JanineWiedel's photo Blog

ARBAEEN the martyrdom of Hussain

wiedelphoto — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:37:19 +0000

T his is 31st Muslim Procession of Arbaeen to be held in Central London. It marks the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the Grandson of Mohammed, who along with his family were brutally murdered in Karbala in 680AD. It has become the largest annual Muslim procession in the UK with around 5000 Shi’ites from a wide range of communities including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Lebanon, taking part.

The men take the lead chanting and beating their chest as a token of their sorrow and an end to the previous 40 days of mourning. The women mostly dressed in black follow separately in a tight group at the back of the procession.The main message is to fight oppression and to strive for freedom, justice and equality.

The Arbaeen event in Kerbala was banned while Saddam Hussein was in power. Millions once again attend.

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STRIKING AGAINST PENSION CUTS

wiedelphoto — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:55:12 +0000

To bring an end to a riotous 2011, up to two million people in Britain went on strike over cuts to public sector pensions. Negotiations that have been taking place between the Coalition Government and the Unions finally broken down. In London tens of thousands marched peacefully to a rally on the Embankment.

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Death in Police Custody 29.10.2011

wiedelphoto — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:04:32 +0000

The United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC) is a coalition of families and friends of those that have died in suspicious circumstances whilst in police custody, prisons or secure psychiatric hospitals. On Saturday they held a silent procession down Whitehall to Downing Street to hand in a letter demanding a public inquiry into their cases.

Since 1969 there have been 3,180 individuals who have died in custody. Calling for justice and for properly independent investigations into the deaths, the families went on to recount the shocking and tragic stories surrounding the deaths of their family members. Those responsible have seldom been brought to justice or even reprimanded for their actions. Where investigations have been held, they have been seen largely as ineffectual or designed to cover up offences committed by police and prison officers.

Among those present were the family of Sean Rigg, who died in police custody in Brixton Police Station on Thursday 21 August 2008, and Ricky Bishop who died in the same police station after being arrested during “Operation Clean Sweep” on November 22, 2001.

The remembrance ended with lines of TSG police moving in and kettling the group, dragging Ricky Bishops mother across the street.

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Syrians protest outside Downing Street

wiedelphoto — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:16:33 +0000

Syrian nationals living in Britain continue their protests against President Bashar al-Assad despite reports of intimidation from the Embassy here in London. The protests are in response to the ongoing brutality of the regime towards anti-government protesters back in Syria. It is thought that over 3,000 have already been killed.

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Impressions from Recife, Brazil

wiedelphoto — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:57:28 +0000

Fascinating and complex

Crumbling colonial architecture with highrises sprouting up.

Multi-layered society / culture

Beautiful, warm and welcoming.

Fabulous fruits

Deep seated poverty and inequality

Violent undercurrents

Must go back!

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SEM TERRA- Reclaiming Unused Land, Pernambuco, Brazil

wiedelphoto — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:41:23 +0000

Movimento Dos Sem Terra (MST) is a political movement in Brazil where landless rural workers squat to reclaim unused land.

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Palafitas: River dwellers under threat, Recife, Brazil

wiedelphoto — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:41:51 +0000

Finally pulling together photographs taken in Brazil last month. Click here for “Palafitas”

“Slutwalk” London 11.6.2011

wiedelphoto — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:21:48 +0000

Thousands take to the streets on London’s first Slutwalk.

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Sikhs Remember 1984 massacre 05.06.2011

wiedelphoto — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:34:44 +0000

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Around 25,000 Sikhs gathered in Trafalgar Square to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the 1984 massacre and attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, North India. Twenty seven years ago the Indian armed forces used 100,000 troops to stormed the holiest Sikh shrine and attacked the temple complex. At the time there were only 251 Sikhs inside. “Operation Bluestar”, had been personally approved by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with the aim to flush out militants who wanted an independent homeland of Khalistan.

There has never been agreement on the numbers killed, but Sikhs say thousands were massacred by the Indian troops.

Mrs Gandhi was assassinated four months later by her Sikh bodyguards. Following her death anti-Sikh rioting erupted in India which left about 3,000 Sikhs dead.

“March for the Alternative” fighting government cuts 26.3.2011

wiedelphoto — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:41:42 +0000

Nearly half a million people marched through Central London to deliverer their powerful message against the government’s cuts in public spending. The majority marched peacefully to a rally in Hyde Park .

However, several smaller feeder groups including “UK Un Cut”, “TUC Armed Wing”, and a range of Anarchists, broke away from the main group and vented their anger in a less peaceful way by taking direct action against banks, shops and companies who are not paying taxes to the UK. Windows were smashed, paint splashed and smoke bombs and flares flew. Riot police were out in force though mostly avoiding heavy handed mass kettling.

Photographers ended up speckled with white green and blue paint.

A day filled with adrenaline and exhaustion.

By the midnight there were over 200 arrests and many injuries and probably no hope of future changes in government policies. CLICK TO VIEW PHOTOS