June 2010

Thousands demonstrate in Dublin against Israeli attack on Freedom Flotilla

Date:

Over two thousand people took to the streets of Dublin last night to protest the bloody attack by the Israeli military on the Freedom flotilla to Gaza which left between 9 and 19 people dead and dozens injured. The assembled crowd heard that least five people from Ireland were now in an Israeli jail awaiting trial for refusing to co-operate with being deported from a country they had been brought to against their will, after their ships were hijacked by the heavily armed pirates of the IDF.

Cork Solidarity Vigil for the Slain Freedom Flotilla Activists, 1st June 2010.

Date:

Between 6p.m. and 8p.m. Monday evening a dozen or more of the city's Palestine solidarity activists held a vigil on Patrick St. To remember the 19 people slain when Israeli commandos wantonly attacked the Freedom Flotilla on its way to Gaza to break the illegal blockade imposed by Israel and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid. This evening's vigil followed a well-attended static protest against Israel's murderous attack on the international aid convoy at Daunt Sq. this afternoon. The people at that protest went on to briefly picket the main supermarkets in the city centre to persuade shoppers to boycott Israeli produce and force that murderous rogue state to respect human rights and desist from their oppression of Palestinians and end the occupation of their land.

Right to Work protest fails to bring out the numbers

Date:

Just over 300 people took part in the SWP's Right to Work demonstration last night. This was a considerable drop in numbers from the first two demonstrations which saw around 1000 take part and last weeks which saw 600 or more march. This is despite the massive postering effort that had gone into the march. James O'Toole of the SWP said from the stage that 30 people had been involved in postering the city. There was certainly an impressive quantity of posters up all the way out to the canals and beyond. 

Czech camera man describes beating of Irish activist in Israeli prison

Date:

This interview is with the well known Czech camera man Jan Línek who was on the ship alongside the Mavi Marmara when the Israeli military killed at least 10 activists. In it he describes conditions on board, the struggle by the activists to protect the captain, how his camera was confiscated and how he was tricked into signing deportation papers on shore and then told he wasn't getting his camera back. When in prison they were denied sleep and he witnessed an Irish man being beaten in front of him.

The Media as truth killer - Radio Solidarity Prog. 4

Date:

The audio of Radio Solidarity show 4 is now online. It's all about the Media, how they shape reality to suit their needs, how they attempt to manufacture Consent, how being corporate has lead to 'Churnalism' and how the truth becomes a casualty.

Youth Defence panic as ABC case result expected from European courts

Date:

The anti-woman, anti-choice group Youth Defence have launched a new advertising campaign which includes targetted Facebook ads ahead of the anticipated ABC decision in the European courts.  In this case three women, known as A, B and C, are challenging Ireland’s ban on abortion in the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that the law jeopardised their health and their well being and that travelling abroad for an abortion placed "enormous physical, emotional and financial burdens" upon them. Because the law created delays and hardships for each woman, it resulted in each of them having a later abortion, creating a greater risk to their health. 

Research papers on how the media covers protests

Date:

This collection of articles looks at how the media try to discredit protesters in relation to Ireland, London and the US. They were mentioned by Barry Finnegan on Radio Solidarity Show 4.

Dub - Flotilla Deportees to Speak at Mass Demonstration March

Date:

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has called a mass demonstration for 2pm this Saturday in Dublin at which the Freedom Flotilla deportees will speak. The demonstration will assemble at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance and from there will march to the Department of Foreign Affairs on St. Stephen's Green.

Israeli Apartheid, BDS and Grassroots Resistance in Palestine - Audio from the Anarchist Bookfair

Date:

Dublin solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla marchThis is the recording of the 'Israeli Apartheid, BDS and Grassroots Resistance in Palestine' from the 2010 anarchist bookfair. The speaker is Freda Hughes from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Topics covered in the one hour audio include the apartheid wall and settlements, experiences of the occupied territories, popular committees and Bi'lin, the cage protest and other direct actions, how Israeli activists argue for the boycott, Zionism, the freedom flotilla, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions.

Connolly Shoes Strike - Two more strikers fired

Date:

Two more workers have been fired in the Connolly Shoes strike which was recently granted 'all out strike' status by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).  The four workers now dismissed have over 100 years service to the company between them and have been dismissed for refusing to sign a document in effect agreeing to accept any conditions imposed by management.  The strike is now in its 9th week with management refusing to enter into talks at the Labour Relations Commission.

Demonstrations in Israel against the flotilla attack

Date:

One of the main myths of those who support the Zionist state of Israel is that all Jews, inside and outside of Isreal support that state.  In fact there is small but significant opposition to the oppression of the Palestians from people of Jewish background inside of Isreal.  Since the Israeli military attacked the Freedom Flotilla there have been onging demonstrations agains the attack in Isreal itself, demonstrations that have been largely ignore by Israeli and international media.

Launch of Irish Anarchist Review - audio

Date:

The first copies of this new publication were distributed as Gardai attacked the Anglo Irish bank occupationon Saturday 15th May and then attempted to stop the anti-capitalist bloc march on Tuesday 18th May but this was the formal launch of the new WSM magazine Irish Anarchist Review. Much of the content of the magazine looks at the fight against the capitalist crisis in the workplace. Authors & editors introduce the articles followed by some questions about the new format.

Castlebar Locals hold vigil for murdered Freedom Flotilla activists

Date:

Almost one hundred Castlebar locals and members of local political groups including Workers Solidarity Movement took to the streets holding a vigil in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the activists murdered by IDF forces. A strong message of outrage at these atrocities and anger at the continuing siege of Gaza was relayed from speakers and the protesters. Calls for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the Isreali state were prominent from those assembled. Further protests are planned throughout the Mayo area including plans for a Mayo Trade Boycott.

Raytheon 9 women found not guilty

Date:

On January 12 2009 9 women entered Raytheon in Derry with the intention of bringing down the mainframe (and halting production in Britain and Ireland) as a direct response to the Israeli bombing of Gaza. The 9 women didn't make it to the mainframe but did chain themselves to the inside doors and were charged with "Burglary, Criminal Damage and Assault." Days after the Israeli military assault on the Freedom Flotilla which left at least 9 activsts dead the 9 women have been found not guilty by the Belfast High Court.

Radio report from the Toyosi's Shitabbey Solidarity Rally for Friends and Family

Date:

People gathered at the Garden of Remberance on the 10th of April - to support the family of Toyosi Shitta-bey, a 15 year old boy who died after being attacked on Good Friday.  People were there to send out a message that racist attacks have no place in the Irish society that we want, and that this should never happen again.

Anarchism and The State

Date:

The state is a central concept in the political philosophy of Anarchism. Anarchism is often defined as being an anti-state ideology. While this is sometimes a useful way to distinguish anarchists from other state socialists it also leads to a fair bit of confusion. We will look at the source of this confusion with the aim of showing that anarchism is in its essence opposed to rulers and is not a naive or idealistic form of anti-statism.

Dublin: Restaurant workers protest

Date:

 

Low Wage Restaurant Workers Protest Wage Attacks at Restaurant Association of Ireland’s Gala Dinner.

Wednesday, 9 June
Start: 6pm. End: 7:30pm
Burlington Hotel, Upper Leeson St, Dublin

Guess who the "Business & Finance" Business Person of the Month for May 2010 is.... You couldn't make this up!

Date:
  • For services rendered to the boss class
  • For advising union members to vote in favour of the Croke Park agreement and "acknowledging its importance to the economy"
  • Because "Realising the damage that further disruption could cause to Ireland's reputation abroad, he said: "If you have a long industrial campaign...the interpretation of it externally would be that the Government wasn't able to honour its commitments and consequently, the credibility of Government bonds would be very much in question,"

Activist video's emerge that show defence of Mavi Marmara

Date:

Despite the efforts of the Israeli military and propaganda machine which stole all the footage they could find on board the Freedom Flotilla some footage activists succesfully snuck past the jailers has started to emerge.  The Isreali propaganda team has already released out of context fragments obviously taken from stolen equipment to try and bolster its case, the fact that only a few seconds (that show a firework being thrown) could be found speaks volumes.

US Trying to Plug the wiki Leaks

Date:

Pentagon investigators "are desperately searching" for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, to try and prevent the publication of over 260,000 diplomatic cables that were allegedly leaked by intelligence analyst Bradley Manning.