By South London Anti-Fascists / @SouthLondonAF
DATE: Saturday 29th June (Armed Forces Day)
TIME: 11:00 am
ASSEMBLY POINT: Old Coronet Cinema / Gateway House, John Wilson St, Woolwich, London, SE18 6QQ
Nearest Rail Station: Woolwich Dockyard (National Rail)
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/161516007362471/
Contact: southlondon-antifascists@aktivix.org
To all fellow anti-fascists,
The two leaders of the English Defence League: Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka “Tommy Robinson”) and Kevin Carroll will be exploiting a sick child to promote the English Defence League on Armed Forces Day. This “walk” to Woolwich will take place at soon after 1pm, we expect that Carroll and Lennon will be using children as human shields, but also EDL supporters who will not be wearing or carrying any identifiable EDL merchandise, flags or banners.
Unite Against Fascism are calling for a demonstration to take place at Hyde Park and also in Tower Hamlets.
South London Anti-Fascists extend our solidarity with them but we will be calling on people to rally with us in Woolwich as it is the focal point of Tommy Robinson’s walk. They want to exploit the death of Lee Rigby and the unfortunate case of young and very ill child to boost their own credibility. The end point of the “non-EDL” sponsored walk is the place where Lee Rigby died. We don’t believe Tommy Robinson should be allowed to reach this point so we are calling on all local residents and anti-fascists from South London and elsewhere to work with us to stop this from happening.
We will not give Tommy Robinson and the EDL, the propaganda victory of appearing like a peaceful concerned parent and making anti-fascists appear to be violent aggressors. So we will be coming together to peacefully protest against Tommy Robinson and distribute leaflets about the racism of the EDL. We will not give the press, the spectacle of physical confrontation that they crave to help sell their media products.
Shouting angrily or throwing eggs at children is not a good look, so we will use placards and banners to get our message across in a way that doesn’t upset local people and make it easy for the police to make arrests.
We will be producing a leaflet and poster that will be downloadable from www.multipolitic.org by Thursday.
We ask anti-fascists who wish to attend not to use the black bloc tactic as that makes it identifiable for the police and other racists to attack you. Instead come in your ordinary clothes, organise affinity groups and travel to the assembly group with at least 3 other people. If you need help to travel to the meeting point in groups email us at southlondon-antifascists@aktivix.org
We also need volunteers to help make banners on Friday evening, please get in touch if you are interested in helping the South London effort.
NO PASARAN
4 Comments
Baffled
So you plan to stop the EDL reaching their planned destination by peacefully waving banners and
placards and handing out leaflets. How does that work?
You ask people to come in their ordinary clothes. So making it even easier for the police to arrest anti-fascists (and successfully prosecute them) when the EDL decide to ignore your non-violence guidelines and kick off- and people defend themselves.
“NO Pasaran” was people dying across Spain, or more locally standing their ground- ahem -violently in Cable Street.
I dont think they worried too much about the press coverage!
Hi Paul, the primary concern isn’t press coverage but the usage of children as human shields. Also we have had lots of activists arrested and we can’t afford another full by the police. The EDL are not bringing their flags and will be making it “family friendly” as Lennon is on a charm offensive. Happy to discuss alternative plans if you can come up with a better one
I don’t mean to create hostility but, on the face of it, this seems like a terrible idea. If they want to march peacefully, regardless of their agenda then what right does anyone have to try to prevent them from doing so? I think the tactic of trying to “not give the press the spectacle of physical confrontation that they crave” is weakened severely by organising what is essentially a confrontation. Whether it turns physical or not will be up to each individual attendee, on both sides (not to mention the police) and surely there will be no way to guarantee that the proceedings don’t get escalated by provocateurs or imbeciles. Your opposition could come off looking heartless especially with the help of the corporate media, which is probably exactly what the EDL want.
Instead of waving placrds and handing out leaflets , wouldn’t the money being spent on them be better of being donated to save this ittle girls life , i also take it that your antifascist group will also be doing something to help raise money. I thought not.