On the road again: Weston Radical Bookfair 2023.

Three of us spent a pleasant day in the West country at the second Weston Super Mare Radical Bookfair, hosted  by the North Somerset LGBT+ Forum and the Sanctuary Cafe. Unfortunately this friendly progressive venue is closing shortly due to rising costs. Our comrades have another location lined up for next year so keep an eye on the facebook page and if you’re in the area perhaps visit the Sanctuary Closing Night Bash on Saturday, 18th February From 18:00-23:00.

We made many new friends and met up with some old ones, a good start to the season and we hope to do it again.

 

Pictures by Green.

Antifa Enternasyonal: Time to defend the revolution!

Nûçe Ciwan.

ROJAVA – Stating that an alternative to the capitalist system has emerged with the 21st century women’s revolution in Rojava, Firaz Dağ from the Antifa Enternasyonal organization stated that Turkey targeted this alternative with its attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria, and said, “It’s time to defend the revolution.” Against Turkey’s attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria and Southern Kurdistan, reactions from the international ground and the Kurds continue.

On behalf of the Antifa Enternasyonal (International Antifascist), Firaz Dağ from Rojava evaluated the bombing of the living quarters and cities of the Kurds fighting against ISIS to JINNEWS.

Airspace under Russian control

Stating that Turkey’s attacks on Kurdistan with the idea of ​​conquest never stopped, Firaz reminded that the airspaces are under the control of Damascus and Russia. Firaz said, “The fascist Turkish state once again attacked positions in Northern and Eastern Syria and Southern Kurdistan in order to create fear among the Kurdish people. The attacks and invasions against the Revolution never stopped, but as earlier this year, the Turkish state attacked several targets simultaneously in a coordinated operation. It is known that the airspace of Rojava and the whole of Syria is under the control of the Assad regime and the Russian state.”

‘Attacks with the support of Russia never stopped’

Noting that the air attacks on Rojava never stopped, Firaz said that the fascist states cooperated in destroying the revolution and said: “During the occupation of Afrin in 2018, the Russian state allowed dozens of warplanes to enter its airspace and bombard Afrin nonstop for 2 months. Drone attacks have never stopped in Rojava, and coordinated attacks like last night are nothing new. Cooperation between the existing nation-states in the region and their interests in overthrowing the revolution were once again clearly seen.”

‘Rojava has become a symbol of hope and strength’

Stating that Rojava has become a symbol for all the oppressed peoples of the world, Firaz said that the coalition against ISIS did not act without harming the interests of the guarantor countries, and said: “As long as they are not harmed, they are not very interested in attacks against the people of the region. While playing volleyball at a school located 2 kilometers from the coalition base in Hesekê in August, 5 girls were martyred and 10 girls were injured in the attack carried out by the Turkish state with an unmanned aerial vehicle. The answer was a statement condemning the attack, but without mentioning the perpetrator… Turkey being the second largest army and one of the founding members of NATO, It is wrong to understand and think that these constant illegal and immoral attacks are only a conflict of interest. These attacks in Rojava and the constant attacks in the mountains of Kurdistan are fully compatible with the interests of the hegemonic forces of capitalist modernity. The only reasonable and correct attitude to prevent such attacks on the revolution lies in ourselves. Rojava has long become a symbol of hope and strength for all the oppressed peoples of the world, demonstrating that it is possible to create a revolutionary alternative to the women’s revolution, the capitalist system and its inhuman practices in the 21st century. The only reasonable and correct attitude to prevent such attacks on the revolution lies in ourselves. Rojava has long become a symbol of hope and strength for all the oppressed peoples of the world, demonstrating that it is possible to create a revolutionary alternative to the women’s revolution, the capitalist system and its inhuman practices in the 21st century. The only reasonable and correct attitude to prevent such attacks on the revolution lies in ourselves. Rojava has long become a symbol of hope and strength for all the oppressed peoples of the world, demonstrating that it is possible to create a revolutionary alternative to the women’s revolution, the capitalist system and its inhuman practices in the 21st century.”

‘The attacks clearly reveal the mentality of the system’

Regarding the ongoing bombing, Firaz said, “The fact that the attacks target civilian infrastructure and civilian deaths clearly reveal the mentality of the system. Those who accuse the YPG/YPJ of being a terrorist organization are the same ones who financed the Islamic State and today finance the al-Qaeda Front Al Nusra and now former members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham State (HTS).”

‘The AKP-MHP government has been preparing for an operation for months’

Stating that preparations for an operation have been made for months to ‘protect’ his power due to the upcoming elections, Firaz continued: “The explosion in Istanbul was a pretext for attacks without any evidence of any connection with Rojava (except for what the Turkish state itself said). The fascist Turkish state has been preparing to launch a new ground operation in the region for months as it is in the election period and the AKP-MHP fascist coalition needs to gather more votes for re-election. However, the fact that they have not advanced significantly in the mountains so far makes a direct attack on Rojava impossible.”

‘Defend the Revolution!’

Finally, Firaz, who called on the whole world to defend and embrace the Rojava Revolution, said, “Therefore, it is in the hands of anyone who claims to defend democracy and socialism to rise up against the Turkish state wherever they are. Demonstrate your solidarity in a practical way by performing actions, occupations, direct actions, whatever. Time to answer! We demand that the fascists be held accountable and punished for their war crimes. Fight for Rojava. Defend the Revolution!” used the phrases.

37 refugees dead, hundreds injured in Spanish-Moroccan police massacre at Melilla border

de.indymedia.org

Refugee massacre in Melilla is no different from genocid.

“Other deaths may have occurred when some fell from the top of the fence: at the place on the border where the massacre took place, the border fence rises to between 6 and 10 meters in height. Other may have been directly killed by police who hit them with stones and batons.”

“Footage released by Al Jazeera showed dozens of people lying by the border fence, some bleeding and many apparently lifeless as Moroccan security forces stood over them. In one clip, a Moroccan security officer appeared to strike a person lying on the ground with a baton.’ ‘Certain images, recorded by elDiario.es between 11 and 12 in the morning, show two Moroccan gendarmes at the border, on the roof of a Spanish checkpoint, taking turns trying to stone a migrant who was at the top of the fence.’ ‘ I was surprised when I saw green helmets of the Moroccan forces on the Spanish side of the fence. The Spanish agents were in trouble, there were many people in a very narrow place. I was surprised to see Moroccan policemen on Spanish soil detaining, assaulting and returning migrants. It’s the first time I’ve seen this in four years working in Melilla.” On Sunday evening, protests erupted across Spain against the massacre—in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Bilbao, Badajoz, Cáceres, Seville, Granada, Cádiz, Mataró and Zaragoza.’ ‘These horrific scenes testify to the barbaric character of the European Union. To the east, NATO’s proxy war against Russia in Ukraine has led to tens of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees. To its south, the EU is arraying the full force of its police-military machine against migrants, thousands of whom are left to drown in the Mediterranean each year.’

Kundgebung 28. Juni | 16 Uhr Botschaft von Spanien Lichtensteinallee 1 | 10787 Berlin

Stop the war on refugees – migration is a human right! Figth the deadly, racist, neocolonial European border regime in #Mellila, at the #BelarusBorder, in Calais, Bosnia and Libya – #FightFortressEurope! Join the rally in front of the spanish embassy in Berlin on Tuesday!

#b2806

PSC Southampton newsletter

ISRAELI POLICE VIOLENCE IN MOSQUE

On 15 April 2022, Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, a holy place for Muslims, using tear gas shells and sound bombs. Over 150 Palestinians were injured and 400 arrested. Three Israeli police were injured.

The Israeli police’s violence in the Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan has drawn global attention, but it’s only one part of the apartheid regime Palestinians have to live through every single day.  For more information from Tribute Magazine click here

WALK WITH US FOR PALESTINE

Sunday 8th May 2022 at 9.45 am

Join our annual sponsored Walk for Palestine on Sun 8th May.  It is about seven miles with a break to have a picnic in the middle, and it is a great way to meet other supporters.

For more info and sponsorship form just email pscsoton@gmail.com  We look forward to meeting old and new friends then .

NATIONAL MARCH 
Saturday 14th May at 12 noon

We are organising a trip from Southampton rail station to go to this peaceful march on Sat 14 May. Everyone is very welcome to come and join us and we can all go together.

If you would like to come or find out more, please just email us at pscsoton@gmail.com or phone Parveen on 07577 412334.  We will then arrange a time to meet at Southampton Station or in London and let you know.

Organised by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Friends of Al- Aqsa, Muslim Association of Britain,  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

PSC AT NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION CONFERENCE

Monday 11 April 2022

We were very pleased to support National PSC at the NEU Conference in Bournemouth.  Over 130 teachers attended a talk by NEU and PSC, including speakers in Palestine over zoom, talking about problems they had with schools being demolished and children being intimidated on their way to school.

If you are a member,  NEU offer support for some places for members to go and visit Palestine to see for yourself what is happening. Contact them for more details.

IRISH MP ON UKRAINE AND PALESTINE

While, of course, we fully support the people of Ukraine, the contrast between all the support the West offers to the people of Ukraine, compared to its total lack of support for the Palestinians, is horrendous.

Watch this short clip by Irish MP Richard Boyd Barrett contrasting the two. He is passionate about Palestine and always worth watching.

“It took five days for sanctions against Putin and his thugs but imposing sanctions for 70 years of oppression of the Palestinians would not be ‘helpful’.”

Irish MP Richard Boyd Barrett compares and contrasting the West’s attitude to Ukraine and Palestine.

UK FAILS TO SUPPORT RESOLUTIONS UPHOLDING PALESTINIAN RIGHTS AT UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

On 31 March and 1 April 2022, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted to adopt three resolutions supporting Palestinians’ rights and an end to violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territory.

But the UK Govt failed to support these resolutions upholding Palestinian rights by abstaining or even voting against them. Disgusting.  More information about this can be found on the Medical Aid for Palestine website by clicking here

LOWKEY – LONG LIVE PALESTINE

UK Rapper and activist Lowkey, who actively supports and articulately speaks about Palestine, is under attack for this.

A powerful Pro-Israeli lobby group is trying to get Spotify to remove some of his music and get his gigs at Universities cancelled

So here is a link to one of his songs, complete with text.  If you like it, or think people have the right to speak out about Palestine, please join the 25,000 people so far, including Noam Chomsky, Jewish Professor Ilan Pappé, and many more who have signed this petition to Spotify to stop them removing him. https://chng.it/nWcygKs7Mz

Statement by our brother regarding the War in Ukraine.

From Etniko Bandido Infoshop. by e-mail.

Well my friend now that the war has begun I feel prepared to give you my thoughts on this both as a Ukrainian, an American, and a committed anarchist.

Today I am sad. I am sad because the seeds of this war, like the seeds of all wars, have been sown not by common people and free individuals but always through the exploitation of others’ which is ultimately amplified by the state.

This was the tragic outcome of the maidan 2014 revolution, which again demonstrates that the true path for anarchism is not through the violent overthrow of the state and massacres in the street but the peaceful building of alternative systems based upon mutual aid and cooperation, and through ever-expanding networks that ultimately peacefully lead to the ending of exploitation through courage and self/community/earth-defense, not aggression or the atrocity of war.

I am sad because the land where my family was formed is once again under attack by a colonizer who, like all colonizers seeks to control, manipulate, and exploit both people and resources. Ukraine lies as the anchor between two continents and has, historically, been considered a wild and untamed place because it is a “borderland”. That spirit existed long before someone thought to critically analyze capitalism, the state, or develop any sense of politics.

The situation for anarchists, as has been our struggle for centuries, is always always to defend each other, other working people, and those suffering from the state – which includes economic exploitation under state-sanctioned private capitalism or state communism. The moment now in Ukraine is not for theoretical discussion but for action and solidarity. Let states fight their wars against each other, our struggle is always to fight for the people!

In this moment the objective is clear: to identify our comrades in Ukraine and listen to them. But beyond that, our objective is to condemn aggression by any invader or colonizer. I condemn the invasion with the same force that I condemn America’s bloody wars, our disgusting racist society, and continued propping up of capitalists and dictators, including in your country. We must all stand together, always, and help wherever we can, always to defend ourselves and our communities from these forces.

We must also speak the truth, and we can all see what the truth is here: that an imperial, colonizing power Russia is attempting to retake their prize colonial possession. Now as an American, I am both frustrated and angry. I am feeling this way because in many ways, this country has laid the groundwork for Russian action here, and remains the main exporter of state violence in the world (even before we count this country’s long history of military conquests and capitalist interventions, just on the sales of weapons alone America is the biggest exporter and maker of implements of death in human history).

I do not believe we would be in the situation we are in now had this country not spent 20 years attempting to colonize large parts of the middle east but that may be another topic. Living through the last four years under the Trump regime has given every American a taste of what the slide toward fascism would look and feel like here.

America is currently in a state of cold civil war. Political violence in the country is scattered but increasing. The outright fascist elements who remain largely in control of the Republican party have implemented certain voting laws that will set them up for gains in our Congress when we have elections next year. We see that there is a new alliance emerging between Russian and American far right during the last four years, and that one of the effects of that has been the implementation of Russian-style media propaganda by right wing news outlets in America.

However, because there is also protections for press freedom, inevitably these propaganda displays are countered and ridiculed, which of course only serves to reinforce the cold civil war. If the goal of Russia was to ensure that America would destroy itself from within, or at least become incapable of offering an international deterrent to well-defined authoritarian regimes, they have succeeded.

Living in America is living in a country full of anxieties, where every person is filled with worry they are one step away from losing either their position in society or economic security. It is in the final stages of capitalism. However, we are also seeing some seeds of true peoples movements emerge. Unionization and worker control is up for the first time in 70 years. There seems to be more radical interest among the youth. There is still time.

The bottom line is, the situation in Ukraine is another tragic example of how war, which is the ultimate expression of state power, destroys life and the natural world, which itself is the ultimate expression of the union between individual and community and earth.

War Diary of a Belarusian Anarchist Fighting in Ukraine [Part 1]

Enough 14

On April 7, we published a message from a Belarusian anarchist refugee who lived in Poland and is now fighting in Ukraine. War Diary Part 1 is the start of a series with translations of posts on his Telegram channel. Trigger warning: death and violence.

Originally published by Diary of an Extremist Telegram channel. (A court in Brest declared his project @barankipunx “extremist”). Translated by Riot Turtle with support from translation tools. We apologize for any minor errors.

February 25, 2022

I should probably write something about the war and

View post.

Fascists from Misantropic Division attacked volunteer of Operation Solidarity in Lviv [Ukraine]

Enough 14

Ukraine. A message from Operation Solidarity about a fascist attack on one of their activists in Lviv. Originally published by Operation Solidarity Telegram Channel.

In Lviv, fascists from the Misanthropic Division attacked our fellow volunteer, who was helping soldiers with ammunition, equipment, and bulletproof vests. It happened near a military supply store, where he went for new purchases. He has a broken finger.

Let us not forget that Ukrainian anti-authoritarian and left-wing activists are organizing resistance to the invaders, helping the fighters, supporting hospitals and people in need of food, care and scarce medicines. Attacks on us, our comrades or acquaintances = SUPPORT TO THE OCCUPIER.

We strongly recommend all racist fighters to stop doing nonsense in the rear and start doing useful things. Want action? You know where to go.

Image above: One of the attackers.

Albums Against the Invasion from Anarchist Black Cross Musical Solidarity Group

Anonymous Submission to North Shore Counter-Info

Shortly after the first bombs started falling on Ukrainian cities in the invasion by Russian forces, anti-authoritarian musicians around the world began collaborating with members of Anarchist Black Cross collectives to respond. Now, two compilation albums have been released to raise money for anarchists fighting the invasion on the front lines in Ukraine, and behind the lines in Russia.

https://abcmusicalsolidarity.bandcamp.com/

The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military requires Putin to direct violence on both sides of the battle lines. As his bombers and artillery shell Ukrainian cities, and his tanks roll over Ukrainian fields and wallow in the springtime mud, the Russian state maintains the discipline of war at home. The OMON and FSB target anti-war protestors. The media shut down under threat of prison for speaking the truth about the war. When conscripts refuse to participate in this imperialist war, they face threats and punishments from their officers.

In Kyiv and other cities, the Ukrainian anarchist movement- which includes many exiled Russian and Belarusian comrades- has taken up arms. They are fighting to defend their communities, their comrades, and a liberatory vision of the future of Ukraine, separate from the aspirations of the Right or of the state. Meanwhile, across Russia, our comrades take to the street whether by day in mass marches, or by night to spread the truth about the war through creative means, or to take more direct actions. One draft office has already been burned near Moscow. In the words of that heroic arsonist, “Let [the oligarchs] know that their own people hate them and we will extinguish them. Soon the earth will start to burn under their feet. Hell awaits at home”.

By supporting the fight against the invasion at both the front and behind the lines, we hope to nurture the seeds of the movement that can turn this war between nations into a revolution against the ruling class- a new spring of autonomy and solidarity sweeping across the steppe.

The first album, “The Deserter“, is fund-raising for the Anarchist Black Cross in Moscow. It will support the legal defense and general protection of those within the Russian Federation who are resisting the war and fighting back against the clampdown by the Russian state. Featuring a black poppy and the crossed-out “Z” of the anti-war movement on its cover, the album features songs about political prisoners, inflation, soldiers’ mothers, barricades, and of course, desertion.

The second album, “Mother Anarchy“, is raising money for he Anarchist Black Cross Dresden, to be directed towards their ongoing support work for the Committee of Resistance, an anarchist unit within the Territorial Defense forces, formed by anti-authoritarian activists in Ukraine. Beginning with the song “Mother Anarchy” written by Nestor Makhno, by album takes us on a journey through South African hip hop, lo-fi, German punk, ska, and Makhnovist rewrites of Cossack ballads.

The artist lineup includes such acts as Soundz of the South, Darryl Cherney, the Window Smashing Job Creators, Maske, Soho, and a folk collective formed for this project going by the pseudonym Tachanka.

The albums are being sold at the ABC Musical Solidarity Bandcamp for at least $8 each, with the option to pay more to support the cause.

Spring Is Coming: Take to the Streets against the War

Avtonom. Translated by CrimethInc.

The Russian army has invaded Ukraine. Putin has lost his senses and his army is bombing cities, shooting civilians, and killing children. More than one million people have fled the country in order to escape from Putin’s “liberators.”

We refuse to submit to Russian military censorship. We say openly and clearly: this is war. This is a war of conquest and the Russian army is running it. With weapons in their hands, Ukrainians are successfully defending themselves from the invaders, but we, who are inside Russia, cannot stand aside from these events. We must show each other and the world that we are against this war, that only Putin and his gang need it. To be against the war is genuine anti-fascism right now.

March 6, this coming Sunday, is the general day of anti-war actions in Russia. Take the central square of your city! One of the meeting points in Moscow is the Square of the train stations at 15:00. There are also meetings at 19:00 and other times. Decide and organize for yourselves, team up with your friends. The main thing is to get out on the streets.

The Russian authorities are panicking now. They have realized that they are losing this war. That is why they hysterically threaten anti-war protesters—with expulsion, or with dismissal, or with immediate conscription into the army, or with jail. Don’t be afraid of them. Ukrainians in their cities go out into the streets with bare hands to protest against the invaders. They are standing against solders with rifles, against tanks. How can one be afraid of the rusty machinery of the Russian police?

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THERE WILL BE NO LANDSCAPE AFTER THE BATTLE (On the invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine).

Enlace Zapatista. Translated by Taller Ahuehuete.

Illustration by taller ahuehuete.

To those who signed the Declaration for Life:

To the national and international Sexta:

Comrades and Sisters:

We give you our words and thoughts on what is currently happening in the geography they call Europe:

FIRST.- There is an aggressive force, the Russian army. There are interests of big capital at stake, on both sides. Those who are suffering now because of the delusions of some and the crafty economic calculations of others are the peoples of Russia and Ukraine (and, perhaps soon, those of other geographies near and far away).

As Zapatistas we do not support one State or the other, but those who fight for life against the system.

With the multinational invasion of Iraq — almost 19 years ago — led by the US army, there were mobilizations all over the world against that war. No one in their right mind thought that to oppose the invasion was to side with Saddam Hussein. Now the situation seems similar, though not the same. Neither Zelenskyy nor Putin. Stop the war.

SECOND.- Different governments have sided with one faction or the other, and have done so on the basis of economic calculations. There is no appeal to humanity in them. For these governments and their ideologues, there are good and bad interventions-invasions-destructions.

The good ones are those carried out by their supporters, and the bad ones are those perpetrated by their opponents. The applause for Putin’s criminal argument to justify the military invasion of Ukraine will turn into a lament when, by the same words, the invasion of other peoples whose processes do not please big capital will be justified.

They will invade other geographies to save them from “the neo-Nazi tyranny” or they will claim it is all to put an end to neighboring “narco-states”. They will then repeat the same words muttered by Putin: “we are going to denazify” (or its equivalent); from there a vast amount of “rationalization” regarding “the danger posed by the people in such territories”.

And then, as our comrades in Russia tell us: “Russian bombs, rockets, bullets – they all fly towards Ukrainian citizens, and these weapons do not ask them about their political ideology, or the language they speak”, but the “nationality” of one or the other will change.

THIRD.- Big capital and its “Western” regimes sat back and watched — and even encouraged — the situation as it deteriorated. Then, once the invasion had begun, they waited to see if Ukraine would resist, calculating what they could get out of one result or the other. As Ukraine persisted, then they began to issue “aid” invoices to be charged later. Putin is not the only one surprised by the Ukrainian resistance.

Those who win in this war are the big weapon-manufacturing consortiums, and the big capitals that see this opportunity to conquer: to destroy-reconstruct territories, that is to say, to create new markets of commodities and consumers, of human lives.

FOURTH.- Instead of turning to what the media and the social networks of the respective sides disseminate — and which both present as “news” — or to the “analyses” in the sudden proliferation of alleged experts in geopolitics, sudden fanatics of the Warsaw Pact and NATO – instead, we decided to seek out and ask those who, like us, are engaged in the struggle for life in Ukraine and Russia.

After several attempts, the Sixth Zapatista Commission1 managed to make contact with our family-in-resistance-and-rebellion in the geographies they call Russia and Ukraine.

FIFTH.- In summary, these, our relatives, who also raise the flag of the libertarian-@, remain firm in resistance: those who are in Donbass, in Ukraine; and in rebellion, those who work and walk the streets and fields of Russia. Those arrested and beaten in Russia for protesting against the war. Those killed in Ukraine by the Russian army.

They are united with each other, and with us, not only in their rejection of the war, but in their repudiation with the idea of “aligning” themselves with governments that oppress their people.

Amidst the confusion and chaos on both sides, they stand firm in their convictions: their struggle for autonomy, their repudiation of borders and their nation-states, and the respective oppression that only changes its flags.

Our duty is to support them to the best of our ability. A word, an image, a tune, a dance, a fist raised, an embrace — even from distant geographies — are also a form of support that will encourage their hearts.

To resist is to persist and to prevail. Let us support our relatives in their resistance, that is, in their struggle for life. We owe them this, and we owe it to ourselves.

SIXTH.- Therefore, we call upon [people in struggle], those members of the national and international Sexta who yet have not done so to manifest themselves — according to their calendars, geographies ways and possibilities — against the war, and in support of the Ukrainians and Russians who struggle in their geographies for a world with freedom.

We also appeal to unify and aid through financial support for the resistance in the territory known as Ukraine, in the accounts that will be indicated to us in due course.

As for the Sixth Commission of the EZLN, it is doing as it must, sending the small amount of help it can to those in Russia and Ukraine who are fighting against the war. Contacts have also been initiated with our relatives in SLUMIL K’AJXEMK’OP to create a common economic fund to support those in resistance.

Without bending, defiantly, we shout and call to clamor, demanding: Russian Army out of Ukraine!

The war must be stopped now. If it continues and, as expected, escalates, then perhaps there will be no one to account for the landscape after the battle.

From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.

Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés. SupGaleano.

Sixth Commission of the EZLN. March 2022.