Beating the Fascists: The authorised history of Anti-Fascist Action

[butchersapron]

Would people be interested in/think there is a need or, rather, desire for a small book on the history of antifascism in the West Midlands?

I have a book on this already i think - covering up to late 80s maybe. Pic of lads sitting on a wall on cover. Can't check now, will when back home tmw. But if so, an update, or one including earlier period.

 

[gawkrodger]

oh wow, that sounds great

 

[butchersapron]

...would be good

(meant to write that on end of last post).

 

[DaveCinzano]

Crossing Borders: Anti-Fascist Action (UK) and Transnational Anti-Fascist Militancy in the 1990s

Nigel Copsey

Far too little academic attention has been paid to more contemporary forms of transnational anti-fascist militancy. Yet this study supports the idea that this field of anti-fascist activity has remained important. This article examines transnational anti-fascist militancy in the 1990s through a case study of Britain's Anti-Fascist Action (AFA). In doing so it offers an in-depth account of AFA's attempts to establish an international militant anti-fascist network in conjunction with Germany's Autonome Antifa (M). The article identifies the common interests, challenges and limitations of this network. The final part of his article reflects on the cross-border importation of AFA to the Irish Republic.

Document can be downloaded here:

Crossing Borders: Anti-Fascist Action (UK) and Transnational Anti-Fascist Militancy in the 1990s - TeesRep - Teesside's Research Repository

An interesting read, though I should very much like to hear London AFA/RA etc perspectives on it, particularly re the 'AFA contact' who seems to be Copsey's source for most of the German link-up stuff.

 

[framed]

oh wow, that sounds great

You should talk to the big fella in Brum as well mate

 

[gawkrodger]

You should talk to the big fella in Brum as well mate

Obviously first on my potential hitlist!

 

[malatesta32]

i think there is the need for the reprinting of
martin lux's anti-fascism (brilliant)
john penney recollections (in my book)
k bullstreet booklet
the AFA perspective from liverpool afa.
these are valuable texts and would make a decent compendium.

 

[The39thStep]

i think there is the need for the reprinting of
martin lux's anti-fascism (brilliant)
john penney recollections (in my book)
k bullstreet booklet
the AFA perspective from liverpool afa.
these are valuable texts and would make a decent compendium.

why would Liverpool AFA have a diffrent perspective from AFA?

 

[Joe Reilly]

An interesting read, though I should very much like to hear London AFA/RA etc perspectives on it, particularly re the 'AFA contact' who seems to be Copsey's source for most of the German link-up stuff.

Honestly not sure what to make of it. Copsey seem to be criticising RA for impressing on it's potential allies the centrality of the working class in terms of outcomes both negative and positive.
This mule like attitude he seems to argue was the principle reason a European network never materialised. If that is an accurate summary, then I'd have to say, given recent events, his timing is a tad off.

If you have subsequent questions I'll have a shot at answering them.

 

[Pickman's model]

i think there is the need for the reprinting of
martin lux's anti-fascism (brilliant)
john penney recollections (in my book)
k bullstreet booklet
the AFA perspective from liverpool afa.
these are valuable texts and would make a decent compendium.

Was in freedom a few days back and they have lux's book in stock

 

[Fedayn]

'Green Brigade clowns under a different banner' according to this blog.

Oh dear

 

[malatesta32]

why would Liverpool AFA have a diffrent perspective from AFA?

it says 'AFA - an anarchist perspective by an ex-Liverpool AFA member' then discusses northern network etc. my point is that these things are all important to keep in print as they tend to disappear in boxes etc.

 

[Red About Town]

 

[gawkrodger]

the Malatesta Militant anti-fascism book is available currently at AK as a free download

Militant Anti-Fascism e-book | AK Press

 

[The39thStep]

it says 'AFA - an anarchist perspective by an ex-Liverpool AFA member' then discusses northern network etc. my point is that these things are all important to keep in print as they tend to disappear in boxes etc.

Author is probably in the lib Dems now

 

[Red About Town]

Also available now for free download in PDF format.

Undertones -Anti Fascism and The Far Right in Ireland 1945 to 2012

An excellent book produced in 2012 to mark 21 years of Anti Facist Action in Ireland, written by Bernardo O’Reilly. Gives a history of the Irish Far Right in that period as well as the activities of AFA

Undertones -Anti Fascism and The Far Right in Ireland 1945 to 2012

 

[malatesta32]

Also available now for free download in PDF format.

Undertones -Anti Fascism and The Far Right in Ireland 1945 to 2012

An excellent book produced in 2012 to mark 21 years of Anti Facist Action in Ireland, written by Bernardo O’Reilly. Gives a history of the Irish Far Right in that period as well as the activities of AFA

Undertones -Anti Fascism and The Far Right in Ireland 1945 to 2012

well reccommended. valuable piece of research.

 

[Red Storm]

Found a booked by Larry O'Hara called Turning up the Heat: Mi5 after the Cold War today. There's two short chapters on Red Action with some "interesting" accusations and ideas.

Never heard of it before or seen it discussed. Have been seen it before?

 

[butchersapron]

How have you only just came across this?

What do you think are "accusations"?

 

[Red Storm]

How have you only just came across this?

What do you think are "accusations"?

I don't know how I've missed it to be honest. I don't recall it being discussed on here.

About Patrick Hayes being set up by Mi5 for their own political and strategic interests.

 

[LiamO]

I don't know how I've missed it to be honest. I don't recall it being discussed on here.

About Patrick Hayes being set up by Mi5 for their own political and strategic interests.

?

 

[miktheword]

Yeah read it few years back..L o H over reaches himself massively I seem to remember. .main thing was that both nickings of pat and frank p were close together date wise.

 

[Red Storm]

?

That seems to be the main accusation. Strange book overall doesn't seem very reliable at all.

 

[Joe Reilly]

That seems to be the main accusation. Strange book overall doesn't seem very reliable at all.

'Post-truth' politics a quarter of a century before the term was invented.

 

[SpecialBranch]

I am many years late to this but I'd like to jump in and say that BtF is one of the best books that I have read on the subject of anti-fascism. Just leaving that here.

 

[Larry O'Hara]

That seems to be the main accusation. Strange book overall doesn't seem very reliable at all.

Accusation? Lot of post-truth distortion here. "Doesn't seem very reliable at all". Wonderful evidence-free slur.

As for Patrick Hayes

1. It was unquestionably true that Hayes liaised with police on AFAs behalf re demos etc.
2. Also that footage of the bomb at Harrods was not released for weeks.
3. And when it was released Hayes was arrested the same day.

If these facts are uncomfortable then so be it: no reason to condemn what I wrote by vague unsubstantiated insinuation. Unless...

 

[Joe Reilly]

I don't recall now exactly what the original assertion was, but to present item 1. as a self-evident plank (in support of whatever the theory was) is distinctly odd as it confirms the criticism of the book author is aiming to rebut. Unless...

 

[Larry O'Hara]

I don't recall now exactly what the original assertion was, but to present item 1. as a self-evident plank (in support of whatever the theory was) is distinctly odd as it confirms the criticism of the book author is aiming to rebut. Unless...

My point here was that some police evidently would have recognised Hayes, had the footage not been suppressed (at the instigation of MI5) for 33 days. Not sure this undermines my argument at all, in fact it is integral to it.

 

[Joe Reilly]

My point here was that some police evidently would have recognised Hayes, had the footage not been suppressed (at the instigation of MI5) for 33 days. Not sure this undermines my argument at all, in fact it is integral to it.

Accordingly, if he did not have the high profile you claim for him ("liased with police re demos etc") then a central assumption supporting your theory falls does it not?

 

[Larry O'Hara]

Accordingly, if he did not have the high profile you claim for him ("liased with police re demos etc") then a central assumption supporting your theory falls does it not?

As far as I am aware he did, and furthermore I have seen correspondence written by him in an official AFA capacity. I think we all know the facts here.