While the country grinds to a stand still for the Royal Wedding, Anti-Cuts groups up and down the country are in turmoil as their pages are being systematically shut down by Facebook. At the last estimation over fifty different groups had been closed; from York Anarchists to Save the NHS, all information and presence has been removed from the social networking site.

Although scepticism has always existed towards Facebook from activist groups, its potential to mobilise on a grand scale has led to its popularity for student occupations, Uncut actions and other forms of protest. Whilst these groups have been the target of police surveilance and intelligence gathering in the past (UKC Anti-Cuts has itself been subject to this when planning and executing peaceful actions) this is a much more overt affront to the freedom of expression.

“A scandalous abuse of power by Facebook to arbitrarily destroy online communities built up over many months and years” UCL Occupation

Although some pages, groups and profiles remain at this minute – the University of Kent Occupation page is online at the time of publishing – we are unsure of how long they shall be exempt from this purge.

“It may well be that these groups are technically in violation of Facebook’s terms of agreement, but the timing – on the royal wedding and May day weekend – is deeply suspicious” UCL Occupation

Indeed the raids in Brighton and London yesterday of squats as well as the numerous preemptive arrests committed over the past few days spell a warning to activists of all types.

Naturally this overt censorship will not lead to the end of our actions.

If you wish to follow us and our actions please use our blog our twitter feed .

Contact us with ukcanticuts@gmail.com

Alex Stevenson

Sites closed so far

Open Birkbeck

UWE Occupation

Chesterfield Stopthecuts

Camberwell AntiCuts

IVA Womensrevolution

Tower Hamlets Greens

No Cuts

ArtsAgainst Cuts

London Student Assembly

Beat’n Streets

Roscoe ‘Manchester’ Occupation

Bristol Bookfair

Newcastle Occupation

Socialist Unity

Whospeaks Forus

Ourland FreeLand

Bristol Ukuncut

Teampalestina Shaf

Notts-Uncut Part-of UKUncut

No Quarter Cutthewar

Bootle Labour

Claimants Fightback

Ecosocialists Unite

Comrade George Orwell

Jason Derrick

Anarchista Rebellionist

BigSociety Leeds

Slade Occupation

Anti-Cuts Across Wigan

Firstof Mayband

Don’t Break Britain United

Cockneyreject

SWP Cork

Westiminster Trades Council

York Anarchists

Rock War

Sheffield Occupation

Central London SWP

North London Solidarity

Southwark Sos

Save NHS

Rochdale Law Centre

Goldsmiths Fights Back

Occupy Monaco

Anticutsspace London