open letter to the uaf
Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance | 28.02.2010 22:04 | Anti-racism | Social Struggles
Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance
Open letter to the UAF, 28 February 2010
Fellow Anti-Fascists,
We recognise the hard work of the UAF in building for the anti-Scottish Defence League demonstration, and were pleased with the cooperative relationship we had with Unite Against Fascism in the lead up to it. We were working together in the spirit of a united response to the SDL.
We were heartened to hear in the UAF meetings we attended, that the UAF considered that there was room for the two complimentary demonstrations on the day. We hoped that the problems that occurred in Glasgow were behind us, and that the UAF and Anti-Fascist Alliance could cooperate this time.
However on the day of the demonstration some members of the UAF intended to disrupt our protest, and take it back to the Scotland United march, despite these previous assurances, and the spirit of cooperation that existed before. Some UAF and Scotland United organisers spread disinformation, and said things that were known to be untrue, to the crowd as it marched to confront the SDL at the bottom of the Royal Mile. These untrue statements included: "there are no SDL in that pub, only Hibs casuals", and "150 fascists are about to attack the Scotland United demonstration". This led to confusion and people leaving.
Unity and superior numbers are our strengths against violent racists
like the SDL. However these strengths were jeopardised by this
behaviour, and put the safety of anti-fascists at serious risk. We would not like to imagine what the situation could have been like, had the depleted number of anti-fascists met a large group of SDL thugs at the bottom of the hill.
We hope that this letter will start a fraternal discussion about how we can avoid similar situations in the future, and how we can ensure
greater level of unity and cooperation between the UAF and Anti-Fascist Alliance so that we have the best chance of defeating fascism. We look forward to cooperating with you against the SDL/EDL in Lockerbie and Bolton.
In Solidarity,
Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance
Open letter to the UAF, 28 February 2010
Fellow Anti-Fascists,
We recognise the hard work of the UAF in building for the anti-Scottish Defence League demonstration, and were pleased with the cooperative relationship we had with Unite Against Fascism in the lead up to it. We were working together in the spirit of a united response to the SDL.
We were heartened to hear in the UAF meetings we attended, that the UAF considered that there was room for the two complimentary demonstrations on the day. We hoped that the problems that occurred in Glasgow were behind us, and that the UAF and Anti-Fascist Alliance could cooperate this time.
However on the day of the demonstration some members of the UAF intended to disrupt our protest, and take it back to the Scotland United march, despite these previous assurances, and the spirit of cooperation that existed before. Some UAF and Scotland United organisers spread disinformation, and said things that were known to be untrue, to the crowd as it marched to confront the SDL at the bottom of the Royal Mile. These untrue statements included: "there are no SDL in that pub, only Hibs casuals", and "150 fascists are about to attack the Scotland United demonstration". This led to confusion and people leaving.
Unity and superior numbers are our strengths against violent racists
like the SDL. However these strengths were jeopardised by this
behaviour, and put the safety of anti-fascists at serious risk. We would not like to imagine what the situation could have been like, had the depleted number of anti-fascists met a large group of SDL thugs at the bottom of the hill.
We hope that this letter will start a fraternal discussion about how we can avoid similar situations in the future, and how we can ensure
greater level of unity and cooperation between the UAF and Anti-Fascist Alliance so that we have the best chance of defeating fascism. We look forward to cooperating with you against the SDL/EDL in Lockerbie and Bolton.
In Solidarity,
Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance
Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance
e-mail:
edinafa@lists.noflag.org.uk
Homepage:
http://www.edinburghantifascist.org.uk
Comments
Hide the following 9 comments
If what you are saying is true...
28.02.2010 23:54
Me
yeah
01.03.2010 01:58
antifascist
Agree with me and antifascist
01.03.2010 11:58
Ginger Militant
e-mail:
westmidlandsunity@hotmail.co.uk
Remain UNITED
01.03.2010 12:31
In the run-up to the general election in which Nick Griffin hopes to get elected as the BNP's 1st every Member of Parliament, now is NOT the time to re-examine these divisions. We can allow ourselves the luxury of a little navel gazing AFTER the BNP fail to get elected, if that happens. Right now we need to STICK TOGETHER and focus on defeating Griffin... what that means in practice is that ALL anti-Fascists need to support ALL anti-BNP campaigns
UK Fightback
@UK Fightback
01.03.2010 16:04
There will always be some imminent crisis around which we are asked to blindly unite and pretend we're not being exploited, grassed on and abused by the trots and state. As an anarchist I insist we do not unite but we act autonomously and through a diversity of tactics. The means and ends are not separate but different parts of the same process. No freedom can be gained through acting in slavery.
Anarchism is about strength through diversity not unity. Strength through unity is the fascist's game.
Anarcho
stay militant!
01.03.2010 16:41
antifascist
@ UK Fightback
02.03.2010 17:39
Edinburgh Anti Fascist Alliance mobilised a larger crowd than UAF against the failed SDL demo discussed here. UAFs ability to mobilise will wither away to nothing as they continue to try to stop people from organising against fascism. This isn't just about fighting the cops; we need to rebuild the working class organisations such as residents association's. It isn't about "Vote Hodge" either. It is New Labour's anti working class shit that has fed the BNP; people mistakenly see a vote for authoritarian racism as a "protest vote". Supporting the liberal elite actually fuels fascism. I'd rather talk to a BNP voter than to a Labour Party voter; we have more in common, we are both pissed off.
If you're not a cop you're not paying attention
fuck the UAF
02.03.2010 18:41
UK Fightback suggesting that people criticising UAF might be fascists is well out of order as well and a typical tactic used by UAF and defenders of @popular front@ bollocks- if you dont approve our ideas, yo usurely must be a fascist yourself.. well tried methods but more and more people can see though that shit. Also naming names of people supposedly involved in Antifa is just pure grassing- another example why you are a complete wollie.
Now new forming antifascist alliances seem to be managing to organise things successfully and pretty independently from UAF- I just suggest they stop bothering with doing anything with UAF altogether because they will keep being grassed on, manipulated and sabotageg by fuckwits in the UAF/SWP leadership. Anybody suggesting that we have any commong ground with those cunts is seriously deluded.
For militant and confrontational anti-fascism!
antifascist
@ antifascist
04.03.2010 17:17
Popular Front Anti Fascism