Missoula working-class celebrates International Workers Day, May 1st

Missoula, May 1 (Al-Masakin)–There were no arrests on this sunny May 1st at a demonstration commemorating International Worker’s Day organized by the Missoula chapter of the IWW.  The demonstration began at 2pm on the University of Montana campus where students stood at top of a proverbial “Soap Box” adjacent to a paper-maché “Profit Pig” and decried the student loan crisis. 

One student said that after graduate studies and taking a local job as a teacher he is burdened with $112,000 in student loan debt.  Another former student said she graduated in 1998 with $60,000 in student loan debt which, on account of interest, has ballooned into more than $120,000.  The students and former students demanded “Bail us out!” and “People over profit.”

Other speaks discussed the Haymarket rebellion of 1886 which brought the American working class the eight hour work day.  Others called for financial regime change and suggested “Public Utility Banking” as an alternative.  Many demonstrators displayed the Anarcho-Syndicalist “Red and Black” banner.  They spoke collectively about socialism, communalism, unionism, and activism.  Many wore red scarves around their necks.  There were about 150 people in attendance.

Demonstrators held signs that said, inter alia, “May Day is the Real Labor Day,” and “Think Beyond Capitalism.”

At 2:30 the march began, after making a pass by the University of Montana’s Main Hall were students demanded a cancellation of the student load debts and free education, the march proceeded down University Avenue to Hellgate High School.  Along the way demonstrators chanted “Exploitation and Starvation can’t be solved by a Corporation…That’s bullshit get off it, the enemy is Profit!”  They also sang the traditional Union song “Solidarity Forever…the Union makes us strong.”

The protest continued north on Higgins Avenue where it soon came under surveillance of the Missoula Police Department who tried in vain to channel the marchers on to the sidewalk.  One officer said that he would be satisfied if the march was at the very least confined to one lane.

Demonstrators began to chant “Whose streets?…Our streets!” as the crossed the Higgins bridge into downtown Missoula.  Attempts to block the protesters with police cars failed as demonstrators turned west on Broadway and rallied at the Wells Fargo bank at Woody and Main where they demanded “Bail us out…bail us out!  It’s the People’s Bank…Whose bank?…Our bank!”

After a few short speeches and a song, demonstrators were urged to think of “a world beyond capitalism,” and agreed to meet and discusthis on the 133th anniversary of the Haymarket massacre, Monday, May 4 at the Union Hall at 7pm.

EHC / EHC

PFLP calls on internationalists for ‘the broadest mass demonstrations, the escalation of popular international action, and the takeover of Israeli embassies worldwide’

As aggression escalates, PFLP calls for takeover of Israeli embassies and broad popular demonstrations

As the aggression against our people escalates, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is calling upon all international progressive forces for the widest popular participation of all sectors of society in mass demonstrations and actions in the streets in solidarity and support for the Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as the escalation and expansion of direct action, particularly the takeover of embassies of Israel and its allies.

The PFLP saluted the hundreds of thousands internationally who have continued to take to the streets, and the millions in the Arab homeland who have done so as well. Over 200,000 people marched on January 10, 2008 in London, including surrounding and attempting to enter and take over the Israeli embassy, and thousands upon thousands more marched in cities around the world, including Paris, Athens, Nairobi, Chicago, Sao Paulo, Washington, DC, Auckland and Sydney and throughout the Arab world.

In various cities, demonstrators have surrounded Israeli embassies, as well as U.S. and Egyptian embassies, besieging them with a demand for justice and an end to the massacres and siege. In Toronto, women attempted to take over the Israeli embassy in a sit-in on January 7, 2009. These actions and others have been impacting and providing support to the steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance, and we can feel the power and commitment of such actions, which strengthens the morale of all of our people facing massacres and siege.

The occupation army has killed over 860 and injured over 3500 Palestinians as of January 10, 2009. In the past days, the occupier has attacked Palestinian journalists, shelling the homes of multiple journalists, as it continues its massacres, announcing its intention to escalate its crimes. Simultaneously, in the West Bank, it has renewed its use of live ammunition against mass protests and demonstrations, while in Gaza, it is utilizing all forms of weaponry against our people, including white phosphorous, gas cartridges causing physical exhaustion, and massive amounts of U.S.-made and funded weaponry.

In the face of all of this, the Palestinian resistance has remained steadfast, and the actions of the people around the world in support of the Palestinian cause only bolsters that steadfastness and commitment to struggle until victory. The PFLP calls for the broadest mass demonstrations and the escalation of popular international action, especially the takeover of the embassies of the occupier, in the face of crimes and massacres, as the people of the world march arm in arm with the people of Palestine against occupation and oppression and towards victory!