From ldxar1 at tesco.net Thu Mar 1 11:22:44 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 19:22:44 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Anti-neoliberal protests in Costa Rica Message-ID: <079201c75c36$fd01c710$0202a8c0@andy1> http://newsbox.msn.co.uk/article.aspx?as=adimarticle&f=uk_-_olgbtopnews&t=4023&id=4952553&d=20070227&do=http://newsbox.msn.co.uk&i=http://newsbox.msn.co.uk/mediaexportlive&ks=0&mc=5&ml=ma&lc=en&ae=windows-1252 Costa Ricans protest trade with U.S. SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of students and teachers opposed to a free-trade pact with the United States marched in Costa Rica's capital on Monday, while the deal itself remains bogged down in Congress. The protesters, part of a coalition of hundreds of unions, student, environmental and community groups, said the march was a show of strength to be followed by a nation-wide strike. Costa Rica is the only participant of the Central American Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA, not to have ratified the measure and the government hopes to have a deal passed by the end of the year. The treaty is in Congress, slowed down by a legal battle over whether President Oscar Arias can use a fast-track system to limit debate. Smaller protests also took place across Costa Rica and several people were arrested when police broke through a protesters roadblock in the town of Siquirres. Albino Vargas, general secretary of the National Association of Public Educators, conceded the march would not stop the passage of the deal when Congress finally votes on it. Arias looks likely to win enough votes to approve the deal. The treaty would create a free-trade zone between the United States and Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Some in Costa Rica worry the trade deal will lead to the privatisation of the state-run telephone company and hurt the social security system. At the protest, Eddie Sandi, 23, a farmer, led one of three traditional carts drawn by teams of two oxen. "What is a farmer going to do if they pass CAFTA?" said Sandi. "It's good for the millionaires who have money to invest, but not for the small farmer. In the United States, the measure only barely passed Congress in 2005 in the face of strong opposition from lawmakers and unions who feared the pact would lead to job losses there. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Mon Mar 5 04:20:00 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 12:20:00 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Copenhagen is burning! Message-ID: <003001c75f20$998aef80$0202a8c0@andy1> ----- Original Message ----- From: Rob To: theanarchistcommune at yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 8:55 PM Subject: [The Anarchist Commune] Copenhagen is burning! Eviction of Danish social centre fuels anger across Europe >From Indymedia The occupied house in Copenhagen, Denmark named 'Ungdomshuset' has functioned as a very important political and social cultural centre since 1982. It had been involved in a long political and legal battle for its existance. But yesterday morning at around 7am Danish police and danish Anti-Terror forces made an end to this by entering the roof of the building using a helicopter and start an unannouced full scale eviction. Riot-police sealed off nearby streets quickly and attacked the building using teargas. As the whole area was closed off, so documenting the action and police-behaviour was difficult. Some witnesses say that teargas and police violence was plentiful, although the eviction happened swiftly and according to police in a 'relatively calm manner'. At the moment everything is but calm. Over 1000 people are reported to be back onto the streets last night and (burning) barricades blocked off some major roads in the city. Over 160 people have been reported to have been arrested, including 17 of non-danish nationality. Some people have been admitted to hospital. Riots have continued throughout the day and night and solidarity actions spontaniosly broke out in cities across europe: Berlin (300+), K?ln, Hamburg (700+), M?nchen, Karlsruhe, G?ttingen, Frankfurt, Bremen (300+), Magdeburg, Hannover, Vienna, Heidelberg, Gothenburg, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm (100+), Flensburg, G?ttingen, Marburg, Potsdam and Leipzig. In Dresden a building was occupied. Also in London and in Dublin rallys take place. Over the next few days many more demonstrations and actions are planned and Danish activists have called for people to make Saturday 3rd March an international day of action. Danish police have started to draft in re-inforcements from all over the country and many more activists are set to arrive in the capital in the coming days. Meantime an old school in Copenhagen is occupied, as well as a backyard house. The headquarter of the Danish Social Democrats, Copenhagen, is also occupied. An action has been annouced to take place at the Danish Embassy in London on Friday 2nd March The basis-democratic, alternative political and cultural centre 'Ungdomshuset' was forcefully evicted by riot police and airborne anti-terror squads this morning. Ensuing demonstrations have seen large-scale confrontations between protestors and heavy-handed police, here is the full story from Copenhagen. After serious social conflicts and uprisings by the autonomist and squatting movements in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the subsequent 'Ungdomshuset' was offered as part of a political compromise to the activists. The mainly young activists dubbed it 'Ungdomshuset' ('The Youth House'), and started running various cultural and political activities out of there. It has for many years served as one of the only multicultural, basis-democratic collectives/community centres in Copenhagen, with the exception of the Freetown Christiania. Property rights remained in the hands of the local council, which in 1999 decided to disregard the previous political compromise and sell the house to the highest bidder. In 2003 the fundamentalist Christian sect 'Faderhuset', which had bought the property in 2001 prompted the authorities to evict the 'Ungdomshuset' and its users. Despite many demonstrations in support of 'Ungdomshuset' Faderhuset won the ensuing courtcase and the politicians avoided serious involvement in the conflict, despite the political nature of the case. Many domestic demonstrations saw alleged police brutality and in December an 'Ungdomshuset' demonstration turned into a major confrontation between activists from all over Europe and the police. Subsequently the 'Ungdomshuset' was fortified in order to avoid an eviction and return the issue to the political arena. This morning at 7:00 AM the anti-terror squad landed on the roof of the 'Ungdomshuset' via helicopters, while later in the day activists from all over Copenhagen rushed to protest the eviction of 'Ungdomshuset', they were met by aggressive policemen in riot gear blocking the street arresting suspected troublemakers with many resulting injuries. The demonstrators fought back and tried to reclaim the 'Ungdomshuset', but were repelled and activists took to the nearby streets and started building barricades, while engaging police in skirmishes. The neighbourhoods has been entirely shut down by local residents and activists: actions and demonstrations have taken place all over Copenhagen with more planned for the following days and weeks. While sympathisers from all over Europe have been rushing in, although police are attempting to detain suspected activists at the borders. Furthermore solidarity demonstrations are under way in Germany, Norway and Sweden. The house has functioned as a political and cultural centre, home to political demonstrations, political debates, concerts and many more cultural events since 1982. It has served as a basis-democratic remainder that 'another world is possible' until this morning... The actions of solidarity taking place all over Europe, as well as Russia and Australia are greatly appreciated. Please join in and support the struggle for autonomous commons and the resistance against the neoliberal repression. The homepage of 'Ungdomshuset' has been shut down. __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity a.. 1New Members Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS a.. Bachelor party b.. Bachelorette party c.. Replies d.. Bachelorette party planning e.. Wild bachelorette parties 2008 Election For President Who are the contenders? Yahoo! News Adventure Beat Travel the world with Richard Bangs Y! GeoCities Create a Blog And tell the world what you think. . __,_._,___ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 07:42:34 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 15:42:34 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Camden community in revolt over cutbacks Message-ID: <00e201c76261$91a703a0$0202a8c0@andy1> Here's what crackdown freaks think of the "democracy" they claim to represent - they're more concerned with the SYMBOLS of authority than the voices of the poor! The difference between authoritarianism and accountability is that accountability means those in authority respect those they "represent"; authoritarianism means those in authority expect to be "respected" for it. This incident clearly shows the latter - a neoliberal totalitarian cutback agenda which goes against all rights of the oppressed and which counterposes the voicelessness it imposes and the violence it commits to a hypocritical denouncement of the "violence" of those who speak freely and a totalitarian condemnation of the slightest disruption of the procedures and power-relations which alone are taken as sacred. Three cheers for those who disrupted the sacred order of neoliberalism! Victory to the Camden campaigners! http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/030807/news0308_03.html Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY Published: 8 March 2007 Protesters face threat of charges over riot Ceremonial mace damaged in 'disgusting' scenes CAMDEN'S Mayor Jill Fraser has called for rioters who stormed last week's full council meeting to be prosecuted. THE Lib Dem councillor said protesters who forced their way onto the main council chamber floor and broke the ceremonial mace - a golden staff used by generations of mayors and a symbol of the council's authority - should face criminal charges. The mace is back in a cabinet in the Mayor's parlour at the Town Hall but its golden crown has been bent backwards after being thrown to the ground and could cost thousands of pounds to fix. Cllr Fraser said: "What I saw was disgraceful. It was disgusting. It showed a total disrespect for the meeting." She added that, at first, she feared one protester was about to attack her and Deputy Mayor Dawn Somper. "She was heading straight towards us and I thought she was going to throw the mace at somebody," said Cllr Fraser. The Mayor singled out protesters from Kilburn Grange play centre, which has had its funding cut, for their part in the ugly exchanges last Wednesday. She said: "They hid behind the children - that's the shame of it. It made me think even more that we had made the right decision. At one stage, police said to them to stop the bad language in front of the children." The mace, one of the largest in the country, is decorated with a gold etching of St Pancras Church. Cllr Fraser added: "It is symbolic. The mace will be here long after me, long after all of us." Cllr Somper, a Conservative councillor and one of the longest-serving members at the Town Hall, said she had been "absolutely terrified" by the incident, while Lib Dem council leader Councillor Keith Moffitt admitted he was "shaken". Councillors fled to the safety of the Mayor's parlour and the meeting was suspended for an hour while police tried to calm the angry protests. Cllr Moffitt met Camden police's Borough Commander Mark Heath on Tuesday morning. The council leader indicated that the council wanted to take the matter further. He has the backing of chief executive Moira Gibb and Conservative leader Councillor Andrew Marshall. The complaints are thought to centre on the woman who threw the mace, another with a megaphone and a third who had an angry exchange with social services chief Conservative councillor Martin Davies. Police said they were waiting for an official complaint before taking further action. While a live webcast of the meeting was taken offline on the night, CCTV cameras kept running and footage has been scrutinised by council officials as part of an inquiry into the chaotic disruption. Cllr Moffitt said: "We try to be as open as possible. We allow deputations, even boisterous ones, but the violent nature of this was unacceptable. The mace is symbolic but it's also a heavy piece of metal which could have hurt somebody." There is a suggestion at the Town Hall that some of the rowdiest protesters had attached themselves to the cause of the Kilburn Grange play centre. Cllr Moffitt added: "It would be interesting to know whether the women that got onto the floor of the chamber are parents at Kilburn Grange." -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 09:00:27 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 17:00:27 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Global resistance: US, Zimbabwe, Greece Message-ID: <00f001c7626c$710cc200$0202a8c0@andy1> * Bay Area youths resist the police state * Student revolt in Zimbabwe * Greece education reform protests flare up again http://origin.insidebayarea.com/timesstar/localnews/ci_5386823 Eight arrested after mob riot in Antioch Cassandra Braun - MEDIANEWS Article Last Updated: 03/08/2007 02:45:12 PM PST ANTIOCH - Seven teenagers and an adult were arrested Wednesday afternoon after a mob of 75 to 100 youths turned on police at a popular Deer Valley High School hangout. The small riot was set off shortly after 3 p.m. when an officer confronted a group of teenagers blocking traffic lanes at Deer Valley Plaza on Lone Tree Way, said Capt. Steve McConnell. As the officer began issuing a ticket to one of the boys who refused to move, the teen bolted and ran toward Gas City on Lone Tree Way with the officer and the rest of the boys group following close behind, McConnell said. The officer caught up with the boy at the gas station and was taking him into custody when a group of the boy's friends descended on the officer trying to break the teen free, McConnell said. The officer called for backup. Roughly 12 officers, from Antioch, with assistance from Brentwood police, responded to the shopping center and gas station to help quell the mob, said McConnell. Police struggled with several members of the group, including one person who police say assaulted one of the officers. In the end, seven teenagers and one adult were arrested for interfering and obstructing police, McConnell said. All were later released. The shopping center, a popular after-school hangout for Deer Valley High students that received regular complaints of loitering teens, saw a similar incident in February 2006. Three teenagers were arrested on similar charges and several officers injured in that case. ============================================== http://www.swradioafrica.com/news080307/students080307.htm Chaos as riot police try to force university students into class By Lance Guma 08 March 2007 Chaos reigned at the University of Zimbabwe Thursday after riot police tried to force students participating in a class boycott to attend lessons. Promise Mkwananzi who leads the National Students Union (ZINASU) says students were milling around the Bond Shopping Centre in Mount Pleasant close to their campus when riot squads descended on them and tried to frogmarch them to their lecture halls. Police allegedly beat up everyone in sight, resulting in injuries to over 50 students. ZINASU has vowed to press on with the national boycotts until exorbitant tuition fee increases are reversed or student grants are increased to help them pay the fees. In Masvingo students who had initially not taken part in the boycotts owing to what ZINSAU says was a communication breakdown, joined in the action on Thursday. Mkwananzi says students left classes in response to a call by the student leadership. A nationwide strike by lecturers demanding increased salaries has also given the boycott added momentum. In Bulawayo the President of the United College of Education student's representative council, Cosmas Gwature is still missing after last being seen in a police truck. Over 20 students were arrested on Tuesday in Bulawayo according to ZINASU and 16 of these were released the following day Wednesday. Another 4 were released later in the evening the same day. No charges were levelled against the students and their release followed frantic pressure from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Gwature's whereabouts have worried the union who say police are refusing to co-operate in locating him. Officers have said he is over 18 years and cannot be regarded as a minor. This means he can only be classified as missing after 7 days. The students maintain the police know where he is. A general meeting by students at the National University of Science and Technology was disrupted Wednesday. Although no arrests were reported, police officers allegedly beat up students indiscriminately using baton sticks and firing teargas canisters. ZINASU has meanwhile dismissed an offer by government to offer financial support to 'deserving' students. The union says authorities want to use the facility as a political tool to discriminate against those that did not support the ruling party. ======================================================== http://jurnalo.com/jurnalo/storyPage.do?story_id=22212 Greek students clash with riot police over education reforms Thursday 08 March 2007 21:50 vote + 50% Importance Rating vote - Athens turned into a battlefield Thursday as students protesting a new Greek education bill hurled petrol bombs, sticks and stones at riot police, who retaliated by firing tear gas. Seven people were reported injured in the clashes that started shortly after an estimated 9,000 students and teachers marched through the capital towards parliament, where deputies were voting on the bill. Reports said at least 40 protesters were brought in for questioning in what has been described as the worst clashes police have seen in years. The main clashes broke out right after parliament passed the education reform bill with 160 votes in favour and 117 against, with 19 absentees. Chanting "it will never pass" and carrying black banners reading "down with the government and its reforms", a group of hooded youths set fire to a bank branch, smashed shop windows and a presidential guard post and destroyed the entrance of a luxury hotel in Constitution, or Syntagma, Square. Traffic in central Athens came to a standstill for hours, forcing pedestrians to take shelter in cafes and restaurants. In one typical exchange, an angry man shouted: "This is unbelievable. We shouldn't have students ruling our lives this way. " A teacher identifying himself as Stavroula Mavromichali countered: "We were left with no other option but to react this way. " The demonstration was the latest of many, as wide-ranging discontent forced the closure of hundreds of university departments and resulted in violent protests across the country. The walkouts have crippled Greece's educational system and many fear tens of thousands of students risk of losing the school year. One of the changes, altering the law on asylum, seeks to make it easier for police to enter university grounds. Police have been prevented from entering university campuses since the days of the Greek military junta when the military crushed a 1973 student uprising with tanks, killing dozens. Police are often faced with the problem of anarchists, armed with fire bombs, avoiding arrest following protest marches by seeking refuge in universities. Private tertiary education institutions are banned from operating in Greece and the conservative government believes the new law, allowing for the operation of private universities, would lead to greater competitiveness and higher educational standards. Teachers, students and union leaders insist the government should upgrade free public education instead and fear the move could lead to higher education costs and lower teaching standards. Educators accuse the government of failing to keep one of its main pre-election promises of hiking education funding to 5 per cent of GDP from a current 3. 5 per cent. dpa cp pr -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 09:02:04 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 17:02:04 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Fw: Brazil police battle Bush protesters Message-ID: <012201c7626c$aaff0c20$0202a8c0@andy1> Brazil police battle Bush protesters By STAN LEHMAN, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago Police clashed Thursday with students, environmentalists and left-leaning Brazilians protesting a visit by President Bush and his push for an ethanol energy alliance with Latin America's largest nation. Protesting students also lobbed rocks and homemade explosives called potato bombs at riot police on a university campus in the Colombian capital of Bogota, where Bush is scheduled to visit Sunday as part of his five-nation tour of Latin America. In Sao Paulo, officers fired tear gas at protesters and beat them with batons after more than 6,000 people held a largely peaceful march through the financial heart of South America's largest city, sending hundreds of demonstrators fleeing and ducking into businesses to avoid the mayhem. Authorities did not immediately report any injuries, but Brazilian media said at least six people were hurt and photographers took pictures of injured people being carried away. Protesters said scuffles broke out when some radical demonstrators provoked officers and threw sticks at them - but said police overreacted. A police officer who declined to give his name in keeping with department policy confirmed that extremists appeared to cause the confrontations. After the clash, the protest continued peacefully but with far fewer people. The marchers waved communist flags and railed against Bush, the war in Iraq and the ethanol proposal. Almost all had departed by sundown, just as the U.S. president was to arrive in Sao Paulo. And in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, more than 500 people yelled "Get Out, Imperialist!" as they marched to a Citigroup Inc. bank branch and burned an effigy of Bush. In Colombia, about 200 masked students at Bogota's National University clashed with 300 anti-riot police carrying shields and helmets, spray-painting anti-U.S. slogans on walls and shouting "Out Bush!" Police fired water cannons and tear gas, and the students hurled back rocks, fireworks, a few Molotov cocktails and dozens of "potato bombs" - small explosives made of gunpowder wrapped in foil. There were no immediate reports of injuries or arrests. The Colombian demonstrators called for the scuttling of a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement signed in November and currently stalled in U.S. Congress, and accused Washington of meddling in the South American nation's internal affairs by sending some $700 million a year in mostly military aid to fight drugs. Colombia is beefing up security in the capital for the first visit by a sitting U.S. president since Ronald Reagan in 1982. About 21,000 security agents will patrol the capital. Meanwhile, Colombia's police chief said authorities have foiled leftist rebel plans for terrorist acts to disrupt Bush's visit, but offered no details. Asked about the protests, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Bush "enjoys traveling to thriving democracies where freedom of speech and expression are the law of the land. He has a positive agenda here that we believe the people of Brazil and the rest of the Americas will benefit from." Some protesters in Brazil carried stalks of sugarcane - which is used to make ethanol - and a banner reading: "For every liter of ethanol produced, 4 liters of fresh water are consumed, monoculture is destroying the nation's greatest asset." "Bush and the United States go to war to control oil reserves, and now Bush and his pals are trying to control the production of ethanol in Brazil. And that has to be stopped," said Suzanne Pereira dos Santos of Brazil's Landless Workers Movement. Activists from the environmental group Greenpeace warned that increased ethanol production could lead to further clearing of the Amazon rain forest as well as cause social unrest, since most sugarcane-ethanol operations are run by wealthy families or corporations that reap most of the benefits while the poor are left to cut the cane with machetes. Bush has spoken approvingly of Brazil's ethanol program, which powers eight out of every 10 new cars. The proposed accord is meant to help turn ethanol into an internationally traded commodity and to promote sugarcane-based ethanol production in Central America and the Caribbean. Brazil is mounting what has been described as its biggest security effort ever in Sao Paulo. About 4,000 agents - including Brazilian troops and FBI and U.S. Secret Service officers - will be on hand during Bush's almost 24-hour visit. Graffiti reading "Get Out, Bush! Assassin!" appeared on walls near the locations Bush will drive past on his tour that also includes stops in Uruguay, Guatemala and Mexico. However, there were no visible signs of protesters along Bush's motorcade route in the nearly hourlong drive from Sao Paulo's airport to his hotel. In Mexico, which Bush is scheduled to visit Tuesday, about two dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in the capital chanting slogans against the U.S. project to construct border fences and Bush's visit. Carmelo Ramirez Reyes showed up in a devil's mask, carrying a placard reading "My name is George Bush, killer of Mexicans." ___ Associated Press writers Tales Azzoni in Sao Paulo, Mark Stevenson in Mexico City and Toby Muse in Bogota, Colombia, contributed to this report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bored stiff? Loosen up... Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 08:59:08 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 16:59:08 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Denmark: Ungdomhuset squat resistance coverage Message-ID: <00ec01c7626c$426b0b50$0202a8c0@andy1> NOTE: A range of sources provided for reference/research purposes - some are more politically useful than others, some contain the usual mainstream nonsense. Obviously I entirely support the need to negatively sanction the state when it commits an atrocity such as the violent occupation of Ungdomhuset. There is a need to revolt in such circumstances, and it's shocking how liberals and media types either misunderstand or crudely condemn, while effectively condoning state violence. VIDEOS HERE: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=97565E62AFBFA97A -------------------------------------------------------- http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070305125948609&query=ungdomshuset Copenhagen: We only just started! Monday, March 05 2007 @ 12:59 PM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 628 We only just started! Thanks for a great weekend. Its been amazing taking to the streets with you all. None of us will ever be the same again. Ritt (the mayor of Copenhagen), gathered all the Danish police in Copenhagen to prevent us from reacting, on the eviction of ungdomshuset. That didn?t stop us. We defied everything and created history. With millitary precision the police made a surgical incision. But the boil they thought that they were to remove in a flash, soon spread all over the city and to places such as Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Gothenburg, Trondheim, Malmo, Oslo, Stockholm, Istanbul, Vienna, ?rhus, Horsens, Ume?, Karlskrona and many more places. It was covered by all the Danish media and it was the top story with CNN, BCC and Al Jazeera. This weekend we have proven once and for all, that we are not a marginalized subculture, but a large, and growing, group of young people. When people riot on a scale like this weekend, it is proof that something is totally wrong. In a democratic country, all the alarms should be ringing, when you send in the whole police force to fight down a social and cultural uprising. But a social and cultural uprising can take on many forms. One thing is burning cars, something else is taking the fight into our everyday lives. Now it is Monday morning. And the weekdays are back. The kind of weekdays where you go to work and school, shop for dinner and take the bus. And maybe doubt is beginning to kick in. Will the system get the last word, if you get up this morning, and drink your coffee and go to work as usual? The capitalist society has got us by the throat, but we have shown them that it doesn?t have to be like that. When doubt sticks its head out, that is when we have to learn form it. It is there for obvious reasons. Our friends have been unjustly imprisoned in huge numbers. We have been poisoned with gas, beaten with clubs, and had our homes raided. It?s all right to be afraid. But can we continue our lives like nothing happened? NO! Cause this Monday is not like the others. The creativity and energy that has been released can be used to keep the struggle going, and we are the ones who will decide how to carry on the fight. We will keep on coming back again and again. Time after time we break the systems frames of perception. We will keep on doing the unexplainable and selfexplanatory things. The unexpected and unpredictable. We want everything. We took a big step and showed how important this social and cultural struggle is. A struggle where so many will risk so much to get the attention of the world around them. But the struggle for more free spaces, where we can show our resistance against a tendency of normalization that only wishes to make people more effective, docile and obedient, must be fought in the schools, at work and on the social security office. The energy we exhibited in the weekend, is the core in a society, the holds more than cafe latte, nuclear families and pension funds. Its about much more than a house. Its about our lives and the future, about how society as a whole should develop. We have drawn the eyes of the world to a fight, that is fought everywhere. We have created history, and history will not be forgotten in one day. Even though today is Monday, the struggle continues. Don?t push away the daily routine like it can?t be changed. Use it. Tell your fellow students and colleagues about our struggle. Remember that we are many. Now we must stand together and look out for each other. We must make big plans, and on top of that it will be great fun too. Are you ready? This is bigger than Jagtvej 69. -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2007/03/07/2003351306 Protests fail to stop demolition of historic Copenhagen building 100 YEARS OF HISTORY: Police protected workers as the community center was demolished, while a right-wing Christian sect was ready to take over the site THE GUARDIAN, COPENHAGEN Wednesday, Mar 07, 2007, Page 6 Hundreds of tearful and angry protesters gathered outside a youth community center in Copenhagen on Monday to watch as a hydraulic excavator tore into the building, bringing to an end more than 100 years of political history. The Ungdomshuset (Youth House), which once hosted Vladimir Lenin, has been the focus of street riots in recent days following the eviction of squatters from the building which has been sold to a rightwing Christian sect. On Monday demonstrators laid flowers at the end of Jagtvej Street in the workers' district of Noerrebro as dust from the demolition filled the air. "This is a funeral," said Siggi Oddsson, 22, who laid a cloth banner reading "Loved and Missed." "This is an absolute milestone of underground culture in Copenhagen and it's being destroyed," he said. "Forget the idea of `wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen.'" Behind him, a silver crane -- the name of the company it belonged to concealed under a layer of paint -- hovered above the graffiti-covered structure of house number 69. Workers wore face masks under their helmets so as not to be identified as they worked under police guard, and even the trucks taking away the rubble were escorted through the city by armed police. Many surrounding shops were either boarded up or had had their windows smashed following three nights of clashes between police and protesters. The four-story red brick building has been a popular meeting point for leftwing anarchists, punk rockers and musicians since the local government allowed young people to use it in 1982. It quickly became a focal point for anti-capitalist activism. But its importance as a place where political history was made goes back further. Built as a community theater for the labor movement in 1897, it was here that both Denmark's women's liberation and trade union movements were founded. Lenin paid a visit in 1910 during the Socialist International Congress and it has played host to modern musicians such as Bjork. But it has been a point of contention between inhabitants and the local government since 1995 when a fire which damaged the building prompted the city to decide to sell it. A squat was formed whose occupants hung a banner from the windows which read: "For sale, including 500 violent-loving psychos." In 2000 when it was sold to a religious group, the tension grew. Court orders for the squatters to leave were ignored. On Thursday 35 squatters were removed by riot police. The evictions triggered three nights of riots, with a handful of anarchists setting fire to cars, trash cans and shops. --------------------------------------------------------- http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/364522.html We?re Heartbroken and Furious! A report from Copenhagen, and call-out for action London Solidarios | 07.03.2007 16:15 | Free Spaces | Repression | London | World Solidarity demonstration Saturday the 10th at 2 pm outside the Danish embassy, 55 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SR. Bring banners and ideas for further action! As soon as the news of the eviction of Ungdomshuset broke out and once we managed to sort out our trip, a small group of us arrived in Copenhagen to actively support our friends and comrades here. While it might at first seem slightly irrational to come and support what already looked like a lost battle (i.e. the re-occupation of the building) we felt it was absolutely necessary to be here for a number of reasons. We do consider buildings like Ungdomshuset as our buildings, extending far beyond the borders of Copenhagen or Denmark. At a time when the last few remaining free spaces are viciously attacked across Europe, each new attack has to be defended by as many of us as possible. To be here, to learn from and interact with our comrades in Copenhagen, to see what this building meant for us is an excellent lesson ? a step towards not allowing the next free space in London go without a fight. Ungdomshuset has been at the core of radical political and cultural activities in Copenhagen, as well as internationally for 25 years. It was one of the only lasting free spaces outside Christiania, and its demolition is a devastating image of cultural mainstreaming and repression in an otherwise consensus seeking welfare society. But the Danish consensus has been demolished along with the building, and has given rise to energetic resistance that, although in a defensive state at the moment, could quickly turn to the offensive. We arrived Tuesday in time for the Reclaim the Streets demonstration with over 2000 people participating. It ended in Christiania, wherefrom a smaller group gathered outside ?Vestrefaengsel? (the prison where most of the arrested activists are being held) for a solidarity demonstration. This was a moving experience, as many very young people defied the cold, distance and police to show active solidarity with their imprisoned friends and comrades. Wednesday has been a day of relative regrouping and preparation for people here, with expectations running high for tomorrow?s demonstration ? marking one week from the eviction, as well as International Women?s day. This evening there will be another solidarity demonstration outside the Vestrefaengsel prison. Call-out: We call out for a demonstration Saturday the 10th at 2 pm outside the Danish embassy, 55 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SR. Bring banners and ideas for further action! London Solidarios ------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.emoware.org/ungdomshuset.asp Constant Ungdomshuset updates from Copenhagen (English translation from Modkraft.dk) A new ABC-group supporting foreign prisoners in Denmark has been established. ABC, Anarchist Black Cross, has split the work load into two groups in close cooperation. The group for foreign citizens is temporary and will only be active as long as needed. Information about arrests of none Danish citizens, questions, and addresses can be given on the temporary email address ABCforforeigners at gmail.com, or phone (0045) 25609354. Friday 9th March Nothing from Modkraft yet today, but Politiken are reporting that Amnesty International are concerned over how authorities have handled the disturbances and are calling for an investigation (our main translator is taking a break, so any help translating this would be greatly appreciated). "Shit" Ritt (the mayor, head of council, of Copenhagen etc) has recieved over 700 angry emails and letters to which she has to reply (or her secretary does at least). Also, the young people have been allowed back to Jagtvej 69, now known as "ground 69", and people are placing flowers where Ungdomshuset used to stand http://politiken.dk/indland/article261353.ece Thursday 8th March 22:14 The concert with the two american bands, Graf Orlick and Comadre, has been postponed at the venue 1000fryd in Aalborg. The concert was scheduled for 22:00, but because of the musicians arrest in Copenhagen today, they are to be expected on stage at 24:00. Thursday, 8th of march, International Womens day, was the largest support demo for Ungdomshuset ever. Politiken estimates that there were 4000 people present. As known, it is not always the size that matters. Also outside copenhagen there have been support activities. Tuesday night local activist in Ringkobing raised a black flag with "69" on it. Behind the action was the "Iniative for free spaces in Jutland". Several street signs at Islands Brygge had their names changed to Jagtvej. The same happened in Nansensgade, Bredgade and Store Kongensgade. Modkraft.dk has had a larger number of emails with tips of activities and actions today. We haven't been able to report all of it, and are asking for some patience about writing about what you are doing or responding to emails. We are doing as good as we can, and we'll like to do it better if we can. Tomorrow. 20:04 The band Ukrudt are playing. They and other bands are promising that they will come back and play loud music until there is another ungdomshus. There are still a lot of people present. 19:53 The demo reached Raadhuspladsen about 15 minutes ago. Slogans have been shouted. One of the new ones is "Ritt, you lice, you owe us a house". A hardcore punk concert has started. The demo is moving quietly through town. All side streets have been blocked by police. 18:59 The last part of the demo has left Blaagaardsgade. There are several thousands protesters. 18:49 The demo is moving down Blaagaardsgade and down Norrebrogade towards the centre of town. The women's banner in front says "Every day is a battle/fight day". A source present says it is difficult to estimate the number present, but that it is way over 1000 people. 18:39 The feminist demo has started moving. There will be women in the front of the demo because of International Womens Day. The demo is moving towards Raadhuspladsen in Copenhagen. A manifesto against trafficking women will be left, finishing their arrangment. 18:25 The women's demonstration has reached Blaagaards Plads with slogans and music. They are playing an old cover of "our house". The speeches have started. 18:16 There is a protest demo against the clearing and demolition of Ungdomshuset at Blaagaards Plads. There are about 200 to 300 people present. There is street theater and several banners. The demo is waiting for a feminist demo from Sankt Hans Torv to arrive 18:05 There have been made some serious mistakes in the danish courts in relation to arrested protesters. Two girls who had been arrested 1st of March were not going to be released based on previous convictions for violence. However, this was not the case and the two girls had not been convicted before. "It is deeply critical that this has happened. It shows that the judges had been in a very pressed situation" says the two girls' lawyer Stefan Reinel. 17:38 On wednesday 80 to 100 people occupied the Danish embassy in Athens, Greece, for about half an hour. Afterwards there was a demo in solidarity with the 650 imprisoned activist in Denmark. http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=668322 14:36 The two American bands that were arrested in Copenhagen a short time ago were going to play at 1000fryd in Aalborg. They are two hardcore bands, Graf Orlock and Comadre, and are currently touring Europe. "I have talked to Copenhagen police and they were not very helpful. I am very frustrated and angry that we are going to have to cancel the concert" says Peter Baekke Olsen from 1000fryd to Modkraft.dk. He says that the concert will be cancelled, unless the two bands are released soon. 14:05 14:05 The group of Germans that Modkraft wrote about earlier were arrested around noon 8th march in Rantzausgade. The group consists of nine Americans and two Germans. The two germans, a woman and a man, are drivers for the two American bands that currently are touring denmark. An eyewitness tells Modkraft that the van was full of drums when the police opened the trunk. 13:49 The Finish, but Swedish language, school magazine "Elevbladet", which is printed in 5000 copies, has a solidarity page with Ungdomshuset in the next issue. The magazine is being distributed to all Swedish speaking schools in Finland. The magazine is on the street at the beginning of next week. The solidarity page contains, among other thing, a translation of the obituary, which has been on Modkraft's pages. 13:04 The graffit and wall paintings around Ungdomshuset are about to dissapear. An eyewitness says that Aldi's wall is being painted white. This means that Ungdomshusets two masterpieces "Ungdomshuset forever" and "Living the dream" will be gone. 12:56 The center for conflict resolution is again offering to be facillitator between Ungdomshuset and Ritt Bjerregaard. The centre has had this open offer since December. They are referring the negociation that took place between ungdomshuset Blitz in Oslo and the city council of Oslo in 2002 and its successfull. 12:11 The police are now searching a bus in Rantzausgade at Norrebro. The group consists of 10-15 people. There are also police dogs present. Wednesday 7th March There's no news from Modkraft.dk yet today so I'm going to give a quick round up from politiken.dk.. Ungdomhuset is no more, it's been completely raised to the ground. http://politiken.dk/indland/article259765.ece There's chaos in the courts. Defense lawyers are getting angry at the judges because cases are being rushed and people are being convicted and imprisoned based on too little evidence (often no more than police testimonials). There will be something more formal in the pages of the Politiken from the lawyers tomorrow. Ungdomshuset eviction - News throughout Monday 5th March (English translation from Modkraft.dk) Monday 5th March 23:24 Modkraft is closing for today. Everything seems to be calm at Norrebro, even though the demolition work continues. A neighbour writes that he can finally see the night's sky directly over Ungdomshuset. New activites are planned for tomorrow and of course Modkraft will cover them. We have already mentioned a couple of the events. There will be a solidarty action tomorrow in New York at the Danish consulate at noon local time. If you can't get enough of Ungdomshuset this evening and tonight, Copenhagen's local tv station TV-TV will be talking about city gardens and environmental activism between 23:00 and 23:30. This was recorded in the Ungdomshuset garden last spring. At Aero on Sunday local activist took to the streets. They placed a banner up at the harbour in Sobe - "There will always be need for differences". 21:47 A street party is being planned for Tuesday. The organisers, calling themselves "Ungdomshus now", wrote in a press release that "since the clearing of ungdomshuset the public space has created a frame for well deserved anger and frustration". The group will now arrange "a musical and colourful street party in protest against the demolition of Ungdomshuset". It takes place Tuesday 6th of march at 16:00 at norreport station. The event has not been announced to the police because they believe that one should not have to ask for permission to be in your own town. They are expecting the police to keep a respectful distance. 21:17 The wide variety of inventive activities for Ungdomshuset has expanded to getting drunk today. A group that calles themselves "Drunk for Ungdomshuset" says that they will drink for a "just world". The group writes that they will drink with everyone because "the more drinking there is, the more it will help". More on their homepage http://drukforfred.nu/ungdomshuset/ 21:05 Your support for ungdomshuset and free culture can now be shown via the internet. A group has taken the iniative to create an online petition where you can encourage Copenhagen council to "represent all young people and those that don't quite fit in". The petition is not condoning violence. You can sign the petition here - www.mangfoldighed.underskrifter.dk 20:45 The demolition is quick and continues into the dark hours, a neighbour to ungdomshuset informs us. The police are guarding all the roads that lead towards ungdomshuset and are checking everyone. 20:36 A solidarity demo in Aalborg today was threatened by rightwing hooligans. About 100 young people had gathered at 16:00 at Nytorv in Aalborg to demonstrate in solidarity with Ungdomshuset and to demand a user controlled autonomous ungdomshus in Aalborg. Half of the demonstrators seemed to be of highschool age. 50 meters from the demo a group of 10 to 15 people from a right wing hooligan group were watching the demo closely. When the demo passed the trainstation the hooligans began to act threateningly but were driven away by civilian police. When the demo finished at Gammeltorv the hooligans were waiting for them, creating worry amongst the younger protesters. The few police that were present stood between the demo and the hooligans. The demo slowly dissolved at around 17:00 20:26 A new iniative encourages demonstrators to show up at a demo Tuesday 6th of march with furniture: chairs, lamps, tables etc. The idea is the move out into the streets. The organisers write, "We are setting up, talking with passersby and packing up if we are being told to. Then we'll just move to another street". The demonstration will start at Raadhuspladsen at 15:00 tomorrow. 20:23 Folket Hus at Norrebro is staying open 24 hours and they have established a "prison corner" where family and friends can write letters to the imprisoned activists. They are also encouraging people to come by with clothes, money and other offerings for the prisoners. 20:11 In Copenhagen people have put candles in their windows. In Kartofellraekkerne (where the mayor lives) there were candles in 7 of the 39 houses. One of the residents there writes "just because the mayor lives here does not mean we sympathise with her". 19:48 Tonight's noise demo has finished at Norrebro Runddel. The demonstrators have joined the musical protest that ws already there. Cafe Maanefiskeren from Christiania provided food and several people have joined in the singing. 19:40 Several of the companies that are helping Faderhuset tear down Ungdomshuset have been recieving threats and their vehicles have already been attacked. Tyres have been slashed, windows broken and acid poured on seat. One of the companies has sent its workers home and are billing faderhuset for the damages - http://politiken.dk/indland/article258425.ece 19:14 According to modkraft's sources Copenhagen police have been driving around town in an attempt to identify and arrest people who were involved in the ungdomshus riots. The police are carrying a photo album of suspects in one of their vans 19:06 The demo in Fredericia has finished. A participant informs that they are now on their way to the city's ungdomshus, where there will be a fundraising for the struggle for further houses. 18:59 The noise demo has stopped at Runddelen (the cross roads of Norrebrogade and Jagtvej where Ungdomhuset is/was) and they are in front of a massive police presence. They are shouting "those who don't jump, love Ruth" (Ruth Evensen is the leader of Faderhuset, the Christian sect responsible for the demolition of Ungdomhuset). 18:54 The noise demo has now grown to 200-250 people. It's at Norrebrogade heading towards Runddelen. 18:49 An SMS chain message is encouraging people who are upset about the eviction of Ungdomshuset to put candles in their windows tonight at 19:00. 18:45 Copenhagen's mayor, Ritt Bjerregaard (S), needed a police escort when she left the DR's TV studio at the Raadhuspladsen. She had been on the DR's "aftenshowet". Since Thursday there has been gatherings at Raadhuspladsen in protest against the clearing of Ungdomhuset. 18:31 Today's noise demo in Copenhagen has grown and there are now 150 demonstrators present. They have reached H.C. Orstedsvej and are in both lanes of the road. The police have agreed a route for the march and no one has been arrested 18:29 At around 17:30 about 150 protesters tried to get past the police block around the Danish embassy in Oslo. Accoriding to an eyewitness there were clashes when some demonstrators threw rocks and fireworks. The police fired teargas but no one was arrested. 18:20 Activists in Fredericia are currently trying to block the traffic by sitting in the road. Police are present and have started to remove the protesters from the road. No one has been arrested yet. 18:09 The noise demo by Vestre Prison is now moving towards Norrebro. There are about 100 people. Before the demo moved on they managened to get in contact with one of the prisoners who responded by blinking a lamp from the cell. 17:50 The unannounced demo that started at the city hall square in Fredericia at 17:00 has been dissolved by the police. 60 protesters are moving together away from the square, with a banner saying "Why tear down a historic landmark? We will fight to the last man". 17:54 According to the website jagtvej.dk, eyewitnesses were successful in identifying several of the companies that have taken part in the demolition of ungdomshuset. The companies are Chr. Guldhammer, Hetland, Kaj Guldborg Nielsen and CMP Nedrivning A/S. 17:50 The citizen group for Ungdomshuset has opened a bank account where you can donate money to support the struggle for a new Ungdomshuset. The money will be administered by activists from Ungdomshuset, and will not be used to buy another house, but will be used to make poster, flyers, etc - http://www.jagtvej69.dk/ 17:38 7 to 8 police vans with dogs have arrived at Vestre Prison where there has been a noise demo since 17:00 17:19 100 people have showed up outside Vestre Prison this night to show their support for the activists in prison in connection with the eviction of Ungdomshuset. The demonstrators are making noise and shouting slogans. Several people are joining in. 17:12 A couple of hundred people met today at 16:00 at Runddelen and sang together, playing harmonica and guitar in protest against the demolition of Ungdomshuset. 16:51 Young activists have arranged a demonstration today in Fredericia at 17:30 at the city hall square. The slogan is "culture is dead" and it's a protest against the demolition of Ungdomshuset. 16:36 There has been more actions in support of Ungdomshuset in Bergen in Norway. Twenty activists entered the danish consulate where they protested the demolition of Ungdomshuset. 15:55 Activists have started a new website with a debates in support of Ungdomshuset. The unknown group calles themselves "We only just started" and want to extend the battle for Ungdomshuset to a "social and cultural struggle". They handed out in copenhagen today writing about the weekend's events: "The energy we exhibited in the weekend, is the core in a society, the holds more than cafe latte, nuclear families and pension funds. Its about much more than a house. Its about our lives and the future, about how society as a whole should develop". http://ligebegyndt.wikispaces.com/We+only+just+started 15:32 Byggefagenes Samvirke can not calm the worries of citizens at Norrebro that there wont be a spread of asbestos. Byggefagenes Samvirke tried to get permission to enter Jagtvej 69. In a press release they wrote "There is a serious danger that not just the house but the neighbour could have been polluted with asbestos". 15:15 Several cars have been seen in Amager with flowers on their roofs and a flagpole out of the window saying "Ungdomshuset Blir". 14:45 Christian Guldhammer Entreprise is stopping the work at Ungdomhuset, or they've never worked there. The company can't seem to make up there mind. 14:09 The atmoshphere at Ungdomshuset is patient, and people are standing in smaller groups. Several have brought banners and homemade signs to express their frustration over the demolition. A group has a banner saying "Aarhus-BZ symphati", while a man in sunglasses has written "Ruth loves Slayer" on a piece of cardboard. A guy is entertaining everyone with the song "El pueblo unido". 12:54 There is a noise demo for the activists in prison. It takes place today, Monday 17:00, outside Vestre Prison, and the slogan is "Culture should not be behind bars - realise the political prisoners". The participants are encouraged to bring music and noise. 12:51 Copenhagen's singers and musicians will meet today at Norrebro Rundel. This takes place to sing and play the danish protest songs "I kan ikke slaa oss ihjel" (you cannot kill us) and "Bliv vaek fra vores kvarter" (stay away from our neighbourhood). The organisers are encouranging people to come and sing. 12:39 On the homepage of politi.dk it is being reported that six people were arrested this morning. The police write that they were arrested under illegal entrance and weapon laws. Two of the arrested are under 15 years old. The police are still blocking traffic around Jagtvej, Stefansgade, Julius Bloms gade and Norrebrogade. 12:17 The demolition work continues. There has been several attempts at stopping traffic in Norrebrogade. The police spokesperson, Flemming Steen Munch, says that everything is calm. Sources at Runddelen says there are no longer many people looking at the demolition. The police have starting to search and control pedestrians heading towards the lakes. 12:17 Earlier today there were two arrests in connection with the demolition. Since sunday night, five people have been arrested. They are all being charged with minor crimes. 12:07 Monday afternoon at 16:00 there will be a demo from Nytorv in Aalborg, arranged by "Utilpassede Unge". The group is not only demonstrating in support of Ungdomshuset, but also because they want their own ungdomshus. 12:00 TV-avisen reports that police have acquired several more vans from abroad. They have recieved several "hollaender-vans" from Holland. 11:10 The demolition work has started again. An eyewitness says the work recommenced ten minutes ago. TV2 News shows pictures of the crane tearing down the house. They are spraying water on it to minimise the dust. 11:01 The "building control" in Copenhagen says that they will not come out to check that all the asbetos has been removed from Jagtvej 69. Jan Saron, the boss of "building control", says the the asbetos work should be finished by now. He says that they were informed March 2nd about the asbestos removal, and they have no reason to believe the work was not done properly. ..temporary untranslated gap 08:48 A truck filled with rubble is driving away from Ungdomshuset. There is a police officer accompanying the driver. Police are also escorting vans to Copenhagen to aid in the demolition. 08:29 The large silver crane has now destroyed about half of the upper floor of Ungdomshuset and has started to take down the walls of the third floor. 08:26 Parents For More Ungdomshus writes in a press release that "It is a great loss and inforgivable mistake by the politicians. It is a cultural murder and it is an insult to everyone who works for a cultural diversity, free spaces and alternative culture. It is shameful that this can take place in such a rich and so-called democratic society. This hasn't been about anything other than removing an alternative culture and making an inhuman fanatic cult many million Kroner richer". The press release ends with the words "the battle continues". 08:21 Ungdomshuset press group writes in a press release that they have constantly suggest that the council provide Faderhuset with an empty ground instead of tearing down Ungdomshuset, but the politicians have refused. This means the end for the 100 year old gathering place. 08:04 "Now the battles for Ungdomshuset are going to start again. Copenhagen council have sold the house but the young people and their wish for a house is still there" says Martin Sundb?ll from the Fund for Jagtvej 69 on the programme Go'Morgen Danmark. 08:00 Ungdomshuset is now being torn down. A crane is about to rip the top floor off. 07:34 It looks like the police officers who were inside Ungdomshuset are leaving and more vehicles are arriving. 07:21 The Ungdomshuset garden is being bulldozed to make room for the crane. 06:54 Another large demolition crane has arrived at Jagtvej 69. 06:50 The truck has been painted silver all over and the numberplate hidden so the company can not be identified. The driver is also masked. According to TV2News several more vehicles are on their way. 06:46 A large demolition truck has arrived at Jagtvej 69. Frames around windows have been removed and the house looks ready to be knocked down. 06:38 There are no demolition machines by Ungdomshuset, but both Modkrafts sources and TV2News says it will happen soon. 06:15 According to reliable sources, the demolition of Ungdomshuset will happen any second. Ungdomshuset eviction - News throughout the fourth day - Monday 4thMarch (English translation from Modkraft.dk) Sunday 4th March 23:03 Modkraft thanks you for today. It is calm at Norrebro. Despite the lack of street lights, traffic is starting to return to normal. There is thick fog over most of central Copenhagen and Modkraft has not heard of any protest groups. We return tomorrow and cover among other things a "noise demo" outside Vestre Prison. 22:18 The danish consulate in Bergen, Norway, has been graffiti'd. "Ungdomshuset will never surrender. Free places everywhere" has been written in large letters and "69" has been sprayed over the consulate sign. This is the second the time the consulate has been painted on - in December "Ungern blir" was written on the wall of the building. There have been solidarity demos as far away as New Zealand, where a group of activists with roots in Denmark, Isreal, USA and New Zealand held a small action in a town called Nelson. They were also interviewed on the radio. 20:06 Sources from Ungdomshuset say the police are arresting people if they have SMS messages about new demonstrations on their mobile phones. 20:06 The demonstration has reached Folkets Park on Stengade. People have started to leave the park. 19:44 The demonstration has now moved down along Peblingesoen and is heading across Dronning Louise's Bridge towards Norrebro. The demonstration has been agreed with the police. There are about 200 people marching. 19:22 The work on Jagtvej 69 is continuing. A group called "The group against the demolition of Jagtvej 69" writes that there are trucks taking away garbage from the house. The group is encouraging activists to find out which companies working on the house 19:18 After a very pacifistic speech at Raadhuspladsen, the demonstration is moving towards Norrebro. The end destination is Folkets Park in Stengade at Inner Norrebro. 19:07 A new demonstration has begun in Raadhuspladsen in Copenhagen. The speeches have started and there's a banner saying "Flowers not cobblestones". There are about 100 people present. A lot of the participants from the former cycling demo seem to have gone home or are warming up elsewhere because they're cold. 19:03 Niels Folschack tells Politiken.dk that Fonden Jagtvej 69 (the fund that's been offering to buy a new building for Ungeren) will now take the initative to buy a new house. He says that this decision will not necessarily involve the young people from Ungdomshuset. "They had the key to the solution when they were still at Jagtvej 69. Now we have the key", he tells Politiken. He would like to consult the young people, but that their possibilities to set demands are significantly less now. "They need a place where they can control their own lives. Ours is a visionless society where there is no room for that", he continues. More in Politiken http://politiken.dk/indland/article257188.ece. 18:50 On Sunday morning the police searched the youth organisation Rod Ungdom's building in Norre Alle. According to Modkraft's sources, there was no one present when the police kicked the door in. Before they left the police screwed the door back on with only three screws. 18:41 The cycling demo has now reached Raadhuspladsen and the number of demonstrators has decreased. A source present says there are about 200 people still there. 18:11 A demonstration at Raadhuspladsen starting at 19:00 has been announced via SMS. The SMS encourages people to meet up with "good mood and lovely flowers". The demonstartion is aimed at a peaceful solution and reminds people "flowers - not cobblestones". 18:05 An activist has announced over speakerphone that the cycling demonstration will now go to Raadhuspladsen, where it will join another demo that starts at 19:00. The police have left Fredensgade, and the demonstration is moving into town. 17:56 The critical mass is moving down Blegdamsvej. Three of the police vans were blocking the road, but when the demonstrators insisted on going that way, refusing to go elsewhere, the police vans moved. More demonstrators have joined. By Fredensgade/Tagensvej the police have blocked the demo with several police vans and officers. There are now police vans in front and at the back of the cyclists. It does not seem like the police are going to let the demonstrators continue to Norrebro. 17:50 Sources at Ungdomshuset informs us that workers have started to remove asbestos from Ungdomshuset at Jagtvej 69. They are wearing white protective suits. According to modkraft's source, the workers took a group picture infront of the building before the work started. The workers are apparently polish. 17:40 The cycling demo har reached Kartoffelraekkerne, where mayor Ritt Bjerregaard lives. The demonstration is moving slowly. It is clear that many people are aware this is where the mayor lives, and they are sure she can hear the demo if she is home. 17:25 The cycling demo has now reached Norreport and is continuing down Frederiksborggade. They are not going t Norrebro, but are turning down Osterbro. Protestors are shouting slogans such as "1 2 3 4 Ungdomhuset er og bli'r" 17:14 The critical mass is now moving down Aaboulevarden. The atmosphere is still good and people are shouting slogans. There are now around 400 people participating. 17:06 The demonstration from Vesterbro Torv started moving towards Raadhuspladsen. There's about 150 participents in the cycling demonstration and it is not clear where they're moving to. The tradition for critical mass is the cyclists infront decide the route. 16:59 The critical mass demo has gathered at Vesterbro Torv. There is around 100 people. The police are visibly present with motorcycle officers. Sources there say the atmosphere is good. 16:58 70 to 80 protesters showed up in Trondheim to support Ungdomshuset this afternoon. The demonstration was arranged by Ungdom for Fri Aktivitet. UFFA and Svartlamo'n blocked traffic on Trondheim's streets but let through public transport. The demonstration went to the Danish consulate where there were speeches. There will be another demo next Saturday at 15:00, also at the Danish Consulate. More info at http://uffahus.org 15:53 Organised support for Ungdomshuset takes many forms and shapes. Saturday afternoon a group of "swingstormers" started dancing at Kultorbet close to Norreport station. They danced between 17:00 and 19:00. "We had a really good time but it was cold enough", one of the participants said. Swingstorm is a new invented word which describes dancing in the street. The swingstormers wrote in their press release that they dance in sympathy with Ungdomhuset, but not for the activists' methods. The swingstormers are an extension from the Swingpgattere from the second world war. See photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7157964 at N05/?saved=1 15:25 The world press's eyes are resting on Copenhagen and Norrebro. BBC's homepage has several articles and are paying close attention to the situation. The German newspaper Der Spiegel are showing several pictures of the riots at Sankt Hans Torv on their homepage. There are photos of molotovs being thrown at police as they come out of their vans - http://www.spiegel.de/videoplayer/0,6298,16579,00.html On the home mediafront, ModKraft.dk had no less that 37,000 visitors during Saturday. Since the clearing of Ungdomshuset Modkraft has had 4.3 million hits. 14:46 The little mermarid was painting pink yesterday. The police did not know whether this was in connection with Ungdomhuset. See picture here - http://sydsvenskan.se/varlden/article222204.ece 14:39 Saturday night was calm compared to the first two nights after clearing Ungdomshuset, but riots spread last night and there were new fires in town. At the border between outer Norrebro and Frederiksberg, a car was set on fire under Bispeengbuen. Sources say the police turned up quickly and extinquished it. The activists got away. In Tingbjerg containers and bins were set on fire. Six police vans with officers in riot gear and a bulldozer appeared to put out the blaze. 13:44 There are several activities to support Ungdomshuset happening today. In Vesterbro Kulturhus' Cafe activists will make peaceful art and culture actions. The plan is to give the gift to Copenhagen council, because "Copenhagen council do not have enough, so it feels it needs to steal what is even given to the young people". They are encouraging street musicians, artists and peace lovers to gather and "react peacefully to the aburd situation that has been afflicted on the young and the culture". This starts at the cafe on Lyrskovsgade at 15:00. A critical mass will leave Vesterbros Torv on bikes at 16:45. 13:05 In northern Germany, specifically Kiel, there were solidarity demos for Ungdomshuset last night. Late at night about 120 people walked through town and there were speeches in the city's shopping street and at the station. Activists at the city say there is a larger demonstration planned for Monday. 12:52 Officers that were searching activists and the painting studio Spetakel 14 had an opportunity for an art experience yesterday. A user of the studio says that the police openly looked through poems and broke into a cupboard containing paintings - but the police didn't find anything. Two to three locks have been broken and all cupboards have been searched through. Spetakel 14 is an activists and art space on Nyropsgade in inner Copenhagen, close to the lakes. 12:25 Ungdomhuset Blitz in Oslo had a concert in support with its sister house Ungdomshuset. A source in the house says there are a lot of appeals and massive support for Ungdomshuset. 2000kr was raised for the ABC (Anarchist Black Cross). 12:22 Sources say that Ritt Bjerregaard and Klaus Bondam have been observed at Elmegade at inner Norrebro. 12:21 The two neighbour groups Sammenslutningen Norrebro and Neighbours at Norrebro have combined. Both groups are very critical of Ungdomshuset. Sammenslutningen Norrebro came together to prevent Ungdomshuset from moving to Stevnsgade School, and Neighbours at Norrebro started because of conflicts with Ungdomshuset. The groups had formerly been divided due to internal disagreements. They are now joining together "in protest against the last days destruction at Norrebro", they're saying in a press release. 12:07 Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) write in an email that they're continuing their work. The group says they have a view over who's been arrested, but have tough working conditions. "None of the arrested will be forgotten". ABC encourage families and friends to write letters to those arrested. The persons full name and birthdate needs to be on the letter and send to Postboks 701, 2450 Kobenhavn SV. "We're completely overworked but are continuing". More information can be found on their homepage - http://www.blackcross.dk 11:55 The demonstration for Ungdomshuset in Trondheim starts at 15:00. 11:52 Ungdomshuset shall be torn down. The decision has been made but will be publicly announced at a press conference on Tuesday, reports Politiken. Workers have started moving asbestos from the building in preparation. 10:44 Modkraft are again following the events of Ungdomhuset at JagtVej 69 minute for minute. Ungdomshuset eviction - News throughout the third day - Saturday 3rd March (English translation from Modkraft.dk) Saturday 3rd March 01:52 The street lights have gone in certain parts of Norrebrogade. The police are patrolling intensely in the capital. The only trouble so far has been a small group of aggressive hooligans who were observed in the centre of town and Norrebro around 01:01. 01:01 An unannounced mini-demo in Copenhagen centre has now split up into three smaller groups. At Dronnings Louises bridge the police have chosen to break up a gathering of about 30 young people shouting slogans. The group is moving down Norrebrogade. Another group stayed in the centre of town while another group went down towards Christianshavn. 00:32 150 people are moving from Storkespringvandet in the centre of Copenhagen to Norrebro. Infront there's a Christiania bike playing music and the atmosphere is good. 23:54 The police are searching and arresting people in and around Norrebros Rundde, Modkraft's reporter reports. 23:20 The demonstration has dissolved and people are walking quietly towards town. 23:06 The rest of the demonstration is now about 50 people. They're walking on Meinungsgade in the direction of Norrebrogade. By Norrebrogade and Stefensgade there's another group of demonstrators, about 70 to 80 people. Bragesgade is no longer blocked by the police. 22:57 Demonstrators walk at Bragesgade and at Mimersgade. The police have blocked it so the demonstrators can only walk in the direction of inner norrebro down Mimersgade. The police are blocking all the sidestreets with their vehicles. 22:52 The police are getting closer to the 150-200 demonstrators that are left at the corner of Bragesgade and Norrebrogade. The police are getting out of their vans and walking towards the demonstrators. 22:49 The police have announced the demonstration is over. People must now leave the area of Norrebrogade. Some demonstrators are moving away, the rest are remaining. 22:45 The atmosphere is tense at Norrebrogade between police and demonstrators. The police have sent their vehicle containing police dogs to this area, and have blocked the traffic at norrebrogade. 22:43 There was thrown a firework at Norrebrogade during the street party. 300 people are moving towards Norrebros Runddel, where there is a massive police presence trying to keep the people back. The atmosphere is tense. 22:19 There's about 200 people outside cafe Castro and Norrebrogade, close to Norrebrohallen, where there's going to be a street party tonight. The police are present in large numbers and are searching people and looking through their bags. 22:18 At Norrebrogade by Stefanskirken two young girls are walking around handing out green leaves flyers (?) - possibly celery - with the words "thank you for supporting Ungdomshuset, it's not everyone who is throwing rocks". 22:17 Sources who are present at the court tell Modcraft that some of the arrested people have not had food for over 20 hours. Despite this, family and friends are having difficulties in giving them their homemade sandwiches. 22:16 Tomorrow, Sunday 4th March, there is a demonstation to support Ungdomhuset in Norway, Trondheim. This takes place outside the Danish Consulate on Munkegaten. 22:06 Another five people are being held for 27 days. These are five high school students who were all arrested last night under suspicion of having thrown car tyres into the street. 21:36 There is a street party tonight at 22:00 at Norrebrohallen. They're saying "the fight has just started, we're taking Ungdomshuset back and participants are being encouraged to bring noisey stuff". 21:34 35 to 40 German activists have blocked highway A7. The highway is from Jutland to Hamburg. They blocked the road for half an hour before police showed up. All activists disappeared and escaped the police. 21:28 A citizens group has been created at Christianshavn to prevent more of the destruction and violence that hit the area last night. The initiative is in cooperation between Christiania and a citizen groups at Christianshaven. Tonight at 24:00 citizens will patrol the area with white flags and try to disuade trouble makers from starting riots. 21:17 Information work (infoshop?) for activists and travellers to Copenhagen have been hard hit by arrests and searches throughout saturday. There is still an info point and cafe in Kafa-X in Korsgade and during the evening an info point will reopen in Sankt Hans-Torv. Searches and arrests of many members of Anarchist Black Cross means that the info point in Vestergrog at Vesterbro and the info cafe at Christiania are closed temporarily. Info phones are still working and the info group can still help travellers to find places to sleep. They also say there is a community kitchen at Folkets Hus in Griffenfeldsgade tonight. 21:07 Activists in Aalborg and Svendborg expressed their solidarity with Ungdomhuset on friday night. In Vestbyen in Aalborg barricades were built, whilst in Svendborg windows were smashed at Dansk Bank, the local police station and Arbejdsformidlinger. 21:06 Another four people were help in custody for 27 days and a single person has been released in connection with the nights riots. People who were arrested Friday night will get to court this evening. The arrested people are being going in groups of 4 to 7 people. Right now the City Court is looking in the possibly of opening more court rooms 20:30 There have also been solidarity demos in Goteburg. 40 people gathered at Jarntorget and enjoyed themselves with Swedish hardcore punk and soul from the wildwest. "The attack on Ungdomshuset is an attack on everyone who wants there to be spaces for alternative politics and culture", writes one of the participants in an email to Modkraft.dk 20:22 The people's radio are giving Ungdomshuset activists airtime. This happens tomorrow between 12:00 and 14:00 at 106.3fm. The initiative is completely legal and this is not a new pirate radio (as wrongly reported earlier). The people behind the radio encourage activists to send in information about the protests. This can happen via their website or on phone no. 27 97 12 55. These days the peoples radio are looking into the possibility to provide further airtime but they first need to coordinate the initiative with Norrebro radio who are using the same frequency. 20:00 At 19:56 the police stopped five young men at the corner of Norrebrogade and Faelledvej. The young men had their identity checked, were searched and then were allowed to leave. This type of "routine" check has been common at Norrebro after the police cleared Ungdomhuset on Thursday morning. 19:36 In Vienna a demo in solidarity with Ungdomshuset took place at about the same time as the citizen's group for Ungdomshuset had a similar demo in Copenhagen. The demonstration in Austria started in one of the city's large shopping streets and went to the Danish embassey in the centre of town. Infront of the embassey speeches were held and paint bombs were thrown. There were about 100 protesters and 20 dogs. It was closely followed by the Austrian police. The demonstrators were shouting "Ungdomshuset bleibt". The demo finished at 18:00. In Norway's second largest town Bergen there has been demos for Ungdomshuset, there were about 100 participents. The demo went from the trainstation to the Danish Consulate and then down to the centre of town. A participent reported that demonstrators stopped traffic. 19:15 114 people were released at about 17:15. They were all arrested Friday night in connection with the riots at Sankt Hans Torv. Currently a 113 people are in custody and 13 people have been expelled from Denmark. 130 people have been arrested today during the police action against a number of addresses against the capital, of the people arrested half of them are foreigners. 18:23 According to sources close to those arrested several of the people in custody are in Sandholmslejren. According to the source these are some of those arrested in the evening of the 1st of March. 17:56 The police are currently doing thorough checks of people at Norrebrogade. According to an eye witness police are doing bag and pocket checks of random people. The witness says that police are in the side streets and are chosing suspicious looking people or people with suspicious looking bags. 17:40 The Citizens Group for Ungdomshuset's demonstration is over. The demo leaders encouraged as a final ending the participents enjoy themselves and give each other a hug. After this the demonstration dissolved. Sources at the place said that people are still hanging out and enjoying themselves in groups. There's still music playing from large speakers. 17:31 Modkraft.dk is currently one of Denmark's largest media. The clearing of Ungdomhuset has not only made the number of visitors increase, but also made Modkraft one of the largest news portals. None less than 67,867 unique visitors have visited Modkraft.dk since the 1st March. The daily average for unique visitors in March is around 26,222. 17:23 The demonstration has now reacher Norrebroparken. It has been peaceful so far. The demonstrators have shouted slogans such as "hands off ungeren". The police have kept their distance. There was a massive police presence when the demostration passed Jagtvej to make sure the demostration didn't suddenly turn towards Jagtvej69. 17:06 A person is being held in custody for 27 days for having participating for having participated in the riots at Norrebro on Friday night. 10 to 15 people who have been arrested in connection with the riots have arrived at the City Court. They will be questioned within the next couple of hours. 17:04 Friday, about midnight, 100 people participated in a protest in Aarhus. The activists tell Modkraft.dk that afterwards there were small fires in the streets and they burned containers in solidarity with Ungdomshuset. 16:56 Activists protested today in Horsens in protest against the clearing of Ungdomshuset. There were about 30 people at the demonstration and it remained peaceful. They carried a coffin with the words "cultural murder" through town at aroud midday. 16:49 A demonstration is now on the corner of Blaagaardsgade. At one of the houses on Aaboulevarde there is a banner with the text "defend ungdomshuset". Everything is calm. 16:42 The demonstration has now reached the Norrebro part of Aaboulevarde. It is being closely followed by police as well as a helicopter. 16:20 The demonstration at Raadhuspladsen has just started moving. At the front there is a banner with the text "Save the Freespaces" and with very small letters "If you can read this, cop, you're too close". The demonstration continued to grow during the hour it was at Raadhuspladsen. So far it's been peaceful with a good atmosphere. A spokesperson for Ungdomshuset encouraged in their speech to continue in the fight for a Ungdomshus and to think of all those arrested. This was a great joy for the protesters. Johan Olsen from the band Magtens Korridorer protested against that the police had encouraged people to stay away from the legal demonstration. "This is not okay", he said. The demonstration route has been changed by the police. It is now going at Aaboulevarden out to Lundtofegade, up Stefansgade and into Norrebroparken. 16:20 Approximately 20 people were arrested at noon from the Gaderummet commune in Norrebro in connection with the police's hunt for Ungdomshuset activists, which started at nine this morning. The police have destroyed five doors at the commune. According to eye witnesses at the house, the arrested, who were all foreigners, were taken away at 13:30. Before the police left they took pictures of people and filmed them. The citizens were asked to wear hoodies and hats before being photographed (?). 16:06 The activists have taken the initiative to bombard Ritt Bjerregaard with letters. The organisers encouraged people to send letters and emails to Copenhagen's major. "It is now that it should be clear to her that we all support Ungdomshusets existence and we want a political solution", the organisers wrote in a press release. 15:33 The demonstration at Raadhuspladsen is getting bigger. There's now about 2000 people there. 15:20 The demonstration at Raadhuspladsen has started. There's about 1500 people present. The police are visible but they're keeping their distance. 15:00 About 100 people have been arrested today during police action. Copenhagen police announced that the action took place because they knew those people participated in planning riots. Ungdomhuset's calling the action fear propaganda. 14:20 The association Opror has suspended their annual meeting to participate in the protest this afternoon to support Ungdomshuset. The meeting in 3F Lage Post and Service has stopped so they can take part in the demonstration at Raadhuspladsen in Copenhagen at 15:00. "We do this to support the idea for more free spaces". 13:26 There's a star demonstration in Copenhagen today at 15:00 at Raadhuspladsen arranged by the Citizen Group for Ungdomshuset. The demonstration is legal and there's a possibility to participate from 14:00 from Enghaveplads and Christiania. At Raadhuspladsen there will speeches, music and party. After that the demonstration shall go towards Sankt Hans Torv. Up there there will be soup, coffee and cakes. The slogan for today is "This is some shit ritt!" and the organisers want to hold the politicians responsible and to keep their promise. They had seven years to find a solution and it is shameful that they're reducing the young people to troublemakers. "It is the council that has declared the youth war, not the other way around", says the spokesperson for Citizen Group for Ungdomhuset, Esben Olsen, to Modkraft.dk. He says he thinks the demonstration will gather more than 1000 people. Originally the demonstration should have gone to Ungdomshuset but the police would not allow it. 13:05 Despite last days violent riots, the support for Citizens Group for Ungdomshuset is growing. An increasing number of people have contacted the group to support the right for a self-controlled Ungdomhuset in Copenhagen. "There are new people joining every day. There is a steady stream even the last couple of days", says spokesperson Esben Olsen to Modcraft.dk. He estimates that there are 670 people connected to the Citizen group. 12:12 The Anarchist Black Cross, announces to Modkraft, that they have a new info telephone. The group encourages people who know activists who have been arrested or hurt to call this phone number - 26 56 31 06 11:47 A neighbour to the commune Bumzen in Balders tells Modkraft that the police has arrested 42 people at the address. They are searching the place at this time. During the search the police have used tear gas and broken doors and windows. The police does not want to comment on these arrests, but according to Politiken six to eight places have been searched and Nyhedsavisen reports that 80 and 90 people have been arrested during these searches. The police announces that they're trying to arrest and expell as many foreign people as possible. It is still not clear what they are being charged with. 11:36 Part of the group ABC (Anarchist Black Cross) who help activists who have been arrested have been arrested themselves. The group's papers and phone has been confiscated. 11:17 According to sources the police have been at Det Fri Gymnasium, in Solidaritethuset in Griffenfeldsgade. In Folks Hus in Folkets Park and in the commune Bumzen in Baldersgade. The same sources report the police are now gone from both Det Fri Gymnasium and Folks Hus. In Solidaritethuset where there's a shop and a number of businesses there have been arrests. 10:15 The police are about to search a number of places in Copenhagen. The police have been seen at Folks Hus and Det Fri Gymnasium Friday 2nd March 04:10 Modkraft.dk thanks for the coverings of today. There is still battling, the stench of burnt containers is hanging over the streets and the inner city. There are burnt out cars in many streets and the police still can't get the activists off the streets. They show up, build baricades and are gone when the police appear - or throw rocks, molotovs or bottles. Modkraft will start covering events later today. 03:02 Sources reports to Modkraft that there has bee fighting with police at Norrebros Rundde, but the activists have been forced away. 02:38 The police seem frustrated says Modkraft's reporter. The situation is looking like a repeat of yesterdays scenario where the police are clearing away burning barricades but can't get the activists off the streets. The police's frustration is shown when they shout to the demonstrators "go home for fucks sake". They have succeeded in keeping them away from Ungdomhuset but not off the street. 02:18 The police's strategy is to stress the activists in the streets by driving at them with their sirens on. The police are driving their vans in groups of two to twenty. They are trying to get people off the pavements (?) by driving quickly towards them. By Blaagaardsgade and Norrebrogade the young people have to squeeze together against the walls when the police vans come to close at speed. This strategy has meant that the activists are spread across Norrebro but they're not gone 02:13 The activists are gathering at several different places on Norrebrogade and they're building barricades and setting fire to them. There's small groups of police vans everywhere. Three of these vans have just driven down Blaagaardsgade where there's still a large fire in the street. 02:07 The police spokesperson Flemming Steen Munch has told Politiken that they attacked the demonstrations because the people leading it had "given up" after demonstrators had starting digging up cobble stones. "When the people leading the demonstration gave up we told everyone to back off and after that we fired tear gas" says Flemming Steen Munch. This can not be confirmed by any of the Modkraft reporters or eye witnesses. Eight people that were present that Modkraft has spoken to says that the police attacked immediately after the protest dissolved and no one had a chance to get away. 02:06 A person has been hurt by a tear gas canister, says TV2/News 01:58 Several containers have been set on fire in the following places, Norrebrogade, Blaagaardsgade, Sjaellandsgade and Mollegade. The street lights have been cut off along Norrebrogade. There are small groups of demonstrators all over the place. Some of the protestors are only a few hundred meters away from Ungdomshuset. 01:56 Police have started using the Swedish vans that they had to borrow when their own vans were damaged during clashes. 01:52 There are burning containers in Blaagaardsgade. 01:42 The police and firemen are present at Norre Alle. Demonstrators are spread over Norrebro. 01:37 The demonstrators are spread over large parts of inner Norrebro. There are burning barricades in several places, one of them being in the crossing of Guldbergsgade and Mollegade. 01:34 The police are chasing several protesters on foot down Blaagaardsgade. 01:33 A group of officers are on their way on foot towards the burning barricades on Norre Alle the following is taken from indymedia.dk 01:33 A group of officers are on their way on foot towards the burning barricades on Norre Alle 01:27 2 more witnesses are telling Modkraft that the police shot with gas and drove towards the demonstrators while they told people to leave. There was no pause between the two actions. The two eyewitnesses, whose identities Modkraft is aware of, have furthermore seen an officer throwing rocks at the demonstrators. The office was by the corner Elmegade/Guldbergsgade. He was in combat uniform. Witnesses saw him pick up a rock and throw it towards an un-indentified target 01:20 The earlier mentioned unconscious demonstrator is now carried into an ambulance. He is now conscious but is bleeding from a wound in the head, says Modkrafts reporter 01:15 The demonstrators are gathering on and around Norre All?. They have build barricades with among other things car and set them on fire. There are a lot of people in the area as it is not possible to leave it because of the police surrounding it. Politiken.dk writes that the police attacked because they wanted to stop the demonstration from getting to Ungdomshuset. Three of Modkrafts reporters agree that the police didn't give the demonstrators a chance to leave the place. 01:04 Modkrafts reporter saw the earlier mentioned demonstrator lie unconscious un the road. He says that so much tear gas has been thrown that it was impossible to see what had happened to the person. ?It was impossible to breathe and to see? he says. The police fired tear gas within a minute after telling the demonstrators to leave, so no one had a chance to move. 01:00 The police attacked very quickly. The demonstrators were told to leave and the police moved in from all streets leading up to Skt. Hans Torv at the same time and apparently intended to push the demonstration down Faelledvej. The demonstrators replied with molotovcocktails and rocks. The police has thrown large amounts of gas in the area 00:58 The demonstrators are fleeing in all direction from Skt. Hans Torv that has been covered in gas. A witness tells Modkraft that by Elmegade a unconscious demonstrator is lying on the street while one of the policevans are burning 00:54 There has been thrown tear gas. The demonstrators are replying with rocks. There was panic when the demonstrators tried to get out of there. 00:53 The police has attacked the demonstration. Molotovcocktails have been thrown and the police attack from all sides at the same time 00:46 The police is staying out of reach by the demonstration on Skt. Hans Torv. There are a lot of masked demonstrators. The police guesses that around 1500 to 2000 activists are out on the streets, writes politiken.dk 00:40 There is a video on YouTube from the on going demonstration by Norreport Station. The video is from around 23.50 00:23 There is party mood on Skt. Hans Torv where people are daning. The demonstration doesn't seem like it will move on. The police has reopened Norrebrogade for trafic. 00.32 Norwegian activists will demonstrate again tomorrow - this time in Bergen 00:11 The demonstration from Gammeltorv is a mobile piratradio-party to honour the illegal radio which was send from Ungdomshuset since 16. december. People were dancing and even through the mood is very intense it isn't as agressive as yesterday. The police is staying a bit away from the demonstration 23:57 The demonstration is now on Norrebrogade only a short way from Skt. Hans Torv where a demonstration starts at midnigth under the concept - follow the green color - the demonstration has grown to 1500 people and the mood is very intense. 23:32 The trafic is blocked by police by Norrebros Runddel. The trafic is lead away from Norrebrogade. 23:21 Around 1000 demonstrators are on Israels Square moving toward Norrebro. The mood is positive and full of energy, say Modkrafts reporter 22:45 Around 800 demonstrators are moving along Norregade in the inner part of the city, 23:37 The danish department for foreign affairs says that there has been at least 50 actions abroad to support Ungdomshuset. Most of them have happened in Europe but a few have been located outside of europe 23:15 Polish activists have demonstrated in Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw in solidary with Ungdomshuset and the activists in prison. At least 2 polish activists are in prison in Denmark. The activists delivered a letter of protest to the danish embassy saying "Something is rotten in the state of denmark" 22:29 The demonstration on gammel torv in inner part of the city has between 500 and 1000 participants at this time and more is coming. There is a lot of energy People are yelling and dancing to the music, says Modkrafts reporter 21:10 The news program on DR guesses that the riots so far have costed society 7,4 mio. kr (around 1 million euro) in lost workforce, salary to police, cleaning and destroyed things 21:05 At 13.00 today there was a solidary demonstration in Dublin, Ireland outside the danish embassy. The demonstrators brought music with the danish punkband ?119, that came from the musicstage in Ungdomshuset. The embassy locked the doors and called the police 20:51 The arrests in Malm? is critised on the swedish newspage motkraft.net. They write, that the arrests of the three activists are based on materiale for photographing, presented to the media as flammable materiale that they intended to use in Copenhagen. 20:40 The left wing environment in Svendborg (fyn) is planning actions. To local TV2 the activists say that the eviction of Ungdomshuset has made a big impression ?People are frustrated, angry and sad. There are kinds of mixed emotions? 20:32 Several danish medias write, that three swedish men have been arrested in Malm. According to Ritzau they are suspected to have broken the law regarding explosives and flammable materiales. Danish media writes that they had planned to participate in the riots in Copenhagen 20:25 Officers from other parts of Denmark are staying in Copenhagen as long as it is needed, says inspetor. But the extra work creates problems with vacation and such The day before the eviction of Ungdomshuset, 28th of february, officers were send to Copenhagen from other parts of the country. At the many riots after the eviction the polie realised they needed reinforcement, so there was send officers again thursday night. And they will stay as long as needed, says a police inspector from Jutland. 20:18 The meeting that was suppose to have started at 19.00 in Folkets Hus (House of the People) in Stengade has now started The house is completely filled with people and outside is several hundred people who couldn't get inside. They are playing music outside and no police is visible in the area 19:47 In the finish capital Helsinki 70 activists have made speeches and put up banners on the city's big trainstation protesting the eviction of Ungdomshuset. The banners are among other things with a danish flag and the word "Fuck" in front of it 18:58 Swedish police has stormed a house in Malm?. They wont explain it but a source says that it most likely has a connection with the riots in copenhagen. There are around 20 activists outside the house but no one but police in the house itself The house is used for recording punkmusic and for social and political activities 18:49 According to DR the danish police is borrowing 20 vehicles from their swedish colleagues. The cars do however get danish license plates and officers before being used in Copenhagen, writes Politiken.dk The decision is acording to the police made beause the situation is serious and out of the ordinary but they deny that is a crisis 18:37 There has been happenings and actions in several locations in Europe to support Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen. In Istanbul 20 activists have protested outside the danish consulate. 17:22 After the police stopped a parade moving toward the "West Prison" (main prison in Copenhagen) the demonstrators have left the parade. It had also become smaller since it started Now people are instead gathering on Bl?g?rds Plads. A source says that there are around a 100 persons On the webpage for Ungdomshuset following activities are announced for friday: #19.00: Public meeting for activists in Folkets Park #22.00: Streetparty from Gammeltorv to Sankt Hans Torv with DJ's and live music #24.00: Demonstration from Sankt Hans Torv. The concept is "Follow the green flag" 17:00 The little parade from Bl?g?rdsgade is moving towards "West Prison". The police has followed the demonstration and has now stopped it. Officers are checking identities of demonstrators 16:45 While yelling different sentence about peace, a little gathering of around 30 demonstrators followed by 3 policevans are moving down Bl?g?rdsgade towards ?boulevarden 16:25 Around 50 demonstrators have gathered in front of Blegdamsvejens prison where several arrested from yesterday are located. Everything is calm and the police has apparently stopped checking people on Sankt Hans Torv next to the prison 16:17 Ungdomshuset is resurrected - in Second Life on the internet. The new virtuel house is placed next to the virtuel TV2 News - because Ungdomshuset is the main source of the tv stations news anyway. 15:57 Solidary action where activists removed advertisements from busstops in ?rhus last night and replaced them with posters for Ungdomshuset can now be seen on youtube. 15:52 Even though much of every day life has returned to Norrebro, the police is still very present in the area. Sources inform us, that officers are checking people on Sankt Hans Torv The demonstrators in the main office of the social democrats have left the house under completely calm circumstances and without any interference from the police 14:46 The social democrats have welcome the activists occupying their party office. They haven't asked the police to throw them out. There is still around 10 activists in the house and 20 outside Helle Thorning Schmidt, the national leader of the party, who was shortly by the office earlier, should apparently have expressed that she thought the activists should be thrown out Nonetheless the activists are willing to negotiate. - "We have offered that we will negotiate with both the social democrats and the city council regarding finding a new house, says the spokesperson 14:30 Masked constructionworkers are emptying Ungdomshuset, writes Politiken.dk The reason for the mask is that the workers don't want to be recognized. At the same time several sms's are being send around with names of companies that is thought to be working in the house The work is being surveilled by the police. Curious people are asked to leave the area A big truck is parked in front of the house and there are several cars with cranes The constructionworkers are throwing out boxes, paint, furnitures and barricades The things that have been left in the house is also removed. Politiken.dk writes that the owners must demand them from the owner of the house, Faderhuset ? We have only taken the things having a value as evidence, says the spokesperson for the Copenhagen Police to Politiken.dk 14:03 the citizen group supporting Ungdomshuset is maintaining the plan of a demonstration on saturday (tomorrow). It is starting from two different locations, Christiania and Enghave Plads at 14.00, and meeting on the Townhall square at 15. It is a peaceful demonstration 12:41 ?We aren't leaving the building before they come up with a solution? says the group that has occupied the Social Democrats main office in copenhagen and now demand a ungdomshuset in Copenhagen, according to DR 12:19 Per Larsen from Copenhagen Police says to the media that 75 of the so far 217 arrested yesterday will be presented for a judge during today. 34 persons who all were in Ungdomshuset when th police entered has been detained for 27 days 12:09 The office of the party The Social Democrats (second biggest in Denmark, biggest in Copenhagen) has been "squatted" by activists. The office is the party's main office in Copenhagen. A spokesperson for the activists says the reason for the occupation is that the politicians apparently havent understood that the problems with ungdomshuset are political. ? "The reason for this occupation is that the politician apparently haven't understood that this is a political problem. We are trying to focus on this by squatting a political party's office" an activist says to TV2 News 12:03 There were demonstrations and actions in 20 german cities yesterday in solidarity with Ungdomshusets. See more on indymedia.dk 11:02 The police in Copenhagen has asked for more officers from around the country. From nothern Jutland 2 busses full of policemen were sent to Copenhagen around 22 yesterday night. Also the south-eastern part of Jutland has send officers: "To help them now when they are in need" says inspector J?rgen Hoxer to local DR Ungdomshuset eviction - News throughout the first day (English translation from Modkraft.dk) The following translation was taken from http://www.indymedia.dk Thursday 1st March 23:41 A house in Bl?g?rdsgade has been occupied. The area is filled with police forces so it is unlikely that it will last for long. On the other hand the police is still busy with fighting and barricades in other areas of this part of town. There is right now fire in Bragesgade, on Bl?g?rds Plads and on N?rrebrogade. Police protected from tear gas with masks has just now chased a group of demonstrators away who kept adding materiale to the barricade fire by Bl?g?rdsgade 23:23 The parade has reached Folkets Park, where the demonstrators have got the opportunity of putting flowers next to the cuffins. The demonstrators are slowly leaving but a source informs us that this might lead to more activity The building of barricades and setting containers on fire has started again on N?rrebrogade by Bl?g?rdsgade - for 6-7 ... maybe 8. time tonight. Modkraft.dk is now closing up it's live coverage of the activities after the eviction. However as extra information it can be said that it is not only in Aalborg but also in ?rhus, where 200 people showed up, that there has been demonstrations in favor of Ungdomshuset. 23:22 There are still burning cars in several places on Christianshavn 23:21 Fires are started and rocks are being picked up around Folkets Park where the organisers have cancelled the rest of the demonstration, according to Politiken.dk. 23:02 Police blocking every street is apparently deciding where the parade is going. It has now gone down Griffenfeldsgade and is approaching Folkets Park which in advance was chosen as the final destination for the demonstration. 22:52 The parade has by policevans been forced to turn away from jagtvej which they had arrived at from ?gade and they have now turned towards the city again. It is unknown where the demonstration will ned. A larger number of police is now visible by the demonstration 22:40 The "mourning parade" is getting closer to Jagtvej by Ranzausgade. The demonstration is filling up the entire road and contains around 1000 people according to a source in the demonstration 22:15 The parade has grown on it way towards N?rrebro. A source which earlier states the numbers to 200 is now saying 700. The demonstration is moving on ?boulevarden. 22:11 Around a couple of hundred people have gathered for a "mourning parade" which have just left the Townhall Square (R?dhuspladsen). A lot of demonstrators have torches and there are 3 cuffins in the parade. The demonstration is moving towards N?rrebro. There isn't much visible police around the demonstration which is also declared non-violent. On N?rrebro the police is still clearing the barricades that keep being rebuild around the area. Right now the police is removing bikes from the trafficlight by Bl?g?rdsgade and N?rrebrogade. 21:56 Guests at the bar Caf? Bl?g?rds Apotek on Bl?g?rds Plads is reporting, that the police is still forcing the guests to stay in the cafe. Some minutes ago a couple of officers entered the bar and dragged a couple of random guests out - apparently for no reason at all 21:53 The police is removing burning cars and containers in streets next to Torvegade on Christianshavn (Cristiania area) 21:51 A larger policeforce has arrived to Christianshavn where there are several fires on the streets 21:49 TV2 (major danish tv channel) reports that representatives from the right wing fundamentalistic sect Faderhuset has visited and inspected Ungdomshuset today. The leader Ruth Evensen is now to decide if the building should be demolish. She expresses to DR: I think it's scary that it can happen in Denmark. 21:48 Street fighting is still happening around N?rrebro. Not as intensive now but in small mobile groups around the neighbourhood. They are making fires and throw rocks at the policecars when they appear. When the police try to catch the groups they withdraw and start new actions in new places. It is not only flammable material that has been used for building barricades. Also bikes has been put on the streets to prevent the police from moving freely. According to DR 5 people have been detained for 27 days. 21:43 Torvegade is blocked by prinsessegade. There are burning cars by Christiania. 21:38 Solidarity demonstration for Ungdomshuset in Aalborg (Jutland) 21:32 According to DR a 18 year old woman and a 36 year old man has been detained for among other things violence towards the police The police reports that so far 160 persons are arrested in total 20:45 Flames are still appearing several places on N?rrebro. Right now there is action in the area around Sankt Hansgade and Ravnsborggade (close to Bl?g?rdsplads). It is small groups that creates small bonfires and use fireworks The police has left several of the places where there has been fires earlier. New fires are created in several of these places On Bl?g?rds Plads the guests at Caf? Bl?g?rds Apotek has been forced to stay inside by the police. Guests trying to leave have been ordered back inside. In this area there is large amounts of tear gas in the air. The guests are complaining about the effects from this 20:14 The fighting on N?rrebro seem to die out. The police has in several places begun to clear up after bonfires and barricades with bulldozers. There is however burning barricades at several places - among others on Bl?g?rdsgade (next to the square) where there might be starting fighting again. There is also new fires at Jagtvej og N?rrebrogade. There is however not a large amount of people these places Cars have in several locations been dragged out on the roads. 19:28 Policevans are now gathering in streets next to N?rrebrogade around Griffenfeldsgade. The police's request to leave the streets have to be understood as a curfew a representative from Ungdomshuset says The police is announcing from speakers that throwned stones will be answered with tear gas. Ungdomshuset has on it's webpage a guide to how to protect yourself if exposed to tear gas There is now developing new fighting N?rrebrogade by Bl?g?rdsgade. The police has let their dogs out from the vans and look ready to release them. They are trying to force the demonstrators down Bl?g?rdsgade with tear gas. 19:10 Policecars are now driving around requesting people to leave the streets by refering to the constitution. They are saying that the area will be cleared. Trashcans Bl?g?rdsgade has been set on fire and dragged down to N?rrebrogade, where they are used to creating a barricade There is street fighting around Griffenfeldsgade and N?rrebrogade. The police is using tear gas in both places 18:57 Activists have created barricades on N?rrebrogade next to Griffenfeldsgade. Rocks are being thrown at the police. Demonstrators under pressure from the police is fleeing down Griffenfeldsgade. A couple of hundred meters further down demonstrators have also gathered around smaller barricades with fires. 18:43 There are burning barricades on Stengade. There is however only very few people. They have apparently left the street. Three armored policevans have just arrived. There are also burning barricades on N?rrebrogade between Kapelvej and Stengade. Demonstrators seem to be spread around the area. And sources are reporting that the police is chasing small groups of demonstrators towards N?rre Alle. They are also gathering what is left behind by the demonstrators. On N?rrebrogade the police's armored vans are again blocking the road towards the city and the access to Bl?g?rdsgade. 18:32 Activists have after fleeing the main demonstration build barricades on F?lledvej. They have attacked the police with bottles and stones Afther this they have been pushed up towards Sankt Hans Torv, where they have continued down N?rre All?. 18:22 Sources by Ungdomshuset report that a couple of hundred demonstrators have gathered in front of the police here. Everything is peaceful. Demonstrators from the demonstration has been trapped on N?rrebrogade a couple of hundred meters toward the city 18:16 The big demonstration has according to sources been split in at least 3 groups. The group nearest Ungdomshuset contains around 200 activists who has apparently been trapped by the police. 18:10 Demonstrators have spread around the neighbourhood. Several groups are wandering around diff. streets Armored police vans are also driving around the areas and have been attacked in different locations by activists. A street is reported blocked with police dogs 18:05 The police has split the demonstration in two on N?rrebrogade next Assistens kirkeg?rd (cementary/park along the street running up to Jagtvej and Ungdomshuset). Cops have put themselves between the two parts. In megaphones the police is asking the demonstrators to stand still and they are saying they are going to give the one part a new destination and way there. Fireworks are being thrown at the police 17:55 The demonstration from Bl?g?rds Plads has developed into fighting. Sources by the demonstration is saying, that the demonstrators have thrown paint and bottles on the street. The newspaper "Politiken" writes that the police has thrown tear gas 17:32 Several thousand demonstrators are moving towards Jagtvej and Ungdomshuset on N?rrebrogade 17:22 The demonstration is moving down N?rrebrogade. The police has blocked the street in the direction of the city. (some sources talk about 1500 people) 17:04 Shortly after the announcement police-vans are ready to block the street leading from the square in both directions. The demonstration will then be trapped. At the same time the square is completely filled with demonstrators - there is even people standing down the streets (The square is pretty big compared to others in Copenhagen - There can probably be up to 2000 people if not more - It is also completely closed up by apartment buildings with no cover at all) 16:59 A smaller group of policemen have by megaphones annouced that the demonstration at Bl?g?rds Plads isn't allowed and people are to leave. At the same time a demonstration from Christiania has just arrived at the square 16:37 A demonstration is moving down through Gothersgade. The demonstration is coming from Christiania where activists have made happenings/actions several times during the day. The demonstration contain around 500 people and is headed for Bl?g?rds Plads where a larger demonstration is starting at 17.00. A big amount of demonstrators have already gathered at the square. 16:14 Solidarity demonstrations are being prepared in several places. For example Germany. 16:06 ?The eviction went completely as planned and therefor I don't think, that it is very pleasent to see the media make it into some violent fight?. says minister of justice Lene Espersen to the danish newspaper Politiken. She thinks that both the media, activists and citizens should stay calm 16:02 The Reclaim The Streets-demonstration has now arrived at Bl?g?rds Plads on N?rrebro. 15:40 Around 200 demonstrators are moving down through Vester Voldgade in the inner city towards N?rrebro. They are coming from the Town Hall Square (R?dhuspladsen) and were a part of the Reclaim The Streets-demonstration 15:11 Demonstrations protesting the eviction are being planned in Aalborg and other major cities at 17.00 15:10 At around 14.00 the spokesperson for the police tells the newspaper Politiken that around 90 persons have been arrested during the day. 15:06 The police is still checking people by Dronning Louises Bridge on N?rrebro. People, the police find suspicious has to document that they have a reason for being on N?rrebro to enter that part of town 15:03 A demonstration protesting the eviction is moving from Christiania at 16.00 to Bl?g?rds Plads where there has already been called for a protest-demonstration at 17.00 15:02 The Reclaim The Streets demonstration is now at Storkespringvandet on Str?get (the main walking street) in inner city 14:59 The Mourning Group is arranging a Torch Demonstration tonight at 22.00 14:43 The Reclaim The Streets demonstration is now with around 300 people who are running towards Str?get (main walking street)' 14:42 It is rumoured that VUC (adult education centers) in Hvidovre and on Amager (suburbs) the students have stopped their work in protest of the eviction 14:30 The announced Reclaim the streets demonstration that left Israels Plads at 14.00 has just blocked the traffic lights by N?rreport Station (the biggest trainstation in copenhagen). There is around 100 activists who are sitting on the road awaiting the arrival of the police 14:25 According to an anonymous engine-driver with DSB city trains, all of them have been told by the police to notify them if they see people looking like activists on the trains. The engine-driver contacted Modkraft.dk becuase he didn't consider it a fair demand. 14:19 30 activists from ?Feminister for flere fristeder? has blocked Amagerbrogade (main street on Amager), where they have been making noise and speeches to support Ungdomshuset 13:58 At 14.00 there is a reclaim the streets demonstration from israels plads 13:49 In Stengade on N?rrebro the concertplace Stengade 30 has set up a tent from where they hand out tea, coffee and juice. They have put up a sign saying: "Police! You have a choice" 13:33 According to newspapers, Ruth Evensen, the leader of the "buyer" of Ungdomshuset, faderhuset, is going to look at Ungdomshuset later today to decide if the building should be demolish. The police is preparing for a longer stay since they are setting mobile toilets up for the cops on jagtvej. 13:25 On Dronning Louises bridge (access point from inner copenhagen to n?rrebro) reports say the police has extended their control of access to also include cars. Furthermore people walking and biking is stopped, body-searched and denied access to the area without further explanation. When Modkrafts photographer tried to get back to Modkraft he was denied access despite his ability to provide a valid media-id card. When the photographer insisted on his right to walk through he was asked to leave. The policeman refused to reveal his name. This is clearly against the law which gives the media the right to pass a police controlpoint unless it is a riot situation. Furthermore the police is always obligied to reveal name and number on demand to the media if they are denied access. The responsible policeman on the spot can be required but as the photographer was asked to leave immediately he chose to do so. 13:18 Demand for emergency meeting in the city council of Copenhagen 12:50 Sources inform us that activists on their way to Copenhagen from Jutland is stopped by the police. This has happened for both activists on trains and in personal cars. 12:31 It is said by witnesses that the police is now stopping and body-searching people walking or on bike on their way over Dronning louises bridge towards N?rrebro. On N?rrebros Runddel it is said that it is now relatively calm but that the area is still being heavily controlled by the police 12:08 The police has blocked Dronning Louises Bro for all trafic towards N?rrebro. Trafic is still possible towards the city to some extend. Also the public trafic has been disturbed by the riots. In many places activists have been met by furious and aggresive drivers when they have blocked the traffic. Latest at a blockade near ?boulevarden (close to jagtvej) where several drivers threw things at the demonstrators At forum subway station the police has just cleared a blockade of containers by chasing away 30 activists 11:32 The police has entered "Folkets Hus" (alternative house governed by the users themselves) by Folkets Park on N?rrebro. Despite the police wasn't in poccesion of any allowance to enter the house 8 combat uniformed cops entered the house. They however disappeared again when all doors in the house were locked 11:00 Following is an eyewitness report from a journalist on DR (main danish tv channel): "About 20 meters from McDonalds on runddelen activists had build barricades across the streets. At around 9.25 the police is driving through the street with 3-4 armored vans to clear the barricades. One of the vans directly hit a demonstrator who falls and stays lying with his legs under the car. After this he is arrested - it is unknown what happened to him. The police didn't succeed in clearing the street. Shortly afterwards the barricades were rebuild and containers and garbage were set on fire". Witnesses in the area say there is around 1500 activists out in protest again the eviction 10:38 15 activists have been arrested in Folkets Park on N?rrebro. 10:20 There are burning containers blocking Torvegade at Christiania 10:16 Police is getting ready to clear barricades on N?rrebrogade 10:05 There are events/happenings different places. Activists have spread out. Before the eviction it was said that there would be events everywhere. Among others "Feminists for more "fristeder"" have made blockades 12 different places in town 09:49 Around 100 to 150 activists are trying to build barricades across N?rrebrogade. The Police is removing the barricades by driving into them with their cars. The activists there are angry and frustrated 09:33 N?rrebros Runddel has been cleared for activists. There is reasonable peaceful but there are a lot of activists in the neighbourhood. The athmosphere is tense. So far there has been made around 20 arrests according to Modkrafts reporters 08:41 The police is arresting persons on Runddelen. Activists and the police are pushing against each other 08:34 The Police is clearing N?rrebros Runddel (a few meters from Ungdomshuset) and is starting to arrest people who refuse to move. 08:31 Spokespersons for Ungdomshusets maintain, that the plan when evicted is that the supporters of the house are going to show up in the local areas. Tomorrow there is a protest demonstration at 17.00 from Bl?g?rds Plads and the day after there is a day of different happenings 08:19 Around 100 of Ungdomshusets supporters are trying to break through the barricades the police have made on Jagtvej by Runddelen There are around 25 of different kind of bigger police vans. And the gathering of people has now officially been asked to leave. 08:15 Assistens Kirkeg?rden (the graveyard/park across from Ungdomshuset) is cleared by the police 08:10 According to sources from Ungdomshusets the police has entered the house around 7.00 It has happened very quickly. It's guessed that it has taken the police around 5 minutes to enter the house through a container on the side of the house from where they have entered through a vindow or the wall and also by deploying cops on the roof. From Ungdomshuset it is said that: "As long as there isn't a Ungdomshus, there is a fight for a Ungdomshus" Two ambulances have left Ungdomshuset. (New information: From Ungdomshuset it is said that the police wasn't that fast this morning as it has earlier been explained to the media. According to sources, that were by the house this morning, it took several attempts before the police succeeded in entering the building. A crane had to lift a container up to the house several times before the police could enter the house. It started a 7.00 this morning but at 8.00 there was still coming loud sounds out from the house which can mean that the police didn't have full controle over the building yet.) ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070303173857687&query=ungdomshuset Danish police search homes amid clashes Saturday, March 03 2007 @ 05:38 PM PST Contributed by: Admin Views: 582 COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Police searched homes in the Danish capital on Saturday for activists involved in street clashes that began when police evicted squatters from an abandoned building that has served as a center for anarchists, leftists and punk rockers. A Danish police officer arrests an activist during protests near the youth house ungdomshuset in Copenhagen March 3, 2007. Danish police detained about 100 people during fresh violence in Copenhagen early on Saturday, two days after the eviction of left-wing squatters from a youth centre sparked a wave of protests. REUTERS/Christian Charisius (DENMARK) Danish police search homes amid clashes By JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press Writer March 3, 2007 COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Police searched homes in the Danish capital on Saturday for activists involved in street clashes that began when police evicted squatters from an abandoned building that has served as a center for anarchists, leftists and punk rockers. Two nights of violence between police and youths protesting the eviction have turned parts of the Danish capital into a battlefield strewn with burning cars and shattered glass. Two new demonstrations started Saturday afternoon, with hundreds of people marching peacefully toward Copenhagen's main square, Danish media reported. As the smoke and tear gas cleared Saturday morning, police said 188 people were arrested overnight, bringing the total number of arrests to about 400 since the riots started on Thursday. "In the last 10 years we haven't had riots like we've seen in the past two days," police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said. He said police performed house searches early Saturday in "many places" in Copenhagen to track down activists, but declined to give details. Vandals covered Copenhagen's famed Little Mermaid statue with pink paint. It was not clear whether the riots were linked with the defacement of the statue, which in the past has been beheaded and doused in paint and been blown off her perch by vandals who used explosives. Police said foreign activists from Sweden, Norway and Germany joined hundreds of Danish youth, hurling cobblestones at riot police and setting cars on fire. In a sign the Danish youth expected foreign help, the Web page of "ungdomshuset," or the youth house, posted a warning in English that Danish police had increased border controls. "This is a display of anger and rage after more than seven years of struggle to keep what is ours," Jan, a 22-year-old activist who said he has been coming to the building for the last 10 years, told The Associated Press by telephone. He declined to give his last name, saying that was the norm among the people frequenting the building. The eviction had been planned since last year, when courts ordered the squatters to hand the building over to a Christian congregation that bought it six years ago. The squatters refused to leave, saying the city had no right to sell the building, which has hosted concerts with performers like Australian Nick Cave and Icelandic singer Bjork. They have demanded another building for free as a replacement. Authorities say it has also been a staging point for numerous left-wing demonstrations that turned violent in recent years. The clashes were Denmark's worst since May 18, 1993, when police fired into a crowd of rioters protesting the outcome of a European Union referendum. Ten of the protesters were wounded. Justice Minister Lene Espersen urged the protesters "to regain their composure." Sympathy protests were held in Hamburg, northern Germany, and in Norway, Sweden and Finland. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2027233,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12 Tearful protesters fail to save historic centre ? Police protect workers as building is demolished ? Christian sect to take over site of Copenhagen riots Kate Connolly in Copenhagen Tuesday March 6, 2007 The Guardian A demolition machine starts tearing down Youth House. Photograph: Jens Panduro/AP Hundreds of tearful and angry protesters gathered outside a youth community centre in Copenhagen yesterday to watch as a hydraulic excavator tore into the building, bringing to an end more than 100 years of political history. The "Ungdomshuset" or Youth House which once hosted Vladimir Lenin, has been the focus of street riots in recent days following the eviction of squatters from the building which has been sold to a rightwing Christian sect. Yesterday demonstrators laid flowers at the end of Jagtvej Street in the workers' district of Noerrebro as dust from the demolition filled the air. "This is a funeral," said Siggi Oddsson, 22, who laid a cloth banner reading "Loved and Missed". "This is an absolute milestone of underground culture in Copenhagen and it's being destroyed," he said. "Forget the idea of 'wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen'." Behind him, a silver crane - the name of the company it belonged to concealed under a layer of paint - hovered above the graffiti-covered structure of house number 69. Workers wore face masks under their helmets so as not to be identified as they worked under police guard, and even the trucks taking away the rubble were escorted through the city by armed police. Many surrounding shops were either boarded up or had had their windows smashed following three nights of clashes between police and protesters. Graffiti read "69 Blir" - or "number 69 stay" and "Revenge!". The four-storey red brick building has been a popular meeting point for leftwing anarchists, punk rockers, and musicians since the local government allowed young people to use it in 1982. It quickly became a focal point for anti-capitalist activism. But its importance as a place where political history was made goes back further. Built as a community theatre for the labour movement in 1897, it was here that both Denmark's women's liberation and trade union movements were founded. Lenin paid a visit in 1910 during the Socialist International Congress and it has played host to modern musicians such as Bjork and Nick Cave. But it has been a point of contention between inhabitants and the local government since 1995 when a fire which damaged the building prompted the city to decide to sell it. A squat was formed whose occupants hung a banner from the windows which read: "For sale, including 500 violent-loving psychos." In 2000 when it was sold to a religious group, the tension grew. Court orders for the squatters to leave were ignored, with occupants saying the authorities had no right to sell the building. Then on Thursday 35 squatters were removed by riot police who swooped onto the building's roof in helicopters in a surprise operation. The evictions triggered three nights of riots, with a handful of anarchists setting fire to cars, rubbish bins and shops, leading to justice minister Lene Espersen's call to remain calm. Sympathy protests have been held around Europe, including Germany, and Finland, while activists from the US have flown to the Danish capital to offer support. Danish police have increased border controls as a result. Extra police vehicles have been lent by Sweden and Holland and the prisons director reported that the prisons were "bulging" following more than 650 arrests. British accident and emergency nurse Naja Brooks, 34, from London, said she was "in mourning" for a building where she said she had grown up. "I started coming to the house when I was 14 or 15," she said. "There was music, art, photo studios - it was a place where you could really express yourself and you were aware of its fantastic history as well." Thea, 25, a tailor, said the house's destruction was a consequence of Denmark's drift to the political right and the erosion of the welfare system. The protests were as much a demonstration against the government of prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as an attempt to save the centre, she said. "We used to be tolerant as a nation, but we have become very intolerant towards anyone who doesn't want to toe the line," she said. Ruth Evensen, leader of the Faderhuset Christian sect which has bought the site, insisted yesterday the house had to be torn down as it was "a total wreck" and a potential fire hazard. "It would cost us a fortune to have it fixed," she said, refusing to divulge how the congregation would use the site. Three bad days ? Three nights of clashes with youths ended with more than 650 arrests ? At least 25 were injured as protesters hurled cobblestones at riot police ? Those arrested in the riots included more than 140 foreign activists ? 189 people were remanded in custody, while 26 were released ? Danish police said yesterday they had borrowed 16 lightly-armoured vans from Dutch authorities and 20 police vehicles from Sweden ? The riots were the worst since May 1993 when police fired into a crowd protesting at the result of a EU referendum. Ten people were wounded Source: AP ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://washingtontimes.com/world/20070301-104826-3037r.htm Squatter advocates clash with police By Slim Allagui AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE March 2, 2007 COPENHAGEN -- Danish police clashed yesterday with hundreds of activists protesting the forced eviction of squatters from a radical cultural center in a notoriously rough neighborhood of Copenhagen. More than 150 people, including minors and foreigners, were arrested during riots that erupted after a dawn raid on the Ungdomshuset youth center in the Noerrebro district. Clashes continued throughout the day and reached a crescendo in the evening when up to 1,000 youths attacked police with stones, bottles, pots of paint and firecrackers, and set up barricades, lighted fires and overturned vehicles. Riot police used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators, some of whom were masked. By late yesterday, the violence had spread from Noerrebro to the nearby Christianshavn district. Christianshavn is next to the so-called "free city" of Christiania, an autonomous community in the city set up more than 30 years ago. The four-story Ungdomshuset at the center of the violence has been a haven for rebels, punks and squatters since the 1980s, when it was given to them by the city of Copenhagen. The building was recently sold to a fundamentalist Christian sect, which has demanded the eviction of the youths. The sect plans to tear down the building. An August court ruling ordered an eviction, but the occupants insist the center belongs to them. The Ungdomshuset Web site says the group operates under five simple guidelines: no sexism, no "heterosexism" -- prejudice in favor of heterosexuals -- no racism, no hard drugs and no violence. It was not known how many people were injured yesterday. Danish television TV2 reported that a man who was taken to a hospital for head injuries he sustained during the morning riots was a German citizen. Some banks and stores barricaded their entrances to protect their businesses from the riots. Police said they were re-establishing border controls to prevent an influx of the youths' supporters from other countries, in particular Germany. The Noerrebro neighborhood is home to a large population of young radicals and squatters and is the scene of regular altercations with police. In May 1993, bloody clashes erupted in the district after Denmark's "yes" vote to the European Union Maastricht Treaty. In recent weeks, some parents had stood guard outside the building day and night to protect their children against any police offensive. "Why can't we have an alternative building for young people?" asked Sophie, an 18-year-old punk who watched from afar as police cleaned up a smoldering barricade during a lull in the clashes. She and her 17-year-old friend Kyra said they frequented Ungdomshuset to "attend underground concerts and plays," or when they were angry with their parents. ----------------------------------------------------- http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1CA54EE7-9570-4BF7-9DDB-BB495EE72675.htm Danish clashes: More than 100 held Danish police clash with squatters Protesters gathered behind police lines [EPA] Danish police have arrested at least 75 people after violent clashes over the forced eviction of squatters from a building in Copenhagen. Three people were injured, including a German citizen, on Thursday after police in anti-riot gear sealed off streets surrounding the building and began bringing squatters out of the house. Per Larsen, a police spokesman, said: "The morning action happened with military precision. It went by the book." Over 30 of those arrested had barricaded themselves inside the house. It was unclear how many people were inside the house when police began the eviction, shortly after 7am (0600 GMT), by hoisting down members of Denmark's anti-terror police from a helicopter on to the building's roof. Protesters gathered behind police lines shouting "stop police brutality", while a number of shop-owners boarded the windows of their premises in anticipation of violence. Barricades erected Activists also erected barricades with garbage containers in several places in downtown Copenhagen and threw stones at the police. Larsen said police officers from across the country were on their way to Copenhagen to help in the coming days. Squatters have been using the building since 1982, but in 1999 Copenhagen city council sold the property to a group called Human A/S which then sold it to the Faderhuset Christian group. The eviction has been planned since last year, after two courts ordered the squatters to leave the house and hand it over to the Christian organisation. But the squatters refused to leave, saying the city had no right to sell the four-story building while it was still in use. They have demanded another building as a replacement, and a foundation backing the squatters has offered to pay 12m kroner ($2.1m) for another facility. Foreign activists Danish police were also reported to be monitoring border crossings with Sweden and Germany after squatters used a website to called for foreign activists to come and help. In the southwestern Swedish city of Malmo, three men were arrested, suspected of heading to Copenhagen to join the protests, Merima Lulic, a spokeswoman for the Swedish police, said. She said the men were in possession of explosive materials, but that it was not immediately clear what kind of explosive material they were carrying. "You could tell they were on their way to start riots," Lulic said. Police in Stockholm, Sweden's capital, said they were also bracing for a counter demonstration in a downtown park. -------------------------------------------------------- http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070301040831528&query=ungdomshuset Eviction protesters fight Danish police Thursday, March 01 2007 @ 04:08 AM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 392 COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- Dozens were arrested after angry protesters threw cobblestones at police Thursday when an anti-terror squad started a disputed eviction of squatters from a downtown building, police said. ungdomshuset Eviction!!! Wednesday, February 28 2007 @ 11:49 PM PST Contributed by: jimbob EuropeThe police started to evict the Danish autonomous centre ungdomshuset Jagtvej 69 Coppenhagen at 7:00 this morning. They entered the building after gaining accsess to the roof with a heliocopter. Teargas and waterhoses were fired at a the building. Until now there has been no reports of injuries but two ambulances were spotted leaving the scene. Solidarity actions across the globe are needed for this attack on anti-capitalist, autonomous spaces. ------------------- Eviction protesters fight Danish police COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- Dozens were arrested after angry protesters threw cobblestones at police Thursday when an anti-terror squad started a disputed eviction of squatters from a downtown building, police said. A German citizen was hospitalized after being hit in the head with an object, according to a hospital spokeswoman. His condition was not serious. The highly publicized eviction has drawn ire from the squatters and other youth, who have viewed the former theater as free public housing for years. Dozens of onlookers clashed with hundreds of police officers who took part in the eviction, which began shortly after 7 a.m. when a helicopter hoisted down members of Denmark's anti-terror police on the building's roof. Officers with anti-riot gear then sealed off the surrounding streets as police began bringing out squatters. Police said at least 35 people had been arrested inside the house while dozens were detained outside for trying to cross police lines. Police spokesman Per Larsen said foreign citizens were likely among those arrested, but had no details on nationalities. "The morning action happened with military precision," Larsen said. "It went by the book." It was unclear how many people were inside the house when the eviction began. Dozens of protesters quickly gathered behind police lines shouting "stop police brutality." Nearby shops, fearing riots, began boarding their windows. Copenhagen University Hospital spokeswoman Lisbeth Westergaard said the injured German was in his 20s, but did not reveal his identity. "He is doing fine and he will soon be discharged," she said. The eviction has been planned since last year, when two courts ordered the squatters to leave the house and hand it over to a Christian congregation that bought it six years ago. The squatters refused to leave, saying the city had no right to sell the four-story building while it was still in use. In December, a rally to protest the eviction turned violent. Some of the around 1,000 protesters threw cobblestones, iron bars and fireworks at police, who detained some 300 people. ------------------------------------------ http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/363973.html Eviction of Danish Social Centre Fuels Anger Across Europe imc-uk-features | 01.03.2007 23:33 | Free Spaces | Globalisation | Repression | World The occupied house in Copenhagen, Denmark named 'Ungdomshuset' has functioned as a very important political and social cultural centre since 1982. It had been involved in a long political and legal battle for its existance. But yesterday morning at around 7am Danish police made an end to this by entering the roof of the building using a helicopter and start an unannouced full scale eviction. Riot-police sealed off nearby streets quickly and attacked the building using teargas. As the whole area was closed off, so documenting the action and police-behaviour was difficult. Some witnesses say that teargas and police violence was plentiful, although the eviction happened swiftly and according to police in a "relatively calm manner". At the moment everything is but calm. Over 1000 people are reported to be back onto the streets last night and (burning) barricades blocked off some major roads in the city. Some people have been admitted to hospital. Riots have continued throughout the day and night and solidarity actions spontaniosly broke out in cities across europe: Berlin (300+), K?ln, Hamburg (700+), M?nchen, Karlsruhe, G?ttingen, Frankfurt, Bremen (300+), Magdeburg, Hannover, Vienna, Heidelberg, Gothenburg, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm (100+), Flensburg, Marburg, Potsdam and Leipzig. Over the next few days many more demonstrations and actions are planned and Danish activists have called for people to make Saturday 3rd March an international day of action. Danish police have started to draft in re-inforcements from all over the country and many more activists are set to arrive in the capital in the coming days. Total arrested: 600+ The basis-democratic, alternative political and cultural centre 'Ungdomshuset' was forcefully evicted by riot police and airborne anti-terror squads this morning. Ensuing demonstrations have seen large-scale confrontations between protestors and heavy-handed police, here is the full story from Copenhagen. After serious social conflicts and uprisings by the autonomist and squatting movements in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the subsequent 'Ungdomshuset' was offered as part of a political compromise to the activists. The mainly young activists dubbed it "Ungdomshuset" ("The Youth House"), and started running various cultural and political activities out of there. It has for many years served as one of the only multicultural, basis-democratic collectives/community centres in Copenhagen, with the exception of the Freetown Christiania. Property rights remained in the hands of the local council, which in 1999 decided to disregard the previous political compromise and sell the house to the highest bidder. In 2003 the fundamentalist Christian sect "Faderhuset", which had bought the property in 2001 prompted the authorities to evict the "Ungdomshuset" and its users. Despite many demonstrations in support of "Ungdomshuset" Faderhuset won the ensuing courtcase and the politicians avoided serious involvement in the conflict, despite the political nature of the case. Many domestic demonstrations saw alleged police brutality and in December an "Ungdomshuset" demonstration turned into a major confrontation between activists from all over Europe and the police. Subsequently the "Ungdomshuset" was fortified in order to avoid an eviction and return the issue to the political arena. This morning at 7:00 AM the anti-terror squad landed on the roof of the "Ungdomshuset" via helicopters, while later in the day activists from all over Copenhagen rushed to protest the eviction of "Ungdomshuset", they were met by aggressive policemen in riot gear blocking the street arresting suspected troublemakers with many resulting injuries. The demonstrators fought back and tried to reclaim the "Ungdomshuset", but were repelled and activists took to the nearby streets and started building barricades, while engaging police in skirmishes. The neighbourhoods has been entirely shut down by local residents and activists: actions and demonstrations have taken place all over Copenhagen with more planned for the following days and weeks. While sympathisers from all over Europe have been rushing in, although police are attempting to detain suspected activists at the borders. Furthermore solidarity demonstrations are under way in Germany, Norway and Sweden. The house has functioned as a political and cultural centre, home to political demonstrations, political debates, concerts and many more cultural events since 1982. It has served as a basis-democratic remainder that 'another world is possible' until this morning. The actions of solidarity taking place all over Europe, as well as Russia and Australia are greatly appreciated. Please join in and support the struggle for autonomous commons and the resistance against the neoliberal repression. The homepage of "Ungdomshuset" has been shot down but a mirror has been set up (in English). Also there is a short video-introduction produced before the eviction. latest updates 03.03.2007 00:09 some videos of last nights confrontations on the following list http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=97565E62AFBFA97A Last night confrontation continued way into the night, with much of the activities being centred around Freetown Christiania. Danish media (www.dr.dk - danish language) reports strong support in the local area despite the damage caused in the riots yesterday. More than two hundred activists and protestors were arrested last night and most have faced judges today and are detained for a minimum of two weeks. There has been acts of solidarity in poland, germany, finland, turkey and england today (please add any further information) Danish police are coming in from all over the country to defend the Christian sect 'Faderhuset' (not related to the Danish Church) and their newly acquired Ungdomshus. Today there has been minor skirmishes leading up to the major meeting at 'Folkets Hus' (the people's house'), which was closed to press and police. Tactics, actions, demonstrations and so forth were discussed, the rest you will have to figure out on your own. Currently a number of activists as well as at least one major demonstration, potentially containing a couple of thousands of people is nearing the area of 'Ungdomshuset' ( see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGvtpgm12Rg). The demonstration has just seen the first cobblestones and molotows thrown as the police attempt to disperse the demonstration, teargas fired... more information to follow. international update 3.3 4 am. 03.03.2007 02:59 There has been several fires and barricades all over Copenhagen, but mainly concentrated in the burrough called N?rrebro. Though actual fights have been limited, it seems that "task teams" of protesters are starting fires all over the city to keep the police occupied. As soon one fire is put out, another is started somewhere else. The fires are mainly comprimised of cars drawn out on the streets, large garbage containers, bicycles and construction parts such as wood. At 4 am, around 400 people had been arrested over the last couple of days, including people from Norway, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Sweden, Poland and more. Lasse ----- Youth House vs. Father House 04.03.2007 00:02 David sent this out back in January '07, thought i'd repost it for people to put this into some context from a US musician's perspective. -------------------------------------------------------------- Youth House vs. Father House David Rovics There are certain things that jump out at you as soon as you arrive in Denmark. One thing you?ll notice, especially if you come from a place within that large mass of the world that is at least a bit closer to the equator, is that there is rarely anything you?d call direct sunlight. It?s twilight most of the time. In the summer it?s only really dark for an hour or so, but it?s never completely light, either. In the winter it?s dark most of the time, and the darkness is often accompanied by a cold, light rain. You?ll also quickly notice that there are far more people with blond hair and blue eyes per capita than just about anywhere else you?re likely to have been, and at any given time, a vast number of them are riding bicycles. All the cities feature elegant networks of bike paths and lots of pedestrian-only streets. The country is largely designed for use by bicycle, train and foot, and most people think this is as it should be. There is universal health care and higher education, and every Dane I?ve ever met thinks that this is self-evidently a good thing. While Denmark may be an easy place to be a social democrat, it?s different if you?re an anarchist squatter. If you reject the notion of private property you are outside of the social contract. If you think that when a building is abandoned and empty, people have the right to move into it and make use of it regardless of what individual or corporate entity officially owns it, you are a pariah to be vilified, violently opposed, or bought off, whatever works. It?s early December, 2006, and along with the scant sunlight and the blonds on bicycles, another thing becomes quickly apparent. Some people have been hard at work with large posters and cans of wheatpaste, and the city of Copenhagen has been blanketed with a picture of somebody?s fist and the words ?Ungdomshuset ? the Final Battle.? Below that are more specific bits of information ? the Final Battle is taking place between December 13th-17th, and so on. Tattooed on the fist are the numbers ?69? for 69 Jagtvej, the address of Ungdomshuset. Ungdomshuset means Youth House ? using really literal names like this is very common in Scandinavia. The Final Battle may not make the news in most of the world, but in Denmark it will be material for headlines. Ungomshuset is the last anarchist-run, squatted social center in Denmark outside of Christiania, and an institute of iconic significance throughout Scandinavia. I?m on a tour of Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and in every city I visit it?s easy to find posters alerting people to the Final Battle, encouraging everybody to get on the buses that will be headed to Ungdomshuset from Oslo, Trondheim and even as far away as Moscow, rumor has it. The 1980?s was the heyday of the autonomous movement in Denmark, Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Thousands of mostly young people squatted hundreds of abandoned buildings in dozens of urban centers, creating alternative societies that embraced community, art, music, and a culture of resistance that rejected consumerism and empire. A community was formed that rejected the domination of the world by multinational corporations and the governments that supported them, whether they be outright militarist states like the US or more watered-down NATO members like Denmark. They defended their squats in pitched battles with police, and at the same time debated sexism within their movement and organized protests in support of refugees and against nuclear power. The movement existed in a near-constant state of siege. Many squats were ultimately taken by force by the police, and others were legalized. Not far from Ungdomshuset is Bumzen, one of the now-legal former squats, which still has the dynamic atmosphere of a squat, with residents constantly making artistic and structural improvements to the 5-story building in which they live. Most of the residents are actively involved with day-to-day life in Ungdomshuset. They run Ungomshuset?s infoshop, sell beer behind the bar, organize concerts in one of several performance spaces, use one of the many rooms on the upper floors as rehearsal spaces for bands or rooms for holding workshops, meetings, film screenings. They cook vegan meals for the community using the massive pots and pans in the kitchen. I remember one of the first times I played a concert at Ungdomshuset. There I was in the bar surrounded by black flags with skulls and crossbones, and people of all ages, but mostly in their 20?s, mostly dressed in black, except for the glittering silver of nose rings, lip rings, eyebrow rings and other various facial piercings. There were probably a hundred people in the room, most of whom listened to a lot more punk rock than acoustic folk. It was a standing room-only situation, but when I started playing there was silence in the room, and everybody was listening to every word. Everybody in Denmark learns English in school from an early age, but there are still various levels of English fluency. Nearly all the anarchists of Copenhagen speak English extremely well, and often a couple other languages to boot. They are a highly educated, well-traveled bunch, as accustomed to discussing World Bank policy or the history of Spain as they are to defending themselves against marauding police. The peak moment of the autonomous movement in Denmark may be in the past, but to hang around Ungdomshuset you get the distinct feeling that you are in the center of a movement that is far from waning. You get the feeling you are in the midst of a force of nature, a militant but thoughtful phenomenon with a collective sense of itself. I played that show years ago, and some of the folks from behind the bar took me to Bumzen a few blocks away, where they put me up for several days. They showed me to my penthouse suite, a sort of attic space with a little porch overlooking much of the Norrebro neighborhood. Before I climbed the ladder that led to my little room I was handed a clean duvet for my bed, a lamp, an alarm clock and a bag of pot. (They had ascertained I was a hippie and correctly surmised I would appreciate such a thing.) Looking around my attic apartment, on the little porch overlooking the street far below, lit up by the moon there was a large box full of empty bottles. Bumzen may at that point have become legal, but there was still the problem of the occasional gang of Nazis, who don?t like immigrants or anarchists, and it?s important to be prepared. Now in the last month of 2006 and back at Ungdomshuset, I?m about to play another concert. The place is bustling even more than usual. Adam, a member of the collective, asks me if I want a tour of the place. I?m tired from hours of driving and not thinking clearly, and I ask him if anything?s new since the last time I was there. ?The barricade-builders have been hard at work,? he replies. Ah yes, it?s the beginning of the month, and for some weeks now the community has been in high gear. The battles in and out of court have apparently been lost, and this squat that has been a flourishing social center for 25 years is facing it?s biggest challenge. In a bizarre twist, a rightwing Christian sect called Faderhuset (Father House) has bought the historic building with the intention of destroying it. The leadership of this sect seems as intent on levelling this well-known anarchist center as it is intent on making money in the real estate market. The 5-story building that is now Ungdomshuset was built in 1897 by the Danish labor movement, and was for many decades known as Folkets Huset (People?s House). VI Lenin spoke there before he launched the Russian Revolution. The Second International took place there. From that house the first International Women?s Day was declared. It fell into disrepair in the late 70?s. A supermarket chain bought it, wanted to level it and turn it into another supermarket, but the city wouldn?t allow the destruction of the historic building. When it was squatted by the anarchist youth and declared Ungdomshuset in 1982, the city eventually decided to let them keep it, but there has always been contention over this, and over who was the official owner of the building. For the first time since the building was squatted, a majority of the Copenhagen city council is in favor of the house staying, but they say there?s nothing that they can do, it?s owned now by Faderhuset and property law is property law. Half the well-known bands in Denmark, it seems, are playing shows in the house during the first half of December, and lots of prominent artists and other public figures are speaking out in support of the Youth House. ?Ungdomshuset blir? ? Ungdomshuset stays ? has become the rallying cry for all self-respecting leftwingers in Denmark. Anarchist youth have organized many protests in recent months that have been met with wanton police brutality. Some of the brutality has made national news, but the protests and the brutality continue unabated. Politicians have tried to negotiate with Faderhuset to sell the building to a leftwing foundation that would then give it to the youth, but there is no negotiating with this Christian sect. At the same time as the negotiations are happening, the government is preparing it?s armed assault on Ungdomshuset. Rumors are flying, and one of them is that the police force that will attack the house will be comprised entirely of volunteers ? cops who really like the idea of beating up punk kids. Inside Ungdomshuset, preparations for the defense of the building are making it look more like a medieval castle with each passing day. Two of the most talented barricade-builders were arrested at the last protest at the headquarters of Faderhuset, and are both facing deportation to North America. Massive beams of wood reinforced by steel are blocking doorways and windows, and if one defense is breached there is another beyond it. I?m reminded of other heavily-armored buildings I?ve been to, like when I had to go to the US embassy in London to get a new passport, or when I visited Sinn Fein?s headquarters in Dublin. In past assaults, the police have gone onto the roof or, using cranes, through the second-floor windows, rather than attempting to ram through the formidable barricades on the ground floor. There are too many windows to turn the entire building into the kind of fortress the ground floor has become, but no effort is being spared to do just that. The upper-story windows from which you could once look out at the neighborhood are now completely barricaded, and the only light that shines within Ungdomshuset now is artificial. The most famous rock band in Danish history, a leftwing band that has been putting out great music since the 60?s, Savage Rose, played at Ungdomshuset on December 13th. Over the following weekend, thousands of Danish supporters of the Youth House, along with thousands more from all over Scandinavia, Germany and elsewhere in Europe took part in protests and other actions that the press was generally describing as the worst riots in Copenhagen since 1993 (during the battle over whether Denmark should join the European Union). That weekend had been set by the city as the day the youth had to vacate the premises. But with posters all over Scandinavia alerting all to the Final Battle, the city changed it?s mind, and is now saying that they will set the date when the house must be vacated later. Later, after the Youth House?s supporters have long since gone back to their countries of origin. Later, probably later at night, probably at 4 o?clock on a Monday morning, after the previous evening?s activities are long over, when the only people up are the few dedicated collective members on guard duty. Perhaps the barricades will hold off the police long enough for a call to go out to supporters across the city, in time for them to watch the building get stormed by 300 heavily-armed riot police backed by battering rams, cranes and helicopters. But history has not been written yet, last-minute compromises have been made in the past, and support for the Youth House within Danish society is steadily growing as the days go on. The unions have said that they will not work under conditions that call for police protection. Without them Faderhuset would have to try to find sufficient scab labor to demolish the house and build something new in it?s place. No small feat in a country where the vast majority of workers are unionized. The Final Battle for Ungdomshuset will probably come in one form or another. Many people are predicting late January. But how the dance between the autonomous youth, the authorities, and civil society will play out is yet to be seen. Whatever happens, though, the Danish media will be covering it, and the international media will ignore it. For the rest of the world, there is no Danish autonomous youth movement. For the rest of the world, Denmark will continue to be the mild-mannered social democracy with blonds on bicycles who all have cradle-to-grave health insurance, where it is always twilight. Not a country where state-sponsored vigilantes smash through the windows of community centers to go and systematically pulverize children with clubs. David Rovics is a singer-songwriter who tours regularly throughout North America, Europe, and occasionally elsewhere. His website is www.davidrovics.com. Rovics repost article from danish indymedia 08.03.2007 11:31 Thanks for a great weekend. Its been amazing taking to the streets with you all. None of us will ever be the same again. Ritt (the mayor of Copenhagen), gathered all the Danish police in Copenhagen to prevent us from reacting, on the eviction of Ungdomshuset. That didn?t stop us. We defied everything and created history. With millitary precision the police made a surgical incision. But the boil they thought that they were to remove in a flash, soon spread all over the city and to places such as Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Gothenburg, Trondheim, Malmo, Oslo, Stockholm, Istanbul, Vienna, ?rhus, Horsens, Ume?, Karlskrona and many more places. It was covered by all the Danish media and it was the top story with CNN, BCC and Al Jazeera. This weekend we have proven once and for all, that we are not a marginalized subculture, but a large, and growing, group of young people. When people riot on a scale like this weekend, it is proof that something is totally wrong. In a democratic country, all the alarms should be ringing, when you send in the whole police force to fight down a social and cultural uprising. But a social and cultural uprising can take on many forms. One thing is burning cars, something else is taking the fight into our everyday lives. Now it is Monday morning. And the weekdays are back. The kind of weekdays where you go to work and school, shop for dinner and take the bus. And maybe doubt is beginning to kick in. Will the system get the last word, if you get up this morning, and drink your coffee and go to work as usual? The capitalist society has got us by the throat, but we have shown them that it doesn?t have to be like that. When doubt sticks its head out, that is when we have to learn form it. It is there for obvious reasons. Our friends have been unjustly imprisoned in huge numbers. We have been poisoned with gas, beaten with clubs, and had our homes raided. It?s all right to be afraid. But can we continue our lives like nothing happened? NO! Cause this Monday is not like the others. The creativity and energy that has been released can be used to keep the struggle going, and we are the ones who will decide how to carry on the fight. We will keep on coming back again and again. Time after time we break the systems frames of perception. We will keep on doing the unexplainable and selfexplanatory things. The unexpected and unpredictable. We want everything. We took a big step and showed how important this social and cultural struggle is. A struggle where so many will risk so much to get the attention of the world around them. But the struggle for more free spaces, where we can show our resistance against a tendency of normalization that only wishes to make people more effective, docile and obedient, must be fought in the schools, at work and on the social security office. The energy we exhibited in the weekend, is the core in a society, the holds more than cafe latte, nuclear families and pension funds. Its about much more than a house. Its about our lives and the future, about how society as a whole should develop. We have drawn the eyes of the world to a fight, that is fought everywhere. We have created history, and history will not be forgotten in one day. Even though today is Monday, the struggle continues. Don?t push away the daily routine like it can?t be changed. Use it. Tell your fellow students and colleagues about our struggle. Remember that we are many. Now we must stand together and look out for each other. We must make big plans, and on top of that it will be great fun too. Are you ready? This is bigger than Jagtvej 69. article snatched from danish indymedia ------------------------------------------------------------ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6408525.stm Clashes erupt at Danish eviction Police were anticipating that trouble might spread across the capital Dozens of people have been arrested in Denmark after violence erupted amid a police operation to evict squatters. Protesters threw cobblestones at police and set makeshift barricades on fire outside the Copenhagen building, which has become a cause celebre in Denmark. Police in riot gear blocked the streets while an anti-terror squad dropped from helicopters onto the building's roof. Squatters have occupied the building since 1982, but it was sold by the local council in 2000. The buyers, a Christian group, have a court order to have the squatters evicted - but they have vowed not to leave. The building has been used as a base for left-wing activists for more than two decades. They say the council had no right to sell the building while it was still in use. A protest against the eviction plans in December turned violent, and more than 300 people were arrested. Reinforcements Shop owners in the Noerrebro district began boarding up windows after the operation began at about 0700 (0600 GMT). Youths gathered behind protest lines yelling at police and throwing missiles. "We have arrested 30 people who were in the building and some 40 others in surrounding streets," police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch told the AFP news agency. He said the operation had gone to plan but that police had called in reinforcements, fearing that clashes could spread. "We are in control of the situation and we are prepared for fresh trouble," he said. ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070308111107493 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6422345.stm Squatter riot polarises Danes Thursday, March 08 2007 @ 11:11 AM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 340 As Danes view the drab rubble of what was once a vibrant youth centre few applaud the decision to demolish a hotbed of creative youth culture. But even fewer condone the organised outrage of youths that left parts of Copenhagen resembling a war zone. Danish anger smoulders over squat By Julian Isherwood BBC News, Copenhagen As Danes view the drab rubble of what was once a vibrant youth centre few applaud the decision to demolish a hotbed of creative youth culture. But even fewer condone the organised outrage of youths that left parts of Copenhagen resembling a war zone. "This was our refuge," said 17-year-old Mette, as she tearfully watched a giant crane tear down the final stones of concert rooms at the Ungdomshuset that she visited and slept in each week. "Shame on you," screamed the red-and-white banner held by youngsters incensed by their powerlessness in the face of adult decision-making. Copenhagen's Social Democratic Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard remained adamant on Tuesday. "I will not negotiate with people responsible for this violence," she said. National debate It is the latest shock to hit Denmark - a nation whose self-confidence was shaken by the violent Muslim protests worldwide over Danish cartoons that satirised the Prophet Muhammad. Other Danish politicians have been attempting to reach agreement with young activists to stop further violence and find a new home for the capital's alternative youth scene. "Our citizens have been left in the lurch by the irresponsibility of the mayor," said Unity List's Morten Kabell. The task is not easy. Neighbours of the empty school premises suggested as a new Ungdomshuset have already vehemently rejected the plans to house the youth centre - just as neighbours of the now demolished building breathe a sigh of relief. "It was noisy, but in general we had few problems - when things were going right. When they went wrong, and it did on several occasions, it was terrible," said one couple, whose apartment overlooks a now empty lot. To the small shopkeepers on Jagtvejen (Hunter's Road) and the hundreds of neighbours the marked police presence in the Noerrebro area and the running battles and destruction were unwelcome intrusions in one of Copenhagen's most distinctive quarters. Culture of tolerance In many ways, the outbursts of unconventional youngsters were easy to understand in a city priding itself on tolerance of alternative lifestyles. >From the hippies of Christiania to the youths of Ungdomshuset, Copenhagen has been a city of indulgence. But if there is one thing that Danes cannot tolerate, it is outside interference and a blatant refusal to accept compromise. The Ungdomshuset case also suggests troubling undercurrents of violence in a society that is otherwise relaxed, broad-minded, committed to compromise. The intransigence of both sides, with Mayor Bjerregaard refusing further talks and the Ungdomshuset organisation refusing to find a middle ground, contains the seeds of further unrest. Seen from a Danish perspective, it is difficult to apportion blame for the violence. Was it the fault of the youths who started the squat in the early 1980s? Or was it the authorities who allowed the squat to continue for so many years because the building was empty? Was it the politicians who suggested the building would remain a youth centre and then changed their minds? Or was it the increasingly anarchic youths who in the latter stages refused to accept any other buildings? In the event, the council's sale of the run-down building to the Faderhuset (Father's House) religious sect was like holding up a red rag to inflame young anarchists. For them any religious mission is anathema. A court decision to order the building emptied, quashing the hopes of increasingly powerless and vehement young people, was the last straw. Of the 650 people detained by police during the disturbances, about half came from what seems to be a network of European youth anarchist movements that promptly answered the call-to-arms of its Danish brethren. Judging from the well-organised battle plans and the cases of prepared projectiles and petrol bombs found in Ungdomshuset, Europe would do well not to underestimate the anti-establishment resolve of some of its more politicised youths. ================================================= http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,469509,00.html Danes Clash With Cops After Youth Center Eviction Burning cars, barricades, hails of cobblestones: Protests against the eviction of a youth center in Copenhagen turned nasty on Thursday. With more demonstrators expected from near and far, the Danish police are bracing themselves for fresh trouble. Danish police arrested up to 250 people on Thursday after violent street clashes broke out in Copenhagen over the eviction of squatters from a left-wing youth center. The highly publicized case brought sympathizers from other countries to the Danish capital to take part in the protests, and there were also protests in Germany and Norway. Photo Gallery: Street Clashes in Copenhagen At 7 a.m. local time on Thursday, anti-terror police dropped onto the roof of the building from helicopters while riot police secured the surrounding streets. Police officers perched on a crane and aimed water cannon through the windows while other officers dragged the squatters out of the building. Hundreds of demonstrators reacted by setting cars, trashcans and makeshift barricades on fire and throwing bottles and cobblestones at the police. Police vans smashed through the barricades and officers chased the demonstrators down the street. Violence flared up again on Thursday evening after the youth center's Web site called for supporters to gather near the house. More than 1,000 protesters threw bricks and bottles at hundreds of riot police -- who responded with teargas. The authorities said that at least three people had been injured, including one protester who blew off his hand trying to hurl firecrackers in the direction of the police. At least 17 of those arrested are reported to be foreigners, nine of them German. Now the Danish authorities have tightened border restrictions with Germany and Sweden in order to prevent more sympathizers from arriving in Copenhagen. The "Ungdomshuset" center in the multi-ethnic working class district of Norrebo had been occupied by young squatters since 1982 and had been used as a base for left-wing activists. It was sold to a Christian group by the state in 2000 but the occupants refused to leave and the new owners got a court order to have them evicted. The conflict over the center has been simmering ever since, with the youths living in the house refusing a proposal to move to another building. The center has become something of a cause c?l?bre for the far-left anarchist scene across Europe and the squatters had asked people to come to support them in their hour of need. Last December, protests by around 1,000 people against the eviction plans turned into street clashes, and more than 300 people were arrested. In Germany there were spontaneous demonstrations on Thursday evening to protest the Danish eviction. In Hamburg, around 800 people demonstrated against police, and threw bottles and street signs. The youths also dragged construction material onto the road and set bins alight. Police prevented around 100 people from demonstrating outside the Danish consulate in the city. In Hanover around 20 demonstrators clashed with police, while another 120 peacefully marched in the city center. In Oslo, Norway, around 150 demonstrators threw snowballs and paintbombs at the Danish embassy. And three men were arrested in the southern Swedish city of Malm? for carrying flammable material and explosives -- they are suspected of wanting to go to join the protests in Copenhagen. Police spokesman Per Larsen told the Associated Press that officers from around the country were on their way to the capital to reinforce their colleagues over the coming days. Fresh trouble is expected. smd/spiegel/reuters/ap http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=1320§ionid=3510206 Danish protestors clash with police Sat, 03 Mar 2007 09:44:19 Hundreds of protestors took to the streets, setting at least four cars on fire early Saturday as a new round of violent street clashes hit the Danish capital, sparked by the eviction of squatters from a downtown building. According to AFP, hundreds of police officers in riot gear used tear gas to disperse the crowd, pushing away demonstrators and onlookers in order to allow firefighters to put out the blazes which sent smoke billowing into the night sky. Copenhagen police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said at least 100 people were arrested, adding that "one of the arrested was injured and taken to a hospital." Steen said that police officers had been out in force all day Friday, patrolling the troubled neighborhoods of Noerrebro and Christianshavn where 217 people were arrested on Thursday after the activists clashed with police. Two authorized demonstrations were expected to be held in Copenhagen on Saturday, Steen said earlier, adding that he feared further violence would flare up during the weekend. "Police reinforcements were called in from across the country to prevent any escalation in violence." Demonstrators, many of them in their teens, were angry at Thursday's dawn raid to evict the squatters from the Ungdomshuset, which has served as free public housing for years. It has also been a popular cultural center for anarchists, punk rockers and left-wing groups, where performers have included Australian musician Nick Cave and Icelandic singer Bjork. Meanwhile, sympathy protests were also held in Hamburg in northern Germany and in Norway, Sweden and Finland. In the southwestern Swedish city Malmo, police arrested three people Friday in connection with the Copenhagen clashes, the Swedish news agency TT said. They were held on suspicion of planning to participate in violent protests and possession of explosives and flammable material. The eviction had been planned since last year, when courts ordered the squatters to hand the building over to a Christian congregation that had bought it six years ago. The squatters refused, saying the city had no right to sell the building while it was still in use. http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=international%20news&subclass=general&story_id=562753&category=General Monday, 5 March 2007View all news | Send to a friend | Print Danish protests fire up again Mattias Karen Protesters threw rocks at police and set fire to rubbish bins in Copenhagen last night, raising fears the Danish capital would see a third night of rioting. Police said 16 people had been arrested as scuffles were reported in different parts of the city after a day of relative calm. But the incidents appeared minor compared with the clashes between riot police and leftist youths that turned parts of the city into a battle zone for two consecutive nights. More than 500 people, including scores of foreigners, have been arrested in riots that began on Thursday after an anti-terrorism squad evicted squatters from a disputed youth centre in the Noerrebro district. More than 200 protesters were arrested early yesterday after overnight clashes in which hundreds of protesters hurled cobblestones at riot police who responded with tear gas, authorities said. A school was vandalised and several buildings were damaged by fire as flames spread from burning cars and rubbish bins. One protester was reportedly wounded in the violence early on Saturday, while 25 were injured in riots the night before in what police called Denmark's worst riots in a decade. City jails were filling up, with 115 people remanded into custody, including 25 foreigners, the head of Copenhagen Prisons, Peter Vesterheden, said. "This is a display of anger and rage after more than seven years of struggle to keep what is ours," 22-year-old activist Jan said, adding that he had been coming to the building for 10 years. Hundreds of officers in riot gear patrolled the area near the building late on Saturday. There were isolated reports of small bands of protesters pelting officers with firecrackers and rocks. Police also said some protesters were pulling rubbish bins into the street, and in some cases setting them on fire. Dozens of police vans were patrolling the Noerrebro district with flashing blue lights, breaking up gatherings of protesters to prevent a larger mob from forming. Police said several of those arrested were carrying Molotov cocktails or firecrackers, but that no significant violence was reported. The protesters see their fight to keep the "Youth House", a four-story building used by young squatters since the 1980s, as symbolic of a wider struggle against a capitalist establishment. Built in 1897, it was a community theatre for the labour movement and a culture and conference centre. Vladimir Lenin was among its visitors. In recent years, it has hosted concerts with performers like Australian musician Nick Cave and Icelandic singer Bjork. The eviction had been planned since last year, when courts ordered the squatters to hand the building over to a Christian congregation that bought it six years ago. The squatters refused to leave, saying the city had no right to sell the building. They have demanded another building for free as a replacement. As news of the riots spread, sympathisers around Europe rallied support for the protesters. In a sign that the Danish youth expected foreign help, the web page of Ungdomshuset, or the Youth House, posted a warning in English that Danish police had increased border controls. The clashes were Denmark's worst since May 18, 1993, when police fired into a crowd of rioters protesting the outcome of a European Union referendum. Ten of the protesters were wounded. AP http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070301064026461&query=ungdomshuset Copenhagen Youths Riot Over Plan to Tear Down Culture Center Thursday, March 01 2007 @ 06:40 AM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 586 March 1 (Bloomberg) -- Hundreds of youths in Copenhagen disrupted traffic with roadblocks and bonfires and clashed with police to protest the planned demolition of a culture center. Copenhagen Youths Riot Over Plan to Tear Down Culture Center By Christian Wienberg March 1 (Bloomberg) -- Hundreds of youths in Copenhagen disrupted traffic with roadblocks and bonfires and clashed with police to protest the planned demolition of a culture center. The Danish capital's police made at least 80 arrests while clearing squatters from the center that's known as ungdomshuset. The operation began at 7 a.m. local time and involved the use of a helicopter to land riot-squad officers on the roof, police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said in a telephone interview. One protester received injuries requiring hospitalization, he said. Youths have used the center in the Noerrebro district since the city turned it over to squatters in 1982. In 2000, the city sold the center, a forum for alternative music and art, to a Christian group that plans to tear it down and build a church. Patrons lost suits in which they claimed ownership of the building, and held protests in an effort to block the plan. Protesters have barricaded the center since early December. ``I advise the young people to remain calm and not to become too aggressive,'' Justice Minister Lene Espersen said in an interview with the broadcaster TV2. Traffic remained disrupted by early afternoon in the city, as hundreds of youths continued to protest in the streets, Munch said. Police controlled the interior of the building, he said. Among those under arrest are youths who punched police officers and threw rocks, as well as those who refused to leave the center when police stormed it, Munch said. To contact the reporter on this story: Christian Wienberg in Copenhagen cwienberg at bloomberg.net . http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aTGNke.EOpFM&refer=europe ------------------------------------------------------------------ http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_6410000/newsid_6418500/6418565.stm Denmark rioters' squat demolished Activists watched the building's demolition from a distance Bulldozers have begun the demolition of a building at the centre of rioting in the Danish capital Copenhagen, after the eviction of squatters last week. About 650 people have been arrested following three nights of clashes between protesters and police. The unrest has been some of the worst seen in the Danish capital for decades. The trouble began after an anti-terror squad raided the Ungdomshuset building, which had been occupied by left-wing activists since the 1980s. The local government sold the building to a Christian group in 2000, which then obtained a court order to have the squatters evicted. Mechanical diggers bring the Ungdomshuset crashing to earth Enlarge Image But the activists vowed not to leave, saying the council had no right to sell the building while it was still in use. They feared the Ungdomshuset, or Youth House, which had become an international cause celebre, would be knocked down if they were turned out. And so it turned out on Monday morning, when at 0800 (0700 GMT) the demolition began. Workmen wore masks and the company names on their vehicles were blacked out, apparently as a precaution against any reprisals. The scene was watched over by large numbers of police and a small number of young people. "They are breaking my heart. I cannot stand it," said Birgitte, a black-clad 21-year-old woman with dreadlocks. 'Ringleaders' held' The capital had been relatively quiet for the previous 24 hours, though earlier the confrontation over the house provoked some of the worst unrest in decades. The districts of Noerrebro and Christiania were left looking like a war zone after barricades and cars were set on fire. Protesters tore up cobble stones and hurled them at police, who had responded with organised charges, the BBC's Julian Isherwood reported. Police said they had many of the ringleaders of the rioting in cells by Monday, after making a large number of arrests over the weekend. Many have been remanded in custody for up to two weeks, and some of the foreign nationals involved - predominantly from Germany and Sweden - are being deported. The weekend also saw peaceful demonstrations taking place in support of the protesters. Around 1,000 bicyclists staged a mounted protest on Sunday, while banners proclaiming "Long live Ungdomshuset!" and "Stop police violence!" were held aloft. ------------------------------------------------------------------ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6411559.stm Danish police expect more clashes Protesters set fire to makeshift barricades on Thursday Police in Denmark are braced for more violence after the eviction of squatters from a youth centre in the capital Copenhagen. At least 217 people were arrested on Thursday after clashes around the Youth House (Ungdomshuset) building in the Noerrebro district. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has condemned the rioters. Left-wing activists have occupied the building since 1982 but it was sold by the local council in 2000. Large numbers of police officers are patrolling the districts of Noerrebro and the famous hippy enclave of Christiania. Reinforcements from other parts of Denmark have been called in, as the authorities anticipate more violence. The prime minister told the Danish news agency Ritzau: "It is utterly reprehensible that a few trouble-makers continue to create disorder." A Christian group called Faderhuset bought the Ungdomshuset, now a cause celebre in Denmark, in 2001. It had a court order to have the squatters evicted but they vowed not to leave saying the council had no right to sell the building while it was still in use. Thursday's operation to evict the squatters began at about 0700 (0600 GMT) and ended in scenes described by Danish media as a war zone. Police in riot gear blocked the streets as an anti-terror squad dropped from helicopters onto the building's roof in a dawn raid. Youths then gathered behind protest lines, yelling at police and throwing missiles. Riots spread The violence later spread to towards Christiania. About 25 people were injured following the eviction of the 35 squatters. Among those arrested were foreigners from France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Lithuania, New Zealand and the US. There were further protests by sympathisers of the activists outside Danish diplomatic missions in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Austria. Last December, a protest in Copenhagen against the eviction plans turned violent, and more than 300 people were arrested. ------------------------------------------------- http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070222135636138&query=ungdomshuset Update on the Struggle of Ungdomshuset (Youth House) in Copenhagen, Denmark Thursday, February 22 2007 @ 01:56 PM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 654 While representatives of ungdomshuset met with the head mayor of Copenhagen French activists occupied the Danish consulate in Lyon. Also Berlin and Moscow activists have carried through support actions within the last week. A meeting in Copenhagen and actions in France, Germany and Russia from http://ungdomshuset.dk While representatives of ungdomshuset met with the head mayor of Copenhagen French activists occupied the Danish consulate in Lyon. Also Berlin and Moscow activists have carried through support actions within the last week. At a meeting at city hall today people from the house met with politicians of the Social Democratic Party to re-present the four demands from the house. Stating that a new house has to be in our local area, has to be as big or bigger than ungdomshuset, has to be self governed and has to be given to us. The politicians still refuse to give us a house despite the fact that they have sold the one we have today. So the meeting did not lead to a solution to the ongoing conflict. But the politicians and the foundation supporting us will look at one more unexplored option. Still nobody is getting there hopes up. Never trust a politician. While the meeting was being held at city hall the local government got a fax from France stating that the Danish consulate was occupied in solidarity with ungdomshuset. 15 had made there way into the consulate and 50 others handed out leaflets on the street. Just a week ago activist in Berlin demonstrated in front of the Danish embassy and handed over a letter of support to the Danish delegates. The day after the action in Germany activist in Moscow did street theater at the Danish embassy there. Read more about the action in Berlin, Germany http://indymedia.dk/article/854 See the video from the action in Moscow http://indyvideo.ru/video/2006/20061216_daniya.wmv 20. februar 2007 ------------------ To all friends of ungdomshuset ungdomshuset has said no to buying another house but has left a door open for the politicians. We will not pay to solve a problem they have created. If they want us to move they can try offering us a house for free, But since they are not willing to do so we expect an eviction soon. The present situation of the house is as follows: The mayor of Copenhagen, Ritt Bjerregaard, has last week put up a ridiculous 'solution' to the conflict. She has suggested that the foundation 'Jagtvej 69', which was originally established by supporters of the house to attempt to buy back the ungdomshuset, should just buy another house for us who use the house. We have answered: 'NO fucking way!' and and have explained this answer by saying that there�s no way that the city council can escape the trouble they themselves have started by offering to sell us a house. Secondly, more importantly, the existence of self governed free spaces must never depend on having enough money to buy them. ungdomshuset has put out one simple re-demand to the mayor: If she presents a house (of same or larger size, with the same facilities as the present one) under the exact same terms as those under which ungdomshuset was given to the squatter movement in 1982, then we�ll talk to her, not before. The '82 terms were simple: An unbreakable contract from the city, giving the usage of the house to the squatters for free, forever. As we write this, rumors of an upcoming eviction attempt are swirling. Some are no doubt born from stirred up paranoia, but some are not. What we know is this: A large number of cops have been called from other cities to Copenhagen, and they are preparing a larger action. This could very well be a sign that eviction is near at hand. We hope that our comrades far and wide will be ready to react when the time comes. If you have the possibility to go to Copenhagen in the days before and following an eviction, there will be arranged sleeping places and accommodation around the city. It's a time for action and no matter what happens; ungdomshuset will not go quietly into the night. See you on the barricades! ungdomshuset February 9th 2007 9. februar 2007 http://www.cphpost.dk/get/100706.html Mayor loses patience with protestorsNew user? Login Password: Search articles 05.03.2007Print article (IE & NS 4+) Communication between city officials and young people is strained after a weekend of continued violent protests in the wake of the closing down of an illegal youth centre Under the banner, 'Flowers not bricks', over 1000 demonstrators made their way on bicycle to City Hall Square Sunday in a peaceful show of support for a youth centre closed down by police late last week. The demonstration marked one of the few peaceful episodes during a weekend of violent clashes between police and protestors after residents of the Ungdomshuset youth collective were evicted Thursday. Nearly 700 people have been arrested and dozens of cars and a school have been torched in one of the largest demonstrations of social unrest ever seen in the capital. Rioters were expressing their dissatisfaction that the Faderhuset Christian congregation was now the rightful owner of the youth centre that had served as a gathering place, concert hall and halfway home for alternative youths since 1982. Their aggressive tactics had alienated much of the N?rrebro district where the collective was located, however. Residents had grown weary of smashed car windows and store windows, as well as burnt bicycles and rubbish bins. Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard admitted that she had had enough, too. She said the protests, which caused DKK 14 million in damages, had drained her patience. 'I think they are completely out of line with what we can accept,' she told Politiken newspaper. 'Violence isn't a viable means in a society like ours.' Although Bjerregaard stated she would not spend any more time trying to find a new building for the displaced young people, supporters are urging the council to keep the lines of communications open. They point out that the sheer size of the protests demand political action. 'Even though there were 500 people sitting in jail after two days of fighting in the streets, 2000 people took part in peaceful demonstration,' said Tommy Hansen, a representative for the group More Youth Centres. 'That's proof that we are no small group.' http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=3c804b28-9b5c-4436-ba70-249f53ad1854 Bicycle bells replace blazes in protest Cyclists in support of the youth house Ungdomshuset protest peacefully in Copenhagen, Denmark, after nights of violence. Photograph by : CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS, REUTERS SLIM ALLAGUI, AFP Published: Monday, March 05, 2007 About 1,000 cyclists rode through Copenhagen yesterday, replacing days of violent protests with the peaceful chiming of bike bells, while a separate group urged protesters to throw flowers at police instead of rocks. Ringing their way through the Danish capital, the demonstrators carried banners in support of Ungdomshuset, a building famed as a centre of underground culture that was shut last week. "Long live Ungdomshuset!" and "Stop police violence!" read some of the signs passing under the watchful gaze of a huge police presence, still on high alert after days of violent clashes. "The situation has improved considerably, but we remain on alert," police spokesperson Lars Borg said. Police arrested 196 people "on different charges" overnight to Sunday, Borg said, pointing out the latest protests had been "much calmer, with only very few incidents involving rubbish bins set on fire, large firecrackers and the burning of a single car." Large police forces remained posted in the Noerrebro and Christiania neighbourhoods where the violence first ignited on Thursday, when police evicted squatters from Ungdomshuset, or "the youth house." The building has acquired a cult reputation in Copenhagen as a haven for rebels, punks and squatters since the 1980s when the Danish capital gave the groups permission to move into the centre. The building, which has served among other things as a concert venue and featured shows by big stars like Icelandic pop artist Bjoerk and Australian musician Nick Cave, was recently sold to the Christian group Fadershuset, which requested the eviction of the youths. An August 2006 court ruling ordered the occupants to be evicted from the centre, which they insist belongs to them. Since the beginning of the protests, which have included rioters hurling petrol bombs and stones, 647 people have been arrested, including 140 foreigners, mainly Germans and Scandinavians, suspected of involvement in the disturbances. Although less violent, yesterday's protesters were adamant that Ungdomshuset should be spared. "It is a great place where everyone is welcome except for racists, and where there are lots of activities that you can't find elsewhere," said 13-year-old Anders Lemvig, who with his brand new punk outfit and haircut marched on foot in the bicycle demonstration. When the bicycle demonstration arrived at city hall, followed by dozens of police vans, it was joined by another group of protesters marching under the banner "flowers not cobblestones." http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070307102930726&query=ungdomshuset Sabotage against company working on demolition of Ungdomshuset squat Wednesday, March 07 2007 @ 10:29 AM PST Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 284 Tuesday, 6th March, 14:23 -- Two lorries was set ablaze last night in the parking lot of 3x34 Transport's main office. The fire was started deliberately and the police have been informed. The company writes on their homepage, that friday 2nd of march they had a transport from Jagtvej 69. The company has since received threaths against their vans, materials and personel. The company writes that "3x34 Transport is a political neutral company and works that way, and as a starting point, will transport any order no matter political, religious or ethnic ground". Despite this, they have chosen to stop the work around ungdomshuset. "3x34 Transport will at any time choose to not do work that will pose a threat to the people working in the company, and has, with this in mind, chosen to not take any more orderes in connection with the clearing of ungdomshuset at Norrebro". Sabotage against company working on demolition of ungdomshuset squat by Modkraft.dk Tuesday, 6th March, 14:23 -- Two lorries was set ablaze last night in the parking lot of 3x34 Transport's main office. The fire was started deliberately and the police have been informed. The company writes on their homepage, that friday 2nd of march they had a transport from Jagtvej 69. The company has since received threaths against their vans, materials and personel. The company writes that "3x34 Transport is a political neutral company and works that way, and as a starting point, will transport any order no matter political, religious or ethnic ground". Despite this, they have chosen to stop the work around ungdomshuset. "3x34 Transport will at any time choose to not do work that will pose a threat to the people working in the company, and has, with this in mind, chosen to not take any more orderes in connection with the clearing of ungdomshuset at Norrebro". ----------------------- Monday, March 05, 2007 Copenhagen, Denmark - After days of rioting demolition crews began demolishing the ungdomshuset (Youth House.) Workers wore masks to hide their identities and were required to work under a heavy police guard. Tearful crowds of youths and their supporters shouted obscenities at the workers and the police. The building has been home to an autonomous youth community center since 1982, but it's radical history goes back much further. It was built as a community theatre for the labour movement in 1897. Both Denmark's women's liberation and trade union movements were founded under it's roof and the building even hosted Vladimir Lenin when he visited Copenhagen in 1910. Riot police used helicopters to storm the building Thursday and arrested the 35 occupants setting off three nights of violent clashes between police and protesters. The riots have mellowed out but demonstrators claim that they have "only just started!" posted by bombs and shields at 11:51 PM ---------------------------------------- Constant ungdomshuset updates from Copenhagen (English translation from Modkraft.dk): http://www.emoware.org/ungdomshuset.asp http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2371664,00.html Police Fear New Riots in Copenhagen After Street Clashes Gro?ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Demonstrators set barricades on fire in the Norrebro neighborhood of Copenhagen Police in Copenhagen were gearing up Friday for a second day of riots as radical activists protested against the eviction of squatters from an underground cultural youth centre. Police officers were out in full force on Friday, patrolling the troubled Copenhagen neighborhoods of Noerrebro and Christianshavn where 217 people were arrested on Thursday after left-wing activists clashed with police. "We will be on the streets as long as it takes and with as many men as it takes to keep the peace," police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch told AFP, adding that police reinforcements had been called in from across the country. A group of 18 demonstrators entered the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party on Friday around midday, unfurling a banner reading: "You stole the youths' building, now we're taking yours", but the situation remained calm, protestors said. Demonstrators clash with police The group, calling itself the Action Group for Frustrated Copenhagen Residents, demanded a political solution to the conflict which erupted when thousands of youths attacked police after a dawn raid to evict squatters from the Ungdomshuset, a four-storey haven for rebels, punks and squatters in the Norrebro district. The building has been a favorite haunt for left-wingers since the 1980s when the city of Copenhagen gave the group permission to move into the building. Bildunterschrift: Gro?ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Scuffles broke out between police and demonstratorsOn Thursday activists threw stones, bottles, pots of paint, firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, and set up barricades, lit fires and overturned vehicles to protest the eviction. Riot police used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the emonstrators, some of whom were masked. "We were surprised by the extent of the conflict and the demonstrators' wild violence," Steen Munch said. The Noerrebro neighborhood is home to a large population of young radicals and squatters and is the scene of regular flare-ups with police. In May 1993, bloody clashes erupted following Denmark's "yes" vote to the Maastricht treaty that led to the creation of the European Union and the euro single currency. By late Thursday the violence had spread out from Noerrebro to the nearby district of Christianshavn. Christianshavn is next to the so-called "free city" of Christiania, an autonomous community in the city set up more than 30 years ago. "Utterly reprehensible" Danish politicians reacted with shock to the events. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen "vigorously condemned" Thursday's riots. Bildunterschrift: Gro?ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen condemened the outbreak of violence"It is utterly reprehensible that a few trouble-makers continue to create disorder," he told Danish news agency Ritzau. Justice Minister Lene Espersen told Danish television channel TV2 she was shocked by protestors' violence. "We have freedom of expression in Denmark and it is shocking to see the use of violence and cobble stones to show what one thinks," Espersen said. The Ungdomshuset was recently sold to the fundamental Christian group Fadershuset, which has demanded the eviction of the youths. An August 2006 court ruling ordered the occupants to be evicted from the centre, which they insist belongs to them. The building has been a popular hang-out for Copenhagen's alternative crowd, offering concerts, plays and debates. Big stars such as Icelandic pop artist Bj?rk have performed at the venue. The Ungdomshuset Web site says the group is run along five simple guidelines: no sexism, no "heterosexism" -- prejudice in favor of heterosexuals -- no racism, no hard drugs and no violence. Some onlookers at the scene on Thursday were critical of the Danish police action. One Noerrebro resident described the operation as something resembling "the dismantling of a terrorist network." Kristina Ilsoe, a Roskilde University professor who watched the events with her three-year-old son at her side, said she was "sad, like most of the neighbors, to see so-called tolerant Denmark not leave room for those who don't fit the norm." Some banks and stores in the area barricaded their entrances to protect their businesses. Foreigners arrested Police meanwhile said they were re-establishing border controls o prevent an influx of supporters from other countries, in particular southern neighbor Germany. Among the 217 arrested on Thursday were 17 foreigners from France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Lithuania, New Zealand and the United States. The German foreign ministry confirmed that nine Germans were among those held. Three police officers and three demonstrators were injured during the clashes, police said. Meanwhile, German police said on Friday they had detained 16 people after demonstrations broke out in the cities of Hamburg and Hanover in solidarity with the squatters evicted in Denmark. On Friday the majority of Danish politicians, with the exception of the extreme-left, hailed the police action and denounced the activists' violence. The press meanwhile unanimously condemned the "street wars" and "chaos." According to the Danish foreign ministry, demonstrations supporting the activists were held in front of Denmark's diplomatic missions in Stockholm, Oslo, Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Flensburg and Vienna. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8815186 Danish demonstrations Of riots and righteousness Mar 8th 2007 | COPENHAGEN >From The Economist print edition Rioting squatters v the missionary position COPENHAGEN'S image is one of a peaceful Nordic oasis. Yet last weekend it erupted in a frenzy of violence, with masked demonstrators battling police, bonfires lit in the streets and local burghers left spluttering amid the teargas. Shop windows were smashed, cars set ablaze, a school ransacked?and almost 700 people were arrested. The riots came after the eviction of left-wing activists squatting in a youth centre called Ungdomshuset. The police, acting on a court order, staged a flamboyant dawn raid to secure the building, prompting its erstwhile squatting tenants to vent their anger in the streets. There is more to this tale than a mere squabble over tenancy rights, however. The ousted youths, a motley lot of anarchists, autonomists, punks, Marxists, and vegans, had occupied the building since 1982, when the city let them in to keep them off the streets. Ungdomshuset evolved into a music venue and a hub of leftist activism. Locals grumbled about loud music and graffiti, but the police were happy. Then the council decided to sell. The buyer was Faderhuset, a conservative Christian sect led by Ruth Eversen, a firebrand evangelist preacher. Ms Eversen says that God told her to buy the house. ?God often tells me to do things,? she claims. Her mission is to return Denmark to the Christian path, starting in Norrebro, the district that houses not just the Ungdomshuset but also many Muslims. Ms Eversen has not revealed if she was also acting on God's orders when she decided to demolish the building within hours of gaining vacant possession. The protesters suspect that the city may have deliberately sold their home to their ideological antithesis. A small crowd with studs in their noses and tears in their eyes watched unhappily as bulldozers demolished it. ?I feel I'm being squeezed out. There's no room for my culture any more,? said one teenager. The government has stayed well clear of the row. But there are echoes from the past, even so. One of Anders Fogh Rasmussen's first moves when he became centre-right prime minister in 2001 was to shut down various agencies whose opinions he disliked. He also tried to ?normalise? Christiania, a freewheeling Copenhagen district that favours soft drugs and alternative lifestyles. Ungdomshuset has a history of left-wing agitation: International Women's Day was proclaimed there in 1910 and visitors included Lenin and Rosa Luxembourg. Whatever Mr Fogh Rasmussen's views of Ms Eversen's crusade, he will not shed any tears over the house's razing. ----------------------------------------------------- http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/jakob_illeborg/2007/03/copenhagen_is_burning_for_four.html Anarchy in the DK Rioting between police and Denmark's youth has erupted on the normally peaceful streets of Copenhagen. But what is behind the aggression? Jakob Illeborg Articles Latest Show all Profile All Jakob Illeborg articles About Webfeeds March 5, 2007 11:52 AM | Printable version Copenhagen is burning. For four days the downtown area of the Danish capital has looked like a war zone. At least 690 people have been arrested, many of them younger than 18. As I write, Copenhagen is still trying to recover from a most violent confrontation between supporters of Ungdomshuset (the Youth House) - a Danish squat that has been at the heart of the Danish youth subculture since 1980 - and the police who had just evicted the squatters. Such was the ferocity when the conflict culminated Friday and Saturday night that several parts of Copenhagen were rioting simultaneously. From N?rrebro, where Ungdomshuset is situated, to Christianshavn, where the free town of Christiania is, sleepy Copenhagen was transformed into something reminiscent of Belfast in the bad old days. International riot supporters from Sweden, Germany and Holland arrived by their hundreds and Danish police had to borrow vehicles from neighbouring Sweden to cope with the ever-increasing numbers of arrests. Police officers have been wounded, as have many protesters, members of the press have been beaten up and cars and houses set on fire. Something rather un-Danish is going on in Denmark it seems, but everybody knew the conflict was coming. The squatters, who have resided in Ungdomshuset since 1982, follow a Danish squatting tradition. In the 1970s and at the start of the 80s, when Ungdomshuset came into existence, The BZ-movement was active. The BZ-squatters were predominantly peaceful and enjoyed a lot of support from the locals. Their greatest victory was the standoff with the police at a squat called Alotria, where the squatters famously dug an underground tunnel out of the house. When the police finally stormed the premises, the youths had escaped through the underground tunnel. How things have changed. Back then, Denmark was going through a rough spell with unemployment and the youths had every reason to take a "no future" stance. Political tension was in the air, recurring anti-nuclear demonstrations and massive disarmament rallies created a feeling of togetherness on the political left, and the radical youth was merely the extreme part of this togetherness. Today Copenhagen is one of Europe's most affluent cities, a place focusing on its commercial success and materialism, which creates a strong tendency to political apathy - much like in Britain. From being a social democratic stronghold Demark is today libertarian to a large degree. The material middle-classes have little understanding for young wild bloods, and maybe this in part explains the protesters' increasingly aggressive and confrontational stance. It's far from the first time that the "autonome" (the autonomous), as the protest movement is known today, and the police clash. Back in December 2006 when it was announced that the Christian organisation that actually owns Ungdomshuset had the right to evict the squatters, they clashed with the police and more than 200 were arrested. >From then on it's been a waiting game. Everybody knew that sooner or later the police would strike and the squatters were making plans to defend themselves. When the police struck in the early hours of Thursday - air lifting special units unto the roof of the house - the squatters were taken by surprise. But their intentions were clear. The place was littered with barbed wire, Molotov cocktails and stones. They did not intend to give in without a fight and, when evicted, the fight was taken to the streets where it has been ongoing for days now. The fighting is meaningless and deplorable. What makes the whole thing even more ridiculous is that the squatters were offered an old school nearby as a replacement for Ungdomshuset. This offer was refused by the youths on grounds that it is the symbolic value of the original house that matters. It does, however, look like the protesters wanted the confrontation. With their skilful orchestration the protesters at times looked more like a trained and experienced fighting machine than a group of kids wanting a place to hang out; or a disenfranchised revolutionary movement. This was underlined by the continuing stream of European anarchists moving towards Copenhagen, eager and ready to fight. The police's adaptation of a zero tolerance with an unprecedented 690 arrests, including the detention in custody of hundreds of minors - some in isolation - plus the police's apparent joy of beating up the unruly adolescents, may have won the day for the law and its enforcers, but it hardly leads the way towards a greater mutual understanding. It is difficult to call a winner, but easy to identify the losers. But why all this aggression in such a peaceful society? That is the question that the Danes will have to ask themselves when the last fires have died out. The truth is that the ongoing violence is about far more than just a squatted house. It is notable that a lot of the tension was situated around Christiania - the old hippy commune that has become a major tourist attraction, a cultural hubbub and a thorn in the flesh of the Danish political establishment. The current centre-right government remains a staunch enemy of the social experiment, and protagonists on both parts see the eviction of Ungdomshuset as phase one in an ongoing process to rid Copenhagen of Christiania. The free town still divides the nation, 36 years after it came into existence. The alternative way of living, the cannabis smoking and the non-adaptation to the bourgeois lifestyle of modern Copenhagen is a red cloth in the face of many ordinary citizens, who sympathise with the government's desire to normalise the free town (read: demolish it). This tension has been ongoing for more than 30 years, and the current conflict will not ease the tensions between the advocates of tolerance and those who feel that enough is enough. However many citizens of Copenhagen are fed up with having the shop windows in their neighbourhood smashed in on a regular basis and recurring clashes in the streets that frighten their children. The tolerance has been stretched too far they claim, and it is now time to crack down on the antisocial behaviour. But it also merits the question why such an affluent society has failed in offering its youths something meaningful to do. It may be that sheer boredom and apathy are the biggest triggers of the conflict. The Danish political system has failed in communicating with the youth. Society's apparent lack of interest in looking after the drop-outs seems to be a European problem. >From the disintegrated North Africans of Paris to the youth gangs of London and the sub cultures of Copenhagen, there seems to be a serious problem of communication and understanding between the generations - a responsibility that surely lies with the grownups. Being young in Copenhagen should not, however, be compared to the tough conditions of life on the outskirts of Paris or in parts of east London. The biggest problem the squatters have to deal with is probably boredom. The protesters in Copenhagen may think that they are rebelling against the political right - against capitalism and lack of tolerance. But in fact the use of violence as a means to further their cause is only helping the forces that want to crack down on subcultures, and close down Christiania, simply because it is very difficult to defend the havoc that is being raised in Copenhagen right now. In a curious attempt to eradicate the immediate past, Ungdomshuset, the object of all the fighting, is being demolished right now. As if that would make the problem go away. suitone Comment No. 460458 March 5 23:27 GBR Riots in Copenhagen are nothing new. 1968 they appeared to be happening every week. 1970 there were three nights of rioting with the IMF in the city. 1980 there was a week or so of trouble when the authorities tried to close the kids adventure playground on Blagardsgade. People then compared it to Belfast. As for Christiania nothing came out of the blue. In the winter before Christiania's first winter, 1970/1971, Projekt Hus had housed hundreds of squatters. The people in the house openly encouraged acid, mescaline, hash, speed, and banned alcohol and the opiates. These drugs destroy each and every attempt to create an environment. Project Hus was central Copenhagen - a place where you couldn't get alcohol, couldn't get smack. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain cell Copenhagen had a huge problem with disaffected young people who were automatically falling out of the holes in the safety net. None of the institutions worked. Consequently, early December 1971, the Christiania squat a few weeks old, more or less the same week Arthur Brown played a benefit on the 3rd floor of the MultiMedie Hus, the only place open for live music in Christiania then, three people from the Social Services Directorate took the trouble to come into Christiania and speak with the thirty odd people living there. It was explained to them it was far more economic for the Danish state to allow people to create their own environment in Christiania than shunt them from programme to programme. The costs for the Danish state of running Christiania were negligible compared with the benefits. In Christiania the disturbed kid who had been through every institution going had the chance to build and create their own life. Simultaneously, from day one, people recognised that art, the ability to create something out of the environment, to transmute the disused army garrison, offered a possibility the young would never get anywhere else in Danish society. The contrast between how the army had left the garrison -smashed, glass everywhere underfoot, forbidding stone walls - and the metropolis people created is a profound commentary on the knowledge and insight available at that time. The Social Demokratic government would listen, would respect the art, those creating the Christiania experience had the experience from years of drug culture. What ties together UngdomsHus to Christiania is the Norrebro of the 1960s, that particular stretch from the corner of Ryesgade/Fredensgade and over to the end of Stengade. People were literate, opened the door to strangers, experimented, learnt. A great album which captures that period of Norrebro, where people were treated with respect, is the first volume of Hyldemor Live, 1979 to 1981 A good person to interview would be Erik Bork. He was the parish priest for the area, which includes the cemetary where Kierkegaard and Ben Webster are buried. He had long fights with the church fathers over religious interpretation, they eventually threw him out of his church because he refused to marry his common-law wife. Once they had thrown him out his wife said she would marry him on the 3rd floor in the Multimedie Hus in Christiania, they were then married in Christiania. The present riots are no surprise. Ieuan Comment No. 460166 March 5 19:46 MAR SeerTaak said ".....the professions.....And which of these do you think was involved in the rioting?" Can't speak for now, though 'pilsner' above says that '...amongst the arrested are high level civil servants, retired schoolteachers, university and secondary school students and their parents, all of whom had gone to demonstrate their support for [ungdoms]house" and when I was 'on the barricades' (actually a bit of a singsong directed at very stern looking police, more a party than a revolution) defending Christiania I was with a civil servant, a teacher, a nurse, a lorry driver and an antiques dealer. You don't have to be a druggy or a full time welfare recipient to support an alternative lifestyle. Ungdomshuset and Christiania (and there are some other, similar places scattered throughout DK) represented - certainly to me - something very special and precious about Danish culture. The UK had something of the same, the explosion of 'alternative' creativity and politics around the West London squats from the late '60's and on. It self-destructed on hard drugs and was crushed by 'The Establishment' in the end but it could be argued that it was the beginning of much of the Green movement, the whole food movement, 'bedroom' magazine publishing and music making in the UK and that when the last of the squats were closed down by police action then a valuable incubator for new ideas was lost. What is happening in Kbh. today is part of what seems to be a world wide closing down of real choice. To explain on a simpler level, It's like there used to be a 'choice' about what 'restaurant' you could eat in, but now there is only one 'restaurant'....though the menu is long, if that makes sense. The most frightening political change I have seen in my lifetime is that, many years ago (when I was a young lad), quite a high percentage of the world's population lived outside the money economy...as subsistence farmers, hunting tribes etc. etc. 'Primitive' maybe, but if you don't need money then it is all the harder to control you. Now, I believe, nearly everyone is involved in the money economy. As the tribes in the Amazon have been cleared away, the Gypsies in Europe forced into houses...and even that bit of anarchist creativity called 'Ungdomshuset' is closed, then that limits everyone more and more to just play the commercial/money game. Perhaps that is the only way that a world as crowded as ours can survive, but it is nullifying an important part of the human spirit - play! And that is what a place like ungdomshuset was all about, playing around and having fun. (and perhaps it is in societies where play is no longer valued that riots become more common?) kateket Comment No. 464379 March 7 23:15 DNK I don't know where you live Jakob Illeborg, but for sure it's not within spitting distance of Ungdomshuset. Somewhere in 'The Whiskey Belt' I would imagine. I have only just seen this thread and haven't had the time to really read what you say - a quick scanread was good enough to be honest pal, nor have I read the comments, so apologies are required and given ...but I'll chuck in my two pennys worth anyways. I live just 5 minutes walk or 60 seconds of windblown tear gas - burning car stink away from the youth centre in question. (or should I use your hotbed of autonomism pejorative Jacob?) I have neither the erudition nor the whit to handle a cif rap about the why's and wherefore's of just how this 'battle' happened - esp as I just got home from a gallery opening where the red flowed rather more copiously than it did during the 3 days of the riots you talk about. All I want to say right now is just how impressed I was and still am by the Danish idea of a street fight. (The story might no longer be newsworthy, but it's still going on as I type) What I saw from the safety of my double glazing,'live'tv and the occasional foray out into danger land - were a few hundred (sometimes 4000+ so I'm told) overeducated, very politically aware children, hurrying up and down the streets with supermarket trollies full of kilo heavy granite cobble stones and Pepsi bottle Molotov Cocktails. These are not the same creatures one sees fighting for fun in the UK of a weekend night. No, these ones knew exactly what they were doing and just why they were doing it. So anything but mindless aggression was on their agenda - a million miles away from the anger and frustration that led to the riots in France last Summer, or even the 'hoi paloy' Brixton riots of Scarman report fame. I have never seen such solidarity in a 'Western' town before. Local's invited strangely pierced kids to sleep on their sofa's and floors; a 24/7 kitchen was opened and is still running; young doctors and nurses came from the nearby teaching hospital (Rigshospitalet) to offer help and or counselling - neighbours came by with duvets & warm clothing, a pat on the head or just a smile - NO not just young folks, anything but. Well ...I'm kind of turning this into some kind of romantic ballad I see, but how about the idea that on these so called Anarchist's; 'Autonome's' (your word) web site they asked K?avners to burn a candle in their windows' as a show of support, Well many many did, yes, even those who had had their cars or bikes trashed - funnily enough on the street where Ritt Bjerregaard lives (Copenhagen's Overborgmester - the Mayor of CPH) - which is only 15 minutes walk from Ungdomshuset, ...at least a third of the houses on her street had those candles burning - and I think she would have been pleased to see it - ironic as that might sound. Back to me being deeply impressed - Thousands of kids run amok in this capitol city - absolute anarchy happens; towers of red-black smoke rise all over town (no exaggeration) - 600+ extra Police brought in from the provinces - 20+ wagons loaned from Sweden to augment the 30+ what they call here 'Holland Wagons' the same 'war-trucks the Dutch riot police use. Around 700 kids arrested - seriously damaged ego's happened perhaps. Huge policefolk in full riot gear do not like being defeated by a gaggle of screaming 16 year old's :) But no one got hurt, whatever Jacob says, the only 2 who had to be hospitalised, happened on the first day of the story - Thursday the 1st March - and only accidentally. The Police captured all those very very scary kids, not with truncheons, but with cunning and patience. They out fought them in the end of course - it really was a battle of wits - Lord of The Flies v Judge Dread's army hehe Yes of course the kids were going to lose, the battle but they lost well and the chief of Police here in Copenhagen: Per Larsen has become the hero of the decade - he was just so cool, I don't mean that in a slick way, I mean he kept his cool and has now become one of Denmark's most respected 'public' figures' - on everyone's party list for f? sake. If this battle had happened in London - the hospitals would be full of broken heads and a few body bags would have been needed too. As yet, the idea of being a teenager or simply an individual here in Denmark, has not become a scare word and I really do hope it stays this way. I find The UK so scary these days ...yes of course this is an over simplification, but I am 3 parts pissed after all. PS. just an addendum: The Youth Centre in question was sold by Copenhagen's council; for a very cheap price, to a very right wing fundamentalist Christian sect called Faderhuset (lit.The House of The Father) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faderhuset Just today they announced in the Danish papers that after cleaning up Ungdomshuset (the youth centre) their next project includes ridding Copenhagen of: Homosexuals; porn; drugs and other impure thoughts kateket Comment No. 464575 March 8 4:03 DNK Look, all I really wanted to say was that I have been deeply impressed by Copenhagen's Police who handled the rather crazy event without breaking any heads. And also the way most all of the 'locals' were fairly sympathetic too, NO, not with the organised violence of course - but with the protest. I shouldn't be so surprised really, as DK rarely fails to amaze me. Just today I read a report from Politiken: A story of the local Police handing over lumps of the building to the grieving kids. Yes hints of Berlin 1989, hints of 'Diana' too perhaps - not an exaggeration for the young ones who used the house as a 'home'- the latchkey kids that used Jagtvej 69 - Ungdomeshuset as a primary home more often than the place their parents lived in. This is a land of single parent families after all - kids grow up here in Kindergartens, often home means crap food of an evening - and not a lot more. So here in Copenhagen they made their own place - these kids made themselves a real fine society, with enough Mums & Dad's to go around. We could have learned a lot, instead we fucked it - the bill is ways larger than the estimated 2 million dollars - and I don't mean cash money. If only British kids had the same kind of solidarity I have seen happen here, I really do think UK would be a much better place to grow up in. Children are our future, our vicarious hopes & dreams - just where does this idea fit in with the Brit paradigm? where teenagers and preteens too, are the enemy? - just how does this work ...please? The way things go today, I wouldn't dream of bringing my 2 kids over to some Comprehensive school in TB's CCTV acronym ASBOS land - not in my worst dreams would I do that. Anyhow, I can't really sing Danish praises any louder without sounding like some very creepy sycophant (a fine land is the truth tho') so I'll shut up and bugger off. Back to Anarchy in DK - I leave you with this sweet note: Every night outside Vestre F?sel (Copenhagen's largest and 'heaviest' prison, where some good few hundred of the protesters have been incarcerated) there are at least 100 -150 of these tattooed children standing outside the walls in the cold rain, singing songs - bashing oil drums, anything noisy really to let their comrades know they are not forgotten - the inside kids: some as young as 15, blink their cell lights in reply, like lost fireflies on speed. It's simply so moving to see - It brought a real lump to my throat that's for sure http://manila.indymedia.org/index.php?action=default&featureview=186 Defend All Squat Communities from Manila to Denmark by Abigail Garcia and Jong Pairez (for Manila Indymedia) -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Tale of Ungdomshuset in Denmark ONCE UPON A TIME, there was an abandoned house located somewhere up north the equator. The house, with its dilapidated look and old furnishings, rests itself under a twilight world where direct sunlight is only occasional. It is where her foundation is anchored, a cold place, but the streets and common spots that lead to her niche has been very familiar and intimate to everyone who has grown watching her from the out side. Until a number of people from different walks of life, searching for meaning to their existence found her and made her their sanctuary. They decided to dwell in her available comfort. They gave her their warm loving hearts in exchange for a place to stay. From then on she has been taken care of, the new inhabitants fixed her up, and was given her a name thereafter. UNGDOMSHUSET is what they call her- a simple name that signifies the exuberance of wonderful life, which is why her name translates literally as ?The Youth House?. UNGDOMSHUSET who was once before shivering during cold lonely nights of winter has now become a home to a community of loving people. Her kitchen was used to serve animal-friendly food for everyone to share. Her dining table provided a banquet for precarious Migrants and Refugees. Her living room cuddled creative people and artists alike. Her bedrooms provided the dreamers to lay their tired bodies. Everyday is a momentary happiness between her and her nameless inhabitants. Everyone loved her and she loves them back, for they kept each other warm with the reverberation of their lively beating hearts. They became inseparable to each other, until suddenly a frightening Beast who was hungry for money came in. The Beast who has forked tongues and big red ugly eyes, with funny tiny horns on his head, wanted to sell her. UNGDOMSHUSET, is a potential pot of gold for the Beast, she was terrorized and had her adopted children forced out from her comfort. They were sprayed with poison as if they were insects being extinguished from their hives. and while they were sleeping soundly on the dead of night they were beaten up until they all bleed. The Beast, who wanted to sell her out, is aimed to crush whatever it is that binds UNGDOMSHUSET and her inhabitants only to pursue his evil interest. But it was the love in itself, which binds them, that will fuel her inhabitants to enrage and burn until the Beast is reduced into ashes. ?Because we know how to love, and that love is been taken away from us, it is time for us to Break the Law!?, protests? one of her inhabitants as the molotov bombs keep on flying beyond the barricades, hitting the Beast. Help reclaim back UNGDOMSHUSET to her loved ones! Start your own affinity group for UNGDOMSHUSET Solidarity and together let?s attack the Embassy of Denmark. DEFEND THE SQUAT COMMUNITIES FROM MANILA TO DENMARK! ------------------------------------------------------ From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 15:14:54 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 23:14:54 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Police state Britain - four years in jail for organising a protest! Message-ID: <05e201c762a0$c0a867e0$0202a8c0@andy1> NOTE: Whatever metonymical slippage is introduced by the prosecutors, the facts of the matter are very clear: these people have been jailed for organising protests. Basically these were peaceful protests, and are criminalised because of who they are against, where they are held and whether they have official permission. In other words, it's basically the same as what happens in totalitarian societies - people protest for a cause and in a way the state doesn't like, and it jails them. Jailing people for long terms, simply for taking part in a protest, is one of the defining features of a police state. http://www.animalrights.net/archives/year/2007/000005.html Three SHAC UK Animal Rights Extremists Jailed Tuesday, March 6, 2007 Three UK animal rights extremists received jail sentences ranging from 15 months to four years their part in an illegal campaign against companies that had business relationships with Huntingdon Life Sciences. Mark Taylor, 39; wife Suzanne, 35; and Teresa Portwine, 48, were the first to be charged under new UK laws designed to make it easier to crack down on animal rights extremists who skirted the law in their efforts to harass and intimidate animal research firms and nonprofits. All three plead guilty to conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship. Portwine was sentenced to just 15 months, Suzanne Taylor received 2 1/2 years, and Mark Taylor was sentenced to four years in jail. The judge in the case apparently took into account testimony from witnesses that Taylor had been a ring leader of the group's activities in handing out the sentence. Taylor participated in numerous protests and drove others to said protests where groups of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty activists wearing masks would storm into the offices of the targeted companies. Sources: 3 animal rights extremists sentenced. D'arcy Doran, Associated Press, March 6, 2007. Animal rights activists are jailed for 'intimidation'. New Scotsman, March 6, 2007. Animal rights activist jailed. Press Association, March 6, 2007. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8NMT7IO0.htm 3 animal rights extremists sentenced By D'ARCY DORAN LONDON A British court sentenced three animal activists to prison terms ranging from 15 months to four years Tuesday for intimidating employees at companies who dealt with a firm that conducts animal experiments. They were part of a group that invaded offices across the country belonging to companies that either supplied or dealt with Huntingdon Life Sciences in Cambridgeshire, shouting "murderers" at employees, London's Central Criminal Court heard. They were the first animal rights activists to be prosecuted under new laws introduced to help Britain crack down on animal rights extremism, which analysts say could cost the country billions each year in lost investment. The three pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiring to interfere with a contractual relationship. Mark Taylor, 39, who is unemployed, was sentenced to four years in prison. His wife, Suzanne, 35, a housewife, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years prison and Teresa Portwine, 48, a kitchen consultant, was jailed for 15 months. The three were members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, or SHAC, which took photographs of workers and posted them on the Internet to intimidate them. Over a three month period in 2005, Mark Taylor drove protesters -- including the two women -- around the country as they stormed the offices in groups of up to 12, terrifying workers. One company in northern England canceled its contracts with Huntingdon after it received threatening letters and was invaded by five demonstrators wearing skull masks. "They used various degrees of intimidation, fright and, as a group, violence," prosecutor Edward Brown said. Mark Taylor pleaded with the judge not to jail him. He apologized, saying he had not understood the consequences of his actions on innocent people. The three defendants embraced in the dock before being led to the cells. Assistant Chief Constable Anton Setchell, the Association of Chief Police Officers' coordinator for domestic extremism, said their actions "went well beyond what is lawful and acceptable." British animal activists are among the world's most militant. Past tactics have included exhuming the remains of a guinea pig farmer's mother-in-law, planting explosives beneath cars and forcing the construction company building an Oxford lab to pull out by sending shareholders forged letters urging them to sell their shares. http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=360902007 Animal rights activists are jailed for 'intimidation' ACTIVIST Mark Taylor was jailed for a record four years yesterday for his part in a campaign of intimidation to stop companies dealing with a firm doing animal experiments. Mark Taylor drove protesters around the country to companies which either supplied or dealt with Huntingdon Life Sciences in Cambridgeshire. During the summer of 2005, workers were terrified as up to 12 protesters invaded their offices shouting "Murderers" and other insults, the Old Bailey heard. Taylor, 39, his wife Suzanne, 35, both of Henry Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and Teresa Portwine, 48, of Dunley Drive, New Addington, Surrey, were the first to be charged under new legislation. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship. Mrs Taylor was given two-and-a-half years in jail and Ms Portwine was sentenced to 15 months. The judge said the sentence must be a deterrent to others. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 20:14:38 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 04:14:38 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Global resistance stories: Kenya Timor Uganda Papua Chiapas Message-ID: <081e01c762ca$a005d0c0$0202a8c0@andy1> KENYA: Escape, uprising at prison EAST TIMOR: Revolt by supporters of dissident UGANDA: Police murder child during opposition demonstration WEST PAPUA: Subdivision will lead to abuse, argues student activist CHIAPAS: Land conflict escalates http://allafrica.com/stories/200703050737.html Kenya: Riot in Prison After Five Convicts Escape Email This Page Print This Page The Nation (Nairobi) March 5, 2007 Posted to the web March 5, 2007 Michael Njuguna, Simon Siele and Francis Mureithi Nairobi A riot broke out in Nakuru Prison yesterday morning after four death row convicts escaped from their cells. Trouble started when warders began searching prisoners for a gun reported to have been stolen after the dramatic escape. A Nakuru prison wader (centre) is rescued by colleagues after he was stoned by inmates during a fracas following the dramatic escape of four death row convicts early yesterday morning. Photo/JOSEPH KIHERI. The prisoners resisted the move and started pelting the warders with stones, injuring at least two. Police, who arrived minutes after the riot started, fired tear gas canisters before they finally subdued the prisoners, stripped them and herded them together in pairs. The inmates sang in Kiswahili "Bado mapambano" (the struggle continues) as prison warders and police moved in with tear gas. The escape prompted a big man-hunt mounted by police and prison warders around Nakuru and Prisons Commissioner Gilbert Omondi rushed to the town from Nairobi to chair a crisis meeting at the jail. Foil the escape Mr Omondi emerged from the prison after a four-hour meeting to announce that six warders had been interdicted to pave the way for investigations as they had failed to foil the escape. "We have decided to suspend six officers pending investigations by the police and the prisons authority," he said. However, Mr Omondi denied knowledge of a stolen gun, saying he had not been informed and that the claim should be treated as mere hear-say. He added that four of the escaped prisoners were on death row and one was serving a long sentence. The Rift Valley Prisons Commandant, Mr John Macharia, also refused to give any information relating to the escape. He would also not comment on reports that a senior officer had lost his Ceska pistol during the commotion. However, sources at the prison said the prisoners grabbed the pistol from the officer as they were being searched for the tools used to cut grills before the convicts escaped. There was a commotion when the prisoners resisted the search and refused to be locked in their cells. On sensing trouble, prison authorities called for reinforcements from regular police and the Flying Squad to help quell the riot. One of the warders was hit on the head with a stone. Mr Nyaga Kinyanjui was taken to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. Another warder was given First Aid by his colleagues at the prison. The rioting inmates retreated as more security officers poured into the compound, armed with guns and tear gas canisters. Should be transferred They handcuffed the prisoners in pairs as the authorities contemplated whether or not they should be transferred to Naivasha maximum security prison. The five prisoners made the daring escape shortly after 2 am. They fled from the prison, situated on a hill next to Menengai Crater, four kilometres from Nakuru Town. They dodged a burst of gunfire from a sentry who was manning one of the watch-towers. Two of the escapees were convicted for the murder of a Nakuru taxi operator and another was a notorious highway robber. They sawed off the iron bars in one of the blocks holding condemned prisoners. Mr Macharia confirmed they were among 11 inmates in a cell where they allegedly cut the grills with a hacksaw before using a blanket to scale one of the walls and jump out. They dashed through an open ground between the holding blocks and offices undetected, then went over the chain-link perimeter wall which is reinforced by a keiapple fence. Warders told reporters that the sentry spotted one of the prisoners climb over the fence, which is about eight feet high, and then jump over, landing on an earth road next to the Prison Chapel. According to the warders, four of the prisoners had by then escaped when the sentry saw the silhouette of the last one. The stretch of the fence between the prison's main gate and the watch tower situated at a corner about 150 metres away has no lights, which made it difficult for the sentry to see the escapees. The section of the fence where the prisoners broke through to freedom is about 40 metres from the watch tower. "These lights have been dead for years, the sentry would have been able to pick out these men with his shots if there was light," one warder said. The five prisoners ran across the chapel compound which is ringed by a low barbed wire fence and then jumped over and ran down an old fault line. The warders suspected that the five men either ran towards the Nakuru Golf Club or the nearby Menengai Hill Forest. Other warders said that a vehicle whose lights were seen as it sped down the road near the golf club could have been used by the prisoners to escape. The section of the fence the prisoners broke through has three strands of barbed wire, one of which was sagging when the Nation visited the scene. A warder with his gun at he ready outside the Nakuru Prison yesterday after five prisoners escaped at night. Photo/JOSEPH KIHERI . Parts of the keiapple fence were broken but there was no evidence of blood stains in spite of the sharp thorns. Taking positions When reporters arrived at the prison yesterday morning, warders armed with guns, batons and sticks were taking positions outside the gates as prisoners were heard singing in defiance. Policemen, some in riot gear, arrived at the prison and some were seen entering the compound. At least two of the officers were carrying a box full of tear gas canisters. According to the warders, the condemned prisoners were defying an attempt by prison officials to search for a pistol that had been snatched from a senior officer by some of the condemned prisoners. The prisoners who had been released from the cells for search stoned the warders and at least one of them was admitted to the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital with multiple injuries. Another was seen limping after he was hit in the legs. "We blame the Kenya Human Rights Commission for being partisan. (Maina) Kiai speaks for prisoners. He will not speak for our colleagues who are injured by these dangerous criminals," a warder said. Mr Kiai is the chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The warders said the condemned prisoners had caused extensive damage inside the holding blocks by removing ceiling boards which are reinforced with mesh wires. "They should all be taken to the Naivasha Maximum Prison which is more secure," one of them added. The Nation learnt that some of the death row prisoners were taken to the prison last week when the Court of Appeal sat in the town for a whole week to hear appeals. During a visit to the prison last week by the Nation, most of the capital offences remandees complained that the hearing of their cases had taken too long. One of them claimed he was charged in 1999, but only three witnesses had testified against him. The Nakuru GK Prison, which was designed to hold 800 prisoners, has 1,929 inmates, including those convicted and the remandees. Warders said there are between 200 and 300 death row prisoners at the Prison. Mr Omondi ruled out the transfer of the convicts to Naivasha, saying this would not solve the problem. He admitted that the Prison Department had many problems, which include congestion but said they were being addressed. He said Nakuru Prison is not supposed to hold condemned prisoners but they were forced to accommodate them there as they await court hearings. Isolated case He described yesterday's incident as an isolated case. Some of the gains so far realised include training of inmates as well as provision of basic necessities such as the recent sinking of a bore hole at the Nakuru prison. Two months ago, about 40 prisoners and remandees escaped on the Njoro-Molo highway after the lorry they were travelling in to attend court was sprayed with bullets during a highway robbery. During the incident, the lorry driver was shot dead by highway robbers who had ambushed a private security van and stolen more than Sh22 million. ------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=359&objectid=10427169 Timor rebel's furious supporters riot in Dili Email this storyPrint this story 5:00AM Tuesday March 06, 2007 Australian troops stand guard in Dili. Picture / Reuters Watch Video: East Timor protesters take to the streets after rebels raided East Timor unrest Ex-minister found guilty over arming East Timor hit squads NZers advised to leave East Timor, but embassy staff to stay DILI - Thousands of angry supporters of East Timor rebel leader Alfredo Reinado burned tyres and threw stones in the capital yesterday to protest against a raid by international troops on the fugitive's hideout. The deteriorating security situation prompted the Australian Government to announce late last night plans to evacuate any diplomatic staff and their families who wanted to leave. Reinado, who led a revolt that plunged the fledgling nation into chaos last year, escaped Saturday's raid on his Same base by Australian-led international peacekeeping forces in which four people were killed. Supporters gathered in the heart of Dili, shouting "Long Live Alfredo", and denounced President Xanana Gusmao, who ordered security forces to arrest Reinado following claims the former army major led a raid on a police post and made off with 25 automatic weapons and ammunition last month. Armed peacekeepers patrolled the streets to disperse the crowds, with Reinado's supporters replying with threats to continue protesting until Gusmao withdrew his arrest order. "You better go back to your country instead of making people suffer," said one of Reinado's angry supporters, pointing to Australian peacekeeping troops. Streets emptied as international police moved to secure the city and protesters blocked roads with wrecked cars, preventing government officials from going to work. The protest broke up in the afternoon and Gusmao called on the people of East Timor in a televised broadcast not to do anything that could destroy the nation's unity. He that added the presence of international forces was necessary ahead of next month's presidential elections. Troops are still searching for Reinado, who has been on the run since he escaped from jail in Dili in August with 50 other inmates. He has denied that any of his men were killed in the raid. After Saturday's raid, Gusmao urged Reinado to surrender, saying the Government would treat him with respect. But Reinado has said he will not surrender to international troops. Australia, which has 800 troops in East Timor, said Reinado was a threat to Timor's security and should surrender. "It is preferable that that threat be neutralised. But the objective obviously is to take him into custody," Prime Minister John Howard told Australian television. Reinado has made several appearances since the escape, including a meeting with the country's military chief. Security forces did not make any attempt to arrest him. The standoff between Reinado and the troops has raised fears of violence ahead of the presidential election. East Timor voted in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia, which annexed it after Portugal ended its colonial rule in 1975. The country became fully independent in 2002 after a period of UN administration. But an east-west divide in the nation erupted into chaos and gang violence in May following the sacking of 600 soldiers. Earlier yesterday, the Herald's Australia correspondent, Greg Ansley, who has reported from Dili on a number of occasions, said that although United Nations officials claimed the situation in the country was returning to normal, Reinado's cult status had created a focus for the anger and discontent that has scarred the impoverished country since it achieved nationhood. Violence has continued since the collapse of order last year that saw as many as 37 people killed, 150,000 flee to refugee camps, and thousands of homes incinerated. Reinado was a key player in the clashes, leading gun battles between rebels and Timorese army troops that at one stage erupted around Australian and New Zealand diplomats obtaining authorisation for military intervention by the two countries. Operating under an extended UN mandate, there are now 150 New Zealand peace-keepers and the 800 Australian troops in the country. There are also more than 1000 international police officers. - REUTERS ------------------------------------------------------------------ http://somalinet.com/news/world/East%20Africa/8209 Uganda: Child dies of teargas effects in Kampala riot Tue. March 06, 2007 10:26 am.- By David Odoki. - Send this news article (SomaliNet) Riots broke out in the Ugandan capital yesterday as police fired teargas canisters at crowds and fought running battles with opposition demonstrators on day one of the judges' strike action. A child choked to death after police fired a teargas canister into a fully packed Mitsubishi Coaster Reg No. UAE 849U. Policemen fired a teargas canister into a crowd of FDC supporters, which ended up exploding in the fully packed Coaster. A stampede ensued as all hell broke loose. A baby lay dead after succumbing to the explosive irritant. The fracas sucked in opposition leader of Forum for Democratic Change leader Dr Kizza Besigye whose grand showing at Parliament elicited a stern response from scores of policemen in riot gear as they attempted to block the two-time presidential candidate from entering the House's precincts. The bizarre occurrence was the direct result of a verbal confrontation between Ugandan Riot Police and a section of FDC supporters who were demonstrating against last Thursday's High Court siege by scores of armed policemen that led to the re-arrest of six bailed rebel suspects of the People's Redemption Army. (The Monitor) ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=30654 Radio New Zealand International The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Accessibility Information My RNZI Go to Site Menu Papua students say autonomy causes graft Posted at 04:11 on 09 March, 2007 UTC A student activist in Papua says the establishment of autonomous regencies and provinces in the Indonesian province is designed to serve the interests of the political elite. The Jakarta Post reports that the head of the Indonesian Central Papua Highland Alliance, Markus Haluk, made the comment while addressing a crowd of 200 students at the Papua gubernatorial office. He told the throng that Autonomous regions will only enrich a certain group of people and lead to greater corruption. According to Mr Haluk, the political elite and government officials are the ones who favour the creation of more autonomous regions. Six areas in Papua have so far petitioned the central government for autonomous status. Mr Haluk also says that the creation of autonomous regions would also lead to human rights violations and environmental destruction by investors exploiting an area's natural wealth. ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ww4report.com/node/3294 Chiapas: charges in jungle massacre; land conflicts escalate Submitted by Bill Weinberg on Tue, 03/06/2007 - 02:47. Diego Arcos Meneses, an indigenous Chol Maya campesino, has been arrested by Chiapas state police and charged with murder in connection with November's massacre at the rainforest settlement of Viejo Velasco. The Chol campesino organization Xinich protests his innocence. The Xinich statement says Arcos Meneses, 42, is a health promoter and Jesuit "catechist" (lay worker) at the settlement of Nuevo Tila, Ocosingo municipality. "Regrettably in our country such human gestures can be dangerous: solidarity is criminalized while repression walks with impunity," says Xinich, the group believed by rights observers to have actually been targeted in the attack. (Xinich statement, March 4) Meanwhile, land conflicts in the Chiapas rainforest are rapidly escalating, and the Organization for the Defense of Indigenous and Campesino Rights (OPDDIC) is emerging as an aggressive new force. This is the group which both Xinich and the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) say was really behind the Viejo Velasco massacre. Especially at issue are lands claimed by OPDDIC as "Ejido Mukulum Bachajon," now home to the Zapatista "autonomous municipalities" 17 de Noviembre, Vicente Guerrero and Olga Isabel. The lands were taken by the EZLN in the 1994 rebellion, but the Zapatistas say their supporters had earlier been forced from those same lands by adherents of the then-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). OPDDIC, which is in the PRI camp, is now supporting the claims of these ejiditarios (collective farmers), who have apparently won title to the lands by the agrarian reform bureaucracy, despite the expulsions and the fact that the lands have been occupied by others for 13 years. The Zapatista community of El Nance in 17 de Noviembre autonomous municipality told reporter Hermann Bellnghausen of the daily La Jornada that they anticipate an imminent attack from OPDDIC following a decision by the authorities upholding the rival claim to the lands. (La Jornada, March 5) The Agrarian Reform Secretariat (SRA), reviewing the case on behalf of OPDDIC, has ruled for the ejiditarios, finding the Zapatista families who have been on the land since 1994 are "invaders." The local Center for Political Analysis and Socio-Economic Investigation (CAPISE) accuses the SRA of partiality in the case, and complicity with land expropriations. (La Jornada, Feb. 28) According to the SRA ruling, "the ejido Mukulum was created in September 2002, by request of the National Council of Indigenous Peoples (CNPI). It comprises a surface of 1,764 hectares, duly regularized and certified in December 2005 by the Certification Program of Eijdo Rights and Urban Lots (PROCEDE). The PA [Agrarian Prosecutor], in its character as defensor of the rights of the agrarian subjects, has and will proceed with all legality to find a viable solution to this conflict." The ruling did not mention that the plaintiff in the case is the OPDDIC. (La Jornada, March 2) OPDDIC's attorney, Beltran Ruiz Chac?n, reportedly argued to the SRA that the ruling Zapatista body in the region, the Good Government Junta Coraz?n de Arcoiris de la Esperanza, based at the settlement of Morelia, "does not exist." (La Jornada, Feb. 26) But the ruling is now in question, as the SRA has opened an investigation into Ruiz Chac?n following revelations in the press that he is an employee and union leader at the SRA's Agrarian Tribunal in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the Chiapas state capital. This is considered a conflict of interest under SRA regulations. (La Jornada, Feb. 28) Furthermore, CAPISE claims evidence that many of the names officially listed as members of Ejido Mukulum Bachajon are invented or are not actually those of local campesinos. (La Jornada, March 3) Good Government Junta El Camino del Futuro at La Garrucha settlement reports similar conflicts over lands recuperated in 1994 at autonomous municipalities Ricardo Flores Magon, Francisco Villa and others. These lands are claimed by Ejido Egipto, under the control of the PRI-aligned campesino group URCI. It is not said what URCI stands for, but the Junta statement charges it is an arm of the notorious paramilitary group Paz y Justicia, which was responsible for the displacement of thousands of pro-Zapatista peasants in the 1990s. The statement claims Zapatista families have already been threatened at gunpoint and been fired on by armed URCI invaders. (JBG El Camino del Futuro, March 2) Meanwhile, civil authorities called for military assistance when some 400 hectares were destroyed by forest fires at La Sepultura ecological reserve on Chiapas' Pacific coast. The fires are believed to have been started by local campesinos clearing land to plant crops. (El Universal, March 3) State authorities say some 40 fires have destroyed nearly 1,000 hectares of forest in Chiapas this dry season (November-March). (La Jornada, March 3) President Felipe Calderon recently announced that army troops will be mobilized to police Mexico's protected areas. From ldxar1 at tesco.net Wed Mar 14 21:16:10 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:16:10 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Police massacre protesting farmers in Nandigram Message-ID: <01bb01c766b8$aae94b60$0202a8c0@andy1> www.hindustantimes.com ( March,14,2007 8pmIST) Six killed, 15 injured in Nandigram police firing Sujit Nath Nandigram (West Bengal), March 14, 2007 ------------------------------------------ March,14,2007 PRESS STATEMENT The brutal police firing on the farmers of Nandigram who were opposing the forcible acquisition of their lands for SEZs once again demostrates the darkest face of Indian democracy.According to the unoffical sources appearing on various websites, more than 20 people including women have died and around 200 injured. It is the greatest misfortune of the country that on the one hand the political corruption has reached such an alarming proportion that even the Supreme Court has recently expressed deep anguish, while on the other poor farmers' small lands are being acquired in the name of globalisation and privatisation.Perhaps ours is the only democracy in the world which possesses such an enormous inequitable distribution of wealth that while the government is boasting of rapid economic growth, but the farmers committing suicide are the daily news. Shameful as it may be, India claims to be the part of American sponsored so-called global war against terrorism, but it is itself resorting to all sorts of repressive and terrorist measures to stifle the freedom of its own masses. A time has now come when each section of the society must stand up against these state brutalities and show a high degree of determination to safeguard democratic values and freedom of the people. --------------------------------------------- Dr. Mustafa Kamal Sherwani Former President, All India Muslim Forum 3, Sherwani Nagar, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, India Presently, Dean, Faculty of Law and Shariah Zanzibar University, Tanzania Email: sherwanimk at yahoo.com Mobile: + 255-777-420360 --------------------------------------------------- Six killed, 15 injured in Nandigram police firing Sujit Nath Nandigram (West Bengal), March 14, 2007 At least six people were killed while 15 others were seriously injured after a large contingent of police entered Nandigram in east Midnapore district and opened fire and clashed with local people on Wednesday morning. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll to more than 10. The Trinamool Congress has called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh on Friday. Eye witnesses said the trouble started when the police contingent started entering the controversial area, which had been a focal point of controversy for the past few months over villagers' resistance to build in an SEZ there, from the Bhangabera side. According to eye-witnesses, the police fiercely combated all attempts from the villagers who were trying to prevent them. There was a procession of women which came in between the cross fire and many fell dead. At about 8 am, more than 2,000 policemen armed with AK-47 and other sophisticated weapons entered Sonachura village through Khejuri. They first fired in the air but that did not deter the protestors. Then the firing started resulting in the deaths. A section of villagers were armed and they retaliated and injured several policemen. Following the incident, the opposition members staged a walk out and called for state wide protests. Even non-CPI(M) partners of the Left Front criticized the police action. Email author: sujit.nath at hindustantimes.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 16 09:12:50 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:12:50 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Fw: [Arg_Solid] CHILE: "Socialist" government of Bachelet represses women in struggle Message-ID: <013901c767e5$f1aa9ad0$0202a8c0@andy1> ----- Original Message ----- From: Yosef M To: Argentina_Solidarity at yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 3:17 AM Subject: [Arg_Solid] CHILE: "Socialist" government of Bachelet represses women in struggle In http://www.marxist.com/chile-victoria-bachelet-3.htm, the Grantists described the victory by neo-liberal "socialist" presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet in January 2006 as "the first step in the struggle for social transformation," "el primer paso en la lucha por la transformaci?n social," and "giro a la izquierda," "a turn to the left," which is nonsense, since, as the following story shows, the situation of the poor under Bachelet (and Ch?vez, and all the other pro-capitalist politicians supported by the Grantists) is catastrophic. As always, the Grantist leadership gives the workers terrible advice: vote for Rodr?guez Zapatero, vote for Ch?vez, vote for Bachelet, vote for Tabar? V?zquez, and the result will be a victory for the workers. In fact, in the Spanish state, in Venezuela, in Chile, and in Uruguay, the exploiting class is riding high, while workers continue to suffer. The story which follows uses the terms "poblador/a," which can mean "settler" or someone who lives in a shantytown, and "poblaci?n," "settlement" or shantytown. The original is at http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=48015 * * * Women's Declaration: Chile: Bachelet's government repressed a women's demonstration on March 8 [International Women's Day] From: rebelion.org 3/10/2007 [Slightly edited] Yesterday, March 8, 2007, we, in a group of 600 women, tried to march down the Alameda on International Women's Day, to demand our rights, which were trampled on, because of the unjust, machista system of the bosses, under which we live. We are valiant and humble women, we are the people who are fed up with the lies of the rich and their deceitful politicians. We do not want them to continue to treat us with contempt, and therefore we asked, almost 3 months in advance, for permission from the City Council of Santiago to use the legitimate right to walk freely through the streets of Santiago, in this case, marching down the Alameda. Our intention was to march peacefully from Plaza Italia to Paseo Ahumada. However, we were repressed, yet again, by the government of se?ora Michelle Bachelet [President of Chile]. In the course of the march, in the midst of the unjustified repression by the Carabinero Special Forces, against women from the shantytowns, working women, mothers, adults and youth, Nicol?s Eyzaguirre, the former Minister of Finances in the government of Ricardo Lagos [the previous President] passed by in a late-model Jeep. That gentleman, a neo-liberal official serving big businessmen, can freely go for a ride without any difficulty and where he pleases through the high barrio, receiving congratulations from businessmen and transnational corporations; but he cannot now do that in the same way among the workers and poor of Chile. Is Eyzaguirre the victim of an unjust attack by a crowd of women, a false accusation, as he wishes to make it appear to the [right-wing social democratic "Party for Democracy"] PPD and the press? We say he is not. We say it is the repudiation with which citizens react to what is happening in our country, where wages mean poverty, jobs are uncertain, people cannot pay their debts, public transportation is a disgrace, and all the dramas that our people experience. Se?or Eyzaguirre is one of those responsible. How could one not become indignant, faced with acts like that by se?or Eyzaguirre, who after this demand by the people, was "shocked" and had to go do "yoga" to calm himself, while we women of Santiago have to go on waiting for the bus, since they don't run or stop where we live . . . It is a display of the luxury that the rich enjoy and of what the poor cannot do. Therefore, we women who called the march on the eighth [of March, International Women's Day], who were unjustly repressed by the Bachelet government, we call on all women and all men to reflect on the causes at the bottom of the ever-increasing anger that millions of Chilean women feel, in the face of such abuse. We call on the people from the shantytowns of Chile [to see] that no authority strolls through our settlements unpunished, and that in every place in Chile they receive our expression of anger and struggle. We say clearly that it is better and healthier for the country that the PPD, which is plunged into so many acts of corruption, that the ministers of Ricardo Lagos, the Concertaci?n and the Alianza por Chile [the two competing political blocs in the presidential election of 2006, both in favor of neo-liberalism - Bachelet was the candidate of the Concertaci?n], should take on their responsibilities and ask pardon of Chile for the harm they have caused. __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Database --------------------------------------------------- A R G E N T I N A S O L I D A R I T Y http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Argentina_Solidarity/ --------------------------------------------------- Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS a.. Travel to latin america b.. Latin america c.. Learn spanish in latin america d.. Discount airfare latin america Find Deals Yahoo! Shopping Find great deals for Back to School. Travel Deals Take a Trip Now Yahoo! Travel makes it easy Drive Sales Connect with customers who are searching for you. . __,_._,___ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 16 21:34:51 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:34:51 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Racist police terror in South London Message-ID: <002a01c7684d$9bc8d830$0202a8c0@andy1> http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0225croydon/tm_headline=-riot--averted-as-police-accused-of-racism&method=full&objectid=18764008&siteid=53340-name_page.html 'Riot' averted as police accused of racism AN ANGRY crowd accused police of "racism" amid chaotic scenes in a gang crackdown shortly after Friday's stabbing. About six plain clothed officers ran from the crime scene to the nearby McDonald's, apparently to head off further trouble. They appeared to square up to a group of black youths outside the restaurant's front entrance. Several teenagers were shoved almost to the floor by officers and shouted at to stay away from the situation. The youths reacted angrily and as scuffles broke out one was heard shouting furiously: "Give me your ******* badge number." A street vendor, who did not want to be named, said: "I was here talking to someone and the next thing I know the police were arguing with a young black youth. "The police officer pushed him and then his friend intervened and asked for his badge number. The youth who had been asking for the number walked off but they decided to grab him. "He ended up being arrested with such force his shoe came off. People were being pushed around after that, including me. "I told the officer he could-n't do that and that's when he slowed down. I would say the police were being racist. There was nearly a riot." Mum Terri Hall, 34, of Norbury, also witnessed the chaotic scenes outside the fast food restaurant. She said: "They were just shoving these kids to the floor. The kids were getting wound up and shouting back at the officers. Then they were getting arrested." One college student, still wearing a rucksack, shouted his innocence to onlookers as he was arrested by several officers. The crowd dispersed after back-up, including uniformed police and a riot van, arrived and at least two more arrests were made. Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Mark Gore said on Monday that he was not in a position to comment on the incident. A police spokeswoman added: "No complaints of inappropriate police action have been received." From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 16 21:37:56 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:37:56 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Protests, repression in Pakistan Message-ID: <003501c7684e$0a956850$0202a8c0@andy1> http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-03-16T234240Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-291227-4.xml&archived=False Pakistani riot police storm TV channel's office Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:52 PM IST By Augustine Anthony ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani riot police stormed a private television channel's offices and tear-gassed employees after its editors refused to stop broadcasting pictures of protests in Islamabad over moves to sack the country's top judge. Geo News Bureau Chief Hamid Mir, who later received a televised apology from President Pervez Musharraf, said the police broke windows, scuffled with staff and released teargas in the office, as the hearing against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary resumed in the nearby Supreme Court. "They tried to drag me out," Mir said on air during the raid. "They're demanding a camera installed on the roof should be removed." The channel was able to broadcast live pictures of the helmeted police carrying shields and batons bursting into the channel's building, and Geo vehicles parked outside were damaged. Strategically located at an intersection covering routes to the Presidency building, the Supreme Court and National Assembly, Geo's rooftop camera had a panoramic view of the anti-government demonstrations, and had been broadcasting pictures for hours. Musharraf condemned the police violence in a telephone interview with Mir and promised action against those responsible. "I would like to tell the nation, main strength of my reforms are, these are freedom of peace, freedom of expression, freedom of media. this is our mandate, supremacy of human rights, this is also our mandate. So violation of these, I strongly condemn it. But the extraordinary scenes will severely damage any notions the media operates freely in Pakistan, even though the media industry has flourished since Musharraf came to power after a military coup in 1999. More than 100 journalists gathered outside the Geo building shouting slogans against the government after the police raid. The neighbouring office of The News daily which, like Geo, belongs to the Jang group, was also damaged by police. Many new television channels, including Geo, have opened up during Musharraf's rule, but editors still sometimes come under pressure over reporting. The authorities stopped GEO from airing its flagship nightly current affairs show on Thursday, a day before the Supreme Judicial Council resumed hearing the case against Chief Justice Chaudhary. The media, lawyers and opposition politicians have lambasted the government over the treatment of the judge, accusing it of acting unconstitutionally. Chaudhary has been kept incommunicado at his residence. Chaudhary was suspended last Friday, after vague allegations of "misconduct and misuse of authority" were made against him. The government's behaviour has fuelled speculation that the independent-minded judge was being sacked because he might oppose any move by Musharraf to retain his role as army chief, which under the constitution he should relinquish this year. -------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2084783,00.html Tear gas fired in Pakistan riot 16/03/2007 14:11 - (SA) a.. Pakistan bans TV news show a.. 9 years for plotting Aus terror a.. 3 stoned, shot for adultery a.. Riot police clash with lawyers Islamabad - Pakistani riot police fired tear gas and arrested a top Islamist leader on Friday amid protests in Islamabad against the sacking of the country's top judge, AFP reporters and witnesses said. Some 500 lawyers, political leaders and hardline Islamists were gathered outside the Supreme Court building despite a blockade by police, the reporters said. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is due to attend a hearing at the court later in the day into misconduct charges laid by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf a week ago. Police seized Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the president of Pakistan's main alliance of religious parties, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) or United Action Front, after he tried to break through a security cordon, witnesses said. He tried to resist arrest but was placed into an official jeep. However the vehicle could not drive out through the crowd, they said. Another eight Islamist activists were also arrested, officials said. Other protesters ran from billowing clouds of tear gas across a patch of open ground just outside the security cordon and next to the AFP bureau in the capital. Ahmed had earlier led a session of Friday prayers in front of parliament lodges. Police also baton-charged 50 lawyers and political activists who were shouting anti-Musharraf slogans to push them back from a road outside the nearby Supreme Court building, an AFP reporter said. They shouted "Go Musharraf, go" and "Shame, shame" when security vehicles passed by. "This is the beginning of the end of president Musharraf, his cronies and collaborators," said Khwaja Asif, a senior leader of former premier Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League party. The leader of the secular Awami National Party, Asfandyar Wali, said: "I hope good sense will prevail. The order against the chief justice must be withdrawn. This is the only honourable way out." -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: spacer.gif Type: image/gif Size: 43 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: StoryA_Print01.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1720 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: StoryA_Print02.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 906 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: StoryA_Email.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1746 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: StoryA_Related.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2353 bytes Desc: not available URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Sun Mar 18 06:39:48 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 13:39:48 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Fw: [PeaceNoWar] 3/17 Washington DC:Protestors march on Pentagon mark 4th anniversary of Iraq War Message-ID: <01bf01c76962$e66b9470$0202a8c0@andy1> ----- Original Message ----- From: SIUHIN at aol.com To: peacenowar at lists.riseup.net Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 2:39 AM Subject: [PeaceNoWar] 3/17 Washington DC:Protestors march on Pentagon mark 4th anniversary of Iraq War Peace No War Network War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate Not in our Name! And another world is possible! http://www.PeaceNoWar.net e-mail: Info at PeaceNoWar.net Tel: (213)403-0131 3/17 Washington D.C.: Protestors march on Pentagon to mark 4th anniversary of Iraq war Thousands of protesters against the war in Iraq walk in the March on the Pentagon in Washington, March 17, 2007. by Yang Qingchuan, XinhuaNet (China) http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/18/content_5861263.htm Highlights ?Protestors marched from Washington to Pentagon to to mark 4th anniversary of Iraq war. ?Cindy Sheehan,"anti-war mom" delivered a speech, calling for "stopping the war machine". ?Similar anti-war demonstrations were also held across the U.S. and around the world . Activists hold candles in front of the White House as they take part in an anti-war procession, 16 March 2007, in Washington, DC. Ten of thousands of protesters marched in Washington against the Iraq war Saturday, taking their message on placards, "US out of Iraq now," to the Pentagon's doorstep ahead of the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion. (Xinhua/AFP photo) Gallery>>> WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of protesters marched from Washington D.C. to the steps of Pentagon on the other side of the Potomac River Saturday, to mark the 4th anniversary of the Iraq war, which falls on March 20. Protesters were carrying such signs that read "U.S. Out of Iraq Now" and "Stop Iraq War, No Iran War, Impeach," "Bring Our TroopsHome", "Stop Occupation in Iraq" and so on. Some demonstrators were dressed like Guantanamo prisoners while a father whose son was killed in Iraq, drove his pick-up car with a coffin on the top of it. Williams Tucker, a Vietnam War veteran from Kentucky, said politicians should bring U.S. forces home immediately instead of "playing politics with the troops." "We should stop occupation of Iraq, and bringing peace back to the Middle East," he said. Vivian Hampson, a grandmother from Pittsburgh, Penn., said Iraq war is a huge mistake and won't make the country safer as the Bush administration claimed. "What they really want is to occupy the Middle East and control the oil resource. But we must not let them waste American money and lives on such a wrong cause," she said. Organizers of the event draws parallel between the event with the historical march on the Pentagon against the Vietnam War in October 1967, which marked a tipping point for the anti-war movement to go mainstream. Saturday's march began near the Vietnam War Memorial, just a few blocks away from the White House, and proceeded across the Potomac River toward the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. It was not immediately clear exactly how many protestors showed up for the march on the chilly but sunny afternoon, but they began moving over the Memorial Bridge on the Potomac River at about 1 p.m. and were done about an hour later. There were no official estimates of the number of participants,but some news reports put the number at about 10,000 to 20,000. The organizers of the march -- led by the anti-war group network A.N.S.W.E.R.( Coalition, for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) -- appeared to set their sites on a range of sweeping goals, from the impeachment of U.S. President George W. Bush to the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. After demonstrators arrived in the north side of the Pentagon, Cindy Sheehan, the "anti-war mom" who made headlines camping outside the Bush's Texas ranch after her son was killed in Iraq, took the stage and delivered a speech, calling for "stopping the war machine". Anita Dennis, whose son refused the military's call to go to Iraq again, said people should support such resistance to "save lives." Michael Berg, whose son died in Iraq, urged the lawmakers to stop funding the war and "impeach Bush." On Friday night, a coalition of Christian groups led several thousand marchers in a procession from the National Cathedral. Dozens were arrested praying in front of the White House. Outside Washington D.C., similar anti-war demonstrations were also held across the U.S. and around the world in the days ahead of next Tuesday's Iraq war anniversary. Anti-war rallies were planned for New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Hartford, Conn., and Lincoln, Neb. Around the globe, about 1,000 people protested in Athens, Greece, while more than 3,000 gathered for peaceful protests in Istanbul, Turkey. Others gathered in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. 3/16 Washington D.C: Religious protest marches from Cathedral to White House, hundreds of arrests [D.C. Indymedia Center] Late evening on Friday, March 16, over 3,000 people gathered in Washington Cathedral for a service, and then marched down Mass Ave towards the White House, looking like a sea of fireflies with electric "candles' held high. On arrival at the White House, hundreds were arrested an a planned civil disobediance The number of CD participants was so high that CD participants had to be organized by a system of numbers! The cops had stated they could only handle 100 at a time, and the religious peace focussed organizers agreed to that request. Arrests finally totalled 222 according to the AP wire service reports. This kind of protest coming from the Cathedral has not been seen in DC since 1991, on the Sunday prior to the start of the First persian Gulf War! on that night, the cathedral was packed too, just like on March 16 this year. That night, anohter candlelight procession left the Cathedral and went to the White House-at that time, closing a normally-open to traffic Penn Ave, which protestors closed almost every night for the first two weeks of that war. Maybe we will finally start to see people banging drums in Lafayette park every night as well, like we did in Gulf War I to Daddy Bush's everlasting complaint? Thousands of protesters take part in an anti-war demonstration at the White House in Washington, DC, 16 March 2007. (Xinhua/AFP photo) Anti-war protesters kneel in front of the White House before being arrested during a demonstration protesting the war in Iraq in Washington, March 16, 2007. (Xinhhua/Reuters photo) Thousands of protesters take part in an anti-war demonstration at the White House in Washington, DC, 16 March 2007. (Xinhhua/Reuters photo) More upcoming major 4th anniversary events around the country: a.. March 16-19: Declaration of Peace Campaign b.. March 18: NYC March to End the War c.. March 18: Stop the War Peace Camp, Rally and March in Portland, OR d.. March 18: US Out of Iraq March in San Francisco e.. March 19: No Business As Usual March & Rally in Salt Lake City f.. March 19-23: Veterans Caravan to the Gulf Coast g.. March 20: Mass Mobilization, March & Rally in Chicago h.. Find 4th anniversary events in your area. ================================================================= Peace, No War War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate Not in our Name! And another world is possible! Information for antiwar movements, news across the World, please visit: http://www.PeaceNoWar.net e-mail: Info at PeaceNoWar.net Tel: (213)403-0131 Please Join PeaceNoWar Listserv, send e-mail to: peacenowar-subscribe at lists.riseup.net Please Donate to Peace No War Network! Send check pay to: ActionLA/AFGJ ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible) ============================================= The web page has been design by Activist Design Studio Please visit: http://www.ActivistDesign.net Toll-Free: (888)635-3307 ============================================= <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> *To Translate this page to Arabic, please visit ajeeb.com:http://tarjim.ajeeb.com/ajeeb/default.asp?lang=1 *To Translate this page to French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese, please visit Systran:http://www.systransoft.com/ <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> **"Report From Baghdad" CD-ROM** Pacifica Radio KPFK Los Angeles Reporter Lee Siu Hin's July 2003 trip to U.S. occupied Iraq. An interactive CD-ROM with articles, photos, audio and video interviews includes: people of Iraq, U.S. military, human rights workers, religious leaders and more! Please Visit the Web Site: http://www.BaghdadReport.net Each CD costs: $15.00 plus $3.50 S/H (work both PC and Mac) The CD sells will be benefit the Baghdad Independent Media Center, ActionLA, and PeaceNoWar.net *Additional donations are welcome, and it will be tax deductible. Send check/money orders to: ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call To Action! May Day 2007 National Mobilization to Support Immigrant Workers! Web: http://www.MayDay2007.net ================================================================= Peace, No War War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate Not in our Name! And another world is possible! URL: http://www.PeaceNoWar.net Tel: (213)403-0131 e-mail: Info at PeaceNoWar.net Please Join PeaceNoWar Listserv, send e-mail to: peacenowar-subscribe at lists.riseup.net Please Donate to Peace No War Network! Send check pay to: ActionLA/SEE ActionLA/The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed... Name: message-footer.txt URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Sat Mar 24 04:40:27 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 11:40:27 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Fw: [BlackGreen)] Palm Islanders cleared over riot Message-ID: <001101c76e09$3985cea0$0202a8c0@andy1> ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 11:27 PM Subject: [BlackGreen)] Palm Islanders cleared over riot > Palm Islanders cleared over riot > > * Kevin Meade > * March 23, 2007 > > FOUR Palm Island men were yesterday cleared of involvement in a riot > sparked by the death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee. > A Brisbane Supreme Court jury deliberated for two days before > acquitting them. > > William Neville Blackman, 36, John Major Clumpoint, 40, Dwayne Daniel > Blanket, 26, and Lance Gabriel Poynter, 34, had pleaded not guilty > early this month to rioting causing destruction. > > The riot erupted on November 26, 2004, a week after the death of Doomadgee > in a police cell at Palm Island, 40km off Townsville, the trial was told. > > Islanders attending a meeting to hear the results of an autopsy on > Doomadgee's death grew angry on hearing a finding that he had died > accidentally. > > Rioters marched on the police station and burned it down. > > They also burned the court house, a police dwelling and a police car. > > However, the prosecution did not allege during the trial that any of > the four accused men lit the fires. > > Prosecutor Michael Cowan said the Crown case was that the four were > part of a joint enterprise and the fires were a probable result. > > Mr Blanket's defence barrister, Mark Green, said in his final address > that the prosecution had painted the accused as being part of a crowd > that marched on the police station with a common purpose and > "celebrated in the flames". > > But Mr Green said many in the crowd were simply "looking for answers" > about Doomadgee's death. > > Outside court, Mr Poynter was asked if his faith in the justice system > had been restored. > > "Yeah, down in Brisbane, anyway," he replied, in a reference to the > fact that the trial was held in Brisbane instead of Townsville because > a survey found that most residents of the north Queensland city had > racist attitudes towards Palm Island Aborigines. > > Mr Poynter said he could hardly wait to get back to Palm Island. > > "We've been taken away from our families and our homes and our > environment and chucked into a big city like this," Mr Poynter said. > > "We're glad this is all over." > > Former Palm Island police officer Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley has > been charged with the manslaughter of Doomadgee and will face trial in > Townsville this year > > > > ***************** > > As Indigenous peoples, the way to recovering freedom and power and > happiness is clear: it is time for each one of us to make the commitment > to transcend colonialism as people, and for us to work > together as peoples to become forces of Indigenous truth against the lie > of colonialism. > Taiaiake Alfred > > http://aotearoa.wellington.net.nz/back/intro.htm > http://blackgst.revolt.org/ > http://itwillbethundering.resist.ca/ > http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/23/1446238&mode=thread&tid=25 > > _______________________________________________ > BlackGreenSolidarity mailing list > BlackGreenSolidarity at lists.perthimc.asn.au > http://lists.perthimc.asn.au/mailman/listinfo/blackgreensolidarity > From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 30 07:24:58 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:24:58 +0100 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Uprising at French rail station over police violence Message-ID: <00d201c772d7$327545f0$0202a8c0@andy1> I wish this happened when they do ticket crackdowns in Britain! The public are far too passive here. Notice as always that the right condone police violence but condemn resistance on principle - showing they have no problem with totalitarian tendencies in the state (and notice too how the social principle - the idea of social solidarity - is especially hated by Sarkozy). At least in France this is still countered and rebounds politically on rightists "with the Left claiming that Nicolas Sarkozy's repressive policies have brought anti-police sentiment to an all-time high.". (though of course this is too little - why is "anti-police sentiment" opposed, when even today they are batoning passersby and sending random commuters to hospital from teargas?) "Zidou said the violence had echoes of the riots in 2005. "They never finished," he said. "It slowed down a bit, but it was never over." The possibility of clashes is also inbuilt in surveillance, repression and immigration policies - of course someone declared illegal simply for where they are, will be desperate to avoid arrest; of course displays of state violence will antagonize onlookers; of course, poverty causes autoreduction as a blow for freedom of movement - such things are a mystery only to those who want humiliation to be so deep as to preclude agency! http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070329174941338 Class and race riot: Paris gare du nord Thursday, March 29 2007 @ 05:49 PM PDT Contributed by: Anonymous Views: 135 On Tuesday, 27th of March 2007, around 4 p.m., a "routine" ticket control at gare du Nord turned into riot until late at night: a black man (30 years old immigrant without legal status according to mainstream media, teenager around 15 years old according eyewitnesses) was controlled and had no Metro ticket, he tried to escape. Inspectors blocked him, according to the eyewitness he was beaten. (In France, beatings of immigrants, people of color, poor and working class people by patrols of police is routine. As well as verbal abuse, humiliation in public places etc.) It seems that he defended himself. Paris : Emeute populaire ? la gare du Nord Paris : Popular riot at Gare du Nord (Train and subway station) On Tuesday, 27th of March 2007, around 4 p.m., a "routine" ticket control at gare du Nord turned into riot until late at night: a black man (30 years old immigrant without legal status according to mainstream media, teenager around 15 years old according eyewitnesses) was controlled and had no Metro ticket, he tried to escape. Inspectors blocked him, according to the eyewitness he was beaten. (In France, beatings of immigrants, people of color, poor and working class people by patrols of police is routine. As well as verbal abuse, humiliation in public places etc.) It seems that he defended himself. He was spontaneously supported by a lot of travelers and ordinary citizens who were on the scene. People shouted at the Police, asking them to stop their aggression on poor people, or shouting anti-right wing, anti-racist slogans. Cops reacted as usual with arrogance and hatred for the people. Police called reinforcement but people on the scene called reinforcement too! (The poor suburbs are only a few minutes away by subway) Police attacked unarmed people with flash balls and CS gas. French military troops, who are invading public spaces for years now, were also there with their FAMAS automatic rifles. Police was using the dogs to attack the people. The aggression made people very angry and fearless. Some witnesses were surprised by the fearless of the rioters, despite the fact that being arrested and put on trial , young poor POC or white poor, could expect months of prison or a couple of years. And people can be also badly beaten, tortured etc. in police stations. (But the hard situation for working class makes people more and more angry toward the rich, their politicians and the arrogant media machine of lies and deception. Middle class, as everywhere in Europe and America, is under attack by the bourgeoisie, POC are treated as sub humans and the Police State is growing endlessly) Fights between police and hundreds of people mainly POC from Arab and African origins including girls and women, but also poor working class youth (between 200 and 500) lasted 8 hours on the various floors of the train and subway station. All sorts of people were shouting antipolice slogans but not necessarily taking part in the riot. People were shouting slogans such as ? Sarkozy, fils de pute !" (Sarkozy son of a bitch), "Police partout, justice nulle part !" (Police everywhere, justice nowhere) or "A bas l'Etat, les flics et les patrons !" (No more State, cops and bosses). According to witnesses it was an atmosphere of insurrection. According to mainstream journalists and to eyewitness, the situation was out of control for the police during many hours despite heavy reinforcements. Police charged randomly and attacked bystanders (including a young man walking with his pregnant wife who testified in front of the media, his face covered with blood) but very few arrests were made. The police forces (around 300 hundreds according to eyewitness) were busy trying to control the territory while confronted with very mobile cells of people. The train station was ransacked during the fights, many ads panels were broken (ads for the neoconservative paper "L'express" were largely targeted), other symbols of the oppressive state and capitalism were destroyed. Some girls were seen trashing computers and machine from the SNCF, the state transportation company that collaborates in the anti-poor, anti-immigrants, anti-POC profiling and targeting. (One has to understand that for poor people, people on welfare as well as people on minimum salary or lower middle class it is IMPOSSIBLE to pay transportation tickets to go to work or to move through the city. In addition the state is more and more aggressive against non-payers and racism profiling in public places goes is a daily business and unpunished) People threw all furniture available on the riot police to defend against state aggression. Some rioters threw large plant pots (size of 50 cm) from the upper floors of the station, to force police to retreat. People put a control office on fire, slogans covered the walls in the stations: one could read "Victory of the people against the bourgeois state" , "Chirac is a thief", "The government is a crook" etc. At 10 pm, the smell of CS gas did not succeeded in dispersing small cells of rioters. A shoes store had been looted. Video surveillance cameras were destroyed, including the round black "360" types that were smashed. As the traffic of trains and subway trains was not completely stopped, every 5 minutes groups of passengers were passing, mixing with the angry crowd and cells, many passengers stopped, looked at the fights, insulted the cops, as this French African father wearing a suit who was seen throwing something in the face of cops with a stream of insults. The environnement was hard to control for the cops. As well as for the people: feeling of being trapped in a building of concrete with cops everywhere, mainstream journalists with their cameras everywhere, video surveillance on each floor. One could see a cop carrying on of his colleague, badly hurt, on his back ! Finally police took over all floors. People moved on the square in front of the station. Later a small barricade was put on fire in the street: a girl had found an old sofa and decided to put it on fire in the street, people came to help, bringing things such as wooden doors, pieces of wood etc. Some people stopped a bus at the corner of St-Denis and Lafayette, and started arguing about the idea of destroying it, probably to make a barricade. It was not. Some people could be seen running after an isolated police car, fleeing a cell of twenty angry rioters. Then 10 buses of anti-riot police arrive at high speed. The last rioters block the street with a barricade and then disperse in the city. End for now. 10 arrested people need support against State and Capitalist repression. AC (Agir contre le Chomage, "Act against Unemployment, a grass root and radical "union" of poor people, issued a statement calling for free transportation for all citizens RATP (Network for the Abolition of Paying Public Transportation) issued a similar statement and claimed its support for "those who refused one more time to be submitted to the daily humiliation and violence coming from the ticket inspectors and police and military forces" Anarchists groups such as the "Federation Anarchiste" or the radical union CNT are struggling for free public transportation and for self-managed public services. http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78614 A pretty fair video (the only one) from a mainstream TV channel: * JT de BFMTV, 23h le 27 mars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuEz0TYBWZQ VIDEO NO COMMENT: The pigs attacking with their dogs and our proud POC and proletarian youth, hungry, pissed of and refusing daily submission under the boot of the rich, white, terrorist men leading the planet to death: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6jTEBJRzt0&mode=related&search= PICTURES FROM INDYMEDIA PARIS : http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78533 VIDEO NO COMMENTS: End of riot: fascist police charging, shouting, taking control, beating people http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/gare%2Bdu%2Bnord/video/x1kfck_affrontements-gare-du-nord More: http://paris.indymedia.org On Indymedia-Paris : * 8 heures d'?meutes et affontements ? la gare du Nord http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78534 * Gare du Nord, 23 h 15 - 00 h 45 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78529 * Gare du Nord, temoignage http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78528 * Emeute ? Gare du Nord http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78503 * Gare du Nord... la police veille au grain http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78500 In the mainstream press : * Sc?nes d'?meutes Gare du Nord (TF1/LCI) http://tf1.lci.fr/infos/france/faits-divers/0,,3421296,00-scenes-emeutes-gare-nord-.html * Emeutes ? la gare du Nord ? Paris (Reuters) http://fr.news.yahoo.com/27032007/290/emeutes-a-la-gare-du-nord-a-paris.html * Un contr?le de billet tourne ? l'affrontement entre police et jeunes ? la gare du Nord (AFP) http://fr.news.yahoo.com/27032007/202/un-controle-de-billet-tourne-l-affrontement-entre-police-et.html * Incidents entre jeunes et policiers gare du Nord ? Paris (Associated Press) http://fr.news.yahoo.com/27032007/5/incidents-entre-jeunes-et-policiers-gare-du-nord-paris.html * Emeutes : le regard d?sabus? de Yasmina, 23 ans (TF1/LCI) http://tf1.lci.fr/infos/france/faits-divers/0,,3421660,00-emeutes-regard-desabuse-yasmina-ans-.html * Des ?meutes et des candidats (RFI) http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/087/article_50650.asp Pictures : * Photos des ?meutes dans la gare du Nord http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=78533 * Photos des ?meutes, sur le site du journal "20 minutes" http://www.20minutes.fr/diaporama/GARE-DU-NORD/pages/page_1.php * Photos de dehors, autour de la gare du Nord, vers 23h30 http://thibautcho.free.fr/FFSF/?album=2oo7_o3_27_Gare_du_Nord_11h30 Videos : * Vid?o ind?pendante (portable) : Face aux flics http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=-211769719515056883&q * Vid?o ind?pendante (portable) : "Sarko, fils de pute" http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=-6014202246381003770&hl=fr * Vid?o ind?pendante (portable) : Apr?s les lacrymos des flics... http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=799568361347037881&hl=fr * Des images prises le 27 mars par l'AFP http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/gare%2Bdu%2Bnord/video/x1kfck_affrontements-gare-du-nord * JT de TF1, vers 20h le 27 mars http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/emeute%2Bgare%2Bnord/video/x1k91a_emeutes-gare-du-nord-270307 * JT de BFMTV, 22h le 27 mars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-hdgkZf3zA * JT de I-T?l?, 22h30 le 27 mars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeeP2W_XlvE * JT de BFMTV, 23h le 27 mars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuEz0TYBWZQ * JT de LCI, 1h30 le 28 mars ============================================= http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/03/28/paris-riots-070328.html Train ticket dispute erupts into riot on Paris streets Last Updated: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 | 10:42 AM ET CBC News Paris police in riot gear fired tear gas into crowds of youths during a melee that tore through the city's Gare du Nord train station - a clash apparently sparked by a dispute over a rail ticket. The incident, which underscored the city's socio-economic tensions, began on Tuesday when a young man without a rail ticket punched a Metro attendant conducting a routine inspection, Paris public transport officials said. "The inspectors were hit with projectiles, as were the officers who came to assist them," Force Ouvri?re police union spokesman Luc Poignant said. But youths at the station contested the police account, saying they had come to the aid of the young man - who they said was of North African descent - because police were using excessive force during the arrest. Some claimed officers broke his arm while manhandling him. By Tuesday evening, the situation had escalated from a scuffle inside one of the city's main transport hubs to pandemonium that spilled onto the Paris streets. Gangs lit fires, smashed property and looted shops as riot teams brandishing batons tried to control the mayhem. Police ended up arresting 13 people but said the riots involved about 100 people. Travellers in the Metro station, meanwhile, continued dragging their luggage over broken glass and strewn garbage to head to their destinations. Commuter lines closed for several hours, but the long-distance rail hub and the Eurostar terminal remained open throughout. Commuter Cyril Zidou, a 24-year-old electrician, said he was coming home from the gym "when I just got gassed." Paramedics also treated one woman who had inhaled tear gas. Witnesses said the chaos bore reminders of the 2005 civil unrest in France, when youth bands, many of whom were of North African origin, set cars on fire and trashed buildings in poor areas of the country. The uprisings prompted the government to call a national state of emergency. "They never finished," Zidou said of the 2005 riots, which were meant to protest sentiment among poor Arab and African communities that France was a racist society. "It slowed down a bit, but it was never over." Tuesday's violence did not appear directly related to France's presidential election to be held in less than four weeks. A new leader will take power in May. =========================================================== http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article2402899.ece Sarkozy's policies blamed for riot at Eurostar terminal Thursday, March 29, 2007 By John Lichfield A running fight between police and youths at a Paris railway station amid distraught commuters and tourists turned into a pitched political battle yesterday, casting a shadow over the forthcoming presidential elections. For several hours on Tuesday night, police fought a group of about 300 youths in the subterranean passages and shopping centres of the Gare du Nord, the terminus for Eurostar trains from London. Windows were smashed, a sports shop was looted, tear gas was fired and innocent passengers were accidentally struck by police batons after youths objected to the allegedly brutal arrest of a man without a ticket. Passengers - including many from Britain - milled around in confusion as the Gare du Nord Metro station was closed and tear gas wafted along the underground corridors. There were two waves of violence, leading to 13 arrests. The clashes were used by politicians of left and far right to attack Nicolas Sarkozy, a centre-right candidate in the presidential elections scheduled for 22 April and 6 May. His opponents claim the riot was the product of tensions between police and youths in the multi-racial suburbs - tensions generated by Mr Sarkozy's policies and comments as Interior Minister. The rioting youths initially objected to the level of force used against the ticketless passenger (later identified as a 32-year-old illegal immigrant from Congo). There was a second wave of violence later in the evening, when gangs of youths roamed the station, chanting slogans against Mr Sarkozy and smashing windows. Some of them began to cry "Foot Locker! Foot Locker!" before looting a Foot Locker store of its running shoes and sports clothes. Mr Sarkozy, who leads the opinion polls, stood down afrom his post as Interior Minister (equivalent to Home Secretary) on Monday to concentrate on the campaign. He said the riot was the result of years of allowing suburban gangs "to do what they like". He praised police for imposing a "minimum of order, respect, authority and calm". The fighting at the Gare du Nord, mostly involving youths of African and north African origin, rekindled memories of the three weeks of rioting that swept the poor suburbs of French cities in November 2005. Gare du Nord is the mainline Paris terminus for trains to and from London, Brussels and northern France, but it is also the suburban station for the towns north-east of Paris, where the civil unrest began in 2005. Police said that the ticketless passenger was intercepted by two Paris Metro ticket inspectors and then tried to headbutt one of them. He was arrested by police. Groups of youths who congregate at the station saw him being dragged along the ground. One eyewitness said the rumour spread that the arrested man was a 13-year-old and that his arm had been broken by police. The initial unrest was calmed by tear gas and baton charges but other youths arrived at the station later in the evening and began systematically to smash windows and automatic ticket machines. Julien Dray, spokesman for the Socialist presidential candidate, S?gol?ne Royal, said the incidents "illustrated the climate of tension and the gulf of violence which has been created between the police and the people". Whatever the rights and wrongs, the incidents could be politically damaging for Mr Sarkozy. He is detested by many people in the poor suburbs of French cities, after calling youth gangs "scum" several weeks before the 2005 riots. There is now a widespread fear, on both the left and on the centre-right, that a Sarkozy presidency might generate or provide the excuse for more violence in French cities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2007/03/29/2003354347 French riot police clash with youths at Gare du Nord AP, PARIS Thursday, Mar 29, 2007, Page 6 Riot police firing tear gas and brandishing batons clashed on Tuesday with bands of youths who shattered windows and looted shops at a major Paris train station. Officials said nine people were arrested. Officers and police dogs charged at groups of marauding youths, some of them wearing hoods, who mingled with commuters and travelers at the Gare du Nord -- one of Paris' most important transport hubs. As Tuesday shifted into yesterday and officers cleared the station, the melee spilled out onto the surrounding streets. Police ordered spectators to disperse and threatened to charge as small groups of youths set fire to wooden barricades and garbage cans and pelted passing tourist buses with sticks. Earlier on Tuesday, in the station, youths threw trash cans and other objects at officers and set fire to an information booth. One woman was evacuated by paramedics for tear gas inhalation. Groups of dazed tourists and commuters negotiated overturned garbage cans and downed potted plants, dragging their bags over the glass-strewn floors. Cyril Zidou, a 24-year-old electrician, said he was coming home from the gym "when I just got gassed." Youths broke windows of a sports-goods store, reaching through the shattered glass to grab boxes of shoes. Passers-by also joined in the looting. Into the late evening, groups of officers were still periodically charging youths who took flight in stairwells and other parts of the station. Paris police said officers made nine arrests. The violence did not appear directly related to France's presidential election in under four weeks, but highlighted the social and economic tensions that the country's new leader will inherit when he or she takes power in May. Lines from Gare du Nord radiate out to the same suburbs north of Paris where rioting erupted in 2005. That violence was born of pent-up anger -- especially among youths of immigrant origin -- over years of high unemployment and inequalities. Those issues have both figured in the presidential campaign. A Paris city hall official said about 100 people were involved in the violence late on Tuesday evening. Hundreds more milled around the station, watching the pandemonium. Some youths swung metal bars. They attacked automatic drink dispensers, smashed windows and lights. Some trash cans were set on fire. Mohamed Mamouni, a shopkeeper, said he was bedding down overnight in his cellphone store to guard it. He said he chased away youths who smashed a hole in his window. "I arrived just in time," he said. The clashes forced subway and commuter lines to skip their stops at the station for several hours. Its long-distance rail hub and terminal for Eurostar trains that go to Britain were unaffected. The melee started after a man without a Metro ticket punched two inspectors during a routine ticket check, said officials from Paris' RATP public transport authority. Youths attacked the inspectors and later turned on police officers patrolling the station. "The inspectors were hit with projectiles, as were the officers who came to assist them," said Luc Poignant, an official for the Force Ouvriere police union. Police said the ticket-less man was in custody. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://news.bostonherald.com/international/europe/view.bg?articleid=191380 Rioting in Paris becomes presidential campaign issue By Associated Press Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - Updated: 12:42 PM EST PARIS - It began with a routine ticket check at a Paris train station. What happened next _ rioting, looting, tear gas _ showed the anger that erupted into violence in France's troubled neighborhoods in 2005 still smolders beneath the surface. The rampage by youths, many apparently of African or North African descent, at a major rail hub Tuesday became an instant campaign issue in the French presidential race. It was a jarring reminder of the social tensions France's new leader will contend with when he or she takes power in May. Front-runner Nicolas Sarkozy of the governing right called the violence at the Gare du Nord unacceptable. His main rival, Socialist Segolene Royal, blamed Sarkozy's camp, saying the right's policing policies were an utter failure. Anger erupted after a 32-year-old man without a Metro ticket punched two inspectors during a routine check, police said. The man, an illegal alien from Congo who has challenged France's efforts to expel him, had been convicted in 2004 for insulting a magistrate, police unions said. Dozens of youths gathered to defend the man from ticket agents, and the group swelled to 300 people and grew more and more aggressive, police said. The youths wielded metal bars, smashed windows, looted stores and injured eight train agents and a police officer, police authorities said. Rail lines connect Gare du Nord to the same troubled suburbs north of Paris that were gripped by rioting in October and November 2005. That violence was born of pent-up anger _ especially among youths of Arab and African origin _ over years of high unemployment, racial discrimination and economic inequality. Since then, sporadic incidents have broken out in suburbs that many middle-class French people avoid. The violence at Gare du Nord was unusual because it is in the heart of Paris, the terminal for Eurostar trains linking France to Britain. Far-right presidential candidate Philippe de Villiers, who wants to stop immigration to France, said the violence shows "there are ethnic gangs installed on our territory and who now feel that even the Gare du Nord is theirs." The check "got out of hand and transformed into urban guerrilla warfare, into unacceptable, intolerable violence," new Interior Minister Francois Baroin told Europe 1 radio. "Nothing can justify what happened." Thirteen people were taken into custody, including five minors, police said. They were in custody on suspicion of violence against state agents, vandalism and theft. The incident gave added urgency to addressing the problems of France's disenfranchised minority youths _ already a central issue of the campaign leading up to the April 22-May 6 two-round presidential vote. Some of the youths rampaging at Gare du Nord shouted slogans against Sarkozy, who is seen by many youths in poor neighborhoods as the symbol of French police repression. He has alienated many with his tough policing and talk _ as minister he once called delinquents "scum." Sarkozy said the violence showed that French children need lessons in civic responsibility in school. "When individuals come to the rescue of someone who is committing fraud, that is particularly unacceptable, and I hope that the justice system will firmly sanction people who behave like that," he told reporters. Sarkozy has won praise from some observers for handling the 2005 riots with no major bloodshed. But his leftist opponents say he has exacerbated the suburbs' problems, and that his government deepened divisions in French society. "Police are afraid to go in certain neighborhoods, or to carry out certain security checks," Royal told Canal Plus television. "Sometimes people are afraid simply when they see police." ------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/27/ap3557605.html Associated Press Clashes Erupt at Paris Train Station By JAMEY KEATEN 03.27.07, 9:20 PM ET Popular Videos Showdown: Maidment vs. Lenzner Box Office Previews Going For Growth Hendrix Gets Bottled A Major League Make Over Most Popular Stories How To Say No Where Is The U.S. Economy Going? How Companies Are Helping Dads Celebrity Fashion Reaches Critical Mass High-Security, High-End Homes Riot police firing tear gas and brandishing batons clashed Tuesday with bands of youths who shattered windows and looted shops at a major Paris train station, officials said. Nine people were arrested. Officials said about 100 people were involved in the melee at Gare du Nord, one of Paris' most important transport hubs. Officers, some with police dogs, fired tear gas and charged at groups of marauding youths, some of them wearing hoods and swinging metal bars. The youths responded by throwing trash cans and other objects at the officers. A group of youths smashed the windows of a sporting goods store and looted boxes of shoes. Others attacked automatic drink dispensers and set fire to an information booth. Commuter Cyril Zidou, a 24-year-old electrician, said he was coming home from the gym "when I just got gassed." One woman was evacuated by paramedics for inhalation of tear gas. The violence did not appear directly related to France's presidential election less than a month away, but it highlighted the social and economic tensions that the country's new leader will inherit when he or she takes power in May. The train lines from Gare du Nord radiate out to the same suburbs north of Paris where three weeks of rioting erupted in 2005. That violence was born of pent-up anger - especially among youths of Arab and African origin - over years of high unemployment and racial inequalities. The melee spilled onto the surrounding streets late Tuesday as officers cleared the station. Police ordered spectators to disperse and threatened to charge as small groups of youths set fire to wooden barricades and garbage cans and pelted passing tourist buses with sticks. Zidou said the violence had echoes of the riots in 2005. "They never finished," he said. "It slowed down a bit, but it was never over." Another commuter, Guy Elkoun, said: "There's always a feeling of insecurity in this train station ... I knew this could happen someday." Officials from Paris' RATP public transport authority said the violence started after a man without a Metro ticket punched two inspectors during a routine ticket check. Youths also attacked the inspectors and later turned on police patrolling the station, officials said. "The inspectors were hit with projectiles, as were the officers who came to assist them," said Luc Poignant, an official for the Force Ouvriere police union. But youths at the station said Tuesday's clashes started when police manhandled a young person of North African origin. Some claimed that the youth's arm was broken in the confrontation. The clashes forced subway and commuter lines to skip their stops at the station for several hours. Its long-distance rail hub and terminal for Eurostar trains that go to Britain were unaffected. Shopkeeper Mohamed Mamouni said he was bedding down overnight in his cell phone store to guard it. He said he chased away youths who smashed a hole in his window. "I arrived just in time," he said. (UPDATES with chaos in streets, shopkeeper comment; corrects that trains skipped station, sted entire lines closed.) Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed --------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/29/wfra29.xml Battle of Gare du Nord rocks Paris By Henry Samuel in Paris Last Updated: 2:54am BST 30/03/2007 French elections coverage in full France's presidential candidates have been exchanging fire over why the simple arrest of a fare-dodger turned into a full scale riot, with the Left claiming that Nicolas Sarkozy's repressive policies have brought anti-police sentiment to an all-time high. Police used tear-gas and batons charges on Tuesday night to quell scores of rioters at the Gare du Nord - the Eurostar terminus in Paris used by hundreds of thousands of Britons each year. French officers with dogs patrol the Gare du Nord Metro Thirteen people were arrested during several hours of clashes, which began during the evening rush hour and did not end until midnight. Commuters and tourists were caught in the crossfire as groups of youths, some hooded, threw projectiles at police, smashed windows and drink distributors with iron bars and ransacked shops. Mr Sarkozy, presidential candidate for the right-wing UMP party who stepped down as interior minister on Monday, defended the police's handling of the incident. "We are the only country where it is considered abnormal to arrest someone who doesn't pay for his ticket," he said. "If the police force is not there to ensure a minimum of order, what exactly is its role?" advertisement S?gol?ne Royal, the Socialist candidate, said the riot was a legacy of Mr Sarkozy's time at the interior ministry - including the November 2005 riots - which had worsened animosity between police and young people from ethnic minorities. "Naturally passengers should pay for their ticket. But for a simple stop-check to degenerate into such violent confrontation proves that something is not right any more," she said. "Five years of a Right-wing government which made security its campaign theme, and we see that it has failed right along the line." In particular, she attacked Mr Sarkozy's decision to dismantle a "police de proximit?", a neighbourhood police force he had criticised as promoting social work rather than crime prevention. Miss Royal and Mr Sarkozy are the frontrunners in the presidential election to take place on April 22 and May 6. Although Mr Sarkozy, 52, is the favourite to win, he is regarded as the enemy by many young people in the high-immigration city suburbs since he called delinquents "rabble" and promised to clean out criminal gangs with a "power hose". The man who pledged to restore law and order to all corners of France has several times cancelled campaign trips to the suburbs, or "banlieues", for fear of sparking unrest. Observers say the troubled districts remain as explosive as in 2005. "Five years in the interior ministry and he can no longer enter parts of the French suburbs," the centrist UDF candidate Fran?ois Bayrou said last week. In Tuesday evening's incidents, many of the young rioters chanted obscene anti-Sarkozy slogans. The trouble started when metro officials stopped a 33-year-old man who had jumped over a turnstile to avoid paying. They said the police were called when the man butted an inspector. However, several witnesses said his arrest was carried out with unnecessary force. Crowds of youths then gathered in the underground section of the station, amid a false rumour that police had injured a young teenager. The rioters had no known link to the arrested man, who according to interior ministry was a Congolese illegal immigrant with a long police record. The police union, Alliance, said that hostility to the police was increasing in France. "There is an instinct to challenge everything in uniform," said its spokesman, Dominique Achispon. Last week, the union revealed that officers were under orders to perform fewer identity checks to avoid raising tensions ahead of the elections. From ldxar1 at tesco.net Fri Mar 9 16:18:19 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 00:18:19 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] Fw: [Arg_Solid] Update on the Situation in Oaxaca: Interview with a Leader of Section 22 of SNTE Message-ID: <07f701c762a9$8a506c70$0202a8c0@andy1> ----- Original Message ----- From: David Walters To: Argentina_Solidarity at yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:18 PM Subject: [Arg_Solid] Update on the Situation in Oaxaca: Interview with a Leader of Section 22 of SNTE The Organizer Newspaper P.O. Box 40009, San Francisco, CA 94140. Tel. (415) 626-1175; fax: (415) 626-1217. email: The Organizer < Update on the Situation in Oaxaca: Interview with a Leader of Section 22 of SNTE and of APPO [Note: Following is an interview with a leader of Section 22 of the National Education Workers Union (SNTE) in Oaxaca. The name of the teacher unionist, who is also an elected leader of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO), has been omitted for security reasons. The interview was conducted at the end of February 2007 by The Organizer editor Alan Benjamin.] Question: Please give us an overview of what has happened in Oaxaca since Nov. 25, 2006, when the Mexican army and Federal Preventive Police (PFP) entered the city of Oaxaca to put down the mass insurrection led by the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO). Teacher unionist: The main feature of the situation has been generalized repression. More than 400 activists, including 80 members of Section 22 of SNTE, the National Education Workers Union, were rounded up and arrested. An estimated 140 activists were transported to detention facilities in Tepic, Nayarit, more than 1,000 miles away. They were accused of sedition and criminal activity for their role in organizing the peaceful demonstrations that called for the ouster of the corrupt and universally despised governor of the state, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. As a result of the international outcry against this repression, most of those detained have been released. But 45 activists are still in prison, three in Nayarit. Flavio Sosa, a leader of APPO, is one of them. Those who were freed still have to report weekly to the police; they cannot leave the state. And orders of detention are still hovering over many of us; at any moment, we can be arrested and taken away to these unnamed detention centers. In addition, all marches calling for the ouster of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz have been outlawed, and anyone distributing a leaflet calling for Ulises to step down can be arrested. In a word, Ulises has succeeded in getting the backing of the state and federal authorities to repress anyone suspected of opposing his dictatorial rule. Question: But despite the heightened repression, there have been ongoing demonstrations in Oaxaca in opposition to Ulises and for the immediate freedom of all the political prisoners. ? Teacher unionist: This is absolutely true. The repressive arm of the State has dealt a harsh blow to the popular movement in Oaxaca, this cannot be understated. But they have not succeeded in putting down the uprising in Oaxaca. If anything, people are angrier than ever, and they are defiant. The PFP have cordoned off the downtown historic district of the city of Oaxaca, and no demonstrations have been able to reclaim the center city. But there have been continuous mass demonstrations of tens of thousands of people demanding an end to the repression and a redress of all our grievances, beginning with the ouster of Ulises. On Dec. 22, 2006, we had close to half a million people in the streets -- even though the media had warned us for days that the protest was banned and all the participants would be arrested. The numbers were so large, it was impossible for the police to arrest us. Throughout the months of January and February, the mass demonstrations, or "mega-marchas," have continued. On Feb. 4, there were about 100,000 people in the streets. And now our own union, Section 22 of SNTE, has warned we may go back out on strike if the federal authorities don't live up to all the agreements signed last October. Question: Tell us about the situation in Section 22 of SNTE. When the Fox administration settled with Section 22 last October, essentially giving in to most of the union's main demands, labor rights activists around the world hailed this settlement as a victory for the Oaxaca teachers. But we soon became very concerned when we read declarations from Section 22 General Secretary Enrique Rueda Pacheco stating that the teachers' union, having reached a settlement with the federal government, was now taking its distance from APPO. Teacher unionist: Your concerns were well founded. The strength of APPO from the very beginning came from the presence and fighting spirit within APPO of the Oaxaca teachers' union and its community supporters. The Secretar?a de Gobernaci?n [the Ministry of the Interior--Trans. note] could not break the fighting spirit of our union, so they opted for a different strategy, seeking to divide and rule by separating the teachers from the rest of the community. And what you say about Rueda Pacheco is also true. Rank-and-file teachers were outraged that Rueda Pacheco -- in opposition to the democratic traditions of our union, traditions born from 26 years of struggle as a dissident, democratic wing of SNTE -- announced the settlement publicly before the State Assembly of Section 22 had even met to discuss Gobernaci?n's final offer. The State Assembly brings together 720 elected delegates from all the schools in the state's seven regions. Never in our history had a general secretary acted without the consent of the State Assembly. For months, Rueda Pacheco and his core group refused to convene another State Assembly to enable the teachers to caucus and discuss what to do to support APPO. During critical months in the struggle, the teachers were demobilized by our union leaders. In defiance of Rueda Pacheco, those of us in the Valle Central convened a regional Assembly, and we called on the Section 22 leadership to convene an emergency meeting of the State Assembly as soon as possible. As a result of the pressure we generated, the State Assembly met on Jan. 13, 2007. At this gathering, we returned to our fighting and militant stance. We decided to wage a struggle to preserve the jobs of the 1,200 teachers who remain locked out of their jobs and to take "whatever actions might be necessary" if Gobernaci?n did not allow these teachers to return to their jobs. Question: Why are there still 1,200 scabs in the schools? Teacher unionist: As I mentioned, the federal authorities -- led by the ruling National Action Party (PAN) -- promised to settle all our demands to get us off the streets and to split us off from the movement around APPO. Gobernaci?n promised that all the scab teachers who had taken our jobs during our five-month strike would be sent home so that we, the unionized teachers, could reclaim our jobs. But that hasn't happened. Ulises, who is leader of the PRI [Revolutionary Institutional Party, which ruled Mexico for more than 70 years and still controls the state of Oaxaca -- Trans. note], has refused to remove the scabs. There are still 1,200 teachers of Section 22 who remain locked out of their classrooms in close to 200 schools. Eighty of the public indigenous schools are occupied by scabs. Paramilitary goons, financed by Ulises and the PRI, have kept our union sisters and brothers from going back to work. Gobernaci?n could do something about this, but it would mean confronting Ulises, which they have refused to do from the beginning, as the PRI and the PAN are in bed with each other. Gobernaci?n has told us there is nothing they can do to enforce the agreement reached with our union. The main reason the scabs are still in the schools is union-busting. Ulises and the PRI want to bust Section 22 because our union has served as a model of union democracy in this PRI-run union of more than 1 million members and because of our militant stance and strong ties to the community. Elba Esther Gordillo, a central national leader of the PRI, is the general secretary of SNTE. She hates Section 22 and is making every effort to destroy us. We have been a thorn in her side as long as she can remember. Gordillo has granted a charter to a new teachers' "union" in Oaxaca -- so-called Section 59 -- with the sole purpose of removing our charter down the road. Somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 teachers, out of a total statewide membership of 70,000 teachers, have joined Section 59 -- including the 1,200 scabs. The scabs are essential to this decertification operation, as the new rump "union" must show it has "union members" in all seven regions of the state. If the scabs were to leave the schools, Gordillo would not have the geographic distribution and base she needs to launch her union-busting operation. Question: Why would any of the Section 22 teachers leave the union and join Section 59? Teacher unionist: Other than the scabs, some of the teachers have been promised money and promotions if they join Section 59. The PRI is a machine of corruption. And some teachers are confused, as well. Rueda Pacheco, for example, has been accused of corruption. Gordillo's campaign to build Section 59 is being carried out in part in the name of the fight against corruption within Section 22. A convention of Section 22 rejected the charges brought against Rueda Pacheco, but this has not prevented Gordillo from charging ahead. Gordillo has created a Consejo Central de Lucha (Central Council for Struggle), a totally scandalous reference to the militant Council created by the dissidents in SNTE in the 1980s, when Section 22 was founded to fight the "charros" [entrenched bureaucrats--Trans. note] in the national SNTE leadership. Some former leaders of Section 22, such as Alejandro Leal Diaz, have been bought off and have joined Gordillo in this destructive venture. Another wing of the former union leadership, led by Humberto Alcal? Betanzos, has accused the current Section 22 of "departing from our bread-and-butter issues and from responsible trade unionism" to "embrace partisan politics" -- a reference to the teachers' involvement with APPO. Of course, behind this offensive by Gordillo is Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, who also has the support of Felipe Calder?n and the PAN. Question: You said that Section 22 voted to take militant actions to demand that all 1,200 scabs be sent home. What, if anything, have you done to press this demand? Teacher unionist: On Feb. 21, about 7,000 members of Section 22, all non-teaching classified workers, joined up with APPO supporters and took over 32 offices of Gobernaci?n across the state of Oaxaca. The protestors insisted that the scabs must go, or else the union would go back out on strike. It was a warning action that signaled an end to the truce with the government that was imposed by Rueda Pacheco. I should mention that the parents of the children who are being "taught" by the scab teachers were among the most visible supporters of our action. They are outraged that their children's regular teachers are not back at school. The scabs have no teaching experience. Some special-education children have been literally abandoned by the scabs. The situation in many schools is so bad that the parents have taken their children out of the schools and have worked out an agreement with the regular teachers to teach their kids in improvised, outdoor classrooms in the public squares of the towns across the state. It is also worth noting that Rueda Pacheco was censured by the State Assembly of Section 22 on Feb. 17 for acting behind the backs of the union members and making deals with Gobernaci?n against the interests of the teachers and people of Oaxaca. For all practical purposes, Rueda Pacheco has lost all the authority he had in the union. New elections for Section 22 leadership are scheduled to take place very soon. We are simply awaiting the call for a Section 22 convention. It is unlikely Rueda Pacheco will have any support; he is widely viewed as a sell-out. And now Section 22 and APPO are calling for a new "mega-marcha" on March 8, International Women's Day. Again, we will press for the scabs to go -- and for Ulises to go. This joint call signals the resurgence of the fighting spirit of the people of Oaxaca. Question: The Mexican media have focused a lot of attention on the upcoming Aug. 5 statewide elections in Oaxaca for state deputies and the Oct. 7 elections for municipal presidents. What decisions did the Feb. 17 State Assembly of Section 22 take in relation to these elections? Teacher unionist: Point No. 7 of the adopted resolution calls for "punishing" the PRI and PAN in the elections. Essentially, this is a call to vote for the PRD, the opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party. This is what our union did last July 2, when it called for a vote to "punish" Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. This resulted in a smashing defeat of the PRI; of the 11 federal deputies in contention, only two PRI deputies were elected, and only one out of three PRI candidates for Senate was elected. Many of us, however, are far from convinced that voting for the PRD will put an end to the corruption and injustice in our state. Take a look at how the PRD delegation from Oaxaca in the Mexican Congress voted on the 2007 budget submitted by the impostor Felipe Calder?n. Not one of them was among the 20 PRD members of Congress -- a very small percentage of the PRD Congressional delegation, to be sure -- who voted against the austerity, anti-worker budget. Not one of them has spoken out in support of the main demand of the people of Oaxaca: Fuera Ulises! (Out With Ulises!) Question: What kind of candidates are needed, therefore, in your opinion? Teacher unionist: Electing politicians of the PRD will not in and of itself help us address or resolve our problems. What we need above all is to strengthen APPO in this election period. We need candidates from the rank-and-file of the workers', popular and indigenous movements who agree to embrace a clear independent platform of struggle. Question: What would this platform look like? Teacher unionist: The first point of the platform must be "Out With Ulises!" -- and punishment of Ulises for the crimes committed against the peoples of Oaxaca. The second point of the platform must have a national scope: "Out With Calder?n! All power to the legitimate president of Mexico, Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador!" And by all power to L?pez Obrador, we mean the power to defend the peasants, which requires repealing the NAFTA agreement. We mean the power to defend the indigenous communities against the multinational corporations and the real-estate speculators, which also means bringing back the ejidos [cooperative farms on state-owned lands] and giving the land to the landless peasants. We need candidates who call for the defense of our public industries and services -- beginning with PEMEX, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), and the systems of national healthcare and Social Security (IMSS and ISSSTE). We need candidates who call for convening a Sovereign Constituent Assembly, both at the national and state levels, where the elected representatives of the people can create new institutions to replace the corrupt, ruling-class institutions of the PRI regime. It is up to the people to define the forms of democracy and institutions needed to defend the sovereignty and unity of the nation against all the enemies of the national and popular interests. We need candidates who will call on the national movement headed by Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador to organize massive support for the people of Oaxaca. Without a national movement, the people of Oaxaca will be left isolated and at the mercy of the army and PFP troops. L?pez Obrador and the National Democratic Convention (CND) need to organize a mega-marcha of 1 million people or more in Mexico City to demand the ouster of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz and a halt to the repression. L?pez Obrador has the ability to issue a call that could assemble these numbers. We need candidates who call on the movement nationally to create popular assemblies such as APPO and committees of the Democratic National Convention to give an organized expression from below to the legitimate government of L?pez Obrador. We need candidates who are willing to stand up squarely in opposition to the so-called "reform of the State" -- a ruse orchestrated by all the institutional parties in Mexico to have us buy into the various "regionalization" and privatization plans promoted by the IMF and World Bank in the name of "reforming" the institutions of the State. It's a ruse to co-opt the leaders of our movement and to destroy the independence and fighting resolve of our workers' and people's organizations. This, in fact, was the proposal that many of us took both to the Section 22 State Assembly on Feb. 17 and to the APPO State Assembly on Feb. 10-11. Question: What discussion took place around this proposal at the APPO assembly? Teacher unionist: There was a heated discussion at the assembly about the elections. Many delegates called for supporting the candidates of the Frente Ampio Progresista (FAP), or Broad Progressive Front. This is the coalition of the three parties -- the PRD, the Workers Party (PT) and Convergencia -- that backed L?pez Obrador in his presidential bid last July. But those delegates at no time raised the need for a platform to advance our demands. A number of APPO delegates insisted that the question of an independent political platform was central. A compa?era from the Red General Comunitaria [General Community Network] stated we need candidates who will help strengthen the network of popular assemblies throughout the state of Oaxaca. Another compa?ero stressed the need to have the candidates focus on strengthening the popular mobilizations during the pre-electoral period. Supporters of the Independent Democratic Workers Party (PTDI) submitted a resolution calling for an independent political platform in defense of national sovereignty along the lines I described above. The PTDI supporters called on the APPO Assembly to adopt this platform and to address the candidates of the PRD with the demand that they embrace this platform during the election campaign. If the PRD candidates pledged publicly to support this independent platform, it was said, then APPO could endorse them. But if the PRD candidates refused to champion this platform, then APPO would select its own candidates to run for office on such an independent platform. Others still, many of them tied to the "Otra Campa?a" [the Other Campaign led by Sub-Comandante Marcos and his followers -- Trans. note], called on APPO to take no position in these elections, arguing that the elections are themselves part of the problem. These compa?eros refused to understand that it would be important to use the elections to advance an independent political program and to mobilize workers and people in defense of APPO and its demands. Question: So what was the outcome of the discussion at the APPO assembly? Teacher unionist: Bending to the pressures from the forces around Marcos, the APPO assembly decided not to run or support any candidates. Unfortunately the proposal to support, or otherwise run, candidates on an independent political platform did not carry the day. In our view, this represents a lost opportunity. But this is not the end of the story. In many regions of the state of Oaxaca, the call to run candidates on an independent platform such as the one proposed by the PDTI has widespread support. PDTI supporters will be meeting soon to see whether it will be possible to field such independent candidates in the coming months. __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Database --------------------------------------------------- A R G E N T I N A S O L I D A R I T Y http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Argentina_Solidarity/ --------------------------------------------------- Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS a.. Travel to latin america b.. Latin america c.. Learn spanish in latin america d.. Discount airfare latin america Get Discounts Yahoo! Shopping Compare prices and find great deals. Yahoo! Travel Plan a Trip Create, Search, Share trip plans Biz Tools Y! Small Business Track packages, get forms, & more . __,_._,___ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ldxar1 at tesco.net Wed Mar 14 21:22:31 2007 From: ldxar1 at tesco.net (Andy) Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:22:31 -0000 Subject: [Onthebarricades] UK: Uprising at Campsfield concentration camp for refugees Message-ID: <01c901c766b9$9fb32850$0202a8c0@andy1> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/6449069.stm Nine hurt in asylum centre riot The violence erupted early on Wednesday morning Aerial pictures Seven staff and two inmates have been injured in a fire after a riot broke out at an immigration removal centre. Emergency services were called to deal with the incident at Campsfield removal centre near Kidlington, in Oxfordshire, early on Wednesday. A BBC reporter saw a dozen riot officers carrying shields enter the centre to join about 35 police officers who were dealing with the incident. The nine injured people are thought to be suffering from smoke inhalation. The seven immigration staff at the centre and two detainees have been taken to hospital. A Home Office spokesman said the riot teams were working to get the centre completely under control as soon as possible. "The perimeter of Campsfield has not been breached and all detainees have been accounted for," he added. They used force to drag the person from the bed and after that everything kicked off Campsfield detainee Campsfield's troubled history In a statement Thames Valley Police said: "The detainees were evacuated and nine people have been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. No serious injuries have been reported. "The fire has now been extinguished. Five fire engines and 30 firefighters attended the incident. The fire was relatively small and mainly generated a lot of smoke." 'Fighting stopped' A detainee, who did not want to be named, told BBC News 24: "This place is falling apart - computers are getting smashed. "They've stopped fighting now but they're destroying every bit of equipment they can find - computers getting smashed, shops are getting broken into, they're stealing everything." There are big problems at the moment Sarah Cutler, Bail for Immigration Detainees He said the violence started after staff tried to remove an Algerian man from his room. "They used force to drag the person from the bed and after that everything kicked off," he said. Sarah Cutler from Bail for Immigration Detainees, which provides workshops at Campsfield offering legal advice to detainees, said she was not surprised by the disturbance. "There are big problems at the moment," she said, adding that many people were being held for months. Riot gear Those included "people who want to go back to their country of origin, have told the Home Office they want to go back, but are still detained because they can't get it together to remove them". A Home Office spokeswoman said the continuing incident began at 0630 GMT. Dozens of police including riot units are at the scene BBC reporter Rajesh Mirchandani, speaking outside the centre, said he had seen members of a prison service fast response team enter the site. "They're riot trained and they went in carrying riot gear." He said he could see a helicopter hovering overhead and police dog units and mounted police were now patrolling the perimeter of the centre. The Home Office spokeswoman said: "Police, fire and ambulance teams are on the scene and a number of Tornado units from the Prison Service have been deployed to the centre." Campsfield can hold 196 adult male detainees, but it is not known how many are currently being held there. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: o.gif Type: image/gif Size: 43 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: _42679293_centre203.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 13487 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: inline_dashed_line.gif Type: image/gif Size: 58 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: video_text.gif Type: image/gif Size: 634 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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