Sao Paulo, Brazil: Red Flag committee formed

The "Red Flag"  Committee of Struggle for a United Front in Defence of Democratic Freedoms and of the Workers', Popular and Student Organizations formed in São Paulo.

On Thursday, June 20, activists of left parties, social organizations and movements were attacked and expelled from the demonstration at Paulista Avenue by a joint front made up of police officers, the bourgeois press and fascist and extreme right-wing organisations. Behind the slogan of "no parties" and with all kinds of violent acts, the red flags of struggle were forcibly lowered, resulting in a sea of ​​green and yellow. Faced with this, the militant Marxist Left called all the "Reds" they could find after the march for an emergency balance sheet meeting at the Marxist Library, where dozens then decided to convene a wider follow up meeting.

The meeting was called in order to discuss the new political situation that has opened up in Brazil and "all comrades who defend democratic freedoms and the fight against capitalist exploitation" were invited. On Saturday, June 22, at 3pm, while the "Brazil-Italy" game of the Confederations Cup was taking place, more than 100 people met at the Marxist Bookstore, in downtown Sao Paulo to discuss the course of a more decisive confrontation.

Present were members of the PT, PSOL, the Marxist Left, anarchists, independents and people who have never before been politically active, as well as leaders of the Union of Glass Workers of the Sao Paulo State, the Union of Journalists of SP, the Workers' Council of the Occupied Factory Flaskô and militants of various workers’ unions, students and school students. They came from various cities: São Paulo, São Bernardo, Campinas, Osasco, Sumaré Caieiras, Franco da Rocha, Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Foz do Iguaçu...

The rich debate lasted until 8pm, discussing the new political situation that has opened up, the tactics of the bourgeoisie and the threat to democratic freedoms and the organizations of the working class, and culminated in the setting up, by a unanimous decision, of a Committee of Struggle for the United Front in Defence of Democratic Freedoms and the Workers’, Student and Peoples' Organizations.

One of the objectives of the Committee, apart from the struggle for the united front of all the organizations that defend the working class and for the democratic right to free expression, is to fight for the proposal to hold a big public united event in defence of democratic freedoms and workers', popular and student organizations. This is an appeal to all working class organisations, left parties, unions, trade unions, student organizations, social movements and popular organizations.

For this, a coordinating commission of 19 members was elected, to organize the executive tasks such as communication, dissemination of material, etc. This commission named the committee "Red Flag" and has created a blog and a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/comitebandeiravermelha/). All present pledged to bring the proposal of the newly formed committee to the meeting called for next Tuesday (25/06) in Sao Paulo, to all parties, movements and trade unions, to discuss actions against this situation.

The formation of Committees of Self Defence in workplaces, schools, etc., was also agreed, as well as forming self-defence committees of the Glassworkers, of the Occupied Factory Flaskô and in the centre of São Paulo, at the Marxist Bookstore.

The next meeting of the Red Flag - Committee of Struggle for the United Front in Defence of Democratic Freedoms and the Workers’, Popular and Student Organisations, will be held on Saturday, June 29, at 3pm in a venue to be announced. All activists, organizations and bodies that agree with this call are invited to attend the meeting on Saturday and be added to the committee.

• Long live the struggle of the workers!
• Fascists shall not pass!

São Paulo, June 22, 2013