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WHO WE ARE Antifa
is a national federation comprised of local groups of militant anti-fascists,
affiliated to the international Antifa movement. WHAT IS FASCISM? It
is a mistake to see fascism solely in terms of extreme far-right nationalist
political parties such as the BNP, NF etc. While these are the most
obvious target for an anti-fascist campaign, many policies promoted
by other parties are equally fascist in nature, and demand an appropriate
reaction. The media is also guilty of pushing far-right ideology (the
tabloid treatment of the issues surrounding refugees for example) and
their actions often fall within the remit of an anti-fascist group.
We should oppose fascist ideology whatever its source. Equally, fascism
is often used as a synonym for racism. Racism is a tool frequently employed
by fascist movements, but it is important to be aware that fascists
can be non-racist and indeed most racists are not fascists. While our
major target is fascism, we must be aware that bigotry in all forms
(racism, sexism, homophobia, etc) needs to be fought, whether it comes
from the mouths of fascists or from elsewhere. There
are many fascist groups operating in Britain, but the biggest threat
comes from the British National Party who in recent years have done
their utmost to hide their fascist politics beneath a thin veneer of
respectability. Antifa opposes all fascist activity, but destroying
the BNP is our current priority. Their presence on the political landscape
pushes the wider political agenda to the right at the cost of working
class people. Fascism
is a violent ideology. Throughout history, fascists have used violence
against those who oppose them. Antifa is a continuation of the antifascist
tradition of confronting fascism physically when it is necessary. Physical
confrontation is only one of our tactics though, we do not aim to fetishise
it as one tactic above all others, nor will we allow a hierarchy to
develop based on the kudos of street-fighting. If an individual member
feels unable to engage on this level they are no less worthy as an anti-fascist
than any other member of the group, however those with a moral problem
regarding this issue should be advised that this is not the group for
them. In
keeping with our anti-authoritarian ideas, we seek to challenge hierarchy
within our own movement and elsewhere. We do not believe in fixed leadership
or power structures. Within Antifa we make decisions on a consensus
basis to ensure that the opinions of all within the group are represented
as far as possible. Where an organising role needs to be taken on by
one or more people (for example, acting as chief steward during an action),
we accept that this is immediately revocable should the members of the
group be dissatisfied, and that the appointment of any role that could
be seen as leadership is temporary and based on group consensus. There
are situations in militant anti-fascism where decisions have to be made
quickly and it is vital that those involved trust the person who is
making those decisions. It is also vital that appointing those decision-makers
does not create any unspoken hierarchy, so we encourage the rotation
of roles as far as possible. The structure of our own movement needs
to reflect our political goals. The
success of fascist politics depends on a divided and unorganised working
class. Antifa believes that the means to effect social change must mirror
the ends we wish to achieve, and therefore, reflecting our wider beliefs,
we will never exclude any individual on the basis of their sex, race,
age, (dis)ability, sexuality or any similar grounds. We
will not work with, accept information from, nor pass information to
the so-called anti-fascist magazine/organisation Searchlight, and we
will not work with individuals who have any connection to them. As an
organisation that works hand-in-glove with State agencies, we cannot
trust them or the agenda they pursue. Their influence within, and manipulation
of, militant anti-fascism has been deeply divisive over the years, their
methods and involvement with State security services are well documented
and entirely incompatible with our own position. For
decades revolutionary left groups such as the Trotskyite Socialist Workers
Party, have opportunistically used the mobilisation against fascism
as a way of trying to swell their membership numbers and the coffers
of their party. We are not interested in working with these groups,
nor with their front groups, such as the Anti-Nazi League™ or
Unite Against Fascism™. Our experience is that these front groups
exist merely to try and recruit members on behalf of the controlling
party, to peddle their papers, and to manipulate and marginalize genuine
anti-fascists. In the past we have seen the leadership of such fronts
collaborate not only with the State, but also with the fascists themselves.
We will not be fooled again, and advise genuine anti-fascists within
these organisations to leave, after which we may be able to work with
them. Voting
is something that allows the State to pretend we live in a democracy,
and it is a tactic used by fascist parties such as the British National
Party to promote themselves and their policies. While the BNP may be
in a position to throw bricks through the windows of a few Asian households,
it is New Labour that is locking up refugees and bombing Iraqi civilians.
It is ridiculous to suggest that voting helps to stop fascism. This
is the sort of insult to working class communities that has allowed
the BNP to grow. This is the case whether we are being told to vote
for the old Statist parties or opportunist fronts, such as Respect™,
which has helped to promote bigotry (sexism and homophobia) in order
to further the agenda of its leadership. The problems that allow racism
and fascism to flourish will not be solved simply by voting for parties
which mask their fascism slightly more cleverly than the BNP, nor for
some middle-class tourist standing on a Left-Wing ticket. Eliminating
the threat of fascism will not magically correct all the wrongs of the
world. The first stage of real lasting social improvement begins with
the downfall of global capitalism and its replacement with an alternative
that puts working class people in control of their own lives. Members
of Antifa are involved in a wide variety of other anti-capitalist struggles,
but Antifa itself remains focussed on the fight against fascism, which
we believe is linked to the wider struggle. The State will employ fascist
tactics if necessary in the cause of suppressing dissent, and the fight
against openly fascist ideology, wherever it comes from, is a critical
part of the fight against the ultimate enemy of capitalism itself. Fascism
can be suppressed by the use of street-level tactics against their attempts
to publicly organise. The fascists electoral ambitions can be defeated
by the use of counter-propaganda. But a meaningful impact on fascism
requires far more than this. We believe that involvement in local communities
is critical (and this does not mean parachuting in as outsiders, but
people taking action in their own communities.) Education and presenting
workable solutions to the problems faced by communities are absolutely
vital to the struggle. These may be outside the current remit of Antifa,
but we will wholeheartedly support these tactics, and while we may not
be able to initiate such activities, we strongly encourage our members
to involve themselves in this sort of grass-roots work. For tactical and security reasons, Antifa is not an open group. Some of our work may put us in conflict with the authorities, and of course with fascists themselves. We do not seek mass-recruitment and we do not hold regular open meetings. That said, we are always on the lookout for potential new members, who are committed and security-conscious. If you are interested in getting involved with Antifa, or if you would like to assist us in our work, please get in touch. |
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