Jason N. Parkinson: NUJ & IFJ Video & Print Journalist

G20 Police Chief Accused of Misleading MPs About Undercovers

2009-11-26T14:11:00.005Z

Guardian: G20 police chief accused of misleading MPs about undercover mission
video by Jason N. Parkinson

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Photographer Wins Six-Year Battle

2009-11-21T15:40:00.005Z

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.
Unless Otherwise Stated.

Film: Stun Grenade Used Against British Photojournalist

Photographer Guy Smallman yesterday won his six-year case against the Swiss authorites fro the injury he suffered after being hit with a stun grenade, a so-called passive weapon.

Today at the NUJ ADM Guy delivered a slamming speech on his victory.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Six Year Stun Grenade Battle

2009-11-19T07:10:00.007Z

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.
Unless Otherwise Stated.

Film: Stun Grenade Used Against British Photojournalist

In 2003, while covering the protests against the G8 Summit in Geneva, photojournalist Guy Smallman was struck with a police stun grenade, causing a life threatening injury to the back of his left leg. Now the six year battle for justice is coming to an end.

Intially the case against illegal use of this "passive weapon" and excessive force was lost, but Smallman appealled and won the second round. The Swiss authorities then appealled the appeal. The decision on the second appeal is due tomorrow, Friday 20 November 2009.

If the court decision falls on the state side, Smallman will end up paying massive costs to the Swiss courts. In no lesser words, this well known and highly acclaimed photojournalist will end up paying the Swiss authorites for blowing off the back back of his leg.

More information on this story.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

The Changing Face of Boris

2009-11-12T00:52:00.005Z

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

UAF Protest Against BNP Leader on Question Time

2009-11-10T10:55:00.007Z

Video Rush: UAF Protest BBC Over BNP Leader on Question Time

Thursday 22 October 2009: Unite Against Fascism (UAF) protested the BBC studios in White City in response to Far Right leader Nick Griffin being invited on Question Time.

Protestors made several attempts to breach the studio security, leading to many arrests and batons and pepper spray being used by police and riot officers.

Following Griffin's appearance on Question Time the BNP headquarters claimed "no fewer than 3,000" new people registered to be signed up as members, a rise in BNP support of 30 percent, the largest block of expressions of interest ever. The figures of support have no been verified.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Far Right Embraces Fatwas

2009-11-04T16:59:00.005Z

Guardian CIF: Far Right Embraces Fatwas

Today saw the release of my Comment is Free on the Fatwa death threat from a well known English (EDL) and Welsh (WDL) Defence League organiser.

From the pages of comments already on the article, it seems I've caused quite a stink yet again.

The threat was waiting for me upon my return from covering the latest EDL protest in Leeds on Saturday night.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has been quick to act on this, one of two threats issued on Saturday, and on the violence and threats unleashed on journalists covering the EDL in Leeds, and is calling for an immediate police response.

The EDL has since put up a link to the CIF article denouncing it as "lies" on their website.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

The Great Climate Swoop

2009-11-04T16:44:00.005Z

Film: The Great Climate Swoop

Saturday 17 October 2009: The Great Climate Swoop descended on the Ratcliffe coal-fired power station in Nottingham with the intention of shutting it down.

Using direct action the perimetre fences were breached and pulled down on many occasions, and protestors entered the site, despite the heavy police presence.

52 people were arrested that day. One protestor and three police officers were reported injured, one seriously.

Death Threats For Journalists Covering Far Right Demos

2009-11-02T12:43:00.009Z

APTN Footage of Leeds EDL Protest and Rampage

Monday 02 November 2009: Upon returning from covering the English Defence League (EDL) protest in Leeds late Saturday night, I find a personal message in my inbox from a prominent English and Welsh division organiser. The email was entitled "Fatwa".

Police baton EDL protestors as fighting breaks out

The email said: "A fatwa has been issued on you my communist friend. Enjoy any money you've made from EDL protests as if you are spotted again you will be fed up."

It was signed "Simples". Unfortunately the sender didn't think to email it from a fake account, so it is known this person - a Cardiff supporter with three convictions of violence, including two years jail for stabbing two Manchester United fans - was prominent in the creation of the English and Welsh Defence Leagues."

EDL protestors rampage through the streets of Leeds

I was not the only one targeted this weekend. Photographer and investigative journalist Marc Vallee also received a death threat via email on Saturday, on his return from covering the EDL counter protest to the cancelled Islam4UK march led by EDL arch enemy Anjum Choudry. His email threat came in the same week he arrived, pictured and named, on the extreme right website Redwatch.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) moved fast this morning to publish a press release statement exposing the extremist tactics of the EDL, denouncing the intimidation and violence against the press, and has called on the police to take "tough and urgent action".

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

And Now For Something Completely Different

2009-10-30T22:43:00.001Z

Film: Government of the Dead: Goldman Sucks

Friday 30 October 2009: Chris Knight and the Government of the Dead returned to the streets of London to pay investment bankers Goldman Sachs a pre-Halloween visit.

Along with them came a giant Vampire Squid, two ghosts and an Easter bunny armed with semi-automatic water pistols.

Knight, during a serious moment, explained the stunt was to highlight yet again where the £500bn bank bailout went, some of it straight into the pockets of the heads of Goldman Sachs and into the next set of bonuses in and around the financial district.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

After The Jungle: Interview on Colourful Radio

2009-10-22T11:05:00.006+01:00

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.

Following another gig in Calais, France, looking into what has happened to the refugees since the destruction of the "Jungle" camp, this morning I was interviewed by Henry Bonsu on Colourful Radio about what I witnessed while filming a report due to be published by the Horizons department in Associated Press.

The interview can be listened to here by scrolling down the "Colourful Player" (centre of page) to number 69-2009-10-22-0900. It's about five minutes in, after the news and first music track.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Racist Chants & Nazi Salutes in Manchester Protest

2009-10-12T20:42:00.026+01:00

Video Rush: EDL & UAF Manchester Protests

Saturday 10 October 2009: It was the return of Nazi "Sieg Heil" salutes and the racists chants of, "If you all hate Pakis clap your hands" - something they say they are completely against - as the English Defence League (EDL) returned to the streets of the UK, this time it was in Manchester.

Despite last month's Guardian newspaper exposing the EDL links to the Britsh National Party and other such groups, the EDL maintain they are non-racist, non-violent and a multicultural group with a membership of thousands across the UK.

Saturday's EDL numbers must now draw concern that they can pull in a large crowd of up to 1000 people for their protests, with supporters travelling to Manchester from Southampton, Bristol, Arsenal in London, Wales and Scotland.

This may have had something to do with the England football match not being televised, but also the fact - as the interview shows - disillusioned, angry white youths are turning to the EDL in the face of the current social and economic ills, because they see no future in any other political group. That is something that needs addressing, and quick.

While the main demonstrations of EDL and UAF were kept apart by 500 police officers, at a cost of £200,000 to the UK taxpayer, clashes erupted in the surrounding streets leading to 48 arrests. Police used dogs to deter violence, but that only led to more violence, as numerous people from both protests and a several journalists suffered dog bites.

Previous Films of the EDL

Birmingham 8 August 2009

Birmingham 5 September 2009

Harrow 9/11 2009

Previous Blogs on the EDL

Far Right Groups Beaten Back in Birmingham

Birmingham Fascist-Anti-Fascist Street Fights

Far Right EDL Sent To Coventry

Harrow Mosque 9/11 Protest

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

The Journalist Hustings

2009-10-08T14:56:00.007+01:00

Thursday 8 October 2009: I learned a long time ago from great journalists like Al Giordano to avoid meetings at all costs. Stay in the bar and arrive five minutes before the end to gather the information you need to file. Of course my times with Al was in Mexico and Zapatista and La Otra Campaña meetings tend to last three days to a week.

So, not following that golden advice, last night I did attend the Journalist hustings meetings at Headland House, in order to look over the array of nominees for the union magazine editor position.

Photographer and all-round techy workaholic Jonathan Warren has done a much better job at covering this on his great blog, so I hand it over to Jono from here.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Rich Simcox for Editor of the Journalist

2009-10-07T10:26:00.010+01:00

Wednesday 7 October 2009: We are a day away from the vote for the editor of the the NUJ Journalist magazine.

It seems pretty set from where I work - a Kentish Town top floor flat where the rain increases the damp stains on the ceiling every damn day and the estate agent dives under his table every time I walk past his office - that I will be voting, along with many other supporters, for Richard Simcox. Read his manifesto here and questions can be asked direct to Rich here on the ask-before-you-vote page.

So far Rich has gained the support across the board, like NUJ activist Linda Piper and IFJ president Jim Boumelha, NEC members Donnacha DeLong and Eamonn McCann, as well as noted photographers David Hoffman, Jess Hurd and Marc Vallee, journalists like Dave Crouch, and those dubious characters, known as video journalists.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

The "Dignified" Destruction of Calais Refugee "Jungle"

2009-09-24T18:17:00.026+01:00

Video: "Dignified" Destruction of Calais Refugee "Jungle"

Tuesday 22 September 2009: At 8am, as announced by French immigration minister Eric Besson, 600 CRS riot police entered the Calais "Jungle" refugee camp and began the removal of the 300 remaining refugees, nearly half of those were children.

Besson continually claimed the camp closure would be "dignified" but the images I filmed and the photographs from our independent team would suggest the opposite. This was not dignified. It was not humane. It was downright disgusting, as my Comment is Free article in the Guardian this evening stated, which caused a huge stink from frantic keyboard tappers.

The camp, which usually housed 1500 refugees, was cleared in 15 minutes. Then bulldozers and men with chainsaws entered the camp to start the dismantling process. The CRS riot police then ejected the press, blocked roads and refused to allow the media anywhere near the buses being loaded with the refugees.

French immigration minister Eric Besson (centre)

At 1pm French immigration minister Eric Besson arrived to view his political success, and several of us realised - as the body guards, riot police and media circus scrum paraded across the destroyed camp - we realised that we, the media, had been used in Besson's own international publicity campaign. Tough on illegal migrants - the headlines for a week. And with nearly every news station from the UK and US on the ground, the message was bound to get back to the countries of origin - don't seek refuge in Calais.

Now, two days later, we know most of the adult refugees arrested that day have been released and are now forced to live under bridges. The children are said to be held at various centres.

Photographer Guy Smallman headed to Calais yesterday and discovered them returning to the town and the other camps that have already started springing up along the Normandy coast, as far as Dunkirk.

Guy recounted over the phone the beatings by police of many of those he met. He also filled me in on the current situation. Two days ago they had a place, the had companionship, the children had people looking out for them. Now that has all gone and they are scared and pretty much on the run.

So, all this hurt and pain, for Eric Besson's PR campaign to improve his political role - and secure the £15 million of UK tax payer's money deal to increase security at Calais - just as the French immigration minister in 2002 did while watching over the bulldozers that demolished the Sangatte refugee centre. That minister was called Nicolas Sarkozy.

Previous films

After Sangatte (also available on Reel News)

Life in The Calais "Jungle"

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Disarm DSEi Protests

2009-09-15T23:08:00.008+01:00

Film: Disarm DSEi Protests

Tuesday 8 and Thursday 10 September 2009: Anti-arms campaigners took to the streets of London to protest the bi-annual Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) weapons convention, the largest weapons fair in the world.

In contrast to previous year's protests, campaigners from Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) to activists from Brighton-based Smash ITT/EDO targeted the financial backers of the arms trade rather than the weapons convention itself, which is held at the London Docklands ExCel centre.

Tuesday saw a tour of London's financial district to hammer on the windows and throw shoes at the likes of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Barclays, Lloyds, British Telecom (BT) and Axa, where an attempt to storm the foyer left the main door shattered.

London Mayfair Hilton

Thursday evening is traditionally the arms dealer's dinner, but this year the event was moved from the usual venue, the Dorchester hotel, to the Park Lane Hilton because Tony Blair's wife, Cherie, was holding her own dinner event there.

The protest was entirely peaceful, if somewhat noisy, when private security - either from the Hilton hotel or from the arms dealers themselves - attacked the protest. Section 14 of the Public Order Act was invoked and police tried to remove the 30 or so protestors to put them in a caged area, more commonly known as a "pen".

The protestors resorted to a sit-down demo. Some were removed and dragged away. New Scotland Yard press office confirmed ten people were arrested for failing to comply with the Seciton 14 order.

Senser: Resistance Now

2009-09-14T18:55:00.010+01:00

Music Video: Senser - Resistance Now

The new single and music video from Senser has been released. The video features my footage shot during the G8 protests in Scotland in 2005, the G20 riot in London 2009 and the anti-Nato riot in Strasbourg two days after the g20.

In return for use of my footage, Senser allowed the use of their track Resistance Now in the short Under Fire In Strasbourg and End of the World Show in the G20 film Global Economic Meltdown.

As well as the footage, it would appear, as they do from a cloud of tear gas, photographers Guy Smallman and Fil Kaler made it into the music video.

The new Senser album, How To Do Battle, will be released on 19 October and a UK tour starts at Dingwalls in Camden on 22 September.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

EDL & SIOE Fail at Harrow Mosque Protest

2009-09-14T09:45:00.005+01:00

Film: Far Right Attempt Harrow Mosque Protest

Friday 11 September 2009: Far right group the English Defense League (EDL) called a protest along with the Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) outside the new Harrow mosque, North West London, on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The protest did not happen. Several thousand people of all nationalities turned up to support the community and protect the mosque.

Masked protestors throw rocks at police lines

When the EDL and SIOE supporters did not arrive, some youths in the protest - who, according to local community leaders, were not from Harrow - turned their aggression on the police. And when the police failed to retaliate these same youths then turned on the press, attacking and smashing cameras, and throwing fireworks into groups of photographers.

The photograph above shows some of the main protagonists of the violence. It is interesting to note these few were fully masked in balaclavas, wearing anonymous black clothing and even had hands covered with gloves to avoid skin colour (or tattoos) being detected.

The press were targeted with bottles, rocks and fireworks

At least seven people were arrested, some carrying weapons ranging from bottles of bleach to a hammer and chisel.

Harrow community leaders said this behaviour by a small minority had played into the hands of the fascist movement and will undoubtedly be used as anti-muslim propaganda, which the EDL has already done on its web site.

The EDL still claim they are not racist, despite concrete video evidence confirming otherwise.

EDL spotter outside Harrow mosque

Another EDL tactic exposed on Friday is their ability to send in spotters, who mix with the crowds, take photographs on mobile phones and return to their groups to report back on the resistance against them.

The above photograph shows one spotter in front of the mosque. His EDL identity was confirmed when he was filmed and photographed on the EDL counter-protest to the Al-Kud march on Sunday 13 September.

Previous Films of the EDL

Birmingham 8 August 2009

Birmingham 5 September 2009

Previous Blogs on the EDL

Far Right Groups Beaten Back in Birmingham

Birmingham Fascist-Anti-Fascist Street Fights

Far Right EDL Sent To Coventry

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Far Right EDL Sent To Coventry

2009-09-12T08:39:00.012+01:00

Film: Far Right Group Return To Birmingham

Saturday 5 September 2009: Far Right group the English Defence League (EDL) returned to Birmingham a month after violent clashes with anti-fascists and locals in August.

The EDL claim they are not racist yet the racist chants in this film, and photographic and video evidence showing some of its protestors doing the Seig Heil Nazi salute would suggest otherwise.

Riot police attempt to contain EDL in a pub

During several clashes between fascist and anti-fascist protestors 90 people were arrested, a local BNP councilor - who just happened to be in the area - got egg on his face and a large section of EDL supporters were contained in a pub by riot police.

But the rear fire door was left unguarded. EDL protestors emerged from the alleyway behind the pub with a amoury of bottles and hurled them into the crowds on New Street.

EDL protestors hurl bottles at anti-fascist protestors

Police commandeered two buses, loaded them up with the contained EDL protestors and apparently drove them to Coventry.

Since Saturday's clashes the EDL and Casuals United declared war on the press, claiming they were being misrepresented in the media by biased "lefty scum". A post on the Casuals United website stated all cameras not personally invited by their groups should be "treated as hostile".

Blackheath Climate Camp: Swoop & Protests

2009-09-09T10:14:00.014+01:00

Video - Backheath Climate Camp: Swoop & Protests

Wednesday 26 August 2009 saw the 2009 Climate Camp "Swoop" on to Blackheath in South London. The camp was set up for a week of discussions and workshops to tackle climate change and a series of protests took to the streets of the capital, targeting banks, public relations firms and energy companies.

Protest targets included Barclays Bank headquarters - who provided nearly £6bn in loans to fund coal-related industries - London City Airport - which is due to massively increase the number of daily flights - Royal Bank of Scotland - one of the largest investors into new carbon initiatives - Edelman Pr - the "greenwash" merchants for energy giant E-On - and British Petroleum (BP).

One noticeable change was the low level policing of the protests and camp, as opposed to the previous year at Kingsnorth in Kent, which led to the Guardian investigation on how protestors and journalists were under surveillance.

But it seemed with the police out of sight, underlying frustrations from certain individuals manifested themselves into hatred of the media. Not just the mainstream media, but anyone with a press card and a camera.

And with little to no regard for the police surveillance camera watching everyone on the camp, nor any concern as to why the police felt they could stay away and not have to worry about large scale disorder, in less than a week two photojournalists were assaulted, outside the camp and away from the Climate Camp media policy. Because these two journalists had complained about the Climate Camp media policy being a breach of press freedom, some of the arguments that came back seemed keen to point this out, starting the comments usually with, I am not condoning violence, but...

The answer to the police response of course is that surveillance was the openly admitted favoured tool for the state this year. Take also into account the Forward Intelligence Teams have probably got more data than they can manage on the environmental movement and must know everyone by face, even when they are masked up.

Plus, the obvious fact, as one Climate Camper pointed out, if the police don't steam into arrest protestors, violence is minimal, if not non-existant, thus many media outlets will ignore the story. A clever move on the part of the state, making the protests a non-story.

But it wasn't just the press who complained about this year's Climate Camp. The Whitechapel Anarchist Group (WAG) also put "pen to paper" to show its distain.

I myself embarked on a social stereotype study, appearing one day at the camp in my usual work clothing, shirt, jeans, green waistcoat with enough pockets to hold all my accessories at hand and was stopped every few minutes by campers rolling out the media guidelines, despite having a minder and knowing a good third of the camp from the work I have done over the years. After several incidents like this you can imagine it gets a bit boring.

The next day I arrived, same clothing, but I left my ear and nose ring in - my other piercings don't come out so easily - I wondered around on my own for ten minutes, camera out, then was challenged by a camper.

"Are you a journalist?" he asked.

"No." I said.

"You look like a journalist." he said.

"How many journalists do you know with a nose ring?" I pointed out.

"Oh, right. Of course. Sorry," and he left me be after adding I must be telling the truth because I had holes in my jeans.

It was on this day I also learned a Climate Camp photographer, and a member of the National Union of Journalists, had told my colleagues "Climate Camp is more important than press freedom". Something I'm sure Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Mugabe would keenly agree with.

Then I learned this photographer spends most of their time away from the camp doing advertising jobs, for the likes of certain car companies, and Nestlé, whose track record includes the deaths of thousands of African babies - they didn't inform all those mothers that powdered milk needs a clean water supply - and more recently the alleged assassinations of unionised workers.

Climate Camp itself came across as a success. The protests hit their targets, caused some disruption to the business running and the issues were pushed that bit further, with an estimated 5000 people attending the camp over the week . The most impressive part was the "swoop" day, seeing everything come together and all the logistics of the camp arriving, one truck after another.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Film: Under The Flight Path Crossroad

2009-08-28T09:17:00.009+01:00

Film: Under The Flight Path Crossroad

Under The Flight Path Crossroad is a short film about the problem of avaition noise caused by being directly under the flight paths of Heathrow and City airports. The film can also be viewed on the Heathrow Campaign TV channel on YouTube.

Planes pass over Vauxhall at an average of one every two minutes

Campaign group HACAN ClearSkies commissioned the film. They campaign to "preserve the quality of life for those living around Heathrow airport in the UK". As my previous post on this exposed, planes cross Vauxhall - which is situated 16 miles from Heathrow - at an average of one every two minutes, with flights coming in daily as early as 4.30am, registering over 60 decibels.

Early flights into Heathrow like this are only supposed to be in "exceptional circumstances", yet British Airways has a scheduled flight from Hong Kong passing over Vauxhall at this time every day.

Has Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) increased aviation noise?

No Place To Hide, the HACAN commissioned study by Bureau Veritas showed aviation noise was a London-wide problem and the use of Continuous Descent Approach (CDA), where flight paths into Heathrow were smooth, rather than the old "step-by-step" descent, was instigated the same time as increased noise pollution complaints were received in the area.

But as Heathrow is set to expand further with the third runway and a massive increase in flights to City airport, the situation of aviation noise over Vauxhall looks like it is going to get worse.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Under The Flight Path

2009-08-25T11:00:00.015+01:00

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.

As the Ashes was played out down the road at the Oval cricket ground, I spent Sunday on a roof in Vauxhall, south London filming planes passing overhead, at a rate of one every two minutes. That means before the noise from one plane has totally diminished the next one is on its way over. And it is like that from about 5am, all day, everyday.

Vauxhall, roughly 14 miles from Heathrow, is a crossroads for flight paths for Heathrow and City airport. Campaign group HACAN ClearSkies are concerned about the constant noise pollution caused by the existing flight paths and the effect the third runway expansion at Heathrow and increased flights to City airport will have on the hundreds of thousands of residents who live directly under the flight path.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Brown, Gaddafi, Lockerbie and the G8

2009-08-24T08:28:00.010+01:00

Stills, video, print (c) 2009 Jason N. Parkinson. All Rights Reserved.

Less than two months ago, as the Great Eight met in L'Aquila, Italy, I reported the appearance of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi from a book store in Rome.

At the time no news outlets wanted the footage: "What's the story?" I was asked. "What's the angle? Why is he there?"

The truth is without access to the summit itself, at the time I had no idea. But it seemed slightly coincidental the enemy of decades, now our new friend in the war on terror, was in Rome the same time as the G8. When Gaddafi walked centre stage on the last day of the summit, shaking hands with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Barak Obama and Silvio Berlusconi, things began to slot into place.

Now, nearly two months have passed and the dots are slowly being joined. Today the Guardian reported Brown's meeting with Gaddafi at the G8 summit discussed the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdulbaset al-Megrahi. In that same meeting Brown also discussed increasing UK oil interests in Libya.

But these types of deals in the wonderful world of global governance are nothing new, and not illegal either. One year before Berlusconi signed a $5bn (£3bn) compensation deal to Libya for Italy's "colonial misdeeds". In return Gaddafi allowed Italian patrols of Libyan territorial waters and the right to return all refugees to Libyan territory, thus rendering any refugee's chance at having a fair hearing over their political refugee status to nil.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive five-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Video Rush: Unite Against Fascism Vs BNP Festival

2009-08-17T19:03:00.014+01:00

Video Rush: Unite Against Fascism March on BNP Festival

Saturday 12 August 2009: The British National Party (BNP) held its annual Red, White and Blue festival at the usual farm in Denby, Derbyshire. Unite Against Fascism (UAF) massed up to 1,500 protestors and marched on the fascists.

Video Rush: Unite Against Fascism March on BNP Festival

The police operation to protect the BNP and maintain public order cost the UK taxpayer £500,000. This included testing out the latest surveillance technology, the Air Robot, which can be seen at the beginning of the footage.

BNP supporters remonstrate as they are surrounded by UAF protestors

The BNP Department of Security

19 people were arrested after protestors attempted to break through police lines to confront the far-right festival-goers.

Related Links

Birmingham Anti-Fascist Street Fights

British Fascism Not Dead In Derbyshire

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2008. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive four-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com

Video Rush: Birmingham Fascist-Anti-Fascist Street Fights

2009-08-11T18:55:00.010+01:00

Video Rush: Birmingham Fascist-Anti-Fascist Street Fights

Saturday 8 August 2009: The English Defence League (EDL) and Casuals United attempted to march through Birmingham. Both groups claim they are not racist and are only concerned with peaceful protest against militant Muslims. Some scenes in this video rush clearly show racist abuse from those in these groups.

Unite Against Fascism held a counter demonstration, to oppose these groups, both being involved in clashes with police and residents earlier in the year in Birmingham and Luton, which led to street violence, damage to property and a mosque being fire bombed.

This time, as the video shows, the EDL members that avoided being "kettled" by police went straight for the anti-fascist protest, goaded the Birmingham youth, then got beaten and chased out of town. 35 people were arrested and three people were injured.

These far right extremist groups have promised to return in bigger numbers, their next target is to be the Harrow mosque in North West London over the August Bank holiday.

Video Rush: Birmingham Fascist-Anti-Fascist Street Fights

Far Right Groups Beaten Back By Birmingham

2009-08-10T18:19:00.036+01:00

Far right groups English Defence League and Casuals United were beaten back from marching by Birmingham citizens and anti-fascist organisations on Saturday 8 August.

A counter protest called by Unite Against Fascism (UAF) was surrounded by police from the start, but after one individual (pictured above) stormed in and goaded the Asian and Muslim youth protestors broke through police lines and began chasing down the groups hurling racist abuse (pictured below).

The streets around Birmingham's city centre descended into running street battles. Bricks and rocks were thrown by both sides. Those considered fascists were desperately outnumbered, both by local youth and riot police.

In all, three people were seriously beaten and 35 people were arrested during the street fighting.

A video rush of the day, from which these stills are taken, will appear here soon.

All material on this blog - stills, video and print - is (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2008. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact the AUTHOR for access to any material and the extensive four-year video archive.

jasonnparkinson@gmail.com