Undercover Policing Inquiry reveals BAE Systems offered money to Special Branch to spy on anti arms trade campaigners

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:13 July 2026
• Post last modified:14 July 2026

Evidence in the Undercover Policing Inquiry recently revealed that BAE Systems, the UK’s largest arms company, offered the Metropolitan police money to spy on anti arms trade campaigners. This followed the 1996 Seeds of Hope Ploughshares action which caused £1.4m worth of damage to Hawk aircraft. Four women were acquitted of criminal damage charges on the basis they were preventing a greater crime by taking action to stop BAE Systems exporting the aircraft to Indonesia for use in war crimes against people in East Timor. The information emerged during the questioning of former detective chief inspector Dell on 1 July 2026.…

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IRGC proscription is another masterclass in British hypocrisy — What about the genocidal IOF?

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:13 July 2026
• Post last modified:14 July 2026

The UK is set to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under the new National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, which received Royal Assent last week. The government said: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR) and Russia’s GRU Volunteer Corps will become the first bodies designated under landmark new state threats powers. If approved by Parliament later this week, those conducting acts of sabotage including arson on behalf of these groups could face life imprisonment. However, this move was met with accusations of hypocrisy, as critics pointed to the UK, which…

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Chubb offices in Glasgow and Manchester disrupted

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:13 July 2026
• Post last modified:14 July 2026

On 13 July, activists disrupted Manchester and Glasgow offices housing Chubb Insurance. It was part of a coordinated campaign to pressure genocide-complicit corporations to sever ties with apartheid Israel. Campaigners believe that Chubb Insurance offers Employers’ Liability Insurance to UAV Engines Limited. UAV is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, which arms the Israeli occupation with 85% of its weapons. Palestine Resistance Collective (PRC) occupied the Manchester office lobby with banners and a model of Elbit Systems’ quadcopter drone. Meanwhile, Mothers Against Genocide Scotland held a family-friendly demonstration outside the Glasgow office with banners and music, engaging with the public as they…

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Government urged to end animal welfare labelling confusion on meat products

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:13 July 2026
• Post last modified:14 July 2026

Animal welfare charity FOUR PAWS UK is calling on the government to back mandatory animal welfare labelling legislation. It has published a report that reveals widespread confusion on supermarket shelves and growing public demand for a simpler, more transparent system. A special event in parliament on 9 July launched the report. It included a pop-up supermarket aisle where parliamentarians saw how regulated welfare labels could transform the way we shop. The report highlights a fragmented labelling landscape. Shoppers currently have to navigate a patchwork of assurance logos and welfare claims. And there’s often no clear information on how animals were bred,…

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Leaked WhatsApps expose attempts to silence anti-Zionist voices by senior Green Party committee member

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:10 July 2026
• Post last modified:11 July 2026

Leaked messages have exposed a senior member at the heart of the Green Party’s Disciplinary Committee using a Zionist WhatsApp group to potentially target anti-Zionist members. Green Party ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion At the centre of this is Rachel Collinson, a long-term Green Party member who just so happens to sit on the Disciplinary Committee. This is the same committee that dealt with the suspensions of anti-Zionist local election candidates like Mark Adderley and the expulsion of Jewish anti-Zionist scholar Tony Greenstein. The leaked WhatsApp messages appear to show Collinson organising against the motion Zionism Is Racism before the Green Party…

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Maysa Daw unites with global artists on music track to ‘break silence’ on world’s hidden crises

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:10 July 2026
• Post last modified:10 July 2026

Four artists from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Palestine have released (No More) Radio Silence, a new collaboration with music producer Kensaye, in partnership with Oxfam. The track features Congolese-born artist Espoir Dekin, South Sudanese rapper Gatkuoth Wan, Palestinian musician and member of hip-hop group DAM, Maysa Daw, and London-based Palestinian composer and oud player Saied Silbak. Together, they blend afro/Arab hip-hop, industrial and electronica to turn lived experiences of conflict into a piece of sound and protest, calling for unity, visibility and resistance. Artists share their experiences The artists’ stories and experiences are woven into every…

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UK greenlights renewed US strikes on Iran from British soil

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:10 July 2026
• Post last modified:10 July 2026

Hamish Falconer told MPs that UK permissions for US use of British air bases “remain in place,” even as Trump unilaterally declared the ceasefire “over” and resumed airstrikes against Iranian targets. UK play’s Trump’s poodle Falconer, the Labour MP for the Middle East, said in Parliament: In relation to the question about military support, I want to be clear: the UK stands with our Gulf allies in a defensive capacity. As the shadow Foreign Secretary alluded to, we do provide capability to our friends and partners in the Gulf to protect themselves against these attacks. We do also continue to provide permissions…

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People Against Genocide target Tring factory of key Elbit supplier Ultra I&C

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:10 July 2026
• Post last modified:11 July 2026

Early on 9 July, 3 action-takers from People Against Genocide successfully evaded security to enter the Tring facility of military tech and cyber warfare company Ultra Intelligence & Communications (Ultra I&C) in Tring, Hertfordshire. Once inside the building, the PAG team began dismantling military equipment, to close the facility down, and stop production. Ultra I&C is a key supplier to UAV Tactical Systems, the Leicester subsidiary of Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons maker. Elbit produces 85% of the Israeli military’s killer drone fleet, and 80% of their other weaponry and equipment. Elbit boasts that its deadly products are “battle-tested” on Palestinians.…

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Refuge data reveals 78% rise in tech and economic abuse referrals

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:9 July 2026
• Post last modified:9 July 2026

Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, has recorded a staggering 78% rise in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated abuse and economic abuse. Of these cases, Refuge’s frontline team has observed a worrying increase in perpetrators exploiting car finance agreements, putting survivors in significant debt. Between April 2025-March 2026, there were 967 referrals to Refuge’s specialist Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team, compared to 542 referrals in 2024 – 2025. Of the 2025-2026 referrals, 43% (414) survivors reported experiencing some form of economic abuse, compared to 37% (198) of survivors in 2024-2025. Economic abuse can take many forms, all of…

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EHRC Code protests across country on 9 July

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:9 July 2026
• Post last modified:9 July 2026

On 9 July at 6pm there will be protests across England and Scotland against the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice. It leaves trans people with even fewer rights than before the Supreme Court judgment in April 2025. The EHRC Code of Practice was laid before parliament on 21 May for a 40 day scrutiny period, which is due to expire soon. After the 40 days end, if there are no objections from the Houses of Commons or Lords, the Code can be made statutory by order of the secretary of state. Groups including the BAD Coalition…

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National threats bill clears Parliament amid criticism, awaits Royal Assent

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:8 July 2026
• Post last modified:9 July 2026

The National Security (State Threats) Bill has completed its passage through Parliament and now awaits Royal Assent. Lords amendments to protect humanitarian workers and journalists from its new offences were accepted, providing some relief, but most criticisms against the Bill still stand. Sarah Champion MP, from the International Development Committee, welcomed the Government’s decision to introduce express defences for humanitarian organisations but expressed regret that ministers stopped short of a full exemption. Johnson and Corbyn raised concerns about journalists Kim Johnson (Labour) and Jeremy Corbyn (Your Party) raised significant concerns about the legislation’s potential impact on journalists in the final debate…

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Greyhound racing during heatwave prompts concerns

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:8 July 2026
• Post last modified:9 July 2026

Animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has accused the greyhound racing industry of putting profits before the health of greyhounds by pushing ahead with racing during the current heatwave. It comes as the RSPCA urges dog owners to make an urgent change to their routines this coming week as another spell of extremely hot weather will see temperatures reaching 34C. Emily Lawrence, campaigns manager at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: Greyhound racing is already inherently hazardous, but to race greyhounds in extreme hot weather is putting them in danger and is in clear breach of animal welfare advice.…

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Hate on film: ‘Citizen Vigilante’ and ‘Chauhaan’ are normalising violence against Muslims

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:8 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Two recent films, the Hollywood production Citizen Vigilante and the Bollywood movie Chauhaan, have sparked widespread outrage for their portrayal of violence against Muslims. The use of popular media to mainstream hate and legitimise the othering of minorities is an alarming regression that has real-world consequences, given rising levels of violence against minorities. ‘Nazi’ and ‘Cannibal’ allegations dog Citizen Vigilante’s creators The people associated with Citizen Vigilante reveal a great deal about the film’s intentions. Actor Armie Hammer faced allegations of sexual abuse and cannibalism in 2021. He has since denied the most extreme claims. He told Louis Theroux that “you have…

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Communist Party USA says reds are among best Americans

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:8 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Communist Party USA’s co-chair, Joe Sims has responded to recent comments from Donald Trump: Donald Trump’s back-to-back holiday weekend speeches at Mount Rushmore and the National Mall, where he said the Communist Party was composed of ‘illegal immigrants, criminals, and people who don’t want to work’, are taking on an increasingly fascist trajectory. That’s the standard authoritarian playbook. They always come for the communists and socialists first. Sims added: If Trump got this ‘intelligence’ from the FBI, Kash Patel needs to be fired immediately. What a bunch of garbage. He’s trying to criminalise us. We’re among the best Americans. The Communist…

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Government urged to legislate on maximum working temperature amid third heatwave

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Pressure on the UK government to set a maximum working temperature is mounting as a third heatwave hits Britain, with ministers now apparently considering legislation for the first time. In the last week of June 2026, over 1,500 people took part in a Heat Strike. They set up Cool Stations to hand out water and health advice in town centres from Exeter to York. Strikers held symbolic lunchtime-walk-outs in solidarity with those in extreme heat, and took thermometers into work to demonstrate how hot and unsafe it was. Workers take the initiative over maximum working temperature In London, bus drivers removed themselves…

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Cranswick subsidiary and farm manager summoned to court following Animal Justice Project investigation

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Animal Justice Project has announced that Elsham Linc Limited, a subsidiary of Cranswick Country Foods Plc, and North Moor Farm Manager Andy Pentecost have been summonsed to appear before Nottingham Justice Centre on 26 August 2026. This follows the organisation’s undercover investigation at North Moor Farm in Lincolnshire. Lawyers for Animals are bringing the prosecution, following an assessment of evidence gathered during Animal Justice Project’s undercover investigation at the site between February and March 2024, together with subsequent expert veterinary review. Elsham Linc Limited faces 23 alleged offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Welfare of Animals at the Time…

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‘Frankenchicken’ protesters crash Pret’s pre-launch opening in Spitalfields

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Pret A Manger’s Spitalfields launch event turned into a PR disaster on 7 July when campaigners dumped a giant animatronic “Frankenchicken” in front of its first 200 customers. Pret is facing significant backlash after breaking its promise to stop selling ultra fast-growing chickens by 2026. It originally made this commitment in 2018. These “frankenchicken” breeds commonly suffer from deformities and heart strain due to being bred to grow too fast. They get slaughtered at around 35 days old. In response to Pret’s backtracking, animal welfare activists have launched a £1m accountability campaign. This aims to expose Pret’s continued use of these…

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‘Frankenchicken’ protesters crash Pret’s pre-launch opening in Spitalfields

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Pret A Manger’s Spitalfields launch event turned into a PR disaster on 7 July when campaigners dumped a giant animatronic “Frankenchicken” in front of its first 200 customers. Pret is facing significant backlash after breaking its promise to stop selling ultra fast-growing chickens by 2026. It originally made this commitment in 2018. These “frankenchicken” breeds commonly suffer from deformities and heart strain due to being bred to grow too fast. They get slaughtered at around 35 days old. In response to Pret’s backtracking, animal welfare activists have launched a £1m accountability campaign. This aims to expose Pret’s continued use of these…

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Hot weather boosts requests for air conditioning installations

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:8 July 2026

Home air conditioning installation requests have been monumentally increasing across Europe as a result of the hot weather, MyBuilder data has revealed. Online home services marketplace, MyBuilder.com, has released statistics showing that requests for air conditioning installations on their website are increasing by more than 300% each year. Requests have reached a record high this month due to the unprecedented hot weather across the UK and Europe. Installation requests are increasing 7.4 times per year in Germany. MyBuilder says one in four home improvement jobs in Germany on 28 June were for air conditioning installations. Installments have increased by four-times the…

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‘Sunbathers’ protest new oil outside Parliament amidst heatwave

• Post author:The Canary
• Post published:7 July 2026
• Post last modified:7 July 2026

Campaigners from Fossil Free London protested new oil and gas in Parliament Square on 7 July as the third heatwave of the summer hits London. They wore matching red swimming costumes and lay on white towels, imitating popular media images of beachgoers in hot weather. Each sunbather waved a ‘Stop Rosebank’ fan and behind them a large banner read ‘No New Oil & Gas’. The protest comes as the UK just experienced its hottest June ever. And uncertainty lingers over whether Andy Burnham will approve the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil fields once he becomes prime minister. Heatwave after heatwave…

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