Newcastle SolFed are holding their annual May Day Bash on Saturday 2nd May at The Telegraph pub, Orchard Street, Newcastle - doors open 7-30pm. This year we will be raising awareness and hopefully a few quid in support of anarchists arrested in Operation Pandora, a Spanish State anti-terrorist initiative that has been used as a represive measure against those opposed to the State and Capital, with dozens of anarchists arrested. Spain has a long and strong tradition of anarchist organising and this abuse of civil liberties supported throughout mainstream Spanish media is a potent reminder of the origins of May Day in 1886, where anarchists in Chicago were framed in the famous Haymarket massacre. The media fuelled the witch hunt against those anarchists, demanding the death sentence which saw 4 of the accused hung, only to be pardoned 7 years later.

From Brighton, we want to show our solidarity with the comrades who have been arrested. We reproduce a text explaining the events that took place in Spain on March 30th.

(What follows is the translation of an article from the media, reproduced from a government press release. We are already aware of at least one other arrest; the case is still very much open. Protests have been called for in various cities tonight. The arrests are connected to the recent Operation Pandora).

12 People Arrested by the Policia Nacional for belonging to the Grupos Anarquistas Coordinados (GAC)

Madrid, Barcelona, Palencia, Granada, 30/03/2015

The arrested have been accused of membership in a criminal organization with terrorist objectives, and of committing felonies relating to sabotage and the placing of explosive and incendiary artifacts.

A group of SolFed supporters are launching a new local in Norwich.

Inspired by the actions taken by other SolFed locals across the country, we believe that we can encourage the same, much needed, spirit of collective direct action against oppressive and exploitative forces in Norwich.

We have been meeting fortnightly in Norwich city centre since the middle of 2014 and have already been active under the SolFed banner, most notably through protests against Workfare. We are keen to increase our organisation and action in the coming year and beyond, particularly in the form of localised, specific direct action.

To commemorate International Working Women's Day for today 8th March 2015, Edinburgh Solidarity Federation members supported the event of local feminist group These Hysterical Women [1] which was a public gathering and exhibition held at Bristo Square to remind everyone that gender equality has not been reached.

The exhibition of "why I am a feminist..." comments were written by those attended and hosting the event. Following the exhibit was a performance by Rhythms of Resistance Samba band and then a brief speech (extract):