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

[imposs1904]

. . . meanwhile the SPGB stall was left outside. This doesn't make sense as inside you had a Marxist humanist stall- so why exclude the SPGB? I do find it odd what is included and excluded at the bookfair. Anyway, it was still a great bookfair and I'm glad I went.

The SPGB believe in the conquest of Parliament . . . using the vote, etc. The organizers of the AB have always been firm but polite when turning down the SPGB's request for a stall, and that's fair enough in my opinion. To paraphrase the words of the old pop classic, 'It's their Party and they'll invite who they want to . . . "

Of course every year a few 'suspect' stalls slip through the net in contravention of the AB door policy, but that's just the way it is. No need to get hot and bothered about it.

 

[Humirax]

The SPGB believe in the conquest of Parliament . . . using the vote, etc. The organizers of the AB have always been firm but polite when turning down the SPGB's request for a stall, and that's fair enough in my opinion. To paraphrase the words of the old pop classic, 'It's their Party and they'll invite who they want to . . . "

Of course every year a few 'suspect' stalls slip through the net in contravention of the AB door policy, but that's just the way it is. No need to get hot and bothered about it.

I'm not getting 'hot and bothered' about it, just expressing my thoughts on the matter.

 

[imposs1904]

I'm not getting 'hot and bothered' about it, just expressing my thoughts on the matter.

No offence intended. I know a few SPGBers get hot and bothered about it . . . and I know when I used to apply for a stall for the SPGB back in the 2000s I would get a bit pissed off about it but, as I mentioned above, the organizers were always polite and up front about it.

 

[Humirax]

I see what you are getting at regarding the SPGB but at the same time Class War have stood in elections and they are allowed in. Anyway, I don't want to bang on about it all day. I take your point.

 

[butchersapron]

Hi, I am new here. I am an anarchist-communist and was at the bookfair, what I saw of it was awesome. I got there late unforunately. Getting there was a pain in the arse though to be honest, it was out of the way but atleast now I know where it is, unless the venue changes again. Got there in time for the Carne Ross/David Graeber/Lisa Mckenzie talk and they had a woman from the Kurdish People's Assembly there aswell- it was great, really thought provoking and interesting and Martin Lux and Lisa Mckenzie's meeting on Taking it to the Streets was great aswell, that meeting followed the Graeber/Ross one.
That was all I saw of Bookfair meetings, don't think I actually had time to see all of the stalls etc, think I missed some, the stalls were divied up into different buildings instead of being in one big hall. Got my much desired Mark Bray book though (Antifa: The Antifascist handbook- apparently a great read). The only thing that bothered me was the fact that you had 'religious anarchist' stalls, there was also a jewish anarchist stall, and they had a sticker or a badge that had 1 god, no masters on it- didn't sit right with me, then you had catholic worker stall aswell, meanwhile the SPGB stall was left outside. This doesn't make sense as inside you had a Marxist humanist stall- so why exclude the SPGB? I do find it odd what is included and excluded at the bookfair. Anyway, it was still a great bookfair and I'm glad I went.

I found the Bray book a disappointing rush job (it uses GCSE texts for it's history of Fascism for example) has many shocking factual errors (two examples: the french state killed hundreds of people in crushing the paris commune apparently - and that red action was a man u football firm) contains serious misreadings of contemporary fascism (i.e the french new right centered on de benoist's ideas are based on biological reductionism when they're based on cultural affirmation) - and most importantly, throughout is the implicit idea that anti-fascism's role is to pressure the state to do something about fascism - the difference is that he doesn't condemn illegal or violent action's role in apply that pressure. With all those problems it's still a better book than Against the Fascist Creep.

 

[Pickman's model]

I see what you are getting at regarding the SPGB but at the same time Class War have stood in elections and they are allowed in. Anyway, I don't want to bang on about it all day. I take your point.

Think you'll find cw have always stood as a stunt rather than in any belief change can come through parliament

 

[Sea Star]

This mumsnet thread leads to all the details via twitter links
Two more women attacked by trans activists | Mumsnet Discussion

Here's an account I trust. Mumsnet are known for their transphobia and I doubt any of them were there.

My informant then reported that they didn't see most of the second confrontation, although someone else has reported that a man with a shaved head punched a woman who had objected to the presence of TERFs at the event, but they report that;

"the number of trans people involved was minimal, it was almost entirely random people who simply wanted the TERFs out. Much as I suppose I'm grateful for the fact they stood up to transphobes, they did so in the way of disabled people simply trying to get out. We were there, hoping to see the situation de-escalated, or at least moved outside, but to limited avail."

One of the TERFs had reportedly claimed to have been a victim of "violence against women" although my informant said;

"what she meant is still anyone's guess. Nobody touched her when I was there. It was simply a large standoff as far as I saw between TERFs and others. It was almost entirely cis people."

They said that these anti-trans "feminists" seem to have the ability to

"accuse anyone who opposes them of being trans women. And anyone who opposes them of being a "trans activist""

"The "trans activists" were exceptionally few and far between - it was largely a bunch of cis folk who didn't want bigots at their Bookfair."

 

[weepiper]

Mumsnet. Well-known transphobes. Right.

 

[ska invita]

just to be clear i didnt post the mumsnet link for the narrative, rather for the twitter links included

 

[Sea Star]

Mumsnet. Well-known transphobes. Right.

Site is full of transphobia. Unmoderated. And I have been personally attacked on there.

I didn't say transphobes. I said transphobia.

 

[weepiper]

Site is full of transphobia. Unmoderated. And I have been personally attacked on there.

Why do you even want to post on there?

 

[Sea Star]

Why do you even want to post on there?

I don't. They found my blog. Although. As someone who has been a parent why shouldn't I?

 

[rich!]

The mayday4women domain on that leaflet was registered on Friday.

 

[ska invita]

 

[LDC]

Traumatized oppressed people shouting 'fascist' at traumatized oppressed people is always going to end well.

I was there Sea Star, and that article you posted is full of factual inaccuracies.

 

[Sea Star]

Presumably she'd by fine if Tory women were there handing out leaflets then.

And no! Don't tell me Helen Steel is a TERF. Another hero bites the dust.

 

[LDC]

Presumably she'd by fine if Tory women were there handing out leaflets then.

That's an idiotic extrapolation to make.

 

[redsquirrel]

Don't tell me Helen Steel is a TERF. Another hero bites the dust.

Just to be clear are you saying that anyone who argues that people have the right to distribute the linked leaflet is a TERF?

 

[bimble]

The mayday4women domain on that leaflet was registered on Friday. ---

Hmm. That seems to be some lewisham council offices.
Weird, but had it been someone's house I'd ask you what your intention was in posting up that info.

 

[Treacle Toes]

Traumatized oppressed people shouting 'fascist' at traumatized oppressed people is always going to end well.

I was there Sea Star, and that article you posted is full of factual inaccuracies.

Why not give a first hand summary then?

 

[LDC]

Argue/disagree (even in some cases just try to discuss) with some trans people = you're TERF/transphobe. Largely not a helpful formula. Pathetic state of what passes for some of anarchism.

It's also not going to end well for many trans people as they're going to find themselves treated worse due to the fucking ridiculous attitudes and behavior of some of their 'comrades'.

 

[Sea Star]

Hmm. That seems to be some lewisham council offices.
Weird, but had it been someone's house I'd ask you what your intention was in posting up that info.

Prosecute

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Presumably she'd by fine if Tory women were there handing out leaflets then.

Would that be the same Tories who are pushing through this bill?

 

[LDC]

Prosecute

Prosecute who? What are you on about?

 

[butchersapron]

Hmm. That seems to be some lewisham council offices.
Weird, but had it been someone's house I'd ask you what your intention was in posting up that info.

[address removed by request]

 

[rich!]

Hmm. That seems to be some lewisham council offices.
Weird, but had it been someone's house I'd ask you what your intention was in posting up that info.

I'm curious as to who the people behind the organisation are, and why they appear to be working out of a council building.

 

[redsquirrel]

Prosecute

What? Are you saying the author of the leaflet should be prosecuted because they used what could be their work address? Seriously?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

What? Are you saying the author of the leaflet should be prosecuted because they used what could be their work address? Seriously.

Because it’s a hate crime, I’d wager.

 

[butchersapron]

Lots of groups use the centre what with it being a community resource. It doesn't mean they all work there.

 

[Treacle Toes]

I'm curious as to who the people behind the organisation are, and why they appear to be working out of a council building.

Just so you know it's a fucking ridiculous suggestion that you posted that info in an attempt to cause problems for them in any way.

I checked them out this morning before heading off to the gym. I also checked out their FB page and have liked it so that I can observe them as I have never heard of Mayday4women before. If I had posted up the info/address would I have been accused of targeting them in a suspicious way?