demonstrations

The June 30th strikes were well observed in Brighton, with the vast majority of schools shut, five picket lines across the city and a huge march and rally through the town centre.

Jobcentre picket: PCS and supporters set up banners & stall at 7am. BBC radio interviewed PCS organiser & interviewer disclosed that he was going to London after to plan future NUJ action. 2 pickets formed, at entrance to Jobcentre and at staff entrance. Approx 10-15 non-union staff arrived early and entered building. A solid picket of 30-40 formed by 8.15, ready for 8.30 opening. Much beeping of car horns and public goodwill. 2 supporters handing out claimants' leaflets were told forecourt is private property and were physically removed by security.

View J30 Brighton in a larger map

This map shows all the school closures, picket lines and demonstrations planned for the June 30th co-ordinated strikes in Brighton. It is a work in progress - please comment below if you spot any errors or have any additions! We will also be adding the planned route of the demonstration once we have spoken to the organisers. Parents may find the following information (via the RMT union) helpful - and if you are taking the day off to look after the kids, why not join the demonstration at 10:30 at the Level to show your support for the strikes?

Monday, 20th June, 10.00 - 12.00

PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE SERBIAN EMBASSY, LONDON

called by Solidarity Federation in solidarity with the International Anti-NATO Campaign.

Text of leaflet:

From 13th to 15th of June the city of Belgrade (Serbia) saw the largest NATO gathering in the world. In response, international libertarian groups organized an Anti-NATO campaign to protest against militarism, imperialism and capitalist exploitation which are all synonymous with NATO. Those gathered in Belgrade in days prior to the rally faced intimidation, harassment and criminalization by the authorities, which forced the Anti-NATO Camp to be cancelled. Simultaneously the campaign faced total media blackout.

Teachers have voted overwhelmingly to strike on June 30th. They are expected to be joined by thousands of public sector workers and possibly also university staff. Could we also see wildcat strikes on the day?

On Monday, Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition are organising a public meeting on 'Striking to Defend Pensions, Jobs and Pay' at 19:30 in the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street. Come along to share plans for the day, and join us in the pub afterwards to plot solidarity and support.

We are also calling for school walkouts in support of the strikes. Leaflets will be available shortly. On the day, there will be several picket lines locally - we're trying to put together a map - as well as a 'demonstration and rally' assembling at 10:30 at the Level.

The occupations and demonstrations that have rocked Spain in opposition to austerity, unemployment and party politics have reached Brighton. At least 30 people, mostly from Spain, were occupying part of the Old Steine in Brighton city centre tonight in solidarity with the movement in Spain. An assembly run on directly democratic lines, with a megaphone being passed around participants, discussed tactics and goals of the camp, with decisions made to stage further protests and put on a programme of workshops. The assembly also reiterated its independence from all political ideologies and parties.

A translation of this CNT-E statement is available here.

Las multitudinarias concentraciones y acampadas que están sembrando las plazas de ciudades y pueblos desde el pasado día 15 son un claro ejemplo de la capacidad organizativa del pueblo cuando decide ser protagonista de su propia vida; superando la apatía, la resignación y la ausencia de una toma de conciencia con la que articular respuestas, para afrontar y construir alternativas a los múltiples problemas que hoy sufrimos el conjunto de la población: trabajadores/as, parados/as, estudiantes, inmigrantes, jubilados/as, precarios/as...

A statement on the May protests by the CNT, our Spanish sister section.

The countless demonstrations and occupations that are taking root in the main squares of cities and villages since the 15th are a clear example of the organizational capacity of the people when they decide to be the protagonists of their own lives; overcoming apathy, resignation, and the absence of a self-awareness with which to articulate solutions to take on and construct alternatives to the many problems that today face all of us: workers, the unemployed, students, immigrants, retired, the casualised...

On Sunday 1st May members of both North and South London Solfed celebrated Mayday by joining the anarchist contingent at Clerkenwell Green. Turn out was average, and we did not see the expected sea of red and black flags, yet a healthy crowd still gathered to listen to some rabble rousing speakers on an open mic.

After waiting at Clerkenwell for a few hours and distroing plenty of Catalysts we grouped together and joined the march down to Trafalgar Square, the anarchist bloc marching next to the Latin American Workers Association. We stayed in Trafalgar square a while, relaxing in the sun with a banner and chatting to UK UnCut activists occupying the square but after an hour or so we all swiftly retired to the pub.

On Wednesday 18th, Solidarity federation gathered with Wandsworth Against the Cuts and others, to protest the recent cuts campaign perpetrated by the Wandsworth Council. It appears that the Council has decided to make Wandsworth somewhat of an elitist poster boy of UK’s class war. Wandsworth already charges the lowest council tax in the country and the new program of cuts is to strike the borough further in the depths of neoliberal wasteland. On the cutting board are services from health care to community, such as libraries and youth centres. The council specialises on cutting services from small, politically weak groups, like people in need of mental health services or domestic violence counselling.

Members of Brighton SolFed supported a 20-30 strong protest and picket at ATOS healthcare in Brighton today as part of a national day of action against benefits cuts. The protest was organised by the Brighton Benefits Campaign (BBC), a group of claimants and workers fighting the cuts to welfare provision. ATOS is a private company paid millions of pounds to stop sick and disabled peoples benefits by declaring them 'fit to work' via a computer programme, which has given absurd diagnoses such as describing hand amputations as 'mild' and thus no barrier to work.