Opinion: Bristol Deserves the Truth from its “Leaders.”

On the evening of March 23, as protesters on College Green were being brutalised by police, “City Leaders” were composing a statement condemning the former and praising the latter. In the statement, released on March 25, 22 self-styled ‘City Leaders’ join to condemn the “violent disorder” of Sunday, March 21, the night of the riot outside Bridewell police station, and go on to confirm their … Continue reading Opinion: Bristol Deserves the Truth from its “Leaders.”

James WardAugust 31, 2021August 31, 20213 Comments

Graphic image of 7 women standing with arms around each other's shoulders. Text reads: "Greenham Women Everywhere"

Community, March, news, Top Story

Greenham Common Anniversary March to Pass Through Bristol

A recreation of the historic march from Cardiff to Greenham Common will pass through Bristol to mark the 40th anniversary of the original Greenham peace protests. In August 1981, 36 women walked 110 miles from Cardiff to RAF Greenham Common to protest the siting of US cruise missiles on common land. Around the airbase they started a Peace Camp that lasted 19 years and inspired … Continue reading Greenham Common Anniversary March to Pass Through Bristol

James WardAugust 23, 2021August 23, 202110 Comments

Thirteen protesters stand around a petition shaped like a dove. They are holding flags with peace symbols on them.

Community, news, Petition, Public Meeeting

Four-Day Peace Gathering In Castle Park

A four-day Peace Gathering last weekend brought peace activists from across the south west together in Castle Park peace grove to network, learn, and deliver a petition to Mayor Marvin Rees. The Gathering, organised by XR Peace and Bristol Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) officially began on Friday (August 6) with a die-in at 8.15am – marking the moment the first atomic bomb was dropped … Continue reading Four-Day Peace Gathering In Castle Park

James WardAugust 13, 20216 Comments

Image from youth strike with Greta Thunberg. Greta stands in the centre with young activists either side. They are holding a long green banner saying "Skolstrekt For Climatet"

news, Training/Learning

Climate Justice Day With Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate

Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate (BYS4C) is hosting a Climate Justice Day. The event, on Thursday August 12, comes just three days after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Sixth Assessment Report which gave a blunt warning that the world is facing catastrophic climate change unless immediate and radical action is taken. BYS4C activist Isabel Leach said: “Having a year of[f] protests … Continue reading Climate Justice Day With Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate

James WardAugust 11, 2021August 12, 20212 Comments

Image shows the word "Between clowning + activism: a trickster laboratory 6-12 september" on the left hand side; an image of CIRCA in action on the right. The image shows a group of clowns standing next to a troupe of armed police.

Clowning, Culture Jam, Interviews and Analysis, news, Top Story, Training/Learning

Send in the Clowns: rediscovering the clown army ahead of COP26

Police at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2005 were prepared for protesters. What they got was 200 clowns. The Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA), and the disruption, humour and creativity it brought to Gleneagles, has since gone down in the annals of both protest and performance. Now, 15 years after CIRCA faded as an active protest group, Bristol-based activist, performer and director … Continue reading Send in the Clowns: rediscovering the clown army ahead of COP26

James WardAugust 9, 20211 Comment

Feature, news, Top Story

XR Bristol and the Police: an uncertain future.

The relationship between Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the police has always been contentious. From its inception, XR has been the target of criticisms due to what Dr Nafeez Ahmed, in an infamous Medium article, calls their ‘fetishising’ of the police whereby police are treated as an source of opposition and simultaneously as a potential ally to bring about governmental change. The group, which encourages mass … Continue reading XR Bristol and the Police: an uncertain future.

James WardAugust 5, 2021December 21, 202110 Comments

news

Touring Peace Symbol Brightens Bristol

A 5-metre-high “ban the bomb” symbol toured famous Bristol locations including the harbourside, Clifton Suspension Bridge, North Street and King Street over the weekend (July 31 to August 1). The stunt was organized by Bristol Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), who use the symbol as their logo, and XR Peace. Described by organizers as “Banksy-esque,” the tour aims to spread a message of peace prior … Continue reading Touring Peace Symbol Brightens Bristol

James WardAugust 3, 2021August 3, 20213 Comments

The Bristol Activist

News | Insight | Inspiration

Month: August 2021