8.12.2007
Three airline billboards advertising cheap flights to european cities were subverted today in Manchester with the words “Stop worrying about climate change.
8.12.2007
Three airline billboards advertising cheap flights to european cities were subverted today in Manchester with the words “Stop worrying about climate change. Be happy with a free guilt remover™.”
The truth is out – buying stuff doesn’t make you happy! Central Leeds today saw a free shop sprout from the pavement to drive the message home.
The truth is out – buying stuff doesn’t make you happy! Central Leeds today saw a free shop sprout from the pavement to drive the message home.
Despite the cold and rain, a hardy group set up a free shop in Central Leeds this morning, offering burgers, books, records and clothes. The manifestation of people giving stuff away in the middle of consumer-land raised a few eyebrows, entertained the tired masses and got the idea across that buying loads of useless stuff is a futile activity. The assembled free-shoppers sang a variety of subvertised carols and handed out gift vouchers which were “redeemable for whatever takes your fancy” including a picnic in the park or playing your own music. All in all, a grand day out in town.
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To mark Buy Nothing Day, 12 people from Norwich Rising Tide held a Rat Race in the city centre.
Activists created a mobile rat race that stopped off at the city’s busiest malls and high streets.
People in rat costumes hurried hither and thither between the edges of the rat race maze, built out of placards reading Work Harder, Earn More Money, Buy More Things, Keep Going, while Fat Cats advised that happiness was just around the corner if the rats would only keep shopping!
At Castle Mall the rats were flummoxed by security guards who forced them to move on; after all, the rats were only telling people to buy more stuff!
A thousand leaflets were handed out (see below), and many passers-by expressed their support.
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It seems that Transport For London have bowed to activist pressure and decided to remove all the adverts from the district line.
I never would have thought that TFL would have taken part in buy nothing day, but it seems even Red Ken wanted to join in the fun.
A group of Space Hijacker agents were travelling across London when we spotted a TFL decoration team, swiftly turning all of the adverts on the District Line around so that their blank sides were facing out.
They then posted up official LondON stickers proclaiming:
“As part of TFL’s £10 Billion investment program, London Underground are removing all adverts from trains to improve the ambience of carriages and the overall travelling experience of passengers.”
We can only applaud this bold move against the constant corporate assault on our senses.
The team we saw doing it were very quick, managing to swap around entire carriages of adverts in less than the time it took the train to travel one stop. Infact so impressed were our agents that we kept an eye on the trains and spotted the advert free carriages several days after.
On the trains we overheard one of the passengers asking “but what are we going to read?”, the TFL spokesperson replied “You could try talking to each other?”
Three cheers for TFL 😉
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80’s slogan t-shirts are back in fashion! A group of Space Hijacker agents decided to wear the very latests trend setting t-shirts on a ‘Buy Nothing Day’ jaunt around London.
A team of Space Hijackers secret agents headed into Knightsbridge in London on Saturday to celebrate Buy Nothing Day, a day of corporate chainstore chaos.
Wearing the very latest ‘Nu Rave’ slogan t-shirts our intrepid agents decided to go and have a look around some of London’s most exclusive stores. Our first stop was Harrords, and after avoiding the piles of ferrari’s, porsches and mercedes, we managed to get instore and up to the top floor.
Our trendy “EVERYTHING IN STORE HALF PRICE TODAY” t-shirts certainly raised some eyebrows from the fashion conscious customers, several even came up and started asking us for directions etc. Helpful and polite as always we directed customers, tidied up messy rails of clothes and generally played the part of good members of society as we walked around the store.
Unfortunately the security teams seemed to have other ideas, and promtly attempted to round us up and eject us from the store! Cries of the fact that our shirts were the very latest katherine hamnett designer shirts, seemed to fall on deaf ears, and we were told that we may be arrested if we entered the store again!
Oh well, never mind, onto Gucci and Louis Vuitton for some designer window shopping. Entering the Gucci boutique in Knightsbrige we quickly found out that there were more of us than actual staff present, which was an entertaining prospect. However, in a move which was obviously down to brand envy, we were once again ejected. The security even followed us across the road and into Louis Vuitton calling out “Don’t let them in, it’s a prank!” as we entered the store. Why the cheek of it!
After looking around and helping customers choose their luggage we decided to leave the store and welcome people inside from the streets. However the weather was getting rather nippy by this point, so after a swift drink we decided to head into Oxford Street and onto Nike Town and Top Shop.
The security here was rather oafish to say the least, with three of our agents being dragged down to a special Top Shop instore prison which they have behind the counters. Thankfully after threats of sueing for wrongful imprisonment, and the fact we had a lawyer and criminal barrister amongst our ranks things were soon put right.
Unfortunately after all of the excitement of dealing with the grumpy security, we forgot to actually buy any consumer goods. Oh well, best go back next year 😉
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Buy Nothing Day – Edinburgh Action
Today was International Buy Nothing day. Activists took to the streets all across the globe to try and persuade those who can afford to live consumerist lifestyles to think about how much they need all the things they buy.
In the run up to the Christmas shop-a-thon it is easy for many people to forget that the best things in life are free. Do we really need those things we buy? Is spending money on useless crap the only way to show loved ones how much we care for them? Of course not!
Clowns from Rampant Reekies, the Edinburgh gaggle of C.I.R.C.A, played games, danced and were generally silly on the streets, entertaining people without selling products. They also joyfully invaded shops, including HNM, GAP, BHS and Schu, and “brought mirth and merriment to the dazed monotony of Christmas consumption.”
A Food Not Bombs stall gave out free food in the form of pea soup, banana smoothies, bread and apple pie. Many shoppers walked straight past the hot-dog stall and had some lovely vegan soup for lunch instead. A chalk message on the pavement read “there is such a thing as a free lunch!”
A mobile Free Shop set up on the street to give things away for free. Many people came and found useful items to take away, or gifts for people which they were otherwise going to buy. One man said simple “this is the best thing I’ve ever seen” and a passing woman exclaimed “I’ve seen jumble sales, but never this!” A passing Police Officer even inquired if there was any mobile phones, as he was going to buy one that day but couldn’t now he knew it was Buy Nothing Day.
A person claiming to be from Society for a Transformation to Imagination Not Capitalisation (S.T.I.N.C) approached the stalls and informed the BNDers that they had released non-harmful stink bombs in a fast-food stores on Princes Street to “make it clear – Capitalism stinks”, although this remains unverified.
The reception from passers by was generally quite good. While some didn’t understand the point of it, many skeptics came and had a chat a left with an understanding of what Buy Nothing Day is about, along with some free stuff. Hopefully some shoppers will decide to make gifts for Christmas instead of paying someone else to.
Many involved really enjoyed the day and felt that it was effective, so look out for more Food Not Bombs activity in Edinburgh.
The Forest Cafe (www.theforest.org.uk) is having a week long Free Shop upstairs beginning on the 14th of December.
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On Saturday the 24th November Rhythms of Resistance Manchester and Manchester Climate Action (MCA) held a free stall where a wide range of things from plants, to clothes were well received. Even a couple of police officers joined in.
The two groups joined in the ‘Reinstate Karen’ demo which began in the Peace Gardens and marched through Manchester in support of free speech and free health care.
Several folks then went to the Arndale Centre and released a banner attached to pink helium balloons, which read: “Shopping Costs the Earth.” It floated up to the roof, right next to the giant Christmas Tree, to remind people of the social and environmental expense of purchasing.
In the Trafford Centre another activist from MCA disrupted shopping, in protest at the massive amount of car journeys it encourages in the name of profit.
For more info about free stuff and links check out www.freemanchester.org
==
Activists from Manchester Climate Action evacuated various parts of The Trafford Centre during this years buy nothing day, Saturday 24th of November. The sprawling palace to pointless consumerism owned by the £2bn Empire of Peel Holdings, the climate criminals who bought you such delights as Liverpool, Durham Tees Valley, Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield and Sheffield City Airports also publicly opposed the Manchester congestion charge. Camouflaged covalent campaigners in their finest designer labels moved stealthily amongst the madding crowds whilst activating fire alarms and interrupting the daily toil of tedious transactions.
Alarms in the main malls cover certain zones and not the whole complex. They are silent for 30 seconds, sounding only in the security office. This leads to lots of people in red jackets running around looking concerned. When the alarms did sound it was accompanied by a message over the P.A telling people to ignore it and approach a member of staff if concerned. However, sounding the Alarms by the exits of the large department stores such as Selfridges and John Lewis leads to the entire shop being evacuated……Oh dear!
Big business attacks writ large in city
THEY are slogans which are more at home on university discussion forums and left-wing political literature.
But a graffiti artist with an apparent grudge against big business has been painting the messages on bank and supermarket properties and advertising billboards. Shops and even bus shelters have also been daubed with often baffling tasters of home-spun philosophy.
Tesco, Scottish Gas, Next and Lloyds TSB are among the companies whose property or adverts have been targeted.
Police believe the graffiti may be the work of one individual and are monitoring the situation. Most of the slogans have been spotted in and around Leith, Easter Road and Abbeyhill. Tesco on Leith Walk has been adorned with “I just can’t believe in that red, white and blue”, in an apparent reference to the supermarket’s corporate colours.
“Made in China,” is plastered across one Easter Road bus stop and the phrase “Americans out” appears on a bill board on Leith Walk.
Child sex slaves, political parties, the police, the Church, the Army, and even music and property tycoon Tam Paton are also referred to in the graffiti.
Stewart Blaik, the chairman of Leith Central Community Council, said many residents had spoken to him about the issue. The fact the graffiti appeared to have some thought behind it made it worse, he insisted.
“I actually think it is deplorable because it clearly isn’t just youths running riot with a spray can,” he said. “No form of graffiti is acceptable and I certainly wouldn’t want it on my wall. It brings the whole place down.”
Pc Adam Dyer, part of the Youth Action Team in Leith, said: “From our point of view it’s quite hard to tell if this is the work of just one person. They seem to be quite random comments and there doesn’t seem to be a running theme yet.”
Leith Walk city councillor Angela Blacklock said: “On one hand it is quite refreshing to hear young people having an interest in politics but on the other graffiti is a crime and it should be cleared up as quickly as possible.”
From: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1806652007
The latest issue of the quarterly EF!AU was dished up at the Anarchist Bookfair – bursting at the seams, it had to be turned into a bumper issue, with a round-up of the actions around the time of the Camp for Climate Action, plus loads of action reports from around the world since then – from pieing oil executives, blockading garages & airports, polar bears locking-on, sabotage, prisoners, occupied spaces, digger-diving, GM crop-trashing, to cake and the cunning use of mung beans (oh, and of course, much much more).
The latest issue of the quarterly EF!AU was dished up at the Anarchist Bookfair – bursting at the seams, it had to be turned into a bumper issue, with a round-up of the actions around the time of the Camp for Climate Action, plus loads of action reports from around the world since then – from pieing oil executives, blockading garages & airports, polar bears locking-on, sabotage, prisoners, occupied spaces, digger-diving, GM crop-trashing, to cake and the cunning use of mung beans (oh, and of course, much much more).
Download it to print out and share here. Do get in touch with the editorial collective to let them know if you’re dishing it up round your way, or need paper copies, or want to give them one of the rarer ingredients, dosh (to send it to prisoners, protest camps and far beyond) – their contact details and more are here
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The EF! Winter Moot will happen from 22nd – 24th February 2008, in Nottingham – more details nearer the time, as this is just advance notice.
It’s a gathering for environmental activists – in the past, it’s been a chance for people involved in all kinds of ecological direct action to get together for a weekend indoors to chat about where things are at in the UK, and so improve all aspects of how we work together, in order to take direct action in defence of the earth.
Contact 0845-0223 5254 for more info
Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.
Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.
Subject: Political Activist videos wanted
From: undercurrents
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF FILMS
FOR BEYONDTV FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2007
What is BEYONDTV?
From November 28 to December 2, 2007, Radical media charity, Undercurrents will host the 8th annual BEYONDTV festival of political documentaries, animations and music videos from inspiring media directors.
Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.
Important Note: We do not screen dramas using actors
BEYONDTV will be hosted at the Dylan Thomas Centre and Taliesin Cinema Swansea from November 28 – December 2, 2007
More details at http://www.beyondtvfestival.info
beyondtv@undercurrents.org
Undercurrents
Old Exchange
Pier st
Swansea
SA1 1RY
UK
8.10.2007
FREAK, the Free and Reactive Edinburgh Arts Kollective, are transforming a derelict warehouse in Granton into an arts venue for a four day event from the 10th to the 14th of October. There will be art exhibitions, live music, performances, films and educational workshops.
8.10.2007
FREAK, the Free and Reactive Edinburgh Arts Kollective, are transforming a derelict warehouse in Granton into an arts venue for a four day event from the 10th to the 14th of October. There will be art exhibitions, live music, performances, films and educational workshops.
The transformation is well under way. There are about 25 people on site all the time now with more arriving all the time. If you’ve got spraypaint and spare time, or something creative to contribute, then go down today and help out. If you go down today or tommorow you’ll see how genuine artists grafitti, and from Wednesday they have a full programme of events.
Following the success of last years extravaganza in Manchester’s Northern quarter….it’s happening again!
Following the success of last years extravaganza in Manchester’s Northern quarter….it’s happening again!
The 2nd annual Temporary Autonomous Arts festival in Manchester 24-28th October 2007.
Once again Manchester is joining the tide of collective groups coming together to create a cultural, interactive autonomous space where people are free to be, free to create and free to express themselves.
Reclaiming space that has no other immediate purpose, we will be repairing, making safe and improving the building we use before transforming it into a vibrant, organic, techno artistic statement. Artists, musicians, writers and performers who otherwise would have no outlet, are invited to display their work uninhibited by the normal constraints placed on the current artistic climate. The space will be used respectfully and intelligently, for genuine community developement, creating fields of opportunity for a future at no cost or harm to anyone else.
We want to exhibit all forms of artwork; drawings, paintings, sculptures big and small, photography, installations and more. Showcasing poets and vocalists, films and performance, words and concepts born out of the free party underground movement. These spaces of reclaimed freedom have been making a significant contribution to an alternative art world and we want to bring it back to Manchester!
Wednesday 24th October
Come help us create the space. All artist and creators are invited to contribute and see the space morph through the day into an overall work of art. This will lead into an evening of visuals and film.
Thursday 25th October
A day of skillsharing and a celebration of D.I.Y culture.
If you would like to share a skill at the D.I.Y Day please get in touch ASAP.
Evening: This will hopefully lead to a performance by the jam session musicians and improv DIY music (bring instruments!)
Friday 26th October
Healing day, alternative therapies and relaxation space from Noon til 7pm
If you would like to run a healing workshop or offer massage or alternative therapies please email us. A full listing of what’s on offer will be here soon
Bicycle Art Parade 6pm Central Library, ending at TAA
It will not only be an amazing bike ride to celebrate the bicycle, to meet other cyclists, to have an excuse to ride around, to feel part of a bike gang, to have a fun evening etc etc.but!this month it will also be Manchester’s FIRST EVER Bicycle Art Parade! So dress up your bike in tinsel or glitter or make it look like a dragon or a fly…whatever..lets get creative!!!!
the last few months have seen around 120 cyclists on critical mass, lets make this one even bigger
Made in Lancashire
A night of celebration of Lancashire! Wi’ hot pot, fancy dress and country dancin’. From 9pm to midnight
Saturday 27th October
Workshops for all throughout the day and including permaculture, truth poets
and from 7.30pm onwards the super fantastic TAA Cabaret open for anyone to take part with unique acts and performance.
If you have any skill shares, workshops or activities you would like to do in the space please email us and we will add it to the time table.
Street Blitz
From 14-28 October 2007 we are hosting Manchester’s first ever Street Blitz, the two week festival of street art and creative subversion.
During the proposed two weeks we want you to use Manchester as an open gallery. There is a map of the city primed and ready for Blitzers to post their activities, no matter how big or small, onto a map overlay.
Install your art or anything which changes the perspective on our city then get online and post it onto the empty map on the Street Blitz website at www.streetblitz.org/manchester. You can add a description and any photos of your work. There will also be room for comments on each placemark which can also be used to tell us if the artwork is still there or if the miserly bureaucrats got there first.
THIS IS YOUR CITY
Leave your mark!
info@forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk
http://www.forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk
Update about some bike stuff happening soon in manchester.
The Spokes Bicycle Dance Troupe
Performances: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI) Sunday 21st October London Bicycle Film Festival, Bicycle Polo tournament
Update about some bike stuff happening soon in manchester.
The Spokes Bicycle Dance Troupe
Performances: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI) Sunday 21st October London Bicycle Film Festival, Bicycle Polo tournament
Hey ladies! Join the Spokes: come to a rehearsal- next one this Sunday 7th
october at 10am at longford park, chorlton. email info@ibikemcr.org.uk if you have any questions or want to know the next practice time
The MCR Dropouts Bike Polo Practice:
Every Thursday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm at Platt Fields Park
Open practice and demo: Friday 19th October 1pm-5pm Whitworth Park, Manchester (opp MRI)
Mcr Bicycle Art Parade and critical mass
Friday 26th October, 6pm, Central Library
woooo it will not only be an amazing bike ride to celebrate the bicycle, to
meet other cyclists, to have an excuse to ride around, to feel part of a bike gang, to have a fun evening etc etc
but!
this month it will also be Manchester’s FIRST EVER Bicycle Art Parade! So
dress up your bike in tinsel or glitter or make it look like a dragon or a
fly…whatever..lets get creative!!!!
Thursday 25th October 4pm Temporary Autonomous Arts Exhibition
(see forbiddenartsmanchester.org.uk for venue information)
Pre-Parade crazy bike welding and bike decorating workshop
If you can, bring old bikes, bits of bikes, spray paint, glitter, tinsel, newspaper, chicken wire, pva glue, paints, plastic bags, welding equipment and skills to the workshop
the last few months have seen around 120 cyclists on critical mass, lets make this one even bigger
see http://ibikemcr.org.uk/criticalmass.htm for info
join the i bike mcr bulletin list:
https://lists.riseup.net/www/subscribe/ibikemcr
Ride Safe
x x x
15.09.2007 – more coffee, tea and cake handed out by the caffeinated crew
You may have already seen last week’s report about our adventures. If not check this out first.
15.09.2007 – more coffee, tea and cake handed out by the caffeinated crew
You may have already seen last week’s report about our adventures. If not check this out first.
So here’s a brief report from this week’s Costa Nothing.
No pictures as we’re lame and forgot to bring a camera. Oh, actually, I lie. A few pictures were taken by a photographer from the Oxford mail who complained that we were late (supposed to start at 2pm but rolled up at ten past – oh these volunteers – you just CAN’T get the staff these days). Anyway, he got got huffy because one of the crew wouldn’t do an ‘angry’ pose (her default pose is chirpy!) and left quickly to ‘go to Wantage’.
We got through the cake a lot quicker this time, especially as it went to feed some hungry people who had the munchies.
We would like to do it again BUT:
1. It’s getting expensive. We’ve had £4 back in donations – but have spent over £25 for the last two weeks.
2. We’re running on a crew of 5/6. To maintain something like this takes people. The people who have been involved so far are also involved in many other activities, and – believe it or not – have full-time jobs; more people are needed to sustain this campaign.
So we may not do it next week. But if another crew wants to take it on…If you want to come and play then email dizzydaisy[at]riseup.net
10.09.2007
Increasingly annoyed with the growing number of chains and instead of whinging about the state of our society, a group of intrepid activists decided to do something about it…
10.09.2007
Increasingly annoyed with the growing number of chains and instead of whinging about the state of our society, a group of intrepid activists decided to do something about it…
Gentrification is crap leaflet – application/pdf 87K
Shouting,“Who says you can’t get something for nothing”, the small gang set up ‘shop’ outside the new Costa coffee. Handing out free coffee, tea, vegan cake and (hastily made) leaflets on the current state of the Cowley Road, passers by stopped to chat, chew and slurp.
HOMOGENISATION AND RENTS RISES
According to new economics foundation (nef):
“The homogenisation of high streets is also not a benign or inevitable product of ‘progress’:
* Loss of diversity ultimately leads to a loss of true choice for consumers as well as a loss of local character
* Replacement of locally owned outlets by retail multiples can damage the local economy as profits drain out of the area to remote corporate headquarters and local employment is destroyed
* The many people who now wish to return to local, high street shopping may find that their distinctive local shops have been replaced by “micro-format” supermarket or chain branches” http://neweconomics.org/gen/clonetown.aspx
And it’s not just cloning that’s wrenching the heart out of East Oxford, thanks to the rate rise on the Cowley Road, small shops have gone out of business. Coopers, the newsagents and a family run business for 15 years – closed recently. The ‘Plain Traders’ are also feeling the squeeze, with Bead Games, over 20 years old, considering shutting up shop too. Here big business benefits from its huge revenues; moving in and making the whole world a blander place. As well as challenging the cloning, capitalism needs dismantling too! Starting with free cake is a small step in the right direction!
“…TOTALLY AGREE”
And people passing by concurred; some of the feedback we received included:
* “Good on you, I visit Oxford once a year and it’s heart-breaking what’s happening to East Oxford”
* “We’ve just written stuff about gentrification for our A levels, we feel dead guilty because we’re meeting some mates in Costa”
* “Wow, this cake is delicious. I totally agree with what you’re doing. I mean, do we really need another coffee shop? Do we really need another George & Danvers?”
* “In Jericho we’ve started to call it New Deli, coz there’s delicatessen after delicatessen after delicatessen.”
* “You doing this to piss off Costa? Fuckin’ nice one!”
It’d be well cool to see other people taking the initiative: free sandwiches freshly made outside the Subway (remember, it still doesn’t have planning permission), sound systems outside the new Carling Academy. Use your imagination; reclaim your world!
As for Costa, we’ll be back there next Saturday, maybe upping the ante a bit too. Meet 1pm at the OARC (1st floor of the East Oxford Community Centre) and we’ll go from there.
