• This Sunday, November 27, the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU) is holding a public meeting @ the Unitarian Peace Memorial Church in East Melbourne to discuss ‘Solving Our Job Agency Crisis’. Confirmed speakers include David Thompson (CEO Jobs Australia), Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance, Moreland City Councillor), Duncan Storrar (Freedom From Poverty), Pas Forgione (Coordinator, Anti Poverty Network SA), Owen Bennett (President, Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union) and Godfrey Moase (Assistant Secretary, National Union of Workers). See also : How Malcolm Turnbull’s Men Keeps The Dole Bludger Boogeyman Alive, Owen Bennett, New Matilda, November 20, 2016.
• Next Sunday, December 4, Jewsagainstfascism have organised a counter-rally — We Remember: Celebrate Multiculturalism, Oppose Pauline Hanson — to welcome *cough* One Nation MPs Pauline ‘Please Explain?’ Hanson and Malcolm ‘Jew World Order’ Roberts to Caulfield. The MPs have been invited to speak in Melbourne by a handful of her racist, right-wing fanboys at IDF Training (105 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North); the counter-rally starts at midday.
One Nation Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts are slated to “speak to, and take questions from, the Jewish community” in Caulfield on December 4.
Pauline Hanson and One Nation have been at the forefront of promoting Islamophobia. Malcom Roberts’ antisemitic conspiracy theories, are too far out there even for Andrew Bolt.
In the late nineties, the Jewish community was heavily involved in the fight against Pauline Hanson and her racism. We defeated her then and we can do it again.
This is a great opportunity to come together as a community and assert Jewish social justice ethics in a time of great uncertainty and heightened racism.
Multicultural street party against Hanson!
Defend multiculturalism! Fight racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism!
On this month’s edition of Floating Anarchy on The SUWA Show (5.30pm /// Friday, September 23 /// 855AM /// streaming live on 3CR), Dr Cam and I have a yarn with uber-special-lovely-Berlin-squatter-guests Lukas, Patrick & Rizo all about Rigaer94, squatting in Berlin, anti-gentrification, anti-fascism, naughty pixies and moar!
George Katsiaficas’s account covers the period 1968-1996 and pays special attention to the role of autonomous feminist movements, the effects of squatters and feminists on the disarmament movement and on efforts to shut down nuclear power, and the antifascist social movements developed in response to the neo-Nazi upsurge.
In addition to providing a rare depiction of these often overlooked movements, Katsiaficas develops a specific notion of autonomy from the statements and aspirations of these movements. Drawing from the practical actions of social movements, his analysis is extended into a universal standpoint of the species, a perspective he develops by uncovering the partiality of Antonio Negri’s workerism, Seyla Benhabib’s feminism and notions of uniqueness of the German nation.
On this month’s episode of ‘Floating Anarchy’ on The SUWA Show on 3CR (5.30pm /// Friday, August 26 /// 855AM /// livestreaming on the 3CR website), our extra special guest is writer, musician and raconteur Iain McIntyre, who talks a bit about … squatting! Iain also helps maintains the Australian Museum of Squatting — ‘A celebration and documentation of Australians putting abandoned and disused property to good use’ — which is ace and grouse.
Otherwise, it’s a very busy weekend for squatters.
On Saturday in Footscray:
Hot Shots Monthly Skillshare presents: SQUATTING IN AUSTRALIA – PAST AND PRESENT
‘An afternoon of discussions, talks and skillshares exploring squatting in Australia, its history, current campaigns, practical skills and more.’
See : HOTTTSHOTS! for more infos on Saturday’s fun and all the other heaps good stuff happening @ Footscray’s hottest spot. (NB. On Friday night there’s a benefit gig for compañerxs @ Rumah Api in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.)
On Sunday in Collingwood:
Bendigo St Festival, Collingwood ⌂⌂⌂ Celebrating Community ⌂⌂⌂
‘This Sunday, join us as we celebrate almost 5 months of fighting homelessness and building community in Narrm Melbourne. Many houses along Bendigo Street will open their doors, to share food, live music, workshops, film screenings, and conversations about housing and homelessness.’
nb. 3cr held a radiothon june 6-19. you can still donate to the station to halp keep people-powered radio on air; if you wanna support The SUWA Show nominate it when you donate!
This Sunday: it is best to assume that we are safer – together – in a large crowd.
Difficult situations such as confrontations with fascists can be frightening but it is important to spread calm in the crowd at all times.
A normal response to high intensity situations is often to speed up – freeze, fight or flee. Sometimes these instincts are necessary to our survival but spreading calm means knowing when to slow down, breathe and assess the situation.
Another great way to spread calm is not to run.
Running sends out confusing signals: it’ll cause the counter rally to loose cohesion, it’ll create panic and most devastatingly of all people WILL get left behind!
In crisis situations people tend to mirror the emotions of those around them, so if things are appearing a bit [chaotic] stay calm and suggest a safer position by saying something like “I think we should walk over there”, rather than shouting something alarming like “RUN!”
Good communication with your buddy, the people around you and the marshals means we are all acting in solidarity with each other … and no one gets left behind!
PRO-TIP 02: WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE EXPOSED TO PEPPER SPRAY!
Victoria Police have an ever increasing record of pepper spray deployment.
The very best advice regarding pepper spray is to not get sprayed or contaminated!
Consider wearing a scarf, mask and/or eye protection to the action.
If you see that pepper spray is about to be deployed:
– STAY CALM AND DON’T PANIC. There are lots of good reasons to avoid panic: panic is contagious and if groups of people panic, they almost always make poor decisions and quickly descend into chaos
– WALK, DON’T RUN away from the pepper spray
– AVERT YOUR EYES, MOUTH AND NOSE (calling loudly: “Pepper spray! Cover up!” is a comradely thing to do also); bury your face into a scarf or under your shirt
If you are contaminated either by primary or secondary exposure, here are some crucial tips to get you through it:
– STAY CALM. Exposure to pepper spray is awful but this is the worst part and with prompt aftercare, things will quickly begin to get better. Opening your eyes will be the most difficult moment but acute symptoms can usually be overcome within 20mins-2 hours, with appropriate aftercare
– COME STRAIGHT TO THE STREET MEDICS! Work together with your buddies and the crowd in getting all casualties quickly to the Street Medics. Loudly call “MEDIC” and others will know to assist. Melbourne Street Medic Collective members are trained in pepper spray decontamination and use protocols in alignment with global street medicine practice
– DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES RUB YOUR EYES and avoid touching yourself altogether (if however you are wearing contact lenses, these must be removed as soon as possible)
– DON’T SCREAM. This will only draw the chemicals deeper into your airways
If you are exposed to pepper spray you will need to change your clothes before going indoors or entering a vehicle or public transport and you will also need to take special care when you arrive home. The Melbourne Street Medics can provide more information in the event of exposure.
PRO-TIP 03: MIND YOUR MATES
At the very least, bring one trusted friend/family member (but ideally 2 or 3) to buddy with at a rally. You will be their rock and they will be yours; stick together like glue.
Sometimes things will get out of hand, especially if <> are involved and you WILL need each other. Use the buddy system to assess each other’s mental & emotional state, get a second opinion; share supplies; be each other’s advocate, especially if you encounter the police or need the assistance of street medics. Most of all you can help keep each other safe.
Before the rally kicks off, write the phone number of buddy(s) in permanent marker on your arm . Being a buddy means you never leave your partner(s) field of vision but, if you do get split up during the action, be certain to have a back-up plan or meeting place in mind so you can hook up again later.
Leave the rally with your buddy(s); seeing each other off home/on public transport/to their bikes/cars etc out of harm. Under no circumstances should members of your organisation be left abandoned, by themselves, without transport, as has happened at previous actions.
Check in with them over the next days with a phone call/face to face contact/social media. If you have to come alone, please try and make your presence known to another approachable, friendly looking comrade who you can mutually have each other’s back for as per above.
PRO-TIP 04: BE RESPONSIBLE, BE PREPARED!
It is very important that you have enough basic supplies to keep yourself warm, hydrated and protected from the elements at political actions, particularly when they could go for a while. This makes it easier on you, and ensures you respect the people around you by not assuming they will just take care of everything for you.
First and most importantly, bring a bottle of water – dehydration can creep up on you, especially in cold weather when you’re less likely to be conscious of drinking water. Street medics can’t carry enough water for everyone, and this goes double if pepper spray is deployed and we need to conserve water for decontamination. A couple of low-GI snacks such as bananas and muesli bars are also good to have on hand, as going without food can lead to low blood sugar levels and put you at risk of dizziness, fainting, and not thinking clearly (try to eat at least a small breakfast too).
Sensible wet weather clothing and enclosed shoes are also important – standing around cold and soaking wet is a surefire way to speed up hypothermic symptoms, especially if you have been exposed to pepper spray, and thongs are a bad idea with crowds of people or police horses about!
If you take medications (or have an asthma inhaler), please remember to bring a small supply with you, particularly in the case of arrest or if you find yourself being unable to leave an area for an extended period of time.
And, finally, try to bring a small amount of cash (enough for a taxi) and a Myki card with a little bit of money on it, ensuring you are able to leave if a situation becomes unsafe.
On this month’s episode of the ‘Floating Anarchy’ edition of The SUWA Show (3CR /// 855AM /// Friday, January 22, 2016: 5.30-6.30pm), my co-host Dr Cam Smith and I talk to Professor Rob Sparrow of Monash University — recently declared to be the author of my blog by some neo-Nazi critics — and to Jason Wilson, a freelance journalist who’s written several articles for The Guardian on the subject of the ongoing occupation by ‘patriots’ of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, USA.
