Jason N. Parkinson: Video Journalist

PCS Video Newsletter: Protect Public Services

This week saw the release of the second PCS Union video newsletter, this time focusing in on the attacks on public service jobs and building for the TUC protest on 26 March.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Please contact Report Digital to access this material and the extensive six-year video archive.

>Stills, video, print (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Video: New Orleans 9th Ward Five Years Gone

Last year’s trip across four US states alon the Gulf coast caught some interesting scenes away from chasing tar balls and corexit foam.

While in New Orleans I went to look at the Ninth Ward, the poorest district in the city and also the district with the highest death toll during hurricane Katrina. Five years on only third of the population returned, nature had taken over and many buildings, even entire streets, lay exactly where they did when the storm passed.

Katrina – The 9th Ward Five Years Gone

On the outskirts of east New Orleans, slap bang in the middle of a heavily populated suburb, lies the BOC Gas Refinery.

BOC Gas Refinery, New Orleans, Louisiana

With a population of 1.5 million in Louisiana you would think you’d be seeing alligators everywhere. Not so. Not unless you take one of a thousand tourist trips inot the swamps. Luckily on the last evening, heading back into New Orleans from Point a la Hache, these alligators were spotted on the edge of a nature reserve. The protective fencing had been pulled down by poachers, allowing access to the rivers edge and a closer look at these amazing creatures, some spanning more than three metres.

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Stills, video, print (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Video: Ireland IMF Budget Protest

7 December 2010 was the day the Irish economy finally caved in to the IMF. Protests surrounded the Irish parliament all day as the governemnt agreed to the all too familiar conditions were set on public sector, health and welfare cuts and reductions to the minimum working wage.

2010 was a year that saw protests grip Dublin. In May protestors attempted to storm the Dail . November, riot police were deployed to clear the streets of student protestors after government buildings were occupied. By the end of that month 100,000 people marched in opposition to the IMF.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk
Please contact Report Digital to access this material and the extensive six-year video archive.

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Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

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Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Video Rush: 100,000 March in Dublin Against IMF

Saturday 27 November 2010: 100,000 people marched through Dublin in Ireland to oppose the impending IMF bailout budget that would see billions in cuts to welfare and public services. Although the march passed relatively peacefully police protecting the Dáil came under a hail of fireworks, bottles and snow balls later in the day.

More video focusing on the speeches from the rally can be seen here at Trade Union TV.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.

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Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

This week saw the release by Journeyman TV of the video report “Let Them Eat Cheese”, a five minute feature on the current state of the Irish economy, the IMF/EU bailout and people’s opinions on being given free cheese at Christmas by the government.

Video Rush: Ireland’s Ghost Estates

There are some 300,000 new homes lying empty all across Ireland. Built in the booming era of the Celtic Tiger the crash has left these ghost estates devoid of life, eerily resembling a 21st century English zombie movie set. This video rush shows some of the abandoned estates and retail areas.

Video Rush: An Alternative Dublin

Ireland is a country of 4.5 million, where 455,000 people are currently unemployed. Homelessness is at an all-time high, charities claiming they are seeing more than double the amount of people seeking help than three years ago. Official figures say there are 4000 homeless people in Dublin alone. This video rush captures scenes of Dublin not usually seen in the tourist brochures.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.

>
Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Statues depicting 1845 famine victims on North Quay in Dublin.

Wednesday 17 November: This morning the Irish government will hold meetings to decide if they will accept the IMF economic bailout.

The Irish economy, known for ten years as the Celtic Tiger, faces extinction. Massive cuts have hit public services, health and welfare. Unemployment stands at 455,000 in a country of 4.5 million, poverty is on the rise and vast estates of new homes built during the economic boom lie empty like 21st century ghost towns.

Public protest is also rising, as is the anger, after the government publically declared their annual EU cheese aid program was evidence they were taking measures to combat the economic decline.

In May protestors attempted to storm the Dail and on Wednesday 3 November Garda riot police attacked a student sitdown and occupation protest with batons and dogs, similar scenes were reflected a week later in London.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.

>
Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Video Rush: Tory Millbank Tower Siege

Monday 10 November 2010: An estimated 52,000 people joined the Fund Our Future protest in London. Thousands descended and lay siege to Millbank Tower, the Conservative Party headquarters. Protestors broke through windows, occupied the lobby and rooftop and set fires in the court yard of the office complex.

This video captures the scenes as riot police moved in to push protestors back, using riot shields and batons in a manner that saw the Territorial Support Group (TSG) condemed at the G20 protests.

One scene captures protestors chanting “This is just the beginning”, a stark warning to the government of the further social unrest to unfurl, as the austerity measures take hold and private interests take advantage of the economic climate to gain control, with ComDem approval, of more public services.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.

>
Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Crude Awakening on Journeyman Pictures

The 15 minute film Gulf, now under the title Crude Awakening, is to be distributed by Journeyman Pictures.

A photogallery by Jess Hurd of the investigation into the aftermath of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the unprecedented use of Corexit dispersant is available here.

The Reader Photoessay

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.

>Stills and print (c) Jason N. Parkinson 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Video (c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Video Rush – 01/11/2010: FBU Picket Line Southwark

A full video rush of the events leading to FBU NEC member Ian Lehair being run down by AssetCo strike-breaking staff on Monday 1 November is now available.

Photogallery by Jess Hurd available here.

(c) Jason N. Parkinson/reportdigital.co.uk

Report Digital

Please contact Report Digital or the AUTHOR for access to this material and the extensive five-year video archive.