Anarchist activity in Ireland

ireland / britain | anarchist movement | news report

Tuesday April 24, 2007 18:06

by WS - WSM

Anarchism and the WSM

The Workers Solidarity Movement is an organisation of working class anarchists who have come together to maximise the impact of anarchist ideas. Pooling the resources of many people allows us to distribute 6,000 copies of this paper every two months, and 1,000 copies of our twice yearly magazine, Red & Black Revolution. It allows us to discuss the best ways to advance working class interests, and prioritise particular activities rather than be so widely dispersed as to have little effect.

As well as taking part in local and national demonstrations in support of the Rossport residents, about 20 WSM members participated in the mass trespass of Shell's Mayo construction site on February 16th. This marks a step forward for the Shell To Sea campaign because it recognises that lobbying politicians is not enough, when you are continually lied to or brushed off you have to take action yourself.

And talking of taking action, a loose group of abortion rights activists has come together in Dublin. This arose from a Labour Youth sponsored meeting, where the speakers included Aileen O'Caroll from the WSM and Aoife Cooke from the Revolutionary Anarchafeminist Group.

The, so far, nameless group includes people from the Labour Party, WSM, Sinn Fein and RAG. It has set itself the job of exposing bogus clinics like the 'Women's Resource Centre' which pretend to offer advice on all options to women with crisis pregnancies, but don't. They lie to women ("it's too early for an abortion", "you will get breast cancer and/or become infertile").

Those anti-choice liars have been getting away with it for too long, the prochoice movement will be letting women know the truth about them and pointing anyone seeking help towards agencies like the Irish Family Planning Association, which do offer genuine non-directive advice about all options.

A new issue of Red & Black Revolution has just been published, with articles on anarchism and the coming elections, a history of the Grassroots Gatherings, the meaning of 'direct action', the Rossport struggle, an interview with Ana Lopez of the International Union of Sex Workers, and more. Pick up a copy from any WSM member, or send €2 to our address and we'll put one in the post for you.

This article is from Workers Solidarity No96, you can read the rest of this issue at http://www.wsm.ie/story/2290