UAF- how NOT to fight fascism
antifa | 12.12.2008 23:59
Unite Against Fascism’ and ‘Love Music Hate Racism’ are great sounding slogans so
it’s unfortunate that the organisations behind them are so crap.
We think it’s worth taking the time to look at the organisation that wants your time
and money and what they do to fight fascism.
The approach of Unite Against Fascism is based on calling on people to vote for any
party which isn’t the BNP, usually Labour though, at election time to build
‘anti-fascist’ majorities and prevent fascists from being elected councillors or
MPs.
The growth of the BNP shows that this is a pitiful failure and it’s not hard to see
why.
By telling people to vote Labour or Tory to keep the BNP out they are basically
asking people to vote for the same parties that created all the problems that made
them turn to the BNP in the first place.
There is a reason people are turning to the BNP and it’s because many are rightly
pissed off at the mainstream parties. The BNP have positioned themselves as a
radical alternative meaning that demanding people vote for the parties who have done
them so much harm isn’t just a bad strategy but the worst possible strategy.
UAF is an electoral platform for anyone but the BNP which turns fighting fascism
into defending the status quo.
Beyond this basic idea there are few other ideas except vague slogans about ‘uniting
people’ or ‘smashing the Nazis’ with no action involved except organising pop
concerts, rallies or handing out leaflets. This is the sort of ‘anti-fascism’ that
involves making people feel good about themselves rather than tackling fascist
groups.
When UAF aren’t channelling people into pointless activity they’re actively harming
the anti-fascist movement.
Time and time again, UAF have collaborated with the cops on demos to prevent
effective action being taken. Recently in Derby and Liverpool the UAF leadership
worked with the police to disperse protestors, split demos and lie about what the
BNP were up to. Who appointed them leaders anyway?
This behaviour would be laughable if the situation wasn’t so serious. After being
buried at the cost of millions of lives decades ago the far right is on the rise all
across Europe.
Chanting and waving placards at fascists will do absolutely nothing to stop this.
We advise anyone serious about antifascism and tackling the BNP to get in touch with
Antifa.
www.antifa.org.uk
info@antifa.org.uk PO Box 467, London E8 3QX
it’s unfortunate that the organisations behind them are so crap.
We think it’s worth taking the time to look at the organisation that wants your time
and money and what they do to fight fascism.
The approach of Unite Against Fascism is based on calling on people to vote for any
party which isn’t the BNP, usually Labour though, at election time to build
‘anti-fascist’ majorities and prevent fascists from being elected councillors or
MPs.
The growth of the BNP shows that this is a pitiful failure and it’s not hard to see
why.
By telling people to vote Labour or Tory to keep the BNP out they are basically
asking people to vote for the same parties that created all the problems that made
them turn to the BNP in the first place.
There is a reason people are turning to the BNP and it’s because many are rightly
pissed off at the mainstream parties. The BNP have positioned themselves as a
radical alternative meaning that demanding people vote for the parties who have done
them so much harm isn’t just a bad strategy but the worst possible strategy.
UAF is an electoral platform for anyone but the BNP which turns fighting fascism
into defending the status quo.
Beyond this basic idea there are few other ideas except vague slogans about ‘uniting
people’ or ‘smashing the Nazis’ with no action involved except organising pop
concerts, rallies or handing out leaflets. This is the sort of ‘anti-fascism’ that
involves making people feel good about themselves rather than tackling fascist
groups.
When UAF aren’t channelling people into pointless activity they’re actively harming
the anti-fascist movement.
Time and time again, UAF have collaborated with the cops on demos to prevent
effective action being taken. Recently in Derby and Liverpool the UAF leadership
worked with the police to disperse protestors, split demos and lie about what the
BNP were up to. Who appointed them leaders anyway?
This behaviour would be laughable if the situation wasn’t so serious. After being
buried at the cost of millions of lives decades ago the far right is on the rise all
across Europe.
Chanting and waving placards at fascists will do absolutely nothing to stop this.
We advise anyone serious about antifascism and tackling the BNP to get in touch with
Antifa.
www.antifa.org.uk
info@antifa.org.uk PO Box 467, London E8 3QX
antifa
Homepage:
http://www.antifa.org.uk
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
When you sup with the SWP, use a long spoon...
13.12.2008 02:17
Outsider
Vote for us -bye, bye!
13.12.2008 19:59
The UAF is mainly an election front. Rarely heard of or from if the distraction of some electoral con-job isn't in the offing. When one is, they start frothing, mainly by writing letters to local papers,it seems. Then they disappear again. When one of the parties they recommended people vote for gives credence to racist mythology, or does something which hands a propaganda coup to the BNP on a plate, you can't raise it with them, hold them accountable or ask what the fuck they think they're on about. They're not there. They've melted away until the next election.
UAF are just the same old party hacks with different hats on. How many of them are opponents of fascism who belong to NO political party (i.e. not part of the problem)? No, thought not.
Stroppyoldgit
VOTE ?
14.12.2008 17:31
party which isn’t the BNP, usually Labour""
Yeah they ask you not to vote for the party who dislike Muslims and instead vote for the one actually killing and shooting them.
but as we all know, its far worse to be called names by the fascist BNP than watch your children get shot to death by the NL death squads ......New Labour + UAF turning the Blind EYE
Braz Hussain