Red Storm
M14
I was wondering the same.
Beating the Fascists: The authorised history of Anti-Fascist Action
- Thread starter cogg
- Start date
I was wondering the same.
love detective
there's no love too small
it's covered in the book in the chapter on welling
not sure if it's online anywhere at the moment, but extracts from it will be going up on the BTF site at some point
not sure if it's online anywhere at the moment, but extracts from it will be going up on the BTF site at some point
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
It was in the aftermath of the big Welling demo back in October 1993. Both AFA and the YRE 'Away Team' got 'fingered' as 'responsible' for the violence.
I believe this is a clip from that WIA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELbeaP0EZWc
I think it was a year or two after Welling but I may be wrong.
I think it was a year or two after Welling but I may be wrong.
The Away Team were with the millies. YRE were RCP i think.
or Wankers Always Running as they were known by the Asian kids in Bethnal Green.
WAR has some excellent, committed activists as individuals - and a leadership capable of post-rationalising (in strictly Marxian terms of course) any amount idiocy and downright cowardice. Basically they were all fur coat and no knickers.
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
Weren't "Panther" (or was it "Panther UK") targeted in that programme too?
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
love detective
there's no love too small
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
Actually it was AFA and Red Action, not YRE. Not surprising as Searchlight were, in part at the least, the inspiration.
Red Storm
M14
What's 'The Away Team'?
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Ex-Militant members could tell you, but they'd have to kill you.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
Sorry Joe, but you're wrong. A leading member of the Away Team was interviewed in that programme. AFA/RA, YRE and Panther all got fingered. I not only had the programme on video but it was, rather bizarrely since I was in it fleetingly, was used in my then 'Politics in the Media' access course...
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
The woman in the top pic was a leading Millie and was (might still be) married to another former leading member of the MT/ML.
The fella in the bottom picture lives in Glasgow and was active in Sheridans Solidarity and various anti-racist groups.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
Yes, I knew a third group were targetted but couldn't remember which.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
For want of a better phrase it was a stewards group that came out of YRE/Militant activists and close associates.
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
If it gives dates look in the programmes made in October/November 1993.
Red Storm
M14
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/497403
Is this the programme?
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
Looks like it. The demo it refers to however was in October 1993, 16th October to be precise. Is it for sale on there?
malatesta32
Not Serb. No, Really!
red storm, the paper would probably have been given at a conference and may not have been published. i'm assuming that some of the material is replicated in the link here.
Why is that Russian fella hiding behind the sofa?
juice_terry
Here is a man who would not take it anymore.
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
Well, it is a while since i saw it, so if YRE were interviewed, then they were. However i don't accept it was wrong to say that RA and AFA were the principle targets. In the immediate aftermath, RA was identified as the instigator of the violence by an 'anti-terrorist expert' on Radio Five live. In the London Evening Standard, in the following week,one article cited Panther and RA as the likely ones to have 'their doors kicked in' any time soon. In another article, on I think, another day, RA is accused 'of hi-jacking AFA', by another of AFA's founding members Unmesh Desai. NMP also described AFA as ' paramilitary'.
Moreover, the WIA programme was merely the culmination of conspiracy to entrap. On the day of the march AFA recieved news that a large body of C18 had assembled at Abbey Wood. The decision was taken that rather than go on the march AFA would confront them there. However the police had other ideas. The refused access to Plumstead station and we were ordered under pain of arrest to attach ourselves to the back of the march. It later emerged that the AFA contingent had already been 'body-mapped'. In other words the SB had already identified their suspects in advance, and having gone to that trouble didn't want them wandering off out of harm's way. As it happens, AFA 'wandered off' anyway. And rather perversely, out of crowd of 60,000 or so were still spotted by police helicopter and followed even though their colleagues on the ground were otherwise engaged in a full scale riot. An odd use of resources in normal circumstances wouldn't you say?
But given that, as is now widely accepted, it was effectively a riot planned and instigated by police, their actions were entirely logical. As for the WIA programme we had information that it was intended to be a hatchet job, but on balance (better to represent yourself than have others misrepresent you) decided to take part anyway. It took the WIA two hours of interview to try and get the RA and AFA reps to say what they wanted them to say. And they still failed. Incidentally from the off, they did little to hide their hostility or later their frustration at the outcome.
Incidentally, out of curiousity, do you know who contacted the 'Away Team' to take part, why did they agree to do so, and what, apart from what was broadcast, (which was?) was the YRE rep invited to comment on.
Yet another , timely, good example from Joe of the lengths the state will go to entrap Lefties they have a dislike for - as are the recent court cases involving "outed" deep entry cops in various progressive campaigns. I particularly liked the case some time ago of the undercover cop who became a part of a "radical streetclown" (!!) group , for OVER A YEAR ! Mind you there was a state informer in the top circles of CND for over 30 years apparently. And of course the informer Roger Rosewall was on the IS/SWP Central Committee for 20 years or so, part of the time being national industrial organiser.
So the lesson for all activist Lefties as always is "if he/she looks decidedly dodgy, he/she might well be - so take care". Restrained paranoia can be a survival trait.
So the lesson for all activist Lefties as always is "if he/she looks decidedly dodgy, he/she might well be - so take care". Restrained paranoia can be a survival trait.
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