THE AUGUST 7 Anti-RacIst amaice creat saw over 20,000 anti-racists converge on London's Burgess Park.
But there was a bleaker side to this successful event. ARA stewards, backed by security men in para-military uniforms. violently stopped supporters of the 16 October 'Unity' anti-racist march running a nablicity stall outside the gates of the park.
The stall of one socialist group was smashed up, and atother. Threats were made that moncy collcaico a owe and ANL stalls would be seized and given to ARA.
The political motivation for these attacks was obviously mosty oy ceran soctons of the ARA leadership to other anti-racist groups like ANL and YRE, and in particular to the October 16 demonstration (sec Intimidation While no one was struck, something which would have happened if ANL supporters had not made a hasty retreat, this use or namication is totaily ti acceptable and an attempt to limit discussion and democracy within the anti-racist and labour movements.
In some ways more serious than the ARAfest events is the allegation that two supporters of Socialist Organiser were as. saulted by SWP members at Marxism '93 Despite the publication of detailed testimony about these events, including by people who are not Socialist Organiser supporters, the SWP has made no public comment about the allegabons.
This in itself is unacceptable behaviour from a revolutionary organisation. The allegation of the use of violence against members of other socialist groups is a most serious charge. pledge its opposition to the use of violence in the labour movement and take disciplinary action against any of its members who participated in violence.
Endemic violence Revolutionaries in countries like Turkey and Japan have explained many times how the endemic violence on the far left. including assassinations, started with minor scuffles between different organisations which became the norm.
While of course we are a long. long way from anything ake that, tic wrong, Icasons are learned as soon as any form of violence is tolerated or winked at by the leaderships of the groups concerned.
But there is a much wider and connected problem among the British far left. Loutish and intimidatory methods of debate and alscussion are depressity problem.
Campaigns and organisations which attempt to engage in a dialogue with the labour movement and win wider sup ANALYSIS port only repel people when they become the arena of hys terical factionalism.
The responsibility for dealtions.
Right now particular responsibility lies with the SWP leadership. Their members were intimidated outside the ARAfest.
But how can they expect anyone to take that issuc scroasty when they reluse to take senously allegations that their own members are responsible for violence?
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 48, September 1993, Page 14