Workers Solidarity Movement

Despite the bad weather and the protest being organised at short notice (within a day) as well as a passing interest from the PSNI, the Belfast branch of the WSM, Anarchist Black Cross joined others outside Belfast City Hall this evening as part of the growing national and international campaign. In solidarity with Amadeu Casellas who is now entering his 73rd day on hunger strike; and the opposition to his continued political incarceration and persecution by the Spanish state because of his anarchist beliefs

The recession in the economy means that working people are having to come to terms with growing house repossessions, below inflation pay-increases, and a steep rise in the cost of living. Meanwhile, property developers and banks are busy using the credit crunch and the downturn in the housing market to get Government bail outs, despite the fact that it was their speculative polices that helped created the mess in the first place.

The author wrote this as part of his Dissertation in 2008 in Queens University titled ‘Anarchism and the Law’. The author firstly recalls a historical overview of the anarchism, its proponents and their position on laws and how society deals with anti-social behaviour and their vision for the future, from Godwin to the present especially during revolutions when anarchist ideas and movements flourished. He then moves on to the thorny subject of the meaning of “law” and its relationship anarchism, liberalism and authoritarian socialists.

The last few paragraphs examine case studies from Paris Communards 1871, Makhnovichna (the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army in the Ukraine) 1917-22, CNT-FAI militia in Spain 1936-39, Christiana in Denmark today, EZLN in Chiapas today. The response of anarchist groups in Ireland and abroad to crime and the law is also briefly discussed and reviewed.

Finally the author concludes which serves as a lesson to us all,

“Saying ‘no blueprints’ (detailed outlook) is a cop out for having no solution. The past always imposes itself on the present. For anarchism to have a future anarchists need to convince more people. If anarchists want to be taken seriously they have to be able to provide credible alternatives on the key issues that concern people including crime prevention.”

The Dublin WSM is picketing the Spanish Embassy at 6pm in Ballsbridge tonight in solidarity with Amadeu Casellas and anarchist prisoner of the Spanish state who is approaching his 70th day on hunger strike. The embassy is very close to the Sydney parade Dart station, please come along at 6pm sharp if you can spare a few minutes.