News

Can't we all just get along? An apolitical response to political events in Belfast

Submitted by Ramona on Jan 14 2013 21:43
The Peace Gathering

A Belfast comrade writes about the "Peace Gathering", called in response to Loyalist protests about the removal of the Union Flag from Belfast City Hall.

On 16th December 2012 about 1000 people gathered at Belfast City Hall in the wake of 2 weeks of demonstrations, some of them violent, by Loyalist protesters angered by the City Councils' decision to fly the Union Flag only on 'designated days' rather than the full 365 days a year as it has done up until now.

In memory of Cameron Minshull

Submitted by Ramona on Jan 13 2013 15:14
Cameron Minshull

Greater Manchester Hazards Centre and Families Against Corporate Killers statement on the death of Cameron Minshull, 16, at an engineering company in Bury, Thursday 10th January 2013.

WE are so very sad for Cameron Minshull, who was only 16 years old when he was killed at an engineering company in Bury, where he had worked as an apprentice for only a matter of weeks. We would like to send our condolences to his family who are naturally devastated.

Tinley Park five accept non-cooperating plea bargain

Submitted by working class s... on Jan 10 2013 21:07

From Anti-racist action - On January 4, 2013 all members of the Tinley Park Five accepted a non-cooperating plea bargain in which they each plead guilty to three felony counts of Armed Violence in exchange for “lenient” sentences and the guarantee of ‘day-for-day’ good behavior. Jason Sutherlin was sentenced to 6 years. Cody Lee Sutherlin and Dylan Sutherlin were sentenced to 5 years. Alex Stuck and John Tucker were sentenced to 3 1/2 years due to their youth and complete lack of criminal history. Each will be placed upon two years of supervised release upon release from prison.

Before the plea was accepted, the State offered the Tinley Park Five one last chance to betray their comrades in exchange for their freedom. What a waste of time! As anarchist and antifascists, the Tinley Park Five are no more capable of selling out the struggle than their broken system is capable of reforming itself! They laughed at the offer and bravely accepted their fate.

Pakistani truckers on strike, blockading NATO supplies

Submitted by Ramona on Jan 10 2013 16:26
Transport workers at a rally in Karachi, 9th Jan 2013

Truckers delivering NATO supplies to isolated coalition ground troops in Afghanistan have gone on strike, in protest against lower pay, poor security, and corrupt customs officials who demand bribes from the truckers. The unions are calling for other transport workers throughout the region to join the strike action.

Jehanzeb Khan, president of Khyber Trailers Drivers and Workers Union, announced the strike on 8th of January. The strike comes after the deaths and kidnapping of many truckers and crew members bringing supplies to Afghanistan, whose families have yet to be compensated for their loss.

Never Surrender: Kerry Cunneen subpoenaed to the NW grand jury

Submitted by John E Jacobsen on Jan 10 2013 01:59

From the Seattle Free Press: Portland anarchist Kerry Cunneen has announced their refusal to cooperate with the grand jury investigating the May Day attack on the Nakamura federal courthouse in Seattle. Kerry’s subpoena, which was delivered on December 14th, stated that they were required to appear just 5 days later on the 19th. Their lawyer successfully got the date pushed back until January 3rd, when Kerry declined to even enter the grand jury room. Kerry has stated that they will never under any circumstance cooperate with this or any state in persecuting themselves or others:

Quote:
I have been subpoenaed to the grand jury in Seattle investigating Anarchists in the Pacific Northwest. I was called to testify on January 3rd at 9am. I did not appear before the grand jury. I will not cooperate with this grand jury nor will I in any way aid the state in its efforts to imprison people.

Ulster loyalism, flag protests and the failure of zero sum politics

Submitted by Maloney on Jan 9 2013 12:12

The continuing opposition by loyalists to the decision by Belfast city council to limit the flying of the Union Jack is a product of a deeply sectarian colonial settlement that smothers the importance of class.

The disturbances were pretty predicable in the context of summer riots over parading, intra unionist rivalry and rising anger in traditional protestant working class communities over shortage of jobs, housing and perceived gains made by the ‘nationalist’ community.

Youths in shorts and flip-flops throwing rocks at cops: Update from Lisbon

Submitted by Steven. on Jan 8 2013 22:20

Report on the struggles against austerity in Portugal, focusing on the street demonstrations and riots which continue to escalate.

In the last few years Portugal has been singled out as the well-behaved student of the IMF and EU, quietly taking note of the teacher’s class while all the others were wreaking havoc. Unlike Greece and other countries, which regularly provide footage of massive demonstrations for the rest of the world to see, in Portugal, besides minor scuffles and folkloric activism, all was well.

Benefit envy without benefit - Junge Linke

Submitted by Django on Jan 2 2013 23:16

Junge Linke discuss the government's mobilisation of benefits envy as part of its assault on living standards.

The government is undertaking a massive impoverishment programme, part of which is to cut housing benefits.

Communique from the Mexico Anarchist Black Cross

Submitted by working class s... on Dec 28 2012 22:35

In recent days, following the events of the demonstrations on December 1st for the presidential inauguration of Enrique Peña Nieto, during which the police forces, both of the Federal [national] and Federal District [Mexico City] forces, brutally repressed demonstrators - officials of the Federal District government, amongst whom were the head of government of the FD and the capital’s attorney, have made statements declaring that those responsible for the clashes are anarchist groups.

Faced with this, we want to clarify:

Anti-fascists of Kazan, Russia need solidarity!

Submitted by S2W on Dec 22 2012 13:31

Our friend Oleg is threatened with 5 years in prison, as he is facing charges according to statutes 213 (hooliganism) and 116 parts 2a, 2b (battery) of Russian criminal codex. This is already second such case against Oleg, first time he was charged 3 years ago.

Officers of the E-center have been using every possible means against local activists - blackmailing, torture, illegal searches and arrests, calls to workplaces and universities. Oleg needs financial support for the legal costs, as his family is not able to cover legal costs on their own.

You may transfer money straight to Kazan via Yandex-purse