Since the new year Belfast has been in the midst of a violent spree of car hijackings across the city mainly targeting vulnerable women. Behind the media spotlight and PSNI spin machine is a deeper context, one where where theose if power are quite contented to confine and manage ’crime’ in working class areas as long as it stays there.

We meant to have this report out a while back, but you know, things just keep happening. It seems we've been pounding the roads of Aghoos and surrounding areas quite a lot at the moment and trying to keep warm by hugging trucks – our, not so new, favourite sport. And there are a lot of trucks to be stopped. They are coming up to every five minutes, so we don't even have to get up that early.

Hello! In Spain there is a very bad situation with the Free Radios in Asturias. We need your support !! ;) Can you send this Comunicado to the Jefatura Provincial de Telecomunicaciones de Asturias and help to make international presion? Please speak about this in the Assembly. And if you can send this Manifiesto to other people much better. Thank you!

Achi

This is the address

Over 6,000 members of Dublin DEIS school communities – parents, teachers and children – protested outside the Department of Education & Skills on Marlborough Streetin Dublin’s city centre on Thursday 19^th January.

Arriving at 6.45 to help set up the room Mick informs me there have been 22 phone calls to the hotel to ask what time the meeting is starting. The room has capacity for 290 sitting. We know there is going to be a problem. By 8 the room is full beyond capacity, people are all along the aisles, backed against the walls and spilling into the corridor, an overflow room is full. 500 at least. Campaign activists are collecting names and distributing literature.  Almost 200 people sign up for membership, over 100 for activity in local groups and another 300 put themselves on the contact list. Hundreds of window posters, car stickers and newsletters are taken.

2 branches of the INTO (Irish National Teachers Organisation) - Dublin North City and Gorey Co. Wexford - have passed a motion condemning the Household tax and supporting the campaign of non-registration and non-payment  at their Annual General Meetings.  

The motion further calls on the CEC (Central Executive Committee) of the union to “support in any way possible INTO members who are victimised for refusing to register for or pay this tax.”

The Derry Anarchists and the Workers Solidarity Movement support the call for people to attend and support all Bloody Sunday commemorative events over the upcoming weekend, including the 'March for Justice' leaving Creggan shops at 2.30 pm on Sunday 29 January.We stand in solidarity with and salute the courage and dignity of all of the members the Bloody Sunday families and the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign in their long struggle for justice and truth.

‘We need to build a united militant campaign against the cuts being imposed by London and their lackeys at Stormont’(Sean Matthews)

Class struggle anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement will be organising a public meeting against the cuts and the anarchist alternative at 2pm in the Na Croisbhealaí workers co-operative, 48 King Street, Belfast this Saturday 28th January at 2pm.

Up to 100 people listened to a rousing speech by former civil rights activist Eamonn McCann on Saturday in defence of the liberated former bank of Ireland building in Belfast followed by a spontaneous march to the city hall without a police permit chanting ‘Whose streets our streets.'

The writer and journalist emphasised the international nature of the Occupy movement and how the occupation must build links with others in struggle and the beginning of a wider fightback. A statement was also read out on behalf of the Independent Workers Union who have been solid in their support and solidarity of the occupation since the beginning.

Occupy Belfast will be holding a rally this Saturday outside the former Bank of Ireland building at 2pm. Following the rally there will be a public general assembly whereby all are invited to participate in the discussion on where next for the movement. There is a stall including leafleting outside the building every day at 1pm if anyone is interested in getting involved.