Beyond the BNP?
At the start of this month, Nick Lowles of Hope not Hate / Searchlight wrote an essay titled Beyond the BNP, The future of HOPE not hate1. In it, he talks about how the group’s “targets and vision have expanded” in the wake of “some fantastic successes” against the far-right. It reads as a stark revision … Read more
The state and the “extremists”
On Friday, the police arrested twenty two people who were protesting outside the US Embassy. The group were protesting under the banner “United Ummah,” but were arrested on suspicion of being part of the banned Muslims Against Crusades. The demonstration was against the use of US drones in Pakistan. However it is clear that United Ummah … Read more
The repercussions of a ban on the EDL
Recently, I made the case yet again against using the state to fight fascism. One key point in this was that by calling on the state to stop a protest taking place because those marching are fascists you set a precedent for them to do so when those marching aren’t fascists. Thus, the only thing … Read more
Calling for state repression will not beat fascism
Today’s Daily Star carries the story that “The English Defence League will carry out a Norway-style massacre in Britain unless the Government cracks down on the racist organisation.” Aside from the irony of a paper which previously supported these fascists carrying this story, the idea that it offers is a dangerous one. The state’s “crack … Read more
Searchlight and “bolstering the mainstream middle”
The Searchlight Educational Trust (SET) has just released a report called Fear & Hope. It has gained a lot of headlines, and claims that “There is a new political spectrum and dynamic that explains attitudes to culture, identity and nation.” It is interesting reading. SET is, of course, closely connected to Searchlight Magazine and to … Read more
Hope not Hate declares victory as history threatens to repeat itself in Bradford
Earlier this month, I laid out the argument for militant working class resistance against the English Defence League in Bradford. Specifically, I explained why both a state ban and a “unity event” which refused to directly confront the fascists were the wrong approaches to take. Nonetheless, Hope not Hate reports that its campaign for a … Read more
Militant, working class self-organisation: a response to Hope not Hate and Unite Against Fascism
Editorial note: although Liverpool Antifascists agrees with the overall thrust of the following article, it should be read as the opinion of its author and not of LiverAF as a whole. It is now three weeks until the English Defence League (EDL) descend upon Bradford, and the debate continues about how antifascists should oppose them. … Read more
Why using the state to ban the EDL is a bad idea
The Bradford Telegraph & Argus tells us that local politicians are seeking to get the English Defence League’s planned march in Bradford banned; Bradford Council’s political leaders have spoken out against the proposed English Defence League demonstration. And Council leader Ian Greenwood has explained why he wants the Home Office to ban the event scheduled … Read more
BNP Lies No1. BNP Steals Normandy Veteran’s Words
Yesterday, WW2 veteran Kenneth Riley appealed for people to sign up to the Hope Not Hate campaign to fight the BNP. Amazingly, within hours some of his own words were lifted verbatim and put into the mouth of the BNP’s own claimed war veteran Bob Head. Compare and contrast their two letters. It’s both galling … Read more
Fascist activity in Liverpool City Centre
The fascist BNP today continued their campaign of intimidation and racism on the streets of Liverpool. At around 2pm Andrew Tierney, again claiming to be a freelance journalist, set up his camera tripod directly in front of the Socialist Workers Party stall. This was a clear attempt to unsettle and intimidate people as they engaged … Read more
