anti-fascist archive...anti-fascist archive
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FIGHTINGANTIFascistTt
PO Box 241.4HandsworthBlrnlngharo
BzT AT7,
0uring lhe canpaign aqainsl the Britishl,laiional Party and Naliona] Front.
candrdales in thi llty 199,1 local Counci I
Elecltuns, ri t,eraii* i lEal lo fllrtrin-qhatrt
AFA that t,here is &11 utrlEilt. need io reltove
f ne iaic tsls f ioirj kei uot'll tn,1 c lass arear
c.{ Bttrrringhatu,
*,ln areaE Iike 0Ecoit ano [.ings'r,anding lhe
iasciElE arp openly aItlve, Ihey have
built up a plesencE 1n lhese dislrtrl.sover t{any yearE, Although stnall ir nurrrber
fhey are tnienl on bui ldinE on ihe
Euctesseg thai have pushed fhE faErisls ltnatronal ptott'Insnre olci a-oain.
L/e rn Sirrringiiifir AFA helieve ihat the k*y lo r.lnrc'vrn-q lh* iascisl Drgseiril cn{e and fm all is.li' cheilenq*lhem in their'oun'areas, (lhile sorking clais drstrrcls ate seen as hofie'uerritary for fascisl scufii,
Ihey use rarlea as a '{eap0n to srcbilise lhE disconirnf of the potkinq tlasr Uneltolnved !,hite vout.h oftenforit fhe shocklr.osns of outf ils such as Combal 18, Ihe fascrsts give 0u',,'ane,rrets'l,o ur-rking class oeanle
left sn lhe srdelrner i'y ihe rulrng class and ihe rrrainslr*ari nolitical r,arliEs, YEt t,hose'ansllers'arEdangeraus drivei, t/e rrusl Ehorr lhat, fa:tisis uill inctease lhe rroblaltrs c'f v,lrkEns, not deriea:E lhEn, lde
lius'r, airo shou uhy lhere are ot.hgr ansu*rs t,o Ihe ri-qis, ,rorktng cliss s(,]vl.ionE that iocug on renrcvin0
lhe caure of aut probielis - lhe hosses and the tlasE sYsletlrr--r''-- - --- i-:iricts aie uhere we 1ive, It ig r'ur EtrEeis the fasciEis are rertuiting on, Il is ihrsEPUrrirrl! LtE!5 Ul
sireels lhev nrusi be driven ilff, lle must be otganised. so t,hat no faEcisl (an sver shou his or her fare inany atEa ai our crly, llle nust drive the fascisIs inia the seters frsrr vhere they csrie - and i.hertr flushllern ints lhe 'r.0ilet f oFevet ! 0ur aitl is sirille, lrle ate oroanising a cannaign t,o gel Bir*ingham AFA irlathe l,:nrriunri.ies the fascjsts are in, lle uill be going ir, lsafletling, t:*uitin-o ialling tc, peor'le,
burlding on t.he aup'pc,rt.ers ue havp rn lhEEe argaE ard arQani:ing to publir ise and nanilor fasr js!s,huiidrnE up a sii.uat,lrn vh*re no iasctsl:s safs t0 r*tslli the slteelsl 0UR si.rg*ls fot !!'R classllle call on ail ani.r fascrst organisations to jorn iis in t"hiE carnoaion BUARF (Eirnringhan United Aqainst
Rac:srir and Fascrsril] has already atcepteC a c,tot,osal ftot* us for such a canpaiqn and ue hooe other grouos
urll ilsc' ccrie aionssrde us, ileanuhile rr* tnLend to get, s'i,arled - JCiN US AllD HELP {J.i mffi ngQ.[ ftiCt0f f T('Il.iJ.I.Ll.{:
I{E!rSLE:I:TER C)FB IIE]y T]\TGHAIYI
FASC IS:T AI-I- IA}TCESiurn:cnerl- '9 4
lTc:. 4
\
TUR,NINE THE TIDECC)I{I:TEIITS !
Why-:we changeo' our nane (backnage) . , . Locit actlon round-upActj.on 1n Tlpton Local Councl] Elections renort ,..
ff
I,IAY LOCAL ELECT T I:Ng.I 994 E I R;'! I NGHAI1 AFAgUILD€ LINKS
Eirninqhan AFA uas very active in the Iead-up to Lhe
recenf Iocal runicipai Council elertjclr*:::*t$! on ltav
sth, ,;,i i" ,.;i,ffi!.r;i:ri:1.ffii','
In alliance rltth rerbers of 8irufngfiar and Coventry Yf,E
(Youlh Against, Racisr i,n Europe) and Youih United
igainsl Racisr and Fascil, Bininghar..AFA ras out
eveiy ueekend in the mnlh preceeding the elertionE,
streets at any ona [ina,
Folloring one of the sessions of leafletting in
l(ingstanding the fascists did robilise to atterot lo
confronl the anti fascists, The leafletting session
had finished, horever, and so a r-ather disorganised
're-robilisatlon' nas called by tfie Al{L, Uhen the
taEeisl did rrrive tfiene raE rinor rstivity, uith lhe
nasier tase soon junping back on the bus lhey had jusl
gof off in a hasty evasuation of the area,
Aiih,:ugh ihe 3rirish l{alional Par',,y (BNP) and llali':na!
Front (llF) vcte uas nol large, ii i: inceasing and
enefBvet'rhts happens ihele 1s an increass in t'ascis"
s"ui*ei aitiviLy anr1 rac:,sl aiiacks. It is l:he
infention of ElrninEham AFA ts'ltn back the sireeis and
drive lhe fascists back doun lhe Eewers where lhey
belong, Uhen ne iuere in Kingstanding'c€ tattre lc:r55
graff:;i: :i'at,:'lg'7ht: :: : i'itci:" rr:a' !e i:1'j!r9l',i',!5,ii;n nir:osi:rs ai i"he ii'*e - !ul rg l:1iEl::::iemovr ;utn gruff:il, and those lhal ouf i+. ';3,
perrnaneni,l,y, 'lorking clals ateaE liIe Kingslandtng are
not io be ieil io ihe fascists, lle iniend io iake back
our Eireets iron ih*re anii uorking class scun,
0n r,he election niqhl. unforlunalelv, a missed
0ppuriunr-r,y ttcutrsd:ue io the disorganisaitcn of t'l''e
anti fasci5i iorces, A smali oarly :f Sirninghan AFitr
rras covering the ate3 ln a van when ue sooiied areund
i5 fasctsts, glatnly frorn lhett 'secutilY' 'ling,
possrb!y Ci8, chastng hali a dozen nelbers of lhe AllL
auav lron ',,he election count, flulnunberinq Eirninghan
AFA by around 3-i, ue cailad fsr help and aEsistancg
frota another anti fascisi unit ihat Ee kneu Pag
operaling locaiiy, Ihey rere 'unable' to cone to our
assistance, leavtng us Itith no other aption than lo
nonitEr lhe :iiuaiion, unable to attack the fascists,
Ihe other unit, re undersland, spent the night in the
Pub,
ElEction niqht rar r nissed oppurtunity to give [he
fascists a bloody nose, this ,las duE fo lack of unity
and leadership in ihe anti faEcist rovenent.. It is lhe
lnlenlton of Bilrrrrnqnan ilFA to aitenpi'no ensure lhis,ioEs ;rsl naDDen 3gaIn
the iieii:ln i*Eults i,:t;he iasi:9t3 rel8 i5 ioliuus:
:jar;iey iirsrn - -lurse lolland'xF -:t)5/.--r.-_,r-... _ :,--ir. 1lF - ,l):'.,;L:v;rt'i.r,i vu::. . rrl:: - 1r - -v'
I L
Birnlngham AFA
VEERE T3 STAtrD
J{embers aud syupatblsers ofAFA flrnly befleve thatfasclsm ls an antl worklngclass tdeolo6y aad those whoseek to brlng lt about(fasclsts) are to becballenged,pb.yslcally,
not onlybut a1so,
ldeologlcalty. Ye lntend tosoasb, and etlrose f,asclso audfascists for what tbey ELre - acowardly bunch of antl socialswho use tactlcs that dlvldethe worklng class aadtberefore ensure ouroppresslon. We latend topbysically stop fasclsts frornueetiag, produclag theirpropaganda, spreadlug thetrflltb aud tbreatenlng' sectlonsof our comunitles, we w1 l1
)
beat thed off tbe streets and \--leciucate ourselves and otbersto keep then orf our streets.
PO Box 24t4, Handsworth,Blruinghan, BT?L ATZ
AC::.N :li ;i.:3TLlN
0n iune 25 arounc i00 anti fasciEt: nade certain thaiihe $rriish ilat,ional Prrly (8NP) iould nol hold ineetlnE at ihe ilorseiey favern in lip[on. Birmingharn
lFA, the Anli i{azl League (illll}, the Indran Uorker:iissocia't,ton ( IllA) , tsirmrngharn Uniled Aqainsi Rac:,sn rnd
Fagclslr t$UARF) and 0thErs ail ritobiiised at :horinolicE',,0 ilounl a pickel of ihe intenoed fteet,tng,
JHouever, despite stooping the BNP fron neering :I theHor:eley lavern, Birninghan AFA does not, beliave peoole
should acceot ilaims nade by ihe Al{L of 'rnoi"hervicnr.ory agatn5L the fascists', Uhy?
Inportani ihough lhe mobilisation eas, n0 doubt rausinqdisrupiion [o lhe BNP activiiies and liniiing theireffectiveness, it did not stop. the EllP neeling inanother pub dorrn the road, 0nce rgain lesEonE need i.0be learned by all invo[ved, Ihese iesgons are:
(l) inti faslists need lo have a rell-roordinal,edscouiing, intelligenre operat,ion io comoletent nasE
pickets, Ihis neans al I serious rnt,i fasrislrorganrsing il befole hano,
{:) anti fascrs'r,s :irust be creoared i.o inoienent i0piailorn rn :'Eceitt ;i lelrable iniLir$atl0n,
':-i., .q-rrJlrri ,rrdll :Jil
'\a-'4t, I
<^/t#r . :.' ' -1 l/r ::i
Eirninghan AFA has been very active in lhe lasf feu nonlhs, despite our relativelv snall nuarberg rnd sole nator oroblersue have hail lhai are a tesult of the disuniiy in the anii fascisi rovelenl, Since i[erslelter l{0,3 (soring '94) te haveieen 0ui,ofi',le 5iieets 0n nutetous 0cttslons, ihe anLi fasciEt foreat are noi al,rays ruccessiul lnen ihev nobili:eiil'"hougn lany peooie lre ilou flocking r,o the AtL and'anti fascisl' Enerally, the need for unir,y in action, sorihingEirntnghatr AFA harps on rnd on about, is inoeasingly vital, Ue attetpf to pul our noney,rhere our noulh is and sloo lhefasclst, thetevet possible, Holever, re cannot, rork on out ornr any mre than lhe ofher ant,r fascist forces.
0espite our differences, rhtch are sorelines very large, rc call on all anti iascisl groups to unite in action, lJhen
ihey heat of astions by the facsistl _t!en fhey shoultt contaEt tllknorn rnti frqrict Ot *and organise joini
ulllingness io physicaliy confroni. the fascists, Ihis neans ne nugt prepare - joinl siruarding, srcuting and leadership,
Soue of ihe anti fascist groupB don't rrni to Eonfronl the fascists and others don't rant [o brerk out, of lheir snallrliques thich are ineffeciive ai best and disrugtive at uorEt, Everyone uho is an ant,i fasciE[ first and a meqber of a
particular group second is !,elsone to contact Birringhan AFA, Ue don'I denand ihai you join our qroup rnd a-oree lilheverything ue lhink and:ay, But' if you rant effeclive action on the day, if you uant lo actually stop the fascisls asopposed to siifing in a pub ialking aboui it or standing o* a pickel shoufing about, il, then you should talk to us,Unily in aclion nou!
LBCAL ACT T V I TY ROTJND.IJP .
!n larth .,, 3ioo0 tnd Honour rnobil:Eed for I najor '-ii{:r'i iiii iioivernarlolon 3rea, tinti iasc:sis i:ad,:nl.y l?i'i0u:'s u-si:,!e anc ihe leril;nii fasciEi unii'cis unabi:lc :icti iise iarge nunbers, aiihcugl': '',hev ':rqani;rciiouring and noni'uoring operations,Birntngh:n *FA mobiliser a snall scouling oartv,rhichati-.iiroi*d i,l aart;clDale in r"he coerilir.n :ior{ina'r.:'J:'' :.ie i6./eir'-:;.:!:,li ;"it: ..-:l'illi:1.. ': 'i.f :
:;a; tijl ,.;ni; itns:5'i;N .:? :lr l ; i';:len !i: :iif :; j2i'iCi*$i ly iitse in,:harga,:n the tiy,lnl'?i'.,ite': i.c
lei:eve ihai ihey r*re rapable :i lerna ;ffe,:tivg, rreicnen inv0ived rere iongslanding anli iagc:si lli1:+"an-rE
ilc a0re ihan iaoabis ':f ii'rivriv .Je,:rqg la,:li* ioaclii:i ;ntti :*:rts't pi-",ludt ttg in'i :'i0', lo bnng i.itr$.;ii.;ul llcveneli,i;: ai; i,ii*:veni, uas a l iiure i'ji.i"br;n+,: fa:::siiertEs, r1i,;'i pa=srbly 200 boneheiCs abie tr-r llEVe i:i;c:s::;uil qt! and iauEe rni,imtCai"i':n on rrhe:lreet;r:n foivsrharcgrsn lefotehand, Cue lc r ver.r large scaiepolice presence the fascisis did nat go on lhe ranoigeaiieruards. Ihis event, lhe nost rrorrving in lhe UesiItidiands area in ihe lasl fru nonlhs, forcss ali rniifascist,s to face up io ihe lcaie of ihe ooEsillr Canger
fac:ng us,
Birninghar ilFA aciivists also atlended fhe successfulldem in Lsndon on tlarch l9th, called by ihe IUC,
night, of lhe counl, itay 5th, reporied al
ln "lune ,,,8irninghar f,FA net lo resclve iis problersand decrded io charqe tts nane and break all Iinks siihLondon AFA/London Red Aclion (see report on page i).Ue continued to be involved in BUARF and aliended I,he
ptcket held by ihe Uest ilidlanCs Ant,i Ceoorlaii.lnCanpargn on Sehail oi Srrkesh lnd PreB Chavnil00r0, ule
ters r,ls0 ;enilal :n i:ocrli,sinl i.:r ihe ici.:,;nE :t'r
'i;'"cn riee .:tr:,ii :;r ri,:e jl le !ec:, 1 ,.i:nn1r; ':r-.,.a- . -- I l'rUl :iE.\ v -trxuq | .ll : l
::- 1lr:jt :1 - j:-JHr'.rcurv r-r 1rt-r^ ,,dil i.- ..11i;r:- - : : ri::s" rr- li:r: iri.
I-rl(:AL Ar].'l ,i..ri-iY ,Rilfr'11 1_:-IfF.l-) ::l t- (r l?;j *< lj 5 U 'T
-iv[ J IQ F tj lJ- r T y
prepration metingr,g trorBs c$.!g.t.oe;ft4$f cnrnot rtop fasr*[si.nblfinliory of oitm mm*rG;*,tleifirer ern rnsspickets' of hundreds that nevei get nerr the fasrists, 'Uhat reiedii is'tfre lirge"Ecal'e robilisations.'together uith the
ln llay , ,, Local eleciions and son€ p on lhee, Cn
cosi posierst cvet 150 ailended,rrhat pa5 r',1lertevening, Ihanks due io ll0 and lo Birninonan AFA ryonenfor an ercellent iound svsten,
i; iav lSijr :;;r,: u:s : rubj:i rreetirq :n lt:.,r:r,:l ltis'tn iiiii, iaj.lac i,o iaunch 3rrsingha$ LJfi!te4 acltnsiRac:sn an,l Fascisit iBtJAftF) uhtch girninghig*"tFl i35been invalyed in n .i.ffi -rcalcouncliiors spoiie, ls did a Iosaj Eurc.,ffi Fourtembers of Sirnin-onarn iFA aliended ano ,re ffie a lr ish0ckEd io ;116 i.hat se(urli,/ 0n r.,\e reetj.fr' eas i0loc,r +,nai i5 ilembers cf ilg uere rble i,r 4$ruo,r if,ereetln!, tlii,er a healed *xchange ihe i'asi:si,E !art.,Jnable L0 prevenl ih* rneefing, 0esoite i,he !roblems in+,he faci ihai. ihey gor iritc ihe rneeiing rn ihe;ir:iplace - indicaiing the need for anti farcists ioiighten up their securily - conrades at lhe meetinguere compefenl enough io remove the fascists quriklvand contrnue ihe ileetrng succersfully, A failure lorihe fasusts but a uarning lo the left and lhe aniifascisls lo be better preoared,
{n t}gril , ,, Birnrnghar f,Ff, cras out every reek in therun up fo ihe ioral elections (see repopt 0n page 2),ihanks lo sveryone rho heloed in shai uas a successfuland usefull .ialttgal,,Jn. A nuch rrtore losrt:ye ilonth lhanilarcn I
/tG/rlNST F/rSC tS M
: ii,'l,lil";,'*i,t u[,
il, i' ;:1,11',, i'l:: m .;T'fi
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J.r'.' Er I Ri"1 : ll3'-Jf,t]fiiS ;i-i*NG=il :75
;tr Fi
ii f,;-1 =
Siii,ltitEf,an AFA h;rs ihafigeo ii5 nalls flotlgirntnghan Anii Fascts't Action io Birminghan Anlt
Fascisi Aliiance,Ihis iE a slall change and nany people wili be
rurrous uhy ue are ressinq aboul uiih such lttvtalfhings. The reasons are both sinpl* and couplex,
Anti Fascisi Aciion is a nane used by nany groups
anoss ihe country rho believe, like ul, in a
policy of niiitanl anti fascisl,AFf, sas olganised very ioosely, info roughly three
'blocks' of ereas * ihe ,ihrthern lletuork, t'he
'!lidlands' and London eFA, EaEh area has 3
sllghLly different political conpiexion, London
AFf, is dorinaled by Red Action,
Ii is $ith London AFA and its regional supporiers
lhat rre have tone to disagree, Ue spell oul our
disagreerents in a Public Slatenenf lhat rye have
released this ronlh (July 1994) thai can be
obiained fron any nenber of Birningham AFA or frolour P0 Box,
Uhy should disagreelents liih London AFA he a
problern in Birringham lhough? Ue niqhf ask lhe
iaiie queslion! Horrever, il has been ilade cleai tsus ih:t Lr'ndon AFA and iis tegionai sugporlers are
iilemptrng is nak E 'ilai ional AFA' a tlcrE
oiscipiined bod.v, Lccil iiFA grcues are being
'brougni intu line' *rth Londc'n AFA and ilsirgianai suFporiers, ldhen peopie aiternpled to
bting us inlo iine ue decided ii ulas line tot --.,-I EdVg,
iijr,lcli'i disagr*e iiiih iiFA i'eing beii'er grlanised.
unioriunatei'i re do disagree wit.h the poliiic: of
Lonsdn AFA and iis tegtonal supnorters, trhiih *e
believe uili undermine unity in'uhe anfi faErisluovpileni, As such ue lhink rie should mainlain our
indeFendence as a group, uhilsi arknor*ledginq lhaiue ire n0 longer par',. sf 'l,lalionai AFA', in ihisne join rlith oiher groups an05s ihe iountry -*nii Fasrisl Aliiance grouos exisi in Leicester
and Noitingham and l,rcal AFA groupr have also left' liaiisnal flFA' i n London i'rsei f ,
til a iirue uhen uni'uy is inneasingly needed it isrith great disappointlent that ue feel tonpelled
io leave Anii Fasc ist Aclion, Horlever ihe
nilrtants in f,nti Fascisl Action uiil continue tofighi the fascists on lhe ground, as tliil ue, and
ue hope ihat,, despiie our differences on hos isbuiid a united ant.i fastist lovelent', re uillslilt be abie to have unity in action uith Anti
Fascist f,rtion qroups,
If you r+aut to Joln us ln tb.1sstruggle, then contact us! .
GET iNVflLVED! \/
6ei invaived in $irnirEhan AFA - tle are one ni ;tien,lsi, aci.tye anii iasciE'r. !t0uE5 tn ihe ieEiiiiolincs - sui. 'i* neg,i ll0Rt pE0pLE, Sicci,incfasi:sn ts up lo Y0Ui
5*ri:*!a; i;; i iin - ii.!: iiici.,ei:rrn aii:itr: tni------- --r/sri!;iE:,cr .
;iEi:ins spinnirrrl lut cays . in ;iipnoii ai r,hi
Rahnan FaiiiJy rn '"heir apoeai againil deoorlatl;;i- Pubiic lleelrng, itii i'tiEhi Viqi i (Sepi 6 j,ioil,:wed by a rnass pirket and a iaijy ($esl ll.Irans[r:ri u:]: re going un - ioniari Birr,irnghanAFA ior sror; deiaiis
'Phcne iree iiei.sork - in order io rsbjjjsr aa nanypeople as possible for Ehmt notice anLr fascisiactivriieE - wriie uifh Nale, Phone i{umber andetails of uheiher you have lransport, nobiii/'phorres, hand-held C8's or other usefull e_ouipnentfo Birninghan AFA P0 Box,
JOIN EIRIIII{GHffII AFA, .,.
Costs t|,50 unnged, t3,00 laged rnd fl0 fororganisaiionsUe. need people for ait [ypes of aciivity - youdon't have lo be a street fighter to get involved,So tone along - everyone can do sonelhing in ihefighi against fascisn,
P.0 80x 24t4TIAT(D'1WORrH ilogRilffrcflAn 821 072-
To fascism and racism!