Globalise Resistance Bulletin 17th July 2002

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday July 17, 2002 21:03 by Movement of the Imagination - Globalise Resistance

weekly anti capitalist e newsletter

1. Benefit for Burlington defendants. 2. Burlusconi’s mousetrap. 3. Irish Glass Bottle workers demonstration

1. Benefit for Burlington defendants.

STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS-
Musicians supporting Civil Liberties

Mono on Thursday 24th July, from 8.30pm onwards
featuring

King Sativa (reggae)
The Happy City Samba School
Herb Dade and the Biscuits (jazz)
DJ Paddy Dempsey (Messy@Mono, Eyewobble)
Gary Fitzpatrick (ex Great Western Squares)
RB from Texas
DJ Billy

Last Tuesday’s court case saw one woman convicted under section 6 of the public order act, 2 others were acquitted and the 7 remaining deferred
until 20th September. The judge was blatantly biased against the protesters and handed out strong reprimands against those “who lack the
courage of their convictions” and stated that he had no sympathy for protesters if they could not stand for election and change public opinion that way. In fact many of the people present at the protest had stood for election on many occasions and several of them had been elected.

Section 6 of the Public Order Act states:

(1) It shall be an offence for any person in a public place to use or engage in any threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour
with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500 or to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.
There was no actual evidence that the one woman who was convicted had personally caused a breach of the peace. The judge decided that she was
guilty merely by virtue of the fact that she was there of her own free will. This is guilt by association and does not bode well for the
remaining defendants. A breach of the peace was deemed to have occurred despite the fact that no members of the public had complained, and the
video clearly shows members of the Garda siochana baton-charging unarmed protesters.

Proceeds from the gig will go towards paying the legal costs incurred by those who are being charged. Unfortunately this will not
stop the convictions from going down on their permanent records, making it difficult for them to travel.

2. IMC Ireland is presenting screenings of Berlusconi's Mousetrap on the first anniversary of the Genoa Protests against the G8 on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July in the Meeting Room of The Irish Film Centre.

Tariff is E5 for working people and E3 for those with a dole card. The proceeds will be used for the bulk copying and distribution of the film
here and abroad.

The film is two hours long and is made up of material from the IMC 'Global Mix' - material from the archive of IMC Italy - and footage
shot by IMCers from Ireland.

It covers all of the events of Genoa including the death of Carlo Guiliani and the infamous raid on the Diaz School.
It also looks at the various tactics employed by the various blocs including the disputes surrounding the infiltration (or not) by police
of the 'Black Bloc'.

Please spread the word about these screenings - anyone who would like a copy for screenings at the same time elsewhere in Aaron please contact
GR at [email protected]
or IMC at [email protected]

BTW please turn up early to ensure a seat as the room is pretty small.

3. Irish Glass Bottle workers demonstration

As the bosses use bully-boy tactics…
March to demand Justice for the Irish Glass Bottle workers

Saturday July 20th
Assemble 12 noon
James Connolly memorial, Beresford Place
(Opposite Liberty Hall)

Called by the Irish Glass Bottle Strike Committee

375 WORKERS at the Irish Glass Bottle plant in Ringsend are staging a protest because the company owners have closed the plant and are
refusing to pay the workers redundancy. The Labour Court recommended the workers be paid five weeks per year of service but the company is
refusing to pay.

Now, Ardagh Glass have resorted to bully-boy tactics in order to undermine the workers protest. In the early hours of Tuesday morning the company Managing Director brought
six ‘heavies’ from a company called Business Defence Systems to the plant in an effort to exclude the workers from the grounds. One
worker was assaulted and considerable damage was done as the Managing director drove a builder’s shovel into pallets full of glass bottles. A
truck that was blocking an inlet to the plant was also damaged.

However, this disgraceful action by the company failed to end the workers protest. Now the company has resorted to getting a high court
injunction demanding the workers leave the site of the plant.

Many Irish Glass Bottle workers have given over thirty years service to the company. They have generated millions of pounds of profits for
their employers. Last year Ardagh Glass made £64 million in profits. But the company want to throw the workers on the scrap heap with nothing. They
repay their years of service with bully-boy tactics and the courts.

It also shows the hypocrisy of the government that they could let a glass bottle and recycling plant close down when the country needs more
recycling not unjust bin charges.

It is in the interests of every worker and member of the local community to support the Glass Bottle workers in their struggle.
With the economy slowing down there are going to more closures and redundancies. If Ardagh can walk away without paying workers proper
redundancy other employers will do the same.

During the recession of the 1980’s, while the wealthy put their money in Ansbacher accounts, it
was workers who suffered with poverty and mass unemployment. This must not happen again. We must support workers like those in Irish Glass
Bottle fighting for justice.

The Irish Glass Bottle workers have called a major demonstration in Dublin this Saturday July 20th. The protest will assemble at the James
Connolly statue outside Liberty Hall on Customs Quay.

Bring your friends, family, neighbours and workmates to this important
demonstration. Solidarity is strength.

The Bulletin committee.