Hands off Manolis!square in Nicosia old town CYPRUS

Reporters, politicians, investors and police have launched an attack against us and other youths who spend time at Manolis square in Faneromeni and the surrounding area. This attack is not at all random. Their purpose is to terrify people, make them afraid and turn them against anything different going on in the town and also to convince people of the necessity of strong police forces in the area. It is almost certain that they are preparing the ground for another police operation, like the ones which took place last September and October.

There is no doubt why Manolis square is being targeted, alongside the whole area of old Nicosia. “The climate of insecurity and criminality delay, maybe completely ruin the plans for investments of many millions of Euros in the city’s centre” (Fileleftheros, 23/4/2010 – the quote has been translated from Greek into English). This did not surprise any of us. A week ago we wrote in our article ‘For a more humane city,’ that “For them, the citizens and others who are active in the area are an obstacle in their plans because they oppose the commercialization of their neighborhoods. The immigrants are also an obstacle because, according to their opinion, they ruin the nice ‘display’ which they have created. The media as their advertising agent and the police as their natural partner provide full cover to the investors in their efforts to overcome the said obstacles.”

Member of Parliament I. Nicolaou stated that “youths who gather there (at Manolis square) are looking for an alternative way of entertainment but no one has managed to communicate with them.” That is correct; you sirs have not been able to communicate with us because we don’t speak the same language. You, members of parliament, television channel managers and all kinds of ‘responsible’ and ‘respectable’ people can only speak the language of money and profits. As to the statement that youths have fun “until morning with the music at full volume,” this is simply a myth created by those attack ing Manolis square. Loud music is played only when there is a street party, about once a month, with permission from the local authorities and the music is turned off by 11:30.

Manolis square is a multicultural, multidimensional area which we respect and protect, and invite anyone to discover this in person. In this area one can find politically active groups of people, with their opinions and social sensitivities. These are people with their own judgment, without the need for leaders and guidance. All the people who would hate to see the area become an enormous, commercial center and prefer to socialize in open, public, free spaces are an obstacle to the investors. The feeling of insecurity is created by the media, and those who pass by the area will understand that the media’s arguments are invalid.

The media’s misinformation will not stand.

Those who sacrifice human communication and creativity in the name of greed and profits will find us blocking their way.

Reporters, politicians, investors and policemen – hands off Manolis!

Planodio Steki Dromou

The article does not mean to represent all those who spend time at Manolis. It is the expression of opinion of one group of people among those many who spend time at Manolis. (the “Planodio Steki Dromou” organization)

Two Killed in Clash with Police in Nicaragua

MANAGUA – Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said two people died in clashes between farm workers and police carrying out an arrest in the northwestern town of Chichigalpa.

Three civilians and 15 police were reported injured in the confrontations that began when seven officers captured Alonso Cuadra, 19, at the San Antonio sugar mill and villagers there tried to free him.

“This is reprehensible and we must investigate what happened there. It must be investigated from where the shots came,” said the president.

Ortega did not identify the victims, but police sources said that one of them was Erving Urrutia, 28, who participated in the gunbattle with cops, who refused to free Cuadra.

Local residents attacked the police a second time a little later, hurling stones and sticks at the station house in Chichigalpa and injuring 12 officers.

The police contingent in Chichigalpa was reinforced with 200 officers sent from the nearby cities of Chinandega and Leon, according to official sources, while community leaders and the authorities are discussing how to resolve the situation. EFE

UPR Students Brutalized at the Capitol

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A 1,000 students from the University of Puerto Rico and others demonstrated in front of the legislative building at the capitol on Wednesday, June 30th, in the midst of a controversy around an $800 tuition increase expected to begin in January. The week before, a 62-day long student strike ended after a student negotiating committee and the university administrators and trustees negotiated an agreement. It now appears that the agreement has been violated with this new round of tuition increases, the appointment of 4 new trustees interested in increased privatization measures, and attempts to punish students involved in the strike. Students are demanding to be heard as they see irreparable damage being caused on the 11 campus university system.

Early in the afternoon, demonstrators and members of independent media attempted to gain entry into the building, but were pushed away by police forces. Protesters were attempting to use peaceful civil disobedience to relay a message to the legislature. However, police were prepared to face down the students on the steps of the building. As some demonstrators sat down and chanted in front of the officers, the police used batons and pepper spray to push them back.

Protesters were continually pushed back as physical confrontations continued; police continued to use pepper spray and hit protesters with batons and some protesters threw police barricades at officers who were pushing them down the stairs. Some managed to gain entry into the lobby, but were beaten back outside.

At least one student was repeatedly beaten with batons and pepper sprayed by police as she sat peacefully in front of police officers (recorded on video). She was unconscious when an ambulance arrived and took her to a hospital. At least 5 other protesters were later admitted to emergency care. One member of the press was also hit in her arm, breaking skin and knocking her down. Police continued to blockade the front entrance of the building, but were drawn out into the street.

UPR-Mayagüez student unconscious

Frustrated protesters flanked the sides of the legislative building. Police shot teargas at protesters from the roof and from the ground, and in response some protesters threw eggs at the police and smashed the windows of police cars and cars parked next to the building (owned by members of the legislature).

By late afternoon protesters began to disperse. Those that stayed behind were later chased away by mounted police. The police continued to search the vicinity around the capitol, only accosting youth who could possibly be identified as a student.

In the video below, a family drives their car past some of the police hunting for students. The father curses the police for their excessive brutality that day, and the last officer in the line marching past them smashes the rear window with his baton and strikes the young daughter.

The following is a mainstream news report.

A protest against Police Brutality has been called to take place on Friday, at 5:00pm in front of the police headquarters. Radio Huelga, which formed at the beginning of the strike, has denounced the repression of protest and journalism seen at the capitol in this press release (in Spanish). More information available in Spanish on Indymedia PR.

Involuntary Destruction: Oakland After the Verdict

OAKLAND, California – On January 1st, 2009, BART police officer Johannes Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant while he lay on the ground at the Fruitvale station in Oakland. Within a month, numerous protests and riots broke out throughout Oakland demanding justice for Oscar Grant. After a year and 6-months, the historic trial of Mehserle for the murder of Grant commenced. However, the trial was ridden with bias and favor for the former BART officer. On July 8th, 2010, a verdict from the trial was announced; Mehserle was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

On the day of the verdict, some 2000 activists, community members, youth to elderly, gathered at 14th and broadway in downtown Oakland, some as early as 5pm, while the main rally began at 6pm. As several helicopters buzzed overhead, the crowd swelled at three intersections all along broadway at 12th, 13th, and 14th st. At 12th and broadway, hundreds of police surrounded protesters, at the next intersection a street orchestra played music with chants demanding justice as even more police looked on, and at 14th and broadway activists from non-profits and some community members took the stage. Dozens of speakers went up to the mic, all proclaiming the unsettled feeling the so-called justice system invoked that day by what seemed to be just a half empty gesture at any sort of real justice. Many spoke to the crowd about peace, disturbingly merging property destruction with violence, assault with self-defense in the rhetoric they used to control the crowd. While some of the crowd surrounded the audio system, much of the people talked amongst themselves as the blasting voices of rightfully outraged speakers were lost in the dense mass of bodies. Some were able to hang a large banner reading “OAKLAND SAYS GUILTY”, and others migrated from 12th to 14th and back again, looking for the crowd they belonged in. No one knew what to do, no one knew how to express their distress. Those speakers attempting to manipulate the crowd, and the activists attempting to quell and police the “unruly youth” were unable to provide a reason, or an alternative, or an analysis that was capable of satisfying a mass of people swept away by the injustice they sought to amend.

As the rally ended and the sound system removed, only a handful of people left the area. For nearly an hour, the crowd remained confused and unsure what the next step was. People milled about, discussing what had happened, reacquainting themselves with friends, and figuring out what to do. Much of the sentiment in the crowd seemed to wish a march or a collective escape from the intersections. Instead we stood around, as police forces continued to encircle the crowd. Eventually the crowd felt a sense of rush, away from 12th st and back to 14th and broadway. There we stood again, dense as sardines in a can without a collective escape from the looming police. As the anticipation rose, waves of excitement and fear hit us. Those of us in the middle and back of the crowd near 14th st felt bodies rush past us and then forward again north on broadway. Finally something snapped, people began spraying graffiti on walls and smashing windows. The footlocker on broadway was smashed, but the metal security fence behind the glass held no one back; the crowd pushed through and the merchandise in the store was looted. The bounty was shared by all as looters liberated shoes and clothing and jettisoned much of it into the crowd. For the next several minutes, what seemed to be hours, the crowd milled around, caged by police with nowhere to go. Shoeboxes were lit, small fights broke out between activists trying to stop “violence” and the rioters. Slowly the crowd realized the encroaching police. Wall to wall police had surrounded the intersection; the 12th and 13th st intersections had fallen to the riot police and eventually a 300 strong squad of cops pushed through the crowd from 14th st. Much of the crowd dissipated, others sat in the grassy area in front of city hall adjacent to the intersection (Frank Ogawa Plaza).

An image posted on indybay in response to claims that outside agitators are responsible for rioting.

Another half hour rolled by and the dimming crowd began leaving at a faster rate. A smaller contingent of about 200 people eventually broke off from the intersection of 14th and broadway, ran around the block, and ended up behind police on the north side of broadway (around 16th st). For the next hour, they smashed windows and lit trash cans and dumpsters, rolling some into the street. Eventually the police regrouped, the majority marched down broadway flushing out the remaining rioters, but not before a standoff began at the intersection of broadway and 19th st. Police had locked down streets parallel to broadway as well, including Telegraph and Franklin, but had not yet encircled the 19th st intersections. Those 100 or so that remained at 19th and broadway stood resolutely until street lamps were shut off. All that remained were burning dumpsters and the roar of a crowd. Some fled in fear of a raid; gunshots were fired into the air as warning to other protesters, and loud explosions could be heard a few blocks down. Only a few streets down other windows continued to be smashed, but the intersection of 19th and broadway became the focal point for police. The police boxed in rioters from either side of 19th st, leaving rioters only the ability to run north on broadway into a thin fray of police. Some appeared to be arrested, others seemed to make it past them. Within the next half hour, the crowd appeared to completely diffuse throughout the area.

Some activists are expecting the next action to take place after Mehserle’s sentencing on August 6th. More information available at oscargrantprotests. More videos:

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Eight people were arrested in San Francisco today for occupying the city’s Human Services

Agency in protest of the closing of a homeless shelter and the mistreatment of the people who had used its services, who were callously turned out on the streets. Those people had been promised 90 day vouchers to use the services of other city homeless shelters. Instead they were locked out and left to fend for themselves on the streets of San Francisco.

San Francisco, Monday, June 28-Eight people from Direct Action To Stop the cuts were arrested this afternoon for occupying the San Francisco Human Services Agency in protest over its slash and burn policy towards homeless people.

The agency, located at 170 Otis Street near Mission and Duboce streets, slashed away 59 more available beds for the homeless today by closing the Otis Homeless Shelter at 150 Otis Street, right next to the agency’s headquarters.

And the agency also burned the people who had been staying at the shelter when they came for promised assistance today. The agency had told these people to come to 150 Otis today at 4 p.m. to receive 90 day vouchers that would enable them to find shelter in other city shelters.

However, according to eyewitnesses today, when people came there at that time, they found the doors to 150 Otis locked. “They locked the doors just before 4,” one observer said. When asked if there was any further communication from the people inside, the witness replied, “No.”

Today’s action was motivated by the “utter inhumanity of the mistreatment of these people , which demands immediate attention,” said one of the occupiers, who took over Human Services’ lobby at about 3:30 this afternoon.

Besides this specific injustice, the group pointed out that other such outrages are looming in Gavin Newsom’s proposed cuts. A press release from today’s action states:

“There are 6000-15,000 people without housing in San Francisco and less than 1000 emergency shelter beds. 300 people a year die on the streets of San Francisco due to homelessness. Yet the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for the shelter system say no one will miss the 59 shelter beds when 150 Otis closes.

“This is an outright LIE, as anyone who has waited all night for a shelter bed can tell you! Poverty, homelessness and unemployment are skyrocketing due to the economic crisis, yet Mayor Newsom is cutting the budget for San Francisco’s poorest people at a time when we need these services more than ever!”

After occupying the agency for several hours, police handcuffed the members of Direct Action to Stop the Cuts, led them from the building, cited them for trespassing and released them.

The building at 150 Otis is slated for conversion to permanent supportive housing for houseless and senior veterans.

However, as Direct Action to Stop the Cuts explained, “No resources have been allocated in the mayor’s proposed budget for the coming year to replace the 59 shelter beds that are being taken off line.

“Gavin Newsom wants to reconcile the City’s budget on the backs of those who can least afford it. Emergency shelter beds, mental health services for the poor, supportive services for seniors and the disabled: these and other vital services are all dispensable, in the mayor’s view—no matter how many lives hang in the balance.”

In Norway, in a refugee camp rolled riot

Thu, 08/07/2010 - 15:14 — editor Tuesday night at the camp on fire for illegal migrants in the city of Lier province Buskerud in Norway. It was informed by the police department Buskerud province. Burned down three buildings where foreigners were living with their families, before obtaining the waiver of the Norwegian authorities the right to stay in the country. This is one of the two refugee camps, where riots broke out on Tuesday. Protesting against the decision of the Norwegian authorities to expel them from the country, refugees staged riots, first in Tuesday night at the camp Fagerli (some 50 km north of Oslo), where 90 people. About an hour later unrest spread to another refugee camp near the town of Lier, where there were 140 people, mostly immigrants from African and Arab countries, among them women and children. They beat the windows, set fire to garbage containers, and then began to break into the building, where lived. After the refusal of asylum, all refugees are illegal immigrants and should be deported outside the kingdom. And according to initial estimates of the authorities, the refugee camp in the town of Lier suffered less - as expected due to location are women and children.Despite the fact that by Tuesday morning, the police took control of the situation in both camps, on Wednesday night riots continued. One of these centers because of the damage recognized as a national UDI uninhabitable.

Atenco prisoners free!

The twelve Mexican political prisoners seized in the aftermath of the 2006 Atenco uprising have been released following a sensational high court ruling. Judges ruled that not only was there no evidence to sustain the prosecution’s case but also that the charges the twelve faced – organised kidnapping – didn’t even exist in Mexican law.

The victory was celebrated by activists in Mexico and around the world who have relentlessly campaigned for justice over the last four years. Outside the courthouse, Trini del Valle, wife of one of the prisoners, Ignacio del Valle, told the gathered crowd from the Popular Front in Defence of the Land (FPDT) and the Justice and Peace Committee for Atenco, “I see tears of happiness in the eyes of my compañeros and I would like to say thank you to everyone, thank you to the Mexican people and international solidarity. The federal and state governments are not invincible!”

The announcement of the ruling led to an impromptu town festival, while hundreds of locals and activists established a vigil outside the prison holding Ignacio del Valle Medina, Felipe Álvarez and Héctor Galind. There, they waited for the release of the prisoners behind a giant banner proclaiming “Welcome, compañeros, to your town”.

As the High Court judges assembled on Tuesday 29th June, international campaigners staged solidarity demos in Spain, Germany, the US, New Zealand and Britain. In London, activists from across the UK assembled outside the Mexican embassy and leafleted passers-by while blasting out Mexican revolutionary tunes (see our previous article).
Published by Schnews

Elijah James Smith – Freed From Lewes Prison

Elijah James Smith was finally freed from Lewes prison on Wednesday 7th July. All of the decommissioners had been found unanimously not guilty last Friday, but James still had to apply for bail and is now tied to strict bail conditions, including not visiting Brighton.

James has spent over 18 months on remand for preventing war crimes, he has endured more than most could even imagine and his commitment to peace and the end to the immoral trade in arms is impressive to say the least.

Meanwhile, the campaign continues weapon components used in war crimes around the world are still being made in Brighton, and unless we push for the closure of EDO/ITT they will continue to be. Although the not guilty verdict is a victory, it is not THE victory. “We will be here until EDO isn’t” For upto date information on the campaign keep an eye on www.smashedo.org.uk

BT smashed and painted in Bristol U.K.

Multiple windows were broken and three paintbombs thrown at the BT premises on Stapleton Road, Easton, at 1am on Wednesday, June 30th. 'NO BT, NO PRISON, NO WAR (A)' was also sprayed on an electrical box in the compound.

The records show that in 2008 BT had £59m invested in the arms trade, as well as continuing to supply the telephone connections for the prison complex, charging inmates seven times the average rate to speak to their loved ones. It is for these reasons for which we have attacked, expressing our solidarity with the remaining defendents in the recent EDO/ITT decomissiong case, as well as those imprisoned for their 'crimes' in last years Gaza demonstrations. These facts aside, for their fundamental role within the capitalist framework of exploitation and oppression, all corporations are worthy of attack.

Solidarity means attack

news for comrade simos seisidis 05/7

They have moved comrade Simos Seisidis to St. Paul hospital...

Half an hour ago comrade Simos Seisidis was discharged from the neurology department of Evangelismos hospital that kept him last week, and was taken to the prison hospital in Korydallos Athens.

In the middle of the week his lawyers had filed an application for his release - remember that he is in custody for a recent shooting incident when he was arrested and charged with attempted murder ...

The trial for the case of the abduction of arms from the police guard Kedikoglou has been postponed to September.

Anti-CCTV Campaign kicks off to a flying start in Camberwell

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Recently in Camberwell various CCTV smart cars have been patrolling residential areas under the publicly known purpose of traffic enforcement. A group of activists who had recently moved to the area observed the Southwark council spy cars recording number plates of all cars passing through their vicinity as well as recording the movements of the local residents and taking footage of people’s houses.

This considerable infringement on civil liberties was quite enough for the activists to stand so they went their merry way out onto the streets with their two banners, one reading ‘CCTV free zone’ and another reading ‘freedom not filming’.

On the first day they were met with lots of friendly neighbourhood who agreed with what they were doing, and one man was very angry so he expressed this with his middle finger at the CCTV camera.

The police arrived and spoke to everyone but left shortly due to boredom. The activists surrounded the car with banners and eventually it left an hour before its shift was due to end.

On the second day the activists spotted the CCTV car again, and so decided to greet it with much enthusiasm. They surrounded it again and one activist very politely asked the CCTV camera to ‘mind its own beeswax’. As they were standing having a jolly old time, another CCTV car arrived, the activists were so surprised they ran over to greet it and show it all the lovely banners they made.

Soon after two traffic enforcement men arrived, they were very interested in what was going on. Shortly after the traffic enforcement men and the CCTV spy cars left, an hour and forty minutes before their shift was due to end.

On the first day it took an hour to convince the CCTV cars to leave, and on the second it took 20 minutes.

The activists plan to continue and expand their campaign, they will be converging on Valmar road, Camberwell to confront these nosy parkers and welcome newcomers to their group.

Jolly Good work friendly neighbourhood anarchists!

up date for amfissa trial Greece 7/7 today...

up date for amfissa trial Greece 7/7 today...

THE TESTIMONY OF THE UNIFORMED MURDERER IN AMFISSA

The Open Initiative of Action against the cover-up of the state murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos announces that it
postpones its actions in Amfissa because of the postponement (for a couple of days) of the day that the murderer
gives his testimony which is a land mark in this whole process.Tomorrow afternoon there will be a final briefing.

up date for amfissa trial Greece 7/7 today...

THE TESTIMONY OF THE UNIFORMED MURDERER IN AMFISSA

The Open Initiative of Action against the cover-up of the state murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos announces that it
postpones its actions in Amfissa because of the postponement (for a couple of days) of the day that the murderer
gives his testimony which is a land mark in this whole process.Tomorrow afternoon there will be a final briefing.

Protest in the town of Amfissa against the cover-up of the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos

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The “Open Innitiative for Action Against the Cover-up of the State Assassination of Alexandros Grigoropoulos” has issued a callout for a demonstration in the small town of Amfissa on Wednesday, July 7th. It seems like this date will be the first of the defense of the two murderers, after which a verdict should be expected soon.

EXPLOSIVES STASH TNT found at old Iraqi Embassy

Forensic investigators are examining a stash of explosives found on the premises of the former Iraqi Embassy in a suburb of Athens, police said yesterday. The cache of 454 grams of the explosive TNT, 15 sticks of dynamite and four glass vials containing a suspicious liquid were discovered buried in the building’s garden by the employee of an engineering company that has undertaken the renovation of the Palaio Psychico property which served as the Iraqi Embassy until four years ago. The Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Athens was informed of the discovery by the company early yesterday. The ambassador’s office said in a statement that it has no connection to and no knowledge of the explosive materials.

Birmingham’s Spy Cameras: TAKE THEM DOWN…or we will! u.k.

That was the message coming loud and clear from the community at a meeting about the Spy Cameras that have been put up in the Balsall Heath and Washwood Heath areas of Birmingham under the name ‘Project Champion’. Without any public consultation, ‘Project Champion’ saw the positioning of around 150 ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras and 72 covert surveillance cameras. These cameras happen to be sited in two predominantly muslim areas in Birmingham. These cameras record all vehicle movements and have the capacity to photograph front seat passangers. The meeting was attended by about 250 people and any suggestion of taking down the cameras was greeted with an ever increasing roar of approval. The temperature is rising and West Midlands Police have created a powder keg of anger and resentment primed with a fuse of mistrust.

Take them down!

Riot police quell fighting in Patra port and city

MIGRANT CLASHES GREECE

An altercation between migrants of African and Balkan origin living in a makeshift settlement in the port of Patra spread to other parts of the city on Sunday evening. The flare-up began at 10 p.m. on the Akti Dymaion seafront and spilt over to the Church of Aghios Andreas, where a wedding had been under way. Later in the evening, more scuffles broke out by the port’s northern entrance and riot police were called in to quell the violence at the makeshift camp. The cause of the altercation is not known. The Peloponnesian port has been at the center of migrant-related violence in the past.

French propaganda: The current terrorist threat NewsfromFrance

Two years after the creation of the new secret police service, the 'DCRI', the director Squarcini shares his feelings with a journalist, by “exclusively revealing the current conditions of threats hanging over France”. Analysis of the current resources of repression and the interview in Le Figaro, on June 29th. Prevention- or how to arrest people before they have done anything On June 29th, we learn about 3300 men and women work “to fight terrorism”, attack on national security and on economical capital”. The DCRI have been created on July 2008, by a fusion between the DST (Direction of territory Surveillance) and the RG (General Intelligence). Practically, information is shared between different teams, and tend to bring justice and police, police and military matters together. When answering to the question “what is your conclusion after two years of work”, the director informs us that the “must” of his work, is to “investigate months long, even years, to prevent the action”. Indeed, the last arrests and anti-terrorist cases confirm this position. Arresting people accusing them of an action they haven't committed yet, is a strategy used to put pressure on them and to isolate them. Accusing people of terrorism is then a great excuse to imprison or to sentence them to a judicial control, which means one is waiting for an hypothetical trial in a cell, or one can not leave the house. Preventing you from seeing your friends, forcing you to work, and calling you at the police station to confirm your attendance are basic ways to investigate about links, breaking friendships, and dragging down any political will. A simple definition to pacification. He resumes: “If we intervene after the tragedy, it means we have failed in the detection of the threat”. But who are they? After explaining the “djihadist threat” and all the cases he and his team have supposedly foiled, the journalist comes to the “extreme-link” interest. According to police, the inner enemy is difficult to define. He actually could be everywhere! In some articles, police and experts talk about the “alternative” people, the “autonomous circle” or “situationist circle”. Actually, anybody who strikes or participates to a demonstration. Nothing clear in this definition. In some other articles, they describe a 'movement', a 'community', or an extremely organized group. Because there are not any specific insurrectionist-armed-anti-state-action group, the experts rather talk about a circle of influence, a network: you are not in a military group, but you know people who know people... And this specific people, gathering around strikes, ideas, wills, blockades and wishes- are preparing something. At one point we both agree: to fight against the power will always be defined as violent, simply because it's not in their interest. And this violence, this resistance, when not denied, is considered as “terrorism”. In one hand, terrorizing the population- with potential and undefinable dangerous protagonists. In the other hand, reassuring people, by creating a name for this threat, and saying special forces control the situation. Actually, where are they? According to his investigations, this “UltraLeft fringe” is still active, even after “Tarnac dragnet” (1). They were obviously visible in summits as in Strasbourg, Vichy or Poitiers (2). Police defines these criminals according to the subjects they fight: anti-jail, anti-nuclear, anti-security society. We then learn they are people who follow the situation in Greece very closely(3). It's suspicious, and serious, because, the “riots in Greece [were] followed with political murders”. Here we go again, with the ghost of murders. When arresting people in France, police compared the accused individuals and Action Directe group, known for their actions in the 70's and 80's, specifying their “violence” because of claimed murders. What currently happens in Greece could apparently give to rebels in France some ideas, and yes, it could threat the State here. Who's next? Since several months, these kind of articles are published before a political decision, or a police raid, in order to justify them. Even before the creation of the DCRI, general analysis has been given to Michelle Alliot-Marie: “From the anti-cpe conflict to the the constitution of an international preliminary-terrorist network: regards on the French and European UltraLeft” (2008). In his last interview, Squarcini gives several examples of alarm signs: actions against the Penitentiary Administration, the Justice Ministry or several actions against bank ATMs(4). Some marks to let us know where he would hit. “Logically, we deduce you are preparing fresh large-scale operations, in a near future. Beware, Mr Squarcini, you become predictable![...] In Greece, it's not the anarchists who attempted to take over the Parliament, but consistent strikers. You seem to think that by pestering us with your justice and police, by exasperating number of known activists on your files, you will push one or another to any wacky or indefensible act; you will create in somebody's mind the reasoning that, if one has to go to prison, one might as well be imprisoned for something serious. And not for a sticker on an ATM. Unfortunately, we are quite lucid on the situation, and nobody of us yearns for the avant-garde sacrificial heroic role. The armed existentialism of the 70's does not appeal to us very much, and we know to be patient. Our presence only brings to light the deep sickness hitting your social Order; you could try to annihilate us, the sickness will stay- kept intact and, as fatal as it always has been.” From the Open letter to M. Squarcini, published on Indymedia Nantes, by the CCUG-UO (Central Committee of the Ultra-Organized Ultra-Left) (5) ......... 1 'Tarnac' case: name of the village considered of the center of a 'conspiring organization' linked to a called 'Comite Invisible'. People were accused for rail sabotages on high-speed trains. This raid was heavily related by the media. 2 NATO summit in Strasbourg, April 2009. European Immigration summit in the so-known town Vichy, October 2008. Surprise demonstration during Poitiers street-art festival, October 2009. http://polisson.blogsport.de/2010/01/23/just-to-let-you-know/ 3 Article about French people traveling in Greece: In French, France info: http://juralibertaire.over-blog.com/article-des-journaflics- frappent-encore-l-ultra-gauche-a-l-ecole-grecque-49495251.html Its analysis, in English: http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1160367 4 About the alleged serial ATM and arrested people in Paris, on February 15th and June 8th. http://325.nostate.net/?p=771#more-771 Several attacks on bank ATMs and collaborators of the deportation machine have been attacked in solidarity with the Vincennes Detention Center prisoners, facing a trial because accused of burning down their prison in summer 2008. An outline of solidarity actions and walks can be read here September 2009-January 2010: http://polisson.blogsport.de/material/brochures-and- contributions/outline-of-actions-in-solidarity-with-the-vincennes- detention-center-detainees-in-trial-and-against-prisons/ 5 Open letter to M. Squarcini, by the CCUG-UO, French : http://www.nantes.indymedia.org/article/21162 …......... More info -The interview by Le Figaro: http://cettesemaine.free.fr/spip/article.php3?id_article=3300 - Brochure: The emergence of the Anarcho-Autonomes theory, English http://polisson.blogsport.de/archiv-braves/last-months/an-old- lullaby-the-emergence-of-anarcho-autonomes-theory-arrests-and- tactics/ -La prison a la maison [prison at home], French: http://infokiosques.net/spip.php?article717 -Mauvaises intentions [bad intentions]: on the anti-terrorist cases since 2008, and the emergence of the “anarcho-autonomes” state theory. With press articles and letters from comrades. French: http://infokiosques.net/spip.php?article597 German: http://media.de.indymedia.org/media/2009/05//249814.pdf -Poster- Who are the terrorists? http://polisson.blogsport.de/archiv-braves/last-months/who-are- the- terrorists/ polisson.blogsport.de

Something to think about.....

The American dream is the Earth's nightmare

The fight back is on! Solidarity with the Toronto 900 rallies organized across the country

All out against police brutality and in solidarity with the Toronto 900! A protest outside police headquarters in every city!

WEDNESDAY 7 JULY 2010
WATERLOO TOWN SQUARE and various locations
4PM-6PM

July 10, Day of Action for Civil Liberties
1:00pm
Queen's Park
Toronto, ON

The events of the past week in Toronto have been unprecedented in Canadian history. Over 900 people were arrested, the biggest mass arrests ever in Canada, for daring to protest against the destructive policies of the G20.

Protesters and local residents were subjected to violent baton attacks, snatch squads, tear gas and rubber bullets. Sleeping people have been pulled from their homes at gunpoint in the middle of the night. Many have been beaten. People who have been arrested have been strip-searched and held in cages, facing long delays in obtaining legal support. We have heard numerous accounts of sexual abuse by police from women who were arrested. Journalists have been punched, arrested and had their equipment broken.

On the streets of Toronto, the mask of “liberal democracy” has slipped off and the police reminded us of the State's willingness to use blatant violence against its own population in the face of popular dissent. And thanks to citizen journalists, the alternative media and even some in the corporate media, the truth of what happened in Toronto is slowly emerging.

In order to make sure that the actions of the police state are fully exposed, we must keep up the pressure on the police and the government.

We must also publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state.

In Toronto, solidarity rallies outside detention centres and police stations are already taking place. But just as police forces from across the province converged on Toronto for the G20, so our resistance must spread out from the epicentre of oppression to every corner of the province.

Common Cause thus calls on all those concerned to take the fight back across the province and across the country.

Starting this Wednesday, June 30, we are calling for solidarity rallies outside police headquarters in as many cities as possible.

Our message will be clear:

Free the Toronto 900!

Fight back against the police state! We are putting you under surveillance!

Build the resistance against the G20! Build the resistance against austerity!

Build the general strike!

Four jailed for shooting at police during 2007 French riots

Four young men found guilty of shooting at the police during riots on the outskirts of Paris in 2007 were jailed for between three and 15 years early Sunday. Defence lawyers denounced the sentences as “extremely harsh” and claimed that political considerations had influenced the cases.

The four were found to have fired buckshot from hunting rifles during two nights of battles with the police in Villiers-le-Bel, north of Paris. During the clashes 119 police officers were injured, four of them seriously. The violence erupted after two teenagers were killed in a motorcycle collision with a police car.

Two 29-year-old half-brothers, Abderhamane and Adma Karama, who were described as ringleaders by the prosecution, received 15 and 12 years respectively. Ibrahima Sow, 26, was jailed for nine years.

A fourth man, Samuel Lambalamba, was given three years after being found guilty of providing one of the weapons used.

“With sentences this harsh, one can feel political meddling in the justice system,” commented defence lawyer Patrick Arapian after the verdict, despite the prosecution’s claim that “we are not trying the banlieue (outskirts), nor young people, nor Villiers-le-Bel”.

With few local people prepared to take the stand against the accused, most of the prosecution case relied on anonymous written testimony. The defence claims that some of the witnesses had done a deal with the police while others could have been informers.

The prosecution welcomed the verdicts, as did police unions which claimed that they would restore morale in the force.

Three Cellphone antennas destroyed

NOTTINGHAM UK

Tagged as:
Neighbourhoods:

Over the past three week three mobile phone antennas have been destroyed by fire in the Nottingham area. In each instance the action was performed with fervour and carried out in anger at the capitalist culture. A culture which seeks to dominate its surroundings in order to increase it's power over it's inhabitants.

These actions were simple and repeatable. The tools were old rags, flammable liquids and a lighter. They were carried out against a telecommunications industry which facilitates capitalisms ongoing destruction of the planet and the manner in which it deforms the social relationships we engage in.

We carry out this action, and actions like it in solidarity with all those who choose to fight against repression, the state and capitalism whenever and wherever the oppitunity arises.

We dedicate this action to all those who are imprisoned by civilization, but continue to struggle against its cage.

solidarity g20 protesters

solidarity means attack ...hot night in turin (italy)

in solidarity with the g20 protesters (toronto) group of comrades smash windows , destroy cash machines and paint bomb 2 canadian banks in turin (italy)...with this action we show solidarity to the almost 900 people detained in the g20 summit in canada , to the enormous police state that comrades live in the world and very importante to susy , its women who was verbally and physical sexual assaulted once inside the detencion center made for the g20 protesters ..we will not acept any kind of repression .one of us is worth 1 million of them ..........RESIST EXIST REVOLT SOLIDARITY MEANS ATTACK

NEWS FOR IMMIGRANTS GREECE.

WORKING AND LIVING BY THE SWEAT OF OUR BROW!


We sell things on the street because we don’t have an alternative way of making a living.
No work is refused in order for us to make a living.
These people that you see on the street , these people that you keep harassing, are people who are familiar with most trades and professions.
Even though we are only vagrant street vendors, we are the ones paying for the houses that were had locked up for a long time, houses crying for a human presence.
A house can’t live by itself. It needs souls, it needs lives.
Water, power, telephone, means of transport and everything else we need to live are not for free.
You will never see one of us involved in affairs of the night and the underworld.
We are honest people, very sociable and open to everyone and everything.
We have obligations, but we also have rights.
We are only asking for understanding and tolerance.
Immigrant street vendors

Death toll rises at the greek borders
Nine immigrants were found dead in the last 48 hours at the greek-turkish borders, near the Evros river – two more were found dead on Saturday 26th June.
The number of immigrants that died in June in the Evros river remains unknown as more dead immigrants were discovered on June 8. Three more were found dead on May 27.
On the 16th of June, a 19-year-old Afghan refugee was found dead, hidden in the fuel tank of a truck, inside the ferry “OLYMPIC CHAMPION”, traveling from Patras to Venice.

Meanwhile in Athens
Attacks by fascist groups aligned with shopowners against immigrant street vendors on central streets have not ceased. But neither will actions of solidarity to immigrants:
Below is a leaflet that was distributed during a gathering outside Athens Chamber of Commerce

#327 | New squat in Athens from the after theGreek riots blog.

A new squat has opened in Athens, in the working-class neighbourhood of Aigaleo, and is having two days of events (today and tomorrow) to celebrate.

The poster below translates:

In these hard times, with authorities attacking more than ever before our everyday reality…

we occupied

the ground floor of the municipal space of Kapodistriou and Thessalonikis Str at the Council Housing buildings of Aigaleo. We consider the occupation an open suggestion that starts from its own grounds and claims all the space and time of our everyday lives that is stolen from us by authority; it attacks anything that limits the needs and the desires of the exploited and the repressed of this world.

2 days of events

Saturday, 3d of July

Live gig with “Dakrygona” (tear-gas) and sintexniaplin in the mixer

9pm at the Aigaleo metro station

Sunday, 4th of July

comradely kitchen &feast

Signal squat (sinialo)

Kapodistriou and Thessalonikis Str, Aigaleo

http://sinialo.espiv.net

Barcelona: Notes on the european squat meeting (17-20 june 2010)

Translation of an article written in french and originally published on squat.net/fr

From june 17th to 20th, 2010, an european squat meeting took place in Barcelona...

People participating to the discussions were more than one hundred, all the discussions happened in the Laforsa squatted social centre (41 av. de la Fama, in Cornellà de Llobregat, suburbs of Barcelona). This old factory is squatted for a year now, but it's quite famous because it has been occupied during several months by its own workers in the late seventies, becoming a symbol of the workers autonomous class struggle.
The discussions were happening in the huge Laforsa's first floor (with plugged simultaneous translations in spanish, english, french and italian) and food was served twice a day in the second floor.
Each day was focused on one topic (thursday: presentation of the present squats and debate about the controversial question of legalization, friday: the possibilities of resistance against squats evictions - with the stories of Hamsa, Ateneu Korneya and Kasa de la Muntanya in Barcelona, Maintzer strasse in Berlin, Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen, Casablanca in Madrid, the 400 couverts in Grenoble, etc. saturday: demonstration in the city, then discussions about squatting as a mean for struggle - with the inspiring example of Cabanyal quarter in Valencia, and against prison - with some ex-prisoners, in particular Amadeu Casellas, sunday: social control and identification methods, especially DNA - with a barcelona's lawyer who's near the okupa movement, the presentation of the squat!net website and the tools it offers).

The bigger part of the discussions were focused on the presentation of the situations in the different countries or cities... Actually there were squatters from several countries (Catalunya, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain, Denmark, Poland, Netherlands, Sweden, etc.) and the squat's practices plus the State repression are sometimes quite different from a country to another.
Because of that, we learnt a lot, but we had difficulties to go further on the topics.
Other meetings like that could be relevant... Some squatters from Barcelona said they should renew their intersquat dynamics, which are a bit dead for a few years.

In the next days or the next months:
- Monars (Catalunya): Rural squat meeting from july 1st to 4th
- Toulouse (Fr): Pilifest, "Squat and autonomy", from july 3rd to 7th
- Dijon: Summerfest in the autonomous centre "Les Tanneries", from july 16th to 24th
- Berlin: Intersquat festival from september 10th to 19th

***

Dozens of squats are active in Barcelona, not only the CSO Laforsa, we also could talk about la Rimaia, la Otra Carboner? and Barrilonia who are siatuated down'town and make a lot of activities (library, cyber-cafe, restaurant, parties, etc.) with big banners and paintings on their outside walls. And tons of other squats are active too, Barcelona stays the most important city in Europe talking about "political" squats.
Some pictures and links to some Barcelona's squats:
http://squat.net/images/2010-06_Barcelona/
http://larimaia.org/
http://laotracarboneria.net/
http://barrilonia.blogspot.com/
http://revoltosa.squat.net/
http://teixidora.squat.net/
http://www.nodo50.org/kasadelamuntanya/

See also:
http://okupesbcn.squat.net/

***

On saturday june 19th, a breakfast-gathering under the sun was called for 10am in Vallcarca, a quarter where several old houses are squatted and where squats opening and closing are quite often these last years... Gentrification in the quarter sounds "normal" because of the touristy Güell park and so on... But in the same quarter you can find big squats like Kasa de la Muntanya and Blokes Fantasma.

Around 12:30am, the demonstration begins (250-300 people), accross Vallcarca, then in direction of Gracia, to end in Joanic place. During the demo, very numerous direct actions happened. A great collective energy was going on, and the cops were only a few, quite timid (before the beginning, people were quite unsure about the situation, because in may 2007, during the last intersquat demo in Barcelona, the cops closed the demo and fights between cops and squatters were severe, with some injured people... Alfonso, who hurt a cop that was beating up squatters, has been judged only a few weeks ago and has been condemned for three years in prison!).
First, a re-opening of a squat is made in Vallcarca, (the fifth re-opening in Vallcarca in only a few months), some masked people destroyed a wall with sledgehammers and immediately re-occupied the house!
During most of the actions that needed to make stop the demo for a few minutes, someone was taking in a megaphon to explain what's the idea of the action. Quite a lot of people in the streets listened...
In the front of the demonstration, banners were arranged in a U shape to protect the demo from possible police assaults. Slogans we shouted very often, in catalan and in spanish (for example "okupa tu tambien", "okupa y resiste", "policia torturadors i asesinos", which mean "you can squat too", "squat and resist", "police tortures and kills"). Some slogans also have been shouted in english and in french.

Dozens and dozens of graffitis have been made, some posters have been glued as well. Several banks have attacked by painted stuff (paint-bombs, graffitis and paint throws), some surveillance video-cameras have been damaged (broken or spray-painted), some banners have been put on different buildings (in particular ex-squats). The advertisment boards of a building site for the new metro line have been spray-painted and/or taken off, one part of the boards has been used as a symbolic barricade just behind the demo. Plaça de les dones del 1936 (1936 women's place), an institutional building has a window smashed (against gentrification).
On the Gracia's town hall place, the official building is protected by some police trucks, which are protected by more or less twenty anti-riot cops. Those cops are attacked by paint throws and by some projectiles. In the place, a huge squat' symbol is painted on the ground.

The demonstration ends in a cool mood on Joanic place, that is spray-painted as well.
This intersquat' demonstration makes an echo to the ones that happened in march in Toulouse, in Grenoble and in Poznan.

Pictures of the june 19' demonstration:
http://squat.net/images/2010-06-19_Barcelona/

Some other pictures taken in Barcelona in june 2010:
http://squat.net/images/2010-06_Barcelona/

Metro targeted by anti-racist spoof LONDON U.K.

London commuters were this morning surprised to find that their usual Metro paper was a bit thinner, yet more interesting and engaging, than usual.

Tens of thousands of copies of a spoof newspaper that looked very similar to the free daily were distributed at 20 busy tube stations around the capital during rush hour. Thousands more were distributed in other cities around the country.

Metro spoof - application/pdf 871K

the Metro spoof paper

Under the headline "Gordon Brown to be deported to Scotland." the front frontpage story claimed the former prime minister was facing imminent removal back to his "home country," as the new coalition government introduced new immigration rules that imposed further restrictions on "non-English nationals." Alongside the story, a manipulated picture showed Gordon Brown being arrested by two policemen at beer festival in Cambridge.

Wearing a white T-shirt bearing the Metro logo and a blue baseball cap, one of the 50 or so distributors, who preferred to keep anonymous, said: "By replacing the word 'British' with 'English' when talking about 'British jobs' and the 'floods of illegal immigrants into Britain,' we hope people will realise how racist and absurd this rhetoric of immigration controls is."

In a witty attempt to highlight the racist and sexual violence experienced by immigration detainees at the hands of private 'detainee escorts', a fake advert claimed that G4S, the private security giant that runs a number of immigration detention centres in the UK and provides detainee escort services on behalf of the UK Border Agency, was looking for "strong men" to "escort women abroad."

The rest of the spoof paper featured a 60-Second interview with a real-life ex-detainee, a 'myth-buster' about asylum and immigration, an 'immigration newspeak' glossary, racist quotes from mainstream press and a couple of more in-depth articles on immigration controls and protests against them.

Many of those who picked up the paper initially seemed confused as to why the Metro had "shrunk." Realising it was a spoof, however, many commented that it was "very funny", "clever", "naughty" and "brilliant". Some even returned back and asked for more copies. Others, however, threw it away and wanted the thicker "real thing."

The Metro website has also been spoofed, with a layout similar to that of the paper's official website but with the spoof paper's content.

The 'spoofing operation' was part of 'two days of action against racist press', called by a coalition of anti-racist and migrant rights groups under the name Press Action.

A spokesperson for the anonymous group of spoofers said, "We are sick of being lied to; we are sick of being lied about. These lies, repeated everyday by free papers, tabloids and other corporate mainstream media outlets, have almost become a reality, where the most vulnerable victims of this screwed-up political-economic system are blamed for it."

Explaining why the group chose the Metro and not a 'more obvious target' when it comes to racist press, such as the Daily Mail or the Evening Standard, the anonymous spokesperson commented: "We wanted to highlight the fact that racism and anti-immigration bias is sometimes more subtle than the Daily Hate rants. Besides, the Metro seemed to provide a better vehicle due to its exploitation of the 'public' transport system, so we thought we'd reclaim that right for a day."


Notes:

1. A pdf of the spoof paper can be found at http://www.metr0.co.uk/images/metr0-e-edition.pdf
or http://pressaction.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/metro_spoof.pdf

2. The spoof Metr0 website is at http://www.metr0.co.uk

3. The callout for the Two Days of Action Against Racist Press can be found at
http://pressaction.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/two-days-of-action/
or http://www.metr0.co.uk/article/days-of-action.html

Metr0
Homepage: http://www.metr0.co.uk

Visits of comrades to the hospitals about Simos Seisidis

On thursday 31st of June, a group of comrades visited the medical staff of "Euaggelismos" where fighter Simos Seisidis is being kept, heavily guarded. The reason of this visit is the constant threat of his transfer to Korridalos prisons. Simos, with a recently amputated leg that requires a longterm re-establishment for the addition of an artificial leg. His transfer to prison and especially the so-called prison "hospital" (saint pauls) not only makes the re-establishment of his leg impossible but it also brings serious danger for his health situation. He must be tranferred to a re-establishment center where he will get the necessary medical attention and not to the slaughter house of "Saint Pauls". We spoke with the doctors in charge and we also went outside the guarded room where he is being held trying to communicate with him. There was a very intense arguement with the police guards and especially with the cop that was in charge and who was very aggressive even against his own colleagues that showed some compation. In the end, we didnt manage to see him although we are sure he realised we were there. We did not want to continue the argument with the guard out of respect to the hospital and we left.

Today (july 2nd), there was a similiar visit to the medical staff of K.A.T. where his operations took place. We spoke with the doctors and showed that we will not allow the states methods against the comrade to pass

SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON SIMOS IS NOT ALONE

Queen st. Starbucks window smashed #G20 rioting begins on Twitpic

Queen st. Starbucks window smashed #G20 rioting begins on Twitpic

Activists have locked themselves inside mines in order to stop tunnelling1st of July, 2010

Last night four people locked themselves inside the shafts of the
old Itsasondo mines in the Basque Country (on the Spanish
side of the border)
in order to
"stop the construction
of the High-Speed Railway (HSR)” and to denounce the "social model
of which these construction sites are just the outer mask".
They are demanding the "immediate cessation" of the tunnelling
work taking place in that same area.


"We know that the risks are high.
We've gone deep down underground in order to strengthen
with our bodies this very earth. We are locked inside the mines so as to defend
our ideas and denounce the lack of sense of those who hold power.
Our bodies are our weapons and direct action is our path".

This is what the four people who have locked themselves inside the mines of Itsasondo
had to say about their act of "resistance" to the HSR. The statement was communicated
to the press by fellow opponents of the mega infrastructure in a press conference
in which they also warned of the dangers of the Ordizia-Itsasondo tunnel.

They reported that of the 37 surveys and test drillings that were meant to be done before
the construction project, only one actually took place.

From inside the mines, the activists who have locked themselves in explained that the construction
work is taking place in Mariaratz, Olaberria, San Martin, Berostegi and Itsasondo.
"Near here, in the Mariaratz construction site,
there are daily explosions... explosions which destroy the earth and everything on top of it.
It's highly possible that the mines will collapse if the explosions and drillings continue,
threatening the lives of these four people. Therefore, we demand the immediate
stop of the works taking place".

The protesters have called on people to participate in the meetings
that will take
place every day at 19.30 in Itsasondo and in the demonstrations
called for this Friday in various places and also
in the protest march which will take place on Sunday, departing at 17.00
from the square of the town of Ordizia.

Anyone able to spread information and to express solidarity with
this protest action in
other parts of the world is asked to do so as soon as possible!
The action of these four comrades must not remain isolated!


http://www.sindominio.net/ahtez/?q=es

http://www.avatartherevolution.com/en/gal


(Brief update: the construction company, the Basque Railway Service and the police
have all refused to stop the explosions of the tunnel excavations, thereby
endangering the lives of the four activists who are currently underground)

A lettings agency in Aylesbury town centre was targeted by yobs over the weekend.

30 June 2010U.K.

Bannisters Home Let in Temple Street was attacked at some point between lunch time on Saturday and Monday morning.

Around 10 panes of glass were been smashed and the door was also damaged.

Branch manager Jill Hughes said she was shocked to discover the damage when she went into the office on Monday.

"It was a real shock, there was glass literally everywhere," she said.
"There was a lot of damage.

"The head office is dealing with the costs involved."

Police are investigating the incident of criminal damage.

They are unable to say whether the vandalism is connected to England's defeat against Germany in the World Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Archbishop’s home attacked as vandals rampage through town

Thursday July 01 2010

A GANG of thugs left a trail of vandalism and destruction in a town centre during a night of mayhem that included an arson attack on an archbishop’s palace.

Gardai say the cost of the damage caused by the vandals in Tuam will run to thousands of euro, while only the quick thinking of firefighters saved the historic residence of the Archbishop of Tuam from burning down.

Archbishop Michael Neary would normally be at home in the house at the end of a driveway behind Tuam Cathedral, but was away following the death of his mother on Tuesday.

His secretary, Fr Fintan Monaghan, was asleep alone in the house, which was built in 1904, when he was woken by a phone call at 4.40am yesterday.

“Fr Sean Cunningham from the presbytery rang me to say that a nun from the Mercy convent had contacted him because there was smoke coming from the direction of the house,” Fr Monaghan said.

“My car, which was parked outside, was on fire and there was a diesel tank just six feet away from the flames. The fire brigade arrived quickly and only for them I suppose anything could have happened if the tank had caught fire.”

His car was burnt out along with holy oils and a number of irreplaceable hill-walking maps Fr Monaghan had left inside.

Damage

He then discovered that the gate lodge at the foot of the driveway had also been vandalised. The lodge dates back to the start of the last century and is used as a store room for the cathedral.

The vandals had thrown a metal dustbin through a front window of the lodge.

“It seems they just wanted to cause damage, because they ignored the coins from the collection plate we had there,” Fr Monaghan said.

By now, gardai were at full stretch in Tuam town centre, dealing with reports of damage to property, while dustbins had been overturned and the contents scattered around the square and along Dublin Road.

Local hairdresser Della Dolan, who lives above her business My Fair Lady, said she reckoned the vandals had reached her premises at 3.23am.

“I have CCTV installed outside my hairdressers and that’s the time they caused the damage. They picked up one of those big rubbish bins and threw it up on top of my car. They also smashed the windscreen,” Ms Dolan said.

It was the fourth time this year Ms Dolan’s car had been targeted by late-night hooligans. On previous occasions, her wing mirrors were smashed and the rear window of her car was damaged.

This time, however, Ms Dolan reckons gardai will be able to identify those responsible for the trail of destruction.

“I had the gardai here and I think it was three lads who did it. They had a look at the CCTV and I expect they will find them pretty quickly. But I’m disgusted at what they have done. It’s a disgraceful way for anyone to behave,” she said.