Over 30 years of anarchist writing from Ireland listed under hundreds of topics
September 2010
Amongst the Rubble: a look at the Christchurch Earthquake from the Bottom Up
Date: Mon, 2010-09-20 16:08
While the dust settles and Christchurch recovers from the 7.1 earthquake, people have begun to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives. But for many working class people this is not so easy. Those most affected by ‘natural disasters’ — whether by the tsunami in the Pacific, earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and now Christchurch, NZ — are those already on the margins of despair.
Thousands march against the Pope in London
Date: Wed, 2010-09-22 10:53
Thousands of protesters opposed to Pope Benedict XVI and his state visit to Britain marched through London on Saturday, slamming the Church over sex abuse, gay rights and a range of other issues. A coalition of demonstrators united under the "Protest the Pope" banner started marching at the edge of Hyde Park, where the pontiff was to later hold an open-air prayer vigil for an estimated 80,000 Roman Catholic victims.
Dublin protest to meet returning TDs
Date: Wed, 2010-09-22 22:23
September 29th sees the politicians return to 'work' after their summer holidays. We'll be there to meet them with our 'Make The Rich Pay' protest.
'Bond markets' see Irish taxpayer as easy touch
Date: Thu, 2010-09-23 00:10
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, Taoiseach Brian Cowen and representatives of the National Treasury Management Agency have spent the time since early Tuesday afternoon boasting about their latest “successful bond auction”.
Garda wielding commando knife brings 19 hour Shell rig occuption to an end
Date: Thu, 2010-09-23 15:19
A spokesperson for the Rossport Solidarity Camp described how an occupation of a Shell drilling platform was brought to an end when the last campaigner was removed when "a Garda climbed out to him with a commando knife and no harness or support gear to hold himself up. He slashed through the ropes, pulled at the person and elbowed him in the head." This followed a a successful 12 hour occupation of a Shell's platform earlier this week (see photo).
“Sack 30,000 public servants” says top financier
Date: Thu, 2010-09-23 18:50
William Slattery, Executive vice-president of financial services company State Street and head of its Irish operation has called for 30,000 public servants to be sacked. Mr. Slattery made his call at a conference to discuss the implementation of the Croke Park agreement.
1% Network Announces ‘Political Walking Tour’ Through Dublin 4
Date: Fri, 2010-09-24 11:05
The 1% network has announced details of a ‘political walking tour’ through the affluent districts of Dublin 2 and Dublin 4. The tour, which will bring protesters through the ‘heartland of the Golden Circle’, will stop at a number of locations, including the new headquarters of Anglo Irish Bank on Burlington Road, property developer Johnny Ronan’s property on Burlington Road and IBEC headquarters on Baggot Street. The tour will assemble at the Wolfe Tone Monument on Stephens Green at 1pm on Saturday, October 9th, 2010.
Financiers lining up to have a go at workers
Date: Fri, 2010-09-24 20:54
On Thursday it was William Slattery of State Street. Today it’s the chair of Goldman Sachs International “a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals.” And workers and the unemployed are again the target.
Solidarity with the general strike in the Spanish state
Date: Wed, 2010-09-29 10:51
The WSM is one of 108 organisations internationally that has signed a statement in support of today's general strike in the Spanish state. Spain like Ireland is one of the countries where the capitalist crisis is hitting the working class hardest, unemployment has reached 20%, but in Spain unlike Ireland large sections of the working class are organising to resist the crisis. Spain has a long history of militant anarchist unions, this statement was prepared by one of them, the CGT, in opposition to the partnership approach taken by most of the unions. It's is preceeded by an analysis by Manu García, a member of another of the unions, the CNT, about the importance of today's general strike.
Cement truck blocks Dail gates to protest Anglo
Date: Wed, 2010-09-29 11:40
It was one of those moments when you're certain that tens of thousands of other people are going through the same emotions at the same time as you. One of the rarer ones of late when the emotion is sheer joy. I wasn't really paying attention to the crackling radio as I was coming around with my cup of tea this morning, chit-chatting to my housemate. But the words 'cement truck', 'Leinster House', 'Dail Eireann', 'Gates' eventually got our attention. Oh the delight of it!
ICTU protest as TDs arrive back to Dáil
Date: Wed, 2010-09-29 18:13
Up to 1,500 workers (Irish Times estimate) marched from Anglo-Irish Bank to the Dáil at lunchtime today. For a lunchtime event with very little publicity it was a surprisingly good turnout. The ICTU leaders had only planned for a stunt to get themselves on the TV news, their original idea was that a couple of hundred union officials and activists would provide a backdrop for David Begg or Jack O'Connor delivering a soundbite.
Tackling Wealth Inequality Must Become a Political Priority
Date: Thu, 2010-09-30 09:44
The 1% Network has said that the tackling of wealth inequality must become a political priority. Citing the TASC survey[i] published in mid-August which showed that 87% of Irish people believe that wealth is unfairly distributed, Gregor Kerr spokesperson for the 1% Network said: “It’s clear that ordinary people see tackling the unfair way in which wealth is distributed in this country as something which should be a political priority. The government want to continue to take the easy option of cutting public services and taking money from the pockets of ordinary people. But the rest of us know that it is unfair that the 1% who own 34% of the wealth should continue to be protected while the we suffer.”
Revealed - more cuts to pay for bank bailout planned
Date: Thu, 2010-09-30 11:59
Within hours of announcing that the real cost of the Anglo bailout was going to be 30 billion plus rather than the 1.5 billion first estimated the government was revealing its plan for further cuts in our pay welfare, and public services to pay for this. The bank bailouts, not totalling 45 billion, will push the budget deficit to 32% of GDP, the government has the intention of continuing to attack the living standards of workers in Ireland until this is reduced to the 3% required by the EU.
Barcelona - General Strike, Bank occupations & riots on day of action
Date: Thu, 2010-09-30 12:48
Yesterday’s General Strike in the Spanish state was a massive success. Large areas of Spain came to a complete halt and Barcelona saw 70% of businesses shut for the day. In a sharp contrast to the situation in Ireland workers went out to make the strike effective. Picketing was serious and effective and it was clear that workers were not sitting back at any time. Barcelona was the scene of prolonged clashes between protesters and the police during most of yesterday.