riots
Articles about riots related to class struggle, social movements or labour unrest.
Iranian bus workers’ statement on the demonstrations
Statement of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company about the recent unrest sparked by discontent with the claimed results of the 2009 election.
Vahed Syndicate – Any Suppression or threat of civil liberty condemned
In line with the recognition of the labour rights, we request that June 26 Action Day – Justice for Iranian workers – to include the human rights of all Iranians who have been deprived of their rights.
Who gives a toss?
This text was distributed at the beginning of 1998 in Hornsey, North London, in an area where a regeneration project was being proposed by the council, a project which directly threatened the quality of life of the author, who was living 100 metres from the supermarket area to be developed. After a couple of years or so, the supermarket aspect of the project was abandoned, though it's impossible to say whether the distribution of this text played a small part in the abandonment or not (probably not). It is followed by a text on looting and shops produced as part of the text "Miner Conflicts - Major Contradictions" in July 1984.
Photo: Safeways burning during the Watts riot of 1965.
REGENERATION = DEGENERATION
but
WHO GIVES A TOSS?
but
WHO GIVES A TOSS?
...WE DO!!!
Hunger strike and rioting in immigration prisons
June has seen hunger strikes and rioting by immigration prisoners at Brook House, the new immigration prison at Gatwick airport, and Yarl’s Wood, the prison which has been at the centre of numerous claims of abuse and struggles by detainees since it opened in 2000.
On June 12th, a group of detainees at Brook House immigration prison began resisting lockdown and rioting broke out. Guards – who are employees of private contractors G4S – fled the wing, which was taken over by the prisoners. Detainees took about damaging the contents of the administration wing and cells. A large fire was set in the courtyard.
1986-1987: France goes off the rails
Documents about and analysis of the mass workers struggles of students and workers in France from November 1986 to January 1987.
Between the end of November 1986 and January 1987 France experienced some significant social struggles.
All Quiet On The French Front
Most of this was completed on March 26th 2006 at the height of the movement in France against the CPE, and then updated for the following 2 weeks or so as the movement flowed and ebbed. It inevitably expresses the optimism of the moment, with all its over-simplifications.
The photo here, from April 2006, translates as "Block The Economy - Free Those Arrested".
[i] A major social movement against neo-liberal policies is currently developing in France. Nationwide, it's the biggest thing since May '68, though it's a long way from the social explosion of 38 years ago, which at that time was clearly the most intensive proletarian assault on class power since 1917- 21. It could die a sad death, but this will probably take some time.
No forgiveness: Algeria 2001
In June 2001 Algeria experienced almost an insurrection which progressively spread throughout the whole country. There was nothing in the media about this, so this text, with the title “Ulach smah” (“No forgiveness”), was translated from the French in July 2001 as a contribution to breaking the silence.
The photo on the left is of a riot in Algeria at this time.
[b]At this very moment Algeria is experiencing almost an insurrection which is progressively spreading throughout the whole country.
The War On Terror
The following text, written in English by some Greek friends (the TPTG), was published in July 2003 as a discussion document. Though it sometimes has some stodgy ultra-leftist phraseology and thinking, it's generally an extremely interesting summary and analysis of some important aspects of the present epoch such as the ideology of zero tolerance and the dissolution of Keynesianism.
The so-so joke on the left was produced at the end of June 2005
Introductory note
The University, the car factory and the working class
An excellent text on class conflict in Oxford and the Blackbird Leys riots of the early 90s.
AN (UN)FRESHER’S GUIDE TO OXFORD’S CLASS WAR
Battles in Athens during march against police racism, many protesters injured
Extended clashes broke our in Athens on Friday 22/5, during the second protest march in two days against police racism, after a cop tore the Koran and brutalised Muslims during anti-immigrant sweeping operations. During the clashes many protesters were injured arrested and hospitalised.
A second protest march against police racism took to the streets of Athens on Friday 22/5/08 in response to the incident of anti-muslim brutality two nights before during a police sweeping-operation against immigrants in the center of Athens.
1989-1990: Opposition to the Poll Tax
A short account of the agitation against the introduction of the community charge in Britain. Widespread protests and a highly successful campaign of non-payment eventually forced the government to scrap the poll tax and played a large part in the eventual downfall of Margaret Thatcher.
In 1989 the Conservative government realised their long-held objective of introducing a flat-rate poll tax in Britain. The abolition of the rating system had appeared as part of the party's manifesto for the 1979 general election, and the proposal for the introduction of a poll tax was made explicit in their manifesto for the 1987 election.
