Spirit of Revolt New Additions

 

         As usual, all at Spirit of Revolt have been busy, for our June "Read of the Month" we have selected a small booklet, Collectives in Spain, an anthology published by Black Dog Press, 1971, well worth a wee read. We have also added two new videos to our "Audio-Video" section. One is our recent Show and Tell on the Hetherington Occupation at Glasgow University. The other is of our Glasgow Radical History Walk, part of our May Day Week celebrations.

    Go on, have a wee look, I'm sure you will enjoy our new entries.

Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Spirit of Revolt, Show and Tell, The Free Hetherington.

      In conjunction with the Mitchell Library, Spirit of Revolt has another of its very successful and interesting outreach events, Show and Tell. This time the subject matter is on an occupation at Glasgow University that became known as the Free Hetherington. Spirit of Revolt archivist Paula will open the event, and present to give their story, will be some who were involved in the occupation. It will take the form of chats by some of those involved in the occupation of the "Hetherington", and an open discussion, questions and answers from any of those present. On display will be some of the material from the occupation which is now held in the Spirit of Revolt Archive.

        Display, talk and discussion on The  Free Hetherington occupation & other temporary autonomous zones - free spaces for thought, debate & action in Glasgow. Hetherington House, 13 University Gardens, was a place for mature and postgraduate students and staff to meet as a research club. From February until August 2011 students and staff occupied it against the cuts in Higher Education becoming one of the longest-running student occupations, known as the 'Free Hetherington'. It hosted an active schedule of talks, debate and discussion sessions. After months of protest actions and consultation an agreement was made between the occupation and Glasgow University management.

Details: FREE.

Monday 14th. May, 12 noon - 2pm.

Venue: Mitchell Library, 5th. floor,

Blytheswood Room.

 

 Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

DIRECT ACTION AT UNI. GETS RESULTS.

     

       The following is part of an account, taken from The Commune of the Free Hetherington occupation which ended this week after a long and successful campaign. Once again proving that direct action gets results. 

       Liam Turbett reports on a victorious conclusion to Glasgow’s seven-month university occupation

After over 200 days in occupation, the Free Hetherington occupation at Glasgow University finally ended on Wednesday 31^st August. The decision to leave followed direct negotiations with senior management, who allowed the occupiers to declare victory by handing over several major concessions.

Police tried in vain to evict the occupation.

 As previously reported in The Commune, the Free Hetherington was established in early February, when students and anti-cuts activists from across Glasgow took over a disused post-graduate social space at the heart of the Glasgow University campus, transforminglanguage teaching, anthropology and the entire department of adult education entirely.

SOLIDARITY.

        Senior management’s initial approach of ignoring the occupation and hoping it would falter away failed, and now famously, on 22^nd March an attempt was made to end it by force. With dozens of police, alongside the dog unit, the force helicopter and university security charging in to drag out the 15 or so occupants, around 500 students and supporters rapidly gathered outside. Hundreds then marched on the historic administrative centre of the university, and forced their way into the University Senate, which was held for the rest of the day. By midnight, management had handed the Hetherington building back, in exchange for the occupiers leaving the Senate rooms. In doing so, they handed legitimacy to the occupation, strong-arming them into negotiations, and the day’s events reaffirmed the level of support that the anti-cuts movement at the university could draw on.

Continue reading the article in The Commune

ann arky's home.

FREE HETHERINGTON, SOLIDARITY WITH GREECE.

Wednesday 6th July   7:30-1030 pm.

        Greece is currently at the centre of a pan-European struggle against austerity and cuts. As the IMF and their puppets in the PASOK government attempt to force through further austerity measures - amid huge protests, riots and occupations - while the future of the Euro and the global capitalist economy hang in the balance, here at the Hetherington we'll be having a night of food, films and solidarity with the Greek resistance.

Film showings:

- THE POTENTIALITY OF STORMING HEAVEN: a half hour documentary on the youth insurrection in December 2008.

- DEBTOCRACY: made this year, a documentary which examines the current financial situation in Greece, and looks at possible solutions.

Followed by a discussion, and we'll be having Greek food from the Free Hetherington kitchen too!

ann arky's home.

THE FREE HETHERINGTON.

       The Free Hetherington is probably the longest running student occupation in the country. Hetherington House at Glasgow University was occupied by the students on February 1 2011. It had previously been The Hetherington Research Club but had been unoccupied for a year since the Research Club left the premises in Feb 2010 and was due for redevelopment by the University.

        The occupation is intended as a protest against cuts to higher education within the Glasgow University and across the country. Since the occupation the students and the wider community have organised a varied and interesting series of events and there usually something arranged for most days and evenings of the week.

       One such event organised at the Free Hetherington, which is tied in with today's events of popular uprisings happening across the world, was a talk and discussion with sociologist John Holloway, the events were recorded and can be viewed on the Free Hetherington site.

        Perhaps others will take encouragement from what the students and their supporters have achieved here, the lesson from this action is "Direct Action" gets results.

ann arky's home.

CRACK CAPITALISM - JOHN HOLLOWAY.

John Holloway

Thursday 19th May 2011  18:00-20:30

The Free Hetherington

13 University Gardens

GlasgowUniversity

G12 8QH       (NearByres Road/ Hillhead Underground Station)

      The author of Crack Capitalism (2010), and Change the World Without Taking Power (2002) will be visiting the free Hetherington on its 109th day in occupation. As usual, there will be free tea and coffee served at visitor’s own instigation, and an evening meal.

Google Map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=the+free+hetherington

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=223559130993733

      “Crack Capitalism, argues that radical change can only come about through the creation, expansion and multiplication of ‘cracks’ in the capitalist system. These cracks are ordinary moments or spaces of rebellion in which we assert a different type of doing.”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crack-Capitalism-John-Holloway/dp/0745330088

The full text of Change the World Without Taking Power (2002) is available online here (free): http://libcom.org/library/change-world-without-taking-power-john-holloway

    John’s talk and the subsequent discussions will focus on ‘The Force of Negativity and the Rage Against the Rule of Money’. (see below)

The Force of Negativity and the Rage Against the Rule of Money

    “We can only try to emancipate ourselves, to move outwards, negatively, critically, from where we are. It is not because we are maladjusted that we criticize, it is not because we want to be difficult. It is just that the negative situation in which we exist leaves us no option: to live, to think, is to negate in whatever way we can the negativeness of our existence” (Holloway, 2002, p.5)

ann arky's home.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE ZAPATISTAS IN MEXICO?

'What is happening with the Zapatistas in Mexico?"

Speaker from 'Rebeldía Revista' Mexico

Talk by Javier Elorriaga, Editor of the 'Other Campaign' magazine, followed by questions and discussion.

Monday 23rd May

1pm-3pm

The Free Hetherington

The Glasgow University Occupation

13 University Gardens.       Just off University Avenue,    Glasgow University Campus.

http://freehetherington.wordpress.com/find-us/

         Javier is a journalist, video maker, historian, political analyst and a member of the editorial team of the influential magazine Rebeldia, which acts a voice for the Other Campaign and the Zapatistas throughout Mexico. He was a founder and co-ordinator of the Zapatista Front for National Liberation. He will speak about what's happening in Mexico today, especially what's happening with the Zapatistas.

      

       From their latest massive march through the town of San Cristobal to oppose militarisation and repression in Mexico, to the development of autonomy in the mountains and jungle of Chiapas, Javier will give a first-hand report of the movement which has inspired the anti capitalist movement world-wide. Don't miss this rare opportunity - these are Javier's only dates in Britain on his European tour.

A merchandise stall will be at both events selling Zapatista t-shirts, coffee and crafts. The money raised goes to health clinics run by the Zapatistas in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico.

Organised by Edinburgh and Glasgow Chiapas Solidarity Groups
http://www.edinchiapas.org.uk%20http//glasgowchiapassolidaritygroup.wordpress.com/

ann arky's home.