Workers Solidarity Movement

A younger comrade explained to me how he had travelled over 600 miles to be allowed into a field in Fermanagh to destroy a fence which had been specifically erected for that purpose. It was a sacrificial offering to the black block, complete with blunted razor wire so that they would not injure themselves in the thrashing.  Just when you thought this scene could not get any more surreal, hear this.  Beyond this field lay another barrier, and inside that fence there was a man from the security forces stating that if anyone attempted to get into this field there would be serious consequences.  As per normal in these situations, the violence was always going to come from those in uniform.  The stewards from the Socialist Party approached the black block and explained to them that the busses were leaving.

On a private island in the lake, far away from this absurd scene, the leaders of the G8 were meeting undisturbed.

The uprisings in Brazil - interview with Brazilian anarchist in Sao Paulo by Workers Solidarity on Mixcloud

Andrew, a member of Workers Solidarity Movement, gave  an eyewitness account with photos of the Gezi park protests and the state brutality against people in Istanbul, where he spent a week recently. Sevinc , an anarchist from Turkey,  gave details of the background of the struggle.

The video is includes photos & video from Gezi park.    Recoded Thursday 27 June, 7.30 at Wynns hotel, Dublin

Andrew Flood, member of Workers Solidarity Movement, will give an eyewitness account of the state brutality against people in Istanbul, where he spent a week recently. Sevinc Karaca, an anarchist from Turkey, will give details of the background of the struggle. The talks will be accompanied by photos & video from Gezi park.

A video was made of this meeting 

So this morning, a strike by Stockholm’s bus drivers union Kommunal began in protest against pay cuts and the lack of security in new contracts for workers. Seems like a legitimate grievance? Not according to the right wing Swedish students group, Fria Moderata Studentförbundet (FMSF), who have decided to attempt to break the strike. Or more accurately, to troll ordinary people trying to stand up for themselves and their families livelihoods by driving mini-buses on two of the routes.

Guest Writer: EM

Yesterday I went to a funeral for a man who cared passionately for those who suffered at the hands of state cruelty. He campaigned tirelessly against racism in Ireland and for rights for immigrants. He himself suffered from depression and took his own life. It was a very sad funeral.

In the wake of this week's violent eviction of a squat in London, the state propaganda offensive is in full swing to intimidate and criminalise any opposition to the their savage anti working class agenda. Their divide and conquer strategy has been given an added boost by the organisers of this Saturday's march in Belfast city centre.

I have been in Istanbul for 16 hours, but already there is more to tell than I have the time to write. The purpose of the following blog is not to provide an in-depth analysis of the events that have lead up to the present situation in which I find myself, nor to provide a detailed scholarly analysis of the political, social and economic superstructure to which these events relate (one can find such things elsewhere and in time I intend to contribute to this), rather the purpose of this blog is to provide sporadic updates, quotes, interviews, links and images from the front lines of the as of yet unsatisfactorily termed 'Turkish Summer'.

On Sunday around 30 people attended a talk by Wendy Bacon organised by Jura Books im Sydney on the topic of anarcha-feminism and women's liberation. What did anarcho-feminism mean to 1970s feminists? Does it still have relevance for today's feminists?

In this 45 minute interview Sevinc who recently migrated from Turkey to Ireland provides context on the Gezi park struggle and the police repression from recent regional and left politics. Touches on the Turkish left & anarchist movement, LGBT & Kurdish struggles, the role of the Ultras, army & Police

Turkish anarchist on background to Gezi Park struggle in Istanbul - explanation for the left by Workers Solidarity on Mixcloud