A-Infos (en) Anti - Racism in Ireland

[News from Workers Solidarity Movement <wsm_news@geocities.com>]

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     A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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1. Building the anti-racist resistance
The Anti Racism Campaign (ARC) is based on a founding 
statement which describes it as "an open and democratic 
alliance of people who came together to combat the 
anti-refugee and anti-immigrant hysteria initiated and 
encouraged by politicians and the media".

2. Anti racism campaign on the streets
Over the past few months, members of the Anti-Racism 
Campaign (ARC) have been involved in a number of public 
activities aimed at highlighting and promoting the 
anti-racist message

3. Free speech and the litter act
The use of the Litter Act to prevent the distribution 
of anti-racist leaflets is a very serious step.

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1. Building the anti-racist resistance

In response to growing racism against refugees and 
asylum seekers, recent months have seen the beginnings 
of an anti-racism campaign in Dublin. This campaign had 
its public 'launch' at a very successful public 
meeting, attended by over 80 people, last October.

The Anti Racism Campaign (ARC) is based on a founding 
statement which describes it as "an open and democratic 
alliance of people who came together to combat the 
anti-refugee and anti-immigrant hysteria initiated and 
encouraged by politicians and the media". The campaign 
also opposes anti-Traveller racism. It refuses to 
"..separate people into 'deserving' (refugees) and 
'non-deserving' (immigrants)", and opposes all forms of 
immigration control.

The ARC statement goes on to point out clearly where 
the racism being experienced by refugees and immigrants 
is coming from:- "It is an attempt to hold foreign born 
people responsible for the Irish government's neglect 
of working class communities and their underfunding of 
welfare services. Racism divides ordinary tax paying 
workers and unemployed people on the grounds of colour, 
and deflects us into fighting among ourselves. 
Meanwhile the government gives away our tax money in 
grants to big business and tax amnesties for the rich.

The main problem we face is not small groups of racist 
thugs, it is institutional racism: state racism aided 
by the compliance of media, union and church leaders. 
While opposing all outbreaks of racial prejudice, we 
understand that the biggest problems faced by refugees 
and immigrants (denial of entry, denial of employment 
rights, etc.) are caused by government".

The Anti-Racism Campaign has set itself the task of 
organising large numbers "..to oppose racist lies, 
agitation and legislation". It makes it clear that it 
is not a charity but that it aims "..to empower people 
to help themselves". Its founding statement concludes 
"we are a campaign that brings ordinary people together 
in order to make our actions more effective. We welcome 
all anti-racists: Irish, Travellers, refugees and 
immigrants".

Members of the Workers Solidarity Movement have been 
involved in helping to build this campaign, as have 
members of the Socialist Party, the Association of 
Refugees & Asylum Seekers in Ireland and many non-
aligned people. Already the campaign has been involved 
in the distribution of anti-racist leaflets - both in 
the city centre and in areas in which racist leaflets 
and graffiti have appeared. Racist slogans and graffiti 
have been painted out.

With the help of the Markets Area Citizens Information 
Centre (22 Beresford Street), a free and confidential 
information service for asylum seekers and refugees has 
been established. A Trade Unionists Against Racism 
grouping has been set up to campaign for the adoption 
by all trade unions of an Anti-Racist Charter. The aim 
of this charter is to ensure that all workers, and 
especially those who deal with refugees on a daily 
basis (in social welfare, education, shops, etc.), are 
aware of their own responsibilities in creating an 
anti-racist environment, and in challenging incidences 
of racist behaviour by management or by work 
colleagues.

A mediawatch group has been established which monitors 
the media and responds to racist articles or comments. 
Where newspapers refuse to print a 'right to reply' to 
racist articles, their offices will be picketed. In 
addition there have been several public activities 
aimed at heightening awareness of the issue of racism.

Other such activities are planned, in particular in 
opposition to the heavy-handed and racist behaviour of 
gardai and immigration officers at the airports, 
ferryports, and on trains and buses from the North. The 
Anti-Racist Campaign meets every Wednesday at 8pm in 
the Irish Vietnamese Centre, 45 Hardwicke Street, 
Dublin 1. Come along to the meetings and get involved 
in building this very important campaign.

Gregor Kerr

Co-ordinating Committee, ARC - personal capacity

For further information on the Anti-Racism Campaign, 
wite to ARC c/o 10 Upper Camden Street, Dublin 2 

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2. Anti racism campaign on the streets

Over the past few months, members of the Anti-Racism 
Campaign (ARC) have been involved in a number of public 
activities aimed at highlighting and promoting the 
anti-racist message.

In December, approximately 30 people protested outside 
the offices of Independent Newspapers in reaction to a 
series of racist articles in the Irish Independent and 
Evening Herald.

Also in December, 40 people placed a picket on the 
constituency clinic of Fianna Fail TD Ivor Callely in 
response to a statement issued by him in which he 
called for "rogue asylum seekers" to be "kicked out of 
Ireland". The picket drew a very favourable response 
from passers-by.

The ARC drama group put on a piece of street theatre to 
coincide with an anti-deportation leafletting session.

The city centre was postered with anti-deportation 
posters.

Members of the Anti Racism Campaign also supported 
protests against threatened deportations organised by 
both Amnesty International and the Anti Nazi League.

In coming months the campaign will be stepping up its 
public activities and will be organising to prevent 
threatened deportations.

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3. Free speech and the litter act

ON SATURDAY 18th October, a number of Anti-Racism 
Campaign members were distributing leaflets, 
advertising an anti-racist public meeting, at the 
junction of O'Connell St. and Henry St. in Dublin's 
city centre. The leafletters were approached by a 
Dublin Corporation Litter Warden, who was accompanied 
by a garda.

The warden informed them that the distribution of 
leaflets in a public place was illegal under the 1997 
Litter Act and proceeded, along with the garda, to take 
the names of those who were handing out leaflets. He 
informed them that they would be subject to a #25 fine. 
Several of the leafletters have since received 
summonses from Dublin Corporation under Section 3(2) of 
the Litter Act 1997.

The use of the Litter Act to prevent the distribution 
of anti-racist leaflets is a very serious step. A 
blanket ban on the distribution of leaflets would have 
serious consequences for other political, 
environmental, civil liberties, community or trade 
union campaigns. It would indeed have serious 
repercussions for the constitutional right to free 
speech. Groups of workers on strike, for example, could 
find themselves in a position where it was impossible 
to put forward their side of the story.

The legislation which allows people distributing 
information to fellow citizens to be threatened with a 
fine or prosecution must be fought. The Anti-Racism 
Campaign intends to campaign against this denial of 
free speech. We urge all our readers to support this 
campaign.

This article is from Workers Solidarity No 53 published 
in January 1998
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           Workers Solidarity Movement

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