaningless lines on a map – the public expects action. Eight in ten adults in the UK feel that bottom trawling should be banned in protected areas, our polling showed, and today, with our allies, we present Environment Secretary Steve Reed with a petition of over 180,000 voices from the UK and EU calling for an end to this destruction of our shared seas.

    Clare Brook, Blue Marine Foundation CEO, said:

    Bottom trawling indiscriminately ploughs through precious marine habitats.  This destructive practice is allowed in the vast majority of so-called marine protected areas in the UK.  Blue Marine has been working to end bottom trawling in MPAs since 2010.  Banning bottom trawling from MPAs supports the recovery of habitats, fish stocks and low-impact fisheries.

    The petition is part of a broader campaign, with deliveries also planned for the Spanish, French, German and Dutch governments up to December 2024. The final delivery will be presented to the newly appointed European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, in January 2025.

    Featured image and additional images via Duncan Nicholls  

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Human rights activists face reprisals for opposing extractive industries, says report

    Peace Brigades International calling for new act to force companies with links to UK to do due diligence

    Human rights defenders have faced brutal reprisals for standing up to extractive industries with links to UK companies or investors, according to a report calling for a law obliging firms to do human rights and environmental due diligence.

    Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK says a corporate accountability law requiring businesses to do due diligence on their operations, investments and supply chains could have prevented past environmental devastation and attacks.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Bristol students scale landmark over their university’s complicity in Israel’s genocide

    Students from the University of Bristol working with local peace and Palestine campaigners braved snow-showers to carry out a daring banner-drop from the Cabot Tower on Bandon Hill in Bristol this week.

    Bristol sees striking action in solidarity with Palestine

    On Tuesday 19 November afternoon, a giant three by six metre Palestine Flag was unfurled from the top balcony:

    Bristol Palestine protest Cabot tower
    Cabot Tower, Bristol, November 2024. Photo credit: Simon Holliday / simonholliday.com

    The 105ft (32m) Cabot Tower was chosen being one of the most iconic locations in the City and close to the University of Bristol. Two more protesters standing in the gardens near the base of the tower held a banner with the figure £92,890,934 and chanted in support of Palestine:

    Cabot Tower, Bristol, November 2024. Photo credit: Simon Holliday / simonholliday.com

    The website DEMILITARISE EDUCATION lists this as the value of Partnerships that the University of Bristol has with arms companies, many supplying Israel.

    A student, who wishes to be anonymous, said:

    Israel has destroyed all the universities and most of the schools in Gaza, a process now called EDUCIDE. It’s now impossible to count the dead but estimates range up to hundreds of thousands. Bristol University is complicit having massive links with arms companies some of which are supplying technology & know-how to the Israeli war machine. Universities should be about education NOT educide. I can’t sleep at night thinking of the suffering of countless thousands of people in Gaza and I’m doing my utmost to draw attention to this cancer in our city.

    Israel’s genocide continues

    The Lancet estimated the true number of deaths in Gaza could be over 186,000 due to indirect deaths (starvation and lack of health care etc). University of Edinburgh academics estimate a higher figure of 335,000 deaths.

    Last academic year students protested against the university links with the arms industry by occupying University buildings for several weeks followed by a tented encampment on Tyndall Avenue opposite the Senate House.

    This bold action comes ahead of a massive “END THE EDUCIDE – DIVEST NOW!” demonstration planned for this Sunday 24 November organised by the group Bristol Palestine Alliance (BPA).

    Protesters will assemble outside the Senate House on Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TH. Following an opening rally the march will follow a route down Woodlands Road, Park Row, Park Street to a closing rally on College Green.

    Speakers will include students, university academics, health professionals, press workers, trade unionists, Palestine Action, Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion, CND, LGBTQ plus other Palestine campaigners from around the region.

    People are asked to wear black and to bring flags, placards, whistles and banners

    An BPA organiser said:

    Join us on Sunday 24 November to call out Bristol University and put pressure on them to divest from Israel.

    While UoB continue their partnerships with military companies that are helping Israel murder innocent men, women, children and babies, they also enable the destruction of educational institutions; there are no more universities in Gaza.

    If you are as outraged as us about the continued genocide in Gaza and the role our universities are playing, join us.

    All welcome – Bring your banners, flags, your placards, form blocs we welcome educators, students, medics, press, families, XR, CND, LGBTQ and others most importantly bring your voices.

    They continued by saying that:

    It gets worse.

    Despite a long-running divestment campaign, University of Bristol continues to use Barclays Bank to manage millions of pounds in student fees, research funding, and staff salaries. Barclays holds over £2 billion in shares, and provides £6.1 billion in loans and underwriting, to 9 companies whose weapons, components and military technology are being used by Israel in its attacks on Palestinians. We say the blood of people in Gaza and around the world is on their hands. We say this is truly shocking. We say this is truly evil.

    Bristol rallies for Palestine

    Speaking at the rally and carrying specially-made placards on the demonstration will be health professionals honouring Dr Adnan Al-Bursh.

    Dr Adnan Al-Bursh was a Palestinian orthopaedic surgeon and the Head of Orthopedics at the Gaza Strip’s largest medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital. Last December Dr Al-Bursh was taken by Israeli forces and died in April this year in the Ofer Prison in the West Bank. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has expressed her extreme alarm at the news of Al-Bursh’s death.

    Just days ago, as the Canary reported testimony from fellow prisoners was released by Sky News, saying that Dr Al-Bursh died as a result of brutal torture.

    Large numbers are expected to join the demonstration this Sunday.

    Featured image and additional images via Simon Holliday

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Fossil fuels bosses were giving each other awards last night – until campaigners got involved

    Activists took on planet-wrecking fossil fuel criminals over their contribution to the climate crisis, during a swanky awards dinner in central London. Of course, there’s something twisted about Big Oil patting itself on the back for killing people and planet – and campaigners made this clear, as they gatecrashed the industry do from the World Energy Council Assembly.

    Gatecrashing the World Energy Council Assembly

    Campaigners from Fossil Free London interrupted the World Energy Council Assembly’s dinner at the Hilton in Mayfair on Tuesday 20 November, where oil and gas executives gathered to present and receive industry “achievement awards”. Among the award nominees and attendees were Shell, BP, Equinor, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Chevron:

    The campaigners addressed oil and gas executives, suggesting awards the corporations present could receive instead. They presented “the award for over 200 dead in Spain” to Shell, “the award for over 200 people dying in floods in Pakistan” to BP and “the award for causing Hurricane Helene in the US” to Equinor:

    The corporations receiving awards this evening are continuing to explore and develop new fossil fuel projects, contradicting warnings from climate scientists, the International Energy Agency, the IPCC, and the UN that expansion of fossil fuel production is incompatible with a safe climate.

    The World Energy Council Assembly action came after Fossil Free London staged a week of action over COP29. This included protesting outside the offices of legal firms that have fossil fuel companies as clients, and targeting BP over its deadly activities.

    Fossil fuel bosses are destroying us all

    Joanna Warrington, a campaigner at Fossil Free London, said:

    While fossil fuel executives clink glasses, pat themselves on the back and dance around the truth, communities are being torn apart.

    The floods, wildfires, and hurricanes fueled by their continued expansion of oil and gas will only get worse, and have devastating consequences on our societies and economies.

    As governments and people across the world are already struggling with the consequences of the climate crisis, these executives are knowingly crunching into the brick wall of ecological limits.

    Tonight, we crashed their party to remind them that their relentless greed is nothing to celebrate.

    Featured image and additional images via Fossil Free London

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • BREAKING: cops use COUNTER TERROR powers AGAIN against Palestine Action

    Counter-terror cops have raided the homes, and then arrested, another 10 people in connection to Palestine Action’s action against Israel weapons company Elbit Systems. It shows that the British state continues to abuse counter-terrorism powers against activists in order to protect the interests of Israel’s genocidal campaign.

    Palestine Action: the state yet again abusing counter terror powers

    On 19 November, counter-terrorism police raided and arrested 10 more people in relation to an action taken by Palestine Action against Elbit’s Filton-based research and development hub on 6 August 2024.

    Reports of the raids undertaken today, include family members and roommates being expelled from their own homes by counter terrorism police for up to three days. The mother and younger brother of one arrested today were also cuffed during the initial raid, despite not being accused of any offence.

    These arrests were made in relation to the case of the ‘Filton10’ – ten individuals who have been detained since August, following an action which cost Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company, over £1million in damages.

    As the Canary reported at the time, during the early hours of the morning of Tuesday 6 August, Palestine Action activists were arrested after they broke inside and damaged weaponry inside the highly secured Bristol manufacturing hub of Israel’s largest weapons company, Elbit Systems.

    A larger group from Palestine Action used a prison van to smash through the outer perimeter and the roller shutters into the building. Once six were inside, they began damaging the contents inside, including machinery and Israeli quadcopter drones.

    Elbit: actively enabling genocide

    Elbit’s Horizon facility at Belvedere Close in Filton is a key premises for the arms company, described as a research, development, and manufacturing hub for electronic warfare, land vehicle, simulation, and vision technologies. Freedom of Information disclosures show Filton’s ‘Elbit Systems UK’ has existent export licenses for the sale of weaponry to Israel.

    The Filton site was opened in July of last year, with Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotevely in attendance to show off the Bristol produced-weapons technologies of the “Israeli defence company”. Also in attendance was Elbit’s CEO Bezalel Machlis, who recently boasted, too, of Elbit’s crucial role in supporting the ongoing genocide and of the gratitude received by Elbit from the Israeli military for their services.

    Products seen inside the factory are the same as those used in the Gaza genocide, including Elbit’s ‘Torch-X Command and Control’ systems, Thor quadcopter drones and its nv33 Night Vision technologies.

    Elbit Systems, more broadly, supplies up to 85% of Israel’s military drones and land-based equipment, while its British exports to Israel mostly concern drone and aircraft components, military electronics, and target and acquisition systems.

    Palestine Action are not the terrorists, here

    Despite being arrested under the Terrorism Act, the Filton10 were all charged with non-terror offences including aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder. However, the police have continued to use counter terror powers to deploy authoritarian powers against further people in relation to the case.

    Amnesty International UK has issued alarm that British police are using these Terrorism Act powers to “circumvent normal legal protections”. The Filton10 are being held on remand ahead of a November 2025 trial, and are subjected to arbitrary and severe restrictions.

    A Palestine Action spokesperson said of the counter terror raids and arrests:

    The British state are wielding counter-terrorism powers against those they accused of being engaged in direct action against Israel’s weapons trade. They are acting to protect the interests of a foreign genocidal regime, over the rights and freedoms of it’s own citizens.

    The only ‘terrorists’ here are those assisting and arming Israel’s genocide. Palestine Action will not bow to this repression.

    Featured image via Palestine Action

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Tyre Extinguishers strike AGAIN in Edinburgh – hitting Chelsea tractors with some home truths

    Members of the Tyre Extinguishers group in Edinburgh, Scotland have hit SUVs for a second time this month in protest of the environmental and safety dangers of massive cars in cities.

    The Tyre Extinguishers: at it again

    Some SUVs were decorated with mock surveys so the public can participate:

    Others were decorated with photos of two schoolgirls killed by an SUV in Wimbledon, London, earlier this year:

    As the Canary previously reported, the Tyre Extinguishers are right to be angry about SUVs:

    Tyre Extinguishers SUVs

    There were over 360m SUVs on world roads in 2023, producing 1bn tonnes of CO2, up 10% on 2022. As a result, global oil consumption rose by 600,000 barrels/day, more than a quarter of total oil demand growth.

    One of the main issues with SUVs is their fuel consumption. SUVs consume approximately 25% more energy than medium-sized cars, which leads to a substantial increase in CO₂ emissions per mile driven.

    Stop SUVs

    With more powerful engines and increased weight, SUVs demand more fuel, and their lower fuel economy translates directly into higher emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the rise of SUVs was the second-largest contributor to the increase in global CO₂ emissions from 2010 to 2018, surpassing emissions from the aviation sector.

    Additionally, SUVs are often marketed as rugged, all-terrain vehicles, but in reality, most are driven primarily in urban settings where their off-road capabilities are unnecessary. This widespread use of large, powerful vehicles in cities contributes to air pollution and road congestion, exacerbating their environmental impact.

    Beyond CO₂ emissions, the manufacturing of SUVs also has a large carbon footprint due to the increased materials needed, particularly steel and aluminum. Heavier vehicles require more energy in production, which amplifies their overall environmental impact.

    Little wonder, then, that the Tyre Extinguishers felt compelled to take action – as people needlessly driving around city centres in off-road vehicles are directly contributing to the climate crisis – and therefore, the deaths the world saw in Valencia:

    Keep on tyre extinguishing

    Luke, a Tyre Extinguisher, said:

    We think it’s well past time for a public debate about these monsters taking over our streets. The people who drive these Chelsea tractors have assumed it as their right to dominate our streets and poison our planet – we want to open this up for discussion.

    And SUVs are ruining far more than just Edinburgh. If SUVs were a country they’d be the world’s fifth most polluting. As Valencians, Floridians and Brazilians continue to grapple with the cost of this year’s horrifying extreme weather, global leaders at COP 29 make only dirty deals and empty promises.

    If our spineless politicians won’t take meaningful action against emitters, then we will.

    Real people are dying. Today we posted memorials of Izan and Rubén Matias, aged 5 and 3, who were swept out of their father’s arms by the Valencian floodwaters. Every single two-tonne tank out on the street is sending a flagrant message that its owners do not care about the damage they are causing every day. It’s time to hold them to account.

    The Tyre Extinguishers are active in 22 countries. More information on the group can be found here:

    Featured image and additional images via the Tyre Extinguishers

    By Steve Topple

    This post was originally published on Canary.