UAF collaboration with police at anti-EDL demo in Leeds

[In Bloom]

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) stewards collaborate with police on anti-EDL mobilisation

The Anarchist Federation condemns the group Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who, on Saturday 31st October at a mobilisation against the English Defence League (EDL) in Leeds city centre, openly handed one of our members over to the police. Several UAF stewards, including the head of UAF Leeds, physically prevented our member from rejoining the cordon, and then called the police over to arrest him. We will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists and ask other progressive organisations to do the same. UAF's policy of negotiating with the state for its public protests is well known, as is its alliance with religious leaders, trade union bureaucrats and politicians. UAF, apart from being nothing more than a front group for the Socialist Workers Party, has never been an effective means to combat the rise of fascism in Britain nor does it offer anything to working class communities.

D. Yates, National Secretary (Anarchist Federation, UK)

Any UAF supporters on here have any thoughts on this? I'd be interested to hear how they defend this kind of shit (especially considering that the lad who was arrested had done nothing illegal whatsoever).

 

[Bakunin]

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) stewards collaborate with police on anti-EDL mobilisation

Any UAF supporters on here have any thoughts on this? I'd be interested to hear how they defend this kind of shit (especially considering that the lad who was arrested had done nothing illegal whatsoever).

I'd be very surprised if they even try to defend the indefensible, which is what a bunch of supposed 'revolutionaries' handing other activists over to the police most definitely is. More likely they'll opt to try and ignore this and hope it will go away.

I've been saying that the SWP (and its various fronts) should be firmly excluded from any serious campaign work (especially direct actions) for a long time now. I don't see any reason not to reiterate that suggestion now.

 

[revlon]

even if he had done something illegal. More so in fact.

 

[ymu]

The SWP did this at the sit-in in the city centre on Day X in Brum too. The police told them they'd never let them march again if they didn't get us to move and the fuckers were right in there with the megaphones. Fortunately the school kids weren't having any of it and stayed put. The chant switched to "SWP, we know you, you are worse than the boys in blue."

Same at the protests outside Pebble Mill. The cops didn't need the dogs to keep people away from the building, the swappies were controlling it all for them.

 

[CUMBRIANDRAGON]

What do you expect .UAF are the brown shirts of the state.

 

[love detective]

while it's completely predictable stuff from the UAF, i'm interested in what...

We will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists

...actually means in practice - any AF'rs here care to translate this rhetoric into something meaningful?

 

[Bakunin]

while it's completely predictable stuff from the UAF, i'm interested in what...



...actually means in practice - any AF'rs here care to translate this rhetoric into something meaningful?

Well, it would start with not deliberately handing over fellow activists to the police.

I wonder, if it were the other way round, how long it would be before the SWP began screaming and shouting about betrayals and so on, if a different grouping were in charge of an event and deliberately handed over a few Swappies to the police?

 

[love detective]

not really what i was getting at

the AF have stated they 'will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists' - the UAF have collaborated with the state in this regard, so my point is what are the AF intending to do, given their stated position of not tolerating this?

 

[Bakunin]

not really what i was getting at

the AF have stated they 'will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists' - the UAF have collaborated with the state in this regard, so my point is what are the AF intending to do, given their stated position of not tolerating this?

I'd assume that's currently under discussion and some policy will be decided as a result, to be honest.

The initial statement is merely, as I understand it, condemning the actions of the SWP/UAF rather than laying out AF policy. It seems like a position statement rather than a new policy decision.

I notice that no Swappies or their fellow-travellers have appeared on this thread yet to defend SWP/UAF's actions.

 

[kidtripod]

I think it's more a dig at the UAF for actually being as fascist as what they oppose, if not more so, which is a view I've subscribed to for some years now. Never underestimate a swappies ability to promote fascism, as long as they are the ones telling everyone else what is acceptable.

A genuine anti-fascist movement would be as dangerous to the SWP ideals as it would be to those of the BNP, because they're far closer to each other than they are to the mainstream.

 

[gamma globulins]

I'm sorry, I'm a little confused. AF member was "handed over" to the police by UAF stewards. Why? What happened next? Why did the AF member leave the cordon, to what end, and what would happen to anyone else who did this?

I'm in complete ignorance here - no axe to grind.

 

[love detective]

I'd assume that's currently under discussion and some policy will be decided as a result, to be honest.

The initial statement is merely, as I understand it, condemning the actions of the SWP/UAF rather than laying out AF policy. It seems like a position statement rather than a new policy decision.

it seems very clear to me, from their statement, that the AF policy is that they 'will not tolerate' it - my question is what, in practice, they intend to do to demonstrate their intolerance of it - or is it just ill thought through rhetoric from people who like making grand sounding statements

I notice that no Swappies or their fellow-travellers have appeared on this thread yet to defend SWP/UAF's actions.

as you say, how can you defend the indefensible

 

[Gavin Bl]

if he'd mugged an old lady or something, then I'd be the first to hand him over to the cops, but if not, then its a pretty poor pass - even for a useless reformist like myself.

 

[sonny61]

The anti fascists who slag off the UAF, will only achieve the same ends as the UAF if they had any kind of success against the BNP.
That being to stop people voting for the BNP, who will then go and vote mainly Labour and some to the Tories.

So in the end both sides in the split in anti fascism, would get more people voting for the two main parties if they were successful in curbing the BNP.

 

[CUMBRIANDRAGON]

not really what i was getting at

the AF have stated they 'will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists' - the UAF have collaborated with the state in this regard, so my point is what are the AF intending to do, given their stated position of not tolerating this?

The UAF are the state

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I think it's more a dig at the UAF for actually being as fascist as what they oppose, if not more so

I hardly think so. I'm afraid this just sounds like reflexive OTT intra-left slagging to me.

 

[Blagsta]

I think it's more a dig at the UAF for actually being as fascist as what they oppose, if not more so, which is a view I've subscribed to for some years now. Never underestimate a swappies ability to promote fascism, as long as they are the ones telling everyone else what is acceptable.

A genuine anti-fascist movement would be as dangerous to the SWP ideals as it would be to those of the BNP, because they're far closer to each other than they are to the mainstream.

Another one who hasn't a clue what fascism means.

 

[gamma globulins]

OK, so no-one posting in this thread saw the event or can answer my questions? Guess that's sort of an answer in of itself then.

 

[taffboy gwyrdd]

I'm afraid this just sounds like reflexive OTT intra-left slagging to me.

Shurely not. On Urban?

 

[In Bloom]

not really what i was getting at

the AF have stated they 'will not tolerate collaboration with the state to halt the activity of genuine anti-fascists' - the UAF have collaborated with the state in this regard, so my point is what are the AF intending to do, given their stated position of not tolerating this?

We intend to track down Weyman Bennet and jam copies of Socialist Worker up him until something ruptures inside him.

 

[love detective]

so does 'not tolerating' this amount to anything more than words on a screen?

 

[DeepStoat]

so does 'not tolerating' this amount to anything more than words on a screen?

Indeed.

 

[The39thStep]

so does 'not tolerating' this amount to anything more than words on a screen?

means that they won't even ask Police officers for directions when they get lost parachuting into areas to carry out 'anti fascist' activity

 

[revlon]

something from a disgruntled ex-afer perhaps?

http://projectsheffield.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/the-anarchist-federation-are-scum/

 

[butchersapron]

Something form an idiot. Total drivel:

The Self Organised community resistance against Tesco on Commonside and other actions they have come along saying those victory’s are down to them

 

[Fedayn]

That's belboid and paul marsh's 'mate' ain't it?!

 

[butchersapron]

Thing is, if they want to post gossipy drivel about AF members beings screws, the person who wrote that is going to find far more coming down his head than anyone else. And yes, that is a warning.

 

[Rod Sleeves]

That's belboid and paul marsh's 'mate' ain't it?!

Moses?

 

[Fedayn]

Moses?

Well, similarly named yes.

 

[CyberRose]

OK, so no-one posting in this thread saw the event or can answer my questions? Guess that's sort of an answer in of itself then.

Didn't see the event in question but did see all the UAF lot try to protect a fascist that had broken into their protest when he was being dragged away by the police. Obviously nobody realised (apart from the police) that he was a fascist, but was still mildly amusing (especially if the subject of this thread is true!)