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Co-editors: Seán Mac Mathúna • John Heathcote
Consulting editor: Themistocles Hoetis
Field Correspondent: Allen Hougland

e-mail: thefantompowa@fantompowa.org
May Day Carnival against Global Capitalism: Don't believe the hype !
John Heathcote

Reclaim the Streets

J18 website

Earth First! Action Update Online

The Earth Times

Friends of the Earth

Green Net

Greenpeace

McSpotlight

Peace News

Environment - road protests

 

Over the previous two or three weeks, the British public has been faced with a barrage of disinformation concerning the Mayday protest. A global demonstration against the global corporate monopoly which controls the future of both individuals and nations, is being billed by the State as a violent riot.

May 1st is celebrated across most other democratic countries in the world as a celebration of worker's culture (those of us who don't own our means of production. It has evolved into a protest by all those who feel their lives are controlled by the faceless invisible agents of finance houses and vast uncontrolled monopolie, working hand-in-hand with 'security agencies' to subvert the little democracy which has been paid for in sweat, blood and suffering. It is ironic that if Nelson Mandela had stood in Trafalgar Square ten years ago, under the internal security laws introduced by the "New Labour" government this year; he would have been arrested for supporting terrorism. Like rock and roll, they only love you when they remove the sting.

The British press &endash; which is ever ready to submit itself to the blanket censorship of the D-Notice system &endash; has spent the last few days claiming that "May Day rioters train in US camps" - that a group called The Wombles will bring terror to the heart of London; and that the police will have everything from constant surveillance teams and 'baton rounds" (rubber bullets), to snipers waiting for the (99% peaceful) demonstrators.

Obviously, no-one who believes the press in these sort of circumstances is going to attend anyway. Not only are they trying to warn off anyone who wants a peaceful demonstration; but are getting people prepared for a completely disproportionate use of force on unarmed demonstrators.

We would like to say that this should not deter people from turning up and showing their support for the aims of the demonstration. Capitalism thrives on the divisions in society; encouraging the cult of the individual (previously known as selfishness); And can only be faced down by many people acting together.

That is what frightens them This sort of un-democratic shit has been a feature of the capitalist state since time. Oppression posing as the friend of freedom, and liberals lacking the will to fight for their basic democratic right &endash; freedom of expression, freedom to demonstrate.

Bush might have demonstrated the terrible truth that the corporate right have no qualms about the true meaning and limits of Western democracy. They use it when necessary and ignore it when it moderates their power. The only pressure they feel is the sheer weight, of us; the pawns pushing onwards to take their Queen and topple the crown.

That is why we need to be there; as witnesses, as a voice against the destruction of our planet for profits and our lives for power.

And as Tesco's is always keen to remind us -

EVERY LITTLE HELPS !

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