Mayday around the world
May 1 2007 09:41
Got any good Mayday stories? Post them up and maybe someone will amalgamate them at the end of the day into a news story...
Quote:
Turkish police have arrested at least 80 left-wing demonstrators who were trying to hold a May Day rally in the commercial capital Istanbul.
May 1 2007 11:28
#2
Turkey update: Turkish police charged into crowds of leftist protesters marking the anniversary of a deadly May Day rally in Istanbul, spraying tear gas and kicking and clubbing demonstrators as they fled. Police also used a water cannon to clear crowds from around Taksim square. Officers outfitted with helmets, gas masks and truncheons detained 580 demonstrators
May 1 2007 15:22
#3
Iran: Workers Marked May Day
Numerous Clashes with Security Forces
May 1, 2007- Thousands of workers in Iran demonstrated on May Day in different cities. In Tehran, in which only the government-sponsored Workers’ House is legally permitted to hold rallies, thousands of workers with independent slogans participated in the event at the Shiroodi (former Amjadie) stadium and did not let the official event conclude. Alireza Mahjoub, the head of the Workers’ House, was interrupted by chanting workers and could not finish his speech. The Workers’ House’s authorities and hundreds of security forces on site tried to end the event hurriedly in order to prevent workers from marching towards the streets of Tehran but about 7 thousands workers left the Stadium and marched towards the 7 Tir Square. However, they were attacked by security forces throughout their march. Security forces closed most intersections and roads on the way of marchers which caused protesters to eventually disperse.
In Sanandaj, workers had requested a march on the streets of Sanandaj but the governor office refused to give them the permission; as the result, workers decided to rally in front of the office of the Labour Relation of the city of Sanandaj. The first groups of people, about 400, who had gathered for early in front of the Labour Office were surrounded by tens of security and intelligent forces. After the resolution of this year’s May Day was read by Mr. Sheys Amani, the Chair of the National Union of Sacked and Unemployed Workers, police attacked the demonstrators and beat and arrested many. Mr. Amani was beaten as well as other known labour activists, including Mr. Khaled Savari, Sadigh Karimi the deputy Chair of the Union who was severely beaten and has been arrested since then; Mr. Behzad Sohrabi and Hossein Ghaderi were also injured. After the attack, families and supporters of the arrested workers were gathered outside the police station 12, where they were attacked by the security forces.
Throughout these events workers chanted similar slogans including: “Arrested Workers Must be Freed”, “Free Mahmoud Salehi Now”, Long Live May Day”, Ban Child Labour” “Right to Organize and Strike”, “We deserve a decent living” “The Incompetent Labour Minister, Resign! Resign!” “Stop Temporary Employment Contracts”, “Increase Minimum Wage”, Workers, Teachers, Students, Unit” and so on.
Workers have condemned the 1386 (March 21, 2007- March 20, 2008) monthly minimum wage of 183,000 Toman (less than US$200.00). Workers demand the minimum wage to be established at least three times higher than the current rate in order to achieve a living wage. In almost all events in Iran workers demanded the release of Mahmoud Salehi from the prison, as well as the right to organize, strike, assembly and freedom of speech. Workers have also called for solidarity with migrant workers in Iran as well as solidarity with workers around the world. The right to organize May Day events without government and security forces intrusions was also another demand. In Tehran, Sanandaj and other areas workers also condemned arms races between different countries as well as sanctions and militarily intervention against Iran by the Western powers as working people and poor will be the main victims of such inexcusable actions.
Mahmoud Salehi and a number of his colleagues have gone on a 24-hour hunger strike in protest to their imprisonment. He has also sent a May Day solidarity greeting in which he has promised to continue with his struggles for workers’ rights inside or outside the prison. It is also reported from Tehran that Mansour Ossanlou, the president of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and two other board members of the union were attacked, on their way back from the May Day event, by over 15 police officers today and Ossanlou was beaten and arrested briefly. There have been numerous May Day celebrations in Iran, including a large event near Tehran and Karaj with about 5 thousands participants at Abshar khour. Tens of resolutions have been issued by numerous independent workers’ organizations and groups and many indoor events have been taking place. Teachers’ organizations have also called for a large demonstration, tomorrow, May 2, 2007.
For more information: info@workers-iran.org
www.workers-iran.org
http://www.etehadbinalmelali.com/INDEXI.htm
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
May 1 2007 16:03
#4
More from PA -
CUBA: There was no sign of a convalescing Fidel Castro as hundreds of thousands of Cubans marched through Revolution Plaza in Havana to celebrate May Day, an event the Cuban leader had attended for decades without fail.
Cuban officials have refused to speculate on whether Castro would use this year's event to make his first public appearance since undergoing intestinal surgery and stepping down from power nine months ago.
UK:
A national strike by civil servants was said to be ``solidly supported'' today
as picket lines were mounted outside Government buildings, courts and museums across Britain.
The Public and Commercial Services Union said early indications were that the walk-out was being well supported by workers involved in a bitter row over jobs, pay and privatisation of services.<
General secretary Mark Serwotka toured picket lines in London on board a
special battle bus and will address the traditional May Day rally in Trafalgar
Square at lunchtime.
'Unite' is launched - merger of T&G and Amicus.
May 1 2007 19:18
#5
According to reports on oaxacalibre.net, todays march by APPO and allied unions entered Oaxaca Citys central Zocalo with no resistance from police. Entrance to the zocalo by social movement protestors had been blocked by federal police since November of last year. Todays demands included a repeal of "reforms" to Mexico's pension program for government workers, removal from office of Oaxacan Governor Ruiz, held responsible for political violence in the state and freedom for all political prisoners.
May 2 2007 10:31
#6
Jesus... I was at the Clerkenwell event and it was awful, only about 200 people were there, and from what I hear, Trafalgar was a cesspit as well.
Whats going on? Don't you think peaceful protest works anymore? 
May 2 2007 10:38
#7
dude, there were a few thousand people there. are you sure you were at the same clerkenwell green??
May 2 2007 10:45
#8
A few thousand at the position of Clerkenwell Green? Oh yeah, I did see a plane fly overhead, so I suppose there were a few thousand people there at one point of the day.
Seriously though, bad turn out.
May 2 2007 11:40
#9
bad turnout because it wasn't the bank holiday, yeah, but still, i think you exaggerate unnecessarily.
May 2 2007 11:48
#10
I'm not gonna stand here and drool over the few people that were there, it was a poor turnout, mainly because nothing new is happening. In the same way that McDonnell hijacked the AntiWar demo these events are becoming a platform for the latest wetback politicians, people are noticing this, and they don't like it!
(Hey McDonnell, back off.)
May 2 2007 12:49
#11
jesus wept. i'm not drooling, i was just disagreeing with you over the numbers. 
May 2 2007 13:22
#12
Anyways a drop-off of numbers would most likely reflect two things: a) A drop-off of people coming along simply because they think it’s cool to smash up McDonalds and ruck with cops, which can probably be attributed to the way cops have had the whole thing sewn up in recent years, b) A rise in class-conscious anarchism linked to the problem that Mayday was not actually a bank holiday so most working people couldn’t come out. If the turnout erred on the side of ftony’s interpretation, that’s a bleedin triumph given the circumstances.
May 2 2007 13:27
#13
I did see a lot of Punk kids running around... and for the record, walking up to Clerkenwell on the main road there were eight police vans, crammed full of the pork patrol. Given the umber of demonstrators there it was excessive. But i didn't see Trafalgar, so... what, 200 protestors/ eight Armed Repsonse units? heh
The cops must've circled the square in their vans. Real old west style cowboy. 
May 2 2007 15:19
#14
yeah, there was a good twenty all masked up, which was a bit of a shame, but fewer than previous years. hopefully, however, that means that people have just unmasked rather than dropped off the radar altogether.
Quote:
A rise in class-conscious anarchism linked to the problem that Mayday was not actually a bank holiday so most working people couldn’t come out.
that said, i think a fair few people threw a sickie.
of course a few of the people on the @ bloc weren't actually anarchists/autonomists/libertarians/whatever. my girlfriend was with me, and she is a bit of a liberal hippy type (but badass nonetheless 
).
May 2 2007 15:31
#15
Quote:
b) A rise in class-conscious anarchism linked to the problem that Mayday was not actually a bank holiday so most working people couldn’t come out. If the turnout erred on the side of ftony’s interpretation, that’s a bleedin triumph given the circumstances.
That's a fucking good point.
Quote:
yeah, there was a good twenty all masked up, which was a bit of a shame, but fewer than previous years. hopefully, however, that means that people have just unmasked rather than dropped off the radar altogether.
I didn't say anything at the time but... there was a studenty type, reminded me of Rick Mayall in the young ones, with the hair cut- his army jacket plastered with badges and wearing a silk red bandana over his mouth. The cops were'nt holding him down (which makes a change) they were holding their sides from splitting.
That ain't revolution, that's being a poser.
May 2 2007 16:45
#16
26 comrades arrested in Czech republic in clash with Nazis - detailed report will be sent soon, and our International is going to go bankrupt (real black humor)...
Big clash avoided with the police interference in Bulgaria between the comrades from FAB (Federation of Bulgarian anarcho-communists) and Nazis, report pending.
Nice but peaceful (expect for some verbal fight with the social-democrats) demo by Union of syndicalists of Poland and one other local social anarchist group in Warsaw.
May 3 2007 06:48
#17
Saii wrote:
Anyways a drop-off of numbers would most likely reflect two things: a) A drop-off of people coming along simply because they think it’s cool to smash up McDonalds and ruck with cops, which can probably be attributed to the way cops have had the whole thing sewn up in recent years, b) A rise in class-conscious anarchism linked to the problem that Mayday was not actually a bank holiday so most working people couldn’t come out. If the turnout erred on the side of ftony’s interpretation, that’s a bleedin triumph given the circumstances.
I'm sorry saii but your completly wrong. There was the expected turnout for the Autonomous Bloc becuase there was no public mobilisation to it - NOT one leaflet was made to promote the demo - therefore the 200+ people that turned up for that bloc was a good number. If we had publicised it say two months previous we would have gotten over 600-700 people to it - no problem.
And as for a rise in class-conscious anarchism how do you qualify this? more anarchists who work? :-0)
As far as I can tell the only reason you say this is because you feel Libcom has created a presence in british anarchism? Something which I don't think is true mainly because out of the 150-200 anarchists I know in London there are only half a dozen which post on Libcom I think the others perhaps haven't heard of it. On the other hand those of us which have organised last years and this year Autonomous bloc perhaps have done more for "class-struggle anarchism" , placing anarchist politics amongst a section of the working class than other initiatives I can think of.
cheers
A
May 3 2007 08:37
#18
Quote:
And as for a rise in class-conscious anarchism how do you qualify this? more anarchists who work?
No, more people who talk about organised class struggle as the basis for their politics. Though yes there do seem to be more people in work who are anarchists than there used to be, and rather less spectacle. All of the class struggle orgs have been growing, and more of the books coming out have a class=-heavy aspect to them. Bearing in mind raw I'm not just a libcom poster I've interviewed people right across the country for Freedom on any number of different subjects, including organisers for most of the larger media groups, social centres and feds adding up to some fairly substantial feedback. I'm not entirely uninformed.
In future, I'd appreciate it if you stopped trying to drag me into your little point scoring game with the libcom collective (which I'm not a member of, and I've studiously avoided giving either them or you preferential treatment) and if you could credit me with a little more sense than to mouth off on the basis of the progress reports of one website that'd be nice too.
May 3 2007 09:13
#19
Wobblies marched in both the SF and Oakland demos. This is a picture of about 1/4 of our Oakland contingent, from the SF Chronicle.
May 3 2007 09:45
#20
Zurich, Switzerland
May 3 2007 09:50
#21
As for london mayday there was a discernible mix in political outlook, if not dress sense. Class War and Antifa were out, AF comrades came down (biggest red and black flag of the day), IWW (although i didn't see their banner), there were regulars from both the Vortex and the Square social centres, plus the clandestine black bloc kiddies who brought a jubilant air to the proceedings despite the fact that they should've been in school never mind work. All the leaflets went in the first half hour. There was 4 generations of recognisable anarchists present, which if nothing else warms my heart.
more pics here: http://johnnyvoid.blogspot.com/
text for the leaflet:
Quote:
AUTONOMOUS WORKERS BLOC
Against Capitalism Against Hierarchy Against the State
MAYDAY is International workers day, born out of the struggle for an 8 hour day in 1886. Over 100 years later our lives are still taken up by the world of work and exploitation. Capitalism continues, the wars, the poverty, the boredom. We also continue knowing that for us to choose a quiet life under capitalism is to live in ignorance and on a time bomb which will ultimately mean that the spectre of disaster and destruction will arrive at the doors of even the most unconcerned person. we may choose to wait it out, to see if capitalism can deliver a solution to climatic change, that it can be restructured to the point where our economy bears similarities with our libertarian dream of self-management - we could on the other hand learn that the very heart of capitalist existence is its ability to managed and manufacture the appearance of solutions, that things will get better. We see no future if capitalism maintains its dominance over humanity. We see only a techno-repressive nightmare where all areas of our lives from cradle to grave are monitored and supervised, with the state and private institutions personalised to serve our needs not as human beings but of exploitable workers capable of increasing their profits. Our cages are getting a little bigger and our chains a little longer but what we are offered can not compare to the freedom we are after.This Mayday we march under the banner of the Autonomous Workers Bloc as we are increasingly alienated from the trade union structures where they exist and have grown to find that these very structures are more to do with the management of efficient, disciplined workers for exploitation rather than the liberation from work and the destruction of capitalism and state machinery. No trade union or political party which seeks power can represent the desires of our existence. We are autonomous because we seek as a pre-requisite to any struggle the disengagement from hierarchical structures. We are autonomous as a way of struggle which are the lessons of over 200 years of working class history. We march with red and black flags, the flags of the CNT, the flags of the anarchist social fighters which have fouhgt not only against fascism in the earlier period of the 20th Century but also against police, politician, judge, stalinist and capitalists and in these days are at the frontlines of social and civil insurrection from the streets of Oaxaca, Mexico to the university campuses of Greece and France and who attempt as we do in the harsh realities of the urban jungles to develop and widen social antagonisms against this barbaric system.
We march on the streets as a show of our resistance, as an appeal for action and as a celebration with working class people across the globe who struggle for a better world.
RESISTANCE AT WORK
Recently re-established in the UK, the IWW is a union unlike any other. It is a grassroots, democratic and militant union that seeks to organise ALL workers in ALL industries in ALL countries into ‘One Big Union’. The IWW cannot sell you out because its leadership is its rank and file - its members make the decisions and have the final say. In short, the IWW will offer solidarity, direct-action and the will to win - things the TUC (to put it mildly) seem to lack.
http://www.iww.org.uk Email:rocsec@iww.org.ukSOLIDARITY WITH MIGRANTS
No Borders groups exist to support all those in struggle against borders, against migrants incarceration in detention centres, against their deportation, against their super-exploitation as ‘illegal’ workers.
http://noborderslondon.blogspot.com/FIGHTING ID CARDS
Defy-ID is a network of groups and individuals who are prepared to actively resist the introduction of Identity Cards and the creation of the National Identity Register.
http://www.defy-id.org.ukSOCIAL CENTRES
Social Centres are self-managed spaces either owned, occupied (squatted) or leased which take many different forms. The idea of Social Centres is not only to occupy social space but to create a visible presence in the community where people can engage in radical ideas and events. Social Centres offer a sense of community and solidarity, affordable food and entertainment, a non-commercial place to relax, talk, meet people, organise or find information on political campaigns, issues and action. The UK Social Centre Network is a network of independent social and community centres in the United Kingdom whose aim is to link up “the growing number of autonomous spaces to share resources, ideas and information
http://www.socialcentresnetwork.org.uk/
http://www.londonsocialcentre.org.uk/BLOCK G8 SUMMIT IN GERMANY
In June 2007, the G8 (Group of Eight most powerful nations) will try to hold their annual summit in Heiligendamm, near Rostock in Northern Germany. Thousands of activists will be there to meet them, to block them and to shut them down. There will be actions against border controls, fascism, war & militarism, climate change, capitalism and of course there will be blockades against the G8 Summit.
http://www.dissent.org.uk
http://dissentnetzwerk.org/node/49
May 3 2007 10:24
#22
Barkanine wrote:
n the same way that McDonnell hijacked the AntiWar demo these events are becoming a platform for the latest wetback politicians, people are noticing this, and they don't like it!(Hey McDonnell, back off.)
You what?
In Paris dublin dave did a proper count of the anarchist demo, counted 2,000 people. Was very long anyway and had what 4 sound system trucks on it? Albeit all playing very bad music. The main demo, no idea how many people, didn't stick around, but there appeared to be about 1,000 Tamil Tigers on it next to us, which was pretty fucked up, especially since apart from anything else they helped break a CNT (Vignoles) strike a couple of years back. The CNT intended to push into the union section of the march which CGT stewards try to exclude them from, but apparently this didn't happen as that section had left before we got there.
I'd also ask people who want to engage in childish insults to not derail the thread about mayday.
May 3 2007 11:52
#23
CM - the guy who was supposed to be bringing the IWW banner couldn't make it. which was a bugger. there weren't nearly as many wobs as we hoped to get out for this - i think a fair few of them are involved in other groups/issues so may well have been on the march but elsewhere...
Quote:
There was 4 generations of recognisable anarchists present, which if nothing else warms my heart.
i agree - it was nice to see a good age range there.
May 3 2007 11:58
#24
Olivertwister - your photo doesn't seem to work
May 3 2007 12:29
#25
coffeemachine wrote:
Zurich, Switzerland
apparently that's neither switzerland or this year's mayday (link), but teh flags are very pretty
May 3 2007 12:47
#26
any excuse to flash a bit of red and black
Talking of which did anyone else notice on the tuc march only the Af flag had the black on top? Fair play to afeders.
May 3 2007 12:52
#27
How cool is this pic?
May 3 2007 15:20
#28
Dublin, Ireland.
500-1000 on Trade Union March.
Anarchist Bloc:
May 3 2007 16:12
#29
remind me whose quote that it again... 'liberty without socialism, etc.' is that berkman?
May 3 2007 16:18
#30
Approximately 2000 were on the libertarian march in Paris. I did a count and I'm confident this figure is accurate to within 10%. The biggest block was from the CNT-F and there were blocks from Alternative Libertaire, SCALP, Anarchist Federation and Revolutionary Feminists.
The atmosphere on the march was militant and celebratory.
From PA photowire (so will probly need rephrasing):
- Iraq: Female supporters of the Iraqi Communist Party took part in the May Day march in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad. In Baghdad itself, supporters of the Iraqi Communist Party wave symbolic (actual) hammer and sickles and the communist and Iraqi flags
- Taiwan: Thousands of Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom union workers march to demand the resignation of the company's chairman Ho-Chen tan on a street of Taipei, Taiwan. The union workers claim he should be forced into early retirement as easy way for the company to cut costs. Signs the workers are carrying read: "Ho-Chen go away."
- China: Thousands of workers marched through Macau, demanding a crackdown on alleged corruption and illegal laborers in a rare protest in the booming Chinese territory that recently knocked off the Las Vegas Strip as the world's most lucrative gambling center. Protesters fight with police officers during the demonstration, police fired shots into the air and used pepper stray Tuesday to disperse demonstrators who tried to break through police lines blocking the march.
- South Korea: Workers shout slogans during a rally to mark May Day in Seoul Tuesday, May 1, 2007. About 7,000 workers opposed a free trade agreement with the United States. The banner in the background reads: "South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is invalid. Block the South Korea-U.S. summit talks."
- Indonesia: Workers march toward the presidential palace during a May Day rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Thousands of workers joined May Day rallies across Indonesia Tuesday, prompting police to deploy forces at landmarks in major cities. Razor wire barriers set up to protect the presidential palace.
- UK: PCS strike, London demo, massive queues at Top Shop for latest fashions (but as yet no anarchists – the Daily Star owes an apology…)
- Russia: People hold flags of the liberal opposition party Yabloko and Russian tricolor, center, during an anti-government march organized by the party near the headquarters of the Federal Security Service, the main successor of the Soviet KGB, in downtown Moscow on Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Many thousands of Russians hit the streets Tuesday as an array of political forces held marches and rallies on May Day, a holiday that was of great importance in the Soviet era and is still marked with demonstrations in cities nationwide.
- Ukraine: Hundreds of supporters of the Ukrainian Communist Party turned out and waved various communist party flags during a May Day rally near the monument to Vladimir Lenin, Soviet founder, in Kiev.