Dublin Mayday 2004

April 30th - May 3rd: Days of Action against the bosses EU

A weekend of direct action, protests and parties against the leaders of the
European Union

The leaders of the European Union will meet in Dublin on May 1st,
international workers day, to celebrate the integration of 10 new member
states. The policies and decisions over our future in Europe will have been
made already by bureaucrats in committee meetings dispersed throughout
Ireland and Brussels. Fearing large scale anti-capitalist protests against
bi-annual summits, they have resorted to having smaller meetings followed by
lavish banquets.

They try to isolate dissent by holding free cultural events - enlisting
celebrities and pop bands to provide spectacular distractions during the
signing of the expansion of the EU on May 1st. We are told this will be a
‘Day of Welcomes’ with a European Trade Fair promoting the diversity and
culture of the new member states. In reality, it is the expansion of Fortress
Europe, imposing totalitarian control and further exploitation of cheap
labour and mineral resources of the new enlarged EU.

In Ireland the EU was hailed as a bearer of prosperity that would help free
the country from its post-colonial exclusion. Massive spending on economic
infrastructure was used to attract multinational high tech investment and
bring employment. Now the bubble has burst and the Celtic Tiger growls no
more. With the population facing job losses, welfare cutbacks, a housing
crisis and rocketing inflation, social unrest is simmering below the surface.
As anarchists and anti- capitalists we are against the state because it is
only a function to exercise power over people, be it controlled by capitalist
or socialists. The EU means an integration of states to achieve greater
control of our movements.

The expansion of external borders patrolled by unified border police to keep
the ‘undesirables’- the asylum seekers and migrants, out of this fortress
means the death toll mounts of desperate people trying to enter Europe
illegally. A new unified European army goes hand in hand with its imperialist
pretensions which can only mean more wars and more power struggles over the
world’s resources. The EU means the use of new technologies like the Schengen
Information System (SIS) to survey, control and prevent any resistance to it.

For the capitalists, the EU is an agent of neo-liberal globalisation,
expanding its markets and lowering the costs of labour by creating
competition between workers in the West and the East, between the ‘legals’
and ‘illegals’.

On Mayday, to show resistance is paramount. We are not falling for their
glossy PR and trashy pop concerts. We stand with the exploited of no country,
all who have fought and continue to fight by any means against the
criminality of power.

Next meeting

Saturday March 27th, 3pm

Where?

Occupied Social Centre "Ex-Grand Banks"
156 - 158 Fortess Road
Tufnell Park
Directions: Opposite Tufnell Park Tube Station [Northern Line]
Bus: 134, 214, 390


We would like to help anyone from around the country (or Ireland) with travel
expenses. If you want to come but can't afford it, email us and we'll see
what we can do. There is sleeping space and food will be by small donation.

Anarchists/anti-authoritarians going to Dublin
Email:  wombles@hushmail.com

GOING TO DUBLIN FOR MAYDAY?

We are suggesting people make their own way to Dublin as it seems it will be
much cheaper in the long run.

Coach www.eurolines.co.uk tickets from £30 return!

Plane www.ryanair.co.uk tickets from £0.29 return!

Train www.virgintrains.co.uk tickets from £30 return!

Please get in contact with us before you go if you want to meet up and help
organise the mobilisation to Dublin i.e. hand out leaflets and stick posters
up. We also will need help raising cash and a couple of benefits are being
planned. Watch out for more details!