Police forged 'anarchist' papers

RUSSIAN anti-fascists and anarchists from Nizhny Novgorod are calling for global solidarity in their battle against a police prosecution based on crudely forged papers.

Crucial pieces of so-called evidence were planted during police searches, they say, during which a great number of procedural violations were committed - including the fact that most of the accused were altogether absent when their apartments were searched.

"Thus, during a police search of the apartment of one of the accused, who was not home at the time, the official witnesses (who are required to be present under Russian law) sat outside the closed door of the apartment while the police, who had entered through a window, did as they pleased in the empty apartment.

"The alleged IDs contain a crude spelling error (it would be odd if leftist activists had spelled the word “anarchy” wrong).

"The charter of this 'organization', which was likewise planted by police during these searches, stipulates a hierarchical structure, unconditional submission to the leader, and even punishment for disobedient members.

"These 'rules' are, of course, incompatible with leftist views and with the ideals of liberty and equality that our comrades espouse.

"The authorities have ignored all the outrageous violations of human rights committed by the political police, and they refuse to acknowledge the clear fabrications committed in this criminal investigation.

"Our only hope is the pressure of public opinion, international attention to the case, and widespread media coverage. On March 16–18, 2012, we call for days of coordinated actions in solidarity with the Nizhny Novgorod anti-fascists."

The dissidents are also asking for money to pay lawyers - at least $3,000. Details of how to donate can be found at http://avtonom.org/node/17032.

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Revolt over UK slave labour scheme

OUTRAGE is growing in the UK over a government-sponsored slave labour  scheme.

Not only does the workfare project mean people working for nothing more than their benefits and other workers losing out on overtime and potential paid employment, but it also acts as a giant tax-payer hand-out to profit-making corporations.

As details of the scheme have become known, particularly regards the Tesco supermarket chain, there has been widespread anger and now a national day of action is being called for Saturday March 3.   

Says the Boycott Workfare site: "In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare.

"We’re planning a Boycott Workfare action in Central London on this day and encourage people all over the UK to take action on their high streets.

"So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, TK Maxx and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets.

"Workfare means that those on benefits are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of the living wage – they receive £2.25 an hour in benefits for 30 hours of work.

"Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

"We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones and Sainsburys recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

"We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!"

John Harris wrote on The Guardian's website on February 16: "The crucial point is that unpaid work – bad enough when it applied to supposed 'interns', but grim beyond belief when used on the unemployed – is now being built into what some people call The New Normal.

"Given the thousands involved, it clearly represents a boon to the kind of multinational giants whose profit margins must be creeping upwards thanks to the plentiful supply of people – and please, all you free-marketeers, read this bit slowly – effectively paid a pittance to work for them by the taxpayer."

Protest details so far for March 3 are:
 
Liverpool. 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool. More info. 

London. Meet ouside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am. More info.

Leeds. City centre. 12-3. More info

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British cop behind Bahrain clamp-down

BRITISH hypocrisy over the Middle East and democracy has been further exposed by events in Bahrain, where protests were this week crushed by cops with tear gas, stun grenades and helicopters.

Not only has the UK been arming the repressive Bahraini state, as The Guardian has reported, but a retired top British cop has also been flown out to mastermind the clamp-down.

John Yates, the former assistant commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, who resigned last year during the phone hacking scandal, is purportedly 'reforming' the Bahraini force.

But he told The Daily Telegraph in the run-up to the February 14 anniversary protests: “The concept of reasonable reaction to provocation has been reinforced.

“Unless they face extraordinary provocation like last year, it will be about allowing people to gather and containment. It’s about learning techniques from other places like kettling – that would work really well around here.”

And his verdict on the movement for democracy in the authoritarian pro-Western Gulf state? “This isn’t organised protests, its just vandalism, rioting on the streets. Acts of wanton damage that are destroying the economy.”

Meanwhile, Britain continues to support armed insurrection in Syria, where the regime is not backed by the UK and USA.

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We are all Greek - a solidarity call-out

 
A CALL-OUT has been made for an international day of solidarity with the Greek resistance to neoliberalism - on Saturday February 18.

This is the post on takethesquare.net:

When one people is attacked, all people are attacked…

The 10th of February, the non elected Greece Government adopted a new hideous and destructive austerity plan, passed by the parliament (MPs voted 199-101 in favour) on the 12th of February.

The new austerity measures impose a 22% reduction in the minimum wage, which will remain frozen for the next three years; collective bargaining is simply cut; 15000 public sector workers are laid off and 150000 jobs will be destroyed due to the non-renewal of the contract…

The people of Greece is bravely rising up against social terror policies. With the media’s deafening silence, demonstrations, as well as general strikes, become more and more frequent despite the violent repression.

The people of Greece need the international solidarity and they call for our support.

Let’s reply to their call. We are all Greek!

Their mobilization is clashing with the wall of an European and international dictatorship, the dictatorship of the financial markets and the troika: EU, ECB and IMF, who have imposed austerity measures and a non-elected government on the Greek.

The EU governments are involved in the dictatorship and they implement measures which are in the same line in the rest of the countries. Greece is being used as a laboratory before generalizing these measures. The situation is going to get even worse due to the new European Treaty project, which will impose the « golden rule » in our national constitutions.

We reject to sacrifice the people to the money, as do the Greeks.

Let’s regain the reins of our lives.

Switch off your computer, join the mobilization!

There will be demonstrations everywhere in solidarity with the mobilization of the people of Greece, Saturday the 18th of February.

There is also a page on Facebook.

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Anonymous message to Greeks

THIS video is a solidarity message to the Greek people from Anonymous hacktivists, after a range of establishments websites were brought down over the weekend.

Meanwhile, angry protests at the imposition of neoliberal slavery continue.

Reports From The Greek Streets: "Patras and Agrinio saw follow up marches on 13/2/2012. These turned violent.

"In Agrinio banks and the local offices of the far-right LAOS were trashed. In Patras demonstrators invaded and trashed the offices of the local PASOK MP Spiliopoulos who voted for the new austerity measures.

"Before they invaded the luxurious hotel Astir where the right wing party ND (part of the governmental coalition) had organised an event.

"They called for a new demo tomorrow (Tuesday) in Patras. In Komotini the building of the Regional Government of Thrace and Eastern Macedonia has been occupied, the assembly decided for march tomorrow."

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Anti-nuke protesters occupy site

 

PROTESTERS have for the second time in a week occupied the development site at Hinkley Point nuclear power station in Somerset, south west England.

In the early hours of the morning anti-nuclear activists took possession of an abandoned farm on the site which is protected under International Environmental law.

The site contains a Site of Special Scientific interest (SSSI) and a protected wetland site but it is due to be cleared by power company EDF in the coming months.

Protesters are angry that permission has been given for this work to begin before the company have won permission to build their controversial new nuclear plant.

Somerset born Theo Simon said "We want to reclaim this land and make sure that the wildlife that inhabits it and forages here is protected. 

"Giving permission to clear the land before Planning Permission has even been granted clearly gives the message to EDF that permission is a done deal. I, and many others like me, want proper public consultation and debate before we commit to a technology whose toxic legacy will remain for generations.”

Local media reported this week that EDF will begin site clearance in the coming weeks, although EDF claimed the opposite when protesters occupied the trees on Tuesday. 

The first phase of the preparation works will include removal of hedgerows and all trees, before stripping all topsoil and levelling the landscape, all this despite the fact that planning permission has not been granted for a new nuclear power station at the site.

Shana Deal, one of the occupiers in Langborough Farm, said today: "If EDF's activities continue, this nature reserve will be lost forever. Not even EDF are willing to guarantee that a new nuclear power station will be economically viable, and I for one do not want to see this beautiful land turned into a toxic waste dump.”

The farm premises is accessible by public footpaths and visitors are being welcomed by the protesters.

More info at http://www.stophinkley.org

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Greek resistance - video footage

THIS video footage of last night's events in Athens has been posted online by RT.

The latest 'austerity' measures, including a 20% cut in the minimum wage,  were imposed on the population by a parliament acting only in the interests of the global banking system.

After Greece, the rest of us are lined up for the same slavery.

The night of February 12 in Greece sets the tone for the next phase of our resistance to the neoliberal fascists.

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