Socialist Workers Party Hijacking Unrelated Protests

Sergeant · 28-03-2011 11:52PM

prinz wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqNOQemn11o&feature=related

Which of course gets all marches a reputation and decent people stay away and refuse to associate themselves with these nutters. Trouble makers.

Now we see the violence inherent in the system!

BOZG · 29-03-2011 07:42PM

*BREAKING NEWS*

Political party joins political protest? Whodathunkit?

prinz · 29-03-2011 10:36PM

BOZG wrote: »

Political party joins political protest? Whodathunkit?

The Paddies Day parade is a political protest?

jill_valentine · 29-03-2011 10:58PM

I used to be very politically active, and protested a lot. The SWP have done a lot to put me off.

On one particularly notable occasion, they walked the length of the march only to heckle the speaker once they got outside the Dáil. Like, we organised the protest, gathered up the bodies, made up all the signs, did all the press etc, etc only for SWP to appear, with their generic reuseable signs and flags, to march at the head of it as if they were leading it, and then heckled the people actually involved.

I agree with the OP. F*ck those guys. They hijack any protest they're part of - which is damn near any one they hear of, because they just love a bit of a walk - and discredit any movement they lend their colours to. Urgh.

BOZG · 29-03-2011 11:05PM

prinz wrote: »

The Paddies Day parade is a political protest?

No, it's not. But this thread has hardly focused on them appearing at a Paddy's Day parade.

Regardless, it's an opportunity to talk to a big group of people. Who cares?

prinz · 29-03-2011 11:13PM

BOZG wrote: »

No, it's not. But this thread has hardly focused on them appearing at a Paddy's Day parade.

It hasn't focused on them joining political protests either. It has focused on them acting like complete tits.

K-9 · 29-03-2011 11:33PM

I don't they get that they do more damage than harm.

It's like Youth Defence tarnished the Yes side in the Divorce referendum and the likes of Coir undermined the second Lisbon vote.

BOZG · 30-03-2011 10:23AM

prinz wrote: »

It hasn't focused on them joining political protests either. It has focused on them acting like complete tits.

Yes but the OP mentions that they are on "every protest" and then goes to list a number of political protests.

Don't get me wrong, I have many political differences with the SWP and their antics in different campaigns over the years. And contrary to Pride Fighter's uninformed comments earlier, there are significant differences amongst left parties internationally relating to political principles, tactics and perspectives - it is not to do with personality clashes. At the same time, it's not uncommon at all for many countries to have numerous right-wing / capitalist parties or even different wings in the one party - the right is as splintered as the left though Ireland is somewhat different due to our political development.

However, most of the comments being made here are not with people who've actually had to work alongside the SWP in different campaigns but from people who've attended a protest or two and seen the SWP there. The tone of their comments is much more about the audacity of a political party attending a political protest. Something which is particular amusing is that the OP makes references to the anti-war movement protests despite the fact that the most significant anti-war demonstrations held in Ireland were organised by the IAWM of which the SWP, along with many other groups on the left, were a component part. I have serious issues about how the SWP acted within the IAWM but to claim that they hijacked a demonstration they played a role in organising is quite amusing. Even in your own comments, you reference a protest organised by the Right to Work Campaign which is an SWP campaign.

Most of the comments here are more to do with political bias than anything else.

sensibleken · 30-03-2011 10:52AM

Nothing new. these gob****es have been doing this for years. Years ago when I was involved with various lefty causes you would have to be damned carefull you didnt let these guys know about any action you were planning. parasites

RichieC · 30-03-2011 10:54AM

BOZG wrote: »

No, it's not. But this thread has hardly focused on them appearing at a Paddy's Day parade.

Regardless, it's an opportunity to talk to a big group of people. Who cares?

Only certain people are allowed to protest! :rolleyes:

most of these guys are arseholes, but they have a right to protest.

prinz · 30-03-2011 11:08AM

BOZG wrote: »

Even in your own comments, you reference a protest organised by the Right to Work Campaign which is an SWP campaign..

I referenced attending the ICTU march. I did not attend to have some SWP scream in my ear from two feet away with a megaphone while I was trying to listen to Fintan O'Toole. Or to have muppets mingle into the crowd and then throw rubbish, open drinks cans etc over the rest of us at the garda line for example, and when the march was over try to force their way through a line of 4 or 5 gardaí who were protecting the side of the stage and then scream about police brutality. When they could easily have circled around them in about 5 seconds no problems whatsoever.

The video I linked to was to show other posters who it seems have little experience of the SWP in this country what they are like.

Akrasia · 30-03-2011 11:09AM

Blisterman wrote: »

Has anyone ever noticed that these guys are at every protest? Anti war protests, environmental protests, political protests etc, waving their placards with their well articulated arguments.:rolleyes:

Even at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Leicester, there were a few of them going around handing out fliers to people watching the parade.

It's ridiculous. Can't they organise their own demonstrations? Why do they insist on hijacking other people's protests? All they do is dilute and confuse people as to the real meaning of the protest.

They've been doing it for years. That's what their MO is. I went on a big rant about that in my undergraduate sociology thesis and that was in 2004

The SWP will try and control any political movement before it gets off the ground. they do this by forming front groups claiming to be open democratic grassroots groups, but they will always flood them with SWP activists who generally tend to take control due.

When other groups set up alongside the SWP fronts, the SWP will do everything they can do to undermine them. (eg during the iraq protests, if the other anti war groups announced a protest at shannon airport, they would announce a simultanious protest in dublin, or on one occasion, travel to shannon and then try to lead a different march at the same time and syphon off activists from the proposed direct action.

The SWP are a dispicable organisation, I wouldn't trust them (but at the same time, some of the new recruits are young and naive and are not aware of the tactics of the SWP, so if they come up to you full of enthusiasm, be gentle and explain to them what kind of group they are associated with)

Akrasia · 30-03-2011 11:11AM

old hippy wrote: »

They are an extreme minority; and much maligned. Smashing stuff up wearing balaclavas and spraying anarchy signs is not a revolution. It's laughable.

Thats not the SWP. the SWP are the ones selling newspapers

Pauleta · 30-03-2011 11:19AM

These people are cockroaches. Nearly every protest they high jack turns violent as well. They dont believe in democracy either. They just believe in a left wing loon state where everyone abides by their thoughts and beliefs even though its not the democratic will of the people.

BOZG · 30-03-2011 03:10PM

prinz wrote: »

I referenced attending the ICTU march. I did not attend to have some SWP scream in my ear from two feet away with a megaphone while I was trying to listen to Fintan O'Toole. Or to have muppets mingle into the crowd and then throw rubbish, open drinks cans etc over the rest of us at the garda line for example, and when the march was over try to force their way through a line of 4 or 5 gardaí who were protecting the side of the stage and then scream about police brutality. When they could easily have circled around them in about 5 seconds no problems whatsoever.

The video I linked to was to show other posters who it seems have little experience of the SWP in this country what they are like.

You posted a link to the RtW protest outside the Dáil also.

That's fair enough to say that you shouldn't have to listen scream into your ear with a megaphone but your claims that members were trying to rush the stage or secretly mingling with the crowd are unproven and unless you have proof that these were in fact members, it would be best to stop with the allegations. The bulk of the SWP, along with the other left political groups were actually quite a distance away from the stage as the stewards forced us all to the back of the demonstration. We then had an alternative platform where the majority of members of all the groups involved were actually standing in front of, quite a distant from the main stage.

conorhal · 30-03-2011 03:38PM

They are the political equivalent of the Judean Peoples Front. They're a joke, a Monty Python sketch, but lacking it's wit, irony or self-awareness.

Any time you come across them, just shout:

SPLITTERS!!!!!

BOZG · 30-03-2011 04:11PM

conorhal wrote: »

They are the political equivalent of the Judean Peoples Front. They're a joke, a Monty Python sketch, but lacking it's wit, irony or self-awareness.

Any time you come across them, just shout:

SPLITTERS!!!!!

Do you know how unoriginal a suggestion that is?

Maybe you should also suggest bringing some "Careful Now!" and "Down with this sort of thing!" placards along too.

Chairman Meow · 30-03-2011 04:26PM

A bunch of spoilt middle class children whov'e listened to too much Rage against the ****ing machine.

Its disgusting them hijacking the crisis in japan to spout their own bull**** about 'capitalisms nuclear nightmare, maaaaaaan'. Ever hear of Chernobyl, you ****wits?

KeithAFC · 30-03-2011 05:01PM

I hate them.

Mike 1972 · 30-03-2011 05:40PM

Akrasia wrote: »

Thats not the SWP. the SWP are the ones selling newspapers

The Socialist Worker basically a hard left version of the daily mail

smokedeels · 30-03-2011 05:54PM

Chairman Meow wrote: »

Its disgusting them hijacking the crisis in japan to spout their own bull**** about 'capitalisms nuclear nightmare, maaaaaaan'. Ever hear of Chernobyl, you ****wits?

I wasn't aware they did that, thanks for the information, I dislike them more now.

They're like the Eamon Dunphy of the political word, pointing out oblivious flaws while offering no viable alternatives.

I "dabbled" in Socialism a few years ago so I've some idea about its tenants and I find when I speak to some SWP members on the street their lack of knowledge about their supposed ideology is staggering. Opinions that fit on placards.

ElaElaElano · 30-03-2011 06:08PM

I won't name names here but was involved with them in some capacity as a teenager (I'd imagine a lot of the membership is rebellious kids) and there was an event hosted in one key members' house as a sort of fundraiser. This guy had spent all day telling me about the struggle of the underclass, how the state cared little for those of us at the bottom, and as someone who lived in a shíthole I related to all this fighting talk. Got to his house, it was what can only be described as a penthouse, with sea views, roof terrace, the works, in one of the most affluent areas of the country.

Hilarious as it is now to look back, it broke my heart at the time because I knew Fíanna Fáil, Fine Gael and the PDs represented everything I stood against, and Labour would talk but never deliver. To find out that the SWP was more or less fronted by (they'd resent that comment!) a bourgeois champagne socialist with a big house in the suburbs, killed me.

conorhal · 30-03-2011 06:43PM

BOZG wrote: »

Do you know how unoriginal a suggestion that is?

Maybe you should also suggest bringing some "Careful Now!" and "Down with this sort of thing!" placards along too.

The fact that a 30yr old joke is still the epitome of their thinking tells me how unoriginal the SWP are.

Mike 1972 · 30-03-2011 07:53PM

smokedeels wrote: »

I "dabbled" in Socialism a few years ago so I've some idea about its tenants and I find when I speak to some SWP members on the street their lack of knowledge about their supposed ideology is staggering. Opinions that fit on placards.

I bump into some of them every now and again from my limited observations there seems to be at least two types. There are the true believers (well intentioned but almost hopelessly idealistic) and those who are only in it to find out where the former get their dope.

Buceph · 30-03-2011 11:58PM

The biggest peeve of mine against them is their attempts to hijack the word "worker." It's happened plenty of times where they go on about the "ordinary worker" getting screwed. Actually try and pin down who they're referring to, and it's inevitably the lowest grade, shop floor worker. What about all the other people who work, from the average graduate who starts off on minimum wage to get any experience they can, to guys on the average industrial wage, to professionals getting by on a decent living, or self-employed people who work every hour under the sun to keep their business going, or the average small farmer who owns a couple of tens of acres for animals. But no, none of them count as "workers" because they're not digging a hole in a road. They completely dismiss any effort put in by people who aren't at the very lowest wage. And even then, there's plenty of people I know on the lowest wage who wouldn't be caught dead with them.

They're a bunch of dishonest morons.

wonderfulname · 31-03-2011 05:29AM

The young professional these days tends to be worse off than the lowest common denominator thanks to crazy debits, and that the small farmer can easily be working from dawn to dusk and at the end of the day being left with less than the minimum wage, the same goes for the self employed. Also don't forget that many people on a road digging a hole may be seriously overqualified to do so.

The SWP isn't marketing themselves to a wage bracket, they are marketing themselves to a certain social group. Many of the people within that group can only aspire as high as the type of labour the SWP likes to rant about, thats why they do so. If they talked about graduates or farmers they'd lose their core which is those on low incomes with little prospects from the inner citys.

Buceph · 31-03-2011 05:48AM

wonderfulname wrote: »

The young professional these days tends to be worse off than the lowest common denominator thanks to crazy debits, and that the small farmer can easily be working from dawn to dusk and at the end of the day being left with less than the minimum wage, the same goes for the self employed. Also don't forget that many people on a road digging a hole may be seriously overqualified to do so.

The SWP isn't marketing themselves to a wage bracket, they are marketing themselves to a certain social group. Many of the people within that group can only aspire as high as the type of labour the SWP likes to rant about, thats why they do so. If they talked about graduates or farmers they'd lose their core which is those on low incomes with little prospects from the inner citys.

I can understand their reasons for targeting this group, it's the one most likely to buy into their "cause" as an easy fix.

My problem with them is that they try and hijack the word "worker" to refer to the type of individual they are targetting for their support. While dismissing anyone else, such as the farmer, student, middle income professional, middle manager, etc. as not an "ordinary worker." And that pisses me off, because it they try to imply that these people have it easy, or have lucked into what they do. When the case is that it wasn't a matter of luck for the majority of people, it was that the worse of are distinctly unlucky.

Condatis · 31-03-2011 06:56AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

Sure they must protest with bourgeois capitalist pigs still controlling the nation.

How did such a dour, miserable person as Clare Daly get elected?
A prize for the poster who can find a photo of Clare Daly smiling.
Herself and Joe Higgins suit each other.

Must be a crime to look happy and smile

She is not from the Socialist Workers Party. She was elected for the Socialist Party.

Then you also have the Irish Republican Socialist Party – the 'political wing' of one of the gun-toting, drug-pushing pseudo insurgency outfits.

Socialist Workers Party Hijacking Unrelated Protests

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