“We broke Armagh, it never broke us” – Irish Republican women

the mirror@wordpress.com

“When young women were imprisoned throughout the conflict, in this state, in Britain and in the six counties, they knew they were walking in the footsteps of the women of 1916. We were republicans in the mould of Markievicz. We were what we were. We are what we are. Unashamed, unrepentant republicans; to this day and forever on.”SÍLE DARRAGH

The experience of women during the Troubles has often been overlooked, especially those connected to Armagh Gaol

Now empty, it was the only female prison in Northern Ireland until it closed in 1986. The number of female political prisoners grew from 2 in 1971 to more than 100 by 1976; hundreds of women, most aged from mid-teens to mid-twenties,

were jailed in the 1970s and 1980s for political offences.

1 January 1973: – Elizabeth McKee (19) of Belfast became the first woman to be detained under the Detention of…

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Protest at High Court by opponents of Surrey gas drilling

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Protesters from across south-east England gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning to voice their anger at the government overturning Surrey County Council’s refusal of planning permission for gas exploration near the village of Dunsfold.

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WI joins celebrities and campaigners to reject Rosebank oilfield

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More than 200 organisations, including the Women’s Institute, have joined celebrities and climate campaigners to oppose plans to develop the Rosebank oilfield off Shetland.

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Yorkshire Against Hate outnumber and block the far-right in Rotherham: Report back

Anti-Fascist Network

AFN activists formed part of a large ‘Yorkshire Against Hate’ mobilisation on Saturday, opposing the latest attempt by the right to capitalise on the Home Office warehousing refugees in large hotels. In this case it was the Holiday Inn in Manvers, Rotherham. Initially called by anti-migrant livestreamers Yorkshire Rose and English Bulldog, the demo was later backed by Patriotic Alternative fascists. At its height at 2pm there was a turnout of around 150 on the far-right demo. Although this was largely a travelling roadshow featuring the usual cast of Walter Mittys and Magna Carta cranks, there were, according to anti-fascists who infiltrated the demo, also many locals.

As anti-fascists from the ‘Yorkshire Against Hate’ coalition got to the front of the hotel first, the far-right demo ended up on the verge near the ring road. This meant no direct intimidation of the refugee families in the hotel could happen. The…

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Brianna Ghey: The Tragic Victim of a Culture War

AnarCom Network

Brianna Ghey was just 16 when she was found, stabbed to death on Saturday the 11th of February. Two 15-year olds, a boy and a girl, have now been charged with her murder, denied by police and government as a hate crime. Despite police claims that there is no evidence of the motive being hate-fuelled, Brianna’s friends have repeatedly said that she was harassed by gangs and received threats over her gender identity. Vigils in protest have been held across the UK, and other parts of the world, in her memory. 

Ghey has been harassed by the media and through accounts online, deadnaming her and promoting further violence against transgender people. Articles have been quick to attack activists for saying that this attack leaves blood on the hands of TERFs and governments who promote violence against transgender people. At the Anarcom Network, however, we ask how this murder is any…

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Why is Newham Council obsessed with demolition?

Focus E15 Campaign

Newham Council have publicly pledged that all families will be moved out of the cramped, unsuitable building at 10 Victoria Street, Stratford (formerly known as Brimstone House and Focus E15 Foyer) by May 2023. This is after Focus E15 campaign and residentsprotested and complained, time and time again, about the overcrowded and unsafe living conditions in the building.

This week the campaign learned that back in December 2022, the council presented at an internal meeting, the findings of an Options Appraisal regarding the future of 10 Victoria Street – which included an option to demolish (called redevelopment) as well as an option to refurbish. The crucial point is that the report recommends demolition (known as Option 1: Redevelopment), although the report also states:

“given that the lifecycle environmental impact of a redevelopment is greater than a refurbishment, it may be that a different decision could be made, depending on the…

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We’re back!

Anarchy in the Sticks!

After a four year hiatus the Collective are delighted to announce our Fourth Dorset Radical Bookfair 11:00 to 17:00 on the 7th October 2023 at Bad Hand Coffee warehouse just off the Bournemouth Triangle. Free entry to the public, with Vegan food for donations all day.

Setup from 10 a.m. More details to follow, we’re still working out the pricing, we have to hire tables and other kit. Invitations for stalls, talks and workshops will go out to the list soon. Space is limited so get your oar in early.

If you want to be involved, send us an e-mail with the subject line ‘Peregrin’ stating what you would or wouldn’t like to do. There are lots of possible roles ranging from physical graft to sitting in a chair minding something, or back room admin and online publicity. Or use the contact form above.

Afterparty with live music wil be…

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On the Anti-Refugee Protests

AnarCom Network

Demonstrations outside hotels housing asylum seekers have gained traction after an asylum seeker was filmed sexually propositioning a 15-year-old girl. Despite the man being arrested the ultra-right, who were aware of his arrest, capitalised on it and stirred up a violent protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Knowsley, near Liverpool, despite the man in question not being a resident of the hotel. A police van was set on fire and projectiles were thrown at police by crowds of locals stirred up by those on the ultra-right such as Patriotic Alternative. Demos have now been organised by the ultra-right in various locations and its now possible that what happened in Knowsely could occur up and down the country.

Some were predicting this sort of thing would happen and it is not really surprising in a sense considering that significant numbers of asylum seekers have been placed in under-resourced, working…

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Tears, hope and anger at first housing meeting of the year.

Focus E15 Campaign

It really is exciting to get back into hosting in person public meetings again, as the campaign’s tenth year approaches. The need for innovative campaigns, built through direct experiences and political commitment, creating new knowledge in the process are vital if we are going to move debates on housing into action on the streets and to inform the political struggles that lie ahead.

We are humans, not numbers! We demand to live in dignity and security. The meeting was attended by current campaigners, loyal supporters and new friends of the campaign. Staunch fighters from Brimstone House Victoria Street were there with their children and we heard a moving dignified account of life in temporary accommodation.

We also cheered and clapped about the campaign’s recent victory – overturning the insulting accusation of intentional homelessness and forcing Newham Labour council to reverse a discharge of housing duty. The important points made about…

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1.5ML earthquake felt in Blackpool

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People living in Blackpool and nearby villages reported an earthquake at 7.36pm on Friday.

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