Berlin
The Capital and the May Day Riots | People & Politics:
“On May 1, the whole of Germany’s eyes will be on the district of Kreuzberg, traditionally the center of the annual May Day riots. This year, left-wing activists have threatened violence in response to planned Neo-Nazi demonstrations, and the police are concerned the clashes might even result in deaths. Politicians are alarmed by the rise in left-wing violence, and sociologists are at a loss to explain what’s behind it.”
In the event, 7,000 police protected neo-Nazis and property on the Day, and something like 500 disobedients were arrested (in Berlin and Hamburg). On a spotterly note, I could swear that the voice of Police Union rep Konrad Freiberg is Wallace Shawn, also known for his participation in readings from Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States.
- See also : Fire and Flames blog.
San Francisco
A handful of BANANAs have expressed much butthurt after being confronted by a group of anti-racists. The BANANAs were rallying alongside their Minuteman comrades in support of Arizona’s new anti-immigrant laws. On the upside, the BANANAs may now understand why May Day is known as ‘international workers’ day’; on the downside, two individuals have been arrested by police and apparently charged with felonies following the BANANA’s brief history lesson. For moaron the BANANAs, see the National Anarchist! blog.
Melbourne
The rally organised by Trades Hall took place on Sunday, May 2 (the celebration of May Day on the first Sunday of the month is a relatively recent tradition — but that’s another history). All the usual suspects were present — CPA / CPA-ML / MAC-G / RSP / SA / SAlt / SL / Solidarity / SP — but so too the ILPS, the Worker-communist Party of Kurdistan and some other groups. My failure to spot moar on the march was the result of being transported to a galaxy far far away by the noise emanating from the SAlt marching shouting band. By its end, their constant — and I do mean constant — noise had rendered my already fragile state-of-mind capable of descending into Rain Man territory.
Otherwise, the Day was a resounding success as: a) I gotta copy of Australasian Spartacist and; b) Collingwood thrashed Carlton by almost nine goals.
After that march I just want to fuckin machine-gun those middle class university educated Trotskyite scum. According to them my black flag is a fascist one??? What the FUCK?
I found the most poignant part of the day was watching them all sing Solidarity Forever and the Internationale because as we all know, there is fuck all solidarity in this country and those fuckwits in the Socialist Alternative are responsible for making the Left a fucking joke in this country by pushing division amongst their own kind. That being said they are neither socialist and neither do they provide an alternative. They just embark on capitalist exploits by selling magazines and badges.
Fuck ’em all!
Happy May Day to Top BANANA Andrew Yeoman!
Also – for the blog’s attention – this is of general ARA interest:
http://twincities.indymedia.org/2010/apr/anti-racist-action-talk-macalester-college
That was a mean thing to say about Shawn.
Hahahaha, well said Benny…I agree with your assertions re. SALT as a (reserve army of the) working-class university student, I come across the SALT tin-rattlers quite often…though they stopped accosting me after I bothered to debate them one fine morning last year…it’s not hard to baffle the tossers!
Re. their complaint of your black flag…were you playing the song ‘Loose Nut’ on a portable ghetto blaster (does anyone even know what that is any more?) while making charade motions of gunning the bastards down with an AK? Next they’ll think you’re a Stalinist!! Hahahahahaha.
BTW…I hate the old anthems…I’d rather sing ‘Guerrilla Radio’, or ‘The Ungovernable Farce’…even though, due to my advancing years, I’m starting to appreciate Paul Robeson’s stuff…now where’s that damn walking stick? I need a drink!
“I just want to fuckin machine-gun those middle class university educated Trotskyite scum” ha ha ha ha ha ha. “…finally, a world free from hatred and discrimination… get up neil, i hate you!” ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. one correction benny… you are all making the left a fucking joke
Since the anarchist scene often has a large number of ex-trots in it I often wonder what magical process takes place that transforms them from “middle class university educated Trotskyite scum” into good comrades. Talk about ideas having a material force!
Most @ists I have personally met have never been a member of any authoritarian left group but I wonder how many people join those groups without really investing themselves fully in their ideology. It always seemed to me that many people join them mainly because they are visible and at least on the surface present a palatable line for people wishing to address social and environmental injustices and change society.