10 November 2024
Friday was an international day of protest in support of a group of Nigerian activists, including members of International Socialist Alternative (ISA) and the Committee for a Workers International (CWI), who were arrested and face treason charges for protesting imperialist-imposed austerity. IBT comrades attended a protest outside the Nigerian embassy in London, organised by ISA and also attended by the Socialist Party (CWI), the Spartacist League and Fight Racism, Fight Imperialism. Although this was a small action, it was an important example of how different organisations need to build united fronts to defend each other against state repression.
Following is the text of a speech by one of our comrades at the protest.
My name is David, representing the International Bolshevik Tendency.
We stand here in solidarity with the comrades in Nigeria, arrested for taking part in protests against austerity. Austerity that was imposed by the Nigerian government in order to service imperialist debt. We call for a fight to kick the imperialists out of Africa—their military and their financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the IMF. We say: cancel the debts!
But anti-imperialism is not enough—Nigerian workers need a programme of permanent revolution to overthrow capitalism at home.
All around the world, cops and courts are tools of the ruling class—their job is to protect private property, profit, and the capitalist system.
It is good to hear the trial has been delayed. But as you said, we can't rest on our laurels.
Some of the arrested comrades face treason charges subject to a possible death sentence. We call to abolish the death penalty. We call for the freedom to protest without fear of arrest. We say: drop the charges, release all protesters now! We call for the organised workers' movement, in Nigeria and elsewhere, to take class-struggle action to force the state to carry out these demands.
There are many comparable cases around the world. For instance, in South Africa we call for dropping the charges against trade-union militant Xolani Khosa, arrested for expressing political opinions online.
The arrested comrades in Nigeria include members of the ISA and the CWI. We thank the ISA for calling this demonstration. Despite our differences on many issues, it is important that we stand together for the right to protest and to stand against state repression. An injury to one is an injury to all. It is only with free protest and free debate that we will resolve our differences and build revolutionary parties able to lead the international working class to overthrow capitalism.