After 691 issues, SchNEWS, “The free weekly direct action newssheet published in Brighton, England since 1994” is no more. A mix of serious reporting and irreverent humor, it was born in a squatted courthouse as part of “Justice?”–Brighton’s campaign against the repressive British Criminal Justice Act.
Soon after, some staffers decided to put out a regular news sheet to spread the word about local happenings further afield in the UK, including reports on anti-road fights, struggles such as the Liverpool Dockers, opposition to privatization of public services, reporting on social centers, and sustainable futures.
During its long run, SchNEWS was a regular at protests and events, photocopied by loyal readers and passed out by the thousands. Later, it became available on the Web, making it instantly available worldwide.
While treating all stories with great respect and seriousness, SchNEWS also routinely injected a great deal of humor into its reporting. Just navigate to schnews.org.uk (while it’s still there) to get an idea of the brazen style and spirit.