Editing ACT UP (section)

== England and Scotland ==

=== London ===
Formed in January 1989, by Rob Archer and Rae Trewartha, ACT UP [London] was the first ACT UP chapter in Europe.<ref name="Capital Gay 367">Capital Gay no 376 page 1 & 9 January 27th 1989</ref>

Its first action was at Wellcome's annual shareholder meeting, the parent company of Burroughs Wellcome, the makers of [[Zidovudine|AZT]], the first treatment that targeted HIV directly.<ref name="Capital Gay 367"/>

This was quickly followed by a protest at Pentonville Prison, where condoms were floated over the walls.<ref>pink paper issue 59 page 3 weekending 11 February ’89 </ref><ref>Tribune 10 February 1989 page 2</ref>

The next action was to highlight employment discrimination. It was at Texaco's UK headquarters.  It was the first of a serious of protests against Texaco.<ref>Tribune 24 March 1989 page 2</ref> They later targeted YHA employment discrimination.<ref>Capital Gay May 18th 1990</ref>

The next action blocked traffic at Elephant and Castle, South London's busiest road junction. It called on the government to end the 6 month delay for social security benefits for newly diagnosed people living with AIDS, and to improve the rate. A follow up in October, saw the first arrests in the UK. Three people were arrested including Kenny Lieske from Edinburgh ACT UP.<ref>Pink Paper issue 95 21 October'89 page 1</ref> In March 1990, members of ACT UP London chained themselves to the gates of Downing Street on budget day.

ACT UP London's last protest was a march in Kennington on World AIDS Day (1 December 1993). This was on cuts to social security benefits for disability benefits.

The group was revived by Dan Glass in 2014. The second incarnation came about to campaign for PreP to be made freely available on the NHS. Prep is a pill that if taken regularly prevents HIV infection and transmission.<ref>United Queerdom by Dan Glass</ref>

=== Edinburgh ===
Formed in October 1989, by Kenny Lieske, Rob Archer and Tim Hopkins. Edinburgh had the highest number of HIV cases in Europe, most cases being among drug users.

Edinburgh ACT UP's first protest was on 1 December 1989, World AIDS Day  After a march along Princes Street ending in a rally where balloons were released. One black balloon was released for each person who had died in Scotland, and one white balloon for each person alive living with AIDS.

Edinburgh ACT UP's next action was actually in London, inside Wellcome's annual shareholders' meeting a year after ACT UP London's protest. It got extensive positive coverage in the Scottish print media (before<ref>The Scotsman 12 January 1990 page 7</ref> and after<ref>The Scotsman 17 January 1990 page 3</ref> the action) and likewise with the English quality newspapers.<ref>Capital Gay January 19th 1990 page 4</ref>

Edinburgh ACT UP's most successful campaign was to change how the government funded AIDS in Scotland. The AIDS budget was poorly allocated often not spent on AIDS services at all. The campaign was to target the funding where it was most needed prioritising regions with the most people with HIV. Edinburgh ACT UP's biggest protest blocked traffic outside of the Scottish Office. It attracted MPs and received extensive media coverage. Within a few months the government had capitulated.<ref>https://livingmemory.org.uk/rememberWhen/activism/ Tim Hopkins on ACT-UP</ref>

=== Leeds ===
It was one of the more active chapters in the UK. It successfully changed Leeds Hospital Fund pay out policy to include people with AIDS. Other ACT UPs include Manchester, Glasgow<ref>Edinburgh ACT UP News Issue 1 page 1</ref> and Norwich.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/7b375363-45e9-4a60-927a-456a8f305948 ...ACT UP groups in cities including Manchester, Norwich and Edinburgh.</ref>