On this day, 9 October 2014 the Greek ‘riot dog’ Λουκάνικος (Loukanikos: “sausage”) died peacefully in his sleep. Loukanikos was the most famous of the Athens stray dogs who joined demonstrations and riots against the police murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos and later against austerity measures. Inhaling police tear gas and other chemicals during the many riots in which he participated, led to a deterioration of his health, he was adopted and retired out of the city in 2012. He died at the approximate age of 10.
READ ONCategory: CLASS STRUGGLE
The French pensions strikes, 1995
Rail and air travel were paralysed and most domestic and international flights were cancelled. Much of the railway network came to a halt as did the Paris metro system and bus service. Schools and universities were closed as teachers and students walked out in protest at the plans, post offices were forced to shut and mail was left undelivered. Striking workers filled the streets of every major French city and town and large demonstrations against the cuts proved an impressive show of strength and an indication to the high level of support that the strikes were to enjoy in the days ahead.
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Left Anticommunism: the unkindest cut (CLASSICAL ESSAY—REPOST)
MICHAEL PARENTI— Having never understood the role that existing communist powers played in tempering the worst impulses of Western capitalism, and having perceived communism as nothing but an unmitigated evil, the left anticommunists did not anticipate the losses that were to come. Some of them still don’t get it.
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Class War Films: Political Fraud
We are more than pleased to introduce our audience to the important work of Lanny Cotler and Paul Edwards, two revolutionary audiovisual artists who simply excel at communicating the truths and ideas usually negated by the capitalist propaganda machine. Using a technique which reminds us of Ken Burns’ classic documentary The Civil War, the team has produced a series that, in its didactic power, can effectively guide would-be activists in future struggles. If you ever dreamed of seeing Howard Zinn’s People’s History on the screen, wait no more because this series by ClassWarFilms brings that much to the table and then some. This video, Political Fraud, is the second piece in the collection.
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