Today's Topics:
1. Britain, Class War: Brixton Arches campaigners react angrily
to Lambeth’s “smear campaign” (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. France, Alternative Libertaire AL n° special - North:
Bureaucracy divides us, action unites us! (fr, it, pt) [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. France, Alternative Libertaire AL n° special - Unionism: A
spring two CGT (fr, it, pt) [machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. ag amsterdam: Infonight – Cuba, socialist free haven or
camouflaged neo-liberal project? (nl) (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
Local campaigners have sent Brixton Buzz an angry response to what they believe is a media
‘smear campaign’ being conducted by Lambeth council after their Planning Application
Committee made the decision to approve Network Rail‘s plans to refurbish the Brixton
Arches. ---- With nearly thirty thousand people signing a petition in opposition to the
plans to evict the traders from the arches, we feel there is enough public interest to
reprint the statement from the Save Brixton Arches campaign group in full below: ---- Save
Brixton Arches campaigners crowd into Network Rail consultation, Saturday 7th Nov 2015
---- Save Brixton Arches: Official Response to Lambeth Council’s Smear Campaign: ---- On 2
August Lambeth Council’s Planning Application Committee made the decision to approve
Network Rail‘s plans to refurbish the Brixton Arches, and evict over 30 tenants/ traders
in the process.
The vote was undemocratic, unethical, arguably unlawful and truly devastating – not only
to tenants and traders but to thousands in our community.
These plans have been met by strong and plentiful opposition since having been announced
by Network Rail in early 2015 and – given their severe implications – many in our
community have felt a sadness and injustice deep enough to compel them to take action.
Thirty thousand people signed a petition, huge numbers attended a consultation – in the
hope of actually being consulted – and almost a thousand people registered official
objections to the planning application.
All diplomatic means of opposition have truly been exhausted and it has not served to
produce a democratic or just outcome in any form.
Read our full report/ response to Lambeth’s decision here:
https://www.facebook.com/savebrixtonarches/posts/1750588771876539
planning_f
Understandably then, emotions ran high when the decision to approve the proposals was
made. However this public response – which could be described as impolite at worst – has
been manipulated by Lambeth Council in an attempt to demonise and vilify traders,
campaigners and community members who were in attendance at the meeting.
False and very serious allegations have been made by Lambeth Council, which we now address
in full.
In the hours following the Planning Meeting, Cllr Malcolm Clark tweeted:
“Robust debate at Planning Committee on Brixton Arches sadly degenerates after, as
protesters throw stuff at officers & verbally abuse cllrs”
These accusations were then echoed in an article in the SWlondoner, which read:
“There have been incidents of glitter being thrown directly into a council officer’s face,
plastic eyes being thrown at councillors with intimidating chants of ‘we’re watching you’
and repeated abusive and threatening language.”
We can confirm that contrary the above claim, nothing was thrown at councillors. Several
handfuls of glitter (symbolising the blood of Brixton) and small ‘googly eyes’ were thrown
directly onto the floor, five to ten feet away from councillors. All footage confirms this.
We invite Cllr Malcolm Clark – or anybody else – to evidence claims that councillors were
struck by objects of any kind, on any part of their body. He will not be able to evidence
this, because it did not happen.
Brixton Arches campaigners crushed after lively Lambeth Planning meeting votes in favour
of redevelopment, Tuesday 2nd August 2016
This article from the SWlondoner was shameless; a Lambeth Council press release reprinted
without any scrutiny by the ‘journalist’.
The council’s blatant lies were presented as facts. The journalist – like others from the
Evening Standard and Daily Mirror – did not even question these claims, far less seek to
provide any evidence.
To be very clear, members of our campaigns use art to protest and create symbolic imagery,
not to assault people. Cllr Clark must evidence these claims, or publicly retract them.
We also wish to clarify that reported chants of “we’re watching you’ were actually chants
of “The world is watching you”. These are two completely different things. Again, this is
all evidenced by footage.
Cllr Lib Peck – leader of Lambeth Council – tweeted in reply to Cllr Malcolm Clark:
“Such abuse & intimidation from small hard core mob is unacceptable”
We find her choice of words here as interesting as they are slanderous. Firstly, we invite
her to specifically detail the “abuse” she refers to.
Was it the trader who pleaded from across the room for the committee to do the right thing?
Was it was the man who highlighted that the committee had voted to destroy lives,
businesses, heritage and community? (Which is of course abusive and violent behaviour in
itself) If abuse had truly taken place as alleged, the police who were in attendance would
have made arrests – or at least issued warnings. Of course, no arrests were made, no
warnings were issued, nor were any attendees ejected from the meeting.
Why? Because Cllr Pecks’ claims are false. Nobody physically approached, threatened or
attacked councillors inside or outside of the building. Nobody verbally threatened
councillors inside or outside the building.
Brixton Arches campaigners crushed after lively Lambeth Planning meeting votes in favour
of redevelopment, Tuesday 2nd August 2016
Cllr Peck will have been aware that choosing to describe us as a “mob” heavily suggests
that we are some sort of violent trouble makers. On the contrary, those in attendance sat
almost silently through a two hour meeting – of which only six minutes was designated for
objectors to speak – only to find that all objections put forward were almost completely
overlooked/ unaddressed. We view this as “unacceptable”.
Valid and key points were made by official verbal objectors and the Committee’s failure to
address these points is itself what caused frustration and anger.
This “mob” was formed of ordinary members of the community; traders, friends and
neighbours of Brixton.
These were not seasoned campaigners, they were ordinary people being forced to defend
their businesses, their livelihoods and their very existence.
We also question whether throwing several handfuls of glitter directly onto the floor
could or should be referred to as “hardcore”.
Contrary to claims of intimidation, footage clearly shows councillors smiling and laughing
whilst glitter was being thrown to the floor; hardly the response that one would expect to
see from people who are genuinely “intimidated and fearful” or who have been “struck in
the face” by glitter.
Brixton Arches campaigners crushed after lively Lambeth Planning meeting votes in favour
of redevelopment, Tuesday 2nd August 2016
Unfortunately, national press got immediate wind of these claims and went on to print full
page articles, showing the faces of members of our campaign, whilst labelling them as
violent abusers.
Not only is this a completely inaccurate/ unfounded defamation of character, but it
conveniently served to take all attention away from the real issue ie. the scandalous
nature of their decision to grant permission for Network Rail to refurbish the Arches and
evict over thirty tenants/ traders.
These dishonest, slanderous and completely unfounded claims were clearly driven by the
need to avert the huge amounts of negative publicity that Lambeth have attracted with this
vote, and their ongoing facilitation of Network Rail’s devastating, immoral and arguably
illegal plans.
It is shameful, unacceptable and frankly despicable to mindfully attempt to demonise
traders and members of the community, simply for being victims. We demand that Lambeth
Council evidence their allegations, or publicly retract them immediately.
We note that Lambeth Council are now reviewing access to public meetings. The Evening
Standard reported:
“Officials at Lambeth are considering using more security guards and making people apply
to attend meetings because of fears councillors may get attacked by angry demonstrators”
If these considerations are later implemented, we would find this to be a massive waste of
money – and also fundamentally illogical.
Brixton Arches campaigners crushed after lively Lambeth Planning meeting votes in favour
of redevelopment
After all, in the unfortunate event that somebody did actually want to attack officials,
this would not be prevented by denying people access to meetings. Instead of reviewing the
public’s access to future meetings, they should be reviewing corporate access to Lambeth
Council.
It seems clear that this emerging smear campaign attempts not only to devalue legitimate
challenges to Lambeth Council and demonise those who make the challenges, but to justify
their new efforts to prevent future challenges.
Denying people access to public meetings would be yet another clear indication of
Lambeth’s contempt for democracy and fair representation; especially when it would be a
decision based on lies and propaganda.
We intend to continue to exercise our rights of freedom of speech and peaceful/
non-violent protest, where required.
@SaveBrixton
Co-signed @OurBrixton
Save Brixton Arches: Network Rail and Lambeth keep traders in the dark about their plans
More:
The vote to redevelop Brixton Arches: smear campaigns, doublethink and foregone decisions
About the Save Brixton Arches campaign:
Save Brixton Arches official website
Save Brixton Arches: online petition (29k signatories so far)
Facebook: Brixton Community United
Twitter: #savebrixtonarches
Read the latest news and join the big discussion on the urban75 forums (over 1,100 posts)
Read more on Brixton Buzz
Brixton’s A&C Deli: the inside story of a small business destroyed by gentrification,
Network Rail & Lambeth Council.
http://www.classwarparty.org.uk/brixton-arches-stop-evictions/
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Message: 2
In the North, the UD CGT, in cahoots with the prefecture to avoid "excesses", was shaken
by the activist base, revolted her by police violence. ---- In late February, at the
meeting of the departmental committee CGT North end of February, the audience had risen
against the proposed El Khomri law. On everyone's lips: "We'll let go! "At that time
loomed the March 9, citizen appeal outside the unions, but encountered a growing echo on
the Internet. In departmental committee it was decided to enroll ... especially the idea
that the CGT could not be absent if it would work. ---- And in fact, bingo, March 9 is a
pleasant surprise: the crowd is waiting for you, and unions and UL in the region have not
pretended to mobilize! We take hope. ---- Not to let off steam in the meantime the
national day of action on March 31, an intermediate demonstration is organized in Douai,
in support of the comrades of Goodyear and Air France victims of repression. Other dates
follow, for example on Valenciennes.
After the relative success of the day of 31 March, the demonstrations quickly take the
form of blocking actions, with the slogan "blocking the economy." Although they have not
brought down the capitalist system, these actions will have at least helped to maintain
the agitation and avoid discouragement which had suffered for pensions in 2010. But, in
parallel, there is concern with that even if 70% of the population is against the law,
mass is not really in the street. Some union will advance to feel good, if people do not
come to protest, "it is the fault of thugs." Of course, why not. It mostly avoids
challenging. It is reinforced in the idea that the CGT, "we're the best, the strongest."
But in reality, the demonstrations are going well. Between Inter, night stand and the
anti-capitalist pole (libertarians, antifa, autonomous, CNT ...), cohesion is good, the
unit smoothly.
In connivance with the prefect and RG
Everything goes well until some secretaries UL and UD, in collusion with the prefect and
the RG, are striving to blow this cohesion. On April 22, a first release of North UD
condemned the "degradation" charged to the rebellious youth that populates the
demonstrations. immediate wrath of the CGT base that requires that it is the police
violence that are condemned. Five days later, the UD is obliged to obey: his statement of
April 27 speaks only of police violence in Lille and Tourcoing Hazebrouck.
After that slap for UD, the prefecture and the police was entitled to a new dirty trick.
On May 12, during a demonstration, the security service organized by UD, after removing
armbands, facilitates the separation of the demo in two by the CRS. Gassing, clubbing,
grenades désencerclement ... is total. And great bitterness.
But these schemes are powerless: the blocking actions, such as the fuel depot of
Douchy-les-Mines, enabled the comrades of the base to meet and discuss with libertarian
comrades, autonomous, antifa, etc. Bonds were created, and in subsequent demonstrations,
we could see trade unions and trade unionists remain near the anti-capitalist pole to
protect our youth from the police. Subsequently, solidarity with our comrade Antoine,
whose targeted arrests had some impact in the region and at the national level,
strengthened the unitary dynamic.
This is one of important things that will remain hot this spring: class solidarity, lively
and warm, forged in the struggle.
AL Douai-Valenciennes
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Nord-La-bureaucratie-nous-divise-l
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Message: 3
Four months of social conflict supported by the majority of public opinion, punctuated
repetitions in demonstrations, strikes renewable, targeted blockades and violence will
inevitably provoke debates and readjustments within the CGT. A challenge for all trade
unionists "class struggle" and libertarians. ---- At the end of 51 confederal congress in
April, we posed the question: "gauchisation" CGT denounced by the media, she will be a
reality despite the unresolved differences at the conference? [ 1 ] Two months later,
after the roundabout event June 23 at Bastille, we have more questions than answers ...
---- One thing seems certain: Philippe Martinez had acceded to the post of general
secretary in questionable conditions. Then he won his vote of induction into the 51st
Congress proposing renewed strike in AG employees. The confederal congress then validated
the position expressed by Martinez the eve of the congress in Médiapart [ 2 ].
In this interview, he put up against the wall most rightist wing of the CGT and cut the
grass under the feet of the left wing ... With the movement against El Khomri law, he has
built a real legitimacy in both the grassroots and outside the CGT. Except missteps last
minute, there will be one who has visited the striking plants, supported the blockades of
refineries and oil depots, throw up a tire before photographers to power a flaming
barrage. CGT short plane pilot; passengers are delighted. But is there a crew in the cockpit?
illegible line of the Federation of Railway
Clearly, policy differences, local and federal baronies prevented the CGT to have a real
plan, clear, climb to the general strike. The agendas of each others collided to deface
the attitude of the Federation of Railwaymen while several CGT unions went on indefinite
strike together SUD-Rail ...
The rest petition Caroline Haas and 1.3 million signatories, the high school student
movement-and, somehow, the confrontation with the cops-driven 'autonomous' networks have
constantly pushed the buttocks the Inter. It will not be possible, as in 2010 on pensions,
accusing the leadership confederal CGT having sabotage the movement. And we must recognize
that even the most combative union teams have not been able to train their colleagues in a
hard strike.
With hypercentralisées methods, the Federation of Ports and Docks will be held several
days of strikes. The federation of chemistry has clearly pushed refinery strike but failed
to go beyond this industrial branch. The federations of Metallurgy, Trade, Book were
hardly visible as the reversal of the hierarchy of norms aimed directly at enterprises in
these sectors. Same in interpro: where departmental unions of Bouches-du-Rhône and
Seine-Maritime have really strong initiatives, how many UD or UL have expected the citizen
referendum to move? In how many cities CGT she has built inter-union and inter AG? It is
as much the reluctance of federal departments that weak union teams in companies and
communities that are involved. For revolutionaries, the challenge that emerges is clearly
reconstruct the basis union forces that lurch in spring 2016.
Reluctance to denounce the "thugs"
The attitude of the CGT vis-à-vis the "thugs" also deserves a decryption. If hunting
"leftists" remains a reflex, it does not apply everywhere in the same way [ 3 ]. But it is
the attitude of Martinez noteworthy because it has at the beginning of the violence,
refused to condemn those that journalists call "thugs" while many federal and departmental
statements condemning the bluntly.
It took the escalating destruction and media and internal pressures to bring more clearly
to condemn and suddenly, after June 14, and the broken windows of the Necker Hospital, the
"individuals" who would have attacked the protesters, which was false [ 4 ].
Accused of "collusion with the rioters" it was not easy in his position, to stick to back
to back rioters and police. But it will be more difficult to have an in-house debate on
methods of "self" after so simplified and denied the policy choices of these activists
assimilated without further ado to police provocateurs. Because their ability, on Paris
for example, result in thousands of demonstrators outside the union processions pose real
issues ...
A central role in the class struggle
Nevertheless it should not be a necessary debate on the consequences of urban guerrilla
tactics and manipulation by the government becomes the tree that hides the forest. If a
lesson is learned from the fight sequence in spring 2016, is the central place that keeps
the CGT in the class struggle in France. The event which rots the life of a government, it
is the capacity of the CGT to be (or not) hundreds of thousands of wage earners on strike;
filling the vast majority of the ranks of events; to organize the vast majority of sites
blockages.
After this, for libertarian communists, the dual task of strengthening the expression of
the values of the struggle unionism with everyone activists who find it in their political
diversity; to live in our sections and unions, our local and departmental unions, direct
democracy practices, AG, of radical methods of struggle inspired by the revolutionary
syndicalism of origins.
With the refusal to budge even on article 2, and the ban on demonstrations on June 23, the
government wants to humiliate the seven unions that take to him. Furthermore, it seeks to
make the bitter defeat to allow straight wing trade union bureaucracies to draw a negative
balance of confrontation. Inflict a defeat to militant unionists to discredit their
speeches and bring the CGT in the wake of the CFDT. That is the challenge for the PS and
management.
Jean-Yves Lesage (U 93)
[ 1 ] "CGT: a high voltage Congress" Alternative Libertaire, June 2016.
[ 2 ] "Philippe Martinez (CGT):" The government is playing a fool's game "," Mediapart,
April 18, 2016.
[ 3 ] "Clashes May 12 in Paris: a bad remake" blog Communisteslibertairescgt.org, May 14,
2016.
[ 4 ] To prove it, he exhibited at JT France 2 picture of a stoned coach. In fact, because
it parked up the metro Duroc and empty of occupants, was never targeted. He simply took
the lost stones, intended for CRS massed outside.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Syndicalisme-Un-printemps-deux-CGT
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Message: 4
An activist from Cuba is on tour through Europe and will speak in Amsterdam and Nijmegen
about the social economical situation in Cuba. He will pay particular attention to the
economical transition that ‘revolutionary’ Cuba is currently making and the activities of
his organisation ‘Taller Libertario Alfredo López’ in Havanna. ---- Taller Libertario
Alfredo López is involved in setting up the Caribian Anarchist Federation: a network of
activists and groups from among others the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Mexico.
Besides that they are working on setting up a social center
(https://www.gofundme.com/gg2wrcac). There will be room for questions and discussions
during the evening. ---- Amsterdam ---- Date: Friday 12-08-2016 ---- Time: 19.30 hours
---- Location: Anarchistische Bilbiotheek, Eerste Schinkelstraat 14-16, Amsterdam
Nijmegen
Date: Wednesday 17-08-2016
Time: 20:00 hours
Location: de Klinker, van Broeckhuysenstraat 46, Nijmegen
http://www.agamsterdam.org/cubaanse-anarchist-spreekt-in-anarchistische-bibliotheek/
