Brunhilda Olding discusses the RCO’s involvement in the School Strike for Climate protest in Melbourne.
The November 17th School Strike for Climate protest held in Melbourne reflected at it’s core the contradictions of the current climate movement, and the divide between the revolutionary and militant core of these protests, and the idealist, utopian, and reformist leadership. The clearest example of this divide was the difference between the speech given by Comrade Teranika in their role as representing the Eco-Socialist United Front of the RCO and the Freedom Socialist Party. Whilst other speeches talked of the need for a ‘just transition’, Teranika’s speech openly called for revolution, and laid the blame for the climate crisis solely at the feet of the capitalist hegemony strangling the world.
This speech was a victory in more than one way as it represented the first time that the RCO has been named in a speech a major victory in the upswing of our publicity. Furthermore, the open revolutionary messaging of the RCO including the usage of the chant ‘Fuck the ALP’ saw interest from Union members, and the more radical members of the protest. Nonetheless the reaction of the organizers to this organically developed chant from the students supposedly forming the core of this protest represents the militantly liberal and reformist attitude of the organizing bodies driving this group. Marshals actively intervened to shut us down, and during periods where chants grew more militant, attempts to enforce reformist, and idealist narratives were once again forced upon the protest. Indeed, the very media coverage of the protest actively fought their way to find moderate actions and members. As the RCO marched, 10 News actively raised their camera to keep our banner out of their broadcast before lowering it again. The unrelenting dedication of the movement to maintain bourgeois respectability fundamentally damns them to failure.
Perhaps one of the most damning indictments of this protest however is the pointlessness of the destination. Rather than marching on coal officers, or parliament, the protest went to the Docklands based office of the ALP, and sticky noted the window (and in an even greater example of the futility of this action, said sticky notes were then taken down by the organizers of the protest to comply with police orders). Perhaps the only benefit of this action is that when all these sticky notes are mailed to the ALP it’ll be easier for them to go into the right bin.
Nonetheless, despite the failures of the leadership genuine radical, and revolutionary tendencies exist within the marchers. The famous extinction rebellion actively champs at the bit against the liberal, and image focused leadership, offering a potential venue for revolutionary ferment. The most militant chants emerged organically from the protest, and union members held our fervent rejection of the ALP in respect.
The school strike for climate movement is as all things are, driven by contradictions, and those contradictions are only growing more revolutionary.
Workers of the World, Unite!
PARTISAN! 