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[Sat 28th Oct 2017] London Anarchist Bookfair (London)

newbie said:
that's interesting and not what I've read elsewhere. So... a couple of leafletters or those defending leafletting, a couple of randomly involved stallholders, an organiser/collective member or two, a few (how many?) defusers and somewhere around 50 or so rubber neckers who merely watched without being part of a mob?
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yes. Most people watched in silence, depressed looks on their faces. A couple of old hands tried to calm things down. The "mob" was 7 or 8 people, i guess all from that empty cage lot? (can't remember exact name)
 
ska invita said:
yes. Most people watched in silence, depressed looks on their faces. A couple of old hands tried to calm things down. The "mob" was 7 or 8 people, i guess all from that empty cage lot? (can't remember exact name)
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thanks, that does put a slightly different complexion on the reports I've read elsewhere.
 
i can see why it would appear otherwise as it looked like a big circle. Often it was blocking movement so people bunched up. When the regular Out Out Out shouting took place it was just that small group who were vocal.
 
Fozzie Bear said:
It's possible that the perception of who was part of the "mob", and who was a bystander might be different from where you were standing.

This has just been published on the main AFED site:
AFed Trans Action Faction* statement in response to events at London Anarchist Bookfair 2017
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perhaps. I was standing 5 metres away...its not that big a hall..and it went on for at least 2 hours in fits and starts, moving location slightly as people moved/pushed around. That link says Large Group... Vague. Certainly only around 8 were vocal. I cant know what onlookers made of it or whose side they took. Most people (me included) couldn't tell/hear exactly what was happening as theres a lot of chat din in the room anyway, so there was a lot of question asking and hearsay. Considering how every time the Out Out Out chant went up (regularly) and only that small core group took part my impression is most people hadn't taken a strong position. I would describe the broader mood in the room as bafflement. my impression anyhow, for what it's worth.
 
Fozzie Bear said:
This has just been published on the main AFED site:
AFed Trans Action Faction* statement in response to events at London Anarchist Bookfair 2017
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We call on the bookfair collective to implement a policy that specifically excludes anti-trans stalls and literature, as well as ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all oppressed people at the bookfair.
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Is anyone aware of an existing policy from other similar organisations that does this? Id be interested to read the wording.
 
Here's Bay Area (San Fran)'s Anarchist Bookfair
BAABF Statement of Mutual Responsibility
This statement has been developed by the Bookfair collective to provide information and suggestions for Bookfair goers to make the event a functional space for most people. As anarchism is about collective responsibility, Bookfair participants are responsible for their own conduct and to look out for each other at the Bookfair.

Inevitably, with large, open-access, public events like the Bookfair, there will be people present who are sexist, racist, homophobic, or oppressive in many other ways. Thus, we cannot guarantee a safe space, only ask that you keep this statement in mind, practice security culture, and do your part to make the Bookfair a valuable event for our community.

As the Bookfair organizing collective, we will try to deal with any issues brought to our attention in a calm and open-minded way. We ask that everyone take this same approach and try not to escalate any situation. The Bookfair is an opportunity for meeting each other, learning, and debate, not for pursuing ongoing conflicts. If nothing else, the likely presence of undercover police makes this poor political practice.

If an individual is known to have engaged in oppressive behavior, then it is up to people who know them to put accountability processes in place. If that has not been done, the Bookfair is not the time or place to do so. Organizers and participants cannot and will not act as judge, jury, or police force. However, saying that, we will do our best to deal with situations that arise at the Bookfair. We reserve the right to ask anybody acting in what we consider to be an inappropriate manner to leave the event without warning, or to permanently ban them as a last resort.

The Bookfair collective maintains a spirit of openness towards the different traditions, visions, and practices of anarchism. We also expect there to be non-anarchists and people new to anarchism present. For this reason, we ask that all participants also take an open-minded and welcoming approach, and recognize that thought should be given as to how and where inter-community conflicts or tensions are raised or resolved.

If groups have been accepted to table at the Bookfair, we will not ban any books or publications from their stalls. Bookfair participants are encouraged to read and discuss displayed materials and reach their own conclusions. We trust the organizations we have accepted at the Bookfair and likewise expect them to show respect in the materials they bring to the event and be prepared to explain the inclusion of any publication to any member of the public who may question it.

In compliance with the our agreement with the Crucible, and for participants’ health and safety, the following must be observed:

  • Dogs and other animals are permitted only in the parking lot (service animals excepted)
  • Smoking anything is permitted only in designated smoking areas
  • No alcohol may be consumed on the premises
If you need assistance during the Bookfair, look for our volunteers with the colored armbands. The Crucible requires the presence of paid security guards. They will be posted around the perimeter of the property.
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--

I imagine most existing policies are similarly non-specific. People like AFed Trans Action Faction are asking for "a policy that specifically excludes anti-trans stalls and literature" - I can imagine this is a very hard thing to word as peoples perceptions of what counts as anti-trans will be different.

I think London ABF currently also has a policy along the lines of the above: "If groups have been accepted to table at the Bookfair, we will not ban any books or publications from their stalls."

New York has this;
SAFE SPACE POLICIES AND GUIDELINES.
Creativity and organizing first and foremost requires safety. We cannot tolerate unsafe behaviors and people. We value respect, trust, honest communication and an atmosphere of cooperation in the workplace. Bullying, yelling, intimidation, sexism including sexual harassment, racism, nationalism, homophobia, transphobia, lying, ageism or any form of disrespectful dehumanizing behaviors WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Any form of hateful hostility or malicious slander and other destructive behaviors have no place in an anarchist community or collective.

If we have to explain to you the concept of basic respect then the NYC ABF is clearly not the place or project for you. Anyone who violates safe space guidelines or undermines purpose the NYC ABF will be told to unequivocally and unceremoniously to fuck off. We have a clear mission to fullfill, therefore we will not allow anyone to compromise it for any reason.
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Ultimately it requires a judgement call to be made by organsiers, and its really hard to do with within an arguing crowd. Obviously if you can see twitter accounts like the one above it makes it a lot easier!!

ETA: " Bullying, yelling, intimidation...WILL NOT BE TOLERATED" ...can see problems arising from that too as what if the yelling and intimidation is done against someone who is perceived as breaking another of the rules
 
ska invita said:
I think that is technically accurate in that there is a case open on the Speakers Corner thing and any inquiries currently being made about the bookfair incident are part of that rather than any new complaint.
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i think the thing being pointed out was the use of the word men in the tweet (?).
 
This is the current London ABF Respect statement on their website:

Aggressive, abusive and oppressive behaviour
Considering the amount of people who now pass through the bookfair, very few incidents occur, although inevitably with large open access events, you are always going to get some anti-social people. This may include people who are sexist, racist, homophobic or oppressive in many other ways, too many to list. Where such incidents occur, it is up to the movement as a whole to deal with; not just the bookfair collective. As the bookfair collective we will try and deal with any issues brought to our attention in a calm, non aggressive and open minded way. We ask that others take this same approach and try not to “enflame” any situation, which, as we have found in the past, just escalates things. Within meeting spaces, both meeting goers and meeting organisers are responsible for dealing with aggressive, abusive or oppressive individuals.

Banning individuals
The bookfair is a free, open access, public event and we do not want to make it the role of the bookfair collective to ban individuals from the bookfair. It is up to the movement as a whole to develop ways to deal with anti-social people within the movement. We would hope that if a known individual was oppressive then accountability processes would already be in place by the people who knew the said individual. If not, we cannot and will not act as judge, jury and police force.
However, saying that, we will do our best to deal with situations arising at the bookfair and we reserve the right to ask anybody to leave the event. This may be cops, fascists or certain journalists but it could also be any individual acting in what we consider to be an excessively inappropriate manner.

--------

This is the thing, there were repeated attempts by organisers and other people present ("the movement") to deal with the issue "in a calm, non aggressive and open minded way." Even if the Empty Cage crew are considered 100% right in terms of the political debate around Mayday and their shit leaflet, from what I could see Empty Cage were acting in an "enflaming" way and refusing attempts to de-escalate and resolve the situation. It makes the situation somewhat impossible to deal with, and technically - from what I could tell - they are in breach of the existing policy. I think the "enflaming" way they acted is what created a trigger response support of Helen in that tweet.

Seems very likely to me that if the bookfair is to continue they will need to put a policy specifically around anti-trans issues and make a commitment to policing them. I do wonder if they are prepared to do that though (especially the policing bit), and especially in the atmosphere of a social media pile-on
 
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