This is the text of a leaflet which was distributed at the GPO on Saturday 22nd October to co-incide with demonstrations in Sweden
On Tuesday 12th October Björn Söderberg a Swedish trade union activist was murdered by a fascist gang in Stockholm. Björn was a member of SAC-Syndikalisterna (a libertarian socialist trade union in Sweden). He was murdered because of his anti-fascist activities in his union, specifically in exposing a fascist in his workplace.
Today (Saturday the 23rd of October) at 2pm demonstrations are to take place all over Scandinavia to honour the memory of Björn Söderberg. In the past his union the SAC has supported the struggle against racism in Ireland. We choose to remember Björn by distributing this leaflet &endash; so you may know of his life &endash; but also so that you may know of the hatred and violence that follows where ever racism is allowed to grow.
Right now the Irish government is using the crudest of racist methods to excuse itself for the housing crisis that affects all working people immigrant and native. They tell us they plan to tackle this crisis not by building more public housing but by telling Asylum Seekers where they must live in the country. The intention is to suggest that Asylum Seekers rather then corruption and greed are responsible for the high cost of housing.
Alongside this they are floating the idea of giving Asylum Seekers vouchers instead of the dole payments received by all other unemployed and poor people. The sole aim is to further stigmatise them, to mark them out and make their lives as difficult as possible.
We didn't know Björn personally but we believe he would have wanted his murder to be responded to with an active stepping up of the fight against fascism and racism. We therefore call on Irish workers to stand with their immigrant brothers in the fight against racism and for quality housing for all that need it.