On Saturday 7 December, Clydeside Anarchist Noise sent a delegation of rabble-rousers to the Glasgow Radical Bookfair, at the Quaker House. We handed out loads of our zines (and ran out – possibly slightly too early!), participated in the discussions, chatted to comrades from across the anarchist scene in Scotland, and made loads of new pals! Additionally, we were able to raise some money for legal fees and to help a single mother pay her rent this month – thank you to everyone who contributed to these efforts.
Overall, we had a grand time – thank you to Red & Black Clydeside for putting it on and thanks to Food Not Bombs Govanhill for feeding us throughout the day!
Finally, attendants at the Bookfair were (un)lucky enough to be the first to see the 2nd issue of the Clydeside Anarchist Zine. This new issue is more colourful and prettier (if we dare say so ourselves), and contains a number of (not-so) theoretical texts, poems and how-to guides for local extremists. There’s a digitally readable version available below, as well as a link to Zine #1.
We are always looking for stuff to go on our blog / in our next zine – email us at notcan@riseup.net
On Saturday, 7 December, Clydeside Anarchist Noise will have a stall at the Radical Bookfair by Red & Black Clydeside, from 12 onwards at the Quaker House (G2 4PS).
Come say hi to us and our pals, grab copies of zines, books, posters and stickers new and old, and help cover some of our collective costs and legal fees!
For the occasion, we shall have, for the first time, copies of our second zine (see the charming first issue here), which include various radical texts, fresh poems in English and Gaelic, and even some handy how-to guides for local extremists.
There will be stalls by other groups, free vegan food from Govanhill Food not Bombs, as well as a number of interesting discussions. More information on the Radical Bookfair on the Red & Black Clydeside website, as well as in the images below:
On 5/6/2024 the Greek state and police forced the evacuation of the squat “Zizania”. The state enforced the destruction of a safe haven once more. Zizania through its autonomous organizing was an essential part of the neighborhood. In their social actions protecting immigrant and queer communities, they were an example in creating spaces for -and by- the dispossessed.
In a reflex response, Anarchist Folk Night in Glasgow dropped a banner in a show of international solidarity. We won’t allow the state to deny our existence!
This has originally been written for a series of texts on autonomous social centres in our upcoming zine.
Glasgow Autonomous Space is back. Once again the city will have an autonomous social centre, in a shiny new premises in Govanhill.
The closing of “old” GAS, that venerably DIY industrial unit on Kilburnie Street in Tradeston, was a huge blow for the radical scene in Glasgow. Gone was the movement space that was the obvious choice for where to hold meetings or events. Where else was it posible to host free talks, film screenings, etc without paying by the hour for the use of the space? Countless groups and projects suddenly found themselves without a home; scattered to the wind and forced to operate from people’s flats or spaces that didnt share our anti-capitalist principles. Gone was the hub for a whole variety of projects and people doing anti-capitalist organising in Glasgow; where people involved in different projects could meet or hear about each others events and an easy entry point for those new to the scene to find things to get involved in. It’s not easy to overstate the impact of GAS’s closure in the early months of 2023.
So, it’s no surprise that we are thrilled at the prospect of a new space opening this summer. Any movement requires spaces to organise in and an anti-capitalist, anti-hierarchical movement needs those spaces to be anti-capitalist and anti-hierarchical. This is what we hope “new” GAS will be: what it was before and perhaps even something better. And, it’s what we need it to be because we have a lot of organising to do. With the beginning of implementation of the state’s sinister Rwanda scheme and the increase in detainment and deportation of refugees this entails, state support for genocide in Palestine, the ever increasing cost of living, continual attacks on the trans community, the flailings of a tory government in its death throes and the prospect of a new conservative government wearing different coloured ties: we need to build connections and community across the anti-authoritarian left and a space like GAS could be a vital part of that.
The GAS Collective have organised an open meeting at the new space on the 8th of June (9 Hollybrook Place, G42, 14:00-17:00) and we would encourage anyone who desires to see an autonomous social centre in Glasgow again to head along and get involved if you can.
Attention all anti-monarchists and opponents of capitalism and the state!
On May 6th, 2023, we are calling for an anti-capitalist and anti-state bloc at Edinburgh’s May Day rally at 12pm, as well as the anti-monarchy rally on Calton Hill at 3pm.
This will be a demonstration against the coronation of Charles and the entire institution of monarchy, as well as the state and capitalism.
We refuse to stand idly be as this archaic system of oppression is celebrated and perpetuated. The UK capitalist state is based on dispossession of the commons and colonial plunder, with the monarchy being the most egregious and obvious example. In Scotland, half of rural land is owned by 432 landowners, whilst everyone else spends most of their working lives exploited at work, paying off a debt on a small patch of land which is barely enough to accommodate a dwelling, if they can even get a mortgage at all. The capitalist state system is driving us towards extinction due to ecological collapse – we must radically transform our social and economic system before it’s too late.
We call on all those who yearn for a world free from domination to join us on May 6th. Let us take to the streets, make our voices heard, and demonstrate our collective power. Let us show the world that another world is not only possible, but necessary.
We stand as part of a long and proud history of revolt, from the Paris Commune of 1871 and the Spanish revolution of 1936 to the on-going revolutions of the Zapatistas and Rojava who are showing that a world beyond the state and capitalism is possible.
An elected head of state will not change anything, just simply give the capitalist state a more liberal image. Its neocolonial plunder will continue, it will continue to protect the interests of capital against the working class.
We propose smashing the state and replacing it with a confederation of autonomous participatory councils, communes and assemblies. Workers should take control of their workplaces, abolish bosses and place them under workers-self management. This federated grassroots participatory polity using recallable delegates and confederation should encompass the whole world into an international “commune of communes”. This would give power back to communities, and allow us to take back control of our lives. It’s been done before, from the Spanish revolution, to Rojava and the Zapatistas. We can do it here too.
Fire to the monarchy! Fire to the state! Take back the commons – for an international Democratic Confederalism and the commune of communes!
P.S. Clydeside Anarchist Noise is in a period of self-reflection, meaning we have taken a short break from outward-facing action. Meanwhile, we have been supporting local struggles and building networks of solidarity. Stay tuned, and see you soon on the streets…
Come along to the second monthly screening of the Glasgow Anarchist Film Club, where we will be screening French film La Haine (1995), and fundraising for the Anarchist Black Cross Bristol.
Come along at 17:00 for an open organising meeting, and at 18:00 for the screening + discussion on revolt!
Bring snacks and drinks (to share if you like).
All funds raised will go to ABC Bristol in their struggle to support Kill the Bill prisoners.
Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, disableism, and bigotry of all kinds will not be tolerated and will be challenged.
Banner dropped at Queen’s Park on 27/10 in solidarity with the struggle of anarchist hunger striker Alfredo Cospito against the 41bis special detention regime, and calling to our solidarity event on 30/10 at Glasgow Autonomous Space (event/poster here)
Solidarity Event – 30.10, 18:00 at Glasgow Autonomous Space (53 Kilbirnie St, G5 8JD
Discussion on the hunger strike, special detention regimes, prisoner solidarity and resistance.
Hunger strike announcement:
Anarchist Alfredo Cospito started a hunger strike (Italy, October 20, 2022)
Today, October 20, 2022, at the Sassari surveillance court, during a hearing concerning the seizure of correspondence, anarchist comrade Alfredo Cospito declared the start of a hunger strike against the 41 bis prison regime to which he was transferred on May 5. The comrade, who made a statement, was not present in the courtroom but connected by video conference from Bancali prison. Updates will follow.
On 10/10/22, we organised a solidarity coffee afternoon for the Kenmure 3 at the Pink Peacock. The text below was read at the beginning of the event to give the discussion some direction in engaging with certain questions we have for the ‘movement’.
In May 2021 an immigration raid attempting to kidnap two residents was stopped by locals after an eight-hour stand-off with the Home Office goons and their protectors in Police Scotland. It was a huge victory, one of the most significant moments within all anti-border struggles on these isles in decades. For one short day, in one small part of Glasgow, we actually made reality the promise of “No borders, No Nations, Stop Deportations”. However, during the course of the day, three people were arrested and are now potentially facing time in prison, isolated from their community for the crime of defending it against the violence of the state.
This is just one case in a long, bloody list of people paying hard consequences for standing up to state and police power, in Scotland and all over the world. As anarchists, we understand and expect that the state will defend its own power over us, and that in the final analysis, they will use their attack dogs in the police and prison system to that end, as the main defense of the system which is crushing us. Despite this,we can also see that solidarity with arestees is often not prioritised by our movement. That people often – too often – face court, and prison, alone.
Why is supporting those who are facing the most direct violence of the state so important for anarchists?
Why hasn’t the case of the Kenmure 3 attracted more attention and support?
What can we do to support them more? And then, to support those others who will face the same thing in the future?
What can we do for those who are already behind bars?
