Over 30 years of anarchist writing from Ireland listed under hundreds of topics
On 19th January across Ireland and across the world, anti-fascists will be out in solidarity with Greek anti-fascists as part of a "call for international solidarity with participation in Athens demonstration on 19th of January and antifascist action around the world outside Greek embassies" called by a coalition of anti-fascist and anti-racist groups, immigrant groups, trade unions, students' unions and pupils
A WSM member responds to the crazy claims of the Newtownabbey Times. As the sectarian flag riots continue to burn, one paper the Newtownabbey Times in sensationalised headlines in December of last year attempted to blame riots in the Newtownabbey area on “anarchists hell-bent on damage and destruction.” Quoting South and East Antrim Community Federation spokesman, Tommy Kirkham, a former independent loyalist councillor who previously represented the UDA-linked Ulster Political Research Group, who claimed that known paramilitaries were behind the trouble as “conv
According to RTE (Monday 14th Jan), “The opening negotiations on a new public service agreement have ended after a meeting between management and unions.” It’s tempting to ask whether anyone on either side of the talks has even a basic idea of what the word “negotiations” means. Even in a hostage situation, if the police open “negotiations” with the hostage takers, it’s usually with a tacit understanding that there will have to be some concessions made in order to secure the release of the hostages. In this case however, it’s akin to the police negotiator discussing with the hostage taker whether the hostages are to be killed by gunshot, stabbing or poisoning. The notion that the role of the negotiator is to secure the release of the hostages has been ditched.
From across the country, over three hundred members of the Campaign against Household and Water Taxes attended an open discussion in the Red Cow, Tallaght about the future of the campaign as it faces into a new phase of opposition in 2013. The numbers attending far exceeded the organisers’ expectations and delayed the start of the meeting for half an hour.
Last week, Anti-Fascist Action (AFA) recieved news that Neo-Nazi, Niko Puhakka was to compete in a MMA bout in Dublin. After AFA got the word went out on social media (which was then spread by the WSM, Rabble, LookLeft and others), and email campaign ensued and fight promoters Celtic Gladiator pulled Puhakka from the line-up. The following interview was conducted with AFA's Morry Donnelly, just before that news broke.
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. The mass inflammatory leafleting by unionist parties in the days leading up to the council vote served to heighten fears in a constituency which is easily inflamed and mobilised in defence of the realm. This is not the cause of the disturbances; but the logical conclusion of capitalist decay and opportunist politicians battling for the hearts and minds of protestant working class communities- disenchanted and disillusioned with the peace dividends promised over 10 years ago.
Once again violence has flared across Belfast and other parts of the north as protests continue around the flags issue. The latest disturbances come as Stormont Assembly leaders, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness meet to discuss another wave of street protests, and their concerns about the damaging effect it is having on the economy leading up to the busiest shopping period of the calendar. But as each issued a separate statement calling for protests to come to an end, loyalist gangs flexed their muscles, blocking off streets and hijacking cars.
Europe's wall of shame has been completed in Greece's northeast ground border with Turkey. The wall is four-metre-high and is blocking a 10.365 meters-long strip of land from army guarding post of Kastanies down south to river Evros. The name of the company constructed the wall on behalf of the Greek state is DAGRES A.T.E ( ΔΑΓΡΕΣ Α.Τ.Ε).
Following an 11 hour riot sparked by a brutal police attack on demonstrations against the inauguration of the new president in Mexico City on 1 December, the local government declares a witch hunt against anarchists. Through declarations made by the head of the Government of the Federal District (Mexico City is constitutionally incorporated as a Federal District, following the US model) blame for the bloody events has been directed at Mexican anarchists. Over 50 anarchists remain in prison and face being charged with terrorist legislation and scapegoated for what was a public outpouring of fury at intolerable economic deprivation, official corruption and police brutality. WSM is reprinting below the statement from the Mexican Anarchist Black Cross in response to the accusations of anarchists being the instigators and "ring-leaders" of the events of 1st December, to spread awareness of the current repression in Mexico.
This afternoon the government had finally confirmed that it is to legislate for abortion access under the conditions of the X-case. While we can welcome the failure of the anti-choice movement to stop this announcement, despite frantically spending a quarter of a million
dollars euro in ten days, this is so little so late that it is almost meaningless. Perhaps a thousand women a year are already providing a very much more comprehensive abortion access for themselves through the use of pills ordered off the internet while 4,000 plus fly to other countries. Abortion access under the very limited conditions of the X-case will mean nothing to almost all of these women.