Solidarity Motion from Liverpool University UCU branch

Support the Brazilian protests against the World Cup for social justice and public services.

What could make 100,000s or even millions of Brazilians protest against the World Cup being held in their country in June and July this year? Some results from the World Cup are already know

• Nine deaths during the construction of stadiums, 250,000 people forcibly removed from their homes, billions of pounds taken from education, health and transport, police repression of protest, criminalisation of protest including demonstrations. The World Cup has been organised at a huge social cost.

• While federal, state and local governments are spending billions of pounds on the construction of stadiums and infrastructures for the World Cup there is a lack of funding for public services such as education, health, and transport. There is great profiting from entrepreneurs who amass large sums of public money.

• Amnesty International has warned of a crackdown on freedom of expression as Brazil moves to pass a ‘terrorism’ law that could criminalize peaceful protest before the tournament starts. The new law, which is due to be voted on in the Brazilian Senate very soon, would see the creation of the crime of ‘disorder’ in order to control protests. It could lead to the criminalisation of any citizen attending a public demonstration.

• With just one stroke of the pen all social and union movements may be classified as terrorists, in a clear attempt to silence the voices of the streets through the criminalization of popular and union struggles.

• The Brazilian government is working with the US government and intelligence organisations to help repress the struggles.

“On 12 June, during the opening of the World Cup, demonstrations are planned to take place all over Brazil. We call on the fighters of the whole world to organize demonstrations and join us in struggle in front of the Brazilian consulates and embassies in their countries.

We workers, trade unionists, student activists, fighters from the social movements and movements against oppression came together in Sao Paulo on 22 March 2014 in a national meeting in order to build unity of action in struggle during the World Cup and to make an appeal for support to the workers of the world”, says a  CSP-Conlutas’ call for solidarity.

Strikes are erupting from the north to the south of Brazil and the social movements over land and housing are winning new struggles. Last June (2013) millions took to the streets to demand the increase in public transport tickets be reversed. The national and state governments were forced to concede.

They helped build a meeting of many organisations on 22 March to create a new organisation “Na Copa vai ter luta” – During the Cup will have struggle.

Considering all the above the Liverpool University UCU branch supports the demand of the union and social movements by:

1. Sending messages of solidarity for the struggles: such as the struggles of education workers, students and for land and housing, CSP-Conlutas, ANEL and Na copa vai ter luta.

2. LTUC to a lively article on the world cup and struggle, pictures and cartoons if possible.

3. Send the letter to Fanzines, other football fans organisations and personalities and working class organisations.

4. Design and print a banner to highlight.

5. Demand the Brazilian government ends the repression, the anti-protest laws and the monitoring of social movement by writing to the Brazilian embassy in London.

6. Publicise the demand “FIFA go home” meaning return the monies taken from education, health and transport, publish all private contracts with the multi-nationals

7. Send this motion for consideration to LTUC affiliates.