Splits within the anti-fascist and ant-racist movemen are not only politically disastrous; last week's mobilisation against the British National Party in east London proved they can physically dangerous as well.
Local activists in the broadsased Stop Tyndall - Stop The ascists Campaign (ST-STF) spent weeks building a dempetration against a major BNP 8 election rally in support of its leader's candidature in Bow and Poplar.
Shortly before the nazi meeting on Monday 6, the ST-STF affiliated Anti-Racist Alliance decided to form an "Ad hoc Committee" to organise the demo Correctly, ST-STF decided not to get involvea in long ar mime des pipestubious orig The Anti-Nazi League, also affiliated to ST-STF, initially hacked a common demonstration.
Within days it unilaterally called on activists to picket the fascist meeting directly, rather than meet up with ST-STF and ARA in the local Altab Ali park and march on the venue. The main effect was to split anti• fascist forces Despite this, there was sup posedly agreement on ste warding and a commonly-accepted senior steward. In practice, each organisation decided on its own stewards and there ommon actions once the ma: chers arrived. There wasn't even any way of passing information around.
Virtually the only agreed move was the ARA and ANL leaderships' decision to end the picket, taking about two thirds of the 800 protesters with them.
But that left those who wanted to remain until the 100 or so nazis emerged at the nercy of the police and poss bly the BP's notorious 'bonehead' thugs too. As a re sult a number of people were arrested.
Incidentally, the fascists' venue, York Hall, is owned by Tower Hamiets' racist Liberal Democrat council, who did not follow Labour Rochdale's stand of banning the BNP from municipal premises. ARA, ANL and AntiFascist Action (barely visible on the picket, presumably preferring their own methods of fighting the far right are unlikely to resolve their differences and build a unified anti-fascist move ment in the near future. But such disagree ments should not be ahowca to sonously en danger activists.
We have to argue inside all the existing anti-fascist and anti-racist organisations for etfective and democratic decision-making and stewarding procedures, and agreed common aims in united mobilisations against the nazis.
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