Republicans protest Thatcher funeral

Republicans gathered at Free Derry corner on Wednesday to mark the ceremonial funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, with a black flag protest.

Protestors held a white line picket. (© Pacemaker) In the city's Bogside, members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement attended the protest, flying the flags to commemorate IRA and INLA hunger strikers. The prisoners died in 1981 after they starved themselves in protest at Prime Minister Thatcher's refusal to give them political status. Masked INLA men held a banner referring to Conservative MP - and close friend of Baronness Thatcher - Airey Neave, who was killed by a terrorist bomb. IRSP member Martin McMonagle said: "This is about remembering the victims of the Thatcher regime, of her misrule here in Ireland, the victims, particularly the hunger strikers and her shoot-to-kill policy." The demonstrator was defiant about marking the day in protest. "We're talking about a very evil human being who wasn't very seemly in treating the working communities in England, Scotland and Wales and here in Ireland," he said. Community workers say they will be working to keep things calm in the area this evening, as the area has seen disorder break out over the past week- during which petrol bombs were thrown and police attacked. In Belfast, a small number of demonstrators in the Falls Road area carried placards, some depicting hunger strikers, during a white line protest. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has organised a series of white line/black flag protests across Belfast on Wednesday evening. Paul Maskey MP said: "The vigils are to give people an opportunity to mark with dignity and respect the hunger strikers and those killed through British state collusion and shoot-to-kill. "People can with dignity and respect commemorate their loved ones, friends and neighbours whose vision will live long after those that assisted in inflicting pain on our community and country are gone."

© UTV News

Interval Signal for the Radio Moscow World Service

Published on May 30, 2012

This is the Interval Signal for the Radio Moscow World Service,

which was broadcast via shortwave during the Cold War.

IRSN Solidarity Statement re Glencoe

Solidarity Statement from the IRSN to the SRSM's Annual Glencoe Commemoration

The comrades of the International Republican Socialist Network take this opportunity to convey our greetings of solidarity to the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement and the Scottish working class in its struggle for national liberation and socialism.

With the opportunity for the people of Scotland expressing their desire for independence and and end to the archaic political entity of "Great Britain" standing only a year off, we recognise that the perspective advanced by the great Scottish Marxist John MacLean remains as valid today as when he first advanced it in the 1920s; that the class conciousness of Scottish workers stands in advance of those in neighboring England and the Scottish nation will continue to be held back from its potential to create a society capable of addressing the needs and aspirations of working people so long as they are lashed to England politically. The impact of the present Tory regime on the Scottish people, who were not responsible for electing a Tory majority, only serves to illustrate this principle.

However, we would also remind the working people of Scotland that Scottish independence, without the creation of a Scottish workers' republic, cannot provide for the liberation of the Scottish nation, which is inseparable from its people, the vast majority of whom are members of the working class. Thus Scottish workers must seize the opportunity now, before the Scottish national bourgeoisie become entrenched as a new ruling class, to organise for and begin the struggle to obtain a workers' republic.

In this era of globalised capitalism, no national bourgeoisie can maintain policies distinct from the interests of international imperialism. Only by the working class seizing control of their own destiny, through the expropriation of capitalist property and taking on the responsibility for the direct administration of society through its governance will Scottish workers obtain an end to capitalist exploitation and liberty worthy of bearing that name.

Vote Yes for Scottish independence in 2014, but organise for the creation of a Scottish workers' republic now, not as an after-thought to the struggle for national independence. The class struggle and the fight for national independence cannot be separated; one cannot be had without the other.

We conclude by reiterating the words of John MacLean, All Hail the Scottish Workers' Republic!

Peter Urban

Comrade,

International Republican Socialist Network

Annual Commemoration of Massacre of Glencoe

Annual Commemoration of Massacre of Glencoe

Sunday 10 Feb...meet 1.30pm at Glencoe Car Park for march to Monument.

Bus leaves North Frederick Street near George Square, Glasgow at 11am prompt.

Fare is £10 and free for kids.

Social later back at Lomond Park Hotel with music from folk band White Rose.

Organised by SRSM

SRSM Burns Night

http://scottishrepublicans.myfreeforum.org

BURNS NIGHT on Friday 25 January 2013 at Elephant and Bugle pub, Maryhill Road, Glasgow.

Soup, haggis, neeps and champit totties.

Speakers: Maggie Chetty (Scottish Socialists for Independence) and Alan Stewart (Scottish Republican Socialist Movement)

Live music from "Fiery Jack."

Graveside Oration, John MacLean Commemoration Nov 25 2012

I am Alan Stewart. I am a member of the Northern England branch/commun of the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement. I welcome you to this John MacLean Commemoration. John MacLean is talked of as Scotland's favourite Socialist Saint. But why is he so important? Why did we commemorate him? Why do we remember him? We remember him firstly as an internationalist. The first Soviet Consul in Scotland. He ran a consulate in Portland Street in the Gorbals. The Post Office refused to deliver the mail and the state wanted it shut but MacLean fought on..admired by Connolly, admired by MacLean. We remember him as a pioneer in working class education. He himself got an MA through evening study. Later he and colleagues ran scores of classes in economics. He went on speaking tours. He wrote pamphlets. All the time spreading socialist ideas. We remember him as an exponent of working class self organisation. Organising the unemployed. At the fore in the Clyde Workers Committee. Backing striking women workers in Neilston. All the time taking the fight to capital. We remember him as a principled opponent of imperialist wars. He went to prison several times because of his steadfast opposition to the slaughter of World War One. He organised anti-war rallies. The first was at Nelson's Column on Glasgow Green. At first the anti-war movement was small but it grew. And finally, given what is happening today, we remember him, like Connolly as someone who recognised the inextricable link between the demand for socialism and the demand for national liberation. The national question -the right to national self determination- was a democratic demand at the heart of socialism. Not an irrelevance or an add on. We will be marching shortly to the MacLean Cairn. There will then be a rally and social at the Shawbridge Tavern. Thankyou comrades for your support. All Hail the Scottish Workers' Republic! http://scottishrepublicans.myfreeforum.org/Graveside_Oration_John_MacLean_Commemoration_Nov_25_2012_about2182.html

Join an Independent Republican Socialist Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/reds4justice/

This group is an Independent Republican Socialist news and debate forum. We support a 32 County Irish Socialist Republic and Scottish Socialist Workers Republic. Support for national liberation struggles for small nations to include all Celts, Basques and Breton peoples to secure Independence. And Freedom for Kernow/Cornwall.

This forum is in Solidarity with the IRSM, Irish Rights Watch, while also being supported by Civil Rights Vets and the Irish Political Status Committee. We urge immediate active support for the Capt.Kelly Justice Campaign, and the urgent repatriation of Irish citizen Noel Maguire to Portlaoise Prison. We also support the campaign to Free Marian Price and an end to selective internment of the Irish by the British.

We also demand Justice for Martin Corey, Gerry McGeough and Michael Campbell for him to be extradited from Lithuania to a jail in Ireland.

We also support human rights and assistance for political prisoners and their dependents particularly those presently detained in Irish, British and US Jails.

Saoirse Go Deo!

Red Justice Board

Resist Gaza occupation

Shining a Light on the Shadows

Scottish Socialists for Independence

Dear Comrades

Since 2003 the Communist Party of Scotland has been holding seminars and producing pamphlets to work towards building the left for Independence. We have worked positively with a number of organisations over this time. It was agreed by them that the time has come to form a loose organisation Scottish Socialists for Independence to campaign as one of the many groups who are building unity at the grassroots as part of the Yes Campaign.

We are holding a meeting on Sunday 4th November 2012 to set up the organisation and elect a committee to begin working for an event in the early Spring. we welcome anyone from any party who supports our aims of independence and socialism.

The meeting is from 1.30pm-3pm in the Premier Inn. It is held in the Argyle Room,first floor ,booked in the name of Alert Scotland.

You are welcome to attend and to pass this to anyone who may be interested.

With all good wishes

Yours in comradeship

Maggie Chetty