A-Infos (en) SchNEWS 302, Friday 27th April, 2001

["Jo Makepeace" <webmaster@schnews.org.uk>]

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      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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  This is SchNEWS, the weekly direct action newsletter published by Justice?
in Brighton, England.  To subscribe, or to get in touch, see the bottom of this message.

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wake up! wake up! It's yer freely traded

SchNEWS

Published in Brighton by Justice? - Brighton's Direct Action collective

ISSUE 302, FRIDAY 27th April, 2001

SUMMIT WRONG?

"When laws are unjust, it's criminal not to resist them." - José Bové, the
anti-globalisation French farmer who helped demolish a McDonalds.

"The truly violent are those who prepare for the summit by accumulating
tear gas, plastic bullets and pepper spray. Those who enact laws and
measures that will put hundreds of thousands of poor in the street, those
who let pharmaceutical corporations make billions on sickness causing the
death of millions of people, those who are copyrighting life and creating
dependence and hunger. In a word, those who put their profits before our
lives. These are the ones we should fear, not the anarchists." Black Bloc
communiqué

It was the largest and most expensive police operation in Canadian history.
People were turned back at the borders. Ninety people even received the
honour of being named on a 'preventative detention list' to be rounded up
shortly before the Summit began. Six thousand police dressed in thick body
armour and heavy shields, with water cannons and guns that fired plastic
bullets, tear gas and smoke rounds were protecting a no-go zone. This zone,
surrounded by a four kilometre long, ten-foot-high chain-link fence, was
unapproachable unless you had special residents ID; otherwise you could
expect a tear-gas canister in the face for your trouble. Inside this fence
was the Citadel, an actual fortress that was built in 1820 to defend
against an American assault. Except this time the Americans with their free
trade neo-liberal agenda were the guests of honour.

"Don't worry about the Black Bloc; worry about the Blue Bloc [the
police]-These leaders are not committed to non-violence." Jaggi Singh, CLAC

Last weekend leaders of 34 nation states were in Quebec City for the Summit
of the Americas. Amongst other things they hoped to achieve was to put the
finishing touches on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) which aims
to establish a 'free trade' zone extending NAFTA (the North American Free
Trade Agreement - see SchNEWS 200) to the tip of South America. It's been
described as 'NAFTA on steroids'.

Unfortunately every time the world's elite have a corporate knees-up, their
meetings are met with resistance. Tens of thousands of people from all
walks of life faced the usual barrage of rubber bullets, mass arrests and a
thick white blanket of gas. No matter if they were masked-up black bloc
trying to pull down the fences or peaceful protesters sitting in the road;
the treatment was the same. As one protester pointed out, "The scene looked
and felt like war, yet only one side had any real weapons. After the
extreme police violence I'd witnessed the past few days, a few broken
windows didn't merit a second thought."

But like Professor and author John McMurtry put it, "The corporate media
will continue to block out the life-and-death issues at stake, focus on the
saleable spectacle of a large public confrontation, blame and trivialise
the thousands of opponents who are assaulted for putting themselves on the
line, and return to selling other images and distractions once the violence
entertainment is over."

TRADING STANDARDS

Free trade accords are the icing on the cake for the
globalisation-will-solve-all-the world's-problems cheerleaders. That's
because they eliminate 'barriers to trade' - you know, inconvenient little
things like environmental protection and worker rights- and push the way
for the privatisation of anything that moves, even essential services like
health care and education.

So just who benefits from these Free Trade Agreements? John W. Warnock,
a
Canadian political economist and author of 'The Other Mexico: The North
American Triangle Completed' spells it out: "Mexico has always been
characterised by inequality, but this has risen under the neo-liberal
regime." 73% of the population live in poverty, 45 million in extreme
poverty.

Since NAFTA was signed, wages in Mexico have declined by 10%, while
labour
productivity increased by 45%. This is mainly due to the fact that many
workers have increased their hours of work from 8 to 12 hours a day.

In 1980 the average carworker in Mexico earned about one third of the wage
of an American car worker. By 2000 this was down to one twelfth.

Warnock continues: "Neoliberalism and NAFTA have been good for the rich
in
Mexico and the large corporations. The banks, privately owned and robbed
by
the Mexican rich, have been bailed out of bankruptcy twice by taxpayers.
The illicit drug industry flourishes and is now more important than the oil
industry, and free trade and cross-border trucking have made marketing
much
easier. Mexicans know that their country is falling behind the United
States and Canada in every area. Aside from incomes, spending is very low
on education, health, agriculture and rural development plus research. It
is not surprising to find that most people, including academics, do not
believe that so-called 'free trade' has been good for their country."

And that's without even mentioning the environment. According to the Sierra
Club total pollution has doubled in Mexico since NAFTA was introduced. As
mentioned above, under NAFTA corporations can sue governments for
getting
in the way of business with daft stuff like pollution laws and safety
regulations. In August 2000, following a NAFTA ruling, US corporation
Metalclad won $16.7m compensation and the right to pollute an area in San
Luis Potosi after local protests delayed the building of a waste treatment
and disposal site which would poison the local water supply. Which is all
rather depressing, isn't it?

 Lots of behind-the-scenes activity happened in the build up to the
 Summit that you wouldn't have seen reported. CLAC (anti-capitalist
 convergence), CASA, and affiliated groups travelled across Ontario,
 Quebec and northeastern US to do countless teach-ins on the
 demonstrations and what the FTAA will mean. Commite Populaire du St.
 Jean Baptiste distributed 10,000 copies of a 4 page tabloid in the
 neighborhood where most of the action would occur and set up an
 'adopt-an-activist' program which encouraged local families to put up
 visiting demonstrators (hundreds of demonstrators were housed this way).
 Wanna know more? Try www.ainfos.ca or Indymedia www.indymedia.org.uk
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CRAP ARREST OF THE WEEK

For possession of a weapon: a theatrical catapult that shot stuffed
animals over the Quebec fence.

For sticking stickers: Police in central London arrested a man on charges
of criminal damage last weekend for the heinous crime of pasting up Mayday
Monopoly stickers. Tailed by police after leaving a Mayday organising event
held in Hyde Park, the dangerous criminal stickerer was then caught in the
act of 'defacing' the sacred storefronts of several chain stores. It's a
fair bet that the stickers' anti-capitalist messages had something to do
with the arrest, as police would most likely have rewarded him had the
stickers contained slogans such as: "Buy more Big Macs" or "Consume,
Consume, Consume."

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MAY BE OR MAY BE NOT

>From its origins as a pagan festival, Mayday was a time to eat, drink,
reject the control of our rulers and 'ave a laugh. So they banned the May
fairs. Then Mayday got adopted by the workers movement as the day to
celebrate the general strike by the anarchist Haymarket martyrs, executed
in Chicago in 1886, and its now got a new lease of life as a time to party
and protest- in case it's escaped your notice! Here's wot's 'appenin in a
town near you:

UK...

Newcastle: May Day March to Newcastle Exhibition Park. Great speakers,
good
beer! Assemble 28th April 11am Forth St. Bring banners, placards etc. Rally
begins 1pm @ Exhibition Park.

Hackney: There will be another day of strikes against the council (who have
apparently gone bankrupt because of financial incompetence). In a recent
ballot, workers rejected management's latest ultimatum, despite threats
that rejection would lead to dismissal! Meet May 1st 12 noon at Hackney
Downs, Hackney Road. March to Hackney Empire for rally at 2.15pm.
Donations
to the strike fund please!! Payable to Hackney Unison; send to Unison, 3rd
floor Netil House, 1-7 Westgate Street London E8 3RL.

London: A fun filled day of direct action all across the capital. For more
info check out the Mayday Monopoly Website: www.maydaymonopoly.org

Mayday Convergence Centre in London A temporary social centre is being
set
up to put up people participating in both autonomous Mayday Monopoly
actions and the main Sale of The Century action in Oxford St. Meeting/crash
space, café, library and more. Location to be announced closer to date.
Contact: 079609 73847 or email: convergencespace@hotmail.com

Swansea: Giant game of Global Monopoly with huge Chance and Community
Chest
Cards. Bring Music, Fancy Dress, Street Theatre 12.30 pm, Castle Square,
Swansea pea-brain@mail.com

Brighton: May Day Memorial mourning the death of nature, more specifically
the excessive culling of over 1.5m animals in the name of foot and mouth.
Meet Pavillion Gardens Café, Brighton 5.15pm. Please wear black.

Glasgow: Meet 12.30pm Buchanan St Underground, bring music, costumes,
and
good vibes. www.mayfirst.fsnet.co.uk

Birmingham: Party and Protest against Capitalism.12.30 pm outside Virgin
Megastore, Corporation Street, Birmingham. Info: 07980 415577 or email:
s26brum@hotmail.com

Manchester 'Exposing the Myth of the Global Economy'. Loadsa
groups.10am-4pm, Manchester University Students' Union, Oxford Road
M13

Sheffield: Mayday Picket of the Sheffield GAP Store.
www.sheffieldmayday.ukf.net

Bristol: A variety of events!: Meet 8.00 am @ Arnolfini for Critical Mass.
12 noon @ The Fountains for Carnival around town: street theatre, stilt
walkers, drumming, etc - and some surprise activities.

Dudley: 600 hospital workers are continuing rolling strikes against Private
Finance Initiative scheme. (see SchNEWS 278) May Day Rally and Social
Thurs
3rd 7.30pm at Pensnett Welfare and Social Club, Commonside, Pensnett.
Details: Mark New, Branch Sec. 07970 788873

AND AROUND THE WORLD:

Melbourne, Australia: Go to www.antimedia.net/awol if you wanna know:
must
we do everything for you?

Bangladesh: Garments Workers Unity Council, campaigning for a May Day
holiday in the garments sector. Visit http://www.ainfos.ca

Iran: Co-ordinating Committee of Workers Left Unity Iran. Email:
info@etehadchap.com or visit http://www.etehadchap.com Fax 004631
139897
00448701257959

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SQUAT A LIFE

Contrary to what Louise Casey, the 'Tsar' of homelessness, knows, squatting
is still legal. Just to prove it the new 11th Edition of the Squatters
Handbook is now out. A definitive guide, even having the diagram of a yale
lock!! Fully updated to take account of new Civil Procedure Rules. Great
value at an incredibly low price of £1+57p postage. From the Advisory
Service for Squatters, St. Pauls Road, London N1 2QN. (For squatting advice
call 0207 359 8814 Mon-Fri 2-6pm; and they're always on the lookout for new
volunteers)

The saga continues! Manchester's Okasional Café is back. After a kickin'
launch party last Friday, it's business as usual. Events, workshops, poetry
and film nights, 3 course vegan meals, capoeira-all are planned. Now at the
old Empire Exchange, 61 Charles St, nr. Oxford Rd train station. Tues-Sun
4-Midnite (or later!) Wanna get involved? 07753 606723/ 07977 760842

Women Squatters in Newcastle have reclaimed a building to delay it being
turned into a lap-dancing bar. It's been opened by the women as a Social
Centre for the community rather than the proposed sad sordid watering hole
that was given approval last Tuesday. Named Eclectic City II after a squat
that was set up back in October on the future site of a massive
entertainment complex called Electric City, the new squat is located in
Carliol Square off Market Street. Eviction is threatened for early next
week, so get down there soon to show your support before the poles go up!
Events are happening every day with a May Day benefit night this Saturday
starting at 7pm (to follow on from the Tyneside May Day march). Squat Hot
Line 07833 646228

The squatted Atherden community centre in Hackney is gonna be evicted
very,
very soon. So get down there this weekend for a final fling of festivities
and frolics designed to hold off the bailiffs!

This Sat (28)'Never Mind The bailiffs' spring fete, 1-8pm. Music, stalls,
food etc.; Sun 29 café and film night; Mon 30 benefit café for Rhythms of
Resistance samba band. Tues May 1st: 7am Mayday brekkie for striking
Council workers, then all day open house, folks with kids especially
welcome. Get down there!!

* 27 till 12th May 1 in 12 club in Bradford celebrates 20 years of
autonomous mayhem and fun, providing cheap food, beer and gig/party
space
(Sch 296). Program of events: 27th critical mass 5.15 pm from Centenary
Square and then 20th anniversary party at the club. 1st: May Day carnival
meeting at Infirmary Fields 12.30 pm. 5th-6th: Grand Football Competition,
and yet another dance party. Finishing 12th with a day of workshops based
on 'Taking Control - Direct Action and Autonomous Social Centres' from 12
pm till 5 pm and then cheesy disco from Leeds Action Group for
Environmental Resistance (L.A.G.E.R) crew till late. 1in12 Club, 21-23
Albion St., Bradford, BD1 2LY Tel: 01274 734160 www.1in12.com

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SchNEWS in brief

   * J-Day Postponed! 'J-Day' Cannabis Festie in Brockwell Park next
     Saturday (5) is postponed! The reason?-er, the grass is too wet, man.
     We kid you not. The park is waterlogged, so the fun has been put back
     til June 16th
   * The Rising Tide Climate Change Tour kicks off in Brighton (3-4 May),
     Farnborough (8), London (11), Hackney (12), Edinburgh (14-16),
     Newcastle (16-18), Lancaster (22-24), Liverpool (24-25), York (26-29),
     Hull (tbc), Reading (7-8 June), Oxford (9 June) Each Tour visit will
     see an evening of 'infotainment', alongside workshops, street theatre
     and creative actions. 01865 241 097 www.risingtide.org.uk If you can't
     make any of the Tour events but would like to receive the Tour info
     booklet, or info on inviting people to do workshops or talks on
     climate change, email climatechaos@yahoo.com
   * Guilfin's web address has been sold by their internet provider to an
     Armenian porn site! Who then demanded $500 for them to buy it back. So
     the new one is www.guilfin.net
   * Hate George Bush? Turn up at US Embassy, Grosvenor Sq (Bond St
tube),
     Sat May 5, 11am. Rally in support of Kyoto: tell the Toxic Texan wot
     yer think! 0208 533 7274; www.goatbyte.net/climatedemo
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Inside SchNEWS

Lee Himlin: charged with damage to digging equipment at Stanton Moor
Quarry
(Nine Ladies). Lee's pleaded guilty and is on remand. Lee is finding life
in Sherwood prison hard and is feeling isolated. Letters of support to: Lee
Himlin EX7748, HMP Perry Road, Sherwood, Nottingham, N65 3AG

Harold Thompson: Tennessee Prison Authority has sent back the
SchNEWS's
that we sent US prisoner Harold, refusing them 'cos we 'promote anarchy and
advocate rebellion against authority.' What a plug! Write to Harold W.
Thompson, #93992 at: NWCC Site 1, Route 1 Box 660, Tiptonville, TN
38079,
USA.

It appears the authorities aren't keen on things former US ALF prisoner Rod
Coronado has written for anarcho-rags No Compromise and EF! Journal. His
parole board has given him an ultimatum-shut up or go back to jail. Rod's
new conditions forbid him from writing or volunteering for activist
publications, and ban him from speaking out, publicising or supporting
illegal actions.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

...and finally...

"Big Hairstyles-How High is Too High?" "Monster Trucks: Trading in the
Behemoth for a Family-Sized Model" and "Why Manly Shotguns are
Preferable
to Wimpy Handguns." Do any of these pressing redneck issues keep you
awake
at night? If they do, click on to
www.michaelchaney.com/TrailerTrash/issue1/index.html. Trailer trash tips
for dealing with trespassers include: "If you're not drunk, act like you
are. Unless it's cold out, be sure that you're missing a piece of clothing,
probably your shirt. Cuss like a sailor. Squint a lot, regardless of how
bright the sun is. And make sure to have a couple of dogs tied up around
the yard that will bark incessantly the whole time someone else is around."
It's not the revolution, but it's a laugh, especially if you're having
trouble "keeping commies, fags, hippies, druggies, tree-huggers, and other
undesirables off your land."
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disclaimer
SchNEWS warns all Monopoly players off to London to see the Queen not to
forget their 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card - have a Beltane time! Honest.

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Cor-blimley-they're-practically-giving-them-away book offer SchNEWS
Round
issues 51 - 100 £5 inc SchNEWS Annual issues 101 - 150 £5 inc. SchNEWS
Survival Guide issues 151 - 200 and a whole lot more £6 + £1.20 postage
(US
Postage £4.00 for individual books, £13 for all four). In the UK you can
get the fist three for £15 inc. postage. And finally.... The Schquall book
at only £8.00 inc postage. In addition to 50 issues of SchNEWS, each book
contains articles, photos, cartoons, a "yellow pages" list of contacts,
comedy etc. All the above books are available from the Brighton Peace
Centre, saving postage yer tight gits.

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