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Round-Up Aug-Sept 2006
In Newcastle, comrades are increasing their focus on the weekly pickets of Marks & Spencers. With the recent invasion of both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon the response from the public has been one of solidarity. The pickets have received a large amount of support and have frequently had upwards of 20 people taking part. Police harassment of VTI increased during the Israeli offensive. On Wednesday 9th August three supporters of the Victory to the Intifada campaign were arrested whilst doing a stall at Monument in support of the Palestinian and Lebanese people. During this police harassment a large crowd gathered most of which where very supportive of the VTI members and vocally opposed the police attack on their democratic rights. These recent confrontations with the police have resulted in a victory for the VTI campaign all those arrested where released without charge.
FRFI has continued working in Tyneside Action For Refugees (TCAR) which has organised a number of regular public meetings. Since the successful 'Know your Rights' meetings two new local communities have decided to set up TCAR committees. On August 19th a rally was held at Newcastle monument, despite attempted disruption from other groups on the left, the rally was large and successful. Another large rally and march was held on September 12th against the National Asylum Support Services. This received coverage from a number of local radio and television stations with members of FRFI and TCAR giving interviews. The biweekly pickets of the North Shields Immigration Reporting Service also continue.
In the run-up to the Labour Party conference demonstration in Manchester on 23rd September, FRFI activists attended several local public meetings organised nominally by the Stop the War Coalition. In response to our challenge that it is necessary to go beyond the demand the demand that it is ‘Time [for Tony Blair] to Go’ and to fight for a break from the whole of the Labour Party, the Socialist Worker speaker on the platform at one meeting made their position clear: ‘I would be proud to march alongside members of the Labour Party, and indeed those of the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives’.
Regular stalls have also been held in Newcastle against the occupation of Iraq and in defence of Cuban socialism, together with public meetings on a range of issues.