CONTRAFLOW IN SHORTS.
     Seems like the post-summer of love 1989 travellers-  casuals
     unity has yet to cross the North Sea into Holland.  Surprise
     visitors to the August full moon festival in the 20  year
     old squatted village in Ruigoord described as 'a special, 
     magical 10 day event' were the UK sound system Spiral Tribe 
     (trendy, entrepaneuriel, rip-off wankers - worse than 
     hippies!). The good vibes and sobriety were suddenly dashed
     by  the 'sub-bass set up booming all over the Ruigoord
     plains'.  The next day, 400 placid hippies held a meeting,
     man, and  marched to the Spiral Tribe field, chanting 'house
     out!, house  out!'. After a nonviolent confrontation, the
     Tribe's generator  was sabotaged but not enough it seems to
     stop the party. The  next day came and the Tribe's 'post
     holocaust, Mad Max style  end of the world or bust 24 hour
     earth shattering continental  drift party ' was back,
     disturbing the usual acoustic guitars  and didjeridoo
     playing. 
     
     Helen Woodson was released on parole after serving 9  years
     of a 17 year sentence for disarming a missile silo with  a
     jackhammer. The trouble was she didn't want to be released 
     so in order to break parole, she used a starter pistol to
     hold  up a Chicago bank, and after grabbing $25,000, she
     doused the  cash with lighter fuel and torched the wads,
     announcing that  'the false money god must be destroyed'.
     Helen Woodson is now  doing time for armed robbery. 
     
     Not content with keeping London Transport fares the  highest
     of any capital city, the last few years, have seen the 
     power that be running high intensity ad campaigns aimed at 
     stopping fare fraud. Most of the ads feature weird 
     psychologically threatening images such as hands that spring 
     out of seats to imprison the fare dodger or giant fingers 
     pointing you out for shame by everyone else whose got a 
     ticket. They need to be seen to be believed! However, now
     that  their control mania has got....out of control, they
     are now  posting signs telling you not to play your walkmans
     or give  money to 'beggars' who they say are 'proffessional
     thieves'.  And they don't want you to eat snacks on the tube
     as 'the  smell of a snack can make most people crack'.
     Contraflow asks  'what drugs are LT bosses on ? And where
     can we get some?'
     
     The phrase 'justice is an M113 tank from Irwin barracks' 
     springs to mind when we heard of the super exploits of 
     Australia's Gary Hayes. Strangled unconscious by cops 5
     years  ago, it seems he just couldn't forget it and so
     nipped off to  buy the tank in late April last year. Driving
     the tank to  Wembley CIB, the scene of his torture he
     destroyed the wall of  the cop shop, a shed and 2 cop cars.
     Then he drove to East  Perth HQ and wrecked another 6 cop
     cars before having a go at  the central law courts and
     ramming the law courts in Hay St.  After going for Beaufort
     St. police HQ too, he drives to  Parliament House and does 2
     laps round the perimeter. Gary's  vengeful spree was only
     ended after the cops tear gassed him  out. Buy this man a
     new tank!
     
     Ivan the terrible, Hitler, Sadaam Hussein, General  Galtieri
     all turned up to the Royal Navy and British Army  equipment
     exhibition this year, courtesy of Campaign against  the Arms
     trade, who brought them to the show in a Daimler.  Driving
     past security was fine until a suspicious bod asked to 
     check the accompanying General Pinochet's briefcase and
     found  it stuffed with fivers. 'Those aren't real', he said
     and the  game was rumbled. When the dictators (played by
     actors) left  the checkpoint they were saluted by a
     policeman!
     
     The wonderful world of global capitalism has brought  havoc
     again to the cosy world of punk rock. Signed by EMI last 
     year, the Blaggers ITA, well respected (by us too!) hard
     core  antifascist band have been pushing the struggle
     forward with a  series of cracking records. The Swedish
     division of EMI,  operating a similar policy of signing
     whatever's trendy with  the kids, have signed the band
     Ultima Thule who made No.4 in  the charts. Employees of EMI
     protested in September to  management that it is well
     documented that the Thules are a  fascist band! After their
     Stockholm concert in October, the  nearby anarchist
     bookstore and another communist cafe were  attacked.
     
     A news release from the 'Blue Tuesday' devastation of the  Wanstead chestnut
     tree to make way for the M11 link road,  written by anti-road campaigners,
     reports severe violence from  the cops and bailiffs with people injured all
     over the place.  'Campaigners', it says, 'tried to hug the police to get the 
     message through - we are peaceful'.
     
     Greek anarchists report a flurry of activity in the  cities in what is,
     perhaps, their attempt for the annual  anarchist fire brigade award. August to
     October witnessed many  Molotov attacks against the media,  the ruling New
     Democracy,  the Pasok party, against bus company offices and buses  (subject
     of a recent strike), teachers' offices and finally  banks. The best titled
     group to claim some of the damage was  the 'non-arrested anarchists'.
     Alongside the fire party the  anarchists held demos and workshops for
     prisoners, for  refugees, commemorated the Spanish revolution of 1936 and 
     occupied Rock FM 'against the spectacle'. Way to go.
     
     