Claremont Road Eviction

Archive — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:38:16 GMT

The Claremont Road eviction as reported 30 years ago by the local TV news. Taking place over 5 days, from Monday 28th November to Friday 2nd December 1994. Variably "several 100/300/500/700 diehard/hardcore squatters/protesters/environmentalists" defend the street with its "psychedelic/makeshift/observation tower" from the Sheriff with his several "100/400/700 police and bailiffs" at "a cost of £200k/£1Million/£2Million, like "modern day suffragettes" in a "final battle/last stand". Spot the cliche and cost the cost. Dolly Watson, who lived on the street for 92 years, gets the last word...

A secondary source of course to the protesters eye view footage and films of the time from Undercurrents, Life in the Fast Lane, The Lock 'n' Rollie Years and more available on youtube. These news segments were taped off the telly to vhs at the time (thanks mum) and were recently digitised and edited to remove some of the repetition.

For more on Claremont Road and the No Mll Link Road Campaign see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M11_link_road_protest

Do You Think You've been Changed By This Campaign?

Archive — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:52:41 GMT

Just another day of action on the No M11 Link Road Campaign way back in 1994. Pile driver free climbing, site invasions, road blocks & cherry picker lockons. Lightly edited from a digitised VHS tape found in an archive box. Filmed by Mike Edwards with his occasional wry commentary. Rest in Power Mike, Jan 1954 - Oct 2024.

For a history of the campaign see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M11_link_road_protest

Let It Breathe

Archive — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 13:25:18 GMT

Just another day or so on the No M11 Link Road Campaign way back in May 1994. A gentle behind the scenes home movie meander around Claremont Road, the campaign office and the bender site by and with some of the locals, occupiers and activists. Lightly edited from a recently digitised vhs tape found in an archive box.

For a history of the campaign see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M11_link_road_protest

Arriving and Leaving

Archive — Wed, 15 May 2024 23:26:50 GMT

May 1997. Reclaim the Streets had linked up with the Liverpool Dockers in September 1996. In a joint action along with solidarity actions by Dockers all over the world. we had occupied and shut down the Port of Liverpool and every major port in the Capitalist world. With two elections ahead, Eurovision and UK government, it was time for a road trip. On our way to Liverpool, for the Mayday March, our van broke down just outside London. On our way to Hull for the Reclaim the Streets street party, our train broke down. Zoe drove us to the the camp at the No Runway 2 campaign at Manchester Airport, and National Express drove us back to London.

My copy of this was lost in an arrest at home in 1999 after the Carnival against Capitalism, London, after the police confiscated and wiped my tape. A forgotten copy recently resurfaced in Del's archive and Lucy digitised it. Thanks to Neil for that lost week in your editing suite.

And thanks for all the fun to Sarah. Some of us were more pregnant with twins than others.