Protest camps in the Thai capital Bangkok are under a full scale siege by the army, as the unelected government has declared that the pro-democracy demonstrators must disperse today or face the cutting off of food and water supplies.

As Leftfield has extensively reported, there’s been a standoff on the streets between the forces of the Thai government and the National Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, known as the Red Shirts for the colour they wear, since they established their camps on March 14th. The Red Shirts argue that the current government is illegitimate, having come to power on the back of a military coup. The coup displaced a government which, although far from perfect, had won the support of the poor by measures of wealth redistribution and establishing Thailand’s first ever system of national healthcare.

The aim of the protests was to force Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (who was in the same year at Eton as Boris Johnson, and the year above David Cameron) to resign. They demand immediate new elections, an end to government censorship of opposition TV stations and websites, and the government officials responsible for the deaths of protesters in violent crackdowns to be brought to justice.

It appeared the situation had been resolved last week when the PM made his first attempt at a compromise: to hold early elections in November. The Red Shirts responded positively to this offer, stating they were happy to enter negotiations with the government. However, wisely they opted not to trust the government completely. They demanded the government stop blocking their sites and allow their TV station to return to the air. Crucially they also demanded that a firm date for the dissolution of parliament was set by the electoral commission, rather than a vague promise by the PM, which he could easily go back on once the protesters had dispersed (a prediction which has proved prescient since). They also demanded that the deputy PM, Suthep Thaugsuban, should give himself up for trial for the deaths of protesters on the streets, something the government could not stomach.

The government’s agenda was clearly about clearing the protesters, who were overwhelmingly the urban and rural poor, off the streets of Bangkok’s shopping district, and getting business back to usual. When they realised that they had not been able to buy off the Thai workers, they went ballistic, proving the government was never serious about its proposed plan for resolving the situation.

Thai PM, and schoolmate of David Cameron and Boris Johnson, Abhisit Vejjajiva

Abhisit has now announced that he has cancelled his offer, and has set a deadline for today for the Red Shirts to disperse. Last week it looked as if he had skillfully managed to defuse the opposition to his rule, and with it the revolutionary potential represented by thousands of poor people permanently occupying the streets. Now it looks like he has thrown that victory away, and the situation is being pushed towards breaking point.

The army has begun to surround the protest camps with troops and razor wire. They have vowed to begin cutting off supplies of food, water and electricity.

“This is a full-scale measure to limit the freedom of protesters and to close down the area 100%, starting at midnight,” said Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

One of the Red Shirt leaders, Weng Tojirakarn, responded: “The prime minister must not threaten us and must not disperse us. If he wants more deaths, so be it. I don’t.”

Leftfield will bring you updates on the situation as we get them.

Update: It’s being reported that the army have put off the plan to cut off food and water. The camps are in the middle of the Thai shopping district, also home to several luxury hotels.  Apparently, the government hadn’t considered that turning off the water to this area would affect some of their own supporters in the bourgeois classes. D’oh!

“On cutting off water supplies and power, we decided that the protesters will be less affected than residents, so we have postponed it for now,” said Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

Update, Thurs 13th: The government is reported to be moving armoured personnel carriers and snipers with live ammunition into position around the protest camp.

Red Shirt spokesman Nattawut Saikua, told reporters that “We have made a decision to hold our ground here to call for justice for our people. We are going to stay here no matter what happens.”

Bonus: This piece by Giles ji Ungpakorn, a Thai socialist living in exile since being charged with criticising the monarchy, outlines what the Red Shirt movement should do next. Although it was written before the compromise position began to unravel, its suggestions are still good ones.

Check out this video of protesters live on air declaring Sky News to be the utter shite we know it is:

Eventually Sky had to cut away and just broadcast their logo for a bit. The protests were sparked after Sky presenter Kay Burley went mental at a spokesman for the protesters who were out in London and Glasgow (amongst other places) at the weekend, demanding electoral reform, which you can see below:

Kay Burley is also the journalist who brought us such clangers as claiming on September 11th 2001 “The entire eastern seaboard of the United States has been devastated by a terrorist attack,” as well as, most shamefully, asking the partner of serial killer Steve Wright, who murdered at least five women in Suffolk, “Do you think if you’d had a better sex life this wouldn’t have happened?”

What the current uproar on Sky News shows is that the Murdoch empire has bet everything on a Tory win, and sunk millions of its own money into promoting it. If they don’t get what they want, they’re likely to go absolutely crazy. How crazy? Check out Sky News political editor Adam Boulton pushing things with New Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell to the brink of a fight. He jabs his finger, and sways like a pissed rageaholic, throwing his not inconsiderable weight around. Alastair Campbell is an odious piece of human garbage, who before he was engineering election wins for neoliberals had a career writing fake letters to porno mags. Who would have thought someone could go so nuts that Alastair comes off looking like the reasonable one?

A disenfanchised voter pulls a face of rage. In the background, Bill Oddie agrees.

In all the confusion about who had won, something that is easily forgotten was that one of the biggest stories of last Thursday’s election was the hundreds of people turned away from busy polling stations, unable to excercise their right to vote.

You might remember from the live coverage we gave in our liveblog that a constant theme that kept emerging throughout the night was the anger, and direct action, taken by people across the UK. We’ve tried to round up some examples of just what people did to protest the election chaos.

Read the rest of this entry »

For the past couple of days Leftfield has been a bit distracted by the minor matter of whether the hated Tories are going to form an unelected government over Scotland. One of the consequences is we haven’t been able to bring you updates about what’s been going down in Greece since Wednesday’s general strike.

Just to recap: Greece is being forced by the IMF and EU to undergo the harshest programme of cuts, job losses, tax rises and general shitness imaginable. This is so the Greek government can receive a package of loans from the other European countries, in order to continue paying its debts to foreign and Greek banks.

On Thursday, despite a solid general strike and massive anger on the streets, the Greek parliament voted through the cuts package, by 172 to 121.

The so-called “Socialist” government (in fact a bunch of sellout traitors, comparable to New Labour) expelled 3 of their own MPs for voting against the measure. It was passed with the support of the far right.

Meanwhile, outside, 30,000 ordinary Greeks rallied to show their rage at the actions of the government, chanting “They declared war, now fight back!” The demo was the victim of a totally unprovoked assault by riot cops, as you can see in some of the footage below (again, the bangs you can hear are stun grenades fired by the cops):

The cops over recent days have been fulfilling their role as the armed force that enforces state policy. They’ve gone on the rampage in Exarcheia, an Athens neighbourhood that’s inhabited by loads of young socialists and anarchists. The area houses ‘The Haunt of the Migrants’, a social centre used by immigrants rights groups, Left wingers, LGBT and feminist groups, as well as for free Greek language classes for migrants. On Wednesday cops smashed their way in and attacked people inside chanting “Tonight we’ll fuck you.” Police also attacked an anarchist squat, arresting 70 people and using live ammunition and grenades. And in the video below, you can see cops smashing a popular cafe in Exarcheia. At the end of the footage the following dialogue takes place:

[riot police man] Erase it now, right now. Why are you filming? Who gave you permission?
[camera person] Why?
[riot police man] Because I fucking say so.

Following Thursday’s votes unions have put their members on alert for another general strike. On Monday the Greek government is meeting to finalise plans for cutting pensions, making survival for older viewers difficult. The next general strike will probably be on the day when these proposals are brought to be voted in parliament.

The All-Workers’ Militant Front (PAME in Greek), an alliance of trade unionists and activists, and one of the most radical groups of unions, has called for a massive rally of Greeks on May 15th. In a statement they said:

“The only solution now is the escalation of the class struggle of workers, self-employed poor farmers, women and young people for the rupture and the overthrow of monopolies’ policy and power.”

And the Greek Communist Party argues:

“The only guarantee for democracy is the people, organised around a programme of struggle with a specific direction, and endurance in that struggle for the change of class power.”

Earlier this evening over a hundred young people gathered in central Glasgow to show their opposition to the imminent arrival of the first Tory regime in thirteen years -- despite the best efforts of the state and FACEBOOK to sabotage the demonstration.

Last night, an event was created on Facebook calling for mass opposition to the new Tory government, announcing plans to take to the streets of Glasgow this evening. By this afternoon, over 1700 people had confirmed their attendance. Similar numbers planned to attend to-be-announced demonstrations in Liverpool and Manchester, while 40,000 had joined the original group for a ‘riot’ in London.

However, this afternoon Facebook, without explanation, removed all the anti-Tory protest groups from the internets, in an atrocious attack on democracy and the right to protest. With Glasgow the only event with a location and time confirmed, however, the organisers went ahead with the event this evening, albeit with much reduced numbers. That said, with less than 24 hours notice, and no activity to build it apart from a Facebook event, a turnout of over 100 was pretty decent. Especially when you consider that most of those people were not activists or aligned with a political group, but just young people angry about the return of the hated Tories.

From 6pm, demonstrators started gathering in the city’s George Square, and over the evening a number of different young people spoke over the megaphone, giving their own views on the Tories-in-power and why they’d felt the need to take to the streets tonight.

Young people from Motherwell spoke of the last time the Tories were in power and the devastating effect it had on their local community, with the annihilation of major industry, including the Ravenscraig steel mill near their own town. Others spoke of the lack of democratic mandate the new Tory government has from the Scottish people, with us now subjected to five years of rule from a government a tiny minority of Scottish people voted for. A volunteer at the Unity Centre, which offers help to asylum seekers in Glasgow, spoke of the Tories’ racist anti-immigration policies. SSY speakers made the connection with the current struggles against austerity measures in Greece, as well as underlining the case for Scottish independence.

Other highlights of the demo included the many people passing by who stopped to chat to us and why we’d taken to the streets tonight to oppose the Tories, not to mention the symbolic burning of a David Cameron effigy!

The demo was not everything we hoped for -- in no small part due to the actions of Facebook who, acting in collusion with police, ensured that all those planning to attend through the event received a message announcing it was cancelled. Nevertheless, around 100 mostly young people from Glasgow and the surrounding area did take to the streets tonight to show their opposition to the new Tory administration, and their anti-working class agenda of cuts, war and state-sponsored racism. And we burned a fucking effigy of David Cameron in George Square!

Stormtroopers for Socialism

Burnt Face Cam

THE PARTY GROUPS AT GEORGE SQUARE ON FACEBOOK HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.

THEY ARE NOT CANCELLED. 6PM GEORGE SQUARE GLASGOW TONIGHT, BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!

Help us fuck over the tories and the fucking man!

Nick Clegg points and laughs at YOU, foolish voters

Nick Clegg has confirmed that a vote for his party simply equals a vote for the Conservatives, by admitting that he is looking to speak to Cameron first about forming a coalition government. His party already floundered in the polls and failed to live up to their promised challenge to Labour in this election and appear to have done even shitter than last time around (Current results stand at: Tories 299, Labour 254, Lib Dems 54).

SSY always knew that Nick Clegg would sell out all of the young, enthused voters that he had duped into thinking he was some sort of radical alternative. That’s why we pulled him up when he followed the cynical campaign trail to Glasgow North a few days ago – and 34 leaflets through my letterbox later they still lost to Labour, who increased their vote on 2005!

The Lib Dems are not an alternative, the ONLY alternative is to tell capitalism to get shoved and start working for the people, not for the rich and the powerful.

A Lib/Lab coalition would still be a minority government. A Lib/Tory government would be a majority. Lib Dem supporters can kiss goodbye to their commitment to electoral reform, and any credibility their party might have had over the last month. Tell the Tories (and the Lib Dems who prop them up) to fuck off by coming out in Glasgow tonight for a protest! Some bad people (probably the police/council) have got to the facebook group advertising it and have cancelled the facebook event but rest assured it’s still on, meet 6pm tonight in George Square! Bring banners noisy things colourful things etc etc

Awrite mah we muckers, It’s Wee Lydia Teapot here again mate.

Joost wahnteed tae droap in a wee message tae say that ahm fucken SHITTIN mahself aboot this Prime Minister buisness. Ah ken thit the Tories goat the maist seats but no a majority. Whit dis that mean? A hung Parliament? (Aye, ah’d like tae see thum aw hung tae be honest) ur an over rule by David “Thatcher” Cameron? Ah’d rather be kneecapped tae be honest.

Listen mah wee chumpos, A’ve goat a plan though. T’night wur gaunny rally against these wankers. Independence the fucken noo. You should dae it tae. Get yur clogs oan and dae whit ye need tae dae tae send oot the message thit you’re no an idiot ‘n’ thit ye wahnt yer fucken freedom fae the Tory mob.

Perty it George Sqr th’night anaw. See ye there mah wee muckers. (If ah’ve no shat mah brains oot in fear that is)

Over ‘n’ oot mah wee muckers.

Ahm hinkin' sumthin lit this...

Some Facebook groups regardin’ events thit ur gaun oan:

Peaceful Demo

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105107362867240&index=1

Riot, mate

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118461951509955

A wee Perty

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=117029908329208

Any you go tae, joost make the message clear, buds.

Fresh from the internets, news reaches Leftfield of the party of the year so far:

“Tomorrow we may be facing the first Conservative government in 13 years.
But Scotland didn’t vote Tory then. And Scotland doesn’t vote Tory now.On Friday evening, if the Tories get in, we’re going to party in George Square, Glasgow.

Party in defiance of tax cuts for the rich, tax hikes for the poor, VAT rises, racist immigration policies, massive cuts in public services, unemployment, job losses, bigger bonuses for the bankers, war-mongering… and the posh, Eton wankers we’ll have in government.

BRING: banners, flags, placards, soundsystems, food, music, noise, colour, ALL YER PALS, megaphones, sweeties and ANYTHING ELSE.

ALL WELCOME. except fascists and tories. They can fuck off.

Start time: Friday May 7th at 6pm.

End time: Saturday May 8th at 2am.

Location: George Square, Glasgow.

**this will only work if people invite folk and spread the word among their friends – dae it!**”

If tomorrow is day 1 of a new Tory occupation of Scotland, the resistance starts at 6pm. Be there!

Confirm yourself on the Facebook event.

Greek PM Papandreou: Quick to exploit deaths

During the massive protests against the IMF/EU assault on the Greek working class yesterday, a bank was burnt down, and three workers trapped inside were killed.

This event has been mercilessly exploited over the course of the day by the Greek government, and by the right wing media, who are preparing the way for possibly justifying a military crackdown against the people. George Papandreou, the Greek Prime Minister responsible for pushing through the surrender to the IMF and EU, said:

“We are all deeply shocked by the unjust death of three workers, three of our fellow citizens, who were victims of murderous attacks.”

His comments were quickly echoed in media outlets around the world keen to talk about “murderers” and “murderous hooded youths.”

Let’s be clear, no one participating in demonstrations today set out with the intention to murder other workers. The government is desperate to distract attention from their historic sellout of the Greek people. But the internet is proving a key weapon of those same people in getting the truth out to the world. That’s why we’re reproducing here a statement by one of the co-workers in the bank, who worked alongside those who died today. It’s vital reading, and please do copy it, show it to other people, put it on your own blog etc.

“I feel an obligation toward my co-workers who have so unjustly died today to speak out and to say some objective truths. I am sending this message to all media outlets. Anyone who still bares some consciousness should publish it. The rest can continue to play the government’s game.

The fire brigade had never issued an operating license to the building in question. The agreement for it to operate was under the table, as it practically happens with all businesses and companies in Greece.

The building in question has no fire safety mechanisms in place, neither planned nor installed ones – that is, it has no ceiling sprinklers, fire exits or fire hoses. There are only some portable fire extinguishers which, of course, cannot help in dealing with extensive fire in a building that is built with long-outdated security standards.

No branch of Marfin bank has had any member of staff trained in dealing with fire, not even in the use of the few fire extinguishers. The management also uses the high costs of such training as a pretext and will not take even the most basic measures to protect its staff.

There has never been a single evacuation exercise in any building by staff members, nor have there been any training sessions by the fire-brigade, to give instructions for situations like this. The only training sessions that have taken place at Marfin Bank concern terrorist action scenarios and specifically planning the escape of the banks’ “big heads” from their offices in such a situation.

The building in question had no special accommodation for the case of fire, even though its construction is very sensitive under such circumstances and even though it was filled with materials from floor to ceiling. Materials which are very inflammable, such as paper, plastics, wires, furniture. The building is objectively unsuitable for use as a bank due to its construction.

No member of security has any knowledge of first aid or fire extinguishing, even though they are every time practically charged with securing the building. The bank employees have to turn into firemen or security staff according to the appetite of Mr Vgenopoulos [owner of Marfin Bank].

The management of the bank strictly barred the employees from leaving today, even though they had persistently asked so themselves from very early this morning – while they also forced the employees to lock up the doors and repeatedly confirmed that the building remained locked up throughout the day, over the phone. They even blocked off their internet access so as to prevent the employees from communicating with the outside world.

For many days now there has been some complete terrorisation of the bank’s employees in regard to the mobilisations of these days, with the verbal “offer”: you either work, or you get fired.

The two undercover police who are dispatched at the branch in question for robbery prevention did not show up today, even though the bank’s management had verbally promised to the employees that they would be there.

At last, gentlemen, make your self-criticism and stop wandering around pretending to be shocked. You are responsible for what happened today and in any rightful state (like the ones you like to use from time to time as leading examples on your TV shows) you would have already been arrested for the above actions. My co-workers lost their lives today by malice: the malice of Marfin Bank and Mr. Vgenopoulos personally who explicitly stated that whoever didin’t come to work today [May 5th, a day of a general strike!] should not bother showing up for work tomorrow [as they would get fired].” An employee of Marfin bank.

The bank worker’s union has also called a strike in protest at their deaths, however, they put the blame mainly on the shoulders of the government. “This tragic event that took the life of three of our colleagues, two women and a man, is the sad consequence of anti-popular measures that whipped up pop popular anger,” the OTOE bank employees’ federation said.

“The government has very serious responsibilities, as it seems it failed to take account the scale of the consequences which its decisions would have on Greek society.”

It’s of crucial importance that those of us standing in solidarity with Greece don’t allow the tragic deaths of Greek workers to be used as a propaganda tool that will help push through measures that will lead to (amongst many other terrible things) even more unsafe, deadly workplaces.

(Statement via Occupied London. Original in Greek here. Thanks for the heads up, Liam T!)

Update: In the video below, you can see the owner of the bank, a Mr. Vgenopoulos, arriving just moments after the deaths were confirmed. People repeatedly shout “murderer” at him. Around 43 seconds into the video one of the gathered people shouts: “how many yachts do you own?”, at which point Vgenopoulos signals with his fingers: “three”.

We’d like to ask George Papandreou, the Daily Mail and everyone else pushing the propaganda line on this: who is the real murderer?