Last Friday, 7 May, about 70 gathered at the University of St Andrews' student union for to protest gender-based violence. The event, called "Reclaim the Night: Unite Against Gender-Based Violence", was organized by the St Andrews Feminist Society.
At 8:30, only about nine students had arrived, but by 9:00 the group had swelled to over seventy. After distributing homemade banners and signs, three speeches about the importance of stopping sexism and gender-based assumptions and violence launched the march. The group marched down Market Street, Largo Road, along the Kinnesburn, and ended on East Sands with a bonfire and informal discussion. The march included chants -- "no means no! yes means yes!" - and drumming by the female troupe SheBoom. The boisterous and colourful protest drew attention from passers-by, who often paused to ask marchers what was going on.
The march was attended by undergraduate and postgraduate students of the University of St Andrews, students from the University of Dundee, and local activists.
According to Miranda Myrberg, at the beach the march was interrupted by a police officer. She said they had received a permit--the march was indeed supervised by two officers--and that the officer's actions infringed on their right to protest.
"We had an interruption at Castle Sands, as the police stopped us there, forcing us to run and get a letter stating our legal rights to have a bonfire there. He also demanded that someone came with him to the police station, and Jonny Wilde, one of our members went," Ms. Myrberg said in an email. According to Ms. Myrberg, after Mr. Wilde went with the officer, the event continued as planned.
The participants greatly enjoyed the time on the beach, she said. VegSoc provided food and Gemma Lawrence and Rollo Hornyold-Strickland were performing acoustic music.
Reporting by Katie Meyer. 7 May 2010.
www.thesaint-online.com
(Source: - The Saint)
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Sunday, 9 May 2010
BNP Failure at Elections
Last week the BNP failed to gain any seats in Westminster, although coming 5th in overall number of votes, increasing by 1.2% since the last election. In the English Council Elections they lost 26 seats, leaving only 19.
In Glasgow the BNP were met in definace by the other party's candidates refusing to share the platform with them, and resulting in humiliation for the BNP and disturbances at the count, below are three videos portraying the events.
In Glasgow the BNP were met in definace by the other party's candidates refusing to share the platform with them, and resulting in humiliation for the BNP and disturbances at the count, below are three videos portraying the events.
SSP Election Results 2010
Aberdeen North, Ewan Robertson, 268, 0.71%
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintiloch East, Willie O'Neil, 476, 1.16%
Dundee East, Angela Gorrie, 254, 0.63%
Edinburgh South West, Colin Fox, 319, 0.70%
Glasgow Central, James Nesbitt, 357, 1.17%
Glasgow East, Fances Curran, 454, 1.41%
Glasgow North East, Kevin McVey, 179, 0.61%
Livingston, Ally Hendry, 242, 0.51%
Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Chris Rollo, 233, 0.53%
Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Jimmy Kerr, 375, 0.94%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A total of 3,157 votes in 10 constituencies.
The Scottish Socialist Party would like to thank each and every one of those voters for their support.
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintiloch East, Willie O'Neil, 476, 1.16%
Dundee East, Angela Gorrie, 254, 0.63%
Edinburgh South West, Colin Fox, 319, 0.70%
Glasgow Central, James Nesbitt, 357, 1.17%
Glasgow East, Fances Curran, 454, 1.41%
Glasgow North East, Kevin McVey, 179, 0.61%
Livingston, Ally Hendry, 242, 0.51%
Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Chris Rollo, 233, 0.53%
Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Jimmy Kerr, 375, 0.94%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A total of 3,157 votes in 10 constituencies.
The Scottish Socialist Party would like to thank each and every one of those voters for their support.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Protest Success in St Andrews
On the 4th of May Ron Prosor Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom visited St Andrews for an event ran by the IPA (International Politics Association), to discuss 'The Case for Israel', tickets costing £5 with an undisclosed location and even an undisclosed speaker until an hour before the event.
The members of several groups including the Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, St Andrews Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Jews for Justice, St Andrews University Left Society and the Scottish Socialist Party, whom had been raising awareness in the form of a stall outside the presumed event location Holy Trinity Church on South Street, decided to protest the event. Reception of the stall went well, manifesting in a mass of locals and students who joined the above groups. Despite this and the large police presence at the church the location was changed approximately an hour before it was scheduled to happen, and so the 150 protesters took to the streets heading for the New Medicine Building (the new location) to protest outside.
The police were hospitable but protesters had to stay behind an erected barricade during the entrance of ticket holders. The security was high with some 40 Police men and women, University security on the door, and Ron's own security force inside. 5 People were refused entry for no apparent reason, one was simply wearing a Palestinian scarf for fashion reasons, after refusal of entry he joined the protest, one man was told he could not enter as he had a criminal record a "fact" which turned out to be untrue. All this added to the passion of the protesters.
The high security meant that it took an hour for all the people wishing to hear the speaker to enter the building, after this had happened the protesters moved to a window where they could see the event and disrupt it from, it was apparent that their chants could be heard inside.
After the event Ron sped off in his vehicles. The protest lasted a good three hours and was successful in disruption with some ticket holders deciding to join the protest rather than entering. Those who joined should be pleased with the achievements of the day.
Viva Viva Palestina
By James Morris
The members of several groups including the Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, St Andrews Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Jews for Justice, St Andrews University Left Society and the Scottish Socialist Party, whom had been raising awareness in the form of a stall outside the presumed event location Holy Trinity Church on South Street, decided to protest the event. Reception of the stall went well, manifesting in a mass of locals and students who joined the above groups. Despite this and the large police presence at the church the location was changed approximately an hour before it was scheduled to happen, and so the 150 protesters took to the streets heading for the New Medicine Building (the new location) to protest outside.
The police were hospitable but protesters had to stay behind an erected barricade during the entrance of ticket holders. The security was high with some 40 Police men and women, University security on the door, and Ron's own security force inside. 5 People were refused entry for no apparent reason, one was simply wearing a Palestinian scarf for fashion reasons, after refusal of entry he joined the protest, one man was told he could not enter as he had a criminal record a "fact" which turned out to be untrue. All this added to the passion of the protesters.
The high security meant that it took an hour for all the people wishing to hear the speaker to enter the building, after this had happened the protesters moved to a window where they could see the event and disrupt it from, it was apparent that their chants could be heard inside.
After the event Ron sped off in his vehicles. The protest lasted a good three hours and was successful in disruption with some ticket holders deciding to join the protest rather than entering. Those who joined should be pleased with the achievements of the day.
Viva Viva Palestina
By James Morris
SSP Sign International Statement on the European Crisis
International Statement On The European Crisis
Signed by anti capitalist organisations across Europe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The global economic crisis continues. Massive amounts of money have been injected into the financial system – $14 trillion in bailouts in the United States, Britain, and the eurozone, $1.4 trillion new bank loans in China last year – in an effort to restabilize the world economy. But it remains an open question whether or not these efforts will be enough to produce a sustainable recovery. Growth remains very sluggish in the advanced economies, while unemployment continues to rise. There are fears that a new financial bubble centred this time on China is developing. The protracted character of the crisis – which is the most severe since the Great Depression – reflects its roots in the very nature of capitalism as a system.
2. After a harsh wave of job cuts, in Europe the focus on the crisis is now on the public sector and social welfare system. The very financial markets that have been rescued thanks to the bailouts are now up in arms about the increase in government borrowing this has involved. They are demanding massive cuts in public expenditure. This amounts to a class attempt to shift the costs of the crisis from those who precipitated it – above all, the banks – to working people – not just those employed in the public sector but also all those who consume public services. The demands for austerity and public sector ‘reform’ are the clearest sign that neoliberalism, intellectually discredited by the crisis, nevertheless continues to dominate policy-making.
3. Greece is currently in the eye of the storm. It is one of several European economies that are particularly vulnerable, partly because of a buildup of debt during the boom, partly because they find it hard to compete with Germany, the giant of the eurozone. Under pressure from the financial markets, the European Commission, and the German government, the government of George Papandreou has torn up its election promises and announced cuts amounting to four per cent of national income.
4. Fortunately Greece has a magnificent history of social resistance running back to the 1970s. Following on from the youth revolt of December 2008, the Greek workers’ movement has responded to the government’s cuts packages with a wave of strikes and demonstrations.
We also welcome the example of the Iceland referendum in which people rejected debt refunding imposed by the banks.
5. Greek workers need the solidarity of socialists, trade unionists, and anti-capitalists everywhere. Greece is simply the first European country to have been targeted by the financial markets, but they have plenty of others in their sights, first of all, Spain and Portugal.
6. We need a programme of measures that can lift the economy out of crisis on the basis of giving priority to people’s needs rather than profits and imposing democratic control over the market We need to stand for an anti capitalist answer: our life, our health, our jobs before profits.
• All cuts in domestic public expenditure to be halted or reversed: stop pensions ‘reform’; health and education are not for sale;
• A guaranteed right to work and a programme of public investment in green jobs – public transport, renewable energy industries, and adapting private and public buildings to reduce carbon dioxide emissions;
• For a public banking service and financial system under public control!
• No scapegoating of immigrants and refugees: legalize them!
• No to military expenditure: Withdrawal of Western troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, drastic cuts in military spending, and the dissolution of NATO
7. We resolve to organize European solidarity activities again cuts and capitalist attacks. A victory for Greek workers will strengthen resistance to the cuts elsewhere.
Greece : Aristeri Anasynthes, Aristeri Antikapitalistiki Syspirosi, Organosi Kommuniston Diethniston Elladas-Spartakos, Sosialistiko Ergatiko Komma, Synaspismos Rizospastikis Aristeras ;
Portugal : Bloco de Esquerda ;
Austria : Linkswende ;
Belgium : Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire - Socialistische arbeiderspartij ;
Britain : Socialist Resistance, Socialist Workers Party ;
Croatia : Radnička borba ;
Cyprus : Ergatiki Dimokratia ;
Denmark : Socialistisk Arbejderparti ;
France : Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste ;
Germany : internationale sozialistische linke, marx21, Revolutionär Sozialistischen Bund ;
Italy : Sinistra Critica ;
Ireland : People Before Profit Alliance, Socialist Workers Party ;
Netherlands : Internationale Socialisten, Socialistische Arbeiderspartij ;
Poland : Polska Partia Pracy, Pracownicza Demokracja ;
Russia : Vpered ;
Scotland : Scottish Socialist Party
Serbia : marks21 ;
Spanish State : En lucha/En lluita, Izquierda Anticapitalista, Partido Obrero Revolucionario ;
Switzerland : Gauche anticapitaliste, Mouvement pour le socialisme /Bewegung für Sozialismus, solidaritéS ;
Turkey : Devrimci Sosyalist İşçi Partisi, Özgürlük ve Dayanışma Partisi.
Signed by anti capitalist organisations across Europe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The global economic crisis continues. Massive amounts of money have been injected into the financial system – $14 trillion in bailouts in the United States, Britain, and the eurozone, $1.4 trillion new bank loans in China last year – in an effort to restabilize the world economy. But it remains an open question whether or not these efforts will be enough to produce a sustainable recovery. Growth remains very sluggish in the advanced economies, while unemployment continues to rise. There are fears that a new financial bubble centred this time on China is developing. The protracted character of the crisis – which is the most severe since the Great Depression – reflects its roots in the very nature of capitalism as a system.
2. After a harsh wave of job cuts, in Europe the focus on the crisis is now on the public sector and social welfare system. The very financial markets that have been rescued thanks to the bailouts are now up in arms about the increase in government borrowing this has involved. They are demanding massive cuts in public expenditure. This amounts to a class attempt to shift the costs of the crisis from those who precipitated it – above all, the banks – to working people – not just those employed in the public sector but also all those who consume public services. The demands for austerity and public sector ‘reform’ are the clearest sign that neoliberalism, intellectually discredited by the crisis, nevertheless continues to dominate policy-making.
3. Greece is currently in the eye of the storm. It is one of several European economies that are particularly vulnerable, partly because of a buildup of debt during the boom, partly because they find it hard to compete with Germany, the giant of the eurozone. Under pressure from the financial markets, the European Commission, and the German government, the government of George Papandreou has torn up its election promises and announced cuts amounting to four per cent of national income.
4. Fortunately Greece has a magnificent history of social resistance running back to the 1970s. Following on from the youth revolt of December 2008, the Greek workers’ movement has responded to the government’s cuts packages with a wave of strikes and demonstrations.
We also welcome the example of the Iceland referendum in which people rejected debt refunding imposed by the banks.
5. Greek workers need the solidarity of socialists, trade unionists, and anti-capitalists everywhere. Greece is simply the first European country to have been targeted by the financial markets, but they have plenty of others in their sights, first of all, Spain and Portugal.
6. We need a programme of measures that can lift the economy out of crisis on the basis of giving priority to people’s needs rather than profits and imposing democratic control over the market We need to stand for an anti capitalist answer: our life, our health, our jobs before profits.
• All cuts in domestic public expenditure to be halted or reversed: stop pensions ‘reform’; health and education are not for sale;
• A guaranteed right to work and a programme of public investment in green jobs – public transport, renewable energy industries, and adapting private and public buildings to reduce carbon dioxide emissions;
• For a public banking service and financial system under public control!
• No scapegoating of immigrants and refugees: legalize them!
• No to military expenditure: Withdrawal of Western troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, drastic cuts in military spending, and the dissolution of NATO
7. We resolve to organize European solidarity activities again cuts and capitalist attacks. A victory for Greek workers will strengthen resistance to the cuts elsewhere.
Greece : Aristeri Anasynthes, Aristeri Antikapitalistiki Syspirosi, Organosi Kommuniston Diethniston Elladas-Spartakos, Sosialistiko Ergatiko Komma, Synaspismos Rizospastikis Aristeras ;
Portugal : Bloco de Esquerda ;
Austria : Linkswende ;
Belgium : Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire - Socialistische arbeiderspartij ;
Britain : Socialist Resistance, Socialist Workers Party ;
Croatia : Radnička borba ;
Cyprus : Ergatiki Dimokratia ;
Denmark : Socialistisk Arbejderparti ;
France : Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste ;
Germany : internationale sozialistische linke, marx21, Revolutionär Sozialistischen Bund ;
Italy : Sinistra Critica ;
Ireland : People Before Profit Alliance, Socialist Workers Party ;
Netherlands : Internationale Socialisten, Socialistische Arbeiderspartij ;
Poland : Polska Partia Pracy, Pracownicza Demokracja ;
Russia : Vpered ;
Scotland : Scottish Socialist Party
Serbia : marks21 ;
Spanish State : En lucha/En lluita, Izquierda Anticapitalista, Partido Obrero Revolucionario ;
Switzerland : Gauche anticapitaliste, Mouvement pour le socialisme /Bewegung für Sozialismus, solidaritéS ;
Turkey : Devrimci Sosyalist İşçi Partisi, Özgürlük ve Dayanışma Partisi.
Nick Clegg’s Cowardly Retreat from Glasgow
On the 4th of May Nick Clegg was hounded out of Glasgow by angry local socialists.
When SSY members in Maryhill heard that Nick Clegg was in our local community centre, we roared into action to try and ask him a few questions about his policies.
The entrances to the community centre were surrounded by cops and Nick Clegg’s personal body guards, and as soon as they caught a whiff of us walkietalkies were buzzing, as they planned his escape from the terrifying sight of people who don’t agree with him.
Despite only finding out about the Lib Dem Love In with half an hour to spare, we rounded up local activists to make our point… in contrast to the Lib Dems, who had clearly bussed in activists from across the country – and across the border!
Before Clegg was scheduled to leave the building, a flood of Liberal Democrat supporters crowded around us with placards in an attempt to stop Clegg or the press from seeing anyone question the Lib Dems, and Clegg’s messiah complex.
Lib Dems attempted to obscure our placards – when they failed, many of them attempted to forcibly remove our placards from us and were aggressive in attempts to hide them from view.
Clegg was ushered into a shiny James Bond car and didn’t bother to address our concerns, only giving us and our placards a disdainful look. I suppose he only cares about what local people think if they’re thinking that they’d like to kiss his arse. He was no doubt terrified of the massed placard waving hordes of Maryhill SSY.
When his car had sped off, we were surrounded by Lib Dem activists who didn’t seem to know their own policies as well as we did. None of them Lib Dems we spoke to knew that their party…
- wanted to stop public sector workers from being able to strike
- are in favour of Britain having weapons of mass destruction
- opposed the introduction of a national minimum wage, and wanted the minimum wage to be lower in poor regions
- want to impose savage cuts
- support fascists in Thailand, through their membership of the Liberal International
and that Nick Clegg is a great admirer of Margaret Thatcher!
Err… maybe you should research your party before you join it?
It’s great that so many people are looking to the Lib Dem for a left-wing alternative to the Tories or New Labour – but they’re looking in the wrong place.
Source: SSY (Leftfeild Blog)
When SSY members in Maryhill heard that Nick Clegg was in our local community centre, we roared into action to try and ask him a few questions about his policies.
The entrances to the community centre were surrounded by cops and Nick Clegg’s personal body guards, and as soon as they caught a whiff of us walkietalkies were buzzing, as they planned his escape from the terrifying sight of people who don’t agree with him.
Despite only finding out about the Lib Dem Love In with half an hour to spare, we rounded up local activists to make our point… in contrast to the Lib Dems, who had clearly bussed in activists from across the country – and across the border!
Before Clegg was scheduled to leave the building, a flood of Liberal Democrat supporters crowded around us with placards in an attempt to stop Clegg or the press from seeing anyone question the Lib Dems, and Clegg’s messiah complex.
Lib Dems attempted to obscure our placards – when they failed, many of them attempted to forcibly remove our placards from us and were aggressive in attempts to hide them from view.
Clegg was ushered into a shiny James Bond car and didn’t bother to address our concerns, only giving us and our placards a disdainful look. I suppose he only cares about what local people think if they’re thinking that they’d like to kiss his arse. He was no doubt terrified of the massed placard waving hordes of Maryhill SSY.
When his car had sped off, we were surrounded by Lib Dem activists who didn’t seem to know their own policies as well as we did. None of them Lib Dems we spoke to knew that their party…
- wanted to stop public sector workers from being able to strike
- are in favour of Britain having weapons of mass destruction
- opposed the introduction of a national minimum wage, and wanted the minimum wage to be lower in poor regions
- want to impose savage cuts
- support fascists in Thailand, through their membership of the Liberal International
and that Nick Clegg is a great admirer of Margaret Thatcher!
Err… maybe you should research your party before you join it?
It’s great that so many people are looking to the Lib Dem for a left-wing alternative to the Tories or New Labour – but they’re looking in the wrong place.
Source: SSY (Leftfeild Blog)
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Protest Called in St Andrews - Scottish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign
Source: SPSC
Protest Scottish visit by ambassador of murder, illegal occupation and apartheid
Israeli Ambassador, Ron Prosor, will be given a platform in Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews on Tuesday 4 May to make the case for Israel's crimes. The least of these crimes was the recent use of British passports by an Israeli murder squad in Dubai.
The ambassador of blood, white phosphorus, starvation and theft will appear in St Andrews at a time when Scottish civil society, from Government to grassroots organisations, has become increasingly aware of Israel's violations of Palestinian rights, not to mention basic norms of human decency.
Nuclear-armed Israel, which has attacked its neighbours on many occasions and openly plans to attack Iran, faces the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court following the UN's Goldstone report. It is a scandal that the International Politics Association in St Andrews is providing a platform for the ambassador of a rogue state.
Assemble Holy Trinity Church, South Street, St Andrews at 5pm
Join Palestine solidarity stalls in St Andrews from 12noon on Tuesday 4th May - visit the SPSC Website.
Protest Scottish visit by ambassador of murder, illegal occupation and apartheid
Israeli Ambassador, Ron Prosor, will be given a platform in Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews on Tuesday 4 May to make the case for Israel's crimes. The least of these crimes was the recent use of British passports by an Israeli murder squad in Dubai.
The ambassador of blood, white phosphorus, starvation and theft will appear in St Andrews at a time when Scottish civil society, from Government to grassroots organisations, has become increasingly aware of Israel's violations of Palestinian rights, not to mention basic norms of human decency.
Nuclear-armed Israel, which has attacked its neighbours on many occasions and openly plans to attack Iran, faces the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court following the UN's Goldstone report. It is a scandal that the International Politics Association in St Andrews is providing a platform for the ambassador of a rogue state.
Assemble Holy Trinity Church, South Street, St Andrews at 5pm
Join Palestine solidarity stalls in St Andrews from 12noon on Tuesday 4th May - visit the SPSC Website.
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