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Geoffrey Brown, "Wombling Free? Anarchists and the European Social Forum"
December 22, 2004 - 8:17am -- jim
s0metim3s writes:
"Wombling Free? Anarchists and the European Social Forum"
Geoffrey Brown
The 2004 European Social Forum, held in London on 15-17 October, attracted more than 20,000 participants. The event featured 500 plenaries, seminars, workshops and cultural events, with more than 2,500 speakers representing every shade of opinion within the global justice movement. The ESF concluded with a 70,000-strong demonstration calling for an end to war, racism and privatisation, and for a Europe of peace and social justice. Hundreds of volunteers gave their services for free. The whole event was made possible by financial support from the Greater London Authority, who also provided free travel for the participants and cheap accommodation at the Dome.However, the disruptive actions of the anarchist group the Wombles added a sour note to an otherwise successful ESF. On Saturday evening the Wombles and their allies invaded the main venue at Alexandra Palace and occupied the stage before the start of the anti-fascist plenary, at which Ken Livingstone had been billed as a speaker. They unfurled a banner bizarrely denouncing Livingstone — one of the most prominent opponents of the invasion and occupation of Iraq — as a Labour Party warmonger. Weyman Bennett of Unite Against Fascism, who was to have chaired the session, was assaulted and had his mobile phone stolen. The following day in Trafalgar Square, at the rally following the demonstration, the Wombles clashed with stewards while trying to storm the speakers’ platform, leading to arrests by the police.
These actions were condemned by most of those involved in the ESF. A statement issued by 21 leading trade unionists and campaigners declared that "censorship of views by premeditated physical violence at the ESF is completely unacceptable. If such methods were introduced into our movements they would destroy all democratic functioning". [snip]
The rest of the drivel here: http://www.whatnextjournal.co.uk
[Yes, I know, it's rubbish. But I did note that the trotbots are keen to distinguish between "moderate" and "hostile" so-called 'autonomists'. I wonder if that attempt to distinguish is reflected throughout ESF history, and how does it relate to the stuff Jamie King raised about the ESF and those "moderate" 'autonomes'
]
"
s0metim3s writes:
"Wombling Free? Anarchists and the European Social Forum"
Geoffrey Brown
The 2004 European Social Forum, held in London on 15-17 October, attracted more than 20,000 participants. The event featured 500 plenaries, seminars, workshops and cultural events, with more than 2,500 speakers representing every shade of opinion within the global justice movement. The ESF concluded with a 70,000-strong demonstration calling for an end to war, racism and privatisation, and for a Europe of peace and social justice. Hundreds of volunteers gave their services for free. The whole event was made possible by financial support from the Greater London Authority, who also provided free travel for the participants and cheap accommodation at the Dome.However, the disruptive actions of the anarchist group the Wombles added a sour note to an otherwise successful ESF. On Saturday evening the Wombles and their allies invaded the main venue at Alexandra Palace and occupied the stage before the start of the anti-fascist plenary, at which Ken Livingstone had been billed as a speaker. They unfurled a banner bizarrely denouncing Livingstone — one of the most prominent opponents of the invasion and occupation of Iraq — as a Labour Party warmonger. Weyman Bennett of Unite Against Fascism, who was to have chaired the session, was assaulted and had his mobile phone stolen. The following day in Trafalgar Square, at the rally following the demonstration, the Wombles clashed with stewards while trying to storm the speakers’ platform, leading to arrests by the police.
These actions were condemned by most of those involved in the ESF. A statement issued by 21 leading trade unionists and campaigners declared that "censorship of views by premeditated physical violence at the ESF is completely unacceptable. If such methods were introduced into our movements they would destroy all democratic functioning". [snip]
The rest of the drivel here: http://www.whatnextjournal.co.uk
[Yes, I know, it's rubbish. But I did note that the trotbots are keen to distinguish between "moderate" and "hostile" so-called 'autonomists'. I wonder if that attempt to distinguish is reflected throughout ESF history, and how does it relate to the stuff Jamie King raised about the ESF and those "moderate" 'autonomes'
]
"