SWP trash AWL stall at Marxism, accusations of violent threats

[treelover]

Today (Saturday 7 July), a group of Workers’ Liberty supporters went along to the SWP’s annual Marxism festival. We wanted to talk to attendees and challenge some of the SWP’s politics, and especially their support for “Lexit” during the European referendum.

We were leafleting for a fringe meeting hosted by ourselves – The Left Should Oppose Brexit. One of the guest speakers was from Another Europe is Possible/Left Against Brexit.

The result of this activity? The SWP first overturning and breaking our stall while it was set up outside the Institute of Education. The material overturned from the stall was picked up by SWP organisers and put on the floor on the footpath. One of the organisers stole a chunk of the Brexit event leaflets. Some of the material was torn up.

Later, when standing outside Student Central (Malet Street) SWP members stood round our leafleters making petty comments and obstructing them for over an hour.

Behaving like police enforcers against picketers or demonstrators we were continually asked to move one or two metres in order to stand on the pavement. One SWPer challenged one of our members to a fight.


Tendance Coatesy

Apparently the SWP or supporters have trashed a stall that Worker Liberty were using to promote a pro EU meeting they were holding, the WL statement also says they were also threatened with violence

It is obviously not a major incident and a few individuals, usual rivalries (though were they told to trash it), but as the Coates article notes the SWP are once again fronting what will be a huge demonstration, Stop Trump, there is already the savage ironing of a organisation which is full of rape deniers, fronting a pro-feminist mass protest. Not tolerating a different view in an age of left libertarianism on the left is substantial as well,

And no, not bothered if it is my 'SWP obsession' when they are fronting huge liberal organisations it matters.

 

[Pickman's model]

How come you say no this isn't important and then say oh yes it is?

 

[treelover]

Here we go, care to comment on the issue at hand?

Its indicative of how they operate

Btw, its interesting there has been no RW media digging as to who is organising the Trump protests, except maybe on Guido..

 

[Ralph Llama]

Good for them

It must be nice for the roles to be reversed for a change. Bless em.

 

[treelover]

Don't get that?

 

[Ralph Llama]

Anarchists used to turn their tables over. The SWP that is.

Good to see they are learning the tactics .... ... the tables have turned

 

[Shechemite]

Lots of injuries and red cards one hopes

 

[Shechemite]

Serious question this.

DPAC are (increasingly?) pally with the SWP. What do you think of this treelover?

 

[Shechemite]

Swappers were hanging around the DPAC demo outside Westminster a month or so ago. They didn’t seem to be getting on well.

 

[treelover]

anyone who has been around the welfare reform campaigns since 2007 will know their contribution has been zero, nilch,

i have some concerns about how DPAC operate, I would like to see a much wider and deeper coalition against the brutal reforms which have led to many deaths, but seemingly there is not much interest.

 

[treelover]

Swappers were hanging around the DPAC demo outside Westminster a month or so ago. They didn’t seem to be getting on well.

Do you mean they were being challenged?

 

[Shechemite]

Do you mean they were being challenged?

By myself and some ACG peeps.

More that they weren’t selling any papers and looking miserable

 

[Shechemite]

anyone who has been around the welfare reform campaigns since 2007 will know their contribution has been zero, nilch,

Yo mean SWP or DPAC?

And if the former, why in your opinion are DPAC getting so cuddly with the Swaps?

 

[tim]

 

[Pickman's model]

Here we go, care to comment on the issue at hand?

Its indicative of how they operate

Btw, its interesting there has been no RW media digging as to who is organising the Trump protests, except maybe on Guido..

I'd like to know whether you think this is important or not.

 

[treelover]

Yo mean SWP or DPAC?

And if the former, why in your opinion are DPAC getting so cuddly with the Swaps?

Gosh no, the SWP,

don't know the answer there.

 

[treelover]

no image

 

[Shechemite]

It’s a bit shit innit (DPAC going trot)

 

[Pickman's model]

Apparently the SWP or supporters have trashed a stall that Worker Liberty were using to promote a pro EU meeting they were holding, the WL statement also says they were also threatened with violence

It is obviously not a major incident and a few individuals, usual rivalries (though were they told to trash it), but as the Coates article notes the SWP are once again fronting what will be a huge demonstration, Stop Trump, there is already the savage ironing of a organisation which is full of rape deniers, fronting a pro-feminist mass protest. Not tolerating a different view in an age of left libertarianism on the left is substantial as well,

And no, not bothered if it is my 'SWP obsession' when they are fronting huge liberal organisations it matters.

Tbh I don't particularly care whether the swp turned over the stall or if it blew over or if the awl did it themselves. The swp are cunts. The awl are cunts. So at worst we have a cunts on cunts incident.

 

[Shechemite]

Tbh I don't particularly care whether the swp turned over the stall or if it blew over or if the awl did it themselves. The swp are cunts. The awl are cunts. So at worst we have a cunts on cunts incident.

At best surely

 

[treelover]

The SWP are fronting huge protests, the AWL are not.

 

[chilango]

The SWP are fronting huge protests, the AWL are not.

Are they?

 

[andysays]

...And no, not bothered if it is my 'SWP obsession' when they are fronting huge liberal organisations it matters.

 

[The39thStep]

In the 1980s at Marxism if it wasn't the AWL then called Socialist Organiser( or Organgrinder as they were better known ) getting kicked out and the stall dismantled it was Workers Power. At North London Poly we once put the RCPs stall in a lift with one of their comrades hanging on to it and pressed the button.

 

[RD2003]

I witnessed the Sparts attacking an IMG banner in Hyde Park before a big London demo (can't remember which one) in the mid-1980s.

The negative impact on the class struggle was immeasurable.

 

[belboid]

In the 1980s at Marxism if it wasn't the AWL then called Socialist Organiser( or Organgrinder as they were better known ) getting kicked out and the stall dismantled it was Workers Power. At North London Poly we once put the RCPs stall in a lift with one of their comrades hanging on to it and pressed the button.

RCP & CPGB in the nineties. The AWL & WP were just a bit irritating, but they always acted like complete twats. A Weekly Wanker front page would undoubtedly follow about the vicious tearing up of leaflets.

 

[The39thStep]

RCP & CPGB in the nineties. The AWL & WP were just a bit irritating, but they always acted like complete twats. A Weekly Wanker front page would undoubtedly follow about the vicious tearing up of leaflets.

Yup , threat to workers democracy

 

[The39thStep]

I witnessed the Sparts attacking an IMG banner in Hyde Park before a big London demo (can't remember which one) in the mid-1980s.

The negative impact on the class struggle was immeasurable.

Bit of history between them as I recall.

 

[RD2003]

Bit of history between them as I recall.

Actually, thinking about it, it could have been as early as '82 or even '81, as I think the IMG had fragmented by the mid-1980s.

Don't know what it was between them and the Sparts, but the latter in particular acted like the whole future of the working class was at stake on that sunny afternoon in London.

 

[Nigel]

Apparently the Sparts & International Bolshevik Tendency were at it as well !
(Yesterday)
Although I wasn't there just going by what people have said !