Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday September 07, 2007 14:58

by Jason Brannigan - Just Books Collective & Organise!

jst_books at yahoo dot co dot uk

P.O. Box 505, Belfast.

Successful First Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair took place last weekend, Friday 31st of August and Saturday 1st of September, this report will be followed by more indepth reports from individual meetings and from people who attended the bookfair.
Many thanks from the Just Books Collective and Organise! to all involved in making this the success that it was.

The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair last weekend was a great success. Its estimated that over 150 people attended the bookfair and film showing over the evening of the Friday 31st of August and throughout the day on Saturday 1st of September.

The Friday evening kicked events off with a showing of Libertarias, a film that tels the story of a group of women fighting as part of the Mujeres Libres in the milita's during the Spanish Revolution. Militarisation of the militia's, sexism and the removal of women from the frontline in the fight against fascism are all dealt with in this 1996 film directed by Vicente Aranda. A few anarchist 'icons' are toppled along the way with the focus of the story being on the bravery and idealism of the women and men who make up the 'rank and file' of the anarchist militia.

There was an early start on Saturday morning (perhaps a wee bit too early for some) with the first meeting, giving the low down on developments within Just Books, kicking off at 11.30 am to a rather small, but interested, gathering of around half a dozen. Attendance at the rest of the days meetings was much higher, reports on each meting should follow this article.

The meetings throughout the rest of the day were on:
Belfast Anarchism
Ireland, still fighting for the right to choose
Northern Ireland - New Era? Anothert future is possible
Justice for Dockers
Workplace Organising, Workplace Resistance
International Anarcho-Syndicalism
Resisting Water Charges.

There were stalls from AIT-IWA, Back2front magazine, Barracka Books (Cork), Belfast Anarchist Black Cross, Just Books, Organise!, Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group, Solidarity Federation, We Won't Pay Campaign, Workers Esperanto Association, Workers Solidarity Movement.

Thanks also to the organisers and bands that made the Saturday night benefit for Just Books such a success, ta very much to Jonny, Runnin' Riot, 1000 Drunken Nights, the Lobotomies the Troubles and Stillbirth. Thanks to everyone who did stalls, gave talks, made food, helped publicise the event, housed waifs and strays over the weekend, cleaned up, contributed to discussion, got a drink in... Particular thanks to the Unemployed Resource Centre in Belfast, Albert from Justice for Dockers, Heather from the fpa, RAG and Choice Ireland,

It was great to see so many people over the weekend, new and old, from all over. Reports on specific meetings will follow, hopefully with some photos.

The organisers, Just Books Collective and Organise!, would like to thank everyone who helped ensure this was such a successful event, and to take this opportunity to let everyone know that we plan to make this an annual event.

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Comments (7 of 7)

Sorry to miss it!

by radicaljonny

Fri Sep 07, 2007 15:09

Keep up the good work, people!

Anarchist Bookfair

by Jaded Cynic

Fri Sep 07, 2007 19:37

How do they deal with shoplifters ?

The sign in our shop......

by Ciaron - Justice Products

Fri Sep 07, 2007 23:35

Property is theft, but theft is the beginning of property!

Justice for Dockers meeting report

by Sean - Organise!

Sun Sep 09, 2007 20:45

Around 25 people attended the meeting on Justice for Dockers.

On July 2006, a group of dockers set up a committee to fight for justice for dockers suffering from asbestosis or asbestos related diseases got while working unloading asbestos at Belfast Docks from 1960 to 1980. The group aims to seek compensation from the British government, their employers and also their union - SIPTU. All who knew about the danger of abestos but never told the dockers.

Authur Millar who worked in the docks himself spoke passoniately about the betrayel of the union leadership and the employers and their exhaustion of all the legal avenues including the courts and lobbying the leadership of SIPTU in the struggle for justice but to no avail. So far only NIPSA have given their support to the campaign.

The discussion afterwards centered on the need to build support amongst the trade union rank and file and broaden out the campaign to include all those affected from asbestos such as the current campaign by residents in Crumlin to prevent a asbestos dump being built in their area.

Most importantly Justice for Dockers will be on the streets in the next couple of weeks to expose and embarrass the British Government, SIPTU and employers and they are asking for our support.

Sean

short report

by Davy Carlin - Organise!

Sun Sep 09, 2007 22:56

The first such Belfast Anarchist Book fair has taken place. Hundreds of books, a variety of meetings and healthy debate and discussion were had by all.

I had noticed quite a few ‘activists that I had not seen in a while there, and I had got to meet others from around the country and further afield. Many others who attended I had not known including a guy who had been in Seattle and for years had been doing his own small pamphlets and publications to get the message out. I have since read an article he did on Christianity, which was interesting, and will be in contact.

For him, living out in the sticks he thought the event was brill! And with his stall by the door in the first room, he estimated between 120 – 150 came throughout the day, some to browse most to partake.

The event itself I thought was excellent, the debate was good and solidarity was forthcoming for a number of workers in struggle and campaigns. It also showed that there is a growing thirst for such ideas and ways of organising local.

Indeed Anarchism and Libertarian Socialism has put down its mark in Belfast at the first such event - which will only grow in the time ahead.

photos

by bot

Fri Sep 21, 2007 14:23

sorry these are so belated. had some upload problems and then time problems, then forgetfullness...
was a good day - well done Organise!

Anarchy - upstairs