INTERVIEW WITH MEMBERS OF ANARCHIST FRONT, A COLLECTIVE SPREADING INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS IN IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, AND TAJIKISTAN ~ Gabriel Fonten ~ The uprising in Iran has been ongoing for over a week. It is not only an economic protest, but also a practical revolt against the entire logic of state power. People have disrupted control of the streets, destroyed the symbols of repression, and stood against bullets. This is precisely anarchy in action: paralysis of the government machine from below, without the need for immediate replacement with new power. The regime responded with direct shooting, raids on hospitals and mass arrests, but the crackdown has failed so far. Sporadic and floating tactics (burning cars, breaking cameras and blocking dispatch routes) have moved power from the centre to the sidelines and created a space for real self-management: mass donation, hospital defense, and direct display of information without intermediaries. To find out more, we sent some questions to the Anarchist Front, a collective spreading information about events in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. How widespread is support for the strikes among the general population? Support for radical strikes and protests in Iran is extremely widespread. Out of Iran’s thirty-two provinces, only two or three have not participated in these strikes and protests. How would you characterise the current general strike in Iran? What caused the strike? At present, strikes and protests are unfolding simultaneously, and the situation is escalating rapidly. What began as a peaceful shutdown of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar by shopkeepers turned violent after security forces intervened. From there, protests quickly spread to cities across the country. At the heart of this unrest lies unbearable economic pressure and rampant inflation that has made everyday life impossible for large segments of society. The first strikes emerged among mobile phone sellers, driven by the chaos of fluctuating exchange rates and the soaring cost of imported goods. These protests are entirely spontaneous and self-organized. There is no leadership, no political faction directing them, and no central command issuing orders. This is anger rising directly from the ground. At the same time, the son of Iran’s former king is once again attempting to capitalize on the situation. Whenever protests erupt in Iran, he rushes to claim them as his own. While it is true that he has some supporters inside the country, the vast majority of his base resides abroad. Beyond royalists, decades of repression by the Islamic Republic have effectively destroyed the possibility of other organized opposition forces emerging inside the country. How are protests being organised and what groups are looking to benefit from them? This wave began with the closure of markets in response to the catastrophic collapse of the rial, extreme inflation, rising taxes, and the regime’s complete inability to manage the economic crisis. It rapidly transformed into accumulated rage against the entire structure of power. Slogans such as “Death to Khamenei” and “Basij, Sepah, ISIS — you are all the same” reflect the depth of this anger. The root causes are the total economic collapse of the regime, stemming from systemic corruption, massive military expenditures, and foreign sanctions. However, sanctions are merely an excuse the regime uses to justify repression. https://cdn.freedomnews.org.uk/news/2026/01/video_2026-01-03_18-52-56.mp4 Naziabad Organization is largely horizontal and decentralised: through social media networks, local calls by bazaar merchants, and the organic spread of street-level rage—without a central leader or guiding party. This is precisely its strength: genuine self-organisation by ordinary people against domination. However, this is where the danger lies. Exiled opposition groups—particularly royalists aligned with Reza Pahlavi—have entered the scene and are attempting to hijack this popular uprising. Through calls issued from abroad, they inject slogans like “Long Live the Shah” in an effort to steer protests toward the restoration of another hereditary dictatorship—one that previously crushed people through SAVAK and bloody repression, and now seeks to reclaim power through diplomatic smiles and empty promises. Beyond these groups, anarchists, segments of communists, parts of liberals, and republicans also support this movement and stand to benefit from the fall of the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, sections of the Islamic Republic itself are attempting to portray this uprising as an internal reformist movement, in order to preserve the regime in a modified form. Could you introduce yourselves as a collective: where did you emerge from, what is your purpose, how are you organised? The Anarchist Front is the newest form of a path that began in 2009—a path marked by many rises and falls, from The Voice of Anarchism to the Federation of the Era of Anarchism. Today, with a renewed structure that brings together experienced comrades and new forces, we once again place emphasis on self-organisation and radical struggle—both in raising political awareness and in actively encouraging and supporting struggles on the ground. The Anarchist Front is founded on the principles of solidarity, anti-authoritarianism, and relentless resistance against all forms of domination. We do not seek to reform the existing order; we seek to destroy it—so that no power, no class, and no borders remain. Our struggle is rooted in the historical protests and resistance of people in the geographies of Iran and Afghanistan, while at the same time remaining deeply connected to the global anarchist movement. While our primary focus is on Iran and Afghanistan, our horizon goes far beyond borders. We strive for a world where freedom, equality, solidarity, and genuine mutual aid are realised—without any form of rule or exploitation. For us, anarchism is not merely a theory; it is a way of life, a mode of action, and the process of building a world free from power, repression, and lies. A lot of your coverage focuses on violence against women. Do you see this as part of the current strike? Today, women, students, and youth are actively present in the streets. They formed the core social body of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Therefore, yes—the current strikes are aligned with the demands of the Mahsa movement and with women’s rights struggles. We believe this movement, while preserving the spirit of Woman, Life, Freedom, has also created an opportunity for more passive and conservative segments of society to enter collective struggle against the Islamic Republic and unite with others. https://cdn.freedomnews.org.uk/news/2026/01/video_2026-01-03_18-45-51.mp4 Mourning procession for protester Ismail Qureshindi Our primary concern—beyond confronting the criminal Islamic Republic, which killed more than seven people in our geography just last night—is confronting royalist currents that have infiltrated the movement and are exploiting the situation. Their misogynistic tendencies are clearly visible in both their discourse and political practice. What is the state of anarchism in Iran and Afghanistan, and what challenges do activists face? Threats, summons, beatings, death threats, imprisonment, and sexual violence are realities anarchists have faced over the past two years and even before that. In the past five months alone, two of our comrades have been arrested and four others summoned. Conditions inside Iran are extremely dangerous for us. At present, one of our direct comrades from the Anarchist Front, Afshin Heyratian, is imprisoned in Evin Prison. Other anarchist comrades are imprisoned in prisons in Yazd Province. We hope that through struggle we can free our comrades and create conditions of safety for ourselves. Do you see a risk of foreign intervention in Iran? What would be the result? As mentioned earlier, royalists and supporters of Reza Pahlavi are deeply dependent on Western powers. Along with other sections of the opposition, they have created conditions in which Western governments—under the guise of helping the Iranian people—openly discuss military attacks or media intervention in Iran. Trump and Netanyahu have repeatedly threatened Iran with military action, particularly during moments of active protest. We take this opportunity to state our absolute and unconditional opposition to any military occupation or foreign intervention by Western states in Iran—at any level and in any form. Just as we were present during the twelve-day Iran–Israel conflict in the fields of reporting, mutual aid, and resistance inside Iran, we insist that if foreign intervention occurs, we have both the will and readiness to confront it. We are a local force, composed of horizontal and diverse networks of anarchist activists who previously organized together within the Federation of the Era of Anarchism. We are not primarily a militarist group. However, depending on future developments, we may adopt new positions and prepare ourselves accordingly. We do not view Iranian society as a whole as eager for foreign intervention. Finally, how can people overseas keep up to date with events in Iran and Afghanistan? We provide real-time reporting and organising in Persian. Our reporters are in direct contact and physically present in major Iranian cities. At the end of each day, the Anarchist Front’s news and journalism platform publishes a comprehensive daily report in Persian. In addition, we publish daily news in Italian, Spanish (Argentina), Arabic, English, and occasionally in German and Swedish. A platform also exists for comrades from non–Persian-speaking countries, including an international coordination group. We receive reports from around the world and act as an anarchist political force offering solidarity and support during ongoing crises. Regarding Afghanistan and Tajikistan: our comrades are present inside Afghanistan, and we also have comrades in Tajikistan. Similar to Iran, we engage in both news work and practical action in these regions. Our final demand is the continued awareness of free people of all tendencies across the world. We ask them not to turn their eyes away from the specific conditions of the Middle East and North Africa—especially Iran and Afghanistan—and to resist false information, misleading narratives, and grand narratives that erase society, its dynamics, and its demands from political analysis. We also call for solidarity and mutual cooperation. The post Iranian anarchists: Uprising is “genuine self-organisation by ordinary people” appeared first on Freedom News.

EXCESSIVE POLICING OF PENTONVILLE DEMO IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE ACTION HUNGER STRIKERS ~ Blade Runner ~ The traditional anarchist New Year’s Eve gathering outside HMP Pentonville was joined on December 31, 2025 by a solidarity demonstration for remand prisoners currently on hunger strike, organised by Palestine Pulse alongside other grassroots groups. Hundreds of people assembled on Caledonian Road carrying Palestinian flags and banners, with the demonstration centred on solidarity with prisoners rather than disruption. Nevertheless, police responded with a large and visibly disproportionate deployment. Protesters counted at least 21 police vans in the immediate area, equating to roughly 170 officers. Many were deployed in boiler suits and carrying long batons, signalling a preparedness for confrontation rather than assembly facilitation. Despite the heavy police presence, passing drivers repeatedly sounded their horns in support of the demonstration. Officers attempted to confine protesters behind railings on a narrow stretch of pavement, but as numbers grew this quickly became untenable. Protesters spilled onto the road and began a spontaneous march around the prison block, entering Wheelwright Street. Police reinforcements arrived as officers moved to block surrounding streets, fragmenting movement and preventing the crowd from circulating freely. > The march was halted and forced back towards Caledonian Road. Further attempts > to move south were blocked by additional cordons, leaving protesters penned-in > on the carriageway. The aggressive policing approach generated predictable > friction, resulting in minor injuries and two arrests, both reportedly > released in the early hours of 1 January. Following the standoff, demonstrators regrouped and moved away from the prison under continued police pressure, later continuing through central London and dispersing at Piccadilly Circus. At the centre of the protests is a coordinated hunger strike involving eight remand prisoners held in multiple UK prisons, including Pentonville, Bronzefield, New Hall and Peterborough. All are being held without conviction for alleged offences linked to Palestine Action. Several prisoners are approaching 60 days without food, while two others previously paused their hunger strike following severe health deterioration after more than seven weeks. The hunger strikers’ demands include the closure of Elbit Systems’ UK sites and an end to prolonged pre-trial detention. Doctors, families and supporters have repeatedly warned of escalating health risks, with hospitalisations reported and serious concerns raised about irreversible damage. > Recent demonstrations outside Pentonville have already focused on solidarity > with one of the hunger strikers, Kamran, who is among the Filton 24 arrestees > and has been hospitalised for the fifth time after more than 50 days on hunger > strike. NYE demonstrations were also planned outside prisons in Brixton and > Peterborough this year. Since the proscription of Palestine Action earlier in 2025, the British state has increasingly relied on remand, isolation, and restrictive custodial regimes against those accused of involvement in the group. Supporters describe a pattern including censorship of books and correspondence, denial of prison work, transfers far from family networks, and repeated refusals of bail. > Taken together, activists view the policing of demonstrations and the > treatment of remand prisoners as part of a domestic counter-insurgency > strategy, in which overwhelming police presence, pre-emptive containment and > punitive detention function to send a broader warning to those considering > militant solidarity with Palestine. > In this context, the hunger strike has become a focal point, seen as exposing > how prisons and public order policing are being used to suppress dissent and > discipline political resistance. > > As the new year begins, the prisoners’ fast continues. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Photos: Blade Runner The post Hundreds at New Year’s Eve London prison protest appeared first on Freedom News.

PROTEST IN SOLIDARITY WITH HUNGER STRIKING PALESTINE ACTIONISTS ~ Scott Harris ~ Sheffield group Stop Arming Israel says its activists today blockaded the Ametek-Land factory in Dronfield, protesting the company’s supply of infrared temperature measurement components to Israeli arms company Elbit. Protestors closed off the entrances for about an hour, chanting and giving speeches in support of the hunger strikers currently on remand in British prisons for taking action against companies involved in Gaza genocide. The prisoners demand a a shut-down of Elbit’s operations in Britain as well as immediate bail, an end to the censorship of their communications, the right to a fair trial, and the de-proscription of Palestine Action. All the hunger strikers have currently been hospitalised, with two of them—Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib—having passed 50 days without food. Several of their families have received little or no updates on their situations, according to the Prisoners for Palestine collective. “The hunger strikers are on death’s door”, said the Sheffield group, “Keir Starmer and David Lammy have Palestinian blood on their hands—and they will have the hunger strikers’ blood on their hands too if they do not act now”. Ametek, whose annual sales top $7 billion, increased its share price by nearly 30% during the first 14 months of the Gaza war. The company supplies Elbit with components for fighter jets and tanks used by the Israeli military. The post Sheffield Elbit supplier blockaded appeared first on Freedom News.

PROTESTS AGAINST FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT WITH LATIN AMERICA CAP WEEKS OF DISCONTENT IN SOUTHERN EUROPE ~ from Contre-Attaque ~ Dramatic images emerged from Brussels yesterday (18 December) as thousands of farmers converged on the Belgian capital with their tractors starting at 2:00 AM, and lit fires in front of the European Parliament. They were protesting the Mercosur agreement, which was being discussed at the Council of the European Union, bringing together the heads of EU member states. Mercosur is a free trade agreement that will further pit European farmers against Latin American agribusiness, which operates without regard for regulations and relies on vast industrial farms that devour forests. Clashes outside Parliament continued for much of the day: potatoes and fireworks were thrown against tear gas and water cannons. Police charged the farmers, some of whom responded by driving their tractors towards the police lines. An EU building was targeted. At the end of the day, a forceful charge dispersed the protesters. https://cdn.freedomnews.org.uk/news/2025/12/signal-2025-12-18-211814.mp4 This anger is international: Greece has been paralysed since 30 November 30th by tens of thousands of farmers who are blocking roads, ports, and airports to demand the release of CAP subsidies. Serious clashes have occurred with the police. In France, protests continue against the policy of culling livestock, but more generally to express the despair of a sacrificed profession. Numerous blockades severely disrupted traffic in the Southwest yesterday. Some farmers have vowed to continue the movement, including through the holidays. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Video: Contre-Attaque montage from Brut, Luc Auffret, Le Monde, local press The post Brussels: European farmers clash with police appeared first on Freedom News.

WE HAD SOME REALLY MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS AT POINTS AND EVEN GAINED A MOURNER FOR ONE LEG OF THE JOURNEY ~ Jo Lane ~ ‘The Death of Humanity’ was a protest that didn’t look like a protest. Ahead of International Human Rights Day, a convoy of artists and activists carried a funeral wreath reading ‘HUMANITY’, stopping at key landmarks across London and Manchester, until the wreaths were laid down at their final resting places. Born from an acknowledgement that traditional protest does not ‘reach’ everyone, this was an opportunity for people to experience a different narrative, one whereby they don’t feel like they are being told what to think. The hope was it would provide people with an experience that left space for them to find their own emotional connection to the theme, creating opportunities for understanding different perspectives, and building bridges for potential change. In London, we had a couple of ‘mourners from afar’ at each action who would interact with the public. If people chose to interact and find out more they were met with compassionate, restorative conversations, and if they asked, we shared our motivations behind the piece. Manchester. Photo: Karol Wyszynski We had some really meaningful interactions at points and even gained a mourner for one leg of the journey. One man, although agreed with the concept, was uncomfortable with the ‘morbidity’ suggesting we need to bring hope to the world, rather than further misery and pain. Although I completely agree with this sentiment, and a lot of my work is hopeful in its nature, I also believe it is important to carve space for, and honour the feelings of helplessness that so many of us have felt recently. My favourite comment I overheard on Sunday was “Mummy what does that say” to which her Mum responded “I don’t know”. We will never know whether this was her not wanting to delve into this deep discussion with their daughter, or if she actually didn’t know what it said. Either way feels quite poignant for me. The Manchester action was bleak and miserable with regards to weather, which added its own surreal and poignant vibe, all of us kitted out with big black umbrellas like the opening scene of a Batman Movie. We spent 2 hours carrying the wreath from place to place until we laid it down at its final resting place. It was an endurance in itself. The constant rain coupled with it being a busy shopping day ahead of Christmas meant that most people had little capacity to stop and take notice, it was as if we didn’t exist at times. If we were looking to confirm the concept that people are so wrapped up and busy in their own lives that they don’t see the suffering around them, we succeeded. The juxtaposition of the stark visual of a colourful funeral wreath imprinted on people’s brains in the midst of their Christmas shopping, is a powerful subliminal message. The timing of the piece was paramount due to International Human Rights Day, but if we were to do this action again we would love to find a day of significance in summer months as the potential for engagement and participation in the summer would be even more impactful. I just want to give a huge appreciation to all those who participated in the action, to ARTCRY for funding such important, responsive political artwork, and to UNION: Northern School for Creativity and Activism where so many new ideas and friendships were born. At present Instagram has deactivated our account saying we haven’t followed community standards and account integrity! but hopefully we will be back soon. So here is our handle just in case. @deathofhumanity_action #TheDeathOfHumanity -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top photo: London. Ray Malone The post Art action: “The Death of Humanity” appeared first on Freedom News.

WHILE ACT UP’S POLITICAL WORK BECOMES INSTITUTIONALISED AND MEMORIALISED, THE MYTH PERSISTS THAT HIV NO LONGER KILLS ~ Chrys Papaioannou ~ As the campaigns, slogans and direct actions of the legendary activist group ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), originally formed in New York in 1987, enter history books, exhibition rooms and cinema screens, our fight to save the lives being lost to AIDS has never been more urgent. While ACT UP’s political work becomes institutionalised and memorialised, today the persistent myth that HIV no longer kills is only made worse by deadly political decisions that decimate disability welfare, fund militarist expansion and genocide, and remove aid and access to HIV- prevention and HIV-treatment medication from those most at risk. This year, for the first time since 1988, the US Government did not commemorate World AIDS Day, with State Department employees being told not to promote World AIDS Day through any communication channels (whether via social media, media engagements or public speeches). It is difficult not to view this vile disregard for all those who have lost their children, friends, and lovers in light of a longer history of eugenicist policies and remarks made by fascist politicians, such as Nigel Farage who, in 2014, called for people who are living with HIV to be banned from migrating to the UK and Jean-Marie Le Pen in France who, in 1987, publicly stated that AIDS is a form of leprosy, proposing that people with AIDS be forcibly isolated. It was on World AIDS Day this year, 1 December 2025, a grey and gloomy Monday morning, that I and dozens of others from the wider ACT UP London network left our homes early, put on our waterproofs, and headed to Trafalgar Square to remember the dead and fight for the living. ACT UP London is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the HIV pandemic. I had seen pictures of die-ins before but no pictures and no video footage of any die-in could capture what it felt like to participate in this poignant act of solidarity. As we surrounded the Equestrian Statue of King Charles I in the small traffic island opposite Nelson’s column, the Big Ben within sight, the thirty minutes spent lying on the cold pavement with our eyes closed felt like a lifetime. Light drizzle gave way to heavy rain and the wind kept blowing our makeshift cardboard gravestones away. The cardboard gravestones themselves told the story of consecutive governments failing us – Tory cuts, Labour cuts, decades and decades of misinformation, stigma and violence inflicted through corporate greed and state neglect. Just this November, the UK government announced a 15% reduction in the country’s contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. According to the Terrence Higgins Trust, “in November 2024, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) stated that it is unlikely that we will meet the 2025 targets, but the 2030 target of zero new HIV transmissions is within our reach.” And yet, not only has the 2025 goal not been met, but it looks even more unlikely that the goal of “no new HIV transmissions by 2030” will be met either. In a carceral neoliberal context where class, race and citizenship status cruelly determine who is likely to live a long healthy life with HIV and who is not, there are thousands and thousands of people who cannot access daily oral PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and the twice-yearly injectable drug Lenacapavir. Widespread stigma associated with being HIV-positive is further exacerbated by the societal stigma experienced by sex workers and people who inject drugs (PWID), with scarce needle and syringe programmes (NSP) allowing people to access free and sterile equipment, and whorephobia and the criminalisation of sex work – whether through the Nordic or other models – preventing sex workers from accessing healthcare: “Punitive environments have been shown to limit the availability, access and uptake of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for sex workers and their clients”, report UNAIDS. It might seem that all we demand is for Warfare Britain to turn into Welfare Britain. But fighting to end AIDS – zero new transmissions, zero new deaths, zero stigma – means fighting to end the very crux where state violence, racial capitalism and ethno-nationalism intersect. The hard-earned victories of our queer elders mean that ‘gay cancer’ can no longer be the homophobic stick with which they beat us. But turn your gaze not so far from here, to a busy pedestrian street in central Athens, and you find the lingering ghost of queer activist Zak Kostopoulos (open about his HIV-positive status and known for his gay rights activism) who in 2018 was brutally beaten to death by civilians and the police. Still lying on the cold wet pavement, I open my eyes to gaze at the sky. A nothingness almost, an ever-expanding grey with no variation. I hear the name of Zak Kostopoulos, of Derek Jarman, of Natalie Caroline Wells and her son Judd Conrad Morgan Wells, both of whom passed away in London the other week, days apart. My sight catches a glimpse of the Union Jacks hanging from the nearby buildings and then of a small flock of birds dispersing and reorienting. Silence still equals death. And until Britain’s war machine is dismantled and healthcare is free for all, we know that we will not be choosing silence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos by Holly Buckle @stickypicnic, video by Joseph Wilson   The post In AIDS activism, silence (still) equals death appeared first on Freedom News.

MASS PROTESTS IN SOFIA AND OTHER BULGARIAN CITIES AGAINST THE RULING COALITION’S BUDGET PLANS FORCED THE GOVERNMENT TO BACKTRACK ON A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE INCREASED INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO PENSIONS AND SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS ~ Camilo Márquez, Política Obrera ~ The demonstrations were organised by opposition parties that lack broad public support: “The budget bill included tax and pension increases and greater borrowing to finance public spending” (La Nación, December 2). It projected a 3% deficit and a minimum wage of €620 per month. President Rumen Radev has held office since 2017 with limited powers in foreign policy and defence. Real power rests with the head of government, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, a member of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, who assumed office on January 16, 2025. The government is a fragile and highly divergent alliance comprising the pro-European Union centre-right, the pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party, and another nationalist-leaning party. This Frankenstein coalition is the latest experiment aimed at putting the country back on track after a prolonged period of political instability. Bulgarians have gone to the polls seven times since 2021 to elect a parliament that has been paralysed by a succession of coalitions led by various centre-right and right-wing parties. “The scale of the December 1 demonstrations surprised everyone. Unusually, they were not confined to Sofia. Crowds gathered in numerous towns and cities across Bulgaria.” (Reporteri 2/12). Several factors appear to have contributed to Bulgaria’s decision to adopt the euro on January 1st, though this remains to be seen: “The coming months are extremely important for Bulgaria’s political direction,” stated the prime minister, who warned that “the adoption of the euro is not guaranteed,” reports the Bulgarian newspaper, The Telegraph. The potential entry into the common zone has sparked fears among the population of the Balkan country of a sharp rise in prices. Bulgaria is the poorest country in the European Union and ranks second in corruption, only behind Hungary. This year, Bulgaria joined the Schengen Area, a European zone of free movement of people without internal border controls between member countries. With European rearmament, this area has a military counterpart: a “military Schengen,” whose objective is to facilitate the free movement of troops and equipment throughout the bloc, particularly eastward, as a contingency plan against Russia. Beneath the surface of this integration, a fierce battle is being waged for the spoils of Ukraine between France, Germany, and Poland. The latter is driving the so-called “Three Seas Initiative,” which connects the territories between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas, where Bulgaria plays a key role. Warsaw’s aim is to use this lever to facilitate the extraction of Ukrainian wealth across this vast territory and, at the same time, to lead the costly plan to “contain” Russia, bypassing and opposing France and Germany. Moscow has already labelled this ostensibly economic “initiative” as a series of military logistics projects hostile to its interests. The country’s president, the pro-Russian Rumen Radev, called for the government’s resignation and new elections during the protests. The government was forced to abandon the draft budget the morning after the protests. All of Eastern Europe is on the front lines of this conflict. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine translation The post Protests in Bulgaria force the government to back down appeared first on Freedom News.

ANARCHIST SPEECH AT THE BERLIN RALLY FOR FREE WESTERN SAHARA, 7 NOVEMBER ~ Anon ~ Some days exist to remind us of what we continually live through. The Green March occurred on November 6, but it was enabled by decades of colonial occupation. On November 6, 1975, the Green March, openly promoted by the Moroccan monarchy and quietly supported by European governments, particularly the Spanish state, unfolded. This event paved the way for a new phase in the colonial history of the region. The colonial occupation of Western Sahara by Moroccan forces resulted in the division of a people, with communities and friendships torn apart and violated at the most intimate levels of their existence. Languages were prohibited, customs criminalised, initially through extermination and forced displacement into the desert, followed by a local plan for assimilation and unification under a single national identity: in this case, Moroccan. But this is not a unique case; this is history repeating itself. It is crucial to acknowledge that the infrastructure and military conditions were already established because this territory had been under Spanish colonial dominance for decades. And it is particularly important to remember that although the Spanish state tries to propagate the fiction of a peaceful coexistence between Spanish colonisers and Saharawis, colonialism can never be pacific. Let us not forget that the Spanish state occupied the Sahara for geopolitical interests, to maintain control over the Canary Islands, which remain a Spanish colony today, absurdly treated as European territory despite their location off the African coast. The Canary Islands were the first colonised territory and a necessary base for the colonisation of Abya Yala. In summary, the narrative of peaceful coexistence between Spanish colonisers and the Saharawi people is not just a lie regarding that territory’s history; it stands as a falsehood because the colonisation of the Sahara happened over the blood of millions of people in Abya Yala and Canary Islands. Even though the Spanish crown, and later the Spanish state, have been intrinsically linked to colonialism, they have never operated alone. Colonial power is always a convergence of various actors, both state and private. However, today in a world of seemingly transnational capitalist interest, the role of nation states in the perpetuation of colonial relationships of power is obscured. Especially the role of the german state, which has always been a colonial force. The colonial policies of the Deutsches Reich were the inspiration and breeding ground for National Socialism. National Socialism became the foundation of the current German state with its extractivist, patriarchal, and racist policies. German repressive colonial tactics have been inspiration to other states throughout history. Let us not forget all the SS soldiers who continued their careers in the Global South, whether in NATO or fighting in Vietnam as part of the French Foreign Legion, just to name some examples. It is no coincidence that the alliance between Morocco, Israel, and Germany works so effectively. Germany’s interest in both providing and receiving military training from these two forces is significant. As people living in the territory claimed by the german state, we cannot view this situation as distant because we are part of it; it permeates our daily lives. The extreme militarisation of our society, the local war against migration, and the normalised police violence against feminist and anti-colonial movements show, that we must continue to walk opposing paths, those we have been tracing for a long time in search of different worlds. What does a country like Germany fear in the face of the feminist alliance? What does a monarchy like Morocco fear from women’s self-organisation in the streets? What we propose is not a reform; it is the creation of new worlds. What we suggest has no place and will never find space in their institutions. Anticolonial feminism comes to destroy all the pillars of our society. It confronts the Catholic Church and its evangelical counterparts with their developmentalist discourse on reproduction. We challenge the states and their constructs of private and public. We put our bodies—contested territory for over 500 years—on display, making others uncomfortable. Predictably, so dangerous. Anticolonial feminism comes to shout in the face of those who have historically silenced us: not one less! With the certainty that punitive measures are not the way, we will continue to chip away at the bars of every prison until all our sisters are free. We will keep fighting to laugh, to celebrate, to feel pleasure. Calling for a demonstration on the 6th of November has a symbolic meaning, being on the streets every day is what we should aim for. We do not forget any of the forcefully disappeared, Ni olvido ni perdon! Presentes ahora y siempre! We greet all people in the occupied territories from West Sahara to 48 and Gaza. From Abya Yala to Sudan and Congo. For autonomy, for anarchy, Sahara libre y feminista! PS. for all this white-washed anarchist still discussing the question of national flags, your time is over cuties, grow up and take a stand! Meet you on the streets, where we can actually be anarchic! The post “Anticolonial feminism comes to destroy all the pillars of our society” appeared first on Freedom News.

MASS DEMONSTRATIONS ACCUSE GOVERNMENT OF AUTHORITARIANISM AND CORRUPTION ~ from ANRed ~ Tensions have surged in Peru after interim president José Jerí Oré declared a 30-day state of emergency in Lima and the neighbouring province of Callao, citing what he called a “crisis of public security”, days after police repression left one young demonstrator dead. The state of emergency suspends the right to assembly and allows joint patrols by the police and armed forces. It also restricts visits to prisons and permits warrantless searches. More than ten million people are affected in Lima and Callao alone. Civil liberties groups warn that the decree amounts to the militarisation of public life, aimed less at crime than at quelling dissent. Jerí, appointed by the congressional coalition that forced out president Dina Boluarte earlier this month, justified the measure as “the beginning of change” in tackling violent crime. Yet critics note that it follows an eruption of street protests rejecting his unelected government. Peru has cycled through seven presidents since 2016, a sign of the profound political and institutional crisis gripping the country. Last week, thousands marched through Lima and other cities to denounce what they describe as a “mafioso and authoritarian pact”. Witnesses report that police opened fire on demonstrators near Plaza Francia, killing 24-year-old rapper and community organiser Eduardo Mauricio Ruíz Sáenz, known as Trvko. According to eyewitnesses, an undercover officer fired several shots after being confronted by protesters. The National Human Rights Coordinator confirmed 15 people injured, including four journalists, while the Health Ministry acknowledged one death and three critical cases. Public outrage has mounted ahead of a new national mobilisation called for today (Saturday 25 October) by the youth collective Generación Z, demanding justice for Trvko and the lifting of the emergency decree. The demonstration will again converge on Plaza Francia, while pro-government groups have announced a counter-rally in the Campo de Marte park. The government’s response has been unapologetic. Interior minister Vicente Tiburcio, a former counter-insurgency officer under the Fujimori regime, denied police responsibility and branded student protesters “violentists”. Meanwhile, Jerí used social media to praise the “firmness” of the police while accusing demonstrators of seeking chaos. Despite the repression, public anger shows no sign of abating. “They are killing our youth to defend a corrupt pact,” read one banner carried through Lima’s centre this week. For many Peruvians, the murder of Trvko has come to symbolise the enduring impunity of a political class clinging to power through force. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine edit. Photo: José Francisco Rubio / Contranoticia.pe The post Peru: State of emergency after young rapper killed in protests appeared first on Freedom News.

MORE THAN 150,000 PEOPLE TOOK TO THE STREETS AGAINST BELGIUM’S “ARIZONA” GOVERNMENT — A COALITION OF LIBERALS, CENTRISTS AND THE FAR RIGHT ~ From Stuut ~ On Tuesday, October 14, more than 150,000 people responded to the call to demonstrate against the Arizona government in Brussels . The demonstration began around 11 a.m. at the Gare du Nord and ended mid-afternoon at the Gare du Midi. Throughout the route, there were clashes between protesters and law enforcement, resulting in numerous incidents of police violence. At least five people were reportedly arrested under judicial arrest and around twenty under administrative arrest. Around ten people with serious injuries were reportedly hospitalised. Early in the morning, around 7 a.m., several roads in the capital were blocked as part of the strike. Groups of protesters blocked the Brussels Inner Ring Road and the capital’s inner ring road. These blockades paralysed a significant portion of road traffic in the Brussels Region. Other blockades and pickets took place, notably at the ULB , the INSAS film school , and the Saint Pierre University Hospital . All denounce the anti-social measures and job insecurity put in place by the current government. The demonstration then took place in a very determined atmosphere against the anti-social measures implemented by the Arizona government. Different blocs were present: the bloc of workers in the cultural sector, education, services and domestic help, the bloc of dockers, the bloc of lawyers, and the bloc of the neutral zone collective. Everyone had come to express their anger at the government’s measures to make society precarious. Many demonstrators thus decided to target places of power such as the Immigration Office, the headquarters of the Socialist Party, the headquarters of the MR , the ONE M.  (the National Employment Office), etc. Around 11:30 a.m., shortly after departure, clashes with law enforcement officers took place following the targeting of the Immigration Office. Slogans were chanted in tribute to Mahmoud Ezzat Farag Allah, who died last Monday in the 127bis closed centre, as well as to the many other Palestinian refugees currently detained in the closed centre. The large police presence then tear-gassed, trapped, and clubbed the protesters in front of the Immigration Office. The illegal confinement, in a cramped area, lasted nearly two hours, and protesters were violently arrested by the police. Several people were clubbed and wrestled to the ground, and some were even reportedly arrested and assaulted in the parking lots adjacent to the building. The crowd then gathered in front of the net, before the police charged and gassed them again. After more than two hours, the people trapped were released. Protesters then targeted the Hilton Hotel located at Gare Centrale, attacking the front and breaking into the hotel. Some of the furniture inside was damaged. Subsequently, further clashes between protesters and police took place, notably at the Gare Centrale, Mont des Arts, in the Marolles district, and finally in the Gare du Midi district, where the procession split into several wildcat demonstrations. Later in the afternoon, around 4 p.m., the police also charged at the Parvis de Saint-Gilles, where a wildcat demonstration was still underway. The vast police presence and the level of repression implemented by the security forces demonstrate a clear political will on the part of the authorities: to violently repress all the most dissenting demonstrators. This massive mobilisation marks a key moment in the fight against the Arizona government and its fascistic dynamics. It also constituted a moment of collective strength for the more than 140,000 people who gathered in Brussels for this occasion. Among the protesters were people from all social groups. One thing is certain: popular anger against the social destruction carried out by this fascist government is not about to die down. On the contrary, it continues to grow. The post Brussels: Mass mobilisation against “Arizona” government appeared first on Freedom News.