STOP PRESS: Solidarity with Harmondsworth uprising!

No Borders have called an emrgency demonstration tomorrow (Friday 1st Dec) outside the HQ of Kalyx/Sodexho.

Kalyx used to be called UK Detention Services (UKDS) and manage the Harmondsworth detention centre. They claim that they provide “nationally recognised standards of service, delivered by high calibre staff”, providing “protection and care associated with the growth of the individual and strength”, “attributes for which they are known and respected!”

This contrasts with the thoughts of the UK Prison’s Inspector who comments in her recent report on Harmonsworth: “This is undoubtedly the poorest report we have issued on an IRC” Anne Owers, HMIP.

The trouble in the centre is believed to have started when custody officers (screws) turned off a TV report which was being watched by detainees highlighting this report.

No Borders have called a demonstration stating:

“We are in solidarity with all migrants and refugees and their desire for freedom. We hold Kalyx and the Home Office responsible for the sufferings of the detainees and demand that they are brought to account.”

Meet outside Kalyx HQ, Edgware Road this Friday, 1st December 2006 from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. 25 Chapel Street NW1, Nearest tube Edgware Rd.

A benefit event is being held at Ramparts that evening. More details can be found here.

Barbed Wire Britain have also called for a demo outside Harmondsworth itself this Sunday 3rd December. Directions etc are at
http://www.ncadc.org.uk/

Seinfeld’s Lost Episode

gotta larf …

nod in the direction of All About Nothing

In Harmondsworth’s Way

“Grrrr … I’ll get those pesky immigrants”

Gibbering John Reid has accused those involved in yesterday’s disturbances at Harmondsworth of “attempting to sabotage” the UK’s immigration policy, “which quite frankly” he added, “is my job”.

According to Reid, who believes that he can read minds, the protest at the Harmondsworth centre was a planned move to stall the process of deportation. If this was the case then it appeared to work, with the news that 150 people held in detention centres are set to be released to make way for Harmondsworth refugees.

Almost all the detainees appear to have been moved from the centre, which has suffered recent flooding problems after the sprinkler system myseriously burst into action in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The news could not be any worse for poor old Reid, what with the news that the prison system is full to burstin’ already. Some have speculated that Blair is deliberately keeping the jails full to make sure there’s no room for him when his time comes.

Meanwhile it seems that one News of the Screws hack may be given the lucky chance to finally meet his readership.

Royal editor Clive Goodman plus two othes journos with links to the lowbrow rag have been arrested and could face up to two and a half years inside after listening in to the messages of senior royals, MP’s and celebrities. Seems Murdoch forgot that he runs the country in name only and that in fact only the state is entitled to eavesdrop on the public.

Disregarding the glaring double standard we’re lovin’ it at the void and won’t be happy until Blair, Reid and Newscorp hacks everywhere are the ones filling the jails.

A demo is being held at Communications House in solidarity with those held in detention centres everywhere. Meet at UK Immigration Service, Communications House, 210 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BR (nearest tube – Old Street) on Tuesday 5th December 1-2pm. more

Harmondsworth Update … Cops Lock Down Media

This picture was shot from a state tv helicopter early this afternoon along with pthers showing a riot-made banner reading “SOS Freedom”.

Shortly afterwards the beeb were reporting that police had taken full control of the air space as the old bill moved in to attempt to stop the unrest. Here’s betting we never see what their eye in the sky picked up.

updates

Riots at Harmondsworth

A riot has been raging at Harmondworth Detention Centre overnight with fires lit in all four wings and police drafted in from across the South East. Details are sketchy at present but keep updated at indymedia (updates are in the comments).

The disturbances follow the release of a report yesterday by Anne Owers HM Inspector of Prisons (HMIP) claiming that the centre “was not performing satisfactorily against ANY of the Inspectorate’s tests of a healthy custodial environment.”.

Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre – ‘Not fit for Purpose’

more info when we get it …

Oaxaca – Police Attack!

The seventh mega-march was held in Oaxaca last night and was brutally attacked by police. Scores of people have been reported injured, many are believed to have been ‘disapeared’ and some reports are suggesting multiple fatalities.

For a full timeline of yesterday’s events check here

APPO COMMUNIQUE: “We call on all national and international organizations to demonstrate at the consulates in Mexico and the world to condemn the action of the federal government in supporting the state government of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. We think it’s important to concentrate our forces in University City and plan our activities for the next few days, such as the construction of barricades. We must let the world see the dignity of the Oaxacan people, and make it clear that we’re not going to permit anymore aggressions against our people.”

This is What Democracy Looks Like (4)

Well, here we go again with what’s fast becoming a regular series (we might drop the numbers and give it a category of it’s own).

This time we’ve no pics so you’ll just have to imagine. Two cyclists were needlessly and violently arrested at Critical Mass in Leeds last night. According to one participant:

“Sighting a blue lighted van shaped vehicle approaching and presuming an ambulance, bikes were moved to the side of the road to allow it to pass. But as the lights got nearer it became obvious it was in fact a police van, followed closely by a car. The van screeched to a halt a in an instant an aggressive mannered policeman marched out of the van and without hesitation hurled one cyclist and bike to the floor, he was then manhandled and thrown into the back of the police van which had been opened by his colleague, arrested apparently for obstruction of the highway. The two officers were soon joined by two others from the car which pulled up further down the road. Threats to nearby cyclists were blared out and at least one other person was dragged into the back of the van. “You’ve go no lights” came the accusation. “Your next unless you get out of here”, from another policeman. “We’ve got you on CCTV”. At this point the aggression of the first officer had evolved into an obvious seething anger and he came at the main group of cyclist barking further threats but was soon pulled away and convinced “that we can’t do anymore”.

“I appreciate the point you’re trying to make,” stated his calming colleague. “but you’re obstructing the highway. Get off the road and get out of here.” And they left, with three of the group in the back of their van. Bemused, angered and riled the remaining cyclists trouped back to The Common Place and then made their way to the Kirkgate police station.” more here

It seems that the two cyclists were released shortly after without charge. We say sue the bastards.

And a warning to any cops reading, and we know all about your void fetish, the Met tried to take on Critical Mass in London recently … and lost.

Critical Mass – 1 Met Police – a big fat zero

to make up for the lack of pics, here’s a pic from last night Critical Mass is Nottingham where a good time was had by all.

more pics on indymedia

send any details of police violence from around the world to thevoidblog (at) yahoo.co.uk to be included

We Make the Top 20

Well pop-pickers , the daily maybe have been promising their list of the top hundred green bloggers and we’re marginally proud to have made the top 20. Having been shamefully ignored previously by that bastard Dale on his list of top political bloggers we hope that this will redress the balance amongst all right thinking people with their critical faculties in tact.

Beating comment is free’s Tony Juniper amongst others the void comes in at number 16, not quite top ten, but better than you’d hope, given that green as we are, it’s never been our main focus .. subversion, sedition, lies, treason and abuse are more our style.

To celebrate we’ll be flying over to Paris for a plate of fois gras, washed down with a few Kronenbergs. Might even leave the heating on …

Were were beaten by Peter Tatchell amongst others, along with Caroline Lucas (hmm) and George Monbiot (grr). But then it’s not the winning it’s the cheatin’ that counts, and since we didn’t even know we were in the running we never even tried to cheat … still there’s always next year.

To any new greenies here for the first time, here’s an example of some of the stunning work by environmental champion johnny void.

What’s Wrong With the Green Party

The full Top 100 can be found here

Just Nick It!

This Saturday (25th Nov) is Buy Nothing Day. Conceived by US based adbusters their worthy website breathlessly informs us that:

“As consumers, we should question the products we buy and the companies who produce them. The idea is to make people stop and think about what and how much they buy effects the environment and developing countries.”

They also warn us not to flypost for the event and make it very clear that:

“Your action shouldn’t hinder people going about their daily business.”

So that rules out the stinkbombs in Tescos and the Oxford Street black bloc … lucky we have such caring, yoghurt-weaving souls to dictate our resistance.

Given that the 3 year old might object to not being bought dinner on Saturday we much prefer Steal Something Day, an idea conceived by Canadian anarchos way back in the 90′s (back when we were still ‘avin it),

Commenting on their adbusters nemesis the criminals warn us

“The geniuses at Adbusters have managed to create the perfect feel-good, liberal, middle-class activist non-happening. A day when the more money you make, the more influence you have (like every other day). A day which, by definition, is insulting to the millions of people worldwide who are too poor or marginalized to be considered ‘consumers’.”

Meanwhile those art-school anarchists at spacehijackers may be planning some shenanigans on the day according the this week’s Metro who devoted a page to the Buy Nothing actions.

When Associated Newspapers are promoting your activism, then let’s face it, you must be doing something badly wrong.

Gibbering John Reid Dribbles

John Reid enjoys a recent day out, while his family enjoy a day off.

Home Office officials are reporting concerns that home secretary John Reid’s alzheimer’s is getting worse by the day after he gave the following stunner of a quote to the Evening sub-Standard. Commenting on the lastest bid to bang people up without trial for three months he was reported as saying:

“I find the case (for 90 days detention) compelling, but the argument would benefit from an evidential base.”

We giggled here at the void, he then goes on to say that whilst the failure rate of ASBO’s is 50%, at least this is 50% of people being kept out of the prison system. Further confirming suspicians that Reid doesn’t really understand some of the legislation he introduces he fails to realise that folk given ASBO’s have generally not committed a criminal offence, merely upset their neighbours in some way.

Poor old Reid thinks he’s the ‘hard man’ who tells it like it is and is still having delusions of becoming prime minister. Doctors are reported to have upped his medication.