spanish miners clash with police

[brigadista]

because of the current royal stupidity lockdown did not see this on the news -

for anyone in the UK this sounds sadly very familiar...



NnMpniCeZXo

[KurtFF8]

Spanish miners fight furious battles with riot police as they protest austerity cuts to coal subsides (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154402/Spanish-miners-fight-furious-battles-riot-police-protest-austerity-cuts.html)






Nationwide strike organised by unions bitterly opposed to reductions in coal subsidies from €300 million to €110 million
Protesters set up barricades of burning tyres and launched home-made rockets at groups of riot police
Economic stagnation has pushed Spain's unemployment rate to above 24 per cent, the highest in the European Union
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the country will stick to harsh austerity measures

By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
PUBLISHED: 08:06 EST, 4 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:33 EST, 4 June 2012


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Striking Spanish coal miners set up burning barricades and fought running battles with riot police as they protest harsh austerity cuts to coal subsidies.
In violent scenes, the masked protesters lit barricades of burning tyres and launched home-made rockets at groups of police bringing traffic to a halt along key roads in the north of the country.
Riot police retaliated with tear gas grenades and baton charges as they desperately tried to bring the situation under control.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-0-137155B6000005DC-60_634x347.jpg Blockade: Miners stand behind a burning barricade of tyres outside Vega del Rey, Spain


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-0-13716685000005DC-850_634x634.jpg Ugly scenes: Riot police fire tear gas grenades in an attempt to disperse the protesting miners
Around 8,000 mineworkers from over 40 coal mines in northern Spain are staging a nationwide strike organised by unions bitterly opposed to reductions in coal subsidies from €300 million to €110 million.

More...



Britons face £5bn bill to help out Spanish as fears grow that Madrid will have to ask IMF for €300billion bailout (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2153106/Britons-face-5bn-help-Spanish-fears-grow-Madrid-ask-IMF-300billion-bailout.html)
Irish people grudgingly accept EU treaty with referendum 'yes' vote that opens way for further cuts in debt-ridden countries (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2153207/Ireland-saves-EU-financial-chiefs-headache-low-turnout-votes-approve-deficit-fighting-treaty.html)


Protests were today being held in Vega del Rey, near Oviedo, northern Spain and just outside the port city of Santander.
Miners holding a demonstration in Madrid on Thursday were baton-charged by police after a group started throwing stones and bottles.
Police said two people were arrested and nine were slightly hurt.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-0-13715717000005DC-321_634x413.jpg Blaze: Riot police stand on a bridge over a highway blocked with burning barricades. Around 8,000 mineworkers at over 40 coal mines in northern Spain are protesting against government cuts

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-137163D7000005DC-604_634x945.jpg Ballistics: Spanish miners fire homemade rockets up a hill towards riot policemen during a miner's demonstration in Vega del Rey


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-137166D9000005DC-894_634x363.jpg Advance: Police move down a hillside to tackle a group of protesting Spanish miners during the protests in Vega del Rey
The official strike action began on May 23 last month. Eight miners are staging an underground protest.
Spain's economy is crisis having contracted for the second time since late 2009. Four years of stagnation and recession have pushed unemployment to above 24 per cent, the highest rate in the European Union.
Today Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Spain will stick to harsh austerity measures until it emerges from financial crisis, promising that the country would survive the present economic turmoil.'
Rajoy acknowledged that the country is experiencing turbulence, but said 'we are not at the edge of a precipice, we will not sink.'
'The government has "the will to persevere in this line for as long as is necessary,"'
Spain has imposed spending cuts and tax hikes to escape a crisis many fear could eventually swallow other countries using the European single currency.



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13714E05000005DC-959_634x412.jpg Protest: A masked miner clutches a rock as he prepares to place another tyre onto the blazing barricade on the A-66 motorway in Vega del Rey. Spain's economy is contracting for the second time since late 2009

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13714C87000005DC-460_634x420.jpg Desperation: Four years of economic stagnation and recession have pushed Spain's unemployment above 24 percent, the highest rate in the European Union




http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-137149CD000005DC-195_634x388.jpg Stand-off: Miners stand behind burning barricades in a separate protest along a road near the port city of Santander
Rajoy said he supported the creation of a single European fiscal authority to uphold the credibility of the euro, and acknowledged that for this to happen it would be necessary for member states to 'surrender more of their fiscal autonomy'.
He said while it was possible Spain could have lived beyond its means, it was also true that those who are now criticising Spain - a reference to Germany - had also lent it money at very cheap rates.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long maintained that austerity is the most important step toward easing the eurozone debt crisis, however, the leaders of some of those countries hardest hit - faced with anti-austerity demonstrations that have at times turned violent - have also called for steps to be taken to try and boost employment.
Despite months of painful austerity reforms by Rajoy's conservative government, there is growing concern that its leaders have not done enough and Spanish banks may need to be saved from loans gone bad and foreclosures of property now worth far less than the loans paid out for it.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13715629000005DC-209_634x434.jpg Action: A series of strikes, road blockades, and mine sit-ins continue across Spain as workers at over 40 coal mines continue their protests against government cuts


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13714AEF000005DC-669_634x422.jpg Mayhem: Riot police cross the burning barricade as they attempt to tackle dozens of protesters taking action against government cuts
The country's banking sector is laden with soured investments on real estate and the government recently needed Euro 19 billion ($23.4 billion) to rescue just one bank, Bankia SA.
Some estimates have put a complete Spanish banking sector bailout cost at between Euro 50 billion and Euro 150 billion, but Spain only has Euro 5 billion left in the Euro 19 billion bailout fund it established in 2009.
Spain's banking sector, however, is not the sole issue. The economy is mired in its second recession in three years and is forecast to contract 1.7 per cent for the year.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13714C07000005DC-155_634x352.jpg Clashes: Riot police aim tear gas rounds at protesting miners near a burning barricade in Vega del Rey


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-137163C0000005DC-431_634x387.jpg Rail passengers watch on as police deploy at a train station near Vega del Rey


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13716495000005DC-158_634x432.jpg Retreat: Miners clutch home made shields as they flee a cloud of tear gas during violent confrontations with police
This means the country has to raise money in bond markets and the interest rate on Spanish 10-year bonds finished trading Friday at 6.47 per cent, as reported by financial data provider FactSet.
A rate of 7 per cent is considered unsustainable in the long run. Countries such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland that have faced such rates have had to be bailed out.
Spain's current banking problems have startling similarities with Ireland. Both countries witnessed unprecedented property building and buying sprees enabled by their 1999 entry into the euro.
It was an entry that many economists say was partly responsible for both countries' present problems - by entering into the single currency with more stable economies their credit-risk profiles were lowered giving their banks unprecedented access to international loans at rock-bottom rates.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13716B14000005DC-105_634x614.jpg Defensive position: Striking miners take cover during protests in Vega del Rey. The government is planning to cut mining subsidies from euros 300 million to euros 110 million


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-13716D04000005DC-158_634x586.jpg Masked miners kick away a smoke bomb during clashes with police near highway A-66 in Vega del Rey



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/04/article-2154402-137168D5000005DC-990_634x914.jpg Sheepish: A riot policeman wanders across a a field next to sheep during the demonstration in Vega del Rey



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154402/Spanish-miners-fight-furious-battles-riot-police-protest-austerity-cuts.html#ixzz1wvaCtP00

[aty]

Fuck Yeah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIuJMW0nwl0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIuJMW0nwl0)
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m559c1vjXs1rq2u0go4_1280.jpg
http://comunidad.lne.es/servicios/galeriasMultimedia/media/43139/imagenes/1338822251004_LNE-CAUDAL%285343816%29.jpg
http://comunidad.lne.es/servicios/galeriasMultimedia/media/43139/imagenes/1338822251004_LNE-CAUDAL%285343831%29.jpg
http://comunidad.lne.es/servicios/galeriasMultimedia/media/43139/imagenes/1338822251004_LNE-CAUDAL%285343866%29.jpg
:tt1::tt1::tt1::tt1::che:

[aty]

Todays clashes:

http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/094.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/1691.jpghttp://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3155.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3080.jpghttp://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3064.jpghttp://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3136.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/268.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3094.jpg

[aty]

Yesterdays clashes:


http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-barricada-DSC_3330.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3415.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-caza-DSC_3432.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-fusil-minero-DSC_3575.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-DSC_3583.jpg
http://periodismohumano.com/files/2012/06/sm-gas-santiago-DSC_3620.jpg

[Costello74]

Fair play to them!

[Robocommie]

What are the miner's demands?

Edit: Other than opposing the rolling back of state subsidies, that is.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

This is what I'm talking about.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Beautiful. Just beautiful. I love it. :thumbup:

[bcbm]

glad to see somebody still representing

[bricolage]

fantastic.
what's the guy in the purple top got? does that fire flares or something?

[DDR]

fantastic.
what's the guy in the purple top got? does that fire flares or something?

A homemade rocket launcher, ¡Asturies obrera y dinamitera!

[ВАЛТЕР]

http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/21946





A MINERS’ STRIKE in the Spanish province of Asturias has paralysed much of northern Spain with more than 8,000 coal miners taking to the barricades and picket lines.
Sixteen main roads and motorways have been blocked by barricades for the past two weeks while two railway lines have also been shut down.
There have also been numerous clashes with police both in Asturias and in the Spanish capital of Madrid, where 10,000 miners’ supporters marched last week. Asturias is located between Galicia and the Basque Country.
The strikers want a reversal of a recently-announced cut of €190million in subsidies to the mining sector by the conservative Spanish Government. Miners say the cuts will result in the collapse of the mining sector as Spanish coal will become too expensive, leaving it unable to compete against cheaper foreign coal. The subsidy cut affects 40 mines, almost all located in Asturias.
Dozens of police and striking miners have been hurt in clashes and scores of arrests have been made.
Some miners have occupied a mineshaft while supporters are camped out in the main square in the Asturian capital of Oviedo.
Miners in Wales have publicly pledged their support to the Spanish strikers in a sign of international solidarity.
Unemployment in Spain stands at almost 25% and is continuing to increase due to the EU-imposed austerity programme.
The traditional coal-mining region of Asturias has a history of militant protest and opposition to right-wing governments. In 1934, an uprising in the region led by striking miners was crushed by the fascist General Franco. More than 1,500 miners and 200 civilians were killed, along with 280 Spanish troops and police.


Solidarity! :thumbup1:

[Genti]

Solidarity :star2:

[Os Cangaceiros]

Anyone with any knowledge of Spanish history knows that the Asturias region has a pretty long and storied history of revolt.

[Sasha]

qzGUL5dmTfE

:wub::tt1::thumbup1:

[bricolage]

think there's a 'general strike' being called for the 18th but I'm not sure how much it will differ from what's been going on so far.

some updates yesterday from a thread on libcom,

Nine miners arrested today charged with public order offences and with firing bolts and ball bearings at the police with catapults.

The HQ of the PP government party in Oviedo and various PP locals around Asturias were attacked last night. Two had black paint thrown all over the windows, some were bombarded with eggs and two suffered broken windows. In one a sack of coal was found afterwards on the premises.

Apparently there are strikes by transport workers and teachers and in the shipyards in Asturias, not sure if these are still going on, trying to find more info.

and one less enthusiastic piece of analysis from the same thread,

The day before yesterday the HQ of left-wing PSOE, which heads Asturias regional goverment, in Mieres was attacked with molotov coktails, and the personal car of SOMA-UGT leader Villa (which is the classical union leader "vendeobreros" = worker seller) was damaged in Tuilla.

By the way, the confrontations with the police have a significative "folkorical" and spectacular component: you know, people not in the coal-mining area thinks "miners are miners and do this kind of things". This is in no way going out of the control of the mainstream trade-unions (CCOO_UGT) which respect and encourage these methods of struggle and pressure when the miners (or shipyard workers) use them but denounce and criminalize if any other worker (not to talk not workers) use them. Of course, by the moment, the strike is completeley under the control of main unions leadership.

In my opinion, this is probably more the last resort of a dying worker composition than an upsurge of class struggle in Spain. Maybe the miners strike encourages some other ongoing worker struggles in the country (mainly the so-called "green tide" in education) but I don't see workers in Madrid setting tyres in fire in a near future. I hope I'm wrong.

Finally, I think that the crucial discussion is not in the means but in the objectives of the struggle. Sorry, but I have no time to write more about this. Maybe other day.
i still have hope!

[The Red Hammer and Sickle]

This is just fucking beautiful, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[KurtFF8]

This is a beautiful video:

Pr2y_ueEOlY

[Geiseric]

Salud! como se dice comrade en espanol?

[Comrade Jandar]

Salud! como se dice comrade en espanol?

companero

[not your usual suspect]

So I came looking for intelligent comment and analysis. Bit silly thinking that I guess. I get one liners apparently praising violence for the sake of it. I get better analysis from the capitalist media...

Here's my analysis (rough as it is, based solely on the capitalist media reports I've seen): the minors are angry 'cause they are going to loose their jobs, because the central government is going to cut their subsidies. Boo hoo. Yes, we should praise resistance to the government, but this resistance (no matter how "beautiful" it may be) is for the wrong reasons. These minors are not fighting to bring about a socialist utopia (or anything of the sort), they are fighting to maintain the status quo, with government subsidies for an industry that is not worth keeping around. Hardly a worthwhile goal.

Now, my analysis maybe completely wrong. Correct it for me. Go on, have a conversation that is not just "Solidarity".

[Robocommie]

Yeah, fuck those people for wanting to hang on to their jobs in an economic climate with 24% unemployment. What a bunch of reactionary swine.

:rolleyes:

I appreciate that you want to talk about this, because I had also and felt this thread was basically just serving as riot porn. That said, you're being pretty ultra-left (and harshly so) if you think that the only thing worth fighting for is a socialist utopia. That is not how class struggle begins. Class struggle begins when the proletariat are aware of a threat to their livelihoods.

What should be of concern is the extent to which a lot of those government subsidies to the coal industry ended up in the pockets of individual mine owners, the capitalists. Now the Spanish miners are being asked to make a sacrifice of tens of thousands of jobs in an economy that is already seriously in trouble. Spain might be having serious problems continuing to pay these subsidies, but this isn't going to help it. It's in fact more likely to compound the issue further by deepening the economic problems facing the country and making revenues even more scarce.

[mykittyhasaboner]

So I came looking for intelligent comment and analysis. Bit silly thinking that I guess. I get one liners apparently praising violence for the sake of it. I get better analysis from the capitalist media...

Here's my analysis (rough as it is, based solely on the capitalist media reports I've seen): the minors are angry 'cause they are going to loose their jobs, because the central government is going to cut their subsidies. Boo hoo. Yes, we should praise resistance to the government, but this resistance (no matter how "beautiful" it may be) is for the wrong reasons. These minors are not fighting to bring about a socialist utopia (or anything of the sort), they are fighting to maintain the status quo, with government subsidies for an industry that is not worth keeping around. Hardly a worthwhile goal.

Now, my analysis maybe completely wrong. Correct it for me. Go on, have a conversation that is not just "Solidarity".

A thread just for "solidarity" or "riot porn" is better than most of the discussions that go on here anyways. i would rather see a bunch of great pictures than read through bullshit like your post.

There's nothing to discuss. We all know about austerity, and attacks on working class people. They are fighting back. They want to keep their jobs and maintain some semblance of normal living standards. If we can't support the working class fighting for their own interests, then how the fuck is this "socialist utopia" going to happen?

Boo hoo you say. i'd want to see how you react when you are fired and forced into unemployment, and probably poverty.

[brigadista]

So I came looking for intelligent comment and analysis. Bit silly thinking that I guess. I get one liners apparently praising violence for the sake of it. I get better analysis from the capitalist media...

Here's my analysis (rough as it is, based solely on the capitalist media reports I've seen): the minors are angry 'cause they are going to loose their jobs, because the central government is going to cut their subsidies. Boo hoo. Yes, we should praise resistance to the government, but this resistance (no matter how "beautiful" it may be) is for the wrong reasons. These minors are not fighting to bring about a socialist utopia (or anything of the sort), they are fighting to maintain the status quo, with government subsidies for an industry that is not worth keeping around. Hardly a worthwhile goal.

Now, my analysis maybe completely wrong. Correct it for me. Go on, have a conversation that is not just "Solidarity".

you want to see the outcome for the spanish miners if these cuts happen ? visit any mining town in the uk and see the devastated communities there-

i was on a demo recently behind the NUM banner there were only three ex miners behind that banner when i asked them how they were doing they just said - dont ask...

so with respect to you that is my reply which is why I started this thread and yes i do say Solidarity to the Spanish miners!!!

and what would you suggest is the answer apart from a "socialist utopia" if these miners lose their jobs and all those communities collapse?

[aty]

Todays clashes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5YlQW8V7fk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5YlQW8V7fk)
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339776977_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774104_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774131_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774205_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774410_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339776249_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774520_album_normal.jpg
http://economia.elpais.com/economia/imagenes/2012/06/15/album/1339773985_252075_1339774469_album_normal.jpg

[agnixie]

From the sounds of it, there seemed to be a relative news blackout on the situation - at least I couldn't see anything related to this in dutch, italian and french media until AP started crying, unexpectedly, about "violent" miners. I'm not really a conspirational person but I've seen it suggested that the internal silence in Spain may have had to do with the fact that this hurts Rajoy's triumphant crowing/domino effect fears.

[piet11111]

I want one of those rocket launchers.

[Sasha]

I want one of those rocket launchers.

Its just a scaffolding pipe with a handle welded to it... its the "lawine pijlen" (avalanche rockets?) that are a bit harder to get your hands on here....

[brigadista]

nothing on the news in the UK...no surprise there...

[Manic Impressive]

nothing on the news in the UK...no surprise there...
I'm sure I heard something yesterday or the day before, although admittedly it might have been on RT. But I'm pretty sure it was the BBC.

[DDR]

nothing on the news in the UK...no surprise there...

In the spanish media there's close to zero coverage, so is not a matter of distance.



So I came looking for intelligent comment and analysis. Bit silly thinking that I guess. I get one liners apparently praising violence for the sake of it. I get better analysis from the capitalist media...

Here's my analysis (rough as it is, based solely on the capitalist media reports I've seen): the minors are angry 'cause they are going to loose their jobs, because the central government is going to cut their subsidies. Boo hoo. Yes, we should praise resistance to the government, but this resistance (no matter how "beautiful" it may be) is for the wrong reasons. These minors are not fighting to bring about a socialist utopia (or anything of the sort), they are fighting to maintain the status quo, with government subsidies for an industry that is not worth keeping around. Hardly a worthwhile goal.

Now, my analysis maybe completely wrong. Correct it for me. Go on, have a conversation that is not just "Solidarity".

Yeah, let's tear appart the few remains of the industrial fabric of spain and of course let's get some more unemployed, 5 million people I guess is not enough. We lost the shipyards, the steel mills, and now you find stupid to defend de mines. So please stay out or atleats don't say idiotic things.

And as a present to you all I give you a picture of yesterday's demo in Leon:

https://p.twimg.com/AvckcPhCMAEQoXQ.jpg:large

The banner says: If our children starve, yours will be spilling blood.

[REDSOX]

If the media wont come to you then you must go to the media. In other words force yourself onto the screens, invade their corporate studios, get in their face when they are interviewing people, march on madrid stay there cause traffic choas and generally fuck up the centre of madrid. That should get their attention. I believe the miners are causing much disruption in parts of Spain, good thing too. I hope they win and not end up like the british miners after their titanic strike 1984-5

[piet11111]

Its just a scaffolding pipe with a handle welded to it... its the "lawine pijlen" (avalanche rockets?) that are a bit harder to get your hands on here....

But not impossible ;)

[sumiciu]

From the sounds of it, there seemed to be a relative news blackout on the situation - at least I couldn't see anything related to this in dutch, italian and french media until AP started crying, unexpectedly, about "violent" miners. I'm not really a conspirational person but I've seen it suggested that the internal silence in Spain may have had to do with the fact that this hurts Rajoy's triumphant crowing/domino effect fears.

Not even in Spanish mass media, they waited some weeks to show some images. Financial Times itself got clashes' images in front page before most Spanish papers. The only media to pay some attention from the beginning were the Asturian ones (I suppose the Leonese too), where strike is being followed day to day.

When reading some post I get that people is not actually aware about the causes of the conflict, so I'll try to contribute here from an Asturian view ( where most protests are taking place).

In brief, there was a plan to systematically reduce coal mines activity to 2018 (signed by unions and previous Spanish government of PSOE, SOMA -the main miners' union- is strongly linked to them), but the cuts where anticipated by the current Spanish government because of the crisis and the bailout.

I think that unions wanted to wait until 2018 to start some protests by that time to extend coal mines activity, but everything came up before the expected.

Coal mine industry, while very powerful some time ago, now represents a minor percentage of the activity in Asturias. Governments knows that and they are playing their game just ignoring them and criminalizing them.

[not your usual suspect]

LOL at all the people having a go at me. At least you're having a conversation instead of just saying how wonderful violence is. I was pretty sure my first analysis was wrong, I mainly posted it to get some actual analysis from people, so thanks :) mission accomplished.

I do think that resistance is good and necessary. And strikes, and violent ones like this, are a key to bringing about a socialist utopia. But the level of analysis in the thread until I posted, was what, none?

I have no problem with the strike, or its violent nature. I have no problem with people wanting to keep their jobs. I do agree that wanting to keep your job in times of mass unemployment is understandable.

I also think that no government is better than any government. But what would I know, I'm a dirty ultra-left anarchist :lol:.

[Manic Impressive]

Please please please never put the words socialist and utopia together again, ever. Socialism is not a utopia.

[Sinister Cultural Marxist]

you want to see the outcome for the spanish miners if these cuts happen ? visit any mining town in the uk and see the devastated communities there-

i was on a demo recently behind the NUM banner there were only three ex miners behind that banner when i asked them how they were doing they just said - dont ask...

so with respect to you that is my reply which is why I started this thread and yes i do say Solidarity to the Spanish miners!!!

and what would you suggest is the answer apart from a "socialist utopia" if these miners lose their jobs and all those communities collapse?



Yeah, let's tear appart the few remains of the industrial fabric of spain and of course let's get some more unemployed, 5 million people I guess is not enough. We lost the shipyards, the steel mills, and now you find stupid to defend de mines. So please stay out or atleats don't say idiotic things.



If there is a legitimate critique of the coal miners, it is that continuing the subsidy for coal mining is supporting a deeply polluting and environmentally inefficient industry which contributes greatly to global warming. We are talking about coal here, not natural gas or even petroleum but *coal*. Burning it produces a large amount of CO2 and particulate pollution. As far as it seems, clean coal is still a fantasy, and the use of coal, especially in places like China, continues to be a leading contributor to global warming. Continuing the exploitation of coal reserves or increasing it would cause more suffering to people, especially in the third world. So it's not exactly like coal mining is a wholly unproblematic industry.

That said, there are ways of dealing with this problem which help protect the miners and working class interests, and those which don't. The British and now Spanish governments chose the way of dealing with it which does nothing to protect the interests of the workers who toiled in those mines for years. They are doing what is in the interests of the investor class, which is basically to cut these workers loose and let them sink all by themselves, adding them to the reserve army of labor and leaving large portions of the country much poorer than they were before.

The miners obviously have a high level of class consciousness, as well as a lot of creativity and vitality in their mode of resistance, so they really do deserve praise. I am more impressed with them than the Indignados ... not a knock to the Indignados who are very important, but these miners are showing a higher level of political consistency and class consciousness. It does seem like the objective which they see as their short-term goal is incredibly unsustainable in the long-term, but solidarity with them in their struggle is important.

[Sasha]

The miners obviously have a high level of class consciousness, as well as a lot of creativity and vitality in their mode of resistance, so they really do deserve praise. I am more impressed with them than the Indignados ... not a knock to the Indignados who are very important, but these miners are showing a higher level of political consistency and class consciousness. It does seem like the objective which they see as their short-term goal is incredibly unsustainable in the long-term, but solidarity with them in their struggle is important.


apparently one of the mineworkers banners read (and im paraphrasing); "We are not M15, we are not indiginant, we are angry untill our balls and this till now is us aksing nicely" :D

good article in dutch: http://anarcho-syndicalisme.nl/wp/?p=1675

[bricolage]

apparently one of the mineworkers banners read (and im paraphrasing); "We are not M15, we are not indiginant, we are angry untill our balls and this till now is us aksing nicely" :D

good article in dutch: http://anarcho-syndicalisme.nl/wp/?p=1675

here's a cartoon,
http://humor.lainformacion.com/ferran-martin/files/2012/06/2012-06-05-resistencias.jpg

it was the general strike today but I haven't heard how it's gone.

[Arlekino]

I am attaching this video please anybody can translate what banners saying, I am little confuse about crosses?
http://krasnoe.tv/node/15123

[bricolage]

fantastic video here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtTXWJyVIpE

the miners columns arrived at madrid last night and there was a night march through the city, very powerful stuff. there has been a mass march today and lots of police brutality. this is far from over.

[bricolage]

for uk donations; http://smscuk.blogspot.co.uk/

[Gman]

Salud! como se dice comrade en espanol?

camarada ;)

[Q]

It's probably not the right moment and all that, but I found the anarcho version of the "you don't say" meme (http://memebase.com/tag/you-dont-say/), so I thought I'd seize the opportunity:

http://i.qkme.me/3q24yz.jpg

On a more serious note: Source and background can be found in this RT article (http://www.rt.com/news/fires-bullets-protesting-miners-939/).

[DDR]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m703njUX551r8blfxo1_500.jpg

11 years old child, ACAB (Si ser policia es un trabajo, tiro en la nuca acidente laboral)