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

[hitmouse]

 

[Pickman's model]

there's nothing like a dead fascist in the morning to put a spring in your step

 

[hitmouse]

Also, a bit of a niche one this, but for anyone with an interest in pubs that Martin Webster used to drink in (possibly Nicky Crane as well?), there's a new-ish book about gay bars that has a chapter on the London Apprentice:

Jeremy Atherton Lin on making writing tangible

Jeremy Atherton Lin (MA Writing, 2015) is a writer originally from the US. His debut book Gay Bar (2021) received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography and was named a pick of the year by critics at the New York Times, NPR, Artforum, Spin, The White Review and Vogue.

www.rca.ac.uk

Is there a particular narrative from the book that sums up its essence for you, or embodies your reasons for writing it?

The London Apprentice was a magnetic, raunchy place in Shoreditch in the ’80s and ’90s. Starting with the name, the London Apprentice tells a story about the neighbourhood's development from centre of furniture manufacturing to amusement economy. The place of gay men in that trajectory – in gentrification – is taken to be axiomatic: first the gays move in, then the coffee roasters, then the scions of oil barons. But it’s more complicated than that, prickly in nuanced ways, plus filled with love and music and all manner of juiciness.

The deeper I dug, the more intense the place’s history turned out to be – and violent. There was a spate of gay bashings just outside in the late ’80s. By the ’90s, there was at least one racist attack inside – instigated by gay fascist skinheads. I was determined to interrogate some of these less visible countercultures, even and especially the unsavoury ones.

 

[Fallon]

One from the archives.

 

[TopCat]

One from the archives.

can you post the second half of the interview please

 

[Fallon]

The above was just tweeted on a United supporters account.

However, here is the issue where it is from. https://afaarchive.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/red-attitude-issue-12.pdf

 

[Fallon]

Anti-Racist Skinheads Fighting Nazis: The Baldies | Full-Length Documentary​

 

[The39thStep]

Apparently, Ray Hill has died

 

[Fallon]

 

[hitmouse]

Forgot to post about it earlier, but yesterday was the 30th anniversary of Waterloo:

Today in London anti-fascist history, 1992: nazi skins meeting for Blood & Honour gig get a pasting from Anti-Fascist Action

Blood and Honour was a national socialist (Nazi) music organisation run by Ian Stuart Donaldson of the band Skrewdriver ((since, happily, deceased in a car crash). It developed out of the National …

pasttenseblog.wordpress.com

 

[hitmouse]

People asking for donations for the court costs of an Irish comrade, appears to be legit:

Anti Fascist Direct Action : court fine, organized by John Connolly

Hey, We are looking for yer support as a comrade was convicted with criminal d… John Connolly needs your support for Anti Fascist Direct Action : court fine

www.gofundme.com

 

[hitmouse]

This book sounds like it may be of interest to fans of BtF:

 

[Pickman's model]

News from Ireland Lough Erne: Five hospitalised after far-right Irish National Party conference crashed by ‘anti-fascists’

 

[DaveCinzano]

News from Ireland Lough Erne: Five hospitalised after far-right Irish National Party conference crashed by ‘anti-fascists’

More on these here:

 

[krink]

Gutted to hear Steve Smith from punk band Red Alert has died after a short illness. Steve and Red Alert played many times in support of our local AFA group (Sunderland and Newcastle) in the 90s and beyond. RIP

 

[hitmouse]

Had a few chats with Phil at gigs esp Specials...good lad...was impresssed we were such big mates with Terry. Did his head in in the pub along with a few hundred other gig goers when we started a rumour that the gig( reunion tour 2009) was off(Nottingham) as Terry had food poisoning....kept it going for a while until someone came over very irate and confronted us...cue my pal ''yeah it was probably 'chinese' whispers mate ...however Terry is poorly.....had a takeaway last night....too much..too much..too much foo yung..............nearly got battered.... but 'cueing' up the gag for about half an hour was fun.
Then at breakfast next day in the hotel...Terry came down and sat with us. I said to the waitress he doesnt fancy white bread today....''oh'' she said........cue me and pals....''this time hed like to have his toast brown.....der der der''
......cue 'blank expression' arghhh

Bumping this in light of the news, an all-time great post imo. RIP Terry.

 

[Fallon]

This may be of interest to some who knew him back in those days.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

This may be of interest to some who knew him back in those days.

Interview is here and is very interesting:


(on facebook but you don’t need an account to watch it).

 

[charlie mowbray]

First four names I recognise, Arthur Moyse I was able to google, still got no idea who Mick Larkin is/was?

Also just spoke to my mum since I could believe she might've run into him (Williams, not Larkin) in the 80s, she didn't recognise the name but did reminisce about the Alwyne Castle and London Apprentice a bit, also about how good-looking Islington Council's direct works department used to be, although sounds like he didn't work for the council?

See here. Mick Larkin/Parkin/Parkinson died in 2018. Mick Parkin, 1957 – 2018 – 21st Century North

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Interview is here and is very interesting:


(on facebook but you don’t need an account to watch it).

Apparently you do. Why don’t they just put it on YouTube?

 

[Serge Forward]

See here. Mick Larkin/Parkin/Parkinson died in 2018. Mick Parkin, 1957 – 2018 – 21st Century North

That's a shame. I knew Mick more socially than politically, though I still have an old Spanish Civil War book he gave me. I'll pass the news on to my oldest son's mam as she might not have heard and I know she was very good friends with him in the 80s/90s.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Apparently you do. Why don’t they just put it on YouTube?

Oh weird. You didn’t when I posted that (cos I’m not on Facebook and I watched it there.).

 

[hitmouse]

Oh weird. You didn’t when I posted that (cos I’m not on Facebook and I watched it there.).

I've just tried opening it in a private window and that seemed to work, so maybe it's just not working as an embed but still works if you open it in its own window?

 

[hitmouse]

Apparently you do. Why don’t they just put it on YouTube?

Oh, just found out it is on youtube as well:

Has a small thread of its own over here.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Oh, just found out it is on youtube as well:

Has a small thread of its own over here.

Thanks for tracking it down. It's an hour and a half so Probs won't watch it all in one sitting but watching it now.

 

[Fallon]

Did a separate thread on it also.

Interview with former IRA Volunteer & Red Action member Patrick Hayes

New thread for this as I think it would be of interest to many on this forum. Very insightful interview I thought. Although, a bit depressing to see how disillusioned he is now with how things turned out in Ireland, post peace process.

www.urban75.net

 

[Fallon]

References to AFA & RA in this.

Classic albums: ‘United Colors of Blaggers ITA’

At first glance ‘Classic album’ may appear a little overblown or erratic for this series of classic Oi albums here at Creases Like Knives, but hear us out. The Blaggers ITA (originally sans th…

creaseslikeknives.wordpress.com

 

[Fallon]

This book sounds like it may be of interest to fans of BtF:

I read it recently. Pretty interesting for someone not very aware of the anti fascist scene in North America from 80s to early 00s.
Refreshing to see honest analysis too of where things went wrong in some regards.

Podcast with the authors below:

Anti-Racist Action

Anti-Racist Action was unified behind a basic principle: "We go where they go. Whenever fascists are organizing or active in public, we’re there."

thebriefpodcast.com

 

[hitmouse]

I read it recently. Pretty interesting for someone not very aware of the anti fascist scene in North America from 80s to early 00s.
Refreshing to see honest analysis too of where things went wrong in some regards.

Podcast with the authors below:

Anti-Racist Action

Anti-Racist Action was unified behind a basic principle: "We go where they go. Whenever fascists are organizing or active in public, we’re there."

thebriefpodcast.com

It's one of those things like buses, just as the ARA book came out, there was another one specifically focused on late 80s/early 90s Portland around the murder of Mulugeta Seraw:

It Did Happen Here: An Antifascist People’s History

Working Class History co-publication with PM Press. Portland, Oregon, 1988: the brutal murder of Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw by racist skinheads shocked the city. In response disparate groups quickly came together to organize against white nationalist violence and right-wing organizing...

shop.workingclasshistory.com

 

[Fallon]

Recent article from ex AFA member Mark Hayes

A Note On The Future Of Irish Republicanism Via A Personal Digression On Anti-Fascism

www.thepensivequill.com