ANTI-FASCISM IN LONDON

Update: 18.00 27/07/13

Only forty supporters of the English Volunteer Force made the trip to Lunar House. They were greeted by nearly 200 anti-fascists, a mash up of trade unionists, UAF and autonomous anti-fascists. According to SchNEWS' man on the scene “A few punches were exchanged but they basically went straight into their prepared pen”

The next hour was taken up with a bit of ritual chanting before the fash were forced by the cops to march to East Croydon station in a mobile kettle. Activists from the Anti-Fascist Network paraded ahead of them (see picture) and they were harangued from all sides.

Next stop was Woolwich where the forty EVF made up the bulk of the People's March, technically held under the South East Alliance banner. In any case the two groups overlap – with March for England supremo Paul Pitt seeming to supervise both gatherings. In the event the ten miles on foot to Westminster proved too daunting for the racially profiled crowd so they marched 500 yards to the nearest station and opted to let the train take the strain.

By re-emerging in Westminster they cunningly dodged the gathering of anti-fascists in Deptford and made straight for Old Palace Yard. Unfortunately this rather predictable dodge left them largely unopposed.

Original Article

Racist organisations the English Volunteer Force (EVF)  and the South East Alliance (SEA) are marching and rallying in Croydon and south London this Saturday. Anti-fascists will of course be there to oppose them.

London activists are being encouraged to gather at Brixton Windrush Square at 9.30am - everyone else get yourself to Lunar House Croydon, 11.30am. To find out where we'll be later in the day and for updates, follow @SouthLondonAF and also @Stop EVFon Twitter.

First call is Lunar House, Croydon - the HQ of the UK Borders Agency. The EVF and other EDL splinter groups plan to congregate at the entrance of the main asylum seeker processing plant in the UK, spouting their poisonous lies about migrants and muslims to anyone who will listen. Their demo is advertised as starting at midday.

SchNEWS spoke to an anti-fascist from South London: “We will at the very least drown them out and make sure the migrants know they have support too - against street and state racism. They're planning to have a one hour demonstration before heading into London. We won't leave Croydon until the scum are on their way out.”

Complicating the counter-demo however is the Unite Against Fascism call-out. It actively asks members of the PCS union to join in. That's all well and good until you realise that any members of the PCS in the vicinity are likely to work for the UK Borders Agency and will either facilitate, or be actively involved, in the kind of violent deportation that the EVF think should be the fate of all non-whiteys inside the UK's borders.

In any case London No Borders have issued a call out to be outside Lunar House at the same time as everyone else: “We call on people to join us in front of Lunar House at 11.30am on 27th July, to stand in solidarity with migrants going through the hell of the deportation machine, and against the fascism of the far right, the EVF.” 

At 2pm the racists will recongregate, this time under the banner of SEA, at The White Horse Pub, Woolwich Road, (nearest tube Charlton). They are planning to walk about 10 miles to Westminster and then to hold a rally. They're calling this “The People's March against Terrorism” yet they support and encourage the most recent terrorist attacks this country has seen. More than 20 attacks against mosques or other religious buildings - including nailbombs and firebombs - in the last two months.

Chances are they're not going to make it out of Woolwich but antifascists have called out for a meet up at 3pm, junction of Deptford High St and New Cross Rd, to halt their march.

There are rumours that SEA march has been banned but their most recent posts suggest that that’s not the case. The SEA have only admitted they were told they 'should not' start from Woolwich. The day is likely to be chaotic so be ready to improvise.

The EVF and SEA are being opposed by various groups under the banner of the Anti-Fascist Network, and in Croydon by a broad coalition of local residents and the local Trades Council, the local Green Party, UAF, Croydon SolFed and others.

To keep up to date with what's happening check out South London Anti Fascists.

For more on autonomous anti-fascism http://antifascistnetwork.wordpress.com/