Legal fees fundraiser to support a lead claimant from the Lambeth Bridge mass arrest in 2020.

The arrest took place on 3rd September 2020 on Lambeth Bridge, London, during a ‘Critical Mass’ bike ride. It was at the time of the September 2020 Extinction Rebellion ‘Autumn Rebellion’.

There is a fundraiser at #SumacCentre on 20th June . Details, and link for
online donations, at https://sumac.org.uk/event/lambeth-bridge-legal-campaign-fundraiser/

124 people were arrested, bikes were seized, property went missing and many were imprisoned to be released with no charge. Of those 124, 100 are seeking justice.

A trial date is now fixed, the Lead Claimant trial will commence on 11 October 2027 for 9 weeks. It will take place at the High Court of Justice in London.

The outcome will crucially not only determine the success and/or settlement value of the remaining group but will hopefully make the London Metropolitan Police think twice about carrying out such action again.

Donations may be made at https://chuffed.org/project/159140-lambeth-bridge-justice

Nottingham Animal Coalition, who meet at the #SumacCentre, have made GBN News!

Council pulls snail racing event and apologises after activists express concern for animal welfare

The Nottingham Animal Coalition branded the planned activity 'desperate' in a Facebook post

"Do you have any idea the pain a snail endures to be ripped off the floor from their trail?" they wrote. "And you're encouraging people to do this?"

The protesters also detailed potential health hazards for young attendees, warning wild snails and slugs can harbour parasites.

https://www.gbnews.com/news/nottingham-news-council-pulls-snail-racing-event-activists-animal-welfare

What a great result. Well done everyone.

It's worth noting that both the city council and the county council have adopted charters for animal rights/welfare. Recognizing that it is not always easy to find them on the the council's website, Nottingham Animal Rights keep online copies here:

Nottingham City Council
https://www.nottinghamanimalrights.org.uk/img/nottingham_city_council_charter_for_animal_welfare.pdf

Nottinghamshire County Council
https://www.nottinghamanimalrights.org.uk/img/nottinghamshire_county_council_animal_rights_charter.pdf

This was incredibly special for #PoliceSpiesOutOfLives.

"We've gone from no-one believing us about #spycops to a celebration at #BAFTA where 'The Undercover Police Scandal - Love & Lies Exposed' was nominated for Best Factual Series. Our campaign for justice continues but this was definitely a night to celebrate the wins!"

We are pleased to have featured a 'live' screening at #SumacScreenRoom at #Nottingham #SumacCentre. We will continue to livestream the #spycops inquiry when it recommences on 15th June.

https://sumac.org.uk/event/spycops-undercover-policing-inquiry-t4/

'The Undercover Police Scandal - Love & Lies Exposed' is still available to view on ITV

https://www.itv.com/watch/the-undercover-police-scandal-love-and-lies-exposed/10a5198

@BristleKRS @tombfowler @copscampaign

Sunday 31 May, 12.30 till 4pm, Seattle activist and author Jonathan Rosenblum will be with Tom Vickers at #SumacCentre discussing the movement against Amazon with #Nottingham progressive groups, including you! (No tickets)

They are working with the Amazon GMB branch, following an exchange when some UK Amazon workers went to the states.

This is followed by an event at Five Leaves Bookshop:

*Organizing Amazon in Britain and America* with Tom Vickers and Jonathan Rosenblum, Sunday 31st May, 5pm at @FiveLeavesBooks.

This session is about how workers at Amazon in the UK and in the USA are trying to organise against a fiercely anti-union company, and why the fight against Amazon matters for all of us.

For political activists searching desperately to make sense of the world after the re-election of Donald Trump and the rise of Reform, the two authors offer a framework for fighting our way out of the despairing miasma of 21st century capitalism.

Info & tickets at
https://fiveleavesbookshop.co.uk/events/organizing-amazon-in-britain-and-america-with-tom-vickers-and-jonathan-rosenblum/

Veggies will be providing #vegan campaign catering and #AnimalRights outreach at these events:

Saturday 30th May
Green Hustle Festival 2026
#Nottingham Old Market Square
https://www.veggies.org.uk/event/green-hustle-festival-2026/

Friday 5th - Sunday 7th June
Worker #Coop Weekend 2026
Derbyshire
https://www.veggies.org.uk/event/worker-co-op-weekend-2026/

Friday 5th June - Sunday 7th June
Belper Goes Green 2026 – Derbyshire’s Eco-Festival
#Belper Meadows Cricket Club Christchurch Meadows, Belper
https://www.veggies.org.uk/event/belper-goes-green-2026/

Sunday 21st June
50th Anniversary of the Animal Liberation Front
MBR Acres MBR Acres, Sawtry Way, Wyton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
https://www.veggies.org.uk/event/50th-anniversary-of-the-animal-liberation-front/

Friday 26th - Sunday 28th June
Total Liberation Gathering 2026
#SumacCentre, Nottingham
https://www.veggies.org.uk/event/total-liberation-gathering-2026/

Foods available from Sumac Centre food distro this week include
- baking potatoes
- leeks
- parsnips
- cabbages
- cauliflower
- onions
- cucumbers
- bread, rolls, sliced bread & French sticks

Freely available on Sunday / Wednesday, or join us for a pop-up community lunch on Wednesdays.

We redistribute fresh foods from Foodprint & Sanatan Food Bank, saving their surplus from going straight to landfill.

Available at events on #SumacCentre diary
https://sumac.org.uk/events/list/

It is the obsession with perfection by the food industry and supermarkets that is driving the food waste crisis.

Food is a right, not a privilege.

Food poverty, the inability to afford, or to have access to, food to make up a healthy diet, affects 8-9% of the UK population.

Food loss & waste accounts for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. 

The planet benefits by surpluses being diverted from landfill, even if it ultimately ends up making compost for the Sumac Garden

https://sumac.org.uk/event/community-food-hub-3/2026-03-22/

An Introduction to Radical Routes

At Sumac Centre, #Nottingham

Friday March 27th @ 1pm

Interested in #Cooperatives?

Interested in working for radical positive #socialchange?

Radical Routes is a network of radical housing co-ops, workers co-ops and social centres. Their members are committed to working for positive social change.

Social Centres, such as #SumacCentre, have a strong past history of mutual support with Radical Routes but, for reasons to be explored on Friday, all have fallen aside. Sumac Centre is keen to rejoin Radical Routes to strengthen this bond, and maybe build a bridge with the Social Centres Network.

This session hopes to lead to a presentation by Sumac at the 15-17th May Radical Routes Gathering, before potentially joining in August.

If this interests you, join us at Sumac on Friday  27th March . Lunch at 1pm, presentation from 1.30pm.

https://sumac.org.uk/event/an-introduction-to-radical-routes-towards-sumac-centre-rejoining/

Your occasional reminder that since  1968 police targeted a wide range of social justice and human rights campaigns. Rights were violated and lives destroyed. In 2003 these secret political police infiltrated a group of idealistic young environmental activists in Nottingham, forming sexual relationships and spying without warrant on hundreds of innocent civilians.

This scandal, dubbed ‘#Spycops’‘, is now the subject of one of the UK’s longest, deepest, most extensive and expensive ‘public’ inquiries.

Follow daily from 10am links at https://sumac.org.uk/event/spycops-undercover-policing-inquiry-t3p2/

Hearings continue with Tranche 3, Phase 2, Day 18, March 16th . We will hear from ‘Simon Welling‘ who spied on  anti-globalisation group ‘Globalise Resistance’, the Dissent Network (which included #SumacCentre and @Veggies)  and others.

'Alison", one of the women from the ITVX Documentary 'The Undercover Policing Scandal' is live on radio 4 Women's Hour today. Listen again at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002qrwd

The #spycops Public Inquiry restarts today. Follow it via the links on #SumacCentre Diary listing
https://sumac.org.uk/event/spycops-undercover-policing-inquiry-t3p2/
Including link to ITVX documentary with Alison and others from Police Spies Out of Lives.