Welcome to the first edition of the quarterly YCL International Bulletin for Spring 2020, covering the period of December 2019 to May 2020.
- December 2019
We attended the General Assembly of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, represented by Comrade Pierre Marshall, member of our Executive Committee from Oxford.
We also had the great pleasure of hosting delegates from our fraternal organisation in Brazil, the União da Juventude Comunista (UJC), on their way to attend the General Assembly of WFDY.
This included the international secretary of UJC and the member of the Central Committee of the Partido Comunista Brasileiro (PCB) responsible for youth affairs, who were received by our Chair, Robin Talbot and members of the London Branch.
In London, these comrades visited Marx’s grave and toured the Marx Memorial Library and Workers School in London, visiting the archives of the International Brigades and the office in which Lenin edited Iskra (The Spark).
They were received by representatives of the Communist Party of Britain Executive Committee and London District.
- January 2020
The YCL mobilised alongside allies and members of the local community to express our solidarity with the people and youth of Venezuela, resisting the visit of the self-appointed “president”, imperialist puppet of the United States, Juan Guaido, to Downing Street and East London.
Young Communist League and Communist Party members also came out across the country to protest against U.S. imperialist aggression against Iran, stating that while we do not support the theocratic and anti-worker Iranian Government, we do not support the imperialist plans that can only lead to death and misery for Iranian people.
- February 2020
In February, YCL and Communist Party members supported our friends in the Indian Workers’ Association of Great Britain at their demonstration condemning Modi’s repressive citizenship legislation in Glasgow.
On the 29 February, member of the Executive Committee and Agitprop Officer, James McLelland, and Comrade Aiden O’Rourke represented the YCL of Britain at the Ard Fheis of the Connolly Youth Movement, our sister organisation in Ireland.
- March 2020
We picketed the Polish Embassy in London to protest the Polish Government’s legal repression against the Communist Party of Poland, following both the passing of anti-Communist laws and continued legal action against the newspaper of the Communist Party, Brzask.
Following the escalation of the COVID-19 crisis in the UK, comrades and branches of the YCL throughout Britain began to mobilise in support of those in need in their communities and at work, organising, leafleting and campaigning on the streets.
- April 2020
On 19 April, the Global Day of Action in Solidarity with Venezuela, members raised their voices in solidarity with the people and youth of Venezuela as part of a wider online campaign against U.S. imperialist aggression and the defence of the democratic will and self-determination of the Venezuelan people.
Later in the month, the updated programme of the Communist Party, Britain’s Road to Socialism, was published coinciding with the centenary of the founding of the Party.
- May 2020
We sent our messages of solidarity to the workers and students of Brazil in their struggle against the Bolsonaro regime, part of the World Campaign Against Bolsonaro coordinated by the World Federation of Democratic Youth on 8 May 2020.
The new website for Challenge, the magazine of the Young Communist League, was launched featuring domestic and international news, articles from YCL members from politics to sport, as well as our Back2Basics series making Marxism easy and Challenge TV and Podcast.
Throughout this period, the YCL has been growing, with a continued focus on recruitment in addition to online education and organising and the establishment of new local branches.
END
International Bulletin: Spring 2020
International Commission
On behalf of the Executive Committee
Young Communist League of Britain
22 June 2020
London, Britain
