If you were walking the streets of Paris this month 40 years ago, chances are you would be completely caught up and participating in a time that has since changed French society forever.

Then, France was on the verge of a total revolt with 12 million workers on strike, 122 factories occupied, and millions of students fighting for a radical change in the way the world was working. A spark that boldly called for revolution and dreamed of an end to capitalism appeared to come out of nowhere. Its ripples sparked further questioning and action in other parts of the world including our own little island.

Ultimately, Paris ’68 did not succeed, but that’s not to say that the spark has been fully quelled or, indeed, that it wont boldly appear again in what are still troubled times.

Scene of the crime

In mid April, Cork dock workers took action in support of the crew of The Defender, a cargo ship owned by Forestry Shipping from Riga, Latvia but registered in Cambodia.

The Defender had nine crew on board and was carrying cargo for delivery in the Cork area.Kevin Doyle spoke to Peter Andrers, Stephen McCarty and Timmy Ricken, members of SIPTU’s No 5 branch about the action.

Related Links: Siptu - International Transport Workers Federation

Previous protest at Belfast airport

The three sacked airport shop stewards who called off a week long hunger and thirst strike on 11 April, after they received assurances from their union, Unite, that commitments made to them last September would be met, have resumed protest action at Transport House.

In a repeat of the action that last month led to the union calling the police to remove the protesters, Gordon McNeill this morning occupied the awning at the front of the building. Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer have said they will take his place if the union has him arrested.

Related Links: Previous Indy coverage | Socialist Party | Unite |

A Weekend of Anarchy

Its been a while, but now they're back. As the sun comes out we have the first bitch fest of the summer in this (possible) lineup for the grassroots gathering. Reading like a more convoluted version of those old Indymedia favourites - 10 reasons to hate the grassroots gathering - this article proves how popular a bit of criticism, constructive or not, really is.

PLENARY SESSION (ROOM ONE): ONE SOLUTION - DISSOLUTION?

Opening feedback / reports from the sessions (limit of 2 minutes each!! - only a brief recollection - perhaps the most important conclusions reached, if any, from the workshop sessions)

The plenary is open to everyone to talk to, and is being held in an atmosphere of openness and tolerance. No aggressive or intimating repsonses will be permitted. People are free to constructively criticise and discuss openly any doubts they have about their own activism or that of the group.

Related Links: Indymedia is crap | 10 reasons to hate the Labour party | Reasons to Hate Anarchism and Anarchists | 10 reasons to hate Liberals | 10 reasons to Hate Bitchy Comments on Indymedia | Indy exclusive: Chekov's takeover of the WSM | Actual Gathering Event Notice

On The Streets!

Over 1,500 people marched last Saturday demanding that cannabis be legalised in Ireland immediately and that the hypocrisy of cannabis prohibition end in all countries where it is still in place.

On Saturday last, the second annual Legalise Cannabis march was held in Dublin city centre.

The march was one of over 220 held worldwide in protest against the continuing prohibition of cannabis use in these countries.Hundreds of thousands turned out globally to highlight the hypocrisy, a legacy of twentieth centruy ignorance that has sadly persisted into the twenty first.

Related Links:Legalise Canabis LC Myspace LC Bebo 2007 march