Auschwitz survivor, Hajo Meyer, used a speech to encourage support for the international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. Approximately 100 people attended the meeting in The Grosvenor Hall, Belfast on Friday 29 January 2009.

During his speech, Meyer condemned the misuse of the holocaust for political purposes and compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians today to Nazi treatment of Jews before and during the second world war.

The meeting, to be repeated in Dublin on Saturday 30 January, concludes a month-long series of events organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign to mark the first anniversary of Israel's invasion of Gaza in December 2008.

Prior to arriving in Ireland, Meyer had spent the previous week on a speaking tour in Scotland and England organised by the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network. In February, Meyer is to continue his speaking tour in France, Austria and Germany. read full story / add a comment

On Monday evening 28th December, first anniversary of the ferocious Israeli assault on Gaza, approximately 80 people attended a candlelit vigil outside Belfast City Hall to draw attention to the continuing illegal Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The vigil, which was part of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign project 'Gaza: A Month of Remembrance', included participants from various organisations and individuals in the city. read full story / add a comment

Around sixty protesters attended the Republican Sinn Féin picket outside the maximum security Maghaberry Gaol in County Antrim on Saturday. read full story / add a comment

A report from Iñaki de Juana's extradition hearing which was held in Belfast last week, during which the defence argued that the extradition attempt was an abuse of process and would be 'grossly inhumane'. read full story / add a comment

The Don't Extradite the Basques Campaign has welcomed the ruling by a Belfast judge that the Spanish extradition warrant against Belfast-based Basque activist Artruro Benat Villanueva was “invalid” and calls for the dropping of charges against Iñaki de Juana read full story / add a comment

Minister for Employment labels some young people vampires. read full story / add a comment

The union representing workers at the BBC has backed a protest to be held next Thursday 15th October outside BBC Broadcasting House in Belfast against the decision to invite the BNP on to the Question Time programme. read full story / add a comment

The Don't Extradite the Basques Campaign has welcomed the news this week that the petition against the extradition to Spain of Belfast-based Basque pro-independence activists Iñaki de Juana and Arturo Beñat Villanueva now has more than 1,000 signatories from Ireland, Britain, the Basque Country, Spain and around the world, including elected representatives, human rights campaigners, lawyers, academics and community leaders.

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The DUP’S Sammy Wilson has recently accused anti-racism groups of exaggerating the scale of racism to access public funding. This statement comes not long after more than 100 Romanians were forced to flee their homes in South Belfast due to racist intimidation and attacks.

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Giving succour to the racists.

The DUP’S Sammy Wilson has recently accused anti racism groups of exaggerating the scale of racism to access public funding. Mr Wilson stated that ‘these charges of racism were always coincided with the holding out of the hand for more money for the organisations which were dealing with the issue’ and referred to the situation as ‘an anti racism industry’. read full story / add a comment

éirígí general secretary Breandan Mac Cionnaith has condemned the inclusion of
the British Navy's Royal Marines in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge
festivities. Mac Cionnnaith also confirmed that éirígí activists will be on
the ground to challenge the presence of the Royal Marines in Belfast on Friday
14 August. read full story / add a comment

The Don't Extradite the Basques Campaign held a very successful conference on political persecution in the Basque Country on Saturday August 8 in An Chultúrlann in west Belfast as part of the annual Féile an Phobail (Festival of the People). Julen Arzuaga, a lawyer from Behatokia, the Basque Observatory of Human Rights, travelled from the Basque Country to speak at the conference, which also heard from Iñaki de Juana and Arturo Beñat Villanueva, two Belfast-based Basque activists who are fighting extradition charges by the Spanish government. Colleen Gildernew from Kevin Winters Solicitors, the firm representing both men, outlined the legal efforts to defeat the extradition charges.

Introducing the conference, veteran republican activist Danny Morrison
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A conversation with WSM member Davy Carlin, from his early childhood growing up in the Ballymurphy housing estate in the midst of an ‘Irish War’ to community politics. Davy also reflects on his involvement in struggles to date from anti-racism, workplace organising and organisations from the Socialist Workers Party to Organise! Finally, we touch upon the politics of anarchism and his hope for the future. read full story / add a comment

The Workers Solidarity Movement and Anarchist Communist Discussion Group in Belfast, organised a successful day of discussions and workshops last Saturday in the Belfast Unemployed Centre tackling issues such as fighting fascism and racism from a class perspective, anarchist organisation and our vision of a free, classless, post-capitalist society.

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The occupation of the Visteon motor parts factory in Belfast ended on May 3rd when the company gave in and agreed pay extra compensation of between six month’s and nearly two year’s money to the workforce for the loss of their jobs. read full story / add a comment

The refusal by British Justice Secretary Jack Straw to grant the great train robber Ronnie Biggs parole exposes the extent of injustice and corruption which underpins the class system. read full story / add a comment

The recent racist attacks in Northern Ireland against migrant workers are an indictment of the status-quo which thrives on blaming minorities for the problems inherent in capitalism. It is the political class and sections of the tabloid press who constantly provide the ammunition for racist attacks. read full story / add a comment

Working people continue to bear the brunt of the economic recession in terms on job cuts, poverty wages and house repossessions, while the rich and powerful in our society are bailed out again. This is state capitalism and comes under various forms from thatcherism to neo-liberalism.

The Belfast Anarchist Communist Discussion Group, set up by the Belfast branch of the Workers Solidarity Movement recently invited Michael Reinsborough to give a talk on the topic of neo-liberalism.

The public meeting took place on Wednesday 17th June in the Belfast Unemployment Centre.
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Ógra Shinn Féin protested at Belfast City Hall on Friday 26 June opposing the move by the City Council to fly the British army flag as part of ‘armed forces day.’

The republican youth group, alongside Sinn Féin activists, joined in solidarity with RFJ (Relatives for Justice) and the victims of British state murder and collusion to highlight their opposition to the controversial decision.

While the Belfast City Hall gates where adorned with large black ribbons, the protesters held banners with anti collusion and state murder slogans on them. The assembled crowd was addressed by the RFJ director Mark Thompson, and Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly before 70 black balloons where released into the air representing all the young people who were murdered by the British Army.
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Members of the PSNI riot squad, backed by armoured jeeps and dogs, today blocked éirígí protesters from even reaching protest assembly point in Belfast city centre. read full story / add a comment