Protests continue as the violence escalates.

Dates for protests have been added including a march by Bristol's Muslim community. Ed Hill writes; Friday 9th January - Bristol Demo. We are all invited to join the Muslim Community march and protest. March from Easton to Central Bristol. Assemble 2pm Stapleton Road (by the Railway Bridge) Full article - Also see UK IMC Feature on Gaza to get the national picture.

Tony Notgoz writes: While we were marching through Bristol on Saturday, 3rd January 2009, Gordon Brown was in Europe secretly asking for tacit support for the American veto, a veto that gave Israel more time to slaughter Palestinians living in Gaza. And all the time Gordon Brown was telling the world that he was calling for a halt to this atrocious Israeli offensive. Full article.

Also, info@bristolstopwar writes: Every night since the air attacks on Gaza started there have been vigils on the Centre (opposite the Hippodrome) with people coming from all over the city. Help us make the vigil on MONDAY 5th JANUARY the largest yet. Meet from 5pm on the Centre. Then every night this week at the same time. Full article.

Ed Hill wrote: News of the Israeli air strikes against Gaza are horrendous. Reports of hundreds killed and many more hundreds injured are truly shocking. However, the worst aspect is the failure of western Governments, including our own, to condemn Israel for its hugely disproportionate attack not to mention its ongoing breeches of International law in its treatment of Gaza and the Palestinians.

| UK IMC Feature on Gaza | Summary of Gaza protests and events | Emergency Vigil For Gaza | Bristolians, Gordon Brown spat on our call for a cease-fire in Gaza | Free Palestine - National Demonstration– Saturday 10th January | Related Links: | Bristol PSC Email List | New Years Day at Raytheon Rooftop Protest | Updated! Christmas at Raytheon |

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Following 'Shoe Protest' at George Bush, Bristol Protesters wave Shoes and Dig In for Stay over Christmas and New Year

Updated! Ed Hill updates us on the ongoing protest; Supporters rallied at the Raytheon office building in Bristol and passed up a seasonal fare on the end of a rope. Christmas music blared out across the sterile corporate landscape – provided by linking a radio to a megaphone. The protesters, wearing Santa hats and coats, enjoyed their dinner sitting on a balcony on the side of the Raytheon building. Full article.

Following the famous throwing of shoes at Gorge Bush, a group of Bristolians stages their own 'show protest'. Ed Hill writes; Approximately thirty supporters rallied near the Raytheon building, waving banners and chanting anti-war slogans. Many were also waving shoes in protest against the war in Iraq. They included anti-arms-trade campaigners from the local area, members of the Bristol Stop-The-War coalition, plus supporters from the Smash-EDO campaign in Brighton and from across the country. Three vehicles, a dozen police officers, plus several private security guards tried to stop the protest getting near the building or passing up food, water, or supplies to the rooftop. One protester said - “We’re delighted to see how the support for this protest is building. While so many other people are busy with shopping and consumerism, what's more important than stopping war, obstructing the arms trade, and upholding international law against the likes of Raytheon?” The protesters plan to stay indefinitely, including over the Christmas period and into the New Year to protest Bristol’s involvement in the arms trade. They are currently equipping themselves with Santa hats & coats plus a Christmas tree with tinsel and flashing lights. Supporters plan to rally again on Christmas day to support the rooftop protest. Full article.

| Rooftop protest defies Raytheon with Christmas dinner | Recent photos | Updated! Bristol Arms Maker Under Siege| From Bristol to the children of Fallujah | Related Links: Smash Raytheon Blog | www.stopclustermunitions.org |

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Fight to save woods from road development goes on...

climber writes: Living up 6 trees at weymouth - Two Mile Copse / Teddy Bear Woods. I helped fight against this road back in 1996, and 2004 and we won it then. BUT now they gone and done it and cut 70% of the trees.....We have a 400 year old Oak in Ancient Woodland that's are protecting and 4 Ash trees reaching 90 feet up into the sky. Also a tall and healthy young elm. We have a tree house, a net, lots of walkways in the sky and an off route visitors site on the ground. The people of Weymouth brought Two Mile Copse through public subscription. Local people dug deeply into their pockets and put their money into conserving the land for perpeturity, for us and all future generations. Dorset County Council have so far not given one penny in compensation, either to the Woodland Trust, nor local people who raised the public money to preserve the wood in the first place.... Full article.

| Road Protest Tree Camp-Weymouth | woods under threat in dorset| Weymouth relief road protesters take to the trees (dorsetecho.co.uk) |

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Rooftop Protest at Cluster-Bomb Maker's Bristol Offices: Week 2!

Update!: As the process enters the 2nd week, Ed Hill writes; The rooftop protesters welcome visitor during the day, evenings, and at especially at weekends. Recently policing has been light to non-existent. Security guards in the office buildings are adopting a stay-out-of-sight policy. Food, water, thermos of hot drinks, and other treats can be hauled up to the roof on a rope. Wish-list [of wants]...Full article.

Ed Hill writes: Anti-war protesters have braved sub-zero temperatures in the night to continue their rooftop protest at the Raytheon office block in Frenchay near Bristol...This morning supporters on the ground delivered a letter to the office unit, Argentum House, informing them that Raytheon is breaching international law and should be given notice to leave. The Raytheon office is at Argentum House, Bristol business Park Frenchay, near the MOD site at Abbeywood. This is the third roof-top protest as part of a total of eight on-going weekly protests at the Raytheon offices in Frenchay, One roof-top protester said "The US and Britain had no more right to invade Iraq or Afghanistan than Nazi Germany did to invade Poland or France. Raytheon played their part by producing foul, indiscriminate weapons and we won’t be quiet till they have left our city for good."... Raytheon are 4th largest arms company in the world with a $20 billion turnover per year. They are involved massively in the manufacture or delivery systems of WMD. They are the biggest cruise missile maker (Patriot and tomahawk). Their range of both cruise-missiles and plane-dropped bombs can be loaded with cluster bombs. Cluster bombs are indiscriminate weapons killing civilians and soldiers alike. Full article.

| Recent photos | Raytheon rooftop protest continues| Rooftop protest at Raytheon enters second week | Rooftop protest continues at Raytheon ahead of this afternoon's protest | Third rooftop protest at Raytheon | Cluster bomb attack 10th anniversary, Colombia | Related Links: Smash Raytheon Blog | www.stopclustermunitions.org |

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