[Onthebarricades] On the Barricades Part 1

[Andy Robinson]

GUATEMALA: Mass protests and resistance delay the passing of CAFTA, a free trade deal with the US

Mass protests oppose trade deal with US

Protests delay plans for a "free trade area" and protesters try to shut down congress

Police attack protesters with tear gas and water cannons

Thousands protested, and more were prevented from entering the capital

The protests continued for days after the pact was passed

Two protesters were killed in the western province of Huehuetengango when soldiers opened fire on protesters

Protesters storm parliament and prevent vote on free trade deal
The parliament couldn't get quorate for a vote due to a blockade by protesters
Teachers were foremost among those protesting
Police viciously attack protests, killing two protesters
Protesters surrounded Parliament and prevented the fast-tracking of the deal

After CAFTA is passed, a national strike is called

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/marzo/vier11/12guate-i.html
http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991221416&Language=EN

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D88ICI480.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down

http://www.kfmb.com/story.php?id=7148

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=543356

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/aplatin_story.asp?category=1102&slug=Guatemala%20Free%20Trade

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-16-voa7.cfm

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-guatemala-free-trade-protest,0,5298465.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=543356

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6096

http://chiapas.mediosindependientes.org/display.php3?article_id=112057

http://www.enrager.net/newswire/stories.php?story=05/03/19/9795362

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0310-22.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0316-05.htm
http://resist.ca/story/2005/3/14/91534/4944
http://resist.ca/story/2005/3/22/191257/297

http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/03/1727547.php

http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/03/1727539.php

http://www.indybay.org/archives/archive_by_id.php?id=3009&category_id=53

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4355999.stm

http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2005/03/14/free_trade_protests_jam_guatemalan_roads/

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0310summary.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0310another_day.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0310repression.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0310street_clashes.htm

Photographs from Guatemala:

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0311fotos.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0314fotografias.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0314fotografias1.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0314fotografias4.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0314fotografias3.htm

http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/imf/america/tlc2005/0314fotografias2.htm

Videos and pictures available:

http://www.freedomsojourn.com/Naranjales.htm

 

HONDURAS:  Similar protests against the free trade deal

Social justice, peasant and indigenous groups block roads as part of the protests 

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B36BB4A32-9F4F-457D-8412-1AD5717E4CD0%7D&language=EN

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=82552

CAFTA opponents denounce vote in Honduras
http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0303-14.htm

CAFTA opposition pledged in Nicaragua

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={C7119024-3583-4902-9F21-1BCABC9BF1E7}&language=EN

 

"U.S. Solidarity Organizations denounce police violence in Guatemala; 
support popular movement's call for a referendum on CAFTA"
 
Washington, D.C.: U.S. based solidarity organizations that make up the 
Stop CAFTA coalition expressed support for protests in Guatemala calling 
for a popular referendum on the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement 
(CAFTA). They also demanded that the government of Guatemala stop 
attacks against demonstrators.
 
"We support the call from the Mesa Global, and other popular sector 
groups in Guatemala for a popular referendum on CAFTA. This agreement 
will have a dramatic impact on the country - from the rural small farmer 
economy to access to medicines, and provision of public services. The 
people should be able to vote directly," said Matthew Kennis of the 
Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala.
 
This week demonstrations have delayed efforts to ratify the treaty in 
Guatemala's congress. Yesterday, 500 hundred soldiers were sent in to 
the Historic Center of Guatemala City to help the municipal police 
disrupt union, farmer, indigenous and other groups protesting the vote. 
Police fired tear gas and beat demonstrators Wednesday evening.
 
"The people in Central America are speaking out on CAFTA, and the 
message is clear: They do not want this agreement!" said Tom Ricker of 
the Quixote Center.
 
"The ruling parties in Guatemala and the Bush administration pretend 
this agreement is great for Central America. But as in El Salvador and 
Honduras, the only way they can pass CAFTA is through force and repression," 
added Burke Stansbury of the Committee in Solidarity with the People of 
El Salvador
 
There is a demonstration in front of the Guatemalan Embassy (2220 R. 
St., N.W.) in Washington, D.C. tomorrow at noon to voice support for the 
popular movement in Guatemala. Sponsored by NISGUA and the Guatemala 
Human Rights Commission.
 
The STOP CAFTA Coalition works in solidarity with the people of Central 
America. Organizations include, the Nicaragua Network, the Network in 
Solidarity with the People of Guatemala, U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities, 
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, the Quixote 
Center, the SHARE Foundation and others.

 

 

 

 

 

TOGO:  Masses revolt against illegal president, mainly in the Be district of Lome

Protests are held in the capital and elsewhere as opposition groups declare a general strike

The revolt began when the army unconstitutionally declared the former president's son to be president after his death

A 2-day general strike on Feb 8-9 was heeded by some, but inconsistently; mass protests continued over the next several days

Thousands burned tyres and piles of garbage to block the movement of army vehicles, and threw things at security forces in protests against the coup

Security forces murdered at least three protesters during ongoing clashes

The army claimed to be firing "warning shots" which just happened to hit people, after a vehicle was besieged (yeah, right, "warning" shots straight into the crowd, probably)

Another was allegedly shot on a later protest, allegedly for trying to disarm a soldier

Opposition leaders claim 11 people were killed

Protesters built barricades, burnt tyres and clashed with soldiers and cops in riot gear

Some used catapults, while others covered their faces while dragging wrecked cars into barricades

The 2,000 or more protesters held banners with slogans such as "Togo is not a monarchy" and "The coup d'etat will not succeed"

Protesters pledged to continue the protests until the new "president" is removed

Opposition parties support the protests, which the new regime is trying to ban

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19794-2005Feb12.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502080733.html

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1107948420543B232

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5534024

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-12T133406Z_01_CUT243150_RTRUKOC_0_TOGO-SAT.xml

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7609696

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0502130555feb13,1,6775430.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-briefs13.4feb13,1,860208.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=1&cset=true

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/81B88A20-4378-4E63-B815-FBE4FA84C521.htm

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1108178564191

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-02-11-voa11.cfm

http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp;:420c8685:ab2d1f4e81536e2?type=topNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=7602638

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/131580/1/.html

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2005/Feb/20050214News018.asp

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2005/Feb/20050214News018.asp

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=498240

http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7575140

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=86&art_id=qw1108377902369B232

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/131490/1/.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502080713.html

http://olympics.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=53N2PWLKXUXVSCRBAE0CFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=7575140&pageNumber=1

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502150980.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/14/news/togo.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502140945.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200502140562.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4797371,00.html

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw110839140115B232

http://www.afrol.com/articles/15609

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/news/shownews.jsp?content=w021465A

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-02-14-voa65.cfm

http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp;:42079d50:f99cf1b45aaf7e5?type=topNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=7558357

http://www.afrol.com/articles/15591

February 27: burning barricaces in the streets and
more clashes with riot cops
They marched from Be towards government buildings but
were attacked on the way
Gnassingbe has stepped down and been replaced by the
deputy-speaker amid the unrest
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=221432005

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=535688
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/4523b078c9a8e3cf872268ba27276e0b.htm
http://english.people.com.cn/200502/28/eng20050228_174935.html
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1109572021985B232
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/03/01/2003225039

Solidarity protests by Togolese diaspora

http://www.icilome.com/nouvelles/news.asp?id=70&idnews=4918

 

 

 

 

 

NIGERIA:  Uprising against police in Makurdi, Benua state - copshops torched
The two copshops were destroyed during several days of fighting with police in which protesters used sticks and bottles to fight off riot cops
The revolt is triggered by the killing of a bus driver for not paying a bribe
Protesters built roadblocks and fought cops
Luxury cars were also trashed during the unrest
Some reports suggest 3 cops and 1 other person died during clashes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4315519.stm
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03359551.htm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0503040141mar04,1,7692945.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20050304T180000-0500_76225_OBS_NIGERIAN_POLICEMAN_PLEADS_GUILTY_TO_DEMANDING_BRIBE.asp
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-nigeria-rioters,0,3909734.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050303/API/503031140&cachetime=3&template=dateline
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1109853721211B252
http://newsobserver.com/24hour/world/story/2199402p-10311819c.html



>>BOLIVIA: MASS PROTESTS BRING DOWN PRESIDENT

(slightly abridged to remove partisan conclusions; from Fifth International Global)

Bolivia has lost another president. Carlos Mesa Gisbert resigned on 
Monday rather than face another huge wave of popular mobilisations. 
Just such a revolt brought him to power in October 2003.  Originating 
in the massive shantytown of El Alto, 500,000 demonstrators marched 
down to the streets of the capital, La Paz. The then president 
Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada fled to Miami. 

 Mesa, his vice president, promised to fulfill the demands of that 
movement: to reclaim for the Bolivian state the second largest 
reserves of natural gas in Latin America. He promised to use them for 
an industrialisation project to benefit the indigenous majority. He 
promised to summon a Constituent Assembly, which could address the 
issues of indigenous autonomy, land distribution, and the ownership 
of natural resources. All of these promises have been broken. 

  During the year and five months of Mesa's rule the country's social 
movements have repeatedly shut down the economy through strikes and 
road blockades. In recent weeks a general strike in El Alto has 
paralyzed access to the capital.   A second "water war" has centered 
on El Alto determined to reverse the privatization of the public 
water and sewerage system. A three-day general strike actually forced 
the government to terminate of the contract of the private consortium 
Aguas del Illimani on January 13, 2005. 

This is the second victorious "water war" of the new century. Five 
years ago, in Cochabamba, several weeks of violent conflicts between 
protestors and the military led to the expulsion of a consortium 
controlled by the American transnational corporation, Bechtel.   



A Confusing Retreat in Bolivia
By Luis Gomez,
Posted on Wed Mar 16th, 2005 at 10:49:08 PM EST
After announcing last night that the pressure tactics would continue,
Evo Morales met with the social leaders this morning, before flying to
the Chapare to announce a temporary suspension in the mobilizations.
Last night, after Carlos Mesa's proposal to move forward with general
elections and the diverse reactions to his speech, the Chamber of
Deputies approved the hydrocarbons law proposal after a debate over
the details. Now it's up to the Senate to approve it definitively or
modify it. in waiting for that moment, the movements went into a
confusing retreat this morning.

(Posted in Spanish at 12:17 PM)

First President Mesa shook the political stage once again in Bolivia
with his call for early elections. Later, the Chamber of Deputies
finally approved the hydrocarbons law (in which the collection of
taxes and royalties follows the government's original proposal),
leaving the Senate the task of making any modifications.

Faced with this situation, Evo Morales and the social groups aligned
to his Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party decided to lift their
blockades and proposed an "intermission" to the other social leaders
committed to the national mobilization pact created last week.

During the meeting this morning in the headquarters of the Bolivian
Workers' Federation (COB in its Spanish initials), both Morales and
COB Executive Secretary Jaime Solares explained that it was necessary
to wait until the Senate worked on the hydrocarbons law, and, they
said, "decide to respect the sovereignty of the Bolivian people,"
modifying the law until the royalties are set at 50 percent per unit
of gas or petroleum produced.

Roberto de la Cruz (a member of the El Alto city council), Felipe
Quispe (the Aymara leader known as el Mallku), and the Aymara leader
of the peasant farmers of the La Paz department, Gualberto Choque,
also attended the meeting. Quispe, frustrated by the suspension of the
protests, walked out before the meeting was over.

Choque, who later held a meeting in his office with the main Aymara
community leaders from the Bolivian highlands, was not happy with the
meeting either: the Aymara nation had decided to join the blockades in
full force, and this new posture from Morales and other leaders left
them disconcerted.

At the moment, the highway that unites the cities of Cochabamba and
Santa Cruz, passing through the Chapare, is now practically free of
blockades. Evo Morales is heading there to speak with his supporters
about what will come next for them. And speaking of the center of the
country, this morning the peasant irrigators confronted the police in
Cochabamba, making them flee and strengthening their blockades, which
they will probably lift this afternoon. This afternoon a joint session
of Congress will debate Mesa's call for early elections. Nevertheless,
the proposal to make the newly elected congress also into a
Constituents' Assembly, charged with writing a new constitution, has
been rejected by nearly every sector of the political class and the
Bolivian social movements. (The original proposal for such an assembly
was understood to be separate from Congress, and inclusive of all
Bolivia's social sectors as opposed to just the political parties).

The withdrawal of the social movements, some tired but gambling on
congressional action (such as the MAS), others frustrated by what they
consider to be a step back (such as Felipe Quispe) is without a doubt
still confusing. but we will keep watching these events unfold.

 

 

Nationalize Gas Now, Says El Alto (4.00 / 1) (#1) 
by Teo Ballve on Thu Mar 17th, 2005 at 05:56:15 PM EST 
(User Info) http://www.nacla.org 
El Alto's Neighborhood Associations (FEJUVE) Want Gas nationalized
Wednesday night (Mar. 16) Federation of Neighborhood Associations 
(FEJUVE) of city of El Alto held a General Assembly of Presidents 
and Neighbors to define their position on three items: water, Carlos 
Mesa and the hydrocarbons. In brief, they resolved: that not a cent 
will be paid to the water transnational Suez; to reject the 
hydrocarbons law and put forth the nationalization of natural 
resources; that Mesa, his ministers and parliamentarians leave.

After some speeches and several short interventions in which could 
be heard the unanimous repudiation of the attitude of President 
Carlos Mesa and the parliament, a FEJUVE leader described the 
context in which political changes are produced in the government:

"We can very clearly see that not one alteño was fooled by Carlos 
Mesa and the grand party he threw last week at the Plaza Murillo. A 
party that signaled that the country remains a beggar to foreign 
capital. A party, where they danced and sung atop the bodies of 60 
alteños and more than 400 wounded that fought for our natural 
resources. We can't resign to this because blood was shed."

Next, the following resolutions were read and greeted with applause:

- With regard to Mesa's resignation or early elections: Let him go, 
they should all go, the President, his ministers and his parliament

- We need to find mechanisms ourselves for self-government and to do 
that we need to find unity among all the impoverished and 
marginalized sectors.

- We need top go to the level of the bases to deal with every issue. 

- In relation to the Hydrocarbons Law approved by the Lower House 
(Cámara de Diputados) of Congress: a unanimous rejection of the 18% 
royalty and 32% tax. It's a farse, it's the same law as Gonzalo 
Sánchez de Lozada's and that is why this one was backed by his 
partisan, Mario Cossío. El Alto's direct proposal is the 
Nationalization Hydrocarbons.

- Regarding Aguas del Illimani: we have not ruled out taking over 
installations.

- Bills will not be paid and to not suffer the cut (of service(?)), 
each zone will constitute self-defense committees for each street. 
patrols

- We also indicate that there is no reason to pay compensation to 
the company; what has it invested? What's more, it is only because 
of neighborhood participation that water hookups were made. For all 
the damage and abuse, they should be the ones paying indemnity to 
the people of El Alto. 

-We are convinced that the call for the immediate resignation of 
José Luis Paredes as traitor to the city of El Alto needs 
ratification.

After the interventions, a student from the Public University of El 
Alto denounced  a fellow student that had presented himself at the 
Parliament to join a hunger strike in support of Carlos Mesa. He was 
subsequently expelled from said University.

 

More from Bolivia:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7909606

http://ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=27893

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national&story_id=030805b1_bolivia

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6069
http://www.socialistworker.org/2005-1/534/534_03_Bolivia.shtml
http://www.themilitant.com/2005/6912/691256.html 
http://www.scottishsocialistvoice.net/back%20issues%2005/issue%20206.htm

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7820458
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=a5STJBdJzzsE&refer=news_index
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/03/06/bolivia/
http://au.news.yahoo.com/050307/19/tdzo.html
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BB75AE9E8-487D-485C-ACAD-72A6FE3CE25E%7D&language=EN
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4351227.stm

http://www.enrager.net/newswire/stories.php?story=05/03/07/9755216

http://resist.ca/story/2005/3/13/62629/4397

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/wkrs-m15.shtml
http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5285

http://www.counterpunch.org/ledebur03112005.html

http://www.counterpunch.org/gomez03102005.html

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/620/620p19.htm

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/616/616p19.htm

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national&story_id=030805b1_bolivia

http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=140540

http://www.metronews.ca/reuters_international.asp?id=60021

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/07/content_422596.htm

Social movements unite

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/3/9/13539/63259

Pictures from Bolivia protests

http://www.all4all.org/2005/03/1530.shtml

 

BOLIVIA: Prime Minister resigns amid protests, roadblocks

 

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/consumer_news/11094598.htm
      
Bolivia's Indians vow to keep up blockades

KEVIN GRAY

Associated Press

LA PAZ, Bolivia - Bolivia's Indian leaders vowed Wednesday to set up
more road blockades until the country's embattled president drops his
opposition to their call for increasing taxes on foreign oil
companies.

President Carlos Mesa offered his resignation Sunday, saying his South
American nation had become ungovernable after days of streets
protests, but lawmakers refused to accept it and thousands rallied in
his support in the capital, La Paz.

Mesa, who is pressing for a law to encourage foreign investment in
Bolivia's energy sector, said he has received a new mandate to govern,
and he appealed to Bolivians to join him in a Thursday march to
protest against the road blockades.

"The vote by Congress shows there is a clear consensus about where
Bolivia should head at this very difficult time," he said.

But Evo Morales, an Indian congressman and leader of the nation's coca
leaf growers, said his followers would continue blocking roads as long
as the president opposes the law to increase taxes on foreign oil
companies.

"There are going to be more road blockades," Morales said.

Bolivia holds the second-largest natural gas reserves in South America
after Venezuela, and disagreements between leaders over ways to
develop them have been at the center of political tensions in South
America's poorest country.

Mesa has said he reached agreement with lawmakers Tuesday to approve
his oil tax plan, part of broader legislation known as the
hydrocarbons law.

Mesa took office in October 2003, succeeding President Gonzalo Sanchez
de Lozada, who resigned after bloody street protests over plans to
export natural gas reserves.

Since coming to power, Mesa has faced more protests, including calls
for greater autonomy by Santa Cruz, Bolivia's wealthiest province;
demands to lower fuel prices; and calls to increase taxes levied on
foreign oil companies from 18 percent to 50 percent of their sales.

The protests have highlighted the fault lines in the nation of 9
million people, already troubled by tensions between an Indian
majority wielding new political clout in La Paz and a traditional
white and mixed-race business elite.

On Wednesday, angry Indian peasants burned tires and blocked roads
with boulders in the Chapare region of central Bolivia, stalling
traffic on one of the country's main highways. Protests also were held
in El Alto, a city on the outskirts of La Paz.

 

GERMANY:  Thousands protest at defence summit in Munich

Some protesters were masked and carried implements ready for clashes

19 were arrested by oinkers, who were equal in number to protesters

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,12234506%255E1702,00.html

 

BUSH IN GERMANY

Mass protests as Bush visits Mainz

Over 10,000 turn out to protest

Some rush Bush's car

Thousands march but don't get near Bush; pigs steal poster

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050224/asp/foreign/story_4417780.asp

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0223-10.htm

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-02-23T175428Z_01_L2347198_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-BUSH-GERMANY-PROTEST-DC.XML

http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=5374

http://www3.turkishpress.com/w.asp?s=i&i=050223190639.dt9mo4go

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/feb2005/demo-f26.shtml

Pictures

http://stern.de/politik/ausland/index.html?id=536801&nv=ct_rl&backref=%2Fpolitik%2Fdeutschland%2F536863.html%3Fnv%3Dhp_sr

 

BELGIUM:  Hundreds gather to protest Bush in Brussels

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/DBD5F60E-606F-4095-BB52-CF963FAE0950.htm

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29629/story.htm

Protesters try to storm Bush visit venue, using flares and firecrackers and breaking glass while trying to breach police lines

Police attacked the protesters with water cannons

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2005/02/22/belgian_police_fire_teargas_at_anti_bush_protesters/

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=48&story_id=17225&name=Thousands+protest+in+Brussels+against+Bush+European+visit

http://uruknet.info/?s1=1&p=9882&s2=23

http://iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=40141

Piss off Bush

http://mparent7777.blog-city.com/read/1090665.htm

 

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA:  Protests and unrest in Phomolong, near Henneman, Hlohlolwane in Clocolan, and Mmamahabane, in Ventersburg, Orange Free State

Residents, mainly youths, blocked roads and repelled police advances

Police were forced out of Phomolong by insurgent youths who looted shops and fought running battles with cops

Schools were closed for the day as youths walked out

Media vehicles were also targeted, and police tried to seal off the township

One youth was shot with a rubber bullet and injured; a cop died during the protests, but apparently of natural causes

The unrest followed the failure of a state leader to turn up for planned talks with residents

This was the culmination of over a week of protests over poor service provision by the local council and calling for the sacking of a corrupt official

In Hlohlolwane, buildings were damaged by stone-throwers, and cops used teargas

Hundreds were involved in protests in nearby Mmamahabane township

Protesters stoned parked trucks and police vehicles and looted a cafe

People from the township later marched for the release of detained locals

The unrest forced municipal officials to meet with protesters

Unfortunately, the protesters also targeted minorities such as Indians

http://iafrica.com/news/sa/559892.htm

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=vn20050216063002294C743726

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,98007,00.html

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,97947,00.html

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/newsst/newsst1108459100.aspx

http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=271&fArticleId=2412549

http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_provinces/0,2172,98028,00.html

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=qw1108550164901B216

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/crime1justice/0,2172,97888,00.html

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,97610,00.html

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=qw1108567262312B216

 

KHAYELITSHA, SOUTH AFRICA:  Protester shot in leg during anti-eviction protest

Residents gather as evictors, without notice, storm house and steal money, books

This is in spite of a moratorium on the eviction after negotiations

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20050209063823659C512738

 

TSHWANE UNIVERSITY, SOUTH AFRICA:  Students blockade campus with burning tyres in protest over fees

This led to a general shutdown and by afternoon, all classes were suspended

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=197558

KwaZulu-Natal campus closed as students protest expulsions

A major demand was reinstatement of hundreds of excluded students
Student leaders claimed victory, but in suspicious circumstances

http://iafrica.com/news/sa/515816.htm

http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2005/02/7591.php

 

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA:  Students make bonfire and clash with cops in protest over racism and exclusion

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1666100,00.html

Similar protest march at Johannesburg University

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=qw1109071085219B232

 

SOUTH AFRICA:  School students revolt over donated money which has disappeared
Police are forced to release a detained student to calm stone-throwing
The principal was holed up in an admin building as students pelted police vehicles with stones
The students responded with stones when cops fired rubber bullets and threw stones at the students
http://allafrica.com/stories/200502180301.html
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=vn20050218120027953C982274


SOUTH AFRICA:  Security guards open fire on pickets disrupting scabbing

Four protesting truckers were wounded with bullets when guards fired live bullets at pickets

Guards allege the pickets had stormed the gate of the building and that they fired in the ground, hitting the pickets as ricochets

Police also attacked strikers in central Johannesburg who targeted scab truckers

The strike is mainly over safety, with many truckers
injured and killed because bosses cut corners
The protesters are also demanding pay increases
http://www.finance24.com/Finance/Economy/0,,1518-25_1672586,00.html
http://www.finance24.com/Finance/Economy/0,,1518-25_1671386,00.html
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A25003
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSetId=261&fSectionId=553&fArticleId=2434062
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=129&fArticleId=2432995
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=128&fArticleId=2432996
http://www.sabcnews.co.za/economy/labour/0,2172,99087,00.html
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=198721&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/
http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/2005/03/02/news/n21_02032005.htm
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1669748,00.html
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=128&fArticleId=2430782
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/03/02/trucker.talks.reut/
http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp;:4225e1e8:992f943402658c5?type=topNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=7785953
http://www.enrager.net/newswire/stories.php?story=05/03/09/2878038

http://business.iafrica.com/news/692678.htm

http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp;:4228281b:59e421b41a47d9ed?type=businessNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=7807423

 

SOUTH AFRICA

Bisaser Road Revolt 

This is how the local newspaper, The Sunday Tribune, describes the confrontation that took place this past Saturday, 19 March 2005, between the police and the Bisaser road residents: "Amid burning car and tractor tyers and flaming, lice-infested mattresses, Durban police battled for more than four hours yesterday to disperse a crowd of about 750 protesting shack dwellers who had barricaded a major arterial route into Durban." The chief issue is that land promised for the development of housing is suddenly being dug up to be developed for business use. Amongst the secondary issues (sanitation, water, electricity, health) is the question of the Bisaser road dump - which has stayed open as part of the World Bank carbon trading scam which is giving people nearby cancer.

 

It is quite clear that many of the people in the squatter settlement want the dump because of the livelihood that it gives them (meager and degraded as it is) and although some people present this as clash between the rich and the poor - people in houses and people in shacks (for whom the health crisis is much more immediate than a threat of cancer and for whom the smell of the dump is a much less immediate problem than the smell consequent to no sanitation) most people seem to want to racialise the disagreement on whether the dump should be closed or not and explain it in the language of Indians trying to drive Africans out of the area.

 

Another struggle facing the community at the moment is to free the 14 comrades who were arrested during the clash with the police. The people we spoke to were demanding that if their comrades are being kept in jail then they all want to be arrested. The group of 14 was supposed to appear in court today, to hear of their fate

http://southafrica.indymedia.org/

 

SOUTH AFRICA:  Marchers in Secunda, calling for the resignation of the local mayor, smash and try to torch government buildings and damage a mall

They had marched from a local township to protest poor service delivery

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1676758,00.html

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L16707091.htm

 

Storm brewing in South Africa as social protest spreads

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20050227101929920C886439

Student protests spread across several universities

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=qw1109092862672B232

 

 

PALESTINE:  Unemployed workers storm PA authority buildings, smashing windows and fighting police

The protesters were demanding jobs and protesting against shortages threatening starvation
They demanded the re-opening of borders to allow work in Israel
They also called the government "thieves" and protested against miserable working conditions
Other demands included trade union rights, development policies, social security and welfare measures and free basic education
Protesters fought police trying to remove them from the parliament courtyard
Protesters smashed parliament windows and police fired "in the air"
After the clashes, politicians agreed to meet some of the protesters
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1110597566372

http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=78286

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=106650&Sn=WORL&IssueID=27358#http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3057321,00.html
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1110597566372
http://www.aljazeerah.info/News%20archives/2005%20News%20archives/March/13%20n/Unemployed%20Palestinian%20Laborers%20'We%20Are%20Hungry,'%20Abu%20Libdah%20'Israel%20Cannot%20Wash%20Its%20Hands,%20Walk%20Away'.htm
http://lnn.laborstart.org/more.php?id=399_0_1_0_M
http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=84482

 

NIGER:

Protest over VAT and food shortages - 20,000 march in the capital Niamey; shops looted, streetlights smashed 

Stay-at-home strike accompanies protest
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/euro-m25.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4352349.stm

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503150756.html

Fresh poverty and tax protests bring Niamey to a standstill

Clashes are reported in northern Tahoua at barricades set up by local youths

Police clashes with protesters who threw stones and burnt tyres

Clashes were also reported in Maradi, while in the capital Niamey, shops were closed down

The protests were called by a coalition of civil society groups, to oppose the imposition of VAT on basic necessities such as food

The government is trying to stop the protests by arresting civil society activists

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503310474.html

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/bdb9f0169b9eb6a06d00c14e83259b4d.htm

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503300924.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4396865.stm

http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp;:424bfa9e:130b42fbe6dcac?type=topNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=8048215

http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-31-voa52.cfm

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/b4dcecd7f9792fc63250001ad5713a07.htm

 

AUSTRALIA:  Massive insurrection in Macquarrie Fields
Police driven from the community; four nights of
running battles
Youths and other rebels threw rocks, fireworks and
Molotov cocktails at police
Cars were also torched, and bystanders gathered to
watch the battles
Police harassment was the main reason for the
uprising, as well as poverty in the area
The trigger was the death of two youths in a car
chase, triggered by police harassment
Repeated incursions into the area by police were
similarly met over four nights
Many locals provide cover for the insurgent youths
Politicians kiss pig arse as usual

(NOTE:  bugmenot login for smh.co.au: hatesyou and
password wontregister)
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/28/1109546773470.html?from=top5&oneclick=true
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12382298-1702,00.html
http://www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=106196&region=7
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200502/s1311879.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1313653.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/03/04/wriot04.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/03/04/ixworld.html
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/sydn-m03.shtml
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10113645
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/macf-m07.shtml
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/sydn-m03.shtml

Atrocities reported as police stage military assault
on Macquarrie Fields
Two youths treated for dog bites as police attack
Youth beaten up by pigs in a case of mistaken identity
Residents penned in, roads blocked and drivers forced
to abandon cars
Local property occupied to serve as base area for pigs
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/sydn-m03.shtml

Pigs warned to stay away from funeral - and do
Prisoners donate cash to support funeral
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12433340-29277,00.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1316026.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1315667.htm
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Prison-inmates-donate-to-help-pay-for-crash-youths-funeral/2005/03/03/1109700610620.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12439059%255E1702,00.html
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1260&storyid=2759548

Pigs stage mass raids on homes to spread terror
Two arrested for defending their home with iron bars
Carr admits "drenching" areas with police to smash
resistance
"The police say the move is not part of an operation
but designed to be a show of force" (ABC News)
Locals say police overkill is causing more trouble
http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=138702
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1316533.htm
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12448326-2,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12449219-1702,00.html
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1274&storyid=2762339

Pigfuckers attack MP for revealing bugging
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1314417.htm
Scumbag politicians make excuses for pigs and deny
link to poverty; order pigs to make arrests
"Police are doing a great job attacking poor people
and we can't have this sort of thing where poor people
fight back, it is disgraceful that some people don't
kiss pig arse" says racist Carr
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,12419731%255E421,00.html
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1313093.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200502/s1311908.htm
Oinkers get death threats
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Police-reveal-riot-zone-death-threats/2005/02/28/1109546762784.html?oneclick=true
Pictures from the third night of the uprising
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/2005/02/28/1109439465019.html



Police attacked with bottles

March 06, 2005 

From: AAP 

 

ANGRY crowds pelted police with bottles in separate incidents in Sydney's west and the city centre.

The most serious attack was in Darling Harbour, where more than 150 youths threw bottles at a street policing unit just after 1.30am (AEDT) today. 

Police were forced to call for back-up, and it took about 30 minutes to bring the crowd under control.

Three men were arrested near the Imax Theatre after the crowd dispersed about 2am (AEDT).

They have been charged by police, but details were not immediately available.

One juvenile was arrested for offensive language.

Five other people were taken into custody and removed from the area.

Meanwhile, four people were charged after two police vehicles were pelted with bottles at St Clair in Sydney's west.

St Marys Police were called to Dobell Circuit, St Clair, about 10.30pm last night after complaints about a noisy party and drunken youths in the street.

When they arrived they were surrounded by people throwing bottles. The windscreen of one police car was smashed.

The officers called for assistance, and crews from neighbouring commands attended the scene.

Police said the crowd was broken up in about 30 minutes, but smaller groups continued to cause problems in the area for some time.

Two youths aged 17 and two men aged 19 and 20 have been charged with offences including affray, malicious damage, resisting police and offensive language.

The two adults are to appear in Penrith Local Court on March 29 and the two youths in Cobham Children's Court on March 30.

All were allowed bail. 

You are right, the kids only demanded that the police get off their 
backs rather than say ¨we need jobs¨ or ¨youth housing¨ etc. In other 
words they accept their lot as being normal  just as the rest of 
society  sees them as ¨disrespectful misfits¨. Because the rest of 
society doesn´t ¨respect¨ them it forces them closer together. Their 
¨respect¨ comes from within their own group. A new reality.

Im sure some sociologist or two has written a thesis on this. It would 
be good to look at the American Gang culture with its own music, clothes 
etc. as it seems to fit the same pattern - its a dropout from the 
nuclear family where subsistance comes from meaningful work. Crime and 
our perceptions of it are all relative.

It is even hard for you and I  (let alone the police) to even try to 
understand that pardigm shift fully - yet it may be the dialectical 
schism that eventually changes society as we know it. The clash of 
realities. For many people in society work has no meaning other than 
providing food for the table, shelter etc. Is work as we know it really 
a necessary way of distributing all that the earth produces? Why hasn´t 
humankind benefitted as much as it should have from from automation and 
innovation, by reducing working hours and making our lives more satisfying?

In fact technology has produced a whole new lot of new problems. It has 
enslaved us rather than liberated us. This has more to do with the mode 
of production than anything else. In hunter-gatherer societies no one 
could be left out of the circle as each person had a role in the 
survival of the whole tribe. I believe that ultimately modern industrial 
societies also have a obligation to all of its citizens or it will fail.

How much of what we produce is suplerflous, ie not necessary for our 
survival, eg insurance, speculation, shoddy goods, etc? I guess we could 
rate everything that we have and produce in order of importance.

One thing that can´t be rated is culture, for without it there is no 
such thing as society. Culture is the glue that holds society together. 
Modern multinational capitalist economic society can only survive if the 
culture supports a homogenous uniformity. If you are left out of that, 
or you don´t conform to the norms you are a misfit and are targeted in 
the mainstream as a danger to the whole. Thus Carr´s and other´s 
response is predictable because these kids challenge the comfortable 
uniformity which ensures their survival. Thats why words such as 
¨drench¨, ¨smash¨, ¨crush¨ etc was used by Brogden, Beasley, Carr, and 
Howard.

In the end i guess its all about identity. The family and societal role 
models are not appropriate for these kids, because they have no 
relationship with their own lives. They have created there own new reality.

Regards,

Peter Perkins (GreenLeft Discussion List - publicly archived)

 

 

Contrary to the newpaper reports there was another night of police terror in Macquarie Fields last night - Police helicopters flew overhead till 12 am. At least 6 busloads of riot police, and fifty or so other types of police vehicles continuously drove around Eucalyptus Drive trying to provoke incidents with residents. Some police units were from as far away as Queanbeyan and North Sydney. 

Taxpayers are footing a very heavy bill for the massive military like policing operations in Macquarie Fields this week. The money could have provided better youth services and public housing repairs for Macquarie Fields residents. 

The local shopping center car park  became a police command centre holding every type of police vehicle. They filled one section of the car park. There must have been about 300 coppers in the area that were shuffled back and forth from the car park to the residential areas, blocking streets and generally harassing people. The hundred or so times they drove past our house the police would slow their vehicles to walking pace then shine spotlights on us. This continued this till 2:00am. 

Before this police circus arrived in the late afternoon everyone was indoors and the streets were quiet. When the police arrived everyone went out on the streets to yell abuse or wave at them. Macquarie Fields residents were smart enough not to play into the hands of the police by using riotous behaviour but one wonders how long the peace can be maintained. Everyone has a breaking point and if this keeps up there will be war between the good folk at Macquarie Fields and the police. 

When the harrassment tactics didnt work for the police they started pulling youths off the streets and arresting them. People remained calm. Then around 9:00pm the riot police in full battle dress went door to door kicking them down as they went, terrifying the locals.  Several youths were  then arrested and pulled from their homes by groups of 50 of so TRG terrorists in their full battle gear. 

This scene continued into the early hours of the morning. The police buses loaded with cops continued driving around and around Eucalyptus drive then making lightening raids on homes whilst helicopters flew overhead providing the light and to spot anyone trying to escape. Each raid was followed was by a caravan of news hounds but they could not get close to the action as they were blocked at the entrance to each street by riot police. 

Barbara and myself went from raid to raid trying to make sure youths who were present didn´t react to the police brutality and also to try and get the police to stop. 

On one such raid I heard Mike Munroe from 60 Minutes doing a commentary about how he was chased by youths throwing bottles and generally denegrating Macquarie Fields. I became so angry at this bullshit that I jumped in front of the rolling cameras to tell Mike that he was ¨talking bullshit¨. He was taken by surprise by my sudden entry into his spotlight that he stepped aside. I was just so angry - then I started to tell the press that was gathering after my intrusion the real story about poverty, police harrassment, poor facilities in the area etc. Alas, again I see this morning that none of what I said was printed or went to air. 

People here are angry with the media simply because of the spin that is being put on the situation. Plenty of residents have told their side of the story only to have it misquoted construed or used against them. The attack on a Channel 7 cameraman and is crew is symptomatic of the frustration with the media. The media, including respected journalists, have done themselves a grave disservice in this area. We also know that once Jesse hands himself in that the media circus will leave and Macquarie Fields will become a forgotten downtrodden backwater once again. 

Tonight Macquarie Fields expects more of the same as the intimidation tactics of the police have been ramped up each night during the last week. In such circumstances anything can happen - we all have our breaking point.

 

 

Below is my unsubbed interview for Green Left Weekly with outspoken
Macquarie Fields resident and railworker, Peter Perkins. The interview
was, conducted today, was interrupted by police.

Peter Boyle

***

GLW: You and your wife Barbara, are both longtime residents of
Macquarie Fields and know many of the residents, including some of the
youth being targeted by recent police action? 

Peter Perkins: Barbara and I have lived here for 20 years and we know
most of the community of one or two thousand ,including the young
people who are in revolt against police harassment. Our 20-year-old
grandson, Jesse Kelly, is being hunted by police and has being falsely
branded by the media as a dangerous criminal.

GLW: Can you describe the events that led to the recent clashes
between youth in Macquarie Fields and police?

Perkins: There has been a very sharp hardening of the police stance in
the area, a new-style,  paramilitary, policing with coppers being
bussed in in large numbers from outside.

This new approach began about two months ago, at the same time as it
was taking place in other poor outer-Sydney working class suburbs like
Claymore and Airds. 

The first signs were raids on residents' homes in the early hours of
the morning. They stuck guns through windows and set police dogs on
people. They'd cordon entire areas off for half a day at a time, using
police in full paramilitary kit.

So tensions had been building up.

The initial spark of the riot when residents allege that police
actually caused the deaths of two youths in a car  pursuit. A stolen
car had been under surveillance for three days and the cops had bugged
in it. The chase started when three youths drove off in the car at
about 11pm, last Friday February 25).  The car crashed and Dylan
Raywood, 17, and Matt Robertson, 19, were killed.

Local residents came out and starting pelting police probably in anger
at past provocations and also to help the driver get away. Similar
clashes with police took place over the next four nights and Macquarie
Fields was placed under police seige. At night the suburb was sealed off.

GLW: The police are now hunting for your grandson, who they allege was
the driver of the car.

Perkins: Jesse is in hiding. He's afraid for his life. We've told him,
if he surrenders on his terms it's going to be much safer than if he's
picked up down a back alley or just disappears.

Jesse and his friends are popular among other local youth. They were
renting a rundown private house from a speculator and it had become a
sort of gathering place for youth. They played their music and played
football outside. All the youth from the neighborhood used to go
there. Many of the young homeless kids were fed there and given beds
for the night. Some of these youth may have been involved in petty
crime but not all.

The young people people here are loyal to their community, such as it
is. "MFB", which stands for Macquarie Fields Boys they call
themselves. It gave them a self-esteem that sustained them in a tough
life.

They had respect for the community and they understood the harsh
predicament the community was in. For example, they looked after young
kids who couldn't get social security, protected them from police
harassment and helped a bit around the neighborhood.

Even the proceeds of their petty crimes were shared around. None of
them lived the high-life. 

GLW: ALP Premier Bob Carr has said that the cause of the clashes was
not the social disadvantage of many residents but simply the work of
"bad people" - what do you say to that? 

Perkins: He's talking rubbish, right-wing rubbish.

All social scientists say that it has been proved beyond doubt that
poor social conditions cause crime. It is ridiculous to deny this.

All the youth facilities have been slashed back, and suburbs like
Macquarie Fields are hit hardest by the cutbacks in social services.
Carr says there are all these fantastic facilities for youth out here
but it's not true. There are two tennis courts and a billiard hall
that's about it.

I know of very few young people have permanent jobs in the area.
Probably half the kids drop out of school at 15. The tightening of
social welfare payments in this high unemployment area drives many
people to rely on petty crime for an income.

Many young people here don't see it as morally wrong to steal from
those who have more than them in order to survive. They simply have no
real alternative.

Some steal cars simply to get around because there is no public
transport after 8pm and very limited services on Sundays.

Some have had jobs where they have been ripped off by employers.
Sometimes they've worked for small builders for a couple of weeks, as
labourers, and have not been paid.

Jesse and the two boys who were killed had casual jobs lined up in the
Royal Easter Show. So they took jobs when they could get them. But
they couldn't meet the impossible requirements to get unemployment
benefits. There simply aren't the job interviews here that they have
list on their social security forms.

Public housing is run down and there is a $650 million dollar backlog
on repairs and maintenance for the public housing according to the
papers the papers today. The Carr government is running it down as an
excuse to bulldoze more the public housing and sell the land to
private developers. It is the same as in Redfern.

(see <http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2005/03/02/1109700541861.html> )

[This interview was then cut off by a police visit on the Perkins'
home at 11.30am. It was resumed at 1.30pm]

Perkins: Four detectives tried to convince us to stop talking to the
media. They urged Barbara and me to organize from for our grandson to
surrender himself. One detective intimated that it would be more
dangerous if Jesse was cornered by some hyper young coppers.

A Channel Seven reporter just rang us and said that the Police
Commissioner would be prepared to come and personally help hand over
of Jesse.

I think they are feeling the heat but they are not going to stop us
from speaking out because unless we speak out do the real problems
here are not even going to be begun to be addressed.

We need and full and independent public inquiry into the situation
into policing methods, including police pursuits and into the state of
support services (including education, youth services, public
transport and housing).

There is the federal by-election coming up in this area for former ALP
leader Mark Latham's seat of Werriwa. And this community has no faith
in the major parties to represent us.

Latham and Moroney like to boast that they came from poor working
backgrounds in this area but most of Latham's peers are struggling. He
had his education paid for by the ALP branch so he could climb ladder
of opportunity. Not everyone here gets such a hand up. Most don't.

(Interview by Peter Boyle - GreenLeft Discussion list)

 

 

POLICE battled rioters for up to two hours in Sydney
and Perth when drunken youths at weekend parties
launched full-scale assaults, hurling bottles and
rocks and forcing officers into riot gear.

Mobs riot in two cities
By Andrea Mayes and John Stapleton
March 07, 2005
The Australian

POLICE battled rioters for up to two hours in Sydney
and Perth when drunken youths at weekend parties
launched full-scale assaults, hurling bottles and
rocks and forcing officers into riot gear.

A total of 36 police cars were sent into the Perth
trouble spots at the height of the rampage on Saturday
night in a battle that mirrored the week-long rampages
in far Western Sydney.

One officer was injured and four men were arrested.

In Sydney, police clashed with 150 young people on
Saturday night, but this time the violence was in the
tourist area of Darling Harbour.

A further crowd of young people rioted at a party in
the western suburb of St Clair, where four people were
charged.

In Perth, Inspector Gary Kosovich said police were
called to the first party, at a community hall in the
foothills suburb of High Wycombe, at 10pm after
residents complained partygoers were doing burnouts.

The first officers on the scene were confronted by a
crowd of about 250 drunken partygoers in their teens
and early 20s, many hurling rocks and bottles.

Twenty-four police vehicles attended, some with dogs.

One officer received minor injuries after being hit in
the thigh by a bottle. The rear window of a police car
was also smashed.

Police were hampered by a smoke machine that reduced
visibility and officers were forced to don riot
shields and helmets, advancing on the revellers in
riot formation.

Four people were charged with disorderly conduct.
Police took two hours to bring the situation under
control.

Sergeant Peter Grover of Midland police said 30 to 40
of the guests were the main perpetrators of the
violence.

"There was a hardcore bunch of diehards that you
usually find at these sort of events and they're the
ones we have to battle with," he said.

No arrests were made and the crowd was dispersed after
about an hour.

A melee of more than 150 youths at Darling Harbour in
central Sydney threw bottles at police in the early
hours of Sunday morning, with the police taking more
than half an hour to subdue the crowd.

Two men and a youth were arrested and charged with
assaulting police. A further five were taken into
custody and later released.

At St Clair, police were called to a noisy party. When
they arrived they were pelted with bottles.

The windscreen of a police car was smashed. Two youths
aged 17 and two men aged 19 and 20 were charged with
affray, resisting police and offensive language.

All four were released on bail.

Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's western outskirts, was
tense but quiet over the weekend following the fifth
night of riots on Friday, one week after a high-speed
police pursuit left two teenagers dead.

A total of 32 people have been arrested over the
Macquarie Fields riots.

The alleged driver of the stolen vehicle, Jesse Kelly,
20, was still at large yesterday.

 

Sydney, Australia: In 4th straight night of rioting,
Police attacked with chlorine bombs
   
Tuesday, March 01 2005 @ 01:07 PM PST
Contributed by: Anonymous
Views: 299 
FOUR youths were being questioned after a home-made
bomb exploded near a police vehicle parked outside a
Sydney police station.

Two bombs, which witnesses say contained chlorine, were thrown at the vehicle outside Macquarie Fields police station, but only one went off, a police spokeswoman said. "Four local males aged between 13 and 15 were arrested running from the scene after two small improvised explosive devices were set off outside the police station under a police RBT van," the spokeswoman said. "Only one of them actually went off and the youths are currently being interviewed. "They were arrested about 5.40pm (AEDT)." Witnesses said they saw two boys aged about 12 approached the van on bikes before throwing the soft-drink containers filled with the chemical mix. "It was a chlorine bomb - you could smell it," said a resident, who did not want to be identified. "A couple of kids were going to put them under the truck when someone yelled out 'oi' and they pegged them. The police ended up catching them." Police established a crime scene and removed one of the unexploded bottles, which lay under the front wheel. About five metres from the van a white splatter on the road marked the spot where one of the bombs exploded. Police have stepped up their hunt for the suspected driver of a stolen car that crashed, killing two teenagers in south-western Sydney, as eight men faced court over riots sparked by the deaths. A police plea for information on the whereabouts of Jesse Kelly, 20, came after New South Wales Police
Commissioner Ken Moroney admitted officers had contact with him on Saturday but did not make an arrest at that time. Dylan Raywood, 17, and Matthew Robertson, 19, were
killed when the stolen car they were in hit a tree while they were being chased by police. Their deaths sparked four straight nights of rioting in Macquarie Fields during which police officers were pelted with molotov cocktails and rocks. Mr Moroney said Kelly had reported to police as part of bail conditions related to another matter. "The police were not in a position on Saturday night - some 24 hours after the accident - to proceed," Mr
Moroney told Channel Nine. "There are sound operational reasons why an arrest did
not occur at that time." Late today, Macquarie Fields Local Area Commander Superintendent John Sweeney pleaded with residents to help police in their hunt for Kelly. "I call upon any members of the public who know the whereabouts of Jesse Kelly of Macquarie Fields to contact police," he said in a statement. "We believe Mr Kelly can assist us with our inquiries into the deaths of Dylan Raywood and Matthew Robertson." Earlier today, a man identified by television stations as Kelly said he was the victim of police harassment. "They've been at my house three or four times now," he said. "These coppers, they only sit around waiting for us to cause trouble so they sit around the corner hassling the young fellas." Today, eight men faced Campbelltown Local Court
charged over the riots. Among them was Shannon Darren Wilkie, 18, accused of
throwing concrete and glass missiles at police during the riots. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Wilkie had lived with Mr Raywood and his family for 12 months, the court was told. Defence solicitor Carl Minnet applied for bail for his client on compassionate grounds. "He actually resided with one of the young men who was killed and lived with him and his family for the last 12 months," Mr Minnet said. "I would ask that he at least be at liberty to attend the funeral of his young friend killed in the vehicle." Magistrate Michael Mahony granted Wilkie bail, warning him he was "on thin ice". "But I take into account that you were a close companion to one of the young men who died - a tragedy that cannot be overlooked," he said. "But you must control your emotions and grieve
properly." Late today, Wilkie, who was ordered to reappear at Liverpool Local Court on April 27, had not been able to post bail and faced the prospect of a night in
jail, a court spokesman said. Five other men - Troy Andrew Harrison, 30, of Macquarie Fields; Daniel Grant, 21, of Ruse; Daniel Patrick Pluis, 20, of Campbelltown; Bruce Robert Barnes, 40, of Macquarie Fields; and James Hunt, 18, of Macquarie Fields - faced court today charged with offences including riot and affray. All pleaded not guilty and were refused bail to appear at Liverpool Local Court on March 9. Two other men - Peter Leslie Dickson, 34, and Rance Harrison, 28, both of Macquarie Fields - also faced court and were granted bail.



 

IRAN:  "Un-Islamic" festival attacked by militias, prompting mass uprising
The pre-Islamic Persian festival, Tchahar Shanbe Souri, condemned by the regime, has become an ongoing focus for resistance down the years
This year, attacks by Islamic goons prompted mass uprisings in Tehran and elsewhere
Throwing Molotovs and bricks and trashing and burning government buildings, residents and protesters fought pitched battles with the militias, forcing them to
withdraw from several areas
Masked activists were seen rushing to un-arrest people grabbed during the festival
Anti-regime slogans were chanted and regime symbols burnt
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/03/307015.html



 

FRANCE: A day of action in fifteen or more towns and cities by squatters and their supporters targets state repression of squatters
In particular, the actions are in solidarity with les 400 Couverts, a squat threatened by a "socialist" municipality
http://squat.net/en/news/france080305.html
Pictures
http://dioxyde.org/statique/400couverts/
http://indygrr.ouvaton.org/index.php?page=article&filtre=0&droiteA=0&numpageA=1&id=468
http://indygrr.ouvaton.org/index.php?page=article&filtre=1&droiteA=1&numpageA=1&id=454
http://lille.indymedia.org/article_theme.php3?id_article=1016
http://lille.indymedia.org/article_theme.php3?id_article=1019



FRANCE:  Squat protests
FEBRUARY 25TH, GRENOBLE, DIJON, SAINT-ETIENNE, THONON-LES-BAINS, BESANÇON, PARIS, TOULOUSE, LYON, REIMS, MONTPELLIER, NANTES, ALES, STRASBOURG, LA ROCHELLE, RENNES, GENÈVE, NEULLY SUR MARNE AND OTHER CITIES ... OCCUPATIONS, BANNER-RELEASES, WALLINGS, RUBBLE DROPPING, DEMONSTRATIONS, OPENINGS, CONFRONTATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES?. ACCOUNT OF THE COORDINATED ACTIONS PROTESTING AGAINST SQUAT EVICTIONS IN
FRANCE AND SUPPORTING THE 400 COUVERTS ALLEY IN GRENOBLE.
contact in Grenoble :
hommage_olivier_noblecourt at no-log.org

1) INTRODUCTION TO THE SQUAT MOVEMENT ; PRESENTATION OF THE 400 COUVERTS SQUAT AND THE GRENOBLE BACKGROUND
On the 25th of february, everywhere in France, squatters have stood up
both offensively and creatively to protest against evictions and to defend
these spaces of living, creation, social experiments, thought, meetings
and solidarity.

IN GRENOBLE...
Particularly emphasised has been the 400 Couverts' situation, threatened by Michel DESTOT's socialiste (leftist) municipality. A large squat movement arises through these actions to denounce coercion on the part of both right-hand and left-hand city councils. Let's also keep in mind that Grenoble has benefited over the last years from a very active and plural development of squats. It has also witnessed the disclosure of various struggles and types of direct and pro-anarchist actions facing local authorities: throughout the 2003-2004 winter, occupation of the Paul Mistral park, performed by the local people camping up the trees a couple of metres away from the city council which planned to raze it; action and criticism against the development of a Silicon Valley in Grenoble, including mass-publication of a counterfeit existing local newspaper advertising on new technologies ; occupation of Minatec's construction site - Minatec being the next first European centre for the development of nano-technology; a lot of radical feminist activities, as well as the creation and publication of independent media.

THE 400 COUVERTS: WHAT? WHO?
Little street located in Grenoble city centre, squatted for over 3 years, the 400 Couverts houses 20 people permanently, a public space dedicated to free activities (debates, gigs, projections, meeting space used by various groups?), including a free library, a garden, a home-made outdoor baking-oven, as well as more or less successful experiments (vegetal roof, vegetable plot, compost, organic pharmacy, free hardware base?). All these spaces and activities were set up independently and autonomously, without any institutional incentives and hardly any money, on a non-trading basis. Grenoble local council, owner of the place, intends to evict and raze the 400 Couverts alley in order to set up an important housing project: the erection of 12 social-housing parts. Evicting people who managed to organize their spaces of living independently in order to furnish accommodation to more or less the same number with standardized housing is part of a bureaucratic scheme aiming for social control reinforcement over dwellers. It is part of a systematic annihilation of spaces of invention and criticism. In a city liable to spend millions on the building of a stadium or on an upper-class art centre, it seems that squatters are not preventing the councils to enforce their social projects. We are fighting for this experiment to go on.

ON THE SQUAT MOVEMENT IN FRANCE
For a couple of years, France has seen the development of many independent political squats, where are being lead alternative collective life experiments and public political activities of various sorts.  These spots usually host anti-capitalist and pro-anarchist actions and events, "free-zones" where goods and material are exchanged, squatted vegetable plots, cyber cafes. These are places where alternative hardware and software is developed, information, books and brochures printed and brought out within "Infokiosques", where people work on counter-medicine, recycling, bicycles, mechanics, wood and metal craft, serigraphy, home-made building, sunflower-oil recycling for vehicles, organic seeds exchange, single-sex groups for feminist, queer or transgender reflection, street meals, free restaurants, bars, concerts, film-projections and drama.  They differ from a type of "artistic squatting" (to be found particularly in Paris) in the sense that they do not cooperate with local authorities and explicitly question private property, State organization, profit and power relations, and develop autonomous zones linked to various other social struggles.  This is only a partial and rough account of a generally complex set up, and it wouldn't be right to try and level too much these rather multiple experiences and activities. Especially as the collectives mentioned do not necessarily see themselves as part of a greater process. Nonetheless, a couple of inter-squat gatherings have been successfully organized over the past 3 years. Local inter-squat associations are rather common and exchanges between squats all over the country are brought about through specific actions and projects, friendships of course, and networks involving squatters such as Sans-Titre (www.under.ch/SansTitre), the Infokiosque network  infokiosques.net), Indymedia, resistance festivals, the anti-prison movement, or nomadic projects such as La Caravane Permanente (cp.squat.net).

Despite growing repressive attempts on the part of French authorities, specifically directed against political squats - the government has attempted to condemn the « sans droit ni titre » (rightless and nameless) occupation 2 years ago through enforcement of "National Security" laws - it is still possible to squat without risking imprisonment, fortunately. Though courts nearly always decide in favour of landlords and order eviction, squatters usually benefit from a few months (or a few years) extension when they fight through legal procedures, and also on the public and political side. Thus, the number of evictions is rising, but so is the number of re-openings. Over the last few years, a couple of squats have even managed to cut short eviction threats and to achieve a kind of stability thanks to a favourable power struggle with authorities, and sometimes through negotiating with landlords (which is often subject to debate?). It is the case for L'espace autogéré des Tanneries in Dijon, Le Clandé in Toulouse, for the 102 in Grenoble, that have all been there for more than 7 years. On the other hand, some of the most active squats, such as Les 400 Couverts or l'Ekluserie in Grenoble, Les Diables bleux in Nice are all under eviction threat on the short-term, or have just become so. While in Paris, the socialiste councils do not even bother using legal proceedings any more to enforce eviction.  It is thus essential for the movement to build up in time an advantageous power struggle on a national basis, and, on the other hand to work out alliances and cooperation outside of the squat movement.

WHY THIS COORDINATED ACTION ON THE 25TH OF FEBRUARY?
Denouncing the action of the Parti Socialiste, in place in Grenoble and elsewhere, we meant to underline how much institutional urban and housing policies constantly endanger these spaces. Denouncing the Parti Socialiste's responsibility allowed us to remind that, next to common right-wing repressive policies, "good-hearted social-democrats" are the ones who call the police to evict illegal immigrants and refugees on hunger-strike from their headquarters in Paris. That its strategy regarding squats is often to legalize artistic settlements for added value while, on the other side, they evict all other sorts of squats with extreme violence. It fights the poors rather than poverty. It cleans up cities rather than giving a chance to real attempts for political change. For Grenoble as well as for other places, we protest against a repressive strategy concealed by "social" plans and urban policies, carried out by all parties, from right to left. Grenoble squatters and friends.

2)ACTION REPORTS FROM 15 TOWNS?.
GRENOBLE
Pictures for Grenoble:
http://grenoble.indymedia.org
http://indygrr.ouvaton.org/index.php?page=article&filtre=1&droiteA=1&numpageA=1&id=454
24/02/2005. During the night, a group of individuals has sabotaged the parti socialiste headquarters main door with neoprene glue, toothpicks and paint-bombs?. Only way to get back in: wrecking bar. Sounds familiar? The PS evicts, lets evict the PS. They have been generously conceded an explanatory graffiti. The PS headquarters are located on rue Mallifaud, 46, first floor. Have fun!

25/02/05. Around 14:30, approximately 50 people have dropped rubble in front of the city hall. 2 signs have been put up the lump, saying: " What the council makes of our houses" and "What should be down with places of power". 2 banners have also been hung up on a bridge across the boulevard, a few metres from the city hall, saying: "we've had enough, we're getting organized: Autonomy! Squats! Things for free!, and "Who decides what for whom? What decides whom for what?" As demonstratorswere leaving, they were violently disbanded by a surprise police drive.About 10 people were arbitrarily taken, at least one of them with physical violence. They were released after identity checking, needed for systematic filing of individuals. 30 000 leaflets were spread out in the city, reminding the critical situation of squats such as Les 400 Couverts, La Mordue, Le Resistor, La Mèche and many other Grenoble squats. More info:
http://grenoble.indymedia.org

PARIS
http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=33028
http://indygrr.ouvaton.org/index.php?page=article&filtre=1&droiteA=1&numpageA=1&id=453
photos :
http://lille.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=1016
February 25th, the 12eme arrondissement city hall was covered by piles of rubble (as well as a large town planning model worth 10 000 euros) as a protest against the squats eviction policy carried out by the left in Paris and in many other cities. On the 18th, the 12ème arrondissement city council, after a violent eviction of students who had been occupying for a week an empty building 1, cite Debergue, to turn it into a house and centre of activity, proceeded to destroy the stairs and inside of the building to prevent any re-occupation. Demonstrations and actions to prevent the authorities from walling the place had followed. A counterfeit council's poster with the stamp of the city had also been glued around the 12eme arrondissement. Is the Left talking "social policy", as it evicts homeless students without discussion in the middle of winter, and this illegally? Does the "green spaces" policy boasted on by the council imply razing empty buildings to plant trees, and eviction of the homeless?

DIJON
In Dijon, a giant banner was spread 25metres from the ground on the socialiste Dijon city hall roof, from a scaffold: "In Grenoble as elsewhere, the PS evicts people. Let's protect the autonomous squat Les 400 Couverts."About 30 people stood below in solidarity, distributing leaflets inside the offices to municipal workers, enjoining the sending of faxes to Grenoble city council and confronting the representatives (the mayor and its court who had stepped out, angered to be put face to face with their contradictions?). After 2 hours exhibition on this busy Liberation street, and a thousand leaflets handed out (see below), the scaffold's occupiers came down with the banner. Other participants have formed a human chain to block the cops about to control/arrest the climbers. The Dijon heads had agreed to contact Grenoble once the people came down, what was done. The press release stating what was in the leaflet was also sent to Grenoble from the city hall. A phone meeting with Destot, mayor of Grenoble, was also promised to the collective.  In Dijon, Les Tanneries, autonomous squat used for housing and activities since1998, have survived thanks to a strong period of struggle and actions after which the council had been compelled to sign a convention with its occupiers. It seemed all the more important to demonstrate Les 400 Couverts solidarity, showing that only fighting pays.
photos :
http://www.dioxyde.org/statique/400couverts/
Full press release:
http://grenoble.indymedia.org

BESANCON
Some individuals have entered the PS council and tried to talk to the mayor about Les 400 Couverts, about the security policy enforced on the city, the destruction of many attempts to create independent zones (systematic squat eviction). They have been stopped before reaching the mayor's office and, after fierce discussions with the representatives, came down to hand out leaflets, with banners and flags. Besançon's mayor agreed to send a letter to Grenoble's mayor about the protest action and asking for informations.

FROM SOMEWHERE IN PROVENCE
Grenoble city hall offices have been mail blocked.

SAINT ETIENNE
During the night of the 24th of February 2005, a group of individuals inflicted the St Etienne PS a sample of what it does to many people. On the morning, the members of the PS offices found their place (symbolically) walled, as well as a demolition notice. In the afternoon, they have received a eviction notice and some explanatory phone calls from
the Comity for Eviction, Destruction and Reenchantment of Occupied Spaces
by Social Parasites and Other Plagues. Let's remind that IZMIR, a space of activity (computer resources, restaurants, debates, infokiosques?) and housing, which has been open for a few years, is also threatened of eviction by the St Etienne council. More info: http://lenumerozero.lautre.net

NANTES
Individuals have dropped compost and garbage on the PS office's doorstep. The socialiste council claims that evictions are being made "for the squatters's own sake", putting forward the argument of health measure, and obviously without trial nor deferment. In Nantes, the Baragouinage, housing and feminist activity squat, opened a few months ago, and that an old squat, L'Usure, is under threat of eviction.

THONON LES BAINS
Some people have gathered in Thonon-les-Bains, in Haute-Savoie, to protest against eviction threats concerning Les 400 Couverts and inform about their situation. A leaflet has been given out on an information press table. It reminded how Grenoble city council is as bad as its right-wing colleagues in terms of urban projects (empty buildings, "beautiful" architectural projects meant for an wealthy elite, and cultural development directed towards this same elite, and last but not least, squat evictions?).  In Thonon, Le Train-train is a squatted building used for housing and activity, including concerts, debates, an infokiosque. The SNCF (national railway company), landlord, has demanded eviction.

MONTPELLIER
About 30 people have invaded the "Maison de la Démocratie", owned by the city council, in the city centre, and hung up a banner against evictions. When the simple request was made to send faxes to Grenoble, the answers were: "This is impossible. If everyone starts to send faxes and things, it's anarchy!", or: "This is private stuff. This is not public, it's only a city hall office." The occupation thus lasted till the civil servants and representatives working for this administration's media-puppet, the Maison de la Démocratie, finally accepted to send the fax. Meanwhile, employees were ready to use violence to prevent people from entering their offices (door closed on hand). Part of the municipal staff eventually turned up and called Grenoble. One participant then made the Grenoble cabinet secretary read out the fax, making sure the latter had really been sent. Meanwhile, 3 flats, left empty by the landlords, were opened by an other collective to the benefit of homeless families. Self-attribution has been favoured to endless waiting lists?.The Maison de la Démocratie occupiers joined the place, from where a group of policemen, who had come to evict, left to the sneers of the local residents, after having been stuck in a lift for an hour.  The month before, in Montpellier, The Great Revolutionary Anarchist Refuge Unanimously Opened (French is grraou: grraou at no-log.org) was unanimously opened. They have already organised a street meal and took part to a week devoted to local initiatives against security policies.

REIMS
Posters and leaflets denouncing evictions and supporting Les 400 Couverts and other squats were hung and given out in the area where former La Grosse Caillasse was evicted in 2002.

LYON
http://rebellyon.info/article.php3?id_article=125
After a visit to the PS office, which was covered by posters supporting
Les 400 Couverts and other Lyon squats, a group consisting of people dressed up as cooks settled Place des Terreaux around a large pan where a "rose soup" was being cooked (the PS symbol is a pink rose). Leaflets were handed out, denouncing socialiste policies, "managers of poverty" and informing about Les 400 Couverts and other threatened squats in and around Lyon, such as the concert hall and activity centre
GROUNDZERO. They remind that, out of the 60 evicted squats over the last
years, 80% are still walled and unused. The gathering was disbanded by the police who proceeded to id controls. Information will also be given during the ecologist fair
in Lyon, Primevêre.

NEUILLY SUR MARNE
http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=33039
Some individuals from Neuilly sur Marne made up their minds during a feast to support the 400 Couverts squat. One more drink, and the plates were soon used to write clever messages such as "NO", "You are the baddies" and "Long live squats" (couvert means knives-and-forks in French). Then, stumbling a little, they reached the PS office of Neuilly. Though they found the place closed, they nonetheless decided to decorate the door, sticking the plates to it, and leaving a flier. Across the street, they visited the town council in a similar way. Eventually, the main square got the leftovers: plates, forks, spoons, knives and glasses?Neuilly supports the 400!

MARSEILLE
During the afternoon, supporters have handed out leaflets in the city
centre, to inform the inhabitants on the French housing problem (can't
write "crisis" any more, it's been going on for so long), especially on
the Grenoble policy towards autonomous spaces. They organized an
infokiosque (free information and documents) on the Cours Julien. Many
people came for non-mercantile discussion on squats -surprising to see how
people were impressed with the brochures. Info on the Marseille situation
was greeted with much enthusiasm and encouragement to squat!! In the
evening, a special program on Radio Galère was broadcasted. Let's share,
expand our fights?

LA ROCHELLE
On the 25th of February, as the French Chancellor of the Exchequer was resigning after the news spread about his government-paid 800 sqm flat in the centre of Paris, some militants claimed the opening of a 800sqm squat in La Rochelle. Located 45 Quai Maubec, in an old cooking school, on 3 floors, they are planning to turn it into an autonomous, cultural and festive space. One floor dedicated for people living there, another for local associations, workshops?.It includes a public kitchen, a library, a "free-zone", and as many things you might want to do there. The PS council wants them out, they're calling for help?

FINALLY, AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE
RENNES
Thursday 24th, the police, boots and helmets on, has put an end to the occupation of the former DDE administrative buildings renamed l'Ekluserie, opened 4 years ago and used for many public activities (story-telling, vegetable plot, computer resources centre, debates, gigs and projections?). Coincidentally, bulldozers started their meal. Dwellers were violently pulled from bed by the police. 5 minutes to gather a few things and the razing had started. After a mess-up with the local TV, the 20 people present started to block the boulevard along the docks. Quickly, the riot police and the vans came up. Tension sprung, people got taken. 3 of them were released, the 4th detained because he carried a knife. There has been a gathering in front of the city hall, usually very posh and clean, the building was occupied a few minutes for protest?and the villains gazed a few people on their way?.Protesters started a fire on the city hall place. During all the week after, people gathered every evening to protest against the evictions (that was largely covered by local medias, with the council reprensetatives justifying this eviction in middle of the winter by saying they had to do because they had booked the riot cops). They did various kind of rioting actions and illegal fires in the streets of rennes.

AND OTHER THINGS NOT YET REGISTERED -LONG LIVE THE 400!- AWAY WITH THE PS -. MORE INFO TO COME ON OTHER ACTIONS IN STRASBOURG, ALES, LILLE, TOULOUSE, GENEVA, ETC.

3)HOW TO SEND PROTEST LETTERS AND FAXES TO SUPPORT THE 400 COUVERTS AGAINST THE EVICTION...  THE MORE PRESSURE WE PUT ON GRENOBLE'S CITY COUNCIL FROM EVERYWHERE, THE MORE THE 400 COUVERTS WILL BE ABLE TO STAY.  IF YOU INTEND TO CARRY ON PROTESTING AGAINST EVICTIONS IN GRENOBLE: YOU'RE DAMN INVITED TO ORGANIZE YOUR OWN ACTIONS AND TO INFORM GRENOBLE ABOUT THEM, BOTH THE 400 COUVERTS AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF COURSE.  IT'S ALSO GREAT IF YOU JUST TAKE A BIT OF TIME TO SEND ONE SHORT PROTEST FAX OR LETTER TO DESTOT, MAYOR OF GRENOBLE. IT CAN BE JUST A FEW LINES IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE TO TELL THEM YOUR ANGER AND SUPPORT OF LES 400

HÔTEL DE VILLE 11, BOULEVARD JEAN PAIN BP 1066 38021 GRENOBLE CEDEX 1
TÉL. 04 76 76 36 36
FAX 04 76 76 39 40
EMAIL: CONTACT at VILLE-GRENOBLE.FR

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