UCD & The Spanish Civil War

In this instalment of UCD Hidden History, we look at two UCD students who fought on the anti–Fascist Republican side of the Spanish Civil War…

Read full article here: http://ucdhiddenhistory.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/ucd-the-spanish-civil-war/

Devolution of policing is no solution to a sectarian state

Darren C – UCD FRS

As devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly threatens to become a reality, Darren Cogavin looks at the real face of policing in Britain’s oldest colony. This article appears in the November issue of Workers Power

For the past two decades, most of John Brady’s life was spent in prison as a result of his involvement in republican activity. Following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), Brady joined many other veteran republicans in denouncing Sinn Fein’s de facto surrender to the British state. The deep demoralisation of former volunteers opposed to the GFA has been compounded by a systematic campaign of harassment, persecution and victimisation by security forces in the North.

Brady was on weekend release from Maghaberry Prison, where he had been incarcerated for the past six years although convicted of nothing, when he was again arrested by the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) following a domestic dispute. He was discovered dead in his cell less than 24 hours later. The PSNI claimed he took his own life even though his solicitor had informed his family that he would be released shortly – within an hour of the solicitor’s phone call, Brady was dead.

Brady’s tragic death once more shines a spotlight on the colonial and nefarious nature of policing in the North. Since Sinn Fein appointed representatives to the crown constabulary’s Policing Board in 2007, republicans have pointed to the increased instances of harassment by the PSNI. Stop and search powers are routinely used to intimidate the spouses and children of republicans. Republican opponents of the GFA continue to experience arbitrary arrest and detention without trial. These tactics, redolent of the hated Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), are clearly designed to instil fear and paranoia within nationalist communities.

Sectarian police force

The façade of cross-community policing – masking British repression and injustice – came tumbling down last July. When nationalist residents from Ardoyne organised a peaceful protest against the Orange Order bulldozing down the community in a nakedly sectarian and triumphalist fashion, the PSNI responded by corralling protestors in the face of 300 drunken loyalists singing sectarian party songs. When Ardoyne youth organised and resisted the heavy-handed tactics of the PSNI, they were attacked with baton charges, water cannon and plastic bullets. It’s little wonder then that graffiti appeared declaring “PSNI – 17% Catholic. 100% Unionist”.

The policing debate continues to reveal profound divisions within the republican movement. On the one hand there is Sinn Fein, seduced by the power, status and individual gain awarded to them by British imperialism in return for their shameful acceptance of the unionist veto, repressive police structures and neoliberal exploitation. Their slavish implementation of cutbacks and divergence from left republican rhetoric has disillusioned many of their supporters, North and South, and a number of councillors have already resigned.

On the other hand there is the nationalist working class, condemned to deepening social and economic injustice. In marginalised areas like Ardoyne, the community refuses to support the police. Instead these areas are self-policed by groups like Concerned Families against Drugs (CFAD), who perform a dual role confronting local drug pushers and highlighting the lack of jobs, youth facilities and treatment services in the area. Groups on the republican fringe – like the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), 32 County Sovereign Movement (32CSM) and others – have modest support here.

A sectarian state

The imperialist partition of Ireland into two separate entities inflamed sectarianism, maintaining the division between the Catholic and Protestant working class and making it easier to push forward the continued exploitation of all workers. The sectarian nature of the Orange statelet is underlined by a shocking statistic – some 60 per cent of applicants for social housing in Northern Ireland are Catholic and 40 per cent Protestant, yet 60 per cent of allocations go to Protestants. Some 90 per cent of social housing estates in the North are segregated, where a large number of “peace lines” (high walls and barbed wire) continue to separate workers on both sides of the divide.

The right-wing austerity measures of Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are designed to placate foreign investors and impose the burden of the economic crisis on the working class. A leaked memo from Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Finance Minister, revealed that £200 million will slashed from current expenditure, as well as another £172 million to be cut from capital expenditure, including schools and hospitals.

A recent update of the ‘Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland’ report in September also highlighted the tangible increase in social inequality since the global recession began. It revealed that there has been a steep rise in house repossession over the last two years while the proportion of working-age adults not in paid work has risen to 34 per cent. On top of this, 52,600 (12 per cent) of children in the North are living in conditions described as “absolute poverty”.

Devolution of policing

Ten years since the GFA and Sinn Fein is still waiting for the transfer of policing powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Its DUP partners have stalled and prevaricated at every turn. In so doing they have extracted up to £1 billion from the British government to increase compensation for ex-RUC hearing losses, retention of weapons for ex-RUC and army personnel, retaining the RUC reserve with its overwhelming Protestant composition, removing restrictions on Orange parades, etc. Gerry Adams only complained about one of these – the abolition of the Parades Commission!

Sinn Fein hails every concession to Unionism as a victory. Every concession is made in the belief that the greater good is to preserve the power sharing government. Sinn Fein is trapped into accepting the Unionist veto on any change to the sectarian and privileged nature of the Orange state.

The devolution of policing is not making the police force – or the state – more democratic. Workers must look to their own strength to police their communities. We already have the tradition of the Citizen’s Defence Committees in Belfast and Derry of the 1970’s and of course James Connolly’s Irish Citizens’ Army, which developed to defend workers’ picket lines.

This is necessary, not only against sectarian attacks from Orange bigots, but against PSNI incursions too. It needs to be a mass force, drawing in and training the youth, guarding and aiding the growth of a mass movement for equal rights, immediate social and economic demands, such as jobs and decent housing for all, and crucially for a united workers republic of Ireland.

Solidarity Appeal – Protesters threatened with cautions for anti-fees occupation

FEE (Free Education for Everyone) activists in Ireland involved in an occupation of Paul Gogarty TD’s offices (Green Party Education Spokesperson) in December 2008 have now been threatened almost a year later with “adult cautions” by the Gardai. This is an appeal for solidarity emails and phone calls to remove that threat.

The occupation was a peaceful protest (pictures and story here http://www.indymedia.ie/article/90082 update here http://www.universityobserver.ie/2009/09/15/file-sent-t…ge-1/) against the threat to re-introduce full third level fees. The threat of “adult cautions” under the Public Order Act is an attempt to intimidate these students to prevent them protesting again in the future, as well as to deter others from engaging in protest.

Adult cautions are something that is usually applied within days of the offence. The fact that this is now happening almost a year late is, we think, a result of pressure from Paul Gogarty TD to ensure that some punishment is given.

We are calling for emails and phone-calls of protest from people who are outraged at this assault on the right to protest, to demand that this matter is dropped. A model email of protest is below. Emails should be sent to: lucan_DS@garda.ie , paul.gogarty@oireachtas.ie and copied to defendrighttoprotest@gmail.com . Emails should be marked “FAO: Inspector Pat O’Sullivan, Sgt. Paul Curtis & Paul Gogarty TD”.

Phone calls are much more effective than emails so we encourage people to ring these numbers (including Paul Gogarty’s mobile number!):

Lucan Garda station: +353 1 6667300
Paul Gogarty TD: +353 87 2752489

The time is short on this as the first students are meant to report to receive their cautions on Tuesday – so please do anything you can over the weekend, on Monday and on Tuesday morning.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you regarding the student occupation of Paul Gogarty’s Office in December 2008 by the FEE (Free Education for Everyone) campaign for which the students involved are now being threatened with “adult cautions”. This protest at the Green Party Education Spokesperson to try to stop the re-introduction of third level fees was an entirely peaceful protest.

The threat to caution these students is an outrageous attack on their right to protest and an attempt to intimidate others considering protest.

I demand the removal of the threat of these cautions. All of the students in question simply exercised their right to protest and should suffer no consequences for this. The matter should simply be dropped by the Gardaí.

Yours faithfully,

Colin Duffy: Victim of State Persecution

Thirty people attended a public meeting organised by the Frank Ryan Society on state repression in the six counties and in particular the case of Colin Duffy on Thursday the 22nd of October. A member of the Frank Ryan Society chaired the meeting and introduced Paul Duffy, brother of Colin and also a former republican prisoner. Paul spoke of the long term level of harassment Colin and his family has had to put up with over the years. From being a personal witness to state collusion in a sectarian murder, to being stitched up on various occasions. The harassment meted out to the Duffy family on both sides of the border was exemplified by the presence of five members of the Special Detective Unit outside the venue on the night. One of whom was provided with literature on the miscarriage of justice and stated that Colin was a ‘terrorist’. When confronted and surrounded by a number of republicans and civil liberties activists the Special Detective was not able to repeat his previous utterances in the presence of the Duffy family. In fact, he was unable to string a coherent sentence together at all.

A former republican prisoner also spoke of his own experiences of prison and the necessity for support outside of the prisons. He stressed the importance of material, financial and moral support outside of the prisons. In the case of Colin Duffy and considering the massive miscarriage of justice, it was stressed that it was imperative for anyone with a concern for civil liberties to support the Duffy family.

During questions and answers, an interesting discussion developed where the general consensus was that although republicans of different hues have different strategies and directions, causes’ such as the Friends of Colin Duffy Campaign is something that every republican, socialist and civil rights activist can unite around and pursue.

The Frank Ryan Society will continue to highlight the case of Colin Duffy in the foreseeable future and welcome any effort that is made to highlight Colin’s case.

Related link: www.friendsofcolinduffy.com

John Brady RIP

On the subject of punishment attacks

These views represent my own thoughts and are not representative of any group or organisation. Paul – UCD FRS

The recent increase in the number of punishment attacks being carried out by republicans has reopened the debate on the necessity for such attacks. They tend to be a polemic issue, sharply splitting opinion at times and often creating controversy. They are viewed as sickening barbarism by a mainstream media unwilling to delve further into the issues surrounding them. I would like to try and clarify some of these issues and offer to the best of my abilities an explanation of the origin of the attacks and a defence of the necessity of them.

The first priority should be to try and define what a punishment attack constitutes. They are in my opinion physical punishments levied on individuals or groups for specific crimes against the community. I do not include internal paramilitary punishments for offences committed within the organisation. The variety of punishments meted out in these attacks varies from getting a few slaps to having serious physical damage inflicted. Yet the fact remains that they are all carried out under the same premise which is that republicans have the right to police their own communities as they see fit. The fact that these punitive measures are more often not carried out at the behest of the community and are proportionate to the offence of the perpetrator is largely irrelevant to the discussion.

For hypothetical purposes I will take up the role of an opponent to these attacks. I would contend that the only legitimate authority is the rule of law. The police forces are the legal enforcers of said law and are therefore entitled to enforce it. The justice system is a fair and equitable one where every citizen receives a fair trial. These views are anathema to republicans because they are not borne out either by our ideology or our experience of events. These are views usually held by people who have not witnessed police murder, intimidation and corruption. These views however are held by people who accept the legitimacy of the state, for that is in truth what this issue centers on whether or not the state has the right to enforce its will on its inhabitants. However let us examine the traditional role republicanism has played as an agent provocateur on the issue. Republicans represent communities that have never accepted the state, have never accepted its police and who are ideologically opposed to the state having any interference in their lives.

Throughout the existence of the six county state various quasi-paramilitary police forces have served to enforce its rule. From the B-specials to the RUC and the current incarnation the PSNI the government has failed in its objective of normalising their occupation through the deployment of a colonial police force. In fact the colonial police forces have more often than not served as a focal point on which resistance concentrates. To expect republicans to endorse these forces is a fundamental paradox. To normalise the state they must criminalise republicanism a process they are currently engaged in with enthusiasm. Therefore it is clear why republicans have traditionally resisted policing by Britain and will continue to do so.

The clear by product of this stance is however that there must be a replacement for traditional policing. This role has more often than not been filled by republican volunteers of various hues. In the tan war the army was able to establish its own courts. These however were only able to exist due to the high level of public support enjoyed. The ability to police ones own community remains contingent to the level of support enjoyed by said organisation. The increase in these attacks indicates a growing rejection of the PSNI and the institutions they represent. The attacks being carried out today are merely the result of organisations filling a vacuum left by the provisional movement.

I would like to address the morality of taking such a stance. It is first vitally important to note that the role of policing communities is hardly one grasped at by republicans. It is rather one foisted upon them by events and necessity. Anti social behaviour is a serious problem almost universally in working class communities. For republicans to have to deal with it means having to detract time and resources from the primary struggle. There are those that argue that the British are happy to see this happen. That is in my opinion a short sighted analysis. The primary requirement for republicans to be able to operate against the occupational forces is to enjoy relative support within the community. To enjoy such support the army must also be responsive to the needs of the community. This was seen historically in the role the provisional’s played as defenders first and foremost during the pogroms of 69. The struggle can never be extended without first securing the base of support. So whilst the short term distractive nature of these operations may be lamented the truth remains stark. That they are necessary if we are to make long term gains.

The actual punishments carried out are often brutal in nature as we are so frequently reminded by the media. I do not deny that. However the perpetrators of anti social crime hold entire communities under sway with their crimes. Burglaries, rape, drug dealing and joyriding constitute a brutality also. A brutality directed against the vulnerable. The critics who argue for rehabilitation of offenders fail to note that punishment beatings are rarely carried out without prior warnings given. They are the culmination of a process which although unsophisticated by the standards of the British justice system, often gets fairer results.

I think there is a clear case to be made for the continuing of republican policing. It is neither the most pleasant nor desirable option for dealing with undesirables within communities. It is however a necessary step in the process of the rejection of the British state and all its apparatus in Ireland.

Thomas Cook occupation – learning the lessons

Darren C (UCD FRS) reports on the occupation of the Thomas Cook travel agency offices in Dublin. This article originally appeared on http://www.workerspower.com

On Friday July 31 a group of workers occupied their workplace to demand an improved redundancy deal after being abruptly fired that morning. For many the occupation of Thomas Cook in Dublin’s city centre may have come as a surprise. But in the midst of an overwhelming financial crisis, massive lay-offs and obscene cutbacks, the Thomas Cook occupation has ignited a spark amongst workers fed up with bank bailouts and job losses.

Inside the store, nearly 40 workers – mainly female – occupied both floors of the busy Grafton St. branch after management arrived from England to announce they were closing their two shops with immediate effect once they has cleared staff from the premises. The next day, Direct Holidays, a subsidiary of Thomas Cook, was also occupied after workers observed suspicious behaviour from security staff.

Outside the Grafton St. branch, family and supporters began to assemble immediately and distributed a leaflets and a petition to enthusiastic passer-bys in support of the workers. Both the workers and supporters began chanting “the workers united will never be defeated” in unison as taxis and buses beeped their horns in solidarity. Brian Little, the step-father of one of the occupiers, proudly told reporters: “In 1913 there was the Strike and Lock-Out, in 2009 there was the Lock In. Jim Larkin would have been proud”.

Union members had already been balloted by the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) in response to management’s plans to quit Ireland by the end of August and make over 50 staff redundant – despite substantial profits of over €400 million last year. Last year the CEO, Manny Fontela-Novoa, saw his pay more than doubled to £7 million. The result of the ballot was an 84% turnout with 100% voting in favour of strike action.

After the surprise raid by management, the workers were left with little other option than to take direct action in order to defend their rights. The occupation surprised and frightened the Irish corporate and political elite, which is well aware of the deepening anger to layoffs and the government’s policy of handing billions to the banks while implementing savage cutbacks. The potential of this kind of activity is powerful so the High Court moved quickly on a Bank Holiday to oblige Thomas Cook’s request for an interim injunction banning the occupation.

On Monday August 2, following a public rally attended by family and trade unionists (including striking Dublin Port workers), the occupants valiantly voted to defy the courts and continue their resistance. Justice Michael Peart then ordered the arrest of the occupants. The police ambushed the shop while the streets were empty at 5am Tuesday morning. Protestors linked arms to resist the police but they were manhandled out of the way and dragged along the ground by their feet. The police proceeded to smash the door of the office and arrested 28 workers, including Cllrs. Matt Waine of the Socialist Party and Richard Boyd-Barrett of the People before Profit Alliance. One of the occupants, who was eight and half months pregnant, went into labour.

Hundreds of supporters protested outside the Court that afternoon as the arrestees faced Justice Peart. In occupying their workplace, the occupants made an implicit challenge to the basis of capitalist rule. Justice Peart, revealing the naked class character of the courts, reacted by stating that in a democratic society the rule of law “cannot be broken” or else there would be “anarchy.” The full force of the Irish state was brought to bear on the occupants because of the example it sets for the thousands of workers who are set to lose their jobs in the recession. The Thomas Cook workers were only freed after they purged their contempt. As a result of their action and the huge public support it generated, Thomas Cook management have agreed to enter talks on the workers’ grievances.

The Thomas Cook, Waterford Crystal and Visteon occupations reflect a historic and militant strategy of workers defending their rights and taking hold of their destiny. The most recent action evoked broad support from across the country. Even the viciously anti-trade union rag, the Evening Herald, was forced to concede: “Those ordinary workers, who refused to go quietly into the dark night of unemployment, were threatened with eviction by the long arm of the law and conviction by the courts, courtesy of their former employer. It just didn’t seem fair, to a nation hunting for fairness in the debris of its former prosperity.”

The limited character of the struggle – the fact that it didn’t oppose the closure of the offices itself – is the responsibility of the TSSA bureaucracy, not the workers themselves. The TSSA leadership also failed to connect the struggle to Thomas Cook workers in Britain and Germany who are facing the same attacks. Rather than pursuing an internationalist strategy, the leadership deliberately isolated the struggle in Dublin by advancing the slogan ‘Irish Workers before UK Millionaires’. Socialists must challenge these slogans and make it absolutely clear that there are no nationalist solutions to the crisis. We need international unity and solidarity if we are to fight this massive crisis and use it to open the real prospect of putting an end to capitalism.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has shamefully remained silent on this dispute. Whenever independent struggles of workers have broken out, like at Waterford Crystal and Thomas Cook, the bureaucrats have systematically betrayed their members by refusing to build the active solidarity that is required to break their isolation. ICTU should have coordinated other trade unionists to assist and escalate the dispute by not cooperating with Thomas Cook and its subsidiaries. But because the bureaucrats remain ideologically wedded to “social partnership”, it’s up to workers themselves to build combative rank-and file networks within the unions and workplaces so the weak-kneed union leaders can’t block effective action.

With the economy showing no signs of recuperating in the coming months, unfair layoffs and fraudulent bailouts may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. The Thomas Cook workers refused to be swept under the carpet by management and threatened to spark something much larger. Socialists should be at the fore in arguing for an all out indefinite strike of all workers to roll back the attacks. It’s important that workers demonstrate their social power ahead of another draconian budget in December. Socialists need to fight for this strategy as the most effective way of defending workers and taking the struggle forward against capitalism.

Liberation Theology?

The recent attacks on the Romanian community in Belfast are not isolated attacks but an emerging trend within loyalist youth. The media however have jumped onto this story. The recent attacks on Hungarian and Polish residents in Belfast where most had to leave their homes did not receive half as much media attention. A possibility for this is that the Polish being forced out of their homes seemed to be more based around a football riot and subsequent events developing out of this. The forcing of thirty Polish and Hungarian families out of South Belfast obviously revolved around the Norn Iron football match with Poland and not an ingrained bigotry which has sustained the Northern State since its foundation… But throw in ‘Combat 18’ slogans and it’s a story.

The Polish when they realized that the rent in nationalist west Belfast was too expensive were forced to return to South Belfast. It is likely that the Romanian families were also forced out of Belfast, by fascist gangs and by socio-economic circumstances.

Given the segregated nature of Belfast city, the complete lack of a class conscious leadership within loyalism and the historical basis of bigotry and pogroms against Catholics, it was hardly a surprise that such attacks would take place on immigrants much more identifiable as ‘outsiders’.

Working class Protestants have been sold a lie for years by their unionist and loyalist leaders. Instead of diverting their anger at their class enemies, their ‘own’ unionist and loyalist leaders, they have on various occasions attacked those less fortunate than themselves, Catholics, immigrant Poles and now the Romanian community. Ignoring the fact that their standard of living is the same, if not worse than their neighbours. Coming in the wake of the murder of Kevin McDaid, loyalism has shown once again, that it is merely a ‘razor in the hands of the class enemy’.

For the protestant working class to liberate themselves, they have to break their ties to loyalism and their leaders who have contempt not only for Taigs and immigrants but for their own class enemy, working class Protestants and Catholics.

South Belfast Anti-Racist Rally Attacked

Davy Carlin from the WSM, and formerly of the Anti-Racism Network, provides a first-hand account of the attack on the protest last night in Belfast responding to a spate of attacks on the homes of immigrants living in the area

 Given the attempted propaganda {by some} against last nights rally I give but a brief account of my experience of the anti racism rally.

Well over 100 people attended the rally at very short notice.

I had arrived about 5 minutes before the rally started, and in doing so I had walked past a group of youths about 10 then in total, aged between 17-19 years old – and a few older ones hanging around them. As I walked past them {I did not know that they where there at the time as outside a bar on a side street} a comment was made – which I ignored.

I proceeded down to the rally.

Then a short time later the youths – one giving a Nazi salute started to make their way towards the rally, {the rally made up mostly of local residents and included many young people and those from the minority ethnic community}. As they approached several anti fascist activists stood – in front and in defence – of the rally. They came up almost face to face and a comment was made to me and others, which we ignored.

They then made their way up an entry where they again gave Nazi signs and hurled other abuse. Chants from the rally then went up ‘Nazis of our streets!

They seemed to have disappeared, but a short time later bottles and bricks rained down on the rally narrowly missing people there- as some of them again attempted to make their way towards the rally. It was then that Anti Fascist Activists {and others attending the rally} – in defence of the rally – chased after them into the surrounded streets and alleyways..

After 10 minutes or so – and all back at the rally – the rally continued.

It was then that the police arrived in any numbers

Further decisions where taken to provide support and defence for those attacked – and for oneself a number of people that I had previously worked with from the ‘Village {and their – Wider Networks} came to speak to me at one particular house. With them, they agreed that they would seek to get some practical help for the residents, such as {in the interim} getting the windows which where broken on the house we where at, boarded up {as it was freezing inside for the residents – Also, {after a long discussion} other practical support was promised – and awaited.

The residents of the area should be applauded and supported for the rally they organised.

On a wider note – the move from racism to fascism I had unfortunately predicted way back. Indeed this is the first time such a rally has seen attacks by fascists – and such Anti Fascist – Fascist confrontation, on the streets of Belfast in I don’t know how long. Yet given in a week where we have seen the BNP setting up ‘call centres’ in and around Belfast and the overt attacks on the minority ethnic communities this is a worrying development.

Given the age of the fascists {although older ones about – from knowledge} it shows a wider alienation, and those drawn into such Fascist ideology – and this in not confined to these particular areas as there are small individuals and pockets of it growing over Belfast and around the North.

As far right organisations also seek to exploit such – support needs to be provided to the minority ethic community here, and solidarity forthcoming when called for.

There is a difference, I believe, in tackling racism, and that of taking on fascism – and indeed organised fascism if it gets that far.

The lessons for Anti Fascists are clear from history, the fascists need to be ‘Nipped in the bud’ from the very onset – they cannot build, they cannot march –

Indeed United –

-They shall not Amass -

As always,

In Solidarity

D

Solidarity with SOAS Occupation against deportation of workers

From REVOLUTION UK:

After a demonstration this morning by SOAS students to protest against the arrest and deportation of several cleaners at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, around 50 students occupied the Director’s office.

Immigration officials raided SOAS at 6:30am on Friday 12th June and arrested nine cleaners, contracted to ISS.

It is no coincidence that this raid targeted militant workers who had recently been involved in successful struggles for union representation and the London Living Wage as part of the Justice 4 Cleaners campaign. They had also recently gone strike in support of Stalin Bermudez, the sacked SOAS Unison Branch Chair.

This racist attack took place with the full complicity of the SOAS university administration – with Alan Smith, Interim Secretary and Registrar, fatuously claiming that “we believe the checks were carried out quickly and in a sympathetic manner.” Students protested this morning against this disgusting behaviour, and have entered into occupation with the following demands:

• We call on the directorate to request the secretary of state to immediately release the detainees and to prevent the deportation of the three cleaners who are still in detention in the UK.
• For the directorate to release a public statement condemning what has happened to the SOAS cleaners and calling for their immediate release and return.
• To campaign for the return of the cleaners who have already been deported.
• To bring all contract staff in house. SOAS should not use contractors, ISS or others.
• To keep immigration officers from entering campus under ANY circumstances or other forms of collaboration with immigration or police. Universities are for education not for state violence and oppression.
• A year’s wage as reparations for all detained and deported staff.
• To hold accountable SOAS managers who were complicit in facilitating the raid and detention of the cleaners, refusing to aid a sick worker and a pregnant woman.
• To reinstate Jose Stalin Bermudez, the SOAS UNISON branch chair.
• To respect the right to organise in Trade Unions unimpeded.
• To provide space and resources for a public meeting to build support for the SOAS 9 and other migrants, in education and beyond, affected by immigration control and racism.
• Amnesty for all those involved.

Five cleaners have already been deported as part of what will become a wider trend through the recession of attacks on the rights of the most under-represented and vulnerable section of workers.

Come down and join the occupation! Protest against the vicious racism and victimisation of migrant workers.

If you want to send solidarity messages to the SOAS sit-in go to blog – http://freesoascleaners.blogspot.com