UK

They Can't Extinguish The Fire!

yet another leaflet about cuts and the student riots...

The outbreaks of rebellion on November 10th/24th, and the (right royal) fun on December 9th gave us all a boost – there’s nothing like rioting to warm up a chilly winter. Hopefully the demolition of Millbank, the tugs of war with the police and the attacks on government buildings and random royals, as well as the wildfire of college occupations around the country are just the opening round, not only for the students, but for the rest of us facing grim years of cuts, losing our jobs, homes or services… Can we look forward to defiance of the austerity program spreading to public sector workers, council tenants, and beyond?

So far many local or not so local anti-cuts campaigns have sprung up to try to work together to resist. The writers of this leaflet have been involved in anti-cuts campaigns before. For years, in fact three decades, each Spring seemed to bring new rounds of threats to this service or that community centre in our localities.

On violence against the police - The Commune

A participant in the 9 December demonstrations against education cuts and fees in Parliament Square writes on the use of political violence, and condemnation of it in the media.

The condemnations are as predictable as they are boring. The public-school educated Sun hacks, who write like some coked up parodies of proletarian semi-literacy, refer to “louts” and “hooligans”. The Daily Mail complains about someone urinating against Churchill’s statue, and the Telegraph is dismayed that Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were “attacked”. Probably by a “baying mob”.

Day of action, 9th December

Photos from the 9th December demonstration against education cuts.

December 9th day of action against cuts and fees

Tens of thousands of school and university students will walk out of class again today another national day of action against cuts and tuition fees.

Protests have seen demonstrations across the country with occupations at universities, council buildings and political party offices across the UK. More action is predicted to happen as a result of today's day of action.

Statement on the Goldsmiths Occupation

A statement from a member of staff who participated in the occupation of Goldsmiths University library. While we find the text interesting, it should be noted that we do not condone the behaviour of the individual who wrote it. See comments below the article for more information.

I was among those supporting a real occupation of Goldsmiths this week. A large group of students, staff and supporters agreed before the library was occupied that only a significant disruption of the normal functioning of the university would contribute to blocking the govt's plans and forcing action from the university management.

Ten days in the class war: Merseyside and the 1926 general strike

Battleships on the Mersey, riots in Wirral, and almost everyone refusing to work! Adam Ford takes a look at the role played by Merseysiders in the biggest strike the UK has ever seen, and launches a new internet archive about those ten incredible days.

It was just eighty years ago - within living memory - and it took place on the streets where we walk every day, but it seems like a different world. Merseyside came to an almost total standstill as workers downed tools and joined together to fight against the rich and the government that represented them.