Budget Day Protest in Bath

In response to George Osbourne's emergency budget on Wednesday, which will see £12bn in welfare cuts and a £20,000 benefit cap (£23,000 in London), Bath Against Cuts organised a demonstration against the elements of the budget that will affect the disabled, the poor, students and the low-waged.

After assembling at the Conservative Party HQ in Bathwick at 5.30pm, demonstrators marched to the council offices at the Guildhall where a meeting between Conservative councillors was being held. Around 100 people representing groups Bath Against Cuts, Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts, 38 Degrees Bath and the local Green and Labour parties, as well as other members of the public, attended the demonstration. Speakers, including Labour councillor Joe Rayment and representatives from University of Bath UCU and 38 Degrees, addressed the protest via a megaphone, condemning the budget.

Security guards at the Guildhall were heavy-handed, with one demonstrator pushed down the Guildhall steps and other being shoved around by security.

The demonstration in Bath was just one of many that took place throughout the UK, including protests in London, Bristol, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Cornwall, Portsmouth, Nottingham, Birmingham, Northampton, Manchester, Edinburgh, Plymouth, Liverpool, Norwich, Oxford and many other towns and cities.

University of Bath UCU vice-president Chris Roche, who spoke at the demonstration, commented: "It should be no surprise that this Tory government have a programme of taking from the poorest and most vulnerable in society to pay the rich. The question is, what do we do about it? Nothing challenges the power of the ruling class like organised labour, so join a trade union and get active within it. There's too much at stake to sit back and watch the horror show - stand up and be part of the fight back"
 
38 Degrees Bath commented "Without a significant and sustained opposition to the worst of the Tory government's policies, the suffering of the most vulnerable in society will deepen and spread, and our welfare system and public services may be damaged beyond repair."

Earlier today, Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts released a statement on the budget, which reads:

"George Osbourne’s emergency budget announced a devastating attack on higher education and students in addition to £12 billion of cuts to welfare. 

Here’s our summary of how the budget may affect students :

- Maintenance grants for students with family incomes below £42,000 will be scrapped and replaced by loans from 2016-17. The maximum loan will be £8,200 a year. This will mean that students are forced into even more debt, leaving the poorest students with a debt of £51,000 after 3 years.

- Elite universities that can demonstrate excellent teaching will be allowed to increase tuition fees in line with inflation from 2017-18. In effect this will create a 2-tier higher education system with better teaching only available to those that can afford to pay more.

- George Osbourne’s “Living Wage” of £7.20 an hour is nothing of the sort - it has been condemned by the Living Wage Foundation, who calculate it to be £7.85 an hour (£9.15 for London). George Osbourne’s “Living Wage” is merely a higher minimum wage. Furthermore, it is not applicable to the under-25s. 18-20 year olds will earn £5.30/hr and those ages between 21-25 will get £6.70/hr.

- Under 21s will no longer be entitled to housing benefit. Not everyone has the option of living with their parents, and this will mean many will have to live with abusive parents/guardians or be forced onto the street. This will disproportionately affect those who identify as LGBTQ.

- The youth benefits scheme will be overhauled, with an obligation placed on 18-21 year olds to ‘earn or learn’.

- Cuts to Further Education also look likely to be announced as part of the spending review in autumn.

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts opposes this vicious attack on higher education, which will mean those from the lowest income families will be left with £51,000 of debt by the end of a 3-year course if they take out the maximum loan - which many will need to in order to survive. Those from wealthier families who can afford to pay for their children to study and live while at university will leave without that debt hanging over their heads. While the maintenance grant system went some way to addressing economic inequality, relieving underprivileged students of some of the debt burden, those from poorer backgrounds will now be put at an immediate disadvantage.

Forcing students into even more debt promotes an individualistic, corporatised vision of higher education. Education must be free - We believe that education is a public good which benefits society. Join us at the national demonstration in November to fight for free education and the introduction of living grants for all in November: https://www.facebook.com/events/1449378505377525/"

 Bath Against Cuts has vowed to continue to fight the cuts being implemented by the majority Conservative administration. Get involved by attending their meetings on the first Tuesday of every month at The Ram, Widcombe at 8pm.

Bath Against Cuts website: https://bathagainstcuts.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bathagainstcuts
Twitter: @bathagainstcuts

If you are among the growing number of people affected or concerned by the impact this government is having on the people, the environment and on international affairs, get involved! Our directory of activist and campaign groups can be found here.

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Budget Day Demonstration Outside Bath Tory HQ - Wednesday, 5.30pm

From Bath Against Cuts

On Wednesday, the first Tory-majority government for eighteen years will announce its first budget. All the signs show that it will be everything we feared: massive cuts to essential social welfare coupled with tax cuts to benefit those with more wealth - a budget that takes from the poor to pay the rich. We could expect nothing else from the Conservative Party, but the question is, how do we respond? National demonstrations are great, but we need to bring the opposition to Tory attacks on public services and welfare into our own cities, towns and villages.

At 17:30 on Wednesday, after the budget is announced, we will be meeting outside Bath Tory Party HQ to make our voices heard and to demonstrate to our new Tory MP that he will not be met with resigned indifference in Bath for the choices he makes in the voting lobbies of Westminster. We will also be discussing how to move forward and where to focus our energies in what will be a very tough but crucial five years.
Without a significant and sustained opposition to the worst of the Tory government's policies, the suffering of the most vulnerable in society will deepen and spread, and our welfare system and public services may be damaged beyond repair.

The Tory Council cabinet are meeting from 16:00 on Wednesday at the Guildhall, so we're aimimg to be there when they arrive.

This is a budget that will take from the many to give to the rich few.

The NHS, Education, Jobs, Welfare & public services will all be targeted.

It's important that we stand up and say NO MORE!

Make placards, bring music, bring your voice.

We say:
NO to 'austerity'
NO to the destruction of our public services
NO to cuts to social welfare
NO to more tax cuts for the rich
NO to the victimisation and marginalisation of migrants, disabled, poor and unemployed people.
YES to a fair, just, democratic and equal society.
Please come along, get involved, show that there is such a thing as society, and we will not let it be cut, divided and sold to the highest bidder.

COME & JOIN US!

Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/864328026955753/

Tory HQ can be found at 96A Sydney Mews, Bath BA2 4ED Bathwick (behind the Church at the bottom of Bathwick Hill)

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Anti-Tory Protestors Take their Message to Downing Street

36.8% of registered voters voted for a "majority" Conservative government. They claim that they have a mandate to rule, but yesterday Britain said otherwise.

On Saturday morning, word reached Bath that a huge demonstration against the Conservative's cuts and for real democracy was about to take place. Activists and campaigners promptly took action and made their way to London to make their voices heard.

Starting at Tory HQ, the several-thousand strong demonstration peacefully marched to Downing Street, to Trafalgar Square and then back to Downing Street. Left-wing activists of all stripes - anarchist-communists, socialists, Green Party members, badger cull protestors and more united as one against the Conservatives.

Police claim that there was violence against them and criminal damage. The most violence our comrades on the demonstration witnessed was against peaceful demonstrators by aggressive riot police, while the real criminal sat in Downing Street plotting his assault on the British public. What the police failed to understand is that their livelihoods are now as under threat as everyone else's, and that plans to privatise the police force with hired security firms such as G4S will mean that pretty soon demonstrations will start to include ex-coppers too. With chants of "We are peaceful" and "Protect us, don't fight us" largely ignored, the police hit, grabbed, pushed and assaulted those acting in the best interest of the country.

Nobody at the demonstration was at all happy about "Fuck Tory Scum" being sprayed on a memorial to women in the second world war, and it is strongly suspected that this was the work of an agent provocateur, rather than a genuine protestor. What better way to discredit a movement than to desecrate one of the least controversial war memorials on VE Day? We need to be better than this - better than them.

                                          Video of scenes from the demo

Police then kettled protestors for several hours. Spirits in the kettle were high, with demonstrators singing, dancing, playing instruments and holding an open mic session.

The feeling on the day was that this was Day 1, and a good effort. Already people reject their society and are coming together to create something better and to oppose those who intend to ruin much of what the disadvantaged in society and their allies have fought for over the centuries. Peace, solidarity, direct action, education and hope are the tools this emerging counter-culture is using. May this continue.

While people were understandably angry and a lot of insults were thrown against the Tories and Cameron in particular, many people we have spoken to during and since the demonstration are wanting to move on from this. We need to be the best we can be. We need to rise above hatred - that's their value, not ours. Focus our anger into creating something positive - because by hating, we are as bad as they are. Opposing and doing everything we can to stop them need not stem from hatred. It can also stem from our love for our fellow humans and our planet. They do not choose to use their ability to love. We can.

Read our post-election thoughts here

Get involved and join an activist group in Bath or Bristol here

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NUS Pulls Out of Free Education Demonstration - Bath Students Outraged

The National Union of Students (NUS) has pulled out of the Free Education Demonstration on Wednesday 19th December in London, angering Bath students who wished to participate in the demonstration. The demonstration had the official support of the NUS nationally at a meeting in September, however the NUS leadership allegedly attempted to distance themselves from it and has now pulled support entirely on health and safety grounds. Meanwhile, both the University of Bath and Bath Spa University Students' Unions have  taken the decision not to provide transport to the demonstration. A dissenting University of Bath student commented that the Students' Union President has been "useless". Reiss McGuinness, a recent Bath Spa University graduate said that the universities had behaved "as expected".

Bruce Galliver, the Bath Spa University Students' Union President is supportive of the demonstration, however, despite a majority voting in favour of the decision in a student council vote, he was ultimately unable to get the university to organise transport. Following the withdrawal of support from the national NUS, Bath Spa University recieved a letter from the NUS recommending against sending students to the demonstration. The decision then had to be referred to the the Board of Trustees. There are 12 trustees, 8 students and 4 externals on the board and of those 8 students, 5 voted against organising a coach. Bruce 's letters to the Trustees can be found here.

Mr Galliver commented "I'd like to make it clear to students that I followed a democratic procedure here in line with the Unions constitution, but my position was and still is that the Union should organise transport and support at this demonstration for free education. Despite the fact that the Union will no longer do this, I still intend to offer any assistance and support I can to students who still wish to attend the event. I feel it's a very justifiable and important cause and I hope this decision will not affect the morale of those who intend on going. I apologise for the delay in this statement coming out and I hope everyone is able to make arrangements in time for the 19th."

The University of Bath has agreed to subsidise coach tickets for the demonstration, however these have now sold out. The University of Bristol is organising coaches for the demonstration, and some students from Bath will be going with their coaches. Other students will need to find their own way there.

A Student's Perspective

Recent Bath Spa Univerisity graduate and local activist Simon Jilley has sent the following words for inclusion in this article:

This is going to be my first student rally since the 2012 demo, which nobody really quite understood and a lot of people were very upset at the NUS at for changing the route last-minute. I am now not a fee-paying, exam-writing, decision-making student, but that doesn't mean that I've in any way fallen out of the loop. If anything, I feel much more connected now than I ever did before to the student struggle.

Four years ago, I was on Embankment listening to speakers as protesters were being forced into a riot in Parliament Square, just a few hundred metres away. I was extremely confused by the situation I was in. The speakers spoke nothing of the situation in Parliament Square, nor seemed to care at all. They just spoke from their cue cards, about how certain unions are making certain points of progress, and this means certain things and of course the whole situation will be solved by blaming the coalition government. It's all because of the coalition government, after all, that our government is corrupt and are a group of bastards on a pedestal. I was quite sickened by the whole affair – I saw mounted police charging at those trapped in Parliament Square, but from 200m in front of me. I couldn't do anything about it, and it was like watching a dystopia film.

At the demo two years ago, called '#demo2012', I was a part of a fringe meditation demonstration in front of Big Ben which, although it had no noticeable message to offer to the general public, had a prominent impact on each and every one of us that were involved. It was the first time that most of the group had ever interacted with the police on that level – and it wasn't pre-planned in any way. It was a spontaneous act, that caught everyone (including myself, in some ways) by surprise. We left the march that we didn't understand and the movement that we had become very disillusioned by, and created our own movement in those hours sat in front of Big Ben.

Two years on, and there still exists a lot of that movement that was created in Autumn 2012. We are still demonstrating spontaneously, and contributing to things that really mean something to us. I was similarly at a march that I was fairly disillusioned by a month back – at the TUC Britain Needs A Payrise demo. We supported the Occupy Democracy actions, and became much more a part of that than we had been a part of the TUC march. We had a spontaneous 'Freedom March' a few months back, in Bath. It's all happening, this movement is strong.

Now we are preparing for the Free Education demonstration. 19th November is going to be a massive day for students, and all peoples, in these lands. We are going to demonstrate for Free Education – the first time in my memory that any such people have demonstrated for such a thing in Britain. The implications of Free Education are massive – with free education, we regain freedoms that were taken from us in generations passed, and move more stably towards a freer, more creative, and more joyful world. We've lost our footing in the last few generations – perhaps a lot of people fell asleep, and let the politicians gain many ones over us. But the Free Education fight is a huge part of the movement towards this better world.

I am shocked that the NUS pulled out of the march. I knew that some part of the NUS lacked a lot of backbone after experiencing things two years ago, at #demo2012. But I didn't expect that they would do something so foolish, aggressive, and cowardly as this. By pulling out of the demonstration in the way that they have, they are effectively marginalising the 'hard-line' protesters that go on the march anyway. We are all going to be marginalised, and will be noted for having been on the Free Education demo. The NUS pulling out has led to many Students' Unions (most of the Unions in Britain are affiliated with the NUS) shamefully dropping their pledge to Student Democracy.

In Bath, both Unions have dropped out of the march for pretty much the same reasons. At Bath Uni SU, an online poll was conducted that decided that Bath Uni SU should provide transport for, and support, the march. Despite 86% of respondents supporting the march, on 6th November, the same day that the NUS released their statement of pulling out of the march (less than two weeks before the march – an unrealistic time for a student group to gather and plan a coach...), the SU pulled out, citing the NUS reasons of problems with risk assessments. At Bath Spa SU, a motion was brought forward to the Student Council on 28th October for the SU to support and provide education for the demonstration. The Student Council voted widely in favour of the motion. There was confusion after November 6th, and little was known about what was going to be happening. Fliers had already been distributed around campus, and in the Students' Union, and continued to be so after the NUS announcement. But on 12th November, Union President Bruce Galliver released a statement that, despite his personal strong support of the march and of the SU providing transport, the Board of Trustees had voted 8-to-3 against the SU supporting the march and providing transport. This is despite Bruce offering that the SU provide a 'Demo survival pack', 'two delegated SU stewards', and 'our own risk assessment'. Despite his clear encouragement, in a letter sent out to all of the Trustees on 11th November, for reasonable measures to be taken in order to still provide support and transport (see here), it was not stated that the Trustees had engaged in any kind of dialogue about the matter.

What we are seeing across the country is a clear disregard of Student Union democracy, as Unions across the country are pulling out of a march that their members voted in support of. We are not receiving adequate reasons for why Unions are pulling out ('on health & safety grounds' does not count as 'adequate', for there is always the opportunity to take extra measures to ensure that all things are covered for), and instead are understanding that Student Democracy is becoming weaker, and listened to less.

And this is why we really need this demonstration. This demonstration is for Free Education. The meaning of 'freedom' is strong, extremely strong, for me in relation to this demonstration. It is iconic, what is happening across Britain with the 'freedom' to act democratically being revoked in the weeks leading up to the demonstration. We will be marching for freedom: not only for an education system that is 100% inclusive of all peoples irrespective of economic background and that doesn't purge students into financial instability afterwards, but also for an education system that allows for a freedom of democracy to exist.

Notably, you will notice that November 19th is not a one-day event. Students are being encouraged to Walkout/Occupy/Resist on December 3rd, on the National Day of Action for Free Education. Students should 'use the time between the 19th November and 3rd December to build on your campus. Run rallies, meetings, stalls, protests, and link up between universities, colleges and schools in your local area'. There is longevity to it all. There is something big happening out of it – it is now time for us to take back what they stole, to bring our future, and the future of generations that will follow us, into our actions. We need to plot out what should be happening on the map, to make it all a reality.

Maybe it is more beneficial to the movement that the Student Unions have backed out. As financially-vested bodies, they have people that they must always respond to, and they are often made liable for their actions. But we can ask, still, that members of the Student Unions join us in our independent movement, making a Free Education a reality before our very eyes. For, in our independent rise, we will make a reality of what we collectively see must happen, without having to be suppressed in our ideals by any individual or governing body.

After November 6th and November 12th respectively (when the Unions pulled out), groups of us have organised to provide forms of transport for people wanting to join the march. Bath Spa students will mostly either be making their own way there from Bath, or will be joining the Bristol Uni coach. Bath Uni students have been invited onto a National Express coach, as lots of tickets were bought at one time. There is no funding available currently in the activist movements in Bath – and it is a suggestion of mine that we may sort out some kind of a collective fund to support when occasions like this happen (in 2010, the UCU provided transport from Bath to London for the November demonstration – they are not doing so this year, and none of us appear to have a spare £500 to pay for a coach). Let's get ourselves stronger, and support each other in all of the struggles that go on. And, no matter who you are or where you stand, come to London if you can for the Free Education demonstration, or give support to us working for a Free Education Future!

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Citizen's Advice Bureau - Cuts and Protests

Bath and North-East Somerset Council are planning to cut the budget of the local Citizen's Advice Bureau by 55%. Many people rely on the services our local CAB provides, and we can't let the council cut the funding.

If you haven't already used the CAB, it's very possible that you or someone you know will need to at some point in their lives. These are some of the reasons why people have needed to use the Bath CAB in the past:

• Help! I've been diagnosed with a serious illness and I can't work any more - what am I entitled to?
• Help! I've got rent arrears and I've lost my job. What can I do?
• Help! My employer sacked me while I was pregnant - can they do this?
• Help! My landlord threatened to evict my family because I complained that the roof is leaking

The CAB is often the only thing that stands between a lot of people and families becoming "vulnerable and greatest in need".

So what can you do? Three actions have been planned to attempt to get the council to change their minds - if you can help with one or more of these then it will go a long way to helping the campaign.

1. A petition has been set up on the 38 Degrees website. Sign it and share it everywhere: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-our-cab-in-banes 
2. A demo will be taking place on the steps of the Guildhall at 1pm on Tuesday 5th November. If you can make it, please come along and show that you care, and tell your family and friends.
3. Local resident Lin Patterson has managed to get 3 mins to speak about the CAB at the full council meeting on Thursday 14th November. There will be a demonstration at 6pm outside the Guildhall, just prior to her slot. Please come along and support her!

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Bath Public Toilet Occupation: Day 4

Twerton Toilet Occupation

It's official: As of 8pm today the occupation of the Twerton public toilets has ended. After spending 3 nights in the toilet and collecting 2000 petition signatures online and a further 400 outside the toilets, Lin Patterson has left the building. On hearing the news, Occupy Bath posted on Facebook: "BREAKING NEWS - Lin has ended the occupation! She just informed us over the phone and said that she has accomplished what she set out to do. Lin will be appearing as a guest on Daybreak on ITV on Monday morning. The petition is now at 1983 signatures and additionally there are around 400 signatures on a paper petition collected outside the toilets. Well done Lin!!!"

Earlier today, Lin issued the following statement: "A big thank you to all 38 Degrees people who have signed the petition to save our public toilets in Bath. You are amazing. Please ask your family, friends and work colleagues to sign the petition and continue to share it by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

Both Councillors for Twerton have visited outside the toilets and it seems there may be 2 rays of hope - but nothing is certain , so it would NOT be wise to think the Twerton toilets are safe yet.

First, the disabled toilet is the only wheelchair accessible one in the area, even the football ground has been relying on it to fulfill their statutory obligation to provide equal access. So an Equalities Impact Assessment has been called for, which MAY keep the toilets open for 3 months - possibly.

Then negotiations are going on with nearby establishments. This is possibly the football ground or Morrisons, who have bought the old Blockbuster building, to subsidize the existing toilets and hold the RADAR key for the disabled cubicle. So a lot of maybes.
In the meantime the community can keep up the pressure, now that more people are aware.

So many times today and yesterday, I wished I could film the passion and clarity of those who approached to sign, and their outrage over the possibility of closure.

A couple of 14 year old girls held the fort with the petition table for an hour while I took a much needed nap. They counted the signatures, which now total 309 in 2 days.

Considering most of those people were either using the loo or making a special trip, that is phenomenal. So between the 2 petitions in 2 days, we've topped 2000. Has this happened in Bath before? Sometimes you can be almost overcome by the goodness of people. Let's hope the council will recognize the changed landscape."

Councillor David Dixon, to whom the petition is addressed said "Once I have received the petition I can ensure a full response"

Standing Stone's Blog will report on the outcome of the petition when the time comes.

Congratulations Lin, and well done for standing up for ordinary people.

More on this story:
Day 1: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bath-resident-occupies-twerton-public.html
Day 2: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-2.html
Day 3: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-3.html 

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Bath Public Toilet Occupation: Day 3

Twerton Public Toilet Occupation

The Twerton Toilet Demo has seen a successful third day. On Wednesday, Lin Patterson begun the occupation of a public toilet that was due to be closed for good yesterday. Since then her petition on the 38 Degrees website has grown to over 1800 signatures and Lin has been featured in the local and national news.

Earlier today, Lin was stood outside the toilet answering questions from the public. Other Bath residents have joined in by collecting several hundred paper signatures. Local taxi drivers have also been very supportive, telling Lin that they regularly stop to use those toilets. A Twerton resident with mobility difficulties commented "I have great difficulty getting to the shops and back. If I get caught short while doing my weekly shopping, I can't just run home like a normal person. I need these toilets to stay open". It has also come to the attention of the demonstrators that Twerton public toilets are the only loos in that region of Bath with disabled access.

Lin has been overwhelmed by the amount of public support. She was stunned when a woman drove all of the way from South Gloucestershire today just to see her. Lin has been passing Occupy Bath updates to post on their Facebook page. Earlier today she commented "What an incredible response to the 38 Degrees petition! Every signature represents 10 others who are disabled, young, busy carers, elderly with medical or mobility problems and the list goes on. We need the council to take down the closure signs and acknowledge their closure plans were unreasonable. I have a friend who absolutely relies on these toilets, which really brings it home. Today has seen a media frenzy which hopefully will generate even more signatures so the council will have to act."

Lin's petition can be found at: http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open

More on this story: 
Day 1: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/bath-resident-occupies-twerton-public.html
Day 2: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-2.html
Day 4: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bath-public-toilet-occupation-day-4.html

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Badger Cull Protest Outside Don Foster's Office, 8 July

Bath Badger Walk and Bath Against the Badger Cull have been posting details of a forthcoming demonstration outside Bath MP Don Foster's office on Monday 8th July.

Don Foster, who last week voted in favour of the badger cull (despite previously voting against it), has enraged local opponents to the cull, some of whom have written to Don to express their disappointment (see here for his response: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/foster-watch-4-dons-revised-opinion-on.html).

The demonstration will be held outside Don's office at 31 James Street West, Bath, BA1 2BT from 12.30 in the afternoon.

The Facebook event page can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/events/481387925275375/

At the time of posting, 18 people had confirmed that they would be attending, with 27 maybe attending. With several weeks to go, many more may be joining them as word gets out.

This will be the third demonstration in Bath against the badger cull, following demonstrations in October 2012 and in May 2013.

For more on the badger cull, see my in-depth article here: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-badger-cull-what-you-need-to-know.html

For more on Don Foster and recent actions of his that have caused his constituents to cry "shame on you", check out FOSTER WATCH here: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html

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National March Against the Badger Cull in London

Nation March Against the Badger Cull, London, 1st June 2013

With the mounting criticism of the government's policy of culling badgers to combat TB, it was only a matter of time before a huge demonstration took place in London.

A large group of badger activists set off from Bristol on a coach, stopping near Bath to collect members of Bath Against the Badger Cull, and headed up to London for the day. The atmosphere on the coach was vibrant as people got to know each other, and a team set about painting people's faces with black and white facepaint. Almost every was dressed appropriately for the day in black and white, with many "Stop the Cull" t-shirts and badger masks on board.

Arriving at the start of the demonstration outside Tate Britain, we were greeted warmly by a crowd of around 2000 people dressed as badgers. As some one put it - "There's never been so many badgers in London!". A range speakers from various organisations addressed the crowd, including Queen guitarist Brian May. See the video below for some of these speeches and footage of the march.

The march then set off with banners and placards raised, good spirits and lots of chanting, as well as sound system on wheels with a painted wooden badger on top.

The march was diverted at the end, and so we didn't go past parliament, due to a BNP demonstration taking place at the same time. Following the march, many headed to St James's Park for a picnic, while others, including Bath and Bristol activist, went on to picket the DEFRA office. On the way, we passed the pitifully small BNP demonstration, and some dressed as badgers chased a few of the fascists hanging around nearby.

For more on the badger cull, see: The Badger Cull - What You Need to Know

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Bath Badger Lovers Walk - Opposing the Cull

Badger Cull demonstration outside the Guildhall in Bath

 Following a previous demonstration against the badger cull in the city centre, around 25 badger activists took to the streets on 6th May bank holiday to protest the cull. Organised by Bath Badger Walk and promoted by Bath Against the Badger Cull, the demonstration sought to publicise the negative impact of the cull and provide advice on how to combat it.

Starting out at the Guildhall, the badgerists then hit Milsom Street armed with leaflets, placards and a badger puppet and engaged with the public about the badger cull. A nice surprise was found at Lush, who had a Stop The Cull box displayed in the window.

Stop the Cull box in the Bath Lush window

Finally, the roving demonstration moved to Starbucks to protest against their sourcing of milk from the cull zones. The manager was annoyed at our presence, but no security or police came to move us on (it should be noted that since this demo took place, Starbucks has stopped sourcing milk from the cull zones).

With the anti-cull campaign gaining momentum, demonstrations such as this are only going to attract more and more people. Cull supporters of Bath - beware!

For more on the badger cull, see The Badger Cull - What You Need to Know

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Bath Bedroom Tax Demo

Bath Bedroom tax demo

The ConDem government's much-despised Bedroom Tax got a thrashing in around 60 cities today with protests in opposition to the tax taking place across the country.

In two weeks the Bedroom Tax will be implemented unless we stop it. This tax could hit half a million or more of the most hard-up in society. Essentially, anyone in social housing with a spare room will be hit by this tax - under which benefits could be slashed by up to 14%. This is yet another example of getting the poor to pay for the mess made by the rich.

The Bath demonstration was attended by around 150 people, with banners, placards and megaphones. Many were not affiliated to any particular party or group, and those groups with members in attendance included BARF, SolFed, Bath Against Cuts, the Socialist Worker's Party, Occupy Bath, the Green Party and the Quakers. Lin Patterson from the Quakers said about the demonstration: "This is an unfair discriminatory tax that's being challenged in the courts and will be revealed as a wrong turn by court decisions and people's activism". Celia from the SWP was appalled at the Bedroom Tax: "I think it's fantastic to see so many organisations united against this disgusting attack on the poor and vulnerable in society. This attack is an attempt to divide us, to encourage people to blame a neighbour with a spare room, rather than unite against this vicious Tory government".

Demonstrations were planned by a wide range of groups across Britain, however one Eoin Clarke of the Labour party decided to co-ordinate the day of action by creating Facebook event pages. Eoin has a large social media following, and writes the blog "The Green Benches" (on which he has apologised for making false claims), and is the founder of Labour Left, a relatively small faction of the Labour party with more left-wing ideals than the main party. While Eoin may have co-ordinated these demonstrations, there have been accusations of failing to contact existing campaigns, including tenants' groups who will be directly affected by the tax. While the mainstream Labour Party has attacked the Tories over the tax, there has been some division within the party, with an MP claiming that the Labour Party would enforce the tax in cases where people turned down smaller accommodation. The Labour Party also introduced the bedroom tax to the private rented sector back in 2008. What is more, I have personally witnessed the removal of several posts making this point on Bedroom Tax demonstration Facebook event pages and there have been reports of several more instances. Simon Jilley was one such person who had a post removed from the Bath page: "I was absolutely shocked to find myself being blocked from the Bath Bedroom Tax Facebook page after I had put a post on it at about 5pm on Friday afternoon regarding the corruption within the British Labour Party in its stance towards the Bedroom Tax. This is a deeply repressive action from a political party that, inherently, should not be leading demonstrations if they are going to act like this. We, the people, are much stronger than their party, and we will continue to prove this in our future force that we show". Rather than discussing these points in an open forum, they were simply deleted and the users were blocked. There were also reports on Twitter today of the Labour Party in Liverpool protecting the National Front during the demonstration there who were also photographing anti-fascists.

Having spoken to one of the Bath Labour Party organisers, I am satisfied that they are personally opposed to this tax, and are genuinely outside of the mainstream Labour Party - and this is not a personal attack on them, and I know that - in Bath at least - some attempt was made to engage with other groups. However, I believe in seeking alternatives to the outdated party political system, and Labour are certainly not a party that I, and many others opposed to the coalition's assault on the 99%, have any respect left for.

Bearing the above in mind, many felt that Labour were in no position to claim the demonstration as their own, and many took it upon themselves to continue the demonstration by having a march around town, passing through Southgate, Milsom Street, the Abbey Church Yard and ending up in Queen Square, a site of special for significance for many radicals, having been previously home to first Occupy Bath encampment. Approximately 80 people joined this impromptu march, fronted by a large number of anarchist banners, with much chanting against all three main political parties as well as the Bedroom Tax, the rich and government cuts. The police were not numerous enough to stop it, and instead gave in and flanked the march - and even stopped traffic to allow us to progress. Many of those left behind at the Guildhall were either Labour organisers (who had signed a contract with the police that this would be a static demo) or were too ill to march.

Bath Bedroom Tax march through Southgate.

Bath Bedroom Tax demo in Queen Square

The march enabled us to reach a wider number of people, and we were cheered on and joined by passers by. Following the march, Jon from SolFed commented: "The day of protest was great, but up and down the country people are organising to refuse to pay the Bedroom Tax and resist bailiffs. Direct action can beat the Bedroom Tax". An Occupy Bath and BARF supporter said: "I think the genuine anger people feel with the ConDem government is evident in the spontaneous but vibrant march through the city centre."

The government has the choice to listen or to ignore us. And if they ignore us, we'll be there out in force once more, and will support those affected by the tax by any means possible. With so many attacks on the poor, the vulnerable, the students, the unemployed and the normal hard-working people of Britain, the time to start fighting back - more than ever - is now. Today showed that more and more people are paying attention to what is happening to this country, and they don't like what they see.

Today, the people have spoken. This is what democracy looks like.

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Candle-lit Vigil Outside Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Bath, calling for Justice for Factory Fire Victims in Bangladesh

Candle-lit, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Bath 19 December 2012

On 24 November 2012, a fire swept through the Tazreen factory in Bangladesh, leaving at least 120 workers dead and injuring 150 more. The factory, which produces clothes for Edinburgh Woollen Mill amongst other companies, did not have a valid safety certificate. Due to showing indifference to the tragedy and refusing to take responsibility for their role in the disaster, Labour Behind the Label organised three candle-lit vigils, in Bath, Edinburgh and Stamford.

Around 10 people turned up to the Bath demo on 19th December 2012, including members of Labour Behind the Label, BARF and Occupy Bath, braving the cold (and the wind, which kept blowing out the candles). As well as the physical presence, literature was distributed and demonstrators spoke to many members of the public that stopped to talk.

Labour Behind the Label's write-up of the three demos can be found here: http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/campaigns/item/1107-candle-vigil-at-edinburgh-woollen-mill-store-calls-for-justice

You can send a letter to the companies that have dealings with the factory, demanding justice for victims of the fire, here: http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent-actions/tazreen-action#action

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Starbucks Tax Avoidance Demo in Bath

Demo outside Starbucks, High St, Bath, 8 December 2012

The huge multinational coffee chain Starbucks recently made headlines when it was reported that they have not paid corporation tax in three years... despite being, well, a huge multinational world-fucking coffee chain. Following a public outcry, Starbucks offered to pay a token amount of tax and attempted to make out that they make little profit in the UK. That they are in a position where they can themselves dictate how much tax they can pay, whereas smaller businesses have little or no choice but to pay the full amount is an unfortunate symptom of the this hyper-capitalist society promoted by whatever mainstream party the population gets brainwashed into voting into power by Murdoch et al. (seriously - remember the headline "It's the Sun wot won it"? They even admit to supporting parties that have no fucking interest in the well-being of the majority of the population. Burn every copy on sight - Ed). What's more, Starbucks stated that they intend to take out it out on their workers by cutting their employee benefits. Having perused a copy of a revised contract, I can confirm that this is the case. In response to this, UK Uncut announced a day of action for 8 December 2012.

Well, like most big issues, the switched on residents of Bath decided to take things into their own hands. Yet again, a coalition of activists from various groups (as well as non affiliated individuals), including BARF, Occupy Bath, Bath Anti-Cuts Alliance, Socialist Worker Party and others set up shop outside our local branch on the High Street. Armed with a huge urn filled with hot water, cups, spoons, fairtrade tea and coffee and soya milk, as well as two huge banners, we not only showed our discontent, but actively subverted their business by giving away free hot beverages.

More info on national demos here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/dec/09/starbucks-stores-uk-uncut-protest

BARF write-up here: https://network23.org/barf/2012/12/09/bath-starbucks-demo/

Bath Chronicle article here: http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Protest-Starbucks-tax-policy-outside-Bath-branch/story-17547078-detail/story.html

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Political Perspectives #5: Thoughts on Meditation and Revolution

This is the fifth in an occasional series of posts on the various political perspectives of those involved in activism in the Bath/Bristol area. The views expressed are those of the respective authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of Standing Stone.

Thoughts on Meditation and Revolution

by Simon Jilley

At Saturday's Starbucks demo, vibrancy-activist 'G. Rilla' along with some of the Bath Love Police sprawled a large banner across the pavement by the side of the Free Shop and sat in silence.  Questions were raised at the time, such as: 'The.....real...change..is...here...and.......now....?'; 'What is this all about?'; 'Is he asleep?'; 'How long are you going to stay here for?'; 'Does he want a banana?'; and many more.  This blog entry, which has been specifically requested by Standing Stone, will seek to tell stories about these questions whilst also, perhaps, answering them.  Through this exploration of these questions and those answers, it is anticipated that you, the reader, will formulate your own idea of what it is that has happened.  Firstly, a bit of context will be given.

Vibrancy-activist G. Rilla

The NUS #demo2012 was due to be another big one, whereby the students would be kettled again and, due to Bath Spa University and UCU's Chris Jury breaking his promise of providing the tea and coffee, there would once again be the feisty violence and unclear anger that were so prominent in both 2010 and 2011.  Rilla, a Gandhian in style, decided to prepare something of a special civil disobedience stunt just for the momentous occasion.  A plan was thus drawn together: we would get to Big Ben, which is where the main confrontations could be expected to happen due to the route going off away from Parliament Square to a far more secluded location from this spot.  At Big Ben, flyers would be distributed and, soon enough, people would be sitting and meditating in a prominent position, and refuse to move no matter what would happen.  This would be kind of like what that naked guy did in central London two days later (see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20466764), but without being naked and on top of a statue and rather using the power of meditation as our weapon.  What actually ended up happening, though, was absolutely remarkable.

After cracking a few in the line of police blocking the road to Parliament Square into smiles, G. Rilla found himself in a group of people chanting 'What do we want? BANANAS! When do we want them? NOW!'.  (see here for videos: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151097393836813 and http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151097407361813) The chant was rewarded well: after just a couple of minutes of chanting, which is much faster than the Soka Gakkais normally take, a banana was given as an offering to Rilla, and Rilla subsequently did many rituals before consuming half of it with the other half ending up on the floor.  A passer-by obviously saw this for he then produced another banana, more rituals were performed, and this banana was carefully consumed.  Bowing was then given before the banana skins, which were now both on the ground alongside the lost half-banana, before a stamping ceremony was performed, and then Rilla sat down in a kneeling meditation posture.  Some incense was lit and stuck into the banana skins, and the banner that was being carried on the day saying 'The Real Change is Here + Now' was placed on the ground in front of Rilla.  This is where the first question comes in.

Bath Love Police demo, December 2012

'The real change is here and now' is a slogan that could be related to Ram Dass's book 'Be Here Now', or to the Buddhist mindfulness concept of 'present-centredness', and many other possible ideas.  What's more relevant, though, are the philosophies behind such a demonstration.  This is where the second question comes in.

A true demonstration to do with 'being here and now' should transcend the craving for an explanation behind the purpose of such an act.  However, as this can only truly be experienced by physically being a part of the demonstration, some kind of an explanation can be given to those who, for whatever reason, cannot possibly be a part of it.  There could be many different reasons, some of which may be extremely personal, and so it is very difficult to pin down some set characteristics.  This shows about how important the personal, or the individual, is in this all, and it must be said that meditating is definitely one way of getting in touch with yourself.  Therefore, the first characteristic of this demonstration is to invoke/inspire people to keep in touch with their deeper selves, especially within a potentially scatty situation of a political demonstration.  What is the point of a revolution, after all, if you're still caught up in the same psychological troubles as ever before?

Secondly, this demonstration holds within it a call for a change in direction.  Rather than aiming towards the economic revolution that so many speak of in the media, we have got to see the plausibility in the transcendent qualities of a spiritual revolution.  You can have a spiritual revolution anywhere: in a jail, on a toilet, in your sleep...anywhere.  It can happen at any time, too.  There is no doubt that some of those who have been involved in this demonstration have had their own spiritual revolutions whilst being involved in these demonstrations.

The point is to be stepping out of the box that you associate with being 'how things are supposed to be', aka 'the comfort zone', and to rather allow everything to naturally unravel.  Allow yourself to become 'mad as hell' just to enjoy being 'mad as hell'.  Likewise, don't be put off by the situation around you.  People have found life-affirming 'spiritual truths' whilst in jail cells, which have completely transformed their lives (see this story on American serial killer 'Son Of Sam', for example https://www.cbn.com/700club/scottross/interviews/SonofSam.aspx).  No matter where you are, there you are, and I bet that 'you' are always wanting more freedom.  Give yourself that freedom.

Thirdly, demonstrations like this are beyond the media-constructed bullshit of scandals and more scandals.  To sit down in front of a banner saying 'the real change is here and now' is like giving the spiritual middle finger to the media, who will normally construct exactly what we will be protesting against next.  With the one completely empowering message of saying to the world that change isn't in the future and is neither in some obscure location somewhere, we are creating an entirely new scope not only to protest dynamics but also to voicing what we want and how we will attain it without their help. We are completely free.

After that long answer, it may be useful to come back again to the context that we were focusing on.  In front of Big Ben in Westminster, with perhaps over a thousand demonstrators gathered, G. Rilla had sat down meditating with incense burning in banana skins and the banner on the ground in front.  People had asked if Rilla was asleep ('no...he's meditating' came the answer from others who were gathered); people had said about giving him a banana but, for whatever reasons, decided not to disturb him; and, after a while, a policewoman started coming over as a liaison officer to try and negotiate a deal with us.  Alongside Rilla in this were about 10-15 students who became actively involved in talking to the police and the media as well as 50-100 other onlookers.  Here is where the next question came in.

The police liaison asked how long we were going to be staying around for.  Each respondent stated that they were staying with G. Rilla, that the demonstration was being performed as a group and that Rilla was not an individual on his own in it all, and that no-one could tell how long he would be meditating for.  One such reply was: 'Well, he's meditating on all of the problems that are in the world.  As there are so many things wrong at the moment, he might be meditating for quite a long time...'.  For some reason, the policewoman took this to mean that Rilla would finish meditating when the incense had burned down.  She even tried interrupting the meditation in saying directly to Rilla, 'So we have agreed that you will leave when the incense has finished burning, okay?'.  Fortunately, Rilla had not traveled too deeply into meditation and so was able to shake his head in order to give his firm answer, which was understood.  Rilla was not moving.

Meditation should not ever be given a time limit.  A lot of deeper meditation, after all, goes through timelessness.  What may have seemed to have been half an hour of meditation, for instance, could have actually been two hours, or even two days or two weeks.  In deeper states, also, the physical body can be put into a hibernation state, not unlike the hibernation states that colder-climate animals go into, but in meditation a form of consciousness will constantly be maintained through mindfulness.  So it must be acknowledged that these demonstrations may last two hours, as in London, an hour, as at Starbucks, or anything hugely longer or shorter.  Things should not be presumed, and that is a huge strength to the demonstrations.  One of the greatest weaknesses to political demonstrations is often their time limits.  This is where Occupy Bath almost stumbled: people had assumed, including some of those actually camped out at the time, that the occupation would only last for 10 days.  What actually panned out over the following 32 days of camp was somewhat magical.  Occupy Bath, and definitely the Bath People's Assembly, may not be still around if it wasn't for taking the camp to as far as it could be taken.

The final question, which is somewhat irrelevant now, is if G. Rilla wants a banana.  This is like asking a Hindu if they want arthi, or a Christian if they want communion.  The idea of 'wanting' any of these is a bit besides the point, really.

So, lastly, a little bit of advice will be given for those who will be involved in future 'here + now' demonstrations.  Firstly, with the real change being here and now, allow that change to take any form.  It needn't be about meditating, but I suspect that meditators will receive much less confrontation with authorities due to meditation being viewed as 'religious practice' and, ya know, the authorities are weird about anything considered to be 'religious'.

Secondly, for those aiming to meditate, bring something that can be sat on (a bag with clothing in often is sufficient) and plenty of warm clothing.  Find the best posture for you and sit comfortably with a straight back (it is especially important to straighten the lower back).  For those with arthritis or hip problems, sitting with hips highly elevated is especially important.  For me (I have a dodgy hip), sitting on my knees with a big mound to sit on, and something cushioning underneath my knees, seems to work best.  Once you are comfortable, calm the fuck down and give your mind something incredibly simple to focus on.  I like focusing on bodily sensations and to meditate on different parts of the body, changing my focus to another part of the body from time-to-time, and working on shifting the energies around my body.  Others often meditate on the breath, or on something religious.  Choose whatever suits you best.  The point is to just be with whatever comes up - be it thoughts, bodily sensations, or revolutions, and to stay in meditation until it is time to go.  Everyone has their own time to go out of meditation, so just stay in meditation for as long as is meant to be, and be persistent if need be.

You will probably see a lot more of us in the future.  Please, join in in making the change be NOW rather than some unknown time in the future.  These streets are ours and so are ourselves: we're taking back what they stole!

The Bath Love Police Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bath-Love-Police/385678834850567

Political Perspectives Series:

Part 1. What is Anarchism? (B.A.R.F.)

Part 2. What is the Zeitgeist Movement? (Bruce Galliver)

Part 3. Some thoughts on the Olympics opening ceremony (Katy Gent)

Part 4. Thoughts on Cambodia (Dave Stephens)

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