London anarchist bookfair statement

London antifa statement on the islamicfascist attack at parliament uk saturday, march 25th, 2017. We are writing in response to events at the 2017 london anarchist bookfair labf. Statement on events at anarchist bookfair 2017 by helen. This is the relevant section of helen steels speech. This is not a question of freedom of speech, or freedom of expression. I was in the process of writing a longer article around the events at the anarchist bookfair on saturday, but i am also trying to stay on top of the rest of my life while dealing with the horrendous bullying of people around me which is underway by some trans activists and allies. The loneliness of the crowd another reflection on the events at this years london anarchist bookfair uk anarchists are no strangers to conflict or violence. On march 22 there was an attack outside parliament that has killed four and injured many.

We hope this statement will be a first step towards improving that. We are still shocked, horrified and saddened by events as are most people. Afed trans action faction statement in response to events at london anarchist bookfair 2017 30 october 2017. With this kind of thing happening i think the odds of the collective calling it a day are going up dramatically by the second. Yet we feel that the way the conflict unfolded at this years london anarchist bookfair was. Many statements have been written both supporting and.

We were shut down by a guy called amir taaki a britishiranian who claims to be a developer of bitcoin and someone who. The 3rd annual conference, held in london on 29 may 1887 marked the change, with a majority of the 24 delegates voting in favor of an anarchistsponsored resolution declaring that this conference endorses the policy of abstention from parliamentary action, hitherto pursued by the league, and sees no sufficient reason for altering it. The melbourne anarchist bookfair has been running annually since 2010. As usual several thousand anarchists and fellow travellers from diverse tendencies attended, ran stalls, held meetings and other activities. The origins of the anarchist bookfair are briefly recounted here, and the issues concerning free speech are the subject of this issues editorial here. This year, in search of themes we are digging up beasts from the fathomless depths of mythological history. Bookfair 2020 will be a diverse event with a organisational focus on our internationalism and our anarchist heritage here in the uk. A statement in solidarity with the london anarchist bookfair. Yet we feel that the way the conflict unfolded at this years london anarchist bookfair was deeply disturbing. Transphobia at the london anarchist bookfair 2017 libcom. Statement following london anarchist bookfair of october 2017. Members in leicester and london, including a number of founder members, have left the organisation following the tumult over the issue of transphobia 1 at octobers anarchist bookfair.

It has been over a month since the london anarchist bookfair and as a movement we are still reeling, with deep divisions between people who had respect for each other and once worked well together. The anarchist bookfair organisers do a huge amount of work to facilitate an amazing event which allows thousands of people to learn about alternative views and experiences of oppression and to discuss ways to improve society for the benefit of all. Response to london anarchist bookfair 2017 the anarchist. Amir taaki contacted us a week or so before the bookfair asking that he be given space to speak about rojava.

Class struggle anarchist statement on bookfair events and aftermath. There were antitrans leaflets put in the toilets at the london anarchist bookfair the leaflets were quickly removed. The statement was released in response to an open letter titled, response to london anarchist bookfair 2017 which alleges the event. At first, as in previous years, we were inclined to not respond to these statements. Disclaimers contact wikipedia developers statistics cookie statement mobile view. The short version is we didnt have sufficient background on previous bookfair incidents to be able to sign the statement and know exactly what we were signing up to, so we didnt. The following statement was originally posted on the anarchist federation facebook page on 20112017 transgender day of rememberance. I was invited to speak here after being surrounded and threatened at the anarchist book fair by a mob of around 30 people who claimed to be advocating on behalf of. These creatures are there to ground ourselves in the impossible as anarchists always have, they are an army to call on when. Statement made on 2nd november i was in the process of writing a longer article around the events at the anarchist bookfair on saturday, but i.

On saturday 28th october the 2017 london anarchist bookfair took place in north london. Statement from the london anarchist bookfair collective. London anarchist bookfair statement northern voices. The anarchist federation, one of the main anarchist organisations in britain, has just been through a major split. London anarchist bookfair gender identity watch freer. The organizers of the london anarchist bookfair released a statement announcing the current bookfair collective will not be organising a bookfair in 2018, potentially ending the events 34year run.

Statement to announce london bookfair 2020 freedom news. The regular london anarchist bookfair has been a vital component of the anarchist community since its inception in 1981 and we intend for the 38th such event carry on in this fine tradition. A statement in solidarity with the london anarchist bookfair collective. In essence it is the rejection of all unjustified authority, of the necessity of dividing the world into the ruler and the ruled, the wealthy and the worker. Enough is enough is not organizing any of these events, we are publishing this text for people across the us and europe to be able to see what is going on and.

The biggest event of the anarchist calendar in britain is not being put together by the longstanding bookfair collective this october, but there have been talks about running a smaller one with a new collective. Reflections on the split in the anarchist federation. Today i was invited to speak at the london anarchist bookfair, an event i was excited to attend, to talk about the situation in syria. Many statements have been written both supporting and condemning the organisers of the event. In 2020 the london anarchist bookfair returns with a new crew including some of our members.

Then the bookfair collective announced they wouldnt organise 2018 and signing either of the statements with specific demands seemed moot at that point. Freedom collective statement on the london anarchist bookfair. No bookfair next year, after violence this year as many peopl e know there was an incident towards the end of the 2017 london anarchist. Most british anarchist groups attend such as freedom press, anarchist federation, kate sharpley library, class war, solidarity federation and the wombles. My statement on events at london anarchist bookfair 2017 helen.

The london anarchist federation would like to make a statement of solidarity with sex workers. Regarding the announcement by the london bookfair collective that, following events at this years gathering, they will not be organising another one in 2018, the freedom collective has drafted the following statement the freedom collective condemns the actions of trans exclusionary radical feminist terf activists at the london anarchist bookfair 2017. We write today as a broad collective of anarchist and activist groups, networks and individuals in london and across the uk. One good sign is the number of anarchist radical festivals that have been springing up. Statement from the london anarchist bookfair collective 6th november 2016. Class struggle anarchist statement on bookfair events and after math. As usual several thousand anarchists and fellow travellers from diverse tendencies attended, ran stalls, held.

My statement on events at london anarchist bookfair 2017. Helen steel, who attended the london anarchist bookfair, has released a brief statement regarding the trans activists who were upset by women who had been distributing information about the proposed changes to the gender recognition act. London anarchist bookfair uk gender identity watch. Over the last 30 years the london anarchist bookfair has grown to be a huge. This is a short extract form a statement by the collective. Any politic which would seek to oppress, undermine or remove the rights and liberties of others is anathematic to anarchism and will find no. First there is the 2015 london anarchist bookfair, which is being staged on saturday october 24 from 10am to 7pm at a new venue central st martins behind kings cross rail station. The loneliness of the crowd another reflection on the. London anarchist bookfair how amir and his friends stormed the event chanting pkkypg and accusing myself and robin of being fascists. A earlier statement was posted on uk on 30102017 immediately following the transphobic leafleting at the london anarchist bookfair of 28th october 2017 and is available here. Anarchism as a distinct political movement and idea dates from the 1800s, but its routes go back a lot further. Sex worker solidarity statement london anarchist federation. One good sign is the number of anarchistradical festivals that have been springing up. London bookfair wont happen in 2018 to all those who are familiar with the london anarchist bookfair will be aware that this year it was different, and seemed to descend into chaos and bitterness, not anarchist objectives.

Uk transgender rights row intensifies as book fair is. The leaflets handed out at the anarchist bookfair suggested that. The bookfair is organised by a small voluntary collective of five, with a wider group of supporters who help out with setting. This is the main page for book2020, anarchist bookfair in london being held on the 17th of.

A statement in solidarity with the london anarchist. The statement was released in response to an open letter titled, response to london anarchist bookfair 2017 which alleges the event organizers chose to step in and offer protection. Anarchists are no strangers to conflict or violence. Another reflection on the events at this years london anarchist. Weve toured the country and put on events at afest and the antiuni. Below is the statement we sent out in respect of this on the friday before the bookfair.

The composition of the organising collectives behind the various anarchist bookfairs in london has changed many times over the years and we. The anarchist bookfair is the name of several annual anarchist book fairs. Below we share a statement regarding events at the london anarchist bookfair 2017, written by some supporters of the bookfair. My experience on saturday and the organisers partisan response have confirmed my belief that the london anarchist bookfair is a hostile environment for trans people. Since we started drafting one there have inevitably been a range of statements, open letters etc. A clear statement outlining the politics the labf is committed to, what kinds of. This event is being organised by a new collective of individuals from across london and the uk. As to those above starting off their statement with in recent years the london anarchist bookfair labf has has been plagued with incidents of racism, misogyny, transphobia, abelism and other forms of bigotry. Steel reports these trans activists were bullying, threatening, and intimidating women for distributing information and holding discussion on issues of.

Leila al shami would define herself as an anarchist. Afed trans action faction statement in response to events at. And on october 24 and 25 comes the fifth annual helsinki anarchist bookfair in finland, at peace station, eastpasila district of helsinki veturitori 3. London anarchist bookfair how amir and his friends. As a trans woman myself i attended the bookfair with a degree of trepidation knowing that there had been previous incidents involving negative attitudes to lgbtq people. Response to london anarchist bookfair 2017 we write today as a broad collective of anarchist and activist groups, networks and individuals in london and across the uk. The london anarchist bookfair wont happen in 2018 due to a toxic environment of pro and anti transgender activists fighting at this years bookfair. As many people know there was an incident towards the end of the 2017 london anarchist bookfair. Sat 28th oct 2017 london anarchist bookfair london. The bristol bookfair is back on saturday may 12th 2018. The regular london anarchist bookfair has been a vital component of the anarchist community since its inception in 1981 and we intend for the 38 th such event carry on in this fine tradition. This comes following conversations at the anarchist bookfair with sex worker comrades who had felt let down by the level of solidarity they had received from other anarchists.

Elsewhere we will set out where we think this leaves the bookfair collective, the bookfair and the wider. Organising an annual event attended by over 2000 people is a huge amount of work finding and negotiating with venue providers, organising the equipment needed, booking stalls and meetings, printing and distributing leaflets and programmes, as well as finding overseas speakers and the money to pay for them. Other public statements are also being discussed around withdrawaldisaffiliation with the bookfair, here for instance. Bristol anarchist bookfair collective is really excited about the 6th annual bristol anarchist bookfair on saturday 26th april 2014 at the trinity centre, trinity rd, bs2 0nw. Bookfair 2020 anarchist bookfair in london posts facebook. Class struggle anarchist statement on bookfair events and. Correcting misinformation about our cambridge meeting. This years london anarchist bookfair will be on saturday 28th october from 10am to 7pm.