Can't We All Just Get Along?: An apolitical response to political events in Belfast

A member of the Belfast local (in-formation) writes...

On 16th December 2012 about 1000 people gathered at Belfast City Hall in the wake of 2 weeks of demonstrations, some of them violent, by Loyalist protesters angered by the City Councils' decision to fly the Union Flag only on 'designated days' rather than the full 365 days a year as it has done up until now. The gathering at City Hall was billed as being 'about peace' and 'to show that Northern Ireland has moved on'. Leaving aside the facts that the approximately 1000 attendees were 1000 out of about 3500 who had proclaimed to be 'attending' on facebook, and the fact that a Loyalist demonstration the previous day at the same location was able to attract roughly similar numbers, we have to ask, 'moved on' to what?, and for whom?

IWA 90th anniversary conference report

On January 5th 2013, South London SF hosted a conference to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the International Workers Association (IWA), to which SF is affiliated. The programme was lively and aimed not only at the history of the IWA but also at the current activities of the sections. As well as participants from across the UK, comrades came from France (CNT-F GAP), Slovakia (Priama Akcia) and Germany (FAU).

Liverpool public meeting: Combat The Bedroom Tax!

Between 80 and 100 people attended a meeting organised by the Liverpool Claimants Network to discuss and plan local resistance to the government’s proposed Bedroom Tax. The initial presentation by a member of the network gave a good overview of what the Bedroom Tax is, the implications it has for housing association tenants, and the need to organise direct action against what is a callous attack on the working-class.

In memory of Cameron Minshull

Greater Manchester Hazards Centre and Families Against Corporate Killers statement on the death of Cameron Minshull, 16, at an engineering company in Bury, Thursday 10th January 2013.

WE are so very sad for Cameron Minshull, who was only 16 years old when he was killed at an engineering company in Bury, where he had worked as an apprentice for only a matter of weeks. We would like to send our condolences to his family who are naturally devastated.

Co-Op - Don't Renew The Atos Contract! - Pickets - Thurs. Jan 17th & Sat. Jan. 19th

start: 
Thu, 17/01/2013 - 17:00 to Sat, 19/01/2013 - 23:55

Glasgow Solidarity Federation will also be supporting this event:
Co-Op - Don't Renew The Atos Contract! - Pickets

Everywhere

Picket times - From 5p.m. on Thursday 17th January to catch people going home from work and late night shoppers. And anytime on Saturday 19th January.

local, network, collective: 
Glasgow
Access Layer: 
Public

Channel 4's sort-of apology

Recently, we called on people to complain to Channel 4 about the inclusion of an attack on a female Communist MP by a Greek neo-Nazi politician in a 'comedic' review of 2012. The channel's reponse is published below. Grace Dawson of Channel 4's viewer enquiries department says that the programme's "ridicule was directed at Ilias Kasidiaris rather than the recipient". In the eyes of Channel 4, therefore, it is OK to use violent attacks on women and left-wingers as a pretext for comedy, as long as the attacker is also ridiculed. This must be of great comfort to those who have been the victims of fascist violence.

IWA-AIT 90th anniversary conference - 5th January 2013

Due to unforeseen circumstances, including one of the key organisers and speakers having been taken seriously ill, we have had to reduce the conference to just Saturday 5th January 2013. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

IWA-AIT 90th anniversary conference
Hosted by South London Solidarity Federation

Final programme

12:00 – 13:15 IWA - 90’s years of ideas & practice
For 90 years the IWA has been at the forefront of the struggle against capital and the state, a SolFed member with decades of experience as an workplace militant and long time IWA affiliate introduces the theory and practice behind anarcho-syndicalism.

13:15 – 14:00 Break

Tell Channel 4: Violence against women is not a laughing matter

Last night (December 28th), Channel 4 broadcast a programme called The 50 Funniest Moments of 2012 which, bizarrely, included TV footage of Ilias Kasidiaris, a Greek Member of Parliament and spokesperson for the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, physically assaulting Communist politician Liana Kanelli.

There is clearly nothing funny about a woman being violently attacked by a man, let alone a man who is a fascist politician. Such incidents must be condemned and organised against. They should not be used as a pretext for comedy.