Housing Executive workers held a successful lunchtime protest yesterday outside their offices in Adelaide street in Belfast city centre to demand their bosses keep to their commitment that a £250 payment be given to low-paid workers who earn less than £21,000 per year. 

Since the new year Belfast has been in the midst of a violent spree of car hijackings across the city mainly targeting vulnerable women. Behind the media spotlight and PSNI spin machine is a deeper context, one where where theose if power are quite contented to confine and manage ’crime’ in working class areas as long as it stays there.

‘We need to build a united militant campaign against the cuts being imposed by London and their lackeys at Stormont’(Sean Matthews)

Class struggle anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement will be organising a public meeting against the cuts and the anarchist alternative at 2pm in the Na Croisbhealaí workers co-operative, 48 King Street, Belfast this Saturday 28th January at 2pm.

Up to 100 people listened to a rousing speech by former civil rights activist Eamonn McCann on Saturday in defence of the liberated former bank of Ireland building in Belfast followed by a spontaneous march to the city hall without a police permit chanting ‘Whose streets our streets.'

The writer and journalist emphasised the international nature of the Occupy movement and how the occupation must build links with others in struggle and the beginning of a wider fightback. A statement was also read out on behalf of the Independent Workers Union who have been solid in their support and solidarity of the occupation since the beginning.

Occupy Belfast will be holding a rally this Saturday outside the former Bank of Ireland building at 2pm. Following the rally there will be a public general assembly whereby all are invited to participate in the discussion on where next for the movement. There is a stall including leafleting outside the building every day at 1pm if anyone is interested in getting involved.

 Occupy Belfast seized the initiative Monday by re-possessing the former Bank of Ireland building in Royal Avenue gaining media coverage both here and across the world. Around a dozen protestors including a WSM member entered the building, unfurled banners and put up barricades despite early attempts by the police to illegally evict us. A WSM member who took part gives us his views on the occupation below.

The PSNI new strategy of 'pizza n peelers' covered in a recent edition of the Andersonstown News, is a cynical and laughable stunt to win over young people and highlights how much they are out of touch in our communities. Despite the cosmetic changes and a propaganda blitz waged by the media and Sinn Fein apologists, the continuity RUC/ PSNI like any police force is political, to defend the power and wealth of the ruling class. Quite simply it is the state’s physical and intimidatory means of maintaining a desired status quo in society; one of socio-economic divisions and inequalities.

Occupy Belfast held a protest outside the city hall yesterday in a campaign against evictions/re-possessions and an end to homelessness. Campaigners have also located an empty building in the city centre and hope to re-possess the centre as a self-managed space in the next couple of weeks beginning the process of building a movement against house evictions.