Free speech resumes in Glasgow

Thursday 7 March 2013

For almost two hours today, people spoke in Gordon Street, Glasgow using a megaphone. No one was arrested. Last week, when exactly the same public protest was being made  - about Atos, a sponsor of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games – two people were arrested after a heavy squad of police officers ‘kettled’ them.

‘We want the charges dropped,’ said Sean Clerkin, one of the speakers last week and today. ‘They were doing nothing wrong. They were simply speaking with a megaphone. I’ve lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Constable and understand it is being investigated.’

Today’s public gathering attracted a crowd which averaged between 40 and 50 people at any one time.

Said Paul McKenna, another speaker: ‘It is vital we defend our right of free speech.  We are calling for charges against the Anti-cuts activists – the Atos 2 – to be dropped. We’ll be outside the Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday 22 March to support them and let the public know what is happening.’

Arrests at anti Atos rally

Friday 22 February 2013

Two people were arrested today at an anti-Atos rally in Gordon Street. Around 40 people had gathered to hear protests about the French company Atos being an official sponsor of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games when it is also responsible for screening people who are being re-assessed for benefits. Till now, all the regular fortnightly protests have been peaceful.

Strathclyde Police later confirmed that a man aged 22 and one aged 27 had been arrested in connection with alleged public order offences. They were released on an undertaking to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday 22 March.

Bonus protesters close branch

A small band of protestors succeeded in having a Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Gordon Street, closed for a short time on Wednesday 8 February.

They said that bankers’ bonuses were paid for through benefits to the poor and disabled being cut.

Said lead campaigner Sean Clerkin: ‘ Bankers’ bonuses are leading to serious inequality in society. To pay for those bonuses, day centres in Glasgow are being cut. The people who use those centres are the poor and vulnerable. The bottom line is, the poorest and the most vulnerable in society are paying for the top bankers’ bonuses. It is financial rape.’

He said the protests would continue until something was done to rectify the situation.

When a request was made to the bank in Gordon Street, Glasgow, for a comment this website was told to ‘write to us.’

RALLY AGAINST FASCISM

Solidarity Rally

Saturday 4th February

Buchanan Street/Gordon Street

12 noon assemble

Rally and Speakers around 12.30 pm

Following a number of attacks on labour movement stalls in Glasgow over the last few weeks, Unite Against Fascism is organising this rally in Glasgow.

We believe that these attacks are part of a fascist strategy to widen the targets of their violence in an attempt to indimidate people off the streets. We cannot allow this to happen.

We are inviting organisations to bring banners and provide a speaker to join a short rally near the spots where the attacks took place.

Unite Against Fascism
www.uaf.org.uk

People v. Bankers rally

CITIZENS UNITED!

Open mic

RALLY

People against the Bankers

outside RBS Gordon Street,

Glasgow

11am

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Have your say. All welcome.

Info from: 07948010959

Citizens United at it again

Photograph by Stuart Maxwell

For a third time in just over a month, Citizens United against Cuts to Public Services occupied a bank in protest of Government cuts, this time Gordon St’s HBOS in Glasgow city centre.

On Thursday 18 November, at 11am, 14 members of the group occupied the branch for 40 minutes, forcing the bank to close for 40 minutes, until the police arrived and the demonstration dispered.

The group have vowed to continue their opposition to the cuts in public spending with theatrical protest.

Citizens United strike again!

by Stuart Maxwell

The Glasgow community group, Citizens United Against Cuts to Public Services, have struck again, this time occupying a RBS Bank in Glasgow’s city centre. They are protesting at budget cuts to public spending  and tax benefits for the wealthy.

Two weeks after shutting down a Lloyds TSB branch for an hour, 14 people from the group entered the RBS on Gordon Street on Thursday 4 October and announced that they were occupying the branch in protest at  ‘criminal and casino banking’. They believe this to be the cause of the £billions cuts in public services which were announced in the House of Commons last month.

Citizens United leader, Sean Clerkin, told the LOCAL NEWS, from inside the bank: ‘So far, things are going very well. Our message is spreading and we are going to make very big efforts to carry on protesting in banks in unique ways. Our war against casino bankers is attracting young and old alike. We will not stop. It has been a very effective occupation, effectively, we stopped business. Only a few customers got in.’

At one stage, RBS staff allowed Campbell Johnstone into the bank to deposit money. After talking with protesters Mr Johnstone joined the protest. Unlike Lloyds TSB, RBS decided to resume business while the occupation was in progress. At one stage a female customer pushed Sean Clerkin from behind and then attempted to put her hand over his mouth as he delivered his message to fellow protesters and bank users. Later, an elderly gentleman told Mr Clerkin he was ‘wasting his time’ and to ‘stop shouting’.

Becky Buchannan, a dressmaker from Glasgow, joined Citizens United for the occupation. Dressed as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, Becky told LOCAL NEWS: ‘I am embarrassed how the people in this country have taken the cuts lying down, unlike the French who fight back. I am embarrassed to live in a country were the rich can evade tax and the poor are obliged to pay. That is why I’m here in this bank today.’ If the gauge of success for Citizens United is exposure, then this occupation can be seen as better than Lloyds.

Outside the bank, a group called Fight Racism Fight Imperialism set up a stall and announced to the passing public the occupation in progress.  In the end, a throng of people had gathered at the RBS entrance. A spokesperson for RBS said: ‘We fully respect the right to protest, as long as it does not affect the safety of our customers and staff ‘ The police were called but stayed outside the bank.  After an occupation that lasted over an hour, Citizens United supporters left the bank under the eye of the police but not at their command. Together, they sauntered off for cups of tea, to discuss future bank jobs perhaps? Said Sean Clerkin: ‘We have no choice. George Osborne is holding a gun to our head.’

Working on the Nite Zones

Two new Nite Zones were launched in Glasgow on Friday 24 September as the fight to combat violent crime continues.

The two new zones, on Albion Street in the Merchant City and Byres Road in the West End, will see marshalled taxi queues- often a source of trouble when pubs and clubs close- and more CCTV cameras, as well as better street lighting.

The launch of the two Nite Zones takes the total in Glasgow to four. The initiative was born in 2005, on  Sauchiehall Street and Gordon Street the two city centre spots chosen to pilot the scheme.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson believes the initiative has been a success, and is confident the expansion into further zones will prove justified. Said Gordon: ‘Nite Zones have helped to significantly reduce levels of violent crime in recent years by creating safe areas for people to wait for transport home. We believe that expanding an already successful concept will lead to fewer incidents and will build on the city’s reputation of being a safe and enjoyable place to visit at weekends.’

Stewards will attempt to curb queue jumping while Glasgow Taxis Ltd continue to support the scheme, pledging that the flow of taxis will equal the flow of pleasure seekers pouring from pubs and clubs after the last bell has been tolled. Pleasure seekers should be able to find out where their nearest Nite Zone is situated, as many local pubs and clubs, near the four spots, have jumped aboard the scheme and may provide information on request.

The two new Nite Zones form part of Strathclyde Police’s Policing Plan for the weekends. City Centre Commander, Superintendent Bernhard Higgins sees the expansion as a good example of the cohesion at play within Glasgow’s public services. Said Bernhard: ‘ The extension of the Nite Zones to take in the Merchant City and the West End is a positive step which will enhance current service provision and will demonstrate the determination of the Council, Police and the GCSS to work together to make Glasgow City centre one of the safest places to visit in the UK.’

According to the Strathclyde Police the Glasgow city centre saw 24,023 crimes reported in 2009 with 24,847 already reported this year.

The new Nite Zones will operate every weekend from 11pm- running until 2am on Byres Road and 4am on Albion Street.