I RC I T SEPT 1’ 17 VOLUME 38 N017 P.__..___... J L '_ Q,‘ ‘Is O :5 5. .;,*-C0L5i§§b,é /2 S/A Tribute to John Olday p9—16 THE EMERGENCE of the National Front has united front is suicidal. Once the fascists have feel that decisions are sometimes made as a re- once more raised the spectre of fascism on the been driven off the streets then it will become sult of frustration arising from the difficulty of streets. For CI|"lCll'Cl‘IlS‘l'S, the question of l'OCl'lCS our tum to be driven off. Several anarchists getting anarchist ideas across. We think it a and ideas of how best to fight racialism has and anarchist groups have voiced the opinion of very big mistake not to use the electoral char- once again to be raised. The problem of fight- "No platform for fascists" (see Midlands state- ade, which givessthe social democratic state ing fascism in the streets poses more problems ment). Punch-ups in the street might deter the a semblance of govemment by consent. At a for anarchists than it does for those other National Front from publicly intimidating peo- time when the forces that control society a'p- groups who call themselves anti-fascists (wheth ple; they do nothing to erase the preiudices pear more powerful than ever before md the er they range from certain Tories to the autho- and fears on which their ideas are based from 'ordinary' person feels so powerless it is more ritarian left of the SWP/WRP. people's minds. Free Speech for Fascists is one urgent than ever before that anarchists should thing; their being allowed to intimate people As the two points of view published in our last convey to individuals their collective power to is another. However long it might take, there issue show, there are differences in iudgement change things directly. is no substitute for clear and precise anarchist of the value of the confrontation on the streets, thinking and 'propaganda'—-fascist ideas have and the debate is continued on our letter page We entirely agree with Canterbury (July 9)— to be brought out into the open and defeated by (6). Also in this issue two items (Letter from and disagree with the Midlands—in stressing reason. Intimidation, on the other hand, has to Laurens Otter on anarchists 8. trotskyists; and the truly vital importance of anti-election cam- be dealt with by community solidarity and the Midlands Federation statement on p.3) paigning. Even where numbers are small much mutual aid. The basis of anarchism is self—help raise the ghost of the popular front and the more could be done than hitherto in preparing and we must recognise in the authoritarian question of whether it is right for anarchists to and distributing anti-election material, and we groups and the wider anti-fascist groups that put their propaganda into second place in a see no good reason at all why this should con- their statist attitudes have sapped self -hel p in united struggle against a common enemy. sist of supe ficial sloganising rather than sound every sphere of life. argument. Constructive work of this kind is far The National Front are gearing their campaigns more crucial to the development of anarchism There are issues on which we campaign with (street fights, etc.) to achieving electoral suc- than is fascist-bashing, and the next elections groups whose aims and methods are close to our cess, and their not being allowed to march should see anarchist groups and federations mak- own. (For instance, we co—operated very ef- drives their racialist attitudes into more ‘legal- ing their presence felt all over the country by fectively with the Committee of l00—-but the ised' channels such as media support and politi- means of posters, stickers, public speaking and issues are rarely so clear-cut.) There are issues cal mileage which is benefiting them in terms local distribution of anti-election leaflets. in which our protest is one among those of other of electoral gains. In spite of the publicity at protesting groups whose motivation and aims are Ladywood about 20,000 people didn't vote for Members of FREEDOM Collective: A.A., very different from ours. We have to remem- anybody, necause no doubt in their minds they FQAQWQ 59nl“ ber that our means determine our ends. Politi- realised the truth that no party is on their side. cal groups whose main aim is to achieve politi- D.P. records a dissenting opinion that the cal power are not so fussy as to the means they As regards the Midlands Federation statement, street battle as at Lewisham is ‘futile but it's. use and for anarchists to take part in a popular/ we welcome a new and viable federation but necessary‘. I 2 FREEDOM few days before the demonstration at Malville. One must be fair, n'est-ce pas? What more Letter from Ireland could we ask than the reassurance that, to quote from L'Ex ress , "Violence has become Sunday afternoons, freeing their sexual urges by an affair of State“ and that "violence has watchinga tiny harmless animal being tortured been written into the government programme’.' P AS l listened to the riots at Lewisham and then to death. Then they go to say mass and tell at Ladywood, Birmingham, l wondered what poor women who are already overburdened and FERNANDO POO makes us tickiso horribly. l am just on 80 and live likely in a tent, caravan or one room, haw all my life wherever l have been it has been wicked they are if they practice contraception. the same, no matter what Government is in. We are hell bent on genocide in lreland if not l remember - because l was living there at the in the whole world. time - how the British Raj was for ever attack- GREECE l am of the opinion that if people are given vile THE APPEAL hearing of our four Greek and ing Gandhi and putting him in prison and the weapons sooner or later they will use them. No three foreign (two Fr-ench and one Dutch) took ghastly way the police mowed dawn the takers policeman should have a baton or a gun or a place in Athens on 27 and 28 July in a decid- of salt who were completely pacifist. They shield. No protester should have an iron bar, edly hostile atmos.phere. As previously reported came up, men and women and scooped up their a brick or a bottle! l have just heard how the in FREEDOM the seven had been accused of little token shellfuls of sea salt and the police police in Soweto have shot another black man. resisting arrest, causing public disturbance, mowed them down with lathis (a particularly His only sin the colour of his skin, which does insulting the policeand God, after a deliber- brutal form of baton). Then another lot came. not make p worth of difference. l have a col- ately set-up police provocation. ln the first Repeat repeat repeat. However, in the end oured granddaughter and l adore her. trial, nearly two months before, all had been the police themselves got sickened and would This reader thought your reprinted gay poem of found not guilty on all charges, and the public not strike any more and ten days later Gandhi the Centurion and Jesus very very beautiful prosecutor had deemed it necessary to save was marching up the steps of vice regal Lodge after the first sort of shock. lt showed LOVE both his and the police's face by appealing. to take tea with the Viceroy and putting a and that is what we one and all are so short of. token pinch of salt into his cuppa. .. By the way, not all journalists are rich and From the very beginning of the proceedings it . l saw the rise of the Nazis during the thirties own houses. Many in Dublin are out of work was clear that some sort of conviction would when they could have been stopped, but no- and drawing the dole. l am lucky enough, in be forthcoming. Remarks by the president of one did. Churches and States alike were silent spite of my age, to just keep my head above the court confirmed all expectations. He and so the terrible things went on happening water, but l live in a tiny bedsitter and buy asked himself, and the public in general, how and the I939 war erupted. There were thé hun- my clothes second hand! it was ever remotely possible that such people ger marches in England in the thirties and again H.B. as the accused with their long hair could the powers were on the side of the rich and Dublin defend Greece against the Turk. Other such the poor and starving were mowed down. ln my remarks and comments, such as those referring own country these things have gone on for to the defendants‘ attire, drew heavy protest. 800 years, and the Queen of England comes The president then defended himself by claim- over and talks about how she was crowned FRA CE ing he was not (prejudiced — it only seemed Queen of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The that way ... This sort of comic interlude rel- papers did not tell you that 320 people were EQUAL publicity has been given in France to the report on violence by that best-selling ieved some of the boredom in the packed court- an"ested for NOTHING before the Queen arr- room.