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From The Socialist newspaper, 9 September 2020
XR blockade: Don't let the Tories criminalise protest
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The billionaire-owned UK newspapers, along with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, decried the blockade by Extinction Rebellion (XR) environmental activists outside a number of printing presses last weekend. The action delayed printing and distribution of the climate-change-sceptic Telegraph, the Murdoch-owned Times, and the right-wing Daily Mail, among others.
Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel, and Labour leader Keir Starmer all said it was an attack on 'a free press' and 'democracy' - as if the ownership of major newspapers by a handful of billionaire bigots is in any sense 'free' or 'democratic'.
The Tory government has consistently failed to tackle the current health and environmental emergency, for instance over illegal levels of air pollution causing tens of thousands of excess deaths in the UK each year. None of the delayed newspapers have campaigned to prosecute Johnson and his ministers over this outrage.
XR protesters have been charged with obstruction and had stringent bail conditions imposed on them. Patel has threatened to further restrict the freedom to protest by designating XR a criminal gang, opening up the activists to lengthy jail sentences.
Although XR fails to engage with trade unionists to discuss tactics and strategy in fighting climate change, etc, many sacked print workers and journalists were also accused of 'curtailing press freedom', when they organised mass picketing outside Murdoch's News International plant in Wapping in 1986, and also at scab employer Eddie Shah's Stockport Messenger plant at Warrington in 1983.
Any moves to criminalise climate change protests must be fought.
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Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 9 September 2020:
Coronavirus news
Fight the schools Covid crisis
Safety overridden in drive to bolster the economy
Caerphilly lockdown puts profits before safety
Campaigns and party news
Jobs, training, pay, we want a future!
Dover: Solidarity with refugees - applause and cheers for socialist ideas to unite working class
BLM: Socialist alternative to racist capitalism
Big push to hit finance target
News
15% now - unions must fight for NHS pay rise
Callous Tories threaten not to uprate the minimum wage
XR blockade: Don't let the Tories criminalise protest
Grenfell fire inquiry stops victims attending
Video game developer attacks Black Lives Matter
What we think
U-turn Tories' splits are growing
Workplace news
Fight Amazon's anti-union spies
NSSN rally: Workers must not pay the price of Covid
Nottingham City Council: The (mis)adventures of Robin Hood Energy
Covid-19 pandemic increases financial pressures on Welsh local government
Ireland: Debenham's workers occupy stores
Unison
A critical election for Unison general secretary
TUSC
Back at work! TUSC to stand in elections again against pro-austerity politicians
International news
Belarus: Mass opposition continues to defy repression by Lukashenko's regime
Strike wave marks new stage in revival of Iranian workers' movement
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