THE BRIAN SMITH et al letter can precisely characterised as thing: political sour grapes, Behind all the facts" regarding the NF demo on May Day sectarian attack on the All Nazi lies one thing League and its principal builders, the Socialist Workers Party.
But let's start with the facts. Socialist Challenge was telephoned on Wednesday, 26 April, about tbe possibility of an NF demo on May Day in the East End. We were told it would probably start from Portland Hoston are turexact times and MOTOR SIC but exact places we were not informed We immediately rang both the ANL and the Anti-Racist Commitee (ARAFCC) to inform them and see whether tbey had received similar information.
CONTRADICTION We suggested to the League that if adequate information was received an announcement should be made Front the Caroival to call a counter demo. No more was heard until the Saturday night when rang to say that ARAPCC had been able to confirm the NF A meeting was Sunday morning lo discuss a countermobilisation, Challenge comrade turned up. informed the ANL of the NF demo but as we had not been given details then ement would be of use il them, the ANL decided that the comrades of the EOTIETHLLLE ARAFOC had the detailed infor TIN TOL WUY didn't they inform everybody of it?
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 18 May 1977 page 4 information, combain that the AN -tory tactual reports prepared to mobilise NF demo the the 8. sation?).
Indeed, ARAFCC off of.
Anti-Fascist London Brian Smith know the answers.
demo. suggested carly unchallenged. politically sane person This day after anti-fascist demonstration, anti-Fascist, Hackney did not the how could they they received numerous contradicWEL make hopeless T8BE-THSMSIU somctime, somewhere, SOBIC OR SLOOOOO-CALLICIan following day? (Remember bow we criticised the SWP for the ridiculous farce that occurred in Stockport at the time of Tameside mobiliwonders its own bat could mobilise absolutely nothing for May Day but had to rely on the League' Why, instead of berating the ANI for not calane a counter demo da which it bad no bard information. didn't che leading comrades of the Day demo (5,000 strong) and get them to re-organise theit route to the East End to counter the NF march, or at least encourage anti-fascist and lelt groups to join an anti-fascist picker? Of course, one only has to ask these questions to the NE In any case this isn't the real point of the comrades letter. Of course it's a bad thing thai the NF marched But how can any say that semi-secret NF march of 1,000 at the most, protected by 5,000 police, tbe an 80,000 major sechack in the building of the anti-racilt struggle. '?
How wood the mass of people nationally and Jocally, black and White, bave soen events on Sunday and May Day? As a massive victory for the Jeit and the anti-fascist play if (and in the case of ARAFCO it is becoming an increasingly big if") they see their job as winning the nea ANL to a more conscious anti-racist are the and anti-fascist stance, e.g. taking up immigration controls', self-defence', etc The truth is that a large section of ARAFCC is at the moment choosing away marginalise sectarian attitude to the League. At recent meetings it has gone so far as to oppose having an ANL speaker a: conference.
have criticised, The continue weaknesses of the ANL, as well as the sectarian anties of SWP supporters. question the anti-racist movement must answer is this: Can we consider the problems of the ANt outside the Framework contribution i has made towards and bulane an ann-tascist movement!
Or do we regard the ANL diversion from some supposediy real strugale which The action by the TALL T "black UNITED •itsell that RESE ANL ANL and will the real ARAFCC some of its But the essential -united the the as a fascists.
is taking place?
• Carnival the successful anti-fascist event we have seen in this country since the 1930 No amount of sniping can erase that the consciousiless thousands of anti-fascist activists, The task of anti-racist committees should be to help build the ANI, and politically influenoe the new forces being drawn into it. We have pointed ant arist committees bed the ne between activists was polentially counter-productive. Unless the comrades understand and combat this they will marginalise the will be arguing to both a a movement both ARAFCC and the ANL conferences. Sectarianism is a grave disservice to overwhelming majoricy activists, who want to be involved in concrete struggles apainst racists and Socialist Chullenge Editorial Bourd.
against
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'THE Carnival was the most successful anti-fascist event we have seen in this country since the 1930s No amount of sniping can erase that faci from the consciousness of thousands of anti-lascist activists