Resistance calls second national walkout
By Sean Healy
The socialist youth organisation Resistance has called a second national secondary school walkout for Friday, August 28, to protest against the rise of racism and Pauline Hanson's One Nation.
Resistance's call for the second national walkout follows the success of its secondary walkouts on July 24 and July 28, which involved 14,000 students and were the largest political action by secondary students in Australia's history.
Resistance has been inundated by calls of support in the week since the July 24 and 28 actions, from parents, teachers and principals and particularly from young people.
"Our first walkout showed the anger and outrage of young people at the rise of racism; our second walkout will organise that anger into a definite movement against racism in this country", said the walkout's national organiser, Sarah Peart.
"This time, our walkout will be even broader: it will involve more schools, more cities and towns. We are also calling on all young people — university and TAFE students, young workers — to join us.
"And this time, we will be specifically targeting the federal government. After all, the racist actions of this government have directly contributed to the rise of One Nation."
Already, in addition to those cities which participated in the actions on July 24 and 28, schools in two further cities have agreed to organise walkouts: in Lismore and Darwin. Plans are afoot in many other parts of regional Australia, including One Nation heartland.
[To get involved in organising the walkout in your area, contact your closest Resistance branch (details on page 2) or the Resistance national office on (02) 9690 1230.]