New campaign around Autism & ADHD Services

From an initiative by Plymouth Claimants Union.

Plymouth in UNISON have been asked to support this campaign that should hopefully have a positive effect for staff as well

Dear Devon Clinical Commissioning Group,

We are writing to you because we are concerned – both by the lack of provision of diagnostic services for adult autism and ADHD in Plymouth, and by the absence of communication or consultation on this matter. We request that you meet with us at your earliest convenience to discuss the concerns raised in this letter. Specifically, we are asking for:

1. A waiting time for assessments of adults with autism or ADHD of 2-3 months. Until that target is reached, patients should be given the option of referral to another service outside the area or through the patient choice scheme

2. Any diagnostic service for autism or ADHD should be provided by the NHS, NOT contracted out to Livewell Southwest or any other private company

3. For the NHS in Devon to commit to a strategy for raising awareness among medical professionals regarding:

3.i. The under-diagnosis of autism and ADHD in many sections of the population based on gender, class, race and ethnicity

3.ii. The less well-known presentations of autism and ADHD (for example, inattentive symptoms of ADHD)

3.iii. Common co-morbidities and how they may mask symptoms of autism and ADHD in patients (for example, how autism is often missed in patients with  other disabilities, or how ADHD is extremely common in patients already diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome)

We believe that anything less will in fact cost the NHS more money, and lead to discrimination against patients based on a number of characteristics protected under the equality act.

The knock-on effects of leaving autism and ADHD undiagnosed are well-established. Within the NHS, it will lead to increased pressure on A&E, increased needs for mental health services, and increased needs for addiction services. For ADHD in particular, simply providing people with the correct medication reduces the need for all three of the above. We are sure you will agree that given the need to reduce spending in Devon, prompt diagnosis and support for adults with autism and ADHD is essential.

In order to access reasonable adjustment at work and university, it is necessary to have a diagnosis. People are leaving employment, failing courses, and loosing relationships while waiting for an assessment. Without access to a timely assessment, adults with autism and ADHD are exposed to significant discrimination in work and education. We understand that in other parts of the UK, people are being assessed significantly faster – within just one month, in one area that we know of. We urge the CCG to consider the impact that long waiting times are having on us when planning any services in Plymouth.

Children belonging to groups protected under the equality act (particularly girls and BAME children), are less likely to have their symptoms of autism and ADHD noticed at an early age. As such, these groups are more likely to receive a late diagnosis in adulthood. Any barriers to accessing a diagnosis in adulthood are therefore having a disproportionate impact on these groups. Furthermore, we are aware that there is often a lack of awareness regarding how other disabilities may “mask” autism and ADHD, and a lack of awareness regarding common co-morbidities. This is likely leading to discrimination on the basis of disability. We believe it is vital that the CCG consider all of this in any equality impact assessment for a new service in Plymouth. We further believe that it is important to ensure all medical professionals in the area are fully aware of these issues when dealing with patients. We request that the CCG commit to a strategy for this.

We are extremely disappointed by the lack of communication regarding the suspension of diagnostic services in Plymouth. We understand that assessments for autism and ADHD have not taken place for quite some time. However, there have been no announcements regarding this. Nor has there been any public consultation regarding the establishment of a new service. Patients have been given contradictory and unclear information, left unsure as to whether they are on a waiting list or not. Several patients have been informed that their only option is to pay a private psychiatrist for an assessment. The CCG has consistently failed to respond to requests for more information. This is not solely the responsibility of the CCG but also a failure of the company Livewell Southwest, who we understand is contracted to provide services in Plymouth.

In order to rebuild trust it is vital that any service is as accountable to the public as possible, particularly because they will be treating vulnerable people who find access to complaint procedures more challenging. The Freedom of Information Act is one such avenue for accountability. However, as a private community interest company Livewell Southwest is not subject to the provisions of that Act. In order to protect vulnerable patients, and due to their recent failure to provide the services they are contracted to provide, we believe it would be wholly inappropriate for Livewell Southwest to provide diagnostic services in future. We request that instead, these services are provided directly by the NHS – either through the DAANA clinic, or a new service tailored to Plymouth.

Finally, we understand that it will take some time for a satisfactory service to be established in Plymouth. In the meantime, we request that the CCG make it easier to access other services – either by referral to NHS autism and ADHD services in other areas, or by private assessments via the patient choice scheme.

Yours sincerely,

The Devon Assessment Campaign ( devonassessmentcampaign@riseup.net )

Still laughing at Jason Shopland

A word to the fuckwits …

of Active for Plymouth

Having been sent an expose by Plymouth activists last week, (who are nothing to do with us but the source was vouched for by comrades in Bristol) we decided to publish it in full. We have not heard from them since. The follow-up here: Chairman Shopland pisses all over himself! was composed by comrades in Dorset entirely from observations of material displayed by Jason Shopland on the public internet, specifically facebook and youtube. Shopland still clings to the idea that this is something to do with the local labour party – as if they would be seen dead posting on anarchist websites!

Shopland was incensed, but completely avoided linking to the post or even mentioning the title, Chairman Shopland pisses all over himself! as he does not want his supporters to see it. Instead, he published a screenshot of part of our post, without text, showing his family tinfoil hat picture, in which we ourselves, had pixelated the faces to make them unidentifiable.

He accuses us of putting his children at risk, and In the same frame he shows our capture of his youtube video, in which he racially slurs Roma people and travellers, excuses seig heiling by his army mates, and expresses his admiration for the Ulster Volunteer Force, who were responsible for some of the most deadly incidents of the Irish troubles. We felt it essential to show the video, in order that people could check our conclusions and judge for themselves, but did not have the means to edit the viewer.

In the top left-hand corner of the video is a clearly identifiable picture of a child!

Whatever else he may be, Shopland is as thick as two short planks.

Confused: Jason Shopland

The background noise that emboldens the mad and the bad as in Aotearoa (so-called New Zealand) is maintained by those we may characterise as fuckwits, the ones who “if they had brains might be dangerous”.

Amid the homely greengrocer’s apostrophes and haphazard capitalisations are the seeds of the next holocaust. We will not let them off the hook, ever.

Chairman Shopland pisses all over himself!

Ha ha, we thought we were done with this story on Sunday night but events have taken a turn for the hilarious. ‘Active for Plymouth’ have taken to social media threatening to sue everybody and anybody.

With the self-confidence of a drunk urinating into a gale, Jason’s made a video defending the party, we have no hesitation in reproducing it here and urge you to watch as it tells you everything you need to know about this would-be politician.

He gets off to a shaky start, clearly he hasn’t thought it through, rambling that he knows who the author is, “a friend of the lord mayor”. Among his persecutors he lists the labour party, the ‘left wing’ of Plymouth, and the local M.P. Active for Plymouth are “just normal people not right wing or mental people or anything else like that”.

He thinks secretary Popescu is entitled to be bigoted against gypsies because he’s Romanian – apparently being racist isn’t a problem if you’re a foreigner (like say, Hitler or Hirohito) so he can say what he likes about marginalised ethnicities from his home country “… happy days”.

Before we get carried away with the comedy, imagine you’ve crossed a continent to escape persecution – and Roma folk come in for some serious persecution from European Nazis – only to find one of your persecutors has made the same journey and set up shop in your new home. We are now taking steps to alert traveller communities to the potential threat in the South West.

Anti-Roma sentiment is mainstream in Romania, whose axis government deported around 26,000 Roma half of whom died from starvation, exposure or disease. Altogether over 200,000 Roma perished in the Holocaust (Porrajmos) and at least 270,000 Romanian Jews were killed or died from mistreatment.

http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/gypsies-roma-travellers-animated-history

It doesn’t matter how daft their policies are because, he mumbles, “whatever we aint gonna win anyway”.  Of UKIP, for whom he stood as a candidate, he claims he “didn’t know what they were about”,  anyway labour got to them and he left. Similarly the independents “were a bunch of arseholes” (I wonder what they think of him). Regarding the racist tweets: “that got put in the Evening Herald, and at the time supported Labour, I think they do now but I’m not gonna say that on camera”!

He goes on to explain his conspiracy theory about the N.Z. shootings before returning to the secretary’s gypsy obsession, “he doesn’t really like” them, adds another jocular “happy days” and for good measure trots out more racial stereotypes of his own to justify his traveller policy which revolves around confiscating their caravans “if that’s far right I don’t know”.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-truth-about-romanias-gypsies-not-coming-over-here-not-stealing-our-jobs

In distancing himself from Waters, he admits having discussions with her about setting up a branch of her party, then decided he “wanted nothing to do with it”, he just organised a meeting for them at a venue that cancelled “for the simple reason they don’t allow politics”, “though they do let the labour party use the place” … “and momentum”. Active for Plymouth had nothing to do with For Britain, the only similarity is the word ‘for’ – though he did nick their logo. Regarding Waters nationalism:

“that’s one of the reasons I didn’t join, I’m you know, I am pretty nationalistic”.

Shopland believes the UVF, “that is a northern Irish organisation, have more niceness about ’em than the IRA, happy days” because he was in the army. Well they were mostly on the same side. The other neo-nazis all over his facebook page are just blokes he met in the army, he doesn’t know any of them and they only seig heil at football matches to piss people off (that’s the point, Jason).

It’s possible Shopland is actually too stupid to realise he’s a fascist, but from this embarrassing performance you wouldn’t trust him to make the tea let alone take on any civic responsibility. Popescu rants that the article is being investigated by the police. Anyone who imagines they have time and resources for this sort of thing has no grasp on the realities of local administration. You could almost feel sorry for these mugs if they weren’t such spiteful bastards.

Poor Jason, he only wants to make the trains run on time and everybody’s got it in for him, he’s taking no chances with the family:

Attention: Tinfoil hat area

 

– Jo Gonmush

Far right ‘Active for Plymouth’ exposed.

Received tonight from Plymouth Activists:

“Active for Plymouth” is a new far-right group in Plymouth. They act like they’re just a common-sense party run by ordinary people. They are anything but! Their leader is a conspiracy theorist, expelled from his last party for racism. Their secretary has put out hateful campaign material ranting against gypsies. And what’s more, there are concerning links to Plymouth’s extreme right. We’re putting out the truth of what they’re really about, so that no-one gets taken in by their election campaign this month.

Jason “tinfoil hat” Shopland

Jason Shopland has been trying to get elected for the past few years. Standing for UKIP in 2015, he went on to start “Plymouth Independents” the next year. The party only lasted a few months but still found time to kick out Shopland for racism

He’s now set up his own party “Active for Plymouth”, which he’s the chairman of. That hasn’t stopped him spreading conspiracy theories about the recent terrorist attack in New Zealand. Before they had even finished counting the bodies he was putting out this shite:

Spouting gross and disrespectful conspiracy theories about a terrorist attack, while his friend says they “had it coming” – this is a disgusting and irresponsible reaction to terrorism.

Since far-right terrorism is a huge threat [1] we all have a responsibility to push back against it. None more so than those on the same side of the political spectrum, moderate or no. From the Muslims of the world we have seen huge marches against terrorism, and countless fatwas condemning it as clear as day. Yet the response from the right to terrorism in their own ranks has been lackluster at best. Could it be there is really a lot of support for it lurking underneath?

Jules Hates Gypsies – Popescu’s Racist Rant

Iuliu Jules Popescu is secretary of Active for Plymouth and standing for election on their ticket. He ran for election under “For Britain” last May. [2] While his election campaign has only put out a few videos, one of them is already pretty shocking. In “My opinion on Free movement versus immigration control”, he said:

“Every time Gypsies with Romanian passports come over and do their thing –  which is mostly rob, steal, or scam someone like we’ve seen in the Herald a few hours ago – the media will say a group of Romanians did this or that. Now I’d much rather they didn’t come to Britain at all because that would be much better for everyone wouldn’t it?” – from facebook video https://www.facebook.com/julesplymouth/videos/2177334985918890/

In UK law Gypsies are a racial group, so legally this may be hate speech. [3] The far right have always hated Gypsies and travelling people, and the persecution continues to this day. Neo-nazi’s in Ukraine recently burnt a Roma camp to the ground. [4] Only this month far right goons drove Roma families out of a town in Italy. [5] That’s the background to Popescu’s words.

We see this prejudice again in Shopland’s letter to the council about travellers. “many of us have kids” – what does that mean, does he think travelling people are all child snatchers?

Planning objection

This attitude is also written into their official policy:

There aren’t enough legal sites for travelling people to go to. [6] So what this policy will really mean is hounding people from place to place for no reason. Hate speech and hateful policy. Is this who we want representing our city?

For Plymouth or “For Britain”?

While he claims to have resigned from UKIP due to “extremist elements”, that didn’t stop Shopland working with one of those extremist elements, Anne Marie Waters:

He tried to organise a meeting for her in Plymouth, which didn’t go to plan. When the venue found out what the meeting was about they cancelled and wanted nothing to do with it.

(post author is one of Jason’s accounts – using a Corbyn picture since he got trouble from facebook…)

It seems Jason realised that Plymouth, one of the most bombed cities during the Nazi blitz, could never support an obviously far-right party. So he formed “Active For Plymouth” shortly after. The link is clear in the name so we have to ask, is this just an attempt by a fan of the “For Britain” party to sneak their ideas in by the back door? For Plymouth’s original logo looks a lot like For Britain’s too. All they’ve done is change the colours to green and black!

Anne Marie Waters has a whole documentary about her, and her links to white nationalism  [7]. See also these articles for the truth about her and her party

• http://www.irr.org.uk/news/sharia-watch-uk-and-the-metamorphosis-of-anne-marie-waters/
• https://resistinghate.org/exposing-amd-and-her-white-supremacy/
• https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/2018/06/06/exposed-ex-national-action-bnp-members-active-anne-marie-waters-britain-movement/

Last point on this – For Britain whinges that the “far-right” label is unfair. That’s hypocritical nonsense, just look at how Jason Shopland portrays his political opponents! Compared to this, we go VERY easy on him…

Far-right Fanclub

Active For Plymouth has also shown support for other far right figures and causes. Here they are promoting a DFLA march. The DFLA pretends to be a neutral group of people “protesting extremism” but the truth is they have well documented far-right links and members. This article has the details – http://flaf.org.uk/dfla-battens-bootboys/

After marching with them, the party escalated to promoting Tommy Robinson and For Britain openly:

The Central Connection – Shopland’s links to far right terror supporters

The most concerning thing about Jason Shopland is the circle of people around him, which includes violent extreme right and terrorism supporters. The evidence for this comes from facebook, so it’s not cast-iron proof. Even so, just for a man to be “friends” with these people should set alarm bells ringing…

Here is his friend Al Holbeach arguing that the victims of the  New Zealand  terrorist attack “had it coming”:

…and trying to blame the attack on Muslims

Jason’s had it all pointed it out to him, but this “Al Holbeach” character is still helping run Active for Plymouth’s facebook group at the time of writing. It seems supporting terrorism is acceptable for this party? Since Jason is an admin he can remove Al Holbeach any time he wants…

for ID:

Jason’s friendship group also includes extremists who claim to be in the hooligan firm “The Central Element”. A facebook friendship doesn’t mean they’re friends in real life, but let’s agree the man has some questions to answer. Perhaps he should start deradicalising his own before he goes after other groups?

Here’s Danny Robinson (right) holding a UVF flag, alongside Gary Miller (not on Shopland’s friend list) carrying a TCE Flag (The Central Element). The UVF is a proscribed terrorist group who did the worst bombing in the north of Ireland during the troubles [8]

Danny Robinson was a member of the racist BNP, seen in a leaked BNP membership list in 2008 [9]

Here’s another facebook friend of Shopland’s, Gaven Hewett (aka Gavin), promoting terrorism to the public from his house

and seig heiling,

even seig heiling, at an Argyle game (bastard)

Hewett is a member of the Active For Plymouth facebook group too…

In 2004 while a member of the BNP, Hewett was banned from every takeaway in Plymouth for hurling racial abuse at staff and throwing things at them – [10]

Brian Hornigold, added to the group by Jason himself, is a blatant neo-nazi. His profile picture is a well-known neo nazi symbol [11], and he’s publicly posted the famous neo-nazi “fourteen words” quote, from David Lane who formed far right terrorist organisation “The Order” [12]

And Nazi punk Jamie Waters, reportedly banned from several Plymouth venues for starting trouble at gigs
Jamie Waters is on Shopland’s friends a list and is a member of the Active For Plymouth facebook group too

Should someone with these connections be chair of a political party representing Plymouth? HELL NO!

Steve Minns – not funny

Steve Minns

Steve Minns, another of their candidates, fancies himself a racial comedian. Here are his facebook posts, you can judge for yourself…

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Valid Concerns?

Since this article quoted the far right, it’s only right to end it pointing out what’s wrong with them. Not just Active for Plymouth but the movement they’re part of.

So firstly travellers. There are not enough legal sites in the UK or in Plymouth, simple as. [13] [6] Even though making them would take barely any land at all. [14] And this is despite decades of broken promises, and decades of self-help foiled by a corrupt planning system. Ever since the government forced travellers from the roadsides many have been hounded from one site to the next. An that’s not to mention discrimination from the police [15], and biased portrayal in the mainstream media. [16] So Active for Plymouth’s policy of “forcing” travellers from unauthorised sites adds up to racial harassment. With nowhere to go they will be forced to abandon their culture. Which is what Jules the Gypsy-Hater seems to want.

Secondly on imigration they have no idea what they’re on about. In Popescu’s video he seems to say everyone with a job offer should be able to migrate? “If you come here to work, great. If not then we don’t need you, we don’t  want you.” [17] That would mean a lot more migrants than there are now! Fair enough, but I don’t think that’s what they were aiming at. Vague policies like “more control” give people a mask to hide behind. Both Labour and Tories have been saying the same words for years after all. So what does Active for Plymouth really want? We do know Jason Shopland doesn’t want refugees settled in Plymouth [18]. (Even though his own Freedom of Information request revealed only 31 people have been settled here) [19] . For the truth about immigration, the TUC’s booklet “migration and the South West” is good – https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/migration-and-south-west

Since For Britain and the rest of the right talk about grooming gangs, that deserves a quick word too. For the truth listen to the actual survivors, like Sammy Woodhouse [20]. Who, by the way, has criticised the way the far right is going about this. [21]

Finally, a starting point on terrorism – since For Britain also talk about this. The far right has organised lots of protests against terrorism. Fucking pointless if you ask us. Who’s going to listen, the terrorists? And as to getting the government to fight terrorism better, totally up the wrong alley. The government already harasses and interrogates thousands of innocent people they think are Muslim. Ever heard of Schedule 7? [22] Unless we stop them wasting resources on innocent people then all we’ll do is cause them to fuck with more people for no reason.

Meanwhile, what is the left doing? WE are the ones who have been fighting ISIS! [23] [24] It is thanks to left-wing Kurdish forces that ISIS has been pushed back and back until they have nothing left. [25] Many uk left wing activists have gone over and given their lives fighting against that terrorist death cult. Yet the far right insult them by acting like facsists and islamaphobes are the ones resisting ISIS. Nonsense!

Notes:

[1] – https://www.economist.com/international/2019/03/21/why-white-nationalist-terrorism-is-a-global-threat

[2] – https://resistinghate.org/for-britain-candidates-for-may-elections/

[3] – https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/discrimination-because-of-race-religion-or-belief/discrimination-because-of-race/#h-what-is-race-

[4] – https://www.rt.com/news/425153-ukraine-neo-nazis-roma/

[5] – https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-roma-protests-fascists-far-right-torre-maura-a8855166.html

[6] – Plymouth has one small site with 15 authorised permanent pitches – https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/communitiesandneighbourhoods/communityconnections/gypsyandtravellersites . There are supposed to be 40 more permanent pitches, and 15 more transit pitches – https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/communitiesandneighbourhoods/communityconnections/gypsyandtravellersites . Even though central government funding is available, the council does nothing while unauthorised sites cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds to remove

[7] – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IM4wtEr4No

[8] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Volunteer_Force

[9] – https://file.wikileaks.org/file/bnp-membership-list.txt

[10] – https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/294820.html

[11] – https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/celtic-cross

[12] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_Words

[13] – see page 33, http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8083/CBP-8083.pdf

[14] – https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/news/2014/11/one-square-mile

[15] – https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/news/2018/06/shocking-new-research-shows-extent-police-discrimination-towards-gypsies-and

[16] – https://www.nuj.org.uk/documents/briefing-gypsies-roma-and-irish-travellers-in-the-media/parliamentary-travellers-media-seminar-briefing.pdf

[17] – https://www.facebook.com/julesplymouth/videos/2177334985918890/

[18] – https://www.change.org/p/plymouth-city-council-stop-plymouth-from-taking-refugees-from-the-isis-crisis

[19] – https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/housed#incoming-1235471

[20] – https://twitter.com/sammywoodhouse1

[21]- https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/47359/Tommy+Robinsons+racists+turn+on+Rotherham+survivor

[22] – https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/human-rights/countering-terrorism/schedule-7

[23] – https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/only-democratic-multi-faith-and-multi-racial-socialism-can-overcome-fascism

[24] – https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/isis-syria-ypj-ypg-women-feminism-middle-east-a8838591.html

[25] – http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/23032019

 

Ubereats wildcat continues and spreads to Plymouth: workplace round-up for mid-September

Cautiously pessimistic

An attempt at a slightly fuller round-up of recent and ongoing struggles, mainly workplace-focused:

Notes from Below have published a more indepth write-up of the Ubereats wildcat, and the latest news is that the strike seems to have spread to Plymouth. They also have a report from the recent Ubereats strike in Glasgow.

In more mainstream union news, the RMT’s “keep the guard on the train” dispute will see further strikes on Northern Rail every Saturday until at least October 20th, and a 48-hour strike on South-Western on the 5th and 6th. They’re also calling for a day of action in London on October 3rd against ticket office closures, along with a strike on Eurostar over dangerous working conditions on September 30th/October 1st, and strike action over various issues on the Piccadilly line at the end of September.

NHS staff in York will…

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Deliveroo and UberEats strikes in London, Southampton and Plymouth: New Rebel Roo out now!

Cautiously pessimistic

A new issue of the Rebel Roo bulletin has been published in response to a new wave of strikes across the UK at Deliveroo and UberEats. In their words, “The Rebel Roo is a bulletin produced for and by Deliveroo and UberEats workers. It aims to build confidence, share tactics, and circulate struggles. This issue reports on conditions and action in London, Glasgow, Southampton and Plymouth – as well as making links to a strike by Paris couriers.”

To get it into the hands of Deliveroo and UberEats workers in your area, you can print some off from here, or if you don’t have a printer you could try contacting editors@notesfrombelow.org, rebelroouk@gmail.com or couriers.network@iww.org.uk and asking them to send you some.

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Oppose the far right in Plymouth 25th January 2018

Another one for Tomorrow, a very busy day!

The hair’s real, apparently.

25 January at 19:00–22:00 at the weston mill pub. 57 Bridwell Road, Plymouth, PL5 1AB

facebook event
Anne Marie Waters, a far-right Islamophobe, is planning on addressing a meeting in Plymouth of a group calling itself “For Plymouth”, the local branch of her “For Britain” party. They are meeting on Thursday 25th January.

Anne Marie Waters is friends with former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who has endorsed her new party, and she was the co-leader of Pegida UK, the British arm of the Muslim-bashing German street movement.
THIS MUST BE STOPPED !

Ditching the Fear – angry workers film and discussion, in Plymouth, Saturday 19th August.

Anarchy in the Sticks!

Our friends from Angry Workers of the World present ‘Ditching the Fear’: this is a film we intended to show at the bookfair but had to delete owing to lack of space.

Ditching the Fear tells the story of warehouse workers in Italy who recently went on strike, and overcame all obstacles to win. The film screening will be followed by a discussion led by Angry Workers, who went to Italy to speak with some of the people involved. facebook

Starting 4pm at the Fortescue on Mutley Plain, Plymouth, on Saturday 19th August. Hosted byMarea Granate Plymouth

You can read more about the strikes on the Angry Workers website

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Events around Mayday 2015.

We’ll probably add more as we hear of them, send us yours!

Why we celebrate May Day.

Bridport: Sat 2nd May 2015. Autonomy film show, The WI Hall, North Street, Bridport.

Brighton: Mayday weekend, 29 April – 4 May, Hosted by Brighton Solfed

29 Wednesday – Syndicalism and Education Sussex Uni Fulton building 113 = 6−8pm This event will feature an introduction to the current campaigns engaged in by SolFed, along with a discussion of contemporary issues pertaining to education and how they relate to workers’ control. The documentary “Street Politics 101” will also be shown.
01 Friday – MayDay
2 Saturday – Syndicalism in Brighton at the Cowley Club 4−6 pm
03 Sunday – Roast + Film and Discussion after at the Cowley Club 1−6 pm
04 Monday – Demonstration 12 0’Clock from Old Steine + picnic

Bristol: Friday 1st May. May Day Demo – Combat Workfare with Bristol Anarchist Federation

We’ve been lucky to mark International Workers Day (1st May) with some effective & fun demonstrations and direct actions for the past four years.

Last year we directly a large local organisation to end all involvement with workfare – picture of the demo is the one above! This year we hope to build on that, and our other anti workfare successes.

Boycott Workfare have called for a week of action that covers May Day, we aim to target a couple of companies who are profiting from the forced exploitation it represents – and hopefully help out some people affected by the schemes at the same time.

We’ll post more details nearer the time, yes we know its during the day on a workday but we also know a lot of you use any means at your disposal to avoid working on May Day! If you are forced into it you have our sympathy, if not see you on the streets again!

Gig afterwards

Cardiff: Radical Workers Bloc  Saturday 2nd May facebook

Caerdydd: Bloc Radicalaidd y Gweithwyr.

“THE DAY WILL COME WHEN OUR SILENCE WILL BE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE VOICES YOU ARE THROTTLING TODAY.”

– (August Spies on the scaffold before his execution)

South Wales Anarchists will be demonstating in Cardiff to celebrate this years May Day. Originally a pagan festival, the modern May Day bank holiday has its roots in the fight for the eight hour day and is celebrated across the globe as an International Workers’ Day to commemorate the anarchist trade union organisers who were executed in Chicago 1887. They were framed and wrongly accused of throwing a bomb at police breaking up a crowd in the Haymarket during a demonstration involving over 400,000 working in Chicago on May 4, 1886.

The anarchist idea did not die with these workers in 1887 and continues to be the inspiration for many fighting capitalism around the world. We call on all those struggling for a world of justice, dignity and freedom to come together and join us this May Day in Cardiff.

Bring your red and black flags and class struggle banners!

Meet at 12 noon at the southern end of St Mary St, under the railway bridge near the Great Western Wetherspoons. March starts at 12.30 through the streets of Cardiff City centre to…. somewhere with no bureaucrats’ speeches!!!

London: Reclaim the Beats – join the Fuck Parade! Class War 12V multi rig street party at 1 Commercial Street, London, from 6pm on Friday May 1.

Sisters Uncut Bank holiday action 4th May 2015, The Scoop. Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2DB

Direct action to prevent cuts to vital domestic violence services. Open to self-defining women only. This includes trans* and intersex women, as well as those with multi genders that include ‘woman’. We invite male allies to support us by creating hype on social media and by facilitating their sisters to go in any way they can. For more info on Sisters Uncut check out our FB page or our Twitter @sistersuncut.

Manchester: 0161 Festival Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd May 2015 Facebook

Milano: NoExpo 2015

May 1, 2015: from Milan, capital of the crisis, to Europe.

After seven years of crisis the precarious pride has become rage and indignation against the burgeoning unemployment and the growth of poverty imposed by BCE & IMF  to most of the population with austerity policies, particularly in Italy, Greece and the rest of the Latin Europe. Social slaughter, plunder of wealth and common goods, the end of the public city are the bases upon which governments build their response to the economic crisis.

Make a week of it:

APRIL 28: INTERNATIONAL NO EXPO CAMPING. Until May 3 with debates and workshops
APRIL 29: THE CITY OF MILAN AGAINST THE FASCIST MARCH
APRIL 30: NATIONAL STUDENTS DEMONSTRATION
MAY 1: #NOEXPOMAYDAY
MAY 2: MOBILIZATIONS AGAINST EXPO
MAY 3: GENERAL ASSEMBLY for 6 months of mobilizations
FROM MAY 3: 6 months of meetings and conflict against and beyond the Expo paradigm.

Plymouth: TIME TO GET RID OF THE RICH – ANTI CAPITALIST BLOC – PLYMOUTH MAYDAY MARCH 2nd May.

Tyne & Wear: