World Social Struggles Newswire Archive

There may be no better proof of the rupture that is brought about by the “movement of the squares” other than its open, participatory, directly democratic way of organising and functioning. Within a single week it has given birth to a political culture of a different type, one that literally overcomes all known models of organising and struggle to date.

Even if the issue of its procedures is incomplete, it comes up again and again and comprises the most important legacy already left to the political and social life of the country. This does not mean there are no issues with disorganisation, inefficiency, delays. Taking into account however the explosive rhythm of its development, the lack of previous experience on the side of those who created it, along with the need to compile, step by step, heterogeneous and different opinions of all participants through open procedures, all this is to be expected. Even if time-consuming, its procedures are flexible and are altered by the day; they are self-criticised, adjusted according to mistakes, comments and suggestions deriving from them being tested in practice.

Barcelona, Spring 2011: Chronology of An Unexpected Event

video, photos, texts on revolution in south europe

Meet outside Santander opposite Churchill Square today FRIDAY JUNE 10
BETWEEN 4-6PM

Workfare, the government’s forced labour scheme, could be the latest policy to unravel as encouraging momentum builds against the proposed reform of the welfare system.

Communiqué claiming numerous incendiary attacks and planted bomb in solidarity to Social Centre Satama and Roma migrants in Helsinki, Finland and anarchist prisoners worldwide.

Benefit claimants, disabled people and supporters will be attending Atos Healthcare’s Recruitment Day on June 14th at 5pm and have called on people to join them.

Police disperse striking Yoosung workers

Week-long strike disrupts production of major automakers


Thousands of riot police raided a regional auto parts manufacturing plant, Tuesday, to put an end to a week-long “illegal” strike that disrupted the production of Hyundai Motor and other major automakers.

LANTAD, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews/25 May) – The people in what used to be a “liberated” zone of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) has approved today the “Lantad Manifesto” asking both the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the umbrella organization of the armed communists, the National Democratic Front (NDF), to respect their right to self-determination and peace.

Old Steine War Memorial between 4-6pm on Friday June 3

Police arrested CODEPINK peace activist Rae Abileah at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC. Abileah was taken to the hospital after having been assaulted and tackled to the ground by AIPAC members of the audience in the House Gallery during Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.

Abileah interrupted Netanyahu with a banner that said “Occupying Land Is Indefensible” and shouting, “No more occupation, stop Israel war crimes, equal rights for Palestinians, occupation is indefensible.” She rose up to speak out just after the Prime Minister talked about the youth around the world rising up for more democracy.

As this 28-year-old Jewish American woman spoke out for the human rights of Palestinians, other members of the audience—wearing badges from the conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee—brutally attacked her. The police then dragged her out of the Gallery and took her to the George Washington University Hospital, where she was being treating for neck and shoulder injuries.

Today we’re picking on Steve Cram who has signed up as ‘ambassador’ for poverty pimps Atos Origin (1).

On Saturday 28 May around 150 people took to the streets of Calais in a demonstration against the brutal repression against migrants in the French border town. Despite a heavy police presence and smatterings of rain the event went well: no arrests or cop attacks, just lots of emotion and energy.

Abuse of Power - Kroll and City of London Counter Terrorism Directorate spent £1m of tax payers money to gag whistle blower Ian Puddick who exposed corruption and cronyism.

Continuing harsh relation between staff and detainees, has once again lead to protest

This week's entire show is devoted to a recent speech by the pioneer of the free software movement, Richard Stallman. He gives a history of copyright law, and how it has become a tool of corporations to maximize profit by creating scarcity. He explains the technical and legal sides of some recent battles about DRM, and the moral and pragmatic reasons why people should refuse to use proprietary software.

Beginning on May 15th, a wave of protests has swept across Spain, with demonstrations in around 60 cities. The rallies have continued despite being officially banned under Spain’s electoral law. There have also been solidarity protests across the world, with several in the UK, including in Nottingham where a small protest was held in the Market Square on Saturday 21st. Supporters also maintained a small presence at this year’s Green Festival.

On the newswire: Nottingham Supports the Spanish revolution! | Brighton | Bristol | Edinburgh | London: 1, 2

The protesters in Spain have produced and distributed a manifesto:

We are ordinary people. We are like you: people, who get up every morning to study, work or find a job, people who have family and friends. People, who work hard every day to provide a better future for those around us.

Some of us consider ourselves progressive, others conservative. Some of us are believers, some not. Some of us have clearly defined ideologies, others are apolitical, but we are all concerned and angry about the political, economic, and social outlook which we see around us: corruption among politicians, businessmen, bankers, leaving us helpless, without a voice.

This situation has become normal, a daily suffering, without hope. But if we join forces, we can change it. It’s time to change things, time to build a better society together. Therefore, we strongly argue that:

• The priorities of any advanced society must be equality, progress, solidarity, freedom of culture, sustainability and development, welfare and people’s happiness.
• These are inalienable truths that we should abide by in our society: the right to housing, employment, culture, health, education, political participation, free personal development, and consumer rights for a healthy and happy life.
• The current status of our government and economic system does not take care of these rights, and in many ways is an obstacle to human progress.
• Democracy belongs to the people (demos = people, krátos = government) which means that government is made of every one of us. However, in Spain most of the political class does not even listen to us. Politicians should be bringing our voice to the institutions, facilitating the political participation of citizens through direct channels that provide the greatest benefit to the wider society, not to get rich and prosper at our expense, attending only to the dictatorship of major economic powers and holding them in power through a bipartidism headed by the immovable acronym PP & PSOE.
• Lust for power and its accumulation in only a few; create inequality, tension and injustice, which leads to violence, which we reject. The obsolete and unnatural economic model fuels the social machinery in a growing spiral that consumes itself by enriching a few and sends into poverty the rest. Until the collapse.
• The will and purpose of the current system is the accumulation of money, not regarding efficiency and the welfare of society. Wasting resources, destroying the planet, creating unemployment and unhappy consumers.
• Citizens are the gears of a machine designed to enrich a minority which does not regard our needs. We are anonymous, but without us none of this would exist, because we move the world.
• If as a society we learn to not trust our future to an abstract economy, which never returns benefits for the most, we can eliminate the abuse that we are all suffering.
• We need an ethical revolution. Instead of placing money above human beings, we shall put it back to our service. We are people, not products. I am not a product of what I buy, why I buy and who I buy from.

For all of the above, I am outraged.
I think I can change it.
I think I can help.
I know that together we can.I think I can help.

I know that together we can.

On Wednesday 25th May, police forced their way into the homes of 6 Padua University students. All have been active in the movement of recent student protests that have shaken several Italian cities, culminating in the December 14th mass protest in Rome. This follows the significant growth of the European movement fighting against attacks on labour rights, welfare cuts, and the marketisation of education, all under a common banner of “We won't pay your crisis”.

Robvert Devereux is the top man at the United Kingdom Department called DWP. His apponytment was hgailed by the ever so adjustable Gus O'Donnel with a gushing tribiute to Robert's acheievemnts. Robert hisme;lf played the Reform card well and dediucatred the key soundbytes on his arrival to the concept of reform. So wehat has Robert been presidnering over for the first six monthsw followinmg his suiccession to Leigh Lewis at the Depratment for Want and Povertry?

To highlight the 43% cut in NHS Primary Care Trust funding for HIV prevention services in London, which particularly puts gay and bisexual men’s health at risk, Queer Resistance - independent LGBTQI anti-cuts group - plans to transform a major high street bank in London into a ‘mock’ sexual health clinic on Saturday 28 May.