Jail the Corrupt Politicians

El Bull says:The march was half way down O'Connell St. by the time I arrived. There were some very pleasant folks at the front the march, who were handing out “brown envelopes”, which summed up very nicely the core of the problem in Co. Mayo – the sell off of our natural resources by corrupt politicians. Wearing entertaining masks and engaging very amicably with all standing by on the footpath, they captured the spirit very well.

As it turned out, there was a S2S pamphlet in the envelope, rather than a stash of cash. I also was handed leaflets for Marxism 2007, further S2S info, a flyer on the IAWM demo at the FF ard fheis and a copy of Workers Solidarity – plenty of reading to keep me going, or anyone else on the footpath who was inclined to take whatever literature that was offered. The rest of O’Connell Street was fairly impassive while watching the ensemble go by.

There was a group of maybe a dozen or so “rugby balls” went up the centre island of the street – lads with rugby balls, each about the size of a 32” wide screen TV, on their heads. These rugby balls ended up by the Falun Gong stall that was set up in the middle of the centre island, so it was a day of all sorts of interesting stuff going on in town – I should really get in there more often.

Related Links: Review of Our Story · Announcement of National Demonstration · Breaking News of the last Friday's Events (incl. Audio Reports) · Another Report of the Occupation · Photographic Report · Solidarity Action in Scotland last Friday

PSNI at Hillsborough April 2002

A Polish blogger and immigrant to Ireland warns of a British divide & conquer tactic in PSNI policing and recruitment efforts....

Mackozer writes: 'For many Poles, joining the police would be an excellent job opportunity, especially for former Polish police officers. They could join the PSNI and receive at least 4 times better salary than in Poland....

[Polish immigrants recruited into the PSNI] would be regarded as alien mercenaries used by British government to show the world that they fulfill the obligations of the 50–50 policy. This can be devastating for the assimilation and integration of Polish people into the Irish society of Northern Ireland. This 'job opportunity' can put all Polish people of Northern Ireland as a piggy in the middle - between two sides of the conflict - and face discrimination from both of them.'

Quote: ''Once a pool of qualified candidates has been formed, the Chief Constable will then appoint trainees on the basis of 50 per cent Roman Catholic and 50 per cent non-Roman Catholic.'' - PSNI

Related Links: RSF says Polish mercenaries not welcome / Last October: Racist attacks on Poles in Finglas / more immigrant news: indymedia.ie/migration / Also see: Free Derry Museum - a Review

To date residents and supporters of the Shell To Sea campaign have been staging an ongoing picket outside the Shell gas refinery gates in Ballinaboy. Numbers on average at these chilly weekday morning vigils vary between 40 to 60 people. The picket is a reminder both to the government and the petrochemical multinational that local residents are against the construction of the refinery and the laying of gas pipes in their area.

A national day of support was called, inviting people who empathise with this campaign to come up to Mayo on Friday 16th February 2007.This is what one person saw:

Related Links: Announcement of National Demonstration · Breaking News of the Morning's Events (incl. Audio Reports) · Another Report of the Occupation · Photographic Report · Solidarity Action in Scotland

Will The State Turn to Thuggery Again?

Amid Widespread Fears of State Violence and Thuggery, Shell To Sea Call Another Day of Support

Since October 3rd 2006, residents living near Shell's proposed refinery site have peacefully protested each morning despite increasing levels of state violence. Erris Shell to Sea campaigners have demonstrated their protest in a number of ways slow car drives, sit downs and protest walks. On Friday, November 10th, a national day of action was called in Bellinaboy, which saw a huge show of violence and intimidation from the police.

Now, another national day of support is being held on Friday 16th February at Bellanaboy. The aim of the day is for people from around the country to show their support and solidarity with the community of Erris in their struggle against Shell. Buses have been organised for supporters from Dublin, Galway and Belfast. Shell To Sea has once again called for a peaceful protest and their supporters have urged the state not to repeat the violence, thuggery and intimidation displayed on previous protests.

Latest Protest News

• Thursday, 7pm: Buses Leave Dublin, Watched by the Guards
• Friday, 7.40am: Crowds begin to gather
• 8.20 am: Crowd arrives at refinery
• 10.15 am: Break-away section travel cross-country to follow pipeline
• 10.46 am: Protestors entire Bellinaboy refinery and work has stopped
• 11.20 am: Protestors march out of refinery

EU Propaganda

Climate chaos has begun to rate as newsworthy for the corporate and state media in Ireland with both Prime Time and The Irish Times recently covering the issue.

These came in the wake of scientific report after scientific report underlining the gravity of the situation. However, the main corporate/state media focus is on reducing individual consumption, with technical fixes coming second. This focus on individual consumption serves to mask the routes of environmental crisis, routes which are inherent in the structures of society, i.e. in the way society is organised. It is no co-incidence that we see EU governments promoting the idea ‘You control climate change’ and that the solution is a personal reduction in individual consumption.

Related Links: Indymedia Feature on Arctic Climate Chaos | Social Change not Climate Change | Ecology and Class: where there’s brass, there’s muck | Green Communism | Eco-Socialist Manifesto | Plane Stupid | Mark Lynas | Rising Tide