Mayday

For 4 years Nottingham Mayday always happened in Brewhouse Yard, so it has become increasingly difficult to take photos of Mayday that look different from the previous year - you may have spotted people with cameras desperately climbing lamposts, lying in the road &c, &c. But Mayday 2010 was held in Victoria Park so the scenery was different, and the march was led not only by our old friends the Samba Band but also the extraordinary Urban Gypsies, tribal belly dancers. This year, unusual difficulties were encountered in organizing the event, which continued right up to the start, when the man-who-opens-the-park was totally unaware that there was about to be an event in it!

The march wound its way along Lower Parliament Street, then Upper Parliament Street with the whirling Urban Gypsies out in front. On this route, many more people saw the march than on the old way from Brewhouse Yard. Then down King Street to "Speaker's Corner" to hear the Clarion Choir and some speakers. This is a very noisy area, so actually hearing choir and speakers was tricky. Then along Smithy Row, Pelham Street, Goose gate and back to the Park, where the essential Veggies van was waiting. Music, more speakers, and dancing from the Urban Gypsies.

The weather not as good as previous years, but the rain held off till about 3.30 pm. Everyone liked the new venue, and as the day wore on, the talk amongst the High Command could be heard slowly changing from "Never again!!" to "Well.... maybe next year." As ever, we could have done with some more people, and it is hoped that next year the Unions will do more to tell their members about it.

Media coverage this year was good; the Urban Gypsies appeared on Central News with a snippet from an interview with Gary. Radio Nottingham broadcast sound bytes from an interview with Chris. The Good Old Evening Post published a couple of short articles about the event beforehand and they sent a photographer.

For making Mayday such a joyful event, thanks to Veggies, and the musicians - the Samba Band, Wholesome Fish, Ngoma, Iyar and Ali, Peter. Special thanks to the Urban Gypsies tribal belly dancers. We hope to see you all again next year. Thanks also to Mansfield and Nottingham Trades Council for their support, without which Nottingham Mayday would not have been possible.

Some photos below, more photos, also video cips, on Indymedia, and a wonderful video by Jasim on You Tube.

Again organized by the Usual Suspects, Mayday, 2009 was the best yet and it's a real shame if you missed it. There were more stalls in Brewhouse Yard than last year and, for the fourth year running, the weather was kind to us. A large contingent of Communication Workers from all over the Midlands, protesting at the privatization of our Post Office, swelled the ranks, bringing dazzling, traditional Union banners with them. There were also banners from the NUT (2!), Industrial Workers of the World, CND, Shut Down Heckler and Koch Campaign, FOE, Stop the War, Clarion Choir, one made during the NNRF Open Day, to name but a few. The Usual Suspects were wondering where the Samba Band had got to, but they suddenly emerged from the undergrowth to head up the march. The Clarion Choir sang as we formed up to set off. Some of us were slightly miffed that the authorities deemed it unnecessary to harrass the event with police photographers (see canaries) and indeed the police presence throughout the day was refreshingly minimal.

Wholesome Fish played the march back into Brewhouse Yard and we all sat down on the grass to listen to MP Alan Simpson (soon to be not MP but environmental campaigner), Paul Kennedy from the Communication Worker's Union, and speakers from Shut Down Heckler and Koch, the Free Hicham Campaign, the Anti-Deportation Campaign, Stop the BNP, an anti-global warming campaigner, Regis from Zimbabwe and Pat from Veggies. The speeches were interspersed with exceptional music from Ngoma, the Score and elements of Banner Theatre's First of May Band. No one could remember the Score's name and so for a while they were referred to as "Communication-Workers-Union-band-what-plays-like-the-Jam-or-the-Clash". Once again, the estimable Veggies were present to provide much needed sustainance to the hungry and thirsty.

Media coverage this year was generally excellent, with a long piece on the 6.00 pm local BBC TV news, in which several people were interviewed. Then of course there's the Good Old Evening Post... what can you say? At least this year, they managed a couple of inches about some marchy thing that happened on Saturday involving Post Office Workers - this despite being SENT text and photos on Saturday evening. Duh! So 2/10 for this year's effort, which is 2 more than last year. It's not enough to just cover paper in text, guys.

More Mayday photos on Indymedia Notts, and some more from ace photographer Tash.

- was a great celebration of community resistance and workers solidarity, although no report appeared in the Good Old Nottingham Evening Post about this annual, traditional Nottingham event. It seems that Post reporters are finding it harder and harder to get out of bed these days.

We could have done with a few more people, although this year there were many more union banners, which was good to see. In 1894, Nottingham held its first big May Day celebration, with thousands marching from the Forest in strictly formed up ranks by Trade Union. There were speeches from mining, hosiery and railway unions and from political parties. Resolutions were passed by an enthusiastic crowd. Today, the industries are different, but the need for struggle against oppression, tyranny, ignorance and war is still there and not just for one day a year. It has become international and you can add global warming to the list. Nottingham’s May Day march is a relaxed event – we just have to avoid trams and buses - but in many countries, workers get savagely beaten up for attempting to demonstrate on their own streets.

Supported by Nottingham Trades’ Council, Nottingham’s 2008 May Day festivities was organised by Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group. We campaign against the callous and inhuman treatment of asylum seekers by the government. If you weren't there, you missed an excellent day as these few photos below show.