Fri 23 Jan 12noon - Edinburgh Solidarity Protest - Free the 7 Anarchists detained for their political beliefs by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain

Solidarity Protest - Free the 7 Anarchists detained for their political beliefs by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain

MEET: Spanish Consulate, 63 North Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3LJ
FRIDAY 23 JAN – FROM 12:00noon-2pm
We will begin handing out flyers and raising awareness about the prisoners before and after - please get involved and join us!

On 16/12/2014 the Mossos, Catalan police stormed 14 homes and community centers, destroying and stealing everything they could find of value. Without making any specific accusations and acting in complete secrecy, 11 anarchists were transferred to the National Court in Madrid. 4 were released two days later - and 7 have ended up in prison, one is a member of the CNT-AIT Union. They are all facing secretive Court proceedings.

Fri 16 Jan 10am - Edinburgh Solidarity Protest - Free the 7 Anarchists detained by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain

On 16/12/2014 the Mossos, a specialist police squad in Spain stormed 14 homes and community centers, destroying and stealing everything they could find of value. Without making any specific accusations and acting in complete secrecy, 11 anarchists were transferred to the National Court. 4 were released two days later - and 7 have ended up in prison, one is a member of the CNT-AIT Union. They all facing secretive Court proceedings.

Operation Pandora: Stop repression in Spain!

On 16th December 11 anarchists were detained in Barcelona, in what is known as “Operation Pandora”.

All 11 detainees are anarchist activists. 4 of them were released on December 18. One of them is a member of the CNT union from Sabadell and is still imprisoned.

His lawyer says they are being held because they are organised. They haven’t been accused of anything more than being active anarchists that spread and publish our ideas and fight for them.

It’s clear that this operation took place only to persecute and criminalise the libertarian movement and to in still fear in the rest of the population so they don’t fight against this system’s injustice.

We ask for solidarity. All that are able, please hold demonstrations or protest meetings to demand the detainees’ freedom and against Operation Pandora.

Brighton: protest against state repression in Spain

Last Friday, the 27th December, Brighton SolFed members and Spanish migrant workers from the collective “Marea Granate”, were in Churchill Square supporting a coordinated international protest against the current wave of repression in Spain. The protest was in response to the call for solidarity by our Spanish comrades.

Last November, thirty workers were arrested because of their participation in an education strike. This is only one more step in the repression and intimidation strategy of the Spanish government. The increase of detentions and the new laws against the protests, show that they want ordinary people to keep quiet while they dismantle basic civil rights and attack their live conditions.

45 striking miners shot dead in South Africa

North London Solidarity Federation reproduce a powerful statement by Ayanda Kota - a member of the militant South African shack dwellers organisation, Abahlali baseMjondolo, in protest at the murder of 45 striking miners by the South African police force and the role played by the ruling ANC party (once presided over by Nelson Mandela) in allegedly facilitating the police to carry out such acts of violence.

If you wish to express your anger at this, consider phoning the South African embassy in London at 0207-451-7299 and emailing them at london.general@dirco.gov.za .

Protest against "Bloody Friday" in Kazakhstan

Urgent appeal for solidarity with workers in Kazakhstan:

The authorities in Kazakhstan have shot at a rally of striking oil workers in the West city Zhanaozen.The strike of about 1,500 workers demanding higher wages and better working conditions began in May, but was banned. The Oilfield of Karazhanbas, where conflict broke out, is being developed by the company, which belongs to the Chinese concern China International Trust Investment Company and the Kazakh company "KazMunayGaz".

Repression in Dalston

An eyewitness account by a Hackney picket:

I went from my picket line to the CLR James library picket at about 10. On the bus up there I was a bit disturbed to see a police helicopter hovering above Dalston Junction. When I got to the library there were a huge number of TSG kettling about 35 people with a mobile sound system. I managed to speak to people in the kettle and they told me that two people had been beaten up and arrested earlier when people had tried to block the road.

I called people on my picket line and asked them to come quickly to the library. A small group of us stood around for ages occasionally having short conversations with the kettled protesters or telling the police that they were disgusting. I phoned my picket again and was dismayed to find out that they had all gone to another picket line that was nearer.

Serbia: repression of activists continues

EIGHT PEOPLE were arrested at a peaceful anti-NATO march in Belgrade on 12 June. Charges are being pressed against six arrestees for “obstructing police officers in their line of duty”. Amongst those arrested was Ratibor Trivunac, an activist with the union initiative ASI. He has been charged with “organising an unreported demonstration” despite only returning from Macedonia -  where he had been for several days  - on the day of the march.

Last year Trivunac was one of the ‘Belgrade 6’ framed on bogus charges of ‘international terrorism’, and spent 6 months in prison awaiting trial, where he was subjected to abuse and torture. At trial, the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.