News in brief

The new transport secretary Louise Haigh is holding a review of ‘the previous government’s transport commitments.’ Your help is needed to get the Conservative’s national roads programme scrapped: www.tinyurl.com/peacenews4274

On 20 August, five Palestine Action (PA) activists were sentenced to prison for their occupation of the Thales arms factory in Glasgow in June 2022. Property damage was estimated at over £1mn.

Stuart Bretherton (25), Erica Hygate (23), Calum Lacy (23) and Eva Simmons (25) received 12-month sentences. Sumaya Javaid (22) was jailed for 14 months. More info:
www.x.com/Pal_action

Britain’s largest pacifist group, the Peace Pledge Union (PPU) booked an advert in the BBC Proms 2024 classical concert guide, highlighting the fact that British composer Benjamin Britten was a pacifist and conscientious objector (he was also a member of the PPU).

The PPU then learned that their advert had been pulled from the guide by the BBC for being ‘too political’, despite the fact that a highlight of the Proms will be Britten’s anti-war masterpiece, War Requiem.

The PPU advert can be seen here: www.tinyurl.com/peacenews4273

On 15 August, a group of former fighters from Palestine and Israel urged US military members to tell the US Congress to stop funding Israel’s war in Gaza.

The online news conference organised by Veterans For Peace featured: a former Israeli Defence Force (IDF) special forces member, Elik Elhanan (47); a young Israeli who just finished 85 days in jail for refusing to join the military, Sofia Orr (19); and a former Hamas youth activist, Ahmed Helou (now 52); as well as three active-duty US military members who are awaiting discharge as conscientious objectors. Common Dreams article: www.tinyurl.com/peacenews4272

On 8 August, police prevented a Reclaim the Power (RtP) climate camp taking place near the Drax biomass power station in Yorkshire.

Over 20 people were pre-emptively arrested and practical items such as tents, toilets, wheelchair-accessible flooring and kitchen equipment were seized, along with vehicles.

RtP said: ‘In a week of fascist race riots and pogroms, the police made the unfathomable decision to shut down our camp highlighting the environmental racism of Drax rather than put those resources into protecting the brown and black people under threat.’

There’s a £60,000 crowdfunder: chuffed.org/project/repair-fund