Gagged! #17 - South Wales Anarchist Newsletter

the .pdf looks alot nicer!!

NOBODY WON! NOTHING’S CHANGED!
So the election is over & a few faces have changed. But the government is still in power, & with 56.3% of the electorate staying away from the voting booths, the results are clear: most people don't want politicians in control. Many of those who voted did so out of a misplaced sense of duty, & many voted negatively, against the candidate they dislike most rather than for the candidate they really believe in.
Most of the real decisions that affect our lives are taken by unrepresentative bodies like the G8, the EU, & multinational corporations anyway, so the idea of “choice” at elections is completely false.
Politicians would have us believe that there is no other way; that we need them otherwise all hell will break loose. But society is already run by everyone, & it’s our collective work that keeps everything going, not the endless hot air blown by careerist politicians. The truth is: We don't need them.
Nobody's victory shows that deep down people recognise it doesn't matter which politicians are in charge; when a small group have all the power, an alternative should & can be sought. Anarchism is that alternative.
We believe in; Ending exploitation & injustice by the abolition of capitalism & government. Creating a culture where everybody organises through mutual aid & co-operation without the need for political or economic privilege. Building a new society guided by the principles of individual liberty & social equality.
It's not complicated. You could even call it common sense. Health services should be run by the doctors, nurses & patients, & schools should be run by teachers, pupils & parents. But most of all the wealth of society should be commonly owned & used to serve everybody.
Getting to this new society won't be easy. It won't happen overnight, yet it is possible. Just abstaining from voting doesn’t dismantle political institutions, however unpopular they are. We have to work & fight to build the kind of world we want to live in. Become part of the resistance!

South Wales Anarchists were in attendance in front of the Sennedd when the Queen popped down to Cardiff Bay on June 5th for the official re-opening of the Welsh Assembly after the election. The activists holding the “56% voted Nobody!” banner were approached by police officer 3603 who asked “Who do you represent?” “NOBODY!” we cheered! - we waited months to crack that one!
Check out myspace/votenobody for more on the campaign.

BNP scum
Nobody’s resounding victory was clouded by the British National Party getting 42,197 votes. Fighting fascism used to be straightforward, fascists had huge boots, skinheads, & organised marches. Counter-marches pushed them off the streets. These days the BNP wear suits & talk about democracy & free speech. In the climate of fear created by a racist press, & politicians out to make cheap headlines, people listen to their fascist filth.
The ‘Vote Nobody!’ campaign was criticised for letting the BNP in through the back door. This is not true. The BNP stood on the ‘list seats’ which use a rubbish form of proportional representation. To stop them getting in you have to vote for one of the four main parties who are all the same. Voting socialist or green would decrease the big four’s share of the vote, helping the 5th largest party, worryingly the BNP, to get a seat.
But all this is a distraction. You or I voting for someone else isn’t gonna stop somebody voting fascist. The BNP got what they wanted: a mandate. 42,197 votes to gain respectability.
The root of the problem is the fact that people are let down by politicians – privatisation, rubbish wages, decreasing benefits, high house prices, dwindling pensions & no future. When the BNP come along with simple answers & easy racism it’s no surprise some support them. Voting is a sideshow – what’s important is anti-fascist campaigning outside of this one day of voting.

G8 successfully blockaded again!
On 6-8th June, anti-G8 protesters successfully blockaded all roads leading to Heiligendamm while the leaders of the world's richest nations hid behind miles of barbed wire fence & 16,000 tooled-up riot cops. As 100s of delegates, journalists, & essential service staff arrived, huge human blockades & scores of barricades stopped them reaching the luxury hotel summit venue.
Despite the largest security operation in Germany since World War II & unprecedented police repression, tens of thousands of protesters including plenty from South Wales Anarchists closed the routes leading to the summit breaching the no-demonstration zone around the fence, & severely disrupting proceedings. A variety of tactics with burning barricades, black bloc, passive resistance, tree felling & more were used to close the four roads & railway line into the summit.
Official G8 organisers were forced to ferry summit attendees by boat or fly them in by helicopter, while many were delayed or left stranded. A week of protest saw loads of actions & demonstrations on topics such as anti-fascism, global agriculture, migration, militarism & war. The main focus, though, was on shutting down the summit itself & sending a clear message to the leaders inside that no matter how high they build their fences, no matter how many hired goons with tear gas, water canons, & pepper spray they put in our way, we're still here, & we're getting angrier every day. For more detailed reports check out www.indymedia.org.uk
South Wales anarchists who didn’t make it to Germany took to Cardiff city centre to show support for anti-G8 protesters, displaying a banner proclaiming "SHUT IT DOWN!" & distributing 100s of leaflets, before visiting the office of the honorary German consul in Wales to highlight the brutal repression of protesters by the German state. Anti-G8 banners also appeared above the A48 & in the city centre, lasting a few days

Anti-G8 camps show another world is possible
"It's all very well saying `smash capitalism', but what would you have instead?" - This demand for a fully laid out alternative plan for the post-revolutionary society is made every time someone dares to stand up against injustice or oppression & demand a better way of running things.
As anarchists we aren't in the line of telling people how to live their lives. We think that any alternative ways of living should be decided & agreed upon by those doing the living, not some distant group of leaders who claim to have all the answers. But anyone living at the protest camps that surrounded the summit area at Heiligendamm will have experienced a small taste of what it's like to live in a truly free, self-organised, & democratic society.
At the gate of the Reddelich camp where South Wales Anarchists stayed a sign read, "You are now leaving the Federal Republic of Germany": it was accurate. Inside you found 9 collectively organised kitchens run on donations, toilets & shower facilities, a children's play area, a media centre with computers & internet access, a huge circus tent for meetings & entertainment, a fantastic bar with seats carved out of a hill, 2 cinemas, information points where you could find out about demos & skill-sharing workshops, areas where you could borrow bicycles for free, & enough camping space for 4000 protesters. Everything was run along participatory democratic lines, & everyone had a voice in how things were run. Everyone mucked-in & took part in the running of the camp, helping prepare meals, washing up & keeping the place clean.
In the shadow of the G8, one of the most undemocratic & unaccountable institutions in the world, for a few days a small space appeared which was run along the anarchist principles of mutual aid, direct democracy, equality, & freedom. This was just as sweet a victory as shutting down the summit itself.

Supermarket takeover
Another Tesco store is to open in Cardiff, adding to the existing 12. It will be on City Road, less than 5 minutes walk from 2 other branches. Unethical business practices allow Tesco to undercut local traders, every supermarket causes 100s of job losses as local shops close. City Road already has 6 convenience stores & many other diverse shops. Another Tesco is not needed or wanted. Boycott Tesco & take direct action against your local store. www.tescopoly.org

PIPELINE Protest Banned
The 200 mile LNG pipeline from Milford Haven to Gloucestershire, costing at least £840m, owned & managed by National Grid, that cuts through Pembrokeshire Coast & Brecon Beacons national parks is contractually obliged to be finished by October 2007. Any hedgerows & trees along the route that weren’t occupied have been destroyed & work has started in a number of locations.
Protesters from Brecon anti-pipeline tree camp were in court on the 8th June to face eviction from the section of woodland they are squatting to prevent it from destruction. Supporters gathered inside & outside the court as the judge listened for 2 hours before predictably siding with National Grid & granting the eviction papers, effective from the next day. National Grid also filed for an injunction against anyone stopping lawful activity along phase 2 of the pipeline (from Felindre to Tirley). This was temporarily granted which means anyone breaking the injunction could end up behind bars. However activists will be back in court in 3 weeks to argue the impracticalities of the injunction. Meanwhile no such injunction exists along phase 1... Check out: www.fightthepipe.co.uk Protest camp phone: 07733190958
STOP PRESS: As Gagged! was going to print (19th June) the eviction of the camp was underway, the A40 is closed & there have been at least two arrests, people are locked on in the tree tops, there are also people underground with substantial supplies.

Mobile phone masts on the brain?
Mobile phone company O2 wanted to put a 12 metre mast close to houses in Caerleon. Local residents immediately objected & planning permission was refused. But this didn't stop O2 who exploited a loophole in the law & attempted to start work in early April. Local people were furious & occupied the site in protest, stopping contractors from working. O2 called a halt to work & said they hope to come to an agreement with residents. This looks unlikely as O2 are only prepared to move the mast a few metres & residents have said they want it moved to another site completely away from houses.
O2 was forced to pull down a 90ft mast in Warwickshire after local protests sparked by half of the 30 staff at a school within sight of the mast developed suffered significant heath problems, half of them tumours. In 2002 a group of European doctors launched ‘The Freiberger Appeal’. As they had observed "a dramatic rise in serious & chronic diseases", including extreme blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, brain degeneration, leukaemia & brain tumours in people living & working near mobile phone masts. For more info check out: www.mastsanity.org

PAD re-launched: a new Social Centre!
118 Clifton Street, Adamsdown, Cardiff has been transformed into a collectively run social centre. The “Peoples’ Autonomous Destination” (PAD) is due to be open in June. It will be a place, independent from government or commercial control, to socialise, meet other like-minded people, share ideas & enjoy food, drink, music & films. Importantly, the PAD will be a place for people to come together & organise around social struggles both locally & globally.
The PAD is run voluntarily so nobody gets paid & nobody makes a profit, everyone involved can have a say in how it functions, with no leaders or hierarchies. Anyone can come along to a meeting to help organise & take part in making decisions about the PAD. The space will be inclusive, open to all individuals, with discrimination not tolerated & diversity respected. For more about upcoming events or to get involved, e-mail  thepad@riseup.net or come along to a meeting on Wednesdays at 7:30pm at The PAD itself. Find out more about other social centres: www.socialcentresnetwork.org.uk

A Plague On Both Your Houses
Neither the phoney "war on terror" or dodgy fundamentalist religion!
A 32-year-old Libyan-born Cardiff man was freed in May after spending 18 months in a high security prison without charge. He won an appeal against deportation from the UK in late April after being accused of having links with Osama Bin Laden. He strongly denies being a terrorist or having connections with Al-Qaida. The Muslim father of 2, was spared deportation over fears he may be tortured if sent back to Libya for his opposition to Colonel Gaddafi's regime. His lawyer said: "He is not a terrorist. He is frustrated he has not had the chance to respond to the evidence put against him. The claims against him were made in a closed hearing".
He is said to be looking forward to disproving claims that "terrorist propaganda" was found by police raiding his house. Items included maps & a DVD containing access to a website which included a song "I am a terrorist". The website, said to be supportive of suicide missions, feature songs praising "jihad" & "virtuous warriors", images of George Bush & Tony Blair, a map of Iraq, & a photo of a baby who’d been shot in Palestine.
Well, many people own "I am a terrorist" by DJ Vadim (recommended), hate George Bush & Tony Blair, think the world would be better without them, have maps of the UK & Iraq, & pictures of Israeli atrocities. This doesn't mean they’re about to bomb anyone, & it’s no excuse to lock anyone up.
We don't actually know if this guy’s a terrorist & there's no real evidence to suggest he is. More likely he's been alienated by years of imperialist wars & growing racism, & has read a few websites written by dodgy religious types. All that stuff about martyrs & fighting the Great Satan spouted by hate-filled religious bigots & their growing numbers of followers is dangerous rubbish. We condemn the repressive actions of the government in its phoney war on terror & crackdown on civil liberties, but also the superstitious idiots who believe that fundamentalist religion of any kind is the way to make the world a better place.

When Push Comes To Shove
Last August, Israel was engaged in an intensive bombing campaign in Lebanon. Over a thousand Lebanese civilians died as a direct result of the bombing, a third of them children. A further unknown number of people will die as a result of damage to power plants & water supplies, the complete destruction of three civilian hospitals, & the widespread use of cluster bombs. One of the more vindictive Israeli operations was to shower the surrounding area of a civilian hospital with cluster bombs hours before the ceasefire was due to begin. Sheltering inside were 100s of civilians too old or ill to have left.
To aid the Israeli air force in this, the MOD granted them leave to use the Brize Norton RAF base in Oxfordshire. In response a blockade of Brize Norton was called, South Wales Anarchists took part (see Gagged #13). After a 2 hour blockade of the main gate the blockaders left, intending to march around the perimeter to join others at the rear of the base. As the group entered the quiet road running alongside, the police started shoving people with some force, tearing apart a substantial banner.
3 people were arrested & subsequently cautioned for obstructing a highway, one was arrested for allegedly kicking & pushing a police officer which they denied. At Oxford magistrates court the CAN activist was cleared of kicking the cop, but was found guilty of giving the officer a slight push to the shoulder. They accepted that it caused him no harm or injury but that didn’t stop them imposing a 2yr conditional discharge & costs of nearly £800. At least the magistrates were good enough (as they pointed out) not to award compensation to the poor un-injured policeman. Well that's all right then....
South Wales Anarchists are organising to raise funds in support of activists targeted by the state with court costs & fines. If you can help in any way, financial or otherwise, please get in touch:  cardiffbustfund@googlemail.com


Picket lines:
The high profile closure of the Burberry factory in Treorchy after 68 years is the tip of the iceberg: in the last decade alone Wales has lost over 50,000 factory jobs. In the last six months more than 4,500 jobs have been lost or are due to go. Burberry, like other departing employers, enjoyed comfortable profits: it wasn’t financial losses that made them move. It was the simple fact that there are places where they can get away with paying people less than they do here. It’s insulting to have to fight to keep underpaid exploitative jobs, but that’s capitalism!

The Selectron factory in Cwmcarn announced in March that after 25 years it would be closing, making 150 people redundant. This sparked a sit-in by workers during the visit of the European Vice President on 17th April. Workers spontaneously stopped work on his arrival & occupied their canteen until he agreed to speak to them directly.

Staff contracted by OCS Ltd at Neath Port Talbot Hospital say they have been told their hours are to be cut. The 140 cleaners & catering staff affected staged a 24-hour strike on 10th April in protest at a proposed decrease in working hours. Senior personnel from OCS, who were drafted in to clean & cater during the strike, have promised no reduction in working hours.

20,000 civil servants in Wales took one day strike action on 1st May in protest at job cuts & privatisation, as well as regional pay plans meaning workers in Wales would receive less than in southern England.

In the latest in a long line of risk concerns with the LNG pipeline project, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is launching an investigation after a welder at the Milford Haven site lost consciousness on 3rd June. The site was shut & when it reopened nearly 1,000 workers went on strike. They returned to work on the 8th after a series of health & safety promises.

South Wales coastguard volunteers led a nationwide 2 day strike following the accident & lack of compensation for Brian MacFarlane. Brian was injured in a cliff rescue, lost his job & only got a temporary payment of less than half his old salary. His local crew at Fishguard threatened to withdraw their cover until the matter was resolved, & gathered support from across the UK. The strike ended when workers agreed to an interim agreement.

100s of employees at Aberthaw power station walked out on the 10th June after the death of a 49-year-old co-worker. Workers are concerned about the lack of medical facilities & want a full-time medic to be based permanently on site.

COPWATCH:

5-Star Police Cells?
Smell enough of urine? Mattress sticky enough? Toilet got enough skid-marks? Are you a police-cell connoisseur? Cops are looking for volunteers to check on the quality of police cells. Volunteers should be over 18 & will receive travelling expenses. Full support & training provided. Visitors can call at police stations in pairs at any time unannounced & get immediate access to the cells. Really. Info: 01656 869366, www.south-wales.police.uk/authority

Police incompetence & rule breaking
Almost 100 claims for damages were made against the South Wales Police Authority last year. The highest pay-out by the force was £1,116 for a claim of trespass & damages. In 2005/2006 alone there were 26 claims for damage to premises, 16 for negligence, 15 for loss of property, 11 for property damage, 7 for assault, 5 for wrongful interference with goods, 3 for statutory duty & 2 for defamation.

Brawl in a teacup
PC Byron Matthew Emerson-Thomas, of Badgers Brook Drive, Ystradowen, Cowbridge, a notably brutal copper, well known to anyone who has been in a public order situation in Cardiff, appeared before a magistrate on the 9th May. Thomas is charged with wounding & causing GBH after walloping fellow cop Aled Bartlett above the eye on Tuesday, May 1, while the pair were on duty at Fairwater Police Station. Due to the serious nature of the case PC Thomas will appear at Cardiff Crown Court for committal on Wednesday, June 20, at 10am. Of course he is suspended on full pay.

Cop Wanker
PC Richard Bowen of Dyfed-Powys Police faces the sack & prison for masturbating in the back of a police car alongside a young female suspect, after she turned down his sexual advances whilst another officer drove. Regular church-goer Bowen’s spunky handkerchief & lewd notes were seized by fellow officers on his arrival at Lampeter Police station. The disgraced PC cried uncontrollably when found guilty of misconduct in public office & two counts of indecent exposure.

Sick Cops cost £10 million a year
Figures obtained in May under the Freedom of Information Act show that 4.4% of Welsh Police officers are on restrictive or recuperative duties costing the Welsh taxpayer £9.93m a year. The highest number is in South Wales where 155 receive full wages despite working as little as 1 hour a day.

Another Death in custody
After a mere 3 days in HMP Cardiff on a property damage charge, remand prisoner Karl Davies from Swansea was found dead in his cell. An investigation has been promised - we expect the usual whitewash.

Diary Dates:
June
21st -No Borders South Wales meeting 7.30pm at 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff
23-28th - “War is STILL the Issue” Peace camp in Parliament Square an "unauthorised protest" in the SOCPA zone www.voicesuk.org
25th - Cardiff Anarchists meeting, 8pm, at 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff
26th - Cardiff Reading Anti Capitalism: study/reading group. Meeting on last Tuesday of each month, 8pm at 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff  kitsday@gmail.com
27th - PAD social centre meeting, 7.30pm at 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff
July
2nd - Gwent Anarchists meeting, 8.30pm at the Murenger House, High Street Newport.
4th- PAD social centre meeting,
7-8th - Welsh Indymedia gathering for a Welsh Indymedia Collective. 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff.
9th - Cardiff Anarchist meeting
11th - PAD social centre meeting,
16th - Gwent Anarchist meeting,
18th - PAD social centre meeting,
18-22nd - Earth First Summer Gathering. East Anglia. £15 www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk
23rd - Cardiff Anarchist meeting,
25th - PAD social centre meeting,
28th - Social Ecology Seminar 118 Clifton Street,
31st - Cardiff Reading Anti Capitalism.
August
6th - Gwent Anarchists meeting
8th - PAD meeting
13th - Cardiff Anarchists meeting
14-21st - Camp for Climate Action location near Heathrow airport www.climatecamp.org.uk

Got any news or an event you want us to cover? send details to  news@gaggedanarchist.tk

Gagged! is a collective effort by South Wales Anarchists, other anarchists from around the area are welcome to contribute. Five thousand copies of each issue are distributed throughout the region, we always looking to get Gagged! into new places. If you are interested in getting involved in any way, please get in touch  info@gaggedanarchist.tk

Cardiff Anarchist Network (CAN) is a collective of people who want to pursue political demonstrations through direct action. There is no membership, no leaders, just like minded individuals.  cardiffanarchists@riseup.net myspace.com/cardiffanarchists
Gwent Anarchists are like minded individuals believing in autonomy, respect & justice; against all forms of exploitation & bigotry. Aiming to increase the knowledge of, & create a resistance to governments & big business abusing people & the earth.  gwentanarchists@yahoo.co.uk myspace.com/gwentanarchists
Pembrokeshire Anarchists is a group of like minded people who believe in direct action, justice, freedom & autonomy, are against capitalism, exploitation & bigotry.  pembrokeshireanarchists@riseup.net myspace.com/pembrokeshireanarchists
Rhondda Cyon Taf Anarchists are an autonomous group of free-thinking individuals who reject capitalism & resist state control through direct action. We work towards the creation of a world based on justice & freedom.  rctanarchists@riseup.net
Peoples Autonomous Destination (PAD) is a physical space in Cardiff for groups & individuals who cannot or will not work within the constraints of governmental or corporate control. 118 Clifton Street, Cardiff CF24 1LW www.thepad.org.uk
Cardiff Rising Tide is a grassroots group committed to taking action & building a movement against climate change.  cardiff@risingtide.org.uk
South Wales Hunt Sabs saving animals’ lives now, actively sabotaging bloodsports. Hunting with dogs, though banned, still continues. Newport: PO Box 70, Newport NP20 5XX 0770815642 Swansea: PO Box 7, Swansea, SA9 2YE 01792475092  swansea_ar@webtribe.net

For more news from all over the world like the sort you find in Gagged! take a look at: www.schnews.org.uk www.indymedia.org.uk www.libcom.org www.anarkismo.net www.infoshop.org