Workers Solidarity Movement

Interview carried out by Donal Higgins for Dublin Community TV

Last night a WSM member along with members of the pressure group 'Republican Network for Unity' was stopped and searched under the Justice & Security Act.  This happened while they were conducting an interview highlighting the growing problem of police harassment in a personal journalistic capacity.

Over 150 people gathered at the Central Bank last night in the aftermath of the eviction of Occupy Dame Street (ODS). They then marched to Pearse street Garda station to demand the return of confiscated property but for unknown reasons the Garda prevented them for reaching the station, knocking many to the ground while doing so. Following on from the violence used during the 4am eviction that morning this represents a radical departure from the 'softly-softly' policing that has characterized the interactions of the state with ODS to date.

Dublin last weekend saw about 400 people take part in a demonstration against the intention of Seán Sherlock, the Labour Party Minister for Research and Innovation to bring into law a requirement for Irish internet service providers to block access to sites that allow the downloading of copy righted material. This is a similar law to the SOPA and ACTA laws that Hollywood & music industry lobbyists tried unsuccessfully to force through the US Congress.  A second demonstration is to take place this Saturday.

On Tuesday January 31^st 2011 a public meeting took place in the Hotel Keadeen in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The meeting was organised by the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes and with around 200 local people in attendance, many having to stand at the back and sides, the meeting was a great start for the local campaign. The video below was recorded just before 8pm when the meeting was scheduled to commence and does not capture the people that continued to file into the hall after it was taken.

Over 6,000 members of Dublin DEIS school communities – parents, teachers and children – protested outside the Department of Education & Skills on Marlborough Streetin Dublin’s city centre on Thursday 19^th January.

In what is becoming a regular event the rich kids of 'The Phil,' a University club in Trinity College Dublin, decided they wanted to play with fire by inviting far right BNP leader Nick Griffin to address their meeting. Last night they were forced to cancel the event after getting their fingers burnt when a 30 strong anti fascist flash mob protested at their regular meeting last night, a week before Griffins organising opportunity had been scheduled.

During a visit to Oslo Noam Chomsky gave a 70 minute video interview with our Anarkismo sister group, Counterpower. Chomsky says the most important task is the creation of Libertarian Socialist organisations and that if we keep the current system we are doomed. Counterpower describe the event as "an evening dedicated to the question of alternatives both beyond capitalism and state socialism, including what the alternative could look like and how we could get there."  

The Fine Gael party was confronted with angry scenes at not one but two different blockades during a meeting of the parliamentary party in Galway city yesterday.   Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his cabinet were attending their pre-budget think-in at the luxury Radisson hotel when some 30 students from the NUIG Free Education for Everyone (FEE) group and the Students’ Union blockaded the entrance in protest at the government’s policy of education cuts, registration fee increases and the ever-looming prospect of full fees.  They were joined by two dozen members of the Save Roscommon Hospital Alliance who were equally intent on showing the Fine Gael party what they think of their callous indifference to the welfare of the working class. 

The partner of Brendan Lillis along with ex-blanket men and supporters still continue on solidarity hungerstrike to demand the release of Brendan on humanitarian grounds.  Last Friday, David Ford Minister of Justice released a statement refusing to release Brendan Lillis and claimed who was receiving adequate medical attention in Maghaberry prison hospital. Once again exposing the brutal and callous prison regime which remains unchanged since the 1980/81 hunger strikes.