DSEi Dinner Party, London Hilton

Thursday 10th September, London:

About 30 activists gathered in front of London Hilton on Park Lane where DSEi delegates’ dinner party was held.

After about half an hour chanting ‘murdering scum’ and ‘stop the arms trade’, around 40 police officers stormed in surrounding the protesters. After 20 mins of a sit down, Police issued section 14 order, people were moved away from the Hilton and 10 arrest were made on breach of section 14.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

Full text of section 14 of Public Order Act 1986:

14.—( 1) If the senior police officer, having regard to the time or place at which and the circumstances in which any public assembly is being held or is intended to be held, reasonably believes that—

(a) it may result in serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community, or

(b) the purpose of the persons organising it is the intimidation of others with a view to compelling them not to do an act they have a right to do, or to do an act they have a right not to do, he may give directions imposing on the persons organising or taking part in the assembly such conditions as to the place at which the assembly may be (or continue to be) held, its maximum duration, or the maximum number of persons who may constitute it, as appear to him necessary to prevent such disorder, damage, disruption or intimidation.

(2) In subsection (1) “the senior police officer” means—

(a) in relation to an assembly being held, the most senior in rank of the police officers present at the scene, and

(b) in relation to an assembly intended to be held, the chief officer of police.

(3) A direction given by a chief officer of police by virtue of subsection (2)(b) shall be given in writing.

(4) A person who organises a public assembly and knowingly fails to comply with a condition imposed under this section is guilty of an offence, but it is a defence for him to prove that the failure arose from circumstances beyond his control.

(5) A person who takes part in a public assembly and knowingly fails to comply with a condition imposed under this section is guilty of an offence, but it is a defence for him to prove that the failure arose from circumstances beyond his control.

(6) A person who incites another to commit an offence under subsection (5) is guilty of an offence.

(7) A constable in uniform may arrest without warrant anyone he reasonably suspects is committing an offence under subsection (4), (5) or (6).

(8) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or both.

(9) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (5) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(10) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (6) is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or both, notwithstanding section 45(3) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.

Disarm DSEi, London

Tuesday 8th September, London:

As the biggest weapon convention, DSEi, in the world is taking place in London’s ExCeL center between 8-11 Sep, activists held a protest against arms trade. Starting at RBS bank at Aldgate. They marched through the city of London targeting various financial institutions which are involved in financing the arms trade. Such as Barclays bank, HSBS and others.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

EDL in Birmingham

Saturday 5th September, Birmingham:

On Saturday 5th September I set off on a journey to Birmingham where EDL (English Defense League) held a protest against militant Islamic communities in Britain. The protest was quite peaceful till EDL clashed with counter-protesters, UAF (United Against Fascism).

Abuse was thrown and few EDL and UAF members became loose, fighting one another leading to a few arrests.

After the arrests police decided to kettle EDL in a pub (???) even though they wanted to march. What a stupid idea to keep this lot in the pub for a few hours? But with UAF and few Asian kids waiting round the corner on a busy main street in Birmingham, police decided to bring in two double deckers and drove quite drunk EDL lot away in them.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

After the arrests police decided to kettle EDL in a pub (???) even though they wanted to march. What a stupid idea to keep this lot in the pub for a few hours?

Climate Camp – march against oil companies

Tuesday 1st September, London:

The day before last day of the Climate Camp, climate activists made their way into London to show their disgust over oil companies such as British Petrol and Shell.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

Climate Camp 2009, London

Wednesday 26th August, London:

Climate activists descended on London. Various ‘swoop’ positions were announced but that’s all everyone, apart from few knew. No one knew where the Climate Camp will be set up. This was done on purpose – mice and cat game = activists – police. I found it quite amusing as texts of where to go next were coming in.

List of all swoop positions can be found HERE.

The swoop group I started gathered at St. James’s Square where BP headquarters is situated at. First text where to go next arrived just after 1pm. Trafalgar sq. Merely 10mins walk. 5 cigarettes and long 45mins later another text.

Charing Cross Station. Merely 2mins walk. Lame. Last text – go to Lewisham station and then trek to Blackheath.
Urgh! We all have been hoping Camp would be set up somewhere central but no, Blackheath!!

I must say the location of the camp was carefully chosen. With a lovely view over the London’s financial district, Canary Wharf. On a public land where, funnily enough, them hippies set up their ‘code of climate camp conduct’, and where hoping every single journalist would follow it.

I stayed at the camp till the late hours waiting for one shot only to return the next day finding the camp’s policy ridiculous. And so the fact I had to have a minder with me looking over my shoulder checking up on me what Im taking pictures of .

I assume that after an agreement with camp’s organizers, the Police have set up a CCTV camera overlooking the camp spying on veggies juicing oranges, using solar power to recharge mobile phones and using wind turbines to supply power for their own ‘Climate Camp TV and Radio.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

G8 Italy, Day 3: L’Aquila

Friday 10th July, L’Aquila, Italy:

Last day of the summit. The biggest demonstration took place in the town of L’Aquila. The town where earthquake struck in the early hours on 6th April 2009 killing many.

Around 2000 protesters including socialists, anarchists, trade unionists and others gathered on the road ready to march uphill 8km in soaring heat to the final destination. L’Aquila.

Reaching the destination after a couple of hours I was stunned noticing it was a ghost town. No one apart from the press, police and protesters was in the town. Houses were abandoned, cars left on the streets. People became homeless and are now living in the tent cities all around L’Aquila.

Anyway, after the crowd reached the police lines, tension was high and so were the expectations but nothing happened. Italians bickered amongst themselves with some of them wanting to fight the police but most of them didn’t.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech

G8 Italy, Day 2: Detention Centre

Thursday 9th July, Rome, Italy:

Hopes that second day of protests would bring us more excitement and more useable work were high but it never happened. The meeting point was a massive car park by the detention centre near Fiumicino Airport. Bit too far from the city centre.

It turns out that programme of this day is to entertain the immigrants behind the concrete wall by playing reggae to them. Obviously the odd cheer from behind the wall was heard as this must had been the first occasion for immigrants to experience such ‘an excitement’.

Next thing I hear, in several languages including Italian (obviously), English, French, Spanish, German and Polish, is them activists asking everyone to bring bottles with water. Bottles were be thrown over the massive big concrete wall for detainees to drink. Apparantly they live on a litre of water per person a day.

After all the bottles were thrown, most of them landed before the wall of course, activists decided it was a time to pay a tribute to another of earth’s element. Fire. They set on fire a fake video camera they’ve brought in earlier in a day.

QUICK VIEW GALLERY HERE

© Rudolf Cech