Tuesday 31 August 2010

9/11 at Hamilton House...

Apologies to the fine folks at Bristol Anarchist Bookfair collective, whose article had to be cut this month so we could fit it all on one page. As a consolation, here's the full text:

September 11th 2010 – Start a War on the Tories!

As the fist of capitalism clenches tighter, the Labour party, who still have the audacity to label themselves as socialist, have been ousted and the Conservatives are back in Downing Street. The Liberal Democrats too, have shown their true colours by making a grab for power at any cost.

Deep cuts in services and spending and mass unemployment are inevitable to keep the ruling classes afloat, with threats to cut winter fuel allowances, child benefit and working tax credit to name but a few.

Anarchism is the only truly viable alternative to the present government, the Greens and the SWP cannot help you now. You can not afford to be apathetic any longer and we call on you to fight back. Arm yourself!

On September 11th in Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol Anarchist Bookfair collective along with Bristol Indymedia, Bristol Radical History Group and some 58 groups, campaigns book sellers and publishers offer you the tools for revolution.

50 tables of books, pamphlets, videos, CD's and merchandise, 27 hours of workshops, films and debates, live acoustic acts, vegan café, crèche, photography and art work and YOU!

Experience a true coalition, you only have to step through the door...

For information www.bristolanarchistbookfair.org

September Issue Out Now!

Just in time for the start of the month, the september issue of the Autonomist is here! Download the PDF, or see below for the text-only version.

Autonomist September 2010 (pdf)

Police Violently Evict Squatters

Avon & Somerset Police showed that they have no understanding of the law when they illegally evicted squatters from 54 Fremantle Road. 20 police officers, mobile CCTV, 2 dog units, armed response units, helicopter, plain clothed officers and CID were present at the eviction.

They accused the occupiers of causing criminal damage to the property, using this as a reason to break down the door. This is despite them turning up at the premises on two separate occasions in the past and agreeing that this was a civil matter.

Occupiers resisted the illegal eviction with impromptu barricades, fire extinguishers and at one point a packet of frozen food to fend the fuckers off! After dismantling the door and most of the porch the officers entered the building to find it empty – most of the squatters being long gone by this point. Two occupants who had become trapped in the basement were later arrested at taser-point after the filth broke the window and forced entry.

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The Rich At Play

The countryside is filled with death all year around, but as autumn arrives the killing will rise with the start of the shooting season and the more notorious fox hunting season. From early September Fox Hunts will be out across the country at first light, training the new hounds of their pack by setting them on fox cubs to be ripped apart. Then from the 1st of November the main killing season starts. Fox Hunting may be illegal at present but that doesn't stop them, just as laws against us stopping them killing will never stop us.

Stepping in and saving animals' lives by Hunt Sabbing can be just as much about fighting a class war against the ruling class as it is about saving wildlife from being ripped apart in the name of sport. Knowing that you have saved an animal from being ripped apart is a great feeling as is knowing that you've ruined the day of the ruling class scum.

See the back for contact details to get involved.

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The 13 members of Bristol & Bath Rising Tide who blockaded the train line out of Foss-y-Fran opencast coal mine have been granted conditional discharges. They're also banned from the area of the mine, but this may be challenged in the court of appeal.

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The offices of G4S were attacked on the evening of Wednesday 11th August. Their plaque was removed and the intercom was left hanging from the wall by 5ft of wire. The growth of the security industry was cited as the reason for the action.

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Also in the firing line this month cleaning firm MITIE. 43 windows were smashed at their national headquarters at Emersons Green.

Two vehicles were attacked in Staple Hill and Lockleaze for the same reason. The actions were claimed in solidarity with workers who have been mistreated by MITIE.

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EdF have begun work at the 400-acre Hinkley site, even before they get planning permission to build two giant reactors. The “preparatory works”will include removal of the majority of trees, hedges and habitats, including ancient woodlands, stripping topsoil and vegetation to make a terraced area for the proposed reactors, and the demolition of three historic agricultural barns.

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Local people turned up outside Crown Prosecution Service to show solidarity with the family of Ian Tomlinson, who was murdered by the police during the G20 demonstrations in 2009. The CPS had recently decided not to press charges against the officer filmed striking the fatal blow.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

September Deadline Approaching

The submission deadline for the september issue of the Autonomist is this friday, the 20th August. We might still accept stuff we receive after that, especially if we're behing schedule too, but we'll grumble while we do so.

As well as events, groups, and spaces, we're after short updates on what's been going on to compress into our single-paragraph newsbites, plus two larger articles. These should be around 200 words long.

Articles can be emailed to us at BristolAutonomist@Gmail.com

Monday 2 August 2010

Autonomist Issue 1 Version 2...

Seems the Monogamy article from the first issue was getting a very negative reception, so we've replaced it with one about Noah's Ark Zoo Farm for the print run.

Autonomist August 2010 Print Version (PDF)

And here's the new article for those of you who're allergic to PDF:

Activists “Determined to Close” Noah's Ark Zoo


On Monday 26th July, three members of BARC attended Noah's Ark Zoo Farm for a tour of the zoo. In an attempt to win over the protestors, who have been staging regular pickets of the zoo over the treatment of the animals inside, the small group were shown around half of the site.

The activists described themselves as “distressed and saddened” by what they saw. During the visit they witnessed vultures injuring themselves by” flying repeatedly into the walls and roof of [the] aviary”.

Noah's Ark Zoo Farm have recently gained notoriety after reports of the mistreatment of their animals, including rare tigers, caused inspectors to review their license. They have also come under fire for their promotion of Creationism – which hasn't stopped them recently winning an award from the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. It's an odd world...