Monday, September 19, 2005
stand up and squat!
hey ya's!
so, been an interesting week in London - starting with the bad news which is that I 'lost' my digital camera - probably stolen while I was on the tube when I first arrived. Really annoying not just cos it cost a few bob but it also had over 100 photos on it from the last few months. So can't show you all what I'm up to anymore, might revert back to the ol' disposable cameras and films. It did teach me the lesson that I'm not in the wops anymore but in big London where keeping things on you at all times is a major priority.
Been living at the convergence centre in East London - a community centre thats been abandoned for a year or so and was taken over to house the people that came for the DSEi protests - big meeting rooms, a huge hall for sleeping, kitchen, even has showers! Now nearly all the people have gone home but a few of us have remained to turn it into our home, and maybe back into a community centre again! The council have been round, it is ment to be demolished for apartments soon but squatting rights mean we probably will get 6-9 months before evicted, and if its deemed as having significant community value you can even save it. Anyways, 6/7 of us now call the centre our home, really weird living in such a massive place! Main mission at the moment is taking the grills off the windows so we can close them again before winter sets in! They are all secured open for ventilation but so the windows can't be smashed (but some of them still are).
Getting to know the neighbourhood kids, its in a poor area and a strong muslim community - going to hold a public meeting to see who is interested in using it as a community centre again, even if its just for a few hours a week to begin with.
Now, on to DSEi itself - after a street party/march round the streets on Saturday and a 'fluffy' actions day on Tuesday the 'spikey, anything goes' day on Wednesday was the most interesting. I teamed up with the nottingham crew again to take part in a road blockade, most other people did train blockades to try and stop/hold up the arms dealers getting to the venue.
We all piled out onto a highway when the lights were red and 7 of us locked on to two concrete lock on boxes we had 'aquired'. Had lots of support with people stopping traffic, feeding us, making us comfy, talking to cops etc. The police were OK about it, they were expecting things to happen, but cos our lock ons were so effective they needed the cutting squad to come cut/drill/clip/saw us out. Took them about 4 hours to get us all out, in which time the traffic was eventually diverted so we didn't stop the delegates from getting there but the did drive past in buses and had us and our group of supporters to greet them.
Once cut out we were all arrested (for obstruction of a highway) and taken to the police station for processing etc not the most pleasent experience but at least I go a matress to lie on, made a nice change from my bed roll! Out around 10pm to be greeted with food and hugs. We are all due in court next week, might get cautioned, otherwise its a small fine.
It was a good action to be involved in, a good team and we were all prepared to be arrested. It might not have shut down the arms fair but we made our point and it was part of lots of other actions throughout the day/week. Policing was really hard core - they were always outside the centre stopping and searching people and some were really abusive/intimidating with some arrests being for: having 2 moblie phones, marker pens and chalking the footpath. £4 million was spent on policing and the 200 or so involved means we had about £20,000 of tax payers money spent on us each!!
Other stuff - went to Fat Freddies Drop on Monday which was really cool, love the album so sang and danced my heart out (tho not as much as gigs back home). The crowd of course was 90% kiwi so like being on NZ soil for a night - everyone sounded the same!!
On Friday went to another squat for a party - this blue grass/rock and roll band all the way from Alabama played who were totally insane!
Lovin' London at the moment, have a borrowed bike so cycling round, we are only 20mins from central london. Also navigating the tube ok when I need to use it, but its real expensive. Going to do some more touristy stuff here soon, see the sights as it were.
Not sure how long I'll stay in London for, all depends on work and getting a job and if I get sick of it here - didn't think I'd end up living here so soon but its cool for the time being, will just see how it goes.
Right, been blabbering on long enough, was going to say something about the election, but well, what is there to say?!
Smell ya laters
so, been an interesting week in London - starting with the bad news which is that I 'lost' my digital camera - probably stolen while I was on the tube when I first arrived. Really annoying not just cos it cost a few bob but it also had over 100 photos on it from the last few months. So can't show you all what I'm up to anymore, might revert back to the ol' disposable cameras and films. It did teach me the lesson that I'm not in the wops anymore but in big London where keeping things on you at all times is a major priority.
Been living at the convergence centre in East London - a community centre thats been abandoned for a year or so and was taken over to house the people that came for the DSEi protests - big meeting rooms, a huge hall for sleeping, kitchen, even has showers! Now nearly all the people have gone home but a few of us have remained to turn it into our home, and maybe back into a community centre again! The council have been round, it is ment to be demolished for apartments soon but squatting rights mean we probably will get 6-9 months before evicted, and if its deemed as having significant community value you can even save it. Anyways, 6/7 of us now call the centre our home, really weird living in such a massive place! Main mission at the moment is taking the grills off the windows so we can close them again before winter sets in! They are all secured open for ventilation but so the windows can't be smashed (but some of them still are).
Getting to know the neighbourhood kids, its in a poor area and a strong muslim community - going to hold a public meeting to see who is interested in using it as a community centre again, even if its just for a few hours a week to begin with.
Now, on to DSEi itself - after a street party/march round the streets on Saturday and a 'fluffy' actions day on Tuesday the 'spikey, anything goes' day on Wednesday was the most interesting. I teamed up with the nottingham crew again to take part in a road blockade, most other people did train blockades to try and stop/hold up the arms dealers getting to the venue.
We all piled out onto a highway when the lights were red and 7 of us locked on to two concrete lock on boxes we had 'aquired'. Had lots of support with people stopping traffic, feeding us, making us comfy, talking to cops etc. The police were OK about it, they were expecting things to happen, but cos our lock ons were so effective they needed the cutting squad to come cut/drill/clip/saw us out. Took them about 4 hours to get us all out, in which time the traffic was eventually diverted so we didn't stop the delegates from getting there but the did drive past in buses and had us and our group of supporters to greet them.
Once cut out we were all arrested (for obstruction of a highway) and taken to the police station for processing etc not the most pleasent experience but at least I go a matress to lie on, made a nice change from my bed roll! Out around 10pm to be greeted with food and hugs. We are all due in court next week, might get cautioned, otherwise its a small fine.
It was a good action to be involved in, a good team and we were all prepared to be arrested. It might not have shut down the arms fair but we made our point and it was part of lots of other actions throughout the day/week. Policing was really hard core - they were always outside the centre stopping and searching people and some were really abusive/intimidating with some arrests being for: having 2 moblie phones, marker pens and chalking the footpath. £4 million was spent on policing and the 200 or so involved means we had about £20,000 of tax payers money spent on us each!!
Other stuff - went to Fat Freddies Drop on Monday which was really cool, love the album so sang and danced my heart out (tho not as much as gigs back home). The crowd of course was 90% kiwi so like being on NZ soil for a night - everyone sounded the same!!
On Friday went to another squat for a party - this blue grass/rock and roll band all the way from Alabama played who were totally insane!
Lovin' London at the moment, have a borrowed bike so cycling round, we are only 20mins from central london. Also navigating the tube ok when I need to use it, but its real expensive. Going to do some more touristy stuff here soon, see the sights as it were.
Not sure how long I'll stay in London for, all depends on work and getting a job and if I get sick of it here - didn't think I'd end up living here so soon but its cool for the time being, will just see how it goes.
Right, been blabbering on long enough, was going to say something about the election, but well, what is there to say?!
Smell ya laters
# posted by claire @ 2:15 AM 
