Globalise Resistance

Despite press rumours to the contrary, May Day in London will once again see protests on the streets.

Despite press rumours to the contrary, May Day in London will once again see protests on the streets. It is sad that the May Day Collective have announced that they will not be mobilising this year. Certain parts of the media have been quick to write the obituaries of protesting in the time of terrorism, but this is far from the facts. In the past year, numbers protesting on the streets of London have broken practically every record in the book. Some people were disappointed at the 100,000 or so people marching against a year old war in London on March 20. Those people should think what life on demonstrations was like five years ago. 100,000 would have been quite an extraordinary thing.

Apathy?

Reading through the May Day Collective’s statement of why they’re not organising for May Day points to two major reasons. Firstly there seems to be small meetings in the planning process. Apathy? I think not. Maybe there is apathy for high chance of arrest, smaller actions. Actions that require a bust card, a costume and the likelihood of getting corralled for a few hours can inspire apathy when not focussed and lack a clear aim, whereas the huge mobilisations seen in every major city do get people motivated.

Every anti-war march since February 15 has been preceded by numerous activists predicting smaller than actual turnouts. This reveals a certain gap between these activists and the movement. In London it is more difficult to tell what the turnout will be - you haven’t got the handy yard-stick of selling coach tickets. but the guessing of a demo is not just a measure of how you feel inside, it’s what people at work are saying, the reaction of people who take leaflets from you. If you’re on the streets you get an idea of the feeling, if you’re sat at a computer terminal all day, you get to sap up the arguments coming from the media.

Police Harassment
For activists to publicly declare that police attention has worn them down is quite remarkable. As someone who gets a fair amount of attention from the plod, I only have one response; to organise and mobilise more efficiently, to make our movement more dangerous for those who want to maintain the status quo. I find it hard to imagine that this is a reason to pull the plugs on a protest - especially when there is also an announced picnic - anyone imagining that this will be free from plod attention is dreaming.

Police Harassment is designed to de-mobilise, to demonise and intimidate. In mass mobilisations this can be negated, you feel less vulnerable with 20,000 mates around you, on smaller actions the attentions of the state are magnified greatly. Small actions have a role in the protest movement, for short notice, token actions for example. They do tend to be somewhat exclusive and elitist, but that’s not necessary on a day when everyone is invited.

MayDay is Workers Day!
Across the world there is a march on May 1st to mark international workers day. There are plenty of histories available (see links below). Immigrant communities in the UK at times seem keener on maintaining this tradition than the indigenous population. The workers march has been organised for more than 100 years, and in recent times has featured big blocs of people from Kurdish, Turkish, Cypriot and middle eastern countries.

Globalise Resistance has always been keen to build links with such activists, and to destroy any perceived division between the anti-capitalist movement and the labour movement. The idea that fighting against neo-liberalism, privatisation, the oppression of the third world, environmental destruction and the like is in the interests of just one section of the protest movement is simply wrong.

Seattle taught us that unity between Trade Unions and anti-capitalist activists is essential for real change. The antiwar movement saw that unity develop. This year’s MayDay should continue the idea of uniting the movements. MayDay has to be re-established as a real tradition in the UK. We get a holiday on the first Monday in May, most of the rest of the world gets the 1st May off. Changing that would be a start. A more class conscious, confident and active labour movement would move forward the idea of progressive change in this country. But more than that, MayDay is a time to celebrate the fact of resistance, of strength and of unity.

So come along to the workers march. Bring your own placards, make a splash, we’re also planning a party afterwards, details out soon. MayDay is on a Saturday this year, so you won’t have to hide from the press because the boss thinks you’re at the dentist this year. MayDay is our chance to unite all the issues: privatisation, climate change, workers rights, human rights, Palestinian liberation, GM foods, pensions or antiwar and plenty more.