Photos, Rally And Protest, Glasgow George Square.,

Saturday June 1st. saw a considerable crowd gather in George Square, Glasgow to protest against the bedroom tax. 

There were the usual colourful banners, placards, t-shirts and an abundance of literature. 

However, the anger was not just at the bedroom tax but also at the callous and vindictive treatment by ATOS of people receiving disability allowance. 

The general feeling among the crowd was one of anger and determination, more so than more recent protests.

 Three strands of anger seem to be coming together, the just anger against the bedroom tax, the righteous anger against the ATOS brutality, and the moral anger against workfare, forcing people to work for multinational corporations and receive no wages. 

This three pronged attack is being seen for what it is, an attack on the living standards of the ordinary people, right across the board.

Perhaps I'm being optimistic in feeling that what we are hearing is the murmur of the poor becoming a might roar, We can but hope.

The Murmur Of The Poor.

Brokers, Earls and Dukes,

callous, mercenary, pirate crew

gasconading through the land

bloated, pampered, privileged few.

Striding with selfish arrogance

plundering as you go

grasping at the fruits

the common people sow.

Take heed, you swaggering fat cats

in our world you don't belong,

that murmur you hear is the poor

rehearsing an angry song.

The day is fast approaching

when our chorus loud you'll hear

then all your greed and treachery

will surely cost you dear.

A price you'll pay for being blind

to the hungry at your door,

Oh, haste the day our angry chorus

becomes a mighty roar.

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Glasgow Defence Campaign: Hands off George Square: defending democratic righ...

Glasgow Defence Campaign: Hands off George Square: defending democratic righ...: The gloves are off! The time is now! Get organised or get banned from protesting in your own city centre square! A gathering of Glasg...

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GLASGOW SUPPORTS REFUGEES.

 

Great demo, marred by cops protecting the fascists.

  

         "Fantastic Refugees Are Welcome Here Demo. 1000 people from many countries and all walks of life, a dozen union banners, all the churches there and great delegations from Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester! 

 

       Disgrace that the police threatened to use Public Order Act to disperse our Rally prematurely on the grounds of public safety and then sneakily marched 20 sdl/bnp into George Sq for 15 mins.

There will be an official complaint about their decision to facilitate these racists /fascists walking through the city when they should have been removed immediately.

A brilliant day and big thanks to all who came and marched.

This is just the start!"

Comment from SACC

 

        The presence on the demo of many asylum-seekers potentially vulnerable to police harassment was no doubt in the minds of the march organisers when they decided not to resist the police threat. Without that factor, we would have been entirely within our rights to call the police bluff and see if they were really willing to arrest peaceful demonstrators, MSPs and trade union leaders. 

The behaviour of the police was scandalous. We all need to consider whether "business as usual" can continue with Strathclyde police under these circumstances.  

SACC is one of the organisations that gave its official support to the "Refugees Welcome Here" demo. We will give the firmest possible support to any complaint made to Strathclyde Police over these events.

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WORKERS KNOW YOUR HISTORY - PEACE CRUSADE 1916.

WOMEN’S PEACE CRUSADE JUNE 1916.

THE LAUNCH.

Because ant-war feelings were running high in Glasgow it was only natural that Glasgow became the militant centre of the anti-war movement, with John MacLean at its core. A giant of the anti-war movement as he was, of course John MacLean did not stand alone in this battle against the war, it is said that pro-war meetings in the city were more than likely to turn into anti-war demonstrations. However, it was the women activists including Helen Crawfurd, Agnes Dollan and Mary Barbour who in June 1916 organised a peace conference in the city which gave birth to The Women’s Peace Crusade which became a dominant force in the anti-war movement. There is some variation on the actual date but June 10th 1916 is generally accepted as the birth of the Women’s Peace Crusade. A year later, June 1917 saw the Women’s Peace Crusade go national with the launch of the National Women’s Peace Crusade with Helen Crawfurd as its Honorary Secretary The Women’s Peace Crusade split the suffragette movement with the majority, in Glasgow at least, turning their activities to the anti-war movement and the rump taking a pro-war stance. Many of the women activists in the Women’s Peace Crusade were not new to this type of struggle as many of them were active in the suffragettes, the Glasgow rent strikes and also the No Conscription Fellowship. However the Women’s Peace Crusade was a concerted attempt to get working-class women organised against the war and made a major contribution to the anti-war movement.

MASS DEMONSTRATION AND SPREAD.

Sunday June 8th. 1917 saw Glasgow Green become a technicolour kaleidoscope as Women’s Peace Crusade processions from all corners of the City converged on the Green, the usual focal point for demonstrations and struggle in the city, turning the Green into a sea of colourful banners and filling the air with lively music. Estimates put the number of men and women assembled on that occasion as 12,000-14,000. All there in defiance of the avalanche of patriotic jingoism from the media and official circles, and with one desire, to stop the war.

Resolutions were put forward congratulating the Russian revolution of that year and called for immediate peace negotiations. After this event the Women’s Peace Crusade rapidly spread to cities of northern England and the Midlands including Birmingham.

GEORGE SQUARE PROTEST.

At the beginning of December 1917 the Women’s Peace Crusade had asked the Corporation of the City of Glasgow to receive a peace deputation, the request was refused. However, the members of the Women’s Peace Crusade were determined that their voice should be heard. So on December 13th 1917 a number of women assembled in George Square opposite the City Chambers to let the Corporation hear their voices raised in opposition to the war. Among those present were Helen Crawfurd, and Agnes Dollan, their banners were held high and peace leaflets were distributed to those passing by and other on-lookers.

THE BROLLY BATTLE.

During this anti-war display in George Square the Patriot League arrived and started harassing the women in the peace demonstration, attempting to destroy their leaflets and tearing their banners. Fights ensued and the women of the Women’s Peace Crusade defended themselves by brandishing their umbrellas. George Square which had been the site of many a political struggle now saw a mini war.

ENTRY TO THE CITY CHAMBERS.

At this point Helen Crawfurd and Agnes Dollan managed, by fair means or foul, to gain entry to the City Chambers and as the meeting of the City Corporation got under way, trying to ignore the demonstration outside, Helen and Agnes showered the councillors with anti-war leaflets.

RELIGION.

Although the Women’s Peace Crusade can be said to have had religious under currents it was still an attempt to build a broad working class anti-war movement and many, if not most, of its leading activists were socialists. It was essentially a housewives movement with men and women marching in different sections. It gained support from housewives who had lost husbands and sons in the war, or whose husbands and sons were on the battle fields.

More on Glasgow's working class history HERE.

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OCCUPY GLASGOW.

       

  

      Occupy Glasgow had its first assembly and almost 500 people came together to discuss their gripes and grievances, hopes and dreams, It soon became apparent that the way society is run today got all the gripes and grievances but none of the hopes nor dreams. It is now so blatantly obvious that the system works for the corporate world, and their growth depends on the exploitation of the ordinary people. Though still not the largest occupation, but growing all the time, and it has a cross section of all the citizens of Glasgow and beyond. All enthusiastic and informed and willing to take what Glasgow's winter can throw at them to make their voices heard.

      They still need support in numbers and materials, pay them a visit, you'll be surprised at the number of ways you can assist in this occupation without actually camping down, though the more of them the better. Visit their web site www.occupyglasgow.org, visit the groups involved, discuss what you see as the way this society should be shaped, your voice counts, this is a place to let it be heard. This is a golden opportunity to contribute to creating a better world for all our children and our grandchildren.

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