Earlier today, Members of Anti Imperialist Action mounted a lighting Picket on the Brit Imperialist Company GO Ahead, at their Ballymount Depot.
The purpose of the Picket was to highlight the economic and cultural imperialism engaged in by Go Ahead in Ireland, and to protest the wearing of Poppies by the management team at the Ballymount Depot.
Speaking from the Picket, a Spokesperson for the Socialist Republican Group Said, ‘Go Ahead are a British Imperialist Company that are engaging in economic imperialism in Ireland. Go Ahead are actively involved in profiting from the privatisation of Ireland’s Public Transport system and now control 10 per cent of Dublin Bus Routes.
Added to this economic imperialism the management of Go Ahead here in the Ballymount Depot are engaged in a campaign of cultural imperialism by wearing Britain’s blood stained poppy to work. Far from being a symbol of remembrance, the poppy is a symbol that glorifies British Imperialism and is sold to raise money to support serving members of the British Armed Forces, those same armed forces that maintain the ongoing and illegal occupation of Ireland.
The spokesperson continued, ‘Anti Imperialist Action Ireland have been contacted by Go Ahead Workers deeply insulted that the management here are wearing the Brit imperialist poppy in a work environment. Over the last four years Anti Imperialist Action have mounted #PoppyWatch patrols to ensure the Poppy is not sold on Irish Streets. The campaign has been very successful. This year, following the contact by workers here at Go Ahead we are expanding the campaign to place pickets on any business promoting Brit Imperialism by wearing the Poppy.
The Spokesperson continued,’The management at Go Ahead wearing the Poppy is both symbolic of and a symptom of The Imperialist nature of this company. British Imperialism in Ireland is represented not just by the Crown forces in the Occupied Six Counties but also of companies such as Go Ahead across Ireland. Our Public transport should not be in the hands of Private Companies and the likes of Go Ahead should be driven out of Ireland and they services they currently run should be returned to public services.
In the fight for National Liberation and Socialism, Economic and Cultural Imperialism must be defeated in Ireland and Anti Imperialist Action are working to build mass resistance to imperialism across the country. We will continue to stand with workers victimized by imperialism and take action where they cannot. Any company promoting the Poppy In Ireland along with the rest of the imperialist vultures in our country will face action from the organized and disciplined working class.
Keep the Poppy out of Ireland!’