The Victory to the Intifada campaign in London continues its pickets of Marks and Spencer, Britain’s biggest corporate sponsor of Zionism, every Thursday outside its flagship store on Oxford Street from 6-8pm. On 11 January VTI took part in a live televised debate on the Islam channel on the campaign to boycott Israeli goods.
On Saturday 10 December VTI targeted M&S once again, this time in support of the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign national day of action. In December, VTI activists participated in a demonstration organised by the Camden Abu Dis friendship society in Camden. The event featured street theatre and a large cardboard wall.
In London, we have been working with students at LSE, King’s and SOAS to build FRFI societies and the Student Anti-Imperialist Network (SAIN). Weekly events on campus have included street meetings and political theatre: in February the theatre will focus on Guantanamo in Cuba. The FRFI LSE society will also be showing a film about resistance from within Zionist Israel and discussing the recent elections, as well as holding a regional SAIN dayschool on imperialism, war and resistance.
In Newcastle in December student supporters mounted noisy Thursday evening pickets of M&S in the city centre which will resume this term.
In the North East, FRFI supporters helped build the second public meeting of Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) on 11 January. The meeting agreed a basic platform for the network, including the right of refugees to organise to defend themselves as necessary against attacks by the state. FRFI activists began regular pickets of North Tyneside Reporting Centre the day after an Iranian man set himself on fire there, and hope to involve wider forces in these over the coming months. Regular street actions against the deportation and criminalisation of asylum seekers continue in Durham and Newcastle city centres, forming important links with anti-imperialists from local migrant communities.
FRFI supporters in Manchester have been actively campaigning in the Support Eucharia and Timeyi anti-deportation campaign. On 18 January Manchester FRFI and SAIN activists took part in a vigil to mark the third anniversary of the death of Sarah Campbell at Styal prison, organised by Sarah’s mother, Pauline Campbell. We will continue to support Pauline Campbell’s struggle for justice.
Student activists and FRFI veterans organised Chester’s first picket of Marks and Spencer. The protest attracted so much local support that another Chester M&S picket is planned for 4 February. In Longsight, and around Salford and Manchester universities, street actions have taken place calling for troops out of Iraq.
In January comrades protested outside Manchester Midland Hotel, where ex-US Secretary of State Colin Powell was guest of honour at a Jewish National Fund fundraising dinner.
The main focus for comrades in Scotland has been actively supporting local anti-deportation campaigns (for full report of anti-deportation activities in Scotland and around the country, see back page). Comrades also demonstrated against Colin Powell at another annual Jewish National Fund Dinner, this time at the Glasgow Hilton and supported the Bloody Sunday marches in Glasgow and Derry. m
Events
LONDON
Saturday 11 February 1-3pm
Street theatre and stall: Cuban Five must go free
North side of Trafalgar Square
Saturday 4 March 12-5pm
SAIN dayschool on war, imperialism and resistance
LSE, Houghton Street, WC2
Saturday 18 March
Join London FRFI’s contingent on the Stop the War march
Every Thursday 6-8pm
Picket of Marks & Spencer,
Marble Arch end of Oxford Street
For further details call 020 7837 1688 or email [email protected]
EDINBURGH
Saturday 11 February
Free The Cuban Five protest 11am
Duke of Wellington Statue, Princes St
12.30pm United States Consulate, Regent Terrace, Regent Road
2pm Mission Against Terror, Film
CWU Club, 15 Brunswick St
Contact [email protected]
NORTH EAST
NEWCASTLE
Wednesday 8 February 7pm
Public meeting: Cuba, Terrorism and the Occupation of Guantanamo Bay
Back room of the Leazes Inn, off Barracks Road, Newcastle
Thursday 9 February 8pm
Boycott Bacardi Bar Bust
(meet outside Newcastle University Student Union)
Wednesday 22 February 7pm
Film: Injustice, on deaths in custody
Room 2.5, Daysh Building, Claremont Road (meet outside ground floor entrance from 6.45pm)
Wednesday 8 March 7pm
Public meeting: War, Imperialism and Iraq
Back room of the Leazes Inn, off Barracks Road, Newcastle
Thursdays 16 February, 2 March and 16 March 6-8pm
Pickets of M&S, Northumberland Street
Wednesday 22 March 7pm
Film: Matzpen: Anti-Zionist Israelis
Room 2.5, Daysh Building, Claremont Road (meet outside ground floor entrance from 6.45pm)
DURHAM
Wednesday 15 February 7pm
Public meeting: Deaths in Custody
Elvet Riverside Lecture Rooms, New Elvet (meet in the foyer from 6.45pm)
Wednesday 1 March 7pm
Film: Control Room
Elvet Riverside Lecture Room (as above)
Wednesday 15 March 7pm
Public meeting: Labour: A Party Fit for Imperialism (as above)
For further details call 07813 073 846
or email [email protected]
MANCHESTER
Tuesday 7 February 12 noon
Defend Eucharia & Timeyi Campaign meeting, St George’s Church, Abbey Hey, Gorton, 7.30pm
Free the Cuban Five! Week of action Wednesday 8 February 12 noon
Street action, Manchester University – outside SU, 12 noon.
Thursday 9 February 12 noon
Street action, outside Salford University.
Saturday 11 February 12 noon
Protest, Market Street
Saturday 11 February
Day of action for Congolese refugees, Oldham Street Methodist Hall.
Wednesday 15 February 7.30pm
Rock around the Blockade meeting Friends Meeting House, Mount Street
Saturday 18 February 12 noon
Victory to the Iraqi people’s
resistance! stall, Longsight Market
Saturday 25 February 12 noon
Victory to the Intifada! picket of Marks & Spencer, Market Street
Wednesday 1 March 7.30pm
Defend the M&S Picket Campaign meeting on Palestine, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street
Saturday 4 March
SAIN dayschool in London – minibus going from Salford and Manchester, contact 07940 961 169.
Sunday 19 March 2pm
Anti-Imperialist Forum Cross Street Chapel
CHESTER
Saturday 4 February 12-3pm
Marks & Spencer picket, City Centre,
Contact 07816 547 066 / [email protected]
Visit www.manchesterfrfi.5u.com
FRFI 189 February / March 2006
