VIDEO COMBO 3 - 6 JULY

dublin | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday July 16, 2003 21:02 by RASTA4i'S

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http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2003/07/274306.wmv

Video piece 1: 1 Video 4m02sec
Stop Deportation

People and animals alike, have being migrating from one side of the globe to the other for as long as we have been on this ball of rock. Be it because of our overwhelming ogre to travel and explore our soundings, drought or war the peoples of this earth are constantly shifting like the tides.
Ireland has sent its people to the ends of the earth when the potato famine was in full swing in the 1700's. Many choose to set sale for the Americas on the cramped coffin ships bound for the big apple. What about the Irish dream "The streets of London are paved with gold" A grand exodus to England to find their fortune.
So Ireland has apparently found its feet in a "global society" and what do we do, close our doors to people who need to get away from the turmoil that ravages their country.
I taught the Irish constitution stated that we will protect the citizens of our republic.., In so many words. Now clearly if a baby is born In this republic the child should be protected by the constitution and that In so many words once again means that the child SHOULDN'T BE DEPORTED!!, neither should their parents or parent. Who will raise the child? The State? I don't think so..
If the people of India can live In harmony why can't we and our Ethnic friends.
No Borders No Nations, Stop Deportation.

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Video piece 2: 1 Video 6m29sec

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2003/07/274205.wmv

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The American Ambassadors Residence 4th July Demo

Over a hundred people gathered at the American Ambassadors Residence in the Phoenix Park Dublin on the 4th of July to celebrate the true meaning of Independence day, fighting for our independence from a totalitarian state also the influences and destructive nature from an already unstable super power.
Inside the residence there was a dinner reception going on for the pampered rich and any one who dabbles in that greed generating cancer that is money.
The protest was vocal but peaceful with no police hassles only the fact that they had sectioned us off as far back as the round about. Do the Gardi really know what they are doing for a living? They sure must get allot of money, inorder to hide the gilt they feel inside knowing that they are the gargoyles at the gates of Hell.
It was good to see the Anti War Group back in force with the Catholic Workers and S W P.
I then went around the crowd and asked them their reasons for protesting and the possible out come of America raiding Iran.
After a few speech's and personal accounts of the Activists them selves. The protest finished and everybody moved off but I couldn't help feeling that we had got a glimpse into what life in Palestine is really like during the American and UK occupation
Three Cheers for Mary Kelly!!!


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Video 3: 1 Video
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2003/07/274207.wmv


McDonald's V Food Not Bombs

For as long as we can remember man has gorged them selves with the fruits of the Earth and managing to live in some what a balance with nature.
Mans advances exceeded our wildest dreams making it possible for mass numbers of people to live in confined spaces, cities sky scrapers and so on.
Our upsession with food also advanced to frightening realities. Right to the point that it is not what you are eating and the goodness you are getting but were you are eating it.

Well in 1940 The McDonald brothers Dick and Mac built the first McDonald's and in 1954 Ray Kroc became the first franchisee appointed by Mac and Dick McDonald in San Bernardino, California. One year later Ray Kroc opened his first restaurant in Illinois (near Chicago), and the McDonald's Corporation was created. Nine years later he would then buy all rights to the McDonald's concept from the McDonald's brothers for $2.7 million. Kroc bought Hamburger University in 1961 it is in Elk Grove, near Chicago.
Ray Kroc made a $250,000 donation to the controversial 1972 presidential campaign of Richard Nixon, a donation which was perhaps a subject of investigation during the Watergate corruption scandal. The same year Assets exceeded $500 million and sales surpassed $1 billion. A new McDonald's restaurant was opening every day. New countries included- France, El Salvador, Ireland and Austria. In 1979 A 7 month strike in Dublin (Ireland) lead to recognition of the ITGWU union. In 1985, two union activists won a victory at a labour court after claiming victimisation and unfair dismissal.
Geoffrey Guiliano, a main Ronald McDonald actor, quit in 1982 and publicly apologised, stating "I brainwashed youngsters into doing wrong. I want to say sorry to children everywhere for selling out to concerns who make millions by murdering animals". 7,000th restaurant opened in Washington DC. McDonald's were responsible for food poisoning outbreak caused by E. Coli bacteria, which affected 47 people in Oregon and Michigan.
1984 was to see the Founder Ray Kroc die.
A McDonald's pamphlet which is distributed to health professionals in the UK states:
"There is a considerable amount of evidence to suggest that many of the diseases which are more common in the western, affluent world - diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and some forms of cancer - are related to diet. The typical western diet is relatively low in dietary fibre or roughage and is high in fat, salt and sugar."
Food not Bombs is an organization that excepts free vegetarian food and gives it away to people instead of letting it go to waste. McDonald's is the couplet opposite to this because of the fact that they sell unhealthy food and destroy or bleach their waste products so nobody can consume it.

London Greenpeace (a radical group of civil rights and environmental campaigners, independent of Greenpeace International) launched a campaign 1985 intended to expose the reality behind the advertising mask of the fast food chains, including McDonald's. A year later was to see The first World Day of Action Against McDonald's and was held on 16th October (UN 'World Food Day').
In October1994, there is an demonstration at McDonald's European headquarters in London where sackfuls of the company's litter picked up off the streets are returned. 500 people attend the National March Against McDonald's through central London to protest against the company's exploitation of people, animals and the environment.
McDonald's threatened the owner of a UK sandwich bar called "McMunchies" with legal action for breach of trademark. A retired Scottish school-teacher called Ronald McDonald, and the chief of the McDonald clan in Scotland were both outraged at this further attempt by McDonald's to claim global dominion over the prefix "Mc" and the name "McDonald" which has been an Irish and Scottish family name for centuries.
McDonald's-free zones
The now war torn nations of Albania, Afghanistan and Burmahave managed to keep the infestation that is McDonal's off their soil Who knows maybe its the food stop on the so called Road map for peace. Most of Africa has also managed to stay McDonald's free but they have a toehold in South Africa but has made little impact on the rest of the continent.
In America, Woodstock in New York State. Thirty years after the festival that took its name, this town still doesn't look kindly on chain stores (the exception being Ben & Jerry's ice-cream).
Australia: After a prolonged campaign that kept McDonald's out of Katoomba in New South Wales, the corporation is rumoured to have abandoned plans to open in Byron Bay, the hippy surfer haven.
Finally in Bermuda. The island once had a branch of McDonald's on the US Navy base. Locals could visit on Wednesdays but when the US Navy withdrew, so did the restaurant.
Will the people of the world ever wake up to the fact that fast food culture is unhealthy for us and the environment and will never lead to any good for you and me and most importantly the Crocks who created this culture in the first place.


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Rasta4i's ##########
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Further Reading>>>



Lancashire Evening Post, 18/10/1995
Children told: Come to school and win a burger
PUPILS LURED BY BIG MACS!
Children who turn up for school lessons are being rewarded with vouchers for McDonald's burgers.
Youngsters at Albany High in Chorley will qualify for a free burger every two weeks - if their class has a 100 per cent attendance record.
The school is one of the latest to join the Improving School Attendance project organised by Lancashire County Council.
Last month, Lancaster's Skerton High School announced it was offering incentives such as premiership soccer tickets and personal stereos for youngsters who attend lessons.
Albany's headteacher, Marian Quirke, said: "Albany is a school which already has good attendance but I want to improve it still further.
There's a whole range of different things to entice children into school. When children have achieved 100 per cent they get a certificate of achievement.
But it also reaps benefits if whole forms are achieving 100 per cent attendance week by week.
We have started to approach local firms to see if they are interested in offering rewards.
McDonald's in Chorley has already agreed to join our scheme. If a form has full attendance for two weeks on the run, then members are rewarded with a complimentary voucher for a burger."
Chorley McDonald's manager Steven Seanor said; "It's a great idea to encourage school attendance. We will be giving out achievement certificates and meal vouchers to forms.
Anything McDonald's can do to encourage full attendance at school is a good thing.
And we back Albany High School 100 per cent in their scheme."
Miss Quirke added: "We also have a voucher scheme for our own school tuck shop as well.
On an individual basis, if pupils attend every day for half a term they receive tuck shop vouchers. And if whole forms - that is every single member of that class - attend for a week then vouchers will be given out as well.
We have over 700 pupils here. Already this has led to friends warning each other that they must turn up for school."
Project co-ordinator Beverley Lewis said the Improving School Attendance Project was launched in Lancashire two years ago.
She said: "The idea is to encourage full attendance in school. It's a matter of positive, pro-active attitudes.
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1995
On Thursday 23rd Febraury in Manchester, as part of the local university's "One World Week", 40 protesters from the anti-MuckDonalds alliance held a peaceful vegetarian eat-in at the central Market St McDonalds. After negotiating with the police, the activists left after an hour, having given out vegetarian food and leaflets to customers inside the store. Throughout the protest 4 police riot vans and 2 mounted police officers were stationed outside but no arrests were made. The action was covered by local papers, the Manchester Evening News and The Big Issue.
On 15th April, there were international protests to mark the 40th anniversary on the opening of the world's first store of the McDonald's corporation, and to celebrate 10 years of co-ordinated international resistance to McDonald's. More than 120,000 leaflets were handed out across the UK, and some people returned bags of McDonald's litter to the company as part of the Operation 'Send-It-Back' campaign . At many stores, McDonald's workers were handed workers support group leaflets expressing opposition to low pay and exploitation, and offering solidarity and encouragement to organise for their rights. Actions took place outside more than 100 stores in Glasgow, Derby, Cardiff, Brighton, Carlisle, Sheffield, Portsmouth, Taunton, Grimsby, Manchester, Hereford, Cambridge, Guernsey, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Birmingham, Nottingham, Huddersfield, Swansea, Kettering, Dundee, Hull, London and many other towns. There were articles in the Guardian, the Observer, New Statesman (national newspapers and magazine), as well as TV coverage in London and reports in many local papers and on local radio/TV.
Protesters surprised the makers of the burger giant's latest advert when they arrived at their location shoot in Ruskin Park, South London on 5th June. Ronald McDonald's cheesy grin faded when the protesters appeared behind him with a banner reading "McDonald's - guilty of exploiting workers, destroying the environment, murdering animals". The production company's plans of filming the clown by the pond and the bandstand (painted specially for the purpose) were completely frustrated all day, at an estimated cost of Pounds Sterling 100,000. The production company then abandoned its plans to film in the park the following day.

During 1995, McDonald's international expansion was halted 3 times when councils voted against the building of new stores:-
In July, Brent council voted against granting planning permission for McDonalds to open a 190-seat store at their UK/European HQ in East Finchley, North London. The plan had been strongly opposed by local residents who formed a group called "Campaign Against McDonald'sat East Finchley." Residents complained that the store would casue traffic chaos and littering of a local park, Cherry Tree Wood. The council agreed with these objections. The Campaign also received more than 100 letters opposing the plans and collected a 1,500 signature petition against McDonald's application. Resident celebrated, saying the decision was a victory for common sense.
Also in July, residents in Nottingham opposed the building of a drive-thru restaurant on the outskirts of the town. The campaigners were backed by local council, the plan being scrapped in August. Reported in the Nottingham evening post, 24th August '95
Local residents groups objected to the building of a new store in Leicester. The plan was rejected by the council but McDonald's appealed, taking the case to the high court in February where they were defeated again. Reported in Red Pepper magazine, July '95.
Coucillors in Lochabar were infuriated when Green Party members opposing the planned opening of a McDonald's in Fort William, protested at the Tidy Britian Group Bin It For Britian roadshow which was sponsored by McDonald's. Councillor Euan Harper said "No matter waht McDonald's past record may be their committment to the environment has been demonstrated here today." The activists were unrepentent, one saying "McDonald's are parasites riding on the back of a good cause." The event was reported in the Fort william Star and other local papers at the end of July.
Ronald McDonald's show was disrupted in Peckham, South London when he was pied in the face by a pantomine cow. The Peta protesters, waving a banner reading "Happy Meals Are Sad for Animals", and shouting "Meat Is Murder" were chased down the street by staff and parents. Similar events have also occurred in the USA . The Peckham event was reported by the South London Press in August.
12th October was a DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH McDONALD'S WORKERS in the UK. Protests and leafletting at over 15 regional locations around the country took place on the third anniversary of the death by electrocution of Mark Hopkins who worked at McDonald's Arndale store in Manchester. At the McLibel trial the disclosure of a previously confidential internal report about the accident has led to Mark's parents demanding a new inquest.
HALF OF McDONALD'S UK STORES LEAFLETTED
October 16th was the 11th annual Worldwide Day of Action Against McDonald's (also UN 'World Food Day'). Many people around the world handed out the "What's Wrong With McDonald's" or similar leaflets, or protested against McDonald's in some other way on or around that day. There was leafletting and protests outside of approx. half of the 600 McDonald's UK stores. In addition to leafletting the public with "What's Wrong With McDonald's"leaflets, at many stores McDonald's workers were handed Worker's support group leaflets expressing opposition to low pay and exploitation, and offering solidarity and encouragement to organise for their rights. Over 1O million "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflets have so far been handed out on the streets in the UK since the writs were served on the Mclibel Two. McDonald's attempt to suppress freedom of speech has completely backfired.
On 8th & 9th November, top executives from some of the world's largest multinationals gathered at a hotel for the Management Summit '95 in London. A number of anti-corporation boycott groups voiced their opposition outside the conference. Paul Preston (McDonald's UK president) spoke on "Successfully Managing the Globalisation of Your Organisation and Determining the Optimum Structure of the Borderless Corporation - Thinking Globally, Acting Locally" . The McLibel Support Campaign and Baby Milk Action handed out "People not Profits" leaflets, criticising the McDonald's for environmental damage, promotion of an unhealthy diet, and exploitation of workers and animals and explaining how Nestle's efforts to establish its baby food market in Asia have undermined breast feeding and infant health. The event was reported in the guardian newspaper.
Against the overwhelming wishes of the local community, a McDonald's store was opened at Kings Cross on Wednesday 6th December. Local residents (including members of the Kings Cross Neighbourhood Association) along with supporters of London Greenpeace and the 'McLibel' Defendants voiced their lively opposition during the official "Champagne Reception". They are opposing the 26th burger bar in the area and the effects of McDonald's operations. London Greenpeace's office is a mere 200 metres from the new store.

1994
In April, Plymouth McDonald's lost half a day of business after the Justice Department claimed that it has planted incendary devices in the neighbouring Boot's store aerosol section. This double action was found to be from a successful hoax call.
Also in April, an Oxford Mcdonald's store was occupied by Earth First!ers for one and a half hours, with the original London Greenpeace leaflets being handed out.
On 1 October 1994 McDonald's executives held a celebration along with a jazz band and clown at their Woolwich store to mark 20 years since this first store opened in the UK. Twenty five London Greenpeaceand McLibel supporters gathered with a banner reading "20 Years of McGarbage" and handed out 4000 "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflets to passers-by.
Later in the month an arson attack damaged Winchester McDonald's.
On 8 October, at the third national day of action in 1994, scores of McDonald's stores all around the country were leafleted including at least 35 in the London area alone plus Swindon, Bristol, Bath, Chippenham, Nottingam, Manchester and Edinburgh. The month of protest continued with an action at the UK McDonald's headquarters where sackfuls of the company's litter picked up off the streets were returned to McDonald's. A week later 500 people attended the National March Against McDonald's through central London to protest against the company's exploitation of people, animals and the environment.
In November 1994 at a Manchester Drive-In a pantomime cow and clowns were removed forcibly and violently by police during a demonstration organized by Manchester Earth First! On 17 December 1994 protesters outside Kingston McDonald's were threatened with having their legs broken by a McDonald's manager - protests continue. In some other towns such as Newcastle and Hastings pickets are held fortnightly. Local residents from Wandsworth in London protested at further cuts in the borough's public spending budget. Anti McDonald's protesters highlighted the £15,000 which the council has given McDonald's to build an in-store creche when it continues to cut back on public spending.

1987
Staff at Colchester formed the MFF (McDonalds Freedom Fighters) who fought successfully for the reopening of an off duty crew room. Ex-worker Simon Gibney later gave evidence at the McLibel trial that products were watered down, long haired staff were discriminated against and that the store had been flooded by raw sewage. Following Simon's testimony at the trial, national newspaper Today ran a front page story. The news was also covered by the Independent , Mirror and Press association


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TODAY Monday November 13 1995
TODAY EXLUSIVE
McDonald's teaching aid is 'brainwashing'
Hard-up schools are resorting to free educational packs from McDonald's to teach children maths, geography and English.
Use of the teaching aids - packed with references to the hamburger giant - was last night slammed as a "frightening intrusion".Some parents fear vulnerable children are being brainwashed.
More than 1,000 educational packs have already been sent to teachers unable to afford anything else. The teaching packs make obvious references to the hamburger chain.
For example:
Geography: Do you know where in England McDonald's restaurants are?
Maths: Add up a collection of baskets of fries.
English: Identify words like Chicken McNuggets, Happy Meals and milk shakes.
The National Confederation of Parent Teachers' Associations criticised the company for targeting young children.
Membership secretary Belinda Yaxley said: "This is subliminal advertising, brainwashing of the most vulnerable people in our society.
Mrs Yaxley, of Norwich, a mother of four, called for legislation to ban such a "frightening intrusion".
She said that although the packs met all educational requirements, they also "rammed the message of McDonald's down children's throats". She added: "Ronald McDonald is being put forward as a teacher. I don't want to ban McDonald's - my children like thm like anyone else. But schools need to be able to teach without indoctrination."
McDonald's said it's pack had been drawn up by a teacher who did a work experience exchange with the company.
It was later endorsed by Humberside Education Business Partnership.
The company stressed the pack was not sent to schools unless requested.

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