Author Archives: CSSD editorial

Don’t ban Palestine Action – solidarity statement

We demand that the government ends all diplomatic, economic and military support for Israel, and withdraw their threat to proscribe Palestine Action. If the government goes ahead with their plans to proscribe Palestine Action, we signal our intention to make the proscription unworkable – to defy it, to encourage others to do so, and to assist people in taking actions similar to those taken by Palestine Action.

It is necessary to directly disrupt the production of weapons used in the genocide in Gaza and in the illegal occupation and apartheid conducted by the Israeli state, and to protest the companies and institutions complicit in this.

Food, Farming & The Future, advert for public meeting – 25th May 2025

Join us for an inspiring meeting learning from people involved in positive and practical projects around food and farming locally. We’ll explore people’s concerns about corporate control of the food system, the future of farming, and how concerns about food and farming are being hijacked to recruit people to harmful ideas.

Sunday 25th May, 4-6pm, Trinity Rooms, Field Road, Stroud GL5 2HZ

Stop the Fascist Creep, advert for public meeting – 11th May 2025

How do you feel about the rise of the far right?

What do we value that we may lose?

How do we stop the fascist creep in Stroud?

Community Solidarity Stroud District is hosting an open event on Sunday 11th May from 2pm to 4pm at the Trinity Rooms, Field Road, Stroud GL5 2HZ where we can come together to discuss what more Stroud can do. Please come along.

Jeremy Green’s speech on protests in Gaza and Israel at the Ceasefire Vigil

Every week the Stroud Ceasefire Now Coalition – of which CSSD is a member – holds a vigil from 6-6.15pm outside the Sub Rooms forecourt in Stroud. Speeches are made to open the silent vigil, with banners and placards displayed, followed by announcements about relevant events. Speeches are given by representatives of the different groups that made up the coalition. On Friday 28th March 2025, Jeremy Green gave a speech on protests in Gaza and Israel in the previous week. You can watch it or read the full text on our website

Who is hijacking fears about food and farming?

Our Free Town sounds nice… it’s all about self-sufficiency, and creating “a cultural community in Stroud – a sense of well-being, togetherness, kindness and giving”. What’s not to like?

It turns out to be the group of contrarians that distribute “The Light” paper in Stroud, operating yet another front group to recruit people into conspiracy beliefs and tolerance of far-right ideas, individuals and organisations.

“Deportation is NOT a show, these are people’s lives”

The UK government’s recent handling of asylum seekers is deeply disturbing and concerning, particularly its decision to release footage of deportations. This move has been widely condemned as a form of “state cruelty as spectacle,” with critics arguing that it mirrors the American-style use of “trauma porn”—the exploitation of human suffering for political gain.In additionContinue reading ““Deportation is NOT a show, these are people’s lives””

Opposing a far right ‘march’ in Cheltenham – report

Supporters of CSSD travelled to Cheltenham today to join dozens of people in gathering to oppose an advertised far-right “march” in the town. Whether they were put off by this organised opposition or the cold weather, no-one turned up to demonstrate in support of far-right organiser Tommy Robinson, currently in prison for contempt of courtContinue reading “Opposing a far right ‘march’ in Cheltenham – report”

Oppose the far right in Cheltenham, Saturday 8th February

We are supporting the call from the Gloucestershire branch of Unite Community to mobilise to show opposition to the far-right this weekend in Cheltenham.

This Saturday local trade unionists and campaigners will be gathering as of 11am. around the entrance Regents Arcade on High Street Cheltenham