Dublin May Day March cancelled!

by Cityboy Thu Apr 29, 2004 18:30

Yea from all the Ambulance and Fire Crews, professional and voluntary, that are being dragged in for the weekend..

will you guys please please go easy on us with the beatings..

and for the protestors can you give us a bit of space..!

by Ailish Thu Apr 29, 2004 17:54

I'm an EMT, working with one of the voluntary ambulance providers on May Day - we've been told to expect all hell to break loose, and to keep the Gardai and protesters seperate...
But the people we're getting our orders from don't expect the protesters to be causing hassle, or even furthering the trouble, should it start...
What kind of country are we living in, where the police force are expected to cause riots, and the protesters will need to be kept seperate from them, for the safety of the protesters?!

by Scoobie Mon Apr 19, 2004 20:10

Many of your work collegues hearing the load of motivational rubish that I'm sure your "superiors" are spouting in the days leading to mayday might not be as motivated as you were to get the other side of the story. I applaud you for your openmindedness.

Rest assured that all mayday protesters are trying to bring about economic benifits, like your paid holiday time you enjoy, for all workers(and have succesfully done in the past.. the paid holiday time you enjoy is one of those benifits won in worker struggle) and not trying to inconvienence other workers. maybe you will come to see the delay in your paid holiday, that you will eventually get, as a minor and worthwhile sacrifice.

I advise taking the day off and spend the day with the protesters, I garentee an educational, potentially life changing experience. Bring some change with you and buy some of the newspapers being put out on the day. research what you find out on the net. once you begin seeing how the world is actually run its easy to see how so many former policemen, military personnel, etc see their real interests and join in working class struggle. Most people join the reactionary side (I'm a former NYC police officer candidate) under misguided reasons to contribute positivly to the world. Some of the best acivists have been ex military people!

by Joe Thu Apr 08, 2004 12:36

You'll find more material on the anarchist origins of Mayday at http://struggle.ws/about/mayday.html

Brian as your officers want to use you as paramilitary riot cops, (not a role I'm sure you joined for) be aware that they will tell you quite a few lies about what we are planning. But what we have online is exactly what we intend. I'd recomment a 'blue flu' outbreak.

by Chekov Wed Apr 07, 2004 18:39

There are two groups organising protests for Mayday. One is the Dublin Grassroots Network, a coalition involving various anarchist , environmentalist and other activist groups and individuals. The other is Another Europe is Possible. I'm not sure who is affiliated to them beyond the Socialist Workers Party.

The link below sets out why the grassroots are protesting. The violent thugs are a figment of the media's imagination. In 10 years of anarchist activism I have yet to meet one at a protest anyway!

The roots of Mayday stretch back to Chicage in 1886 when a bomb was thrown during a rally in support of the 8 hour day. The state responded by rounding up all the local prominent anarchist activists and executing them. Since then Mayday has been international workers day.

by brian - defence forces Wed Apr 07, 2004 18:09 ankers99 at hotmail dot com

im a memeber of the defence forces , my leave has been cancelled and i miss my holiday due to security requirements for may day, can some please spare the time and be so kind as to a short history of may day, the different groups marching and their believes, what is it they atre worried about?, or is it just an excuse to cause mayhem on the strrets?, is it worldwide? terms like capitlism and globalisation i dont understand, so please take the time to educate me! by email address preferably

by Union leaders are scabs Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:54

There are demos organised every May Day by the workers movement. May Day is traditionally seen as the workers day. Not to have a demo this year would be a disgrace.

As for your comments on the EU. I do not see the expansion of the EU as something to celebrate. The expansion of the EU is not about improving the living standards of the people in Eastern Europe. Expansion is about making it easier for western European multinationals buy up the remnants of the state owned sectors of the economy in these countries. This will mean a further undermining of living standards and working conditions for these people.

by righteous pragmatist Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:03

Due to the attacks on Madrid no where in the world is safe from Al-Qeada.
Dublin may be next.
A march by thousands of people is sure to be the target of Al-Qeada

by Michael Gallagher - R.A.R. Mon Mar 15, 2004 00:18 0864048249

Now that the lackies and money men in I.CT.U. have given Connolly and Larkin etc. the final insult by announcing the cancellation of May Day, isn't this the time for workers and genuine revolutionary socialists to reclaim our Day.

by prague Sun Mar 14, 2004 19:29

which arrived first?
the Mc Donalds?
the Kafka themepark?
or the Irish bars?
Do you really expect all the east to be like Prague? Maybe, but there really is one small problem, you see we only have an infinite number of weekend tourists and second holiday home owners to draw upon.
Perhaps we should consider other ways of extending wealth?

by golda Sun Mar 14, 2004 18:18

"when we welcome the opportunity to essentially steal all the land and capital from all these accession countries for our own profit while we lock them in their own countries to ensure a plentiful supply of cheap labour."

Look at the way Ireland was before joining the EU.
Now look at it, a booming country.
With foreign investment in the new states, the same shall happen to them. Foreign money that will help restart their economies. But no, its not stealing land, infact in order to invest in nearly all of the new states, property developments must be at least 50% natively funded. This allows new building work, thus rejuvenating the country, and the 50% rule ensures that national interests shall be safeguarded and its not just foreigners that will make money of investment.
Look at Prague for christ sake! Since Irish investors have been putting money into the city, the place is booming!

by David Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:49

when we welcome the opportunity to essentially steal all the land and capital from all these accession countries for our own profit while we lock them in their own countries to ensure a plentiful supply of cheap labour.
when the election campaign drumming up support to deny freedom to the most innocent of all people, newborn children because of "economic realities",

by yawn Sun Mar 14, 2004 05:58

"These union leaders are fucking scab bastard scum. So what if Bertie et al are having a knees up in Dublin castle that is their fucking problem. It is May Day and the workers are entitled to have a protest. If the union leaders actually represented us they would tell Bertie to go and shite. I say fuck the scab leaders, they are not the trade union movement, we are! We are having our May Day demo regardless if Begg, O'Flaherty and the other FF scabs are there or not"

What exactly are you protesting? Because that hasn't been made clear in any of this.

If you want to protest the joining of 10 new eastern european accession states, then shame on you. Ireland holds the presidency of the EU at this point in time, and the accessaion ceremony on May 1st is far more important than you bunch of loonys wandering around the streets moaning about capitalism.

Shame on you alll, there are some things more important in this world than you lot, get over your own self-importance.

by Union leaders are scabs Sat Mar 13, 2004 22:31

These union leaders are fucking scab bastard scum. So what if Bertie et al are having a knees up in Dublin castle that is their fucking problem. It is May Day and the workers are entitled to have a protest. If the union leaders actually represented us they would tell Bertie to go and shite. I say fuck the scab leaders, they are not the trade union movement, we are! We are having our May Day demo regardless if Begg, O'Flaherty and the other FF scabs are there or not

by :-) - belfast. Sat Mar 13, 2004 14:05

We shall assemble in the centre than start walking "very quickly no dawdling" south. Within a few hours we will cross the Lough and start out upon the "Swords Road" by night-time we will enter Dublin. The most myriad representation of the Irish People this century shall then go to the Phoenix Park where we will say hello to Viceregal and Undersecretary Lodges and perhaps if still very fired up and not too shagged out after the truly national mobilisation we'll take down the Papal Cross and put up something acceptable to all Irish.

A big Football or a Harp.

We shall then invite back all the lost children of Eire and Ulster and start all over again, united in fun and blisters.