October 15th Solidarity screenprint

Haven't designed anything in a wee while, so when I was asked to design the poster for the upcoming October 15th Solidarity Exhibition and Auction I had to dust off the inner cobwebs, so to speak. Quite happy with the result, which I will hand screenprint this week at SRA2 size (640mm x 540mm). Trying to get the third colour from overprinting the red onto black, which I haven't done in that particular combo, so we'll see how it goes! Not sure if you can make it out, but the lovely gentleman featured is our very own Police Commissioner Howard Broad.

Make sure you try and get down to the exhibition, check out the full events on offer, and show you support for the arrestees of the October 15th 2007 state terror raids.

Radical Activism Visual Archive

I check in quite a bit at my friend Alexis' site, the Radical Activism Visual Archive — there's often new posters on there from around the world. Found these two which I simply had to share!

Surveillance of Activists in Auckland

"Whoever the nutcases behind this surveillance are the implications are worrying. This surveillance is obviously aimed at building a detailed database of active political activists in New Zealand. Whether police or private this information will no doubt be used to target political activists and hinder campaigns where possible. Auckland activists have seen a constant stream of arrests almost none of which are ever taken to trial. Thompson and Clark are still trying to infiltrate activist groups around New Zealand and are paid by companies to sabotage campaigns by whatever means they can."


From Indymedia.co.nz: Today Auckland animal rights activists held a protest against the fur trade. The protest outside the Norwegian consulate was in response to a recent expose of Norwegian fur farms. The protest had been widely advertised and was completely public. Around ten of us were holding placards and leafleting passers by. During the protest a photographer for the listener approached us and told us that a photographer was in a car across the road with a long lens taking photos of the demo.

Immediately I headed across the road with a camera. As I neared the car the driver took off at high speed. At the next intersection the driver got stuck in a red light. As pedestrians crossed the road I took a couple of photos of the car and driver. To avoid having his photo taken the driver pulled his shirt completely over his head. While people were still crossing in front of his car he accelerated suddenly and then had to break heavily, coming dangerously close to running the pedestrians over. When he accelerated there were three people directly in front of his car. He was obviously driving blind. After this rather than stopping he sped through a red light.

All of this took place in front of a police car on the opposite side of the intersection which immediately did a u turn and turned on its lights and siren. The driver continued driving for a block and went around the corner. By the time I had caught up the driver of the car was being talked to by a police officer. The driver still had his shirt pulled partially over his head. I explained to the second officer who I was and why I had been trying to take photos of this guy. The first officer came over and told the second officer “This guy was taking photos of this protest and didn’t want his photo taken”. The police did not arrest the driver and allowed him to leave. I do not know if he received a fine....

Walking back to the protest I came across two men with radios, tinted shades and an expensive camera. The men were standing near to where the driver had been parked whilst photographing the protest. I overheard them trying to find out where the driver had gone. After taking a few quick photos of these two I rejoined the protest which went on as planned.

The surveillance was either being carried out by the New Zealand police or by a private security company. The most obvious example of a private company is Thompson and Clark. This company specialises in infiltrating and monitoring protest organisations. Famously employed by SOE Solid Energy this company uses infiltrators to help big business quash protest campaigns.

Whoever the nutcases behind this surveillance are the implications are worrying. This surveillance is obviously aimed at building a detailed database of active political activists in New Zealand. Whether police or private this information will no doubt be used to target political activists and hinder campaigns where possible. Auckland activists have seen a constant stream of arrests almost none of which are ever taken to trial. Thompson and Clark are still trying to infiltrate activist groups around New Zealand and are paid by companies to sabotage campaigns by whatever means they can.

An example of how the kind of photographs taken today may be used is illustrated by a poster we came across a few years ago. The poster contained about 50 photos of animal rights activists and was being delivered to fashion shops across Auckland. Many of the photos on the poster had been taken covertly at protests. At the bottom of the poster is a caption reading “If you have any information on any of the mentioned Activists/Protesters, then forward all details through to Detective Mike Cartwright, Harlech House, 482 Great South Road … Michael.Cartwright@police.govt.nz”. Michael Cartwright was at the time a member of the “Threat Assesment Unit” Set up post 9/11 to monitor domestic threats to security. Despite being 16 at the time and having no convictions then or since I was included on the poster. Many of the other people on the poster had never been to an animal rights demo and were shocked to see themselves on it. Obviously this poster and similar activity is not aimed at solving any criminal activity but rather at long term profiling of Activists.

Neither is this surveillance limited to Auckland. In Wellington last month counter terrorist unit officer Richard Grover was caught hiding in a carpark photographing Foie Gras protesters. At the same time John Campbell of Provision security was also attempting to photograph the half dozen protesters. The full story at: http://www.indymedia.org.nz/article/77575/still-lying-still-spying-anti-terror-pol.

I don’t think surveillance should stop or even slow down the protest movement. We need to keep doing what we are doing openly and proudly, we have nothing to hide. However I think it is important to expose state and corporate surveillance where we can.

I don’t think Activists or the public should put up with this kind of activity. Attending a picket or holding a placard should not result in you being added to a data base.

Wahi and the Wobblies! Film night

"Fire Your Boss!"... "Abolish the wage system!"

With their revolutionary slogans, union cards, and a swag of 'silent agitators' (stickers, posters etc), the Industrial Workers of the World, aka the Wobblies, took to organizing the working class into the 'OBU' (one big union). In the process of challenging capitalism and fighting for workplace democracy, the Wobblies were one of the few unions to be racially and sexually integrated, and were often met with imprisonment, violence, and the privations of prolonged strikes. Their influence was worldwide, having an effect on New Zealand's militant labour unions of the early 20th century and Aotearoa struggles such as the 1912 Waihi Strike.

Beyond Resistance is proud to present The Wobblies, an award-winning film which takes a provocative look at the history of this radical union and the concepts of Revolutionary Unionsim, screening the unforgettable and still-fiery voices of Wobbly members — lumberjacks, migratory workers, and silk weavers —in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. Eerily echoing current times, The Wobblies boldly investigates a world torn by naked corporate greed and the red-hot rift between the industrial masters and the rabble-rousing workers in the field and factory. Replete with song and gorgeous archival footage, the film pays tribute to workers who took the ideals of equality and free speech seriously enough to die for them.

And as a special treat, we will also be screening the world premier of Black Tuesday, a short film on the Waihi Strike of 1912 — one of Aotearoa's most violent (and fatal) industrial struggles.

Watch the Wobblies trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5l7uwtqkqU

Food, drinks and childcare will be provided, so come on down and join your local anarchists as part of our monthly film nights at the WEA! Zines, books and more will also be available on the night thanks to the lovely folks at Katipo Books.

Thursday 24 September, 6.30pm.
WEA (59 Gloucester Street), Otautahi/Christchurch.

Entry by Koha/donation.

Film length: 86 minutes

For more information contact:
otautahianarchists (at )gmail.com
http://beyondresistance.wordpress.com/

See you then!

Anarchist posters: Spain 1936 and more

I recently stumbled upon a french site which has an amazing collection of anarchist graphic work, from the times of the Paris Commune and the Spanish Revolution, through to May 68 and today. Posters are heavily featured, but anarchist stamps, money (if you can call it that), broadsheets and publications are all there too. The collection of Mujeres Libres and anarchist CNT-FAI posters from the Spanish Revolution are simply dazzling; as a (sometimes) poster maker it's truly inspiring to see the quality of both the craft and content of theses works.

Use google to translate the site from French to English, or simply let the visuals do the talking.

NDU strike: boycott Pack n Save/New World

From NDU: Give support to 220 striking NDU Foodstuffs DC workers who are walking off the job across the South Island on Thursday afternoon (3rd September) in protest at the lack of any offer from Foodstuffs South Island to improve their wages and conditions.

After 6 months of fruitless negotiations NDU members will not only walk off the job, they intend to also protest outside the supermarkets owned by some of the Foodstuffs Board members.

Despite negotiations commencing in February the company has consistently refused to improve the wages and conditions of members at negotiations. By offering nothing – no wage increase, no improved conditions – it has made a mockery of a genuine bargaining process.

The Union believes the company is acting in bad faith and is using the recession rhetoric to prevent legitimate and well overdue pay rises. By contrast, Foodstuffs’ main competitor Progressive Enterprises (owners of Woolworths, Countdown and Foodtown) supermarkets pays $3-$4 more per hour for doing the same work.

Foodstuffs controls 57% of the NZ supermarket industry. All members are asking for is a fair decent living wage (sic).

The Union hopes to get the support from members of the public thru signing a Public petition (attached) calling on CEO Steve Anderson (who earns $18,000 per week) to share some.

In Christchurch, these places will be:

Halswell New World
Owned by Barry Gray.
Where: 346-360 Halswell Road, Christchurch
Time: 12.30 – 2.30pm

Northlands Pak n Save
Owned by Stephen Boock.
Where: Northlands Shopping Centre, Main North Road/Sissons Drive, Papanui
Time: 2.15 – 4.00pm