Workers Solidarity Movement

This session of the 2012 Dublin Anarchist Bookfair looked at the value of paper and ink when the net is usually declared the real frontier. We asked our panel to track some of the connections between todays underground radical press, and what went before.

With votes still being counted it has become clear that the largest block of potential voters refused to take part in the fiscal compact referendum, rejecting the arguments that they could either vote for 'stability' or against 'austerity'. Quite possibly more people chose to boycott the referendum then the combined Yes and No voters. On top of this some 17% of the population who live and pay tax in Ireland were excluded from voting at all in the referendum. This means as many as 2/3 of the adult population did not vote in the referendum.

In this session from the 2012 Dublin Anarchist Bookfair Socialist Party TD Clare Daly and Dctors for Choice spokesperson Mary Favier look at the ongoing pro-choice struggle in Ireland and in particular at the recent attempt by Clare to get legislation for the X-case passed through the Dail.

Recording of the 'Being an anarchist' session at the 2012 Dublin anarchist bookfair where 3 WSM members talk about the influences that brought them into radical politics and anarchism. Touches on 1981 Hunger strikes, 1984 Miners strike and x-case as well as more recent events like the Garda attack on the Dec 2010 student protest in Dublin.

Mark Hoskins of the WSM debates MEP Paul Murphy on what positions the left should take on the Fiscal Compact to be voted on in Ireland May 31st.  The SP is arguing for a No vote, the WSM argues that the vote doesn't matter, what matters is resistance to austerity. This debate took place at the 2012 Dublin Anarchist Bookfair in Liberty Hall.

Interview carried out by Donal Higgins for Dublin Community TV

“Is voting in the referendum on the Fiscal Compact Treaty a waste of time?” This will be one of the items to be discussed at the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair which takes place this Saturday (26th May) in Liberty Hall.

Organisers of the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair have announced that the Bookfair, to be held this Saturday (26^th May) in Liberty Hall, will include a major Photographic Exhibition entitled “ A Decade Of Resistance: Images of Struggle 2002 – 2012”.

The exhibition will feature photographs by activists and photographers Andrew Flood, William Hederman, Aileen O’Carroll and Paul Reynolds and, according to organisers “documents an array of anti-capitalist, anti-war, pro-choice, environmental and other protests, starting with a mass trespass at Shannon Airport in October 2002 and ending with a Reclaim The Streets in Dublin in April 2012.”

Anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM), has claimed that voting in the Fiscal Compact Treaty referendum “will not make one whit of difference”.

“The pro-side are calling it a Stability Treaty but if it’s passed does anyone seriously think that we are going to get financial stability?”, asked Gregor Kerr, WSM PRO.  “On the other hand the anti-side are calling it an Austerity Treaty, but everyone knows that even if we vote no the austerity agenda will continue.”

Hundreds of people from all over Ireland are expected to attend the 7^th annual Dublin Anarchist Bookfair which takes place in Liberty Hall, Dublin on Saturday 26^th May. The Bookfair, organised by the Workers Solidarity Movement, will consist of a day of meetings, debates, discussions and films and will also host bookstalls and information stands from a large number of political organisations and campaigning groups.