Sheffield - Anti-militarism

On Friday 15th Feburary protestors from the Sheffield Activist Network (SAN) blockaded the city's military recruitment centre on Church Street [ photos | video ]. The protest was to mark the 5th anniversary of the 2003 F15 protests against war with Iraq.

The BBC has reported that two activists were remanded into custody on Saturday and a third was due in court on Monday.

Other recent Sheffield protests against war include invasion of a lecture on aerial warfare and the disruption of arms dealers at a careers fair.

The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases' (CAAB) annual Independence From America demonstration at NSA Menwith Hill was the first where protestors were not allowed to circumnavigate the base due to a Section 12 order. There were two arrests, one for wearing a shirt with the word "fuck" on it and the second for arguing against the arrest. The rally at the start was addressed by Alan Bennett and Mark Steel and the marchers from Footprints for Peace [ 1 | 2 ]. A Declaration of Independence was read out, "we... do solemnly demand the return of the land, once within the boundaries of the ancient townships of Birstwith, Felliscliffe, Norwood and Menwith, now occupied by the United States National Security Agency and their military forces.". There was a heavy police presence, food was provided by Veggies and Yorkshire CND had a stall.

Report | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 | 2006 Feature

This years Peace in the Park festival was a great success with a large turnout, on a nice warm day, there were lots of bands and political stalls. Money was raised for Sheffield Assist and Stepping Stones Nigeria.

Peace in the Park came out of the massive anti-war movement in Sheffield that grew in response to the "war on terror" and the Anglo-American occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Photos: 1 | 2 | Audio

Previous festivals: 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003

The northern branches of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a series of events in Sheffield on 12 May, 2007, in what was described as the biggest Palestinian solidarity event outside London for many years, calling for an end to 40 years of Israeli occupation and for justice in Palestine. The day's events included a march and rally, a mock-up of a checkpoint, food, dancing and a photo exhibition. Sheffield Live! have a report on their site and a audio compilation (MP3 | 36 MB | 41:57 min) from the day.

Reports and photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Links: Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Enough Coalition | Palestine topic page

Related: Call for Action - 40 Years of Occupation in Palestine | latest This Week In Palestine audio

61 years ago on 6th August 1945 the first nuclear bomb, "Little Boy", a uranium bomb, was dropped on a civilian target, the city of Hiroshima in Japan, 3 days later on 9th August "Fat Man", a plutonium bomb, was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These Americian acts of genocide, which killed as many as 210,000 people, were unnecessary and were designed "to kick-start the Cold War rather than end the Second World War".

CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) in the UK have shown that 59% opposes the replacement of Trident, Britian's submarine-launched nuclear ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missiles) system. On Friday 5th August protestors handed in 53,000 signatures on a petition to 10 Downing Street calling on the government not to replace Trident or develop any new nuclear weapons system. On Tuesday 2nd August two peace activists were arrested after painting "Trident is Terrorism" outside Faslane naval base. In October Faslane 365 begins — a year-long continuous peaceful blockade at Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons submarine base.

Protests against nuclear weapons are expected to take place around the world, 80 protests have been organised across the USA: To mark the 61st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, rallies, vigils, teach-ins, and nonviolent protests will be held in more than 60 cities in 24 states across the country to demand an end to nuclear weapons and wars. Antiwar, nuclear abolition and indigenous rights groups are focusing on facilities run by the Bechtel Corporation, one of the world's leading nuclear weapons contractors, war profiteers, and violators of indigenous rights. Activities will take place under the banner: From Hiroshima to Yucca Mountain to the Middle East: No Nukes! No Wars! End War Profiteering! Support Indigenous Rights!

Protests are also expected in Perth and across Europe.

Links: CND | Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space | Nuking Iran is not off the table | Calculating the risk of war in Iran | The Hiroshima Myth | Wikipedia: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Hiroshima / Nagasaki Memorials: Swindon 2006 | Cambridge 2006 | Cambridge 2005 | Nottingham 2005 ( 1 ) ( 2 ) | Oxford 2005 | Sheffield 2003

Read on for analysis on the danger that the USA might nuke Iran [ indymedia.org version with translations ].

The Israeli war of agression against Lebanon has now been going on for almost four weeks and there have been two protests against it in Sheffield, the first one was held on 22nd July and it involved a spontaneous march around the city cente in a downpour and the second was held on 2nd August, it involved a five-minute sit down protest in Pinstone Street and a speech from Jews against Zionism. On 5th August many people from Sheffield attended the London demo against Israeli attacks.

Israel has been targetting civilians, journalists, the UN and ambulances using cluster bombs, depleted uranium munitions, bunker busters flown in via Scotland and a catalogue of other illegal weapons, the USA is the main source of Israeli weapons. According to UNICEF: "Thirty per cent of those who have died are children and 45 per cent of those who are displaced are children".

The capture of two Israeli soliders, which has been used by Israel to justify the attack on Hizballah, has been shown to be a pretext: "Israel's assaults on the Occupied Territories and Lebanon were planned well in advance with the full knowledge and approval of the US." The Israeli government was given the green light to attack Lebanon by the United States and the other states attending the G8 in Russia. The US-Israeli goal for Lebanon appears to be, as a minimum, regime change or worse, total annihilation, as with the wars in Iraq and Afganistain the role of oil appears to be key. Wider Middle East war was predicted at the end of June and the unfolding events appears to be part of an imperialist carve up of the Middle East.

One response, from a branch of the CNT in France has been to say: "Just as we firmly denounce this military escalation, calling for an immediate cease-fire, and an end to the bombings, and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, we believe, as internationalist workers, that one of our urgent tasks is to support the development of a third camp - the camp of the workers - in the Middle East, at one and the same time against imperialist domination and against Islamist oppression."

Indymedia Beirut has made an Urgent Appeal for Solidarity with Lebanese Civil Society

Hundreds of people protested in Sheffield on 22nd July 2006 against the ongoing Israeli war on Lebanon and Palestine. The demonstration was called at short notice by the Sheffield Stop the War Coalition, Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign and The Sheffield Muslim Association of Britain with the slogans, "Hands off Lebanon - Freedom for Palestine - Don't attack Syria - Don't attack Iran".

Despite very heavy rain there was an energetic, impromptu, march around the city centre which took the one policeman on duty by suprise. The route taken was down Pinstone Street towards the Moor, up to Fitzalan Square, up Carver Street, across Division Street and onto West Street. The protestors then marched down the tram tracks to Fargate — a route that would never have been agreed by the police in advance — and back to the Town Hall. It was all over by 1pm.

The protest was part of an International Day of Action in which tens of thousands of people throughout the world took to the streets to protest. In London, up to 30,000 marched from Whitehall, through central London, to Hyde Park, where they held a rally [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Another Wasted Opportunity]. Similar, but smaller, demonstrations took place in other cities up and down the country, including Manchester, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Links: IMC Beirut | IMC Israel | IMC-Cyprus | Internation Middle East Media Centre | Palestine News Network | Electronic Intifada | Electronic Lebanon | Palestine Blogs | Tadamon

On 4th July 2006, American Independence Day, the annual Independence from America demonstration was held at NSA Menwith Hill [ Photos: 1 | 2 ]. It was a hot and sunny Tuesday and the 100 or so protestors were outnumbered by the massive police presence, after drumming, songs from Tom Neilson and some speeches there was a circumnavigation of the expanding spy base. One woman was arrested and later released after a 'caution', see the report from Lindis and Anni for the full story.

The National Security Agency (NSA) base at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, is the biggest US spy base outside America and it plays a key role in the interception of electronic communications — it is a part of ECHELON (Euskera article | the hardware behind Echelon), missile defence and star wars. The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB), the organisers of the demonstration, evolved out of the long campaign of protest at Menwith Hill, which have been going on since the 1950s, read on for links to reports of events held there over the last few years.

Peace in the Park is an annual free festival celebrating creativity, unity and understanding within the Sheffield community. The aim is to work towards peace and solidarity by bringing communities together through artistic, musical and vocal expression. Peace in the Park has been running for four years, driven by the efforts of many volunteers, and each year collects money for nominated charities.

This years Peace in the Park was the biggest yet as glorious sunshine and the enchanting surroundings of Sheffield General Cemetery brought in huge crowds [Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 ]. There was a live stage featuring a right good array of bands, an open-mic stage with a kalaidescope of acts, healing area with massage and yoga, kids area including mask making and drumming and an 'insect trail', a samba band, a film tent showing independent films and documentaries about local and global issues, ethical food outlets including a SpeakEasy with topical discussions, craft and information stalls offering opportunities to paint what you would do with £24 billion or play the asylum lottery or question a councellor or Bug your MP!

A Month of Film Screenings on:

9/11, Oil, War and Globalisation

Every Sunday in July at SIF (Sheffield Independent Film), films start at 6:30pm and 8pm

The attacks on New York and Washington on 11th September 2001 have been described as a "New Pearl Harbor" and they have been used to justify the war against Afghanistan and Iraq, the erosion of civil liberties in the US and the UK and the permanent "War on Terror".

Since 9/11 conspiracy theories have flourished, however one of the least credible conspiracy theory is the official narrative this selection of films explores some of the 9/11 smoking guns and the possible motivation of those responsible.

Read on for a complete listing of the films...