MayDay 2001

Groups around the world are gearing up for another day of anti-capitalist celebration on May 1.
Below are reports on just some of the activities planned for Aotearoa.

may day in wellington

CONTENTS

neo-liberal globalisation and
the tino rangatiratanga
movement

mayday 2001

water bill payment strike

direct action gets results!

glimpses of an alternative
society (part 3)

pga aotearoa

waterfront dispute continues

wage

may day - a brief history

In 1886, two anarchists, Lucy and Albert Parsons, walked arm in arm with their children down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. They walked at the head of 80,000 workers in the world's first ever May Day parade. At that moment, over 340,000 workers across the USA went on strike in support of the 8-hour day.

The next day, Chicago police attacked peaceful strikers with guns and clubs, killing and wounding several. On May 3, Chicago anarchists led 6,000 striking lumberworkers to the aid of strikers at the McCormick Machine Co (now called International Harvester). Again the police attacked with no provocation, and again several strikers were killed or wounded. Outraged, the anarchists called a protest meeting for the next day at the Haymarket, urging workers to come armed.

The meeting was peaceful, and a shower of rain sent away a lot of the crowd. When only 200 remained, the police suddenly attacked. In the confusion, a bomb sailed through the air, and exploded among the police, killing one and wounding seventy. In reply, the police opened fire, killing four and wounding others.

In the hysterical aftermath, there were many calls in the mainstream media for the "violent handling of all anarchists and other such traitors". One description of anarchists was "... long haired, wild eyed, bad smelling, atheistic, reckless foreign wretches, who never did an honest hour's work in their lives, but who, driven half-crazy with years of oppression (before coming to the Land of the Free) and mad with envy of the rich..."

In the days that followed, eight anarchists were arrested and charged in relation to the bomb. Five were sentenced to hang, and the other three received prison sentences. On November 11, 1886, Parsons, Spies, Fischer and Engels were hung. Ling had committed suicide in his cell the night before, rather than allow the State to take his life.

It has never been discovered who threw the bomb at the police, but it was certainly not any of the eight convicted for it: six of them were not even there at the time! Six years later, the State Governor released the three survivors from jail, admitting that there had never been any evidence to show they were guilty, or the other five.

bosses of the world - unite

A shadowy group in Christchurch (rumoured to have links with local anarchist group the Anarchist Round Table) is bucking tradition this year and organising a celebration of capitalism on May Day.

Posters have appeared around town urging bosses to "reclaim May Day from the lazy workers, who are doing nothing with it".

Bosses and workers alike are being invited to join a Reverend Lovebucks in a worship of the almighty dollar and the invisible hand of the free market.

Organisers will also be giving away free money and urging people to spend up large, as we all know that more consumption on the part of the wealthy is the key to eliminating poverty and providing meaningful employment for all.

Festivities are due to get under way at 12 noon at the amphitheatre on the corner of Cashel Mall and High Street.

may day mayhem in london

London police appear to have opened a propaganda campaign against this year's May Day demonstration with the eviction of a squatted social centre in Brixton.

Reports in the capitalist press said 200 cops, some in riot gear, took part in the operation on March 31. Construction equipment was used to partially demolish the building to prevent re-occupation.

The Button Faktory had been operating as a cheap bar and cafe, and venue for punk and other gigs and for political meetings for nearly a year. The centre raised quite a bit of money for anarchist and other causes, and lots of people had some good times there.

Press reports claimed that the "secret training centre" was being used for "drilling 500 rioters" in preparation for attacks on police on May 1.

Police were quoted claiming a "new radical organisation of anarchists is importing a frightening brand of continental style violence into British protests."

Button Faktory organisers believe the improvised body armour the cops claim to have found was a Ned Kelly outfit made for a fancy dress party at the Faktory some months previously. They also note that photos in the press show police kicking open a door that was never locked.
- Sam Buchanan