Issue 83 £1

NO TO CASUALIZATION! Summer 2002

VICTORY TO THE WRECKERS!

News, views, war, sex, dead Royals, International Noise Conspiracy
and much, much more!
2 Class War Issue 83

EDITORIAL Raise The Fist!

Unions Up Their Game On January 24 2001, in a joint operation, the activist/anarchist community."
LAPD, the LASD, the FBI and the Secret On February 2, Barely a week
According to the media, the move to the left in certain unions - in particular the RMT, Service raided the home of Sherman Austin, after the raid, Austin was singled out for arrest
Aslef, CWU, Unison and the civil service PCS has caused palpitations in the Labour the 18 year old webmaster of Raise The Fist, at the anti-World Economic Forum protests in
party. The media has even dusted off 1970s style red scare stories, particularly about an LA-based anarchist web site. All the New York City. Bizarrely, after intense
Bob Crow of the RMT. However, in most instances the union leadership has done equipment used to host the site was questioning he was released the next day and
little more than recognise what most of their members realised years ago, that new confiscated and Raise The Fist was effectively immediately re-arrested by the FBI under the
Labour does not even pretend to fight for the interests of the working class. As the shut down for over a month. Patriot Act. 12 days later when the still unclear
union leadership are guaranteed nothing by Labour, eventually even they have tired of Raise The Fist had attracted attention charges were finally dropped, Austin became
giving Tony Blair a blank cheque in return. from the authorities from day one because of the last protester out of over 200 who were
its uncompromising political attitude. Unlike arrested at the WEF summit to be released.
Blair, by talking of the "wreckers" who oppose his transformation of the public many anarchist web sites this was not a site As Austin's lawyer Susan Tipograph
services, was in reality repeating the 1980s language of Thatcher. Then those who limited to the academic world or ghettoised in said: "The government arrested him out of the
stood in the way of Thatcherism were the "enemy within". Now if you oppose Blair's the subculture of the already existing blue and then reversed themselves out of the
completition of Thatcher’s privatisation project, you are a 'wrecker'. Quite how the anarchist movement - it was a popular forum blue. Who knows what they're going to do
RMT can wreck the rail industry as effectively for young people, many of whom had little next?" In other words they just kidnapped him
as the privatisation started by John Major and previous exposure to revolutionary politics other - like the Canadian police kidnapped key
presided over today by Tony Blair is beyond than Rage Against The Machine lyrics. Anti-Capitalist Convergence organiser
us, but the media has happily aped whatever Raise The Fist's success was in Jaggi Singh at last year's protests at the
briefings new Labour's spin-doctors have given getting those people, who otherwise would FTAA summit.
them. Even though the proposed changes to have spent all their time sitting around on their This campaign of harassment and
postal services sound far worse than the serv- backsides with their friends just talking about intimidation against Austin and Raise The Fist
ices we currently receive, criticism has at how much mainstream society sucked, to can only be the result of a co-ordinated
times been muted. How can the nasty actually think about practical strategies to operation. A decision was taken to neutralise
inefficient Royal Mail give us two deliveries a resist the system and get involved in the his activities, something the FBI did in a much
day and the nice, cheap privatised service give anti-capitalist movement. more widespread fashion in the 60s against
us only one? In the last few months before the raid, individuals in (among other organisations) the
Raise The Fist and its numerous spin-offs (the Black Panther Party and the American Indian
Unfortunately the union defeats of the 1980s LA Anarchist Collective, Revolutionary Graffiti Movement. In the aftermath of the September
tipped the balance, substantially against the Front and International Collective for Class War) 11 attacks and the security clampdown in
unions. With the anti-strike laws, smaller were attracting more and more attention from America, it seems likely that we will see more
workplaces and generally lower union the authorities and the public alike. It is fairly of this in the near future.
membership, the strikes of the 1970s and safe to say this is what provoked the attempt All the more reason then to
1980s are not going to be re-created to shut it down. congratulate Austin for the way he has bounced
however much the likes of the Socialist Austin's first statement following the back in defiance of all attempts to silence him.
It's time to call time on Tony
Alliance wish they could be. raid explains the fascination law enforcement After a few problems obtaining backups of their
agencies had with Raise The Fist right from site, and a search for a suitable host which
It is time to fight the next battle in the class war, not try to recreate the last. Unions the start: "Since 1999, [Link] has thankfully didn't turn out to be Bill White (an
today have to box clever. One sign that this is being recognised is the suggestion been under extensive government monitoring. extremely dodgy "anarchist" who associates
from RMT members of No Fare Days as part of their dispute with the truly awful Arriva At times, [Link] has received over with neo-Nazis and is thought by many to in
Trains Northern. ATN are regarded with absolute contempt by most of their regular 100 hits from the US Department of Defense fact be working for the secret state!), Raise
users. What better solution then than for RMT members to work as normal, but not to in a single day." The Fist is now back online. Hopefully the site's
collect any fares? No commuters will be antagonised, workers should not lose any And he is in no doubt as to why the best fist raising days are still to come!
pay, but ATN will be hit where it hurts - in the pocket. Such tactics are not site was targeted in the first place: "Kids To keep up to date with the latest
necessarily suitable throughout the rail industry. ASLEF, as a drivers union, are not started creating clubs in their schools called developments in the Raise The Fist saga (and
involved in fare collection. There is no reason why they cannot come up with similar 'RaisetheFist'. People started utilising the to join a community of rebels with attitude), go
innovative thinking along the lines of the RMT, perhaps a phone in sick day, combined collective as a powerful resource for the to [Link].
with traditional strike action.

Leave It All To Me
The aims of Mr Blair are clear. To complete the privatisations begun by the Tories,
only expanding the private sector into areas the Tories sometimes shyed away from
- the Royal Mail, the National Health Service, and parts of the Civil Service. As the
police may yet be needed to enforce these changes - as they were in 1984-5 - it could
be they will be spared some of David Blunkett's proposed reforms. The outcome of If there is one thing sadder than an ageing actually believes that by meeting politicians and
increased privatisation is lower pay, worse conditions, greater job insecurity. The rock star who does not know when to give being granted an audience with them he is
weaker the material conditions of the working class, the greater the profits for Mr up, it’s an ageing rock star who wants to save in some way
Blair's all-important friends in the city. the poor and starving of the world. Whilst Bob making a differ-
Geldof's criticism of the anti-globalisation ence. Nothing
When Tony Blair argued he was involved in a battle of the 'reformers versus the protestors in Genoa was what we have come could be further
wreckers' he was drawing the battle lines for the most important domestic fight of his to expect from the pious windbag, Bono of from the truth.
term in office. Victory to the wreckers! U2 seems determined to outbid even Geldof After leaving the
in the sucking up to the rich and White House

Not Tonight
famous stakes. Bono said "It
newspapers about TA units heading for would be easier
March saw Bono granted an
Afghanistan - they were nearly all heading and hipper for me
audience with George W Bush at the White
I'm Washing
instead for refresher courses - but allowed to be on the
House. Bono, famous for his criticism of Irish
local papers to insert the details of when and barricades with a
paramilitary organisations (even though the
where their local TA units met. Just in case
My Hair
IRA probably killed fewer people in 30 years handkerchief Peas in a pod
Al Queda wanted to meet the challenge posed over my nose - it looks better on the resume
than George W has in one) seemed
by the TA head on, the Hackney Gazette of a rock star"
unconcerned about the 'war on terrorism'
kindly informed readers when and where the The message from Bono is in fact rather
concentrating instead on discussing Aids and
One of the sadder individuals in every pub is Shoreditch TA meets! Who said military similar to that from Bush, Blair, Clare Short
US aid to the third world. Like Geldof, Bono
the local TA man. We all know the army will intelligence was a contradiction in terms? and other politicians in this
take pretty much anyone these days, but
standards in the Territorial Army are even Obituary- Three Strokes field- leave it all to me, I can make a
difference. Bono seems unaware that

Jack Dunn And You're Out

lower! Hilariously George Bush's "War on it is politicians - and in particular their
Terrorism" has led to the first compulsory call beloved global capitalism - that has
up for TA soldiers for some 46 years, and a On 14 March Jack Dunn died. He had got the world into the mess it is
fair few weekend warriors have been looking led the Kent miners through the great February saw Princess Margaret finally currently in. Equally Bono and Geldof seem
to wriggle out of their commitments ever since! battles of 1969, 72, 74 and in getting round to doing what her sister has incapable of any self-analysis of their own
found so difficult to do ..... dying. Whilst the
To quote Lt Col Paul Fox ''A few people have retirement in 84 and 92. An actions- is Africa in a better state today
loss of this parasite, who could not even run
said they do not want to go. We have a lot of accomplished speaker and great a bath without scolding herself will save us a than it was before Live Aid? Not from
people who are having to make contingency character he was one of the legends few quid in taxes, the most satisfying out- where we are sitting its not.
plans for domestic reasons and work" of the NUM, too many of whom have come was the public response. Nobody gave Perhaps the next time anti-globalisation
Even better was the Ministry of died just recently. The union, and the a fuck, and the media had to reign itself in protestors gather a few bricks could
Defence's press release in January which working class movement at large are after a couple of days because they realised be saved up for Bono and Bob Geldof's l
spinned a load of nonsense to gullible local the poorer for their loss. mass hysteria was not on the cards. imousines?
Class War Issue 83 3

International
Windsors Hospitalised
Give the Copper!
Public What
they Want -
More Royal
These two Buena’s Aries beauties got bashed in last years rioting that brought the
collapse of the Argentinean government. It seems that some of the things the
anti-capitalists have been saying have been proved right, or at least as far as large
sections of the Argentinean population are concerned. Either way we are glad to see
so many people laying the blame where it deserves – at the hated political class in

Funerals!
that country, and when they cannot be found at their lackeys – the police.

We are all used to Prince Edward and to celebrate the Jubilee. Instead the near
the other stupid royals wasting our money constant royalist propaganda has turned
- how on earth he can retire at his age apathy into antipathy. Hatred for the
when the rest of us are being worked till privileges, the brutality, bigotry and
we drop? But although we are paying for militarism of the royals is being translated
their parties, there are at least some we into street protests against the House of
can gatecrash - their funerals. Windsor. We loyal subjects of
Despite Class War negotiating long MOVEMENT AGAINST THE
and hard with Satan to take the Queen MONARCHY - are organising our own
mother away from us all sooner we fitting tributes for Golden Jubilee.
couldn't convince him. But the jubilee has Several protests are already
got off to a cracking start - with two less planned in amongst other places Bury St
of the scroungers to pay for. Edmonds, Brigend and Sheffield. In
When Old Yellow Tooth, finally London there will be an Execute the
decided to join her daughter and husband, Queen Street Party starting in Tower Hill,
the Royal PR Department went into by the Tube, on June the 4th, at 10.30am.
overdrive. They claimed that the June 4th is the highpoint of Pro and Anti
multi-millionaire bigot with an income of Jubilee celebrations with other
just 5 million pounds a year and just 50 anti-monarchist organisations such as
live-in home helps, who got private REPUBLIC encouraging its supporters to
operations that were denied to millions of protest on this day. By the time you read

I Was Third In Line

working class people on the NHS, was this there will already have been the April
'everyone's grand mother'. That she 29th 'Choke On It' protest against the
single-handedly won world war two despite Queen, other living ex-Prime Ministers at

To The Thrown ........

appeasing Hitler and encouraging a dinner given by Tony Blair at 6pm by
surrender negotiations in 1940. the gates of Downing Street. As always
Employing the kind of doublethink with MA'M events bring your means of

But Then I Got High

that would have Stalin or Tony Blair green protest with you, including banners and
with envy, the Windsors promoted her as whistles.
a kindly old lady. Yet her compassion for We cannot have a fair, decent and
her family lead her to hounding the mother just society and still have some people
of her great grand children to repeated who think they are kings and queens and Under age drinking, drug taking, wild year Tom Parker-Bowles, son of the royal
suicide attempts. Her love of animals the rest of us are their servants. So join in parties at all hours. We blame the bit on the side and future Queen Camilla
meant introducing her daughter to the joys the anti-jubilee celebration and we may parents! The news of Prince Harry's Parker Bowles, was exposed as a
of bloodsports. Her life was not just of yet abolish the monarchy sooner rather antics were a reminder, once again, that regular coke user. One law for them?
unbridled privilege and casual sadism, she than later. the main centres of drug use in Britain
helped support a number of traditions that To find out more contact MAM at are not areas like Easterhouse or
will continue after her - her heroic stand guillotine66@[Link] or visit the Tottenham but in reality are areas like Eton
for Rhodesian and South African website at [Link] or and Tetbury. The only difference of course
Apartheid continues to this day with write to us at the MAM PO Box 14672, is that you are unlikely to get nicked tak-
Prince Philip, and we hope he will London E9 5UQ (please enclose a ing drugs behind the walls of Prince
continue to follow his mother-in-law's lead couple of stamps). If you don't like any of Charles Tetbury mansion or in the grounds
- as quickly as possible. our events, then organise your own and if of Eton. Nobody in Harry's circle has been
Her death was supposed to make you want help promoting it, just let us charged with any offences either, despite
us all the more compassionate for the know. the fact that somebody will have been
Harry and William with pal Guy Polly at
Windsors and to make us dimwits want making some pretty serious dosh selling Twickenham. Do you think they paid for their
drugs to these wealthy parasites. Last tickets?

Don't Bankroll Royal Travelcard

The Bastards
will fly royal parasites for a tenth
If you went into your of the actual cost. This perk
local train station and was actually taken away from
offered to pay a tenth of the the royals in 1998, but has
total cost of your ticket, you been restored, according to
The governments desire to chip away even political levy whilst still remaining a would be thrown out on evidence given to the
further at our pay and conditions makes union member in good standing. Exercise your ear. If you are a mem- Commons public accounts
it even more essential that trades it. You should be able to make all the ber of the royal family how- committee. How many other
unionists are not paying the political levy arrangements you need by talking to your ever, things are somewhat of the 'concessions' the Queen
to Labour. If you are a member of a union personnel department. There is also a different. Should you wish has made to her critics in
affiliated to the TUC, it is quite likely you form that can be printed off the Class War to travel any distance the recent years have been
are. You have the right to opt out of the website at [Link] RAF's 32 (Royal) Squadron restored in a similar way?
4 Class War Issue 83

Big Brother
am. People recognise me all the time"

If They Had
Class War strongly condemns the
residents of north London who have taken

Is On His
to shouting "Awight" at PC Lichters as he
goes about his beat, and we regard those
who have been encouraging him to use

Brains They Way

Michael Barrymore's swimming pool as
having a very sick sense of humour indeed.

Our commiserations also go to

The little known Technical Committee of

Would Be
Inspector Kerry Anderson and (ex) Chief
Superintendent Kevin Pitt, whose the Association of Chief Police Officers
attempts to cement Anglo-Lithuanian (ACPO) hope to get a new toy in a few
relations got somewhat misconstrued by years time. Richard Brunstrom, Chief
both the media and Lithuanian police. Constable of North Wales and head of the
ACPO Technical Committee reckons it

Dangerous!
Pitt, the district commander for
Stockton-on-Tees, was part of a delegation will be only 5 years until face recognition
from Cleveland police advising the technology will allow his force to catch
Lithuanian authorities on anti-corruption speeding motorists. Currently this
investigations. Work hard play hard is technology is supposedly being used to
clearly the motto in Stockton-on-Tees, as identify airline terrorists. As per usual what
Lithuanian police found Pitt and Anderson, is supposedly protecting us from death
Welcome to Class War's regular look at the greatest minds in British somewhat boisterously standing next to the and destruction today, will be used
policing - the easiest column to write in the paper by some distance! Presidential Palace in Vilnius, with a large against us all tomorrow. Drive without out
Thanks to the readers who sent us clippings from their local papers - yellow puddle stretching from the palace a seat belt, drop a cigarette butt, ride your
wall to their wet shoes. Things took an even bike with a faulty front light - big brother
keep them coming to the London Class War address! will arrest you.
worse turn on the way to the nearest
police station when according to the At the moment the comprehensive
Lets start in the sunny climes of the spend his evenings with his mistress, Lithuanian Police Commissioner "one of the database required - of every face in the
Caribbean, where officers John Sutton and telling his wife he was on duty as a Britons became ill and vomited in the UK - does not exist. But the gradual
Cromwell Warrican joined former Chief Scotland Yard firearms expert. In reality police car." CCTV footage revealed what introduction of photographic driving
Superintendent Phil Harding and Kingsley he was off sick with ME. Unfortunately as the Vilnius police commissioner described licenses and Mr Blunkett's eventual
Labourde on a fishing trip with a difference. with so many cops a real mixed up as "an outrageous deed, a humiliation of introduction of identity cards, make it only
They were fishing off West Caicos when bastard lurks inside a real mixed up the office of the president" Pitt pleaded guilty a matter of time. Unless we do something
their ship sank following a burst water bastards exterior - Parkin's double life was and was fined £35. It proved to be the most about it.
pump. Minus their boat, the sharks were exposed after he was arrested for expensive penny ever spent by a British A campaign against ID cards is a
soon circling and whilst Harding and pestering his mistress with phone calls, police officer as he must. Another impressive act was in Kings
Labourde were rescued by a Cuban tug, and he has been suspended from the BTP. has been required to Langley, Herts where vandals have devised
in some of the best entertainment since It would be nice to report he had lost both resign and the a novel way of dealing with speed
Jaws 1, 2 and 3 Sutton and Warrican his women due to his philandering – sadly University of Teeside, camera's. An old carpet placed over the
provided a delicious main course of he has not - his wife is standing by him. Cleveland Police's camera, then set alight has been proved
bacon for the Caribbean's undernourished Behind every stupid man it seems, there partner in anti- to incapacitate the camera. The question
class conscious sharks. Delicious! is an even stupider woman! corruption strategies is do we stand up to Big Brother, or do
dropped the force so we wait until they put security camera's
Gloucestershire Nottinghamshire as to keep up its own in our living rooms to monitor our
One man who gets a little jittery and jumpy Congratulations to the Mansfield officers contracts in the behaviour?
when a full moon is approaching is Sgt who had been issued with a £65,000 Baltic state. The
Jason Keates of Stroud police. Rather
than recognise that many people enjoy
CCTV video camera, mounted on a tall
mast on their van. A shame then that it
government of Ex-chief
Lithuania has ended superindentant Kevin Elton John
nothing more than a few beers and a
punch up with his officers because they
was destroyed the first time officers had
to drive under a low bridge. Lets hope the
all contacts with Pitt-
Cleveland police. the man who pissed
Launches
Commemorative
off the Lithuanians
are bunch of dickheads, Sgt Keates damages are taken out of their wages! Britons holidaying in
explains rowdy behaviour in the town as Vilnius this year would be well advised to
being due to a much higher force. A full
moon. "When there's a full moon people
New York
Given the emotional outpourings of
make it very clear that they do not come
from Cleveland!
Queen Mum
go mad, I've noticed it before" What could
possibly be mad about having a few drinks
support they have received since
September 11th, it would surely be
Single
Normally the performance of Cleveland
and wanting to smash Sgt Keates in the impossible for the New York Police police would guarantee them a clear
Elton John is to rework Candle in the
face? More seriously how long can it be Department to be regarded as an victory in Britain's stupidest police stakes, but
until David Blunkett introduces a curfew oppressive force doing the bosses bidding Wind for the Queen Mother. The new
the entertainment provided to Londoners, and
on nights of the full moon? against other groups of workers. Not so. users of the website [Link], ensure that version will be as follows:
In the eyes of many New York there can only be one winner this issue -
Metropolitan Police firefighters, the NYPD's new image lasted Commander Brian Paddick of the 'Goodbye rancid hag,
Under Sir John Stephens, the Met's until 2nd November last year. Then the Though you never worked at all
Metropolitan Police. There is perhaps a
You had the cheek to drink for hours
media machine has never been as busy. NYPD threatened to mace and baton decent human being struggling to get out of Until you couldn't talk.
Barely a day goes by without a Met charge firemen demonstrating against 'Brian The Commander's' police uniform. By You'd crawl under the table
sourced story appearing in the media Mayor Guilani's decision to cut the instigating the decriminalisation of soft drugs And you'd shout out to your crew
demanding more resources, more numbers working at the World Trade in Brixton, Paddick has at least To spend our hard earned money
officers, newer, bigger better and nastier Centre site looking for bodies. Five cops attempted to adopt a sane approach to one On a horse at 5 to 2.
weapons, new laws to arrest Londoners were hurt and ten firemen arrested in the of London's most pressing issues.
with. In fact one of the few things they clashes. 265 firemen died at the World Unfortunately you cannot reform a dinosaur And it seems to me you lived your life
never seem to have the time to get round Trade Centre. like the Met, and Paddick has to have been Like a candle in the wind
to is actually policing. Take for example naive beyond belief to think he could get away Waxy, stiff and pointless
PC Andrew Quinn who joined the Met in Metropolitan Police with posting on a radical website And you reeked of gin.
1991. He got the staple excuse of all As usual its a strong showing in this And I would have liked to meet you
criticising his employer and debating the ef-
To tell you this
skivers, the bad back, whilst doing his competition from the Met! Our fects-good and bad-of his decisions with the Your sponging, parasitic life
initial training. He was then sent to work commiserations must go to PC Dan people who pay his wages. The It really took the piss.
at Belgravia police station on 'minimal Lichters from Albany Street police station ensuing media frenzy at least
duties' (minimal duties in the Met - a in Camden. Having once gained fame as delayed the World War 2 was tough
contradiction in terms!) but went off sick the youngest policeman in Britain his media/police Though rationing, it passed you by
with stress. Ten years later he was still career has taken a bit of a knock. campaign against You had to manage with pheasant
off sick, forcing The News of the World to Following the media's revelations of PC May Day, and has And duck, and veal and pie.
describe him without a hint of irony as Lichters relationship with comic Michael put the Scotland
"the sickest copper in Britain". During his Barrymore, Lichters has had his Yard press office at And weren't you all at Windsor
time off sick PC Quinn 'earned' £300,000 undercover career curtailed, and is now times firmly on When the Germans hit your place?
in wages. Nice work if you can get it! back in uniform. Lichters moaned to the Still, at least you're able
the defensive.
To look the East-End in the face.
Daily Mirror - "I was working on the Seeing police
British Transport Police robbery squad in plain clothes. It meant officers briefing Goodbye rancid hag
Staying with skiving, PC Christopher being out in an unmarked car, stopping against each other From the man who's pleased to
Parkin from Harpenden, Hertfordshire robbery suspects. But being linked with Anarchy may be
is a sight for sore see you go
attractive Brian, but you
managed to have his cake and eat it. Michael means the crooks around still look a twat in that eyes - thank you If Maggie's due there with you soon
Spending his days with his wife, he would Camden and Kings Cross know who I uniform Brian! Perhaps you'll let us know
Class War Issue 83 5

The Aftermath of Wankers -

Genoa and Anti-
capitalist protest:
Literally!
The recent rise of lap dancing clubs across Stockport council commented "We need

The future
the UK have given local councilors another to see a demonstration to make sure
opportunity to live it up at other people's punters get value for money"
expense. Councilors in Stockport, Greater As Cllr Owen seems to be giving us
Manchester and Wilmslow, Cheshire have a pretty clear demonstration that we are
Some of the British people arrested at that the police are amoral, they do what used the licensing issues these clubs raise not getting value of money out of him, lets
Genoa at the violent raid at the school on is effective for them, and if that means as an excuse for beanos at our expense. hope his constituents stay at home the next
the Saturday after Carlo Guiliani was beating the helpless then that is what they Cllr David Owen, a Labour member of time he comes up for re-election.
murdered by the Italian filth on the Friday will do.

Tightening The Noose

have started their own campaign. In The SWP, trying to claim the
consultation with Amnesty and several leadership of the anti-capitalist movement,
lawyers, and after large amounts of naturally has to have a go at their
press publicity here they are spreading 'competitors', the anarchists in the form
information about what really happened of the Black Bloc. In the first Socialist One of the characteristics of new Labour's It is worth remembering that the
and screened a very good video about the Worker after Genoa they published a lot domestic policies has been its ability to inspectors present -rather like ticket
events in a large hall at a central London of shit, and this was followed up late last get away with far more direct attacks on inspectors on the bus or tube- have no
university. See [Link] for year by Alex Callinicos in International working class people than the Tories ever powers of arrest. Often the only powers
more details. Socialism. In echoing a lot of supposedly did. In particular organisations like Liberty they have is the ability to blag and
Prior to the events in Genoa police anarchist critique, Alex finds another way (formerly the National Council for Civil threaten you with an arrest they cannot
attacked a large demonstration against of saying that the Black Bloc doesn't build Liberties) have acted like rabbits trapped legally make and the police are reluctant
the World Bank on 24th June 2001 in socialism but this is simplistically in car headlights, unable to comprehend to make on their behalf.
Barcelona. Witnesses claim that the assuming things about Black Bloc that the powers of the state and its agents We are aware of cycle couriers
police attacked the peaceful march with participants that is not true, for we are are increasing all around us. being asked repeatedly for their national
rubber bullets and batons for no reason, often engaged in other movements and One sinister aspect of this is the insurance numbers. You do not have to
and proceeded to rout a huge crowd from some of us are trade unionists as well. increasing number of joint operations- give them this information, but you will risk
the park with repeated charges. One of the more interesting articles sometimes by as many as four arrest if you fail to give your name and
Then of course it was last year’s to come out is "Genova and the government departments, usually aimed address to a police officer. Tell all the other
showpiece event at Genoa in July, with Antiglobalization Movement" by George at people heading to or from work. officials present "no comment" or "none
hundreds hospitalised and one dead Caffentzis and anonymous Italian Typically a roadblock is set up by the of your business". They have no powers
protester, Carlo Guiliani who was shot by comrades. [Link]/ police, although the road signs are to arrest you. Cycle couriers can also
police. POLICE MURDERERS. pamphlet_genova.html usually from a section of the Department assist each other by circulating
Later in the year Police attacked a As the listing of police violence of Transport, such as Vehicle Tax information about these road
peaceful march of 2000 in Canada on 19th above starts to indicate, and as George Licensing Inspectors. Making up the blocks via their radios and mobile phones.
November 2001. They stormed into the shows, the international state violence numbers -in the cases we are aware Lets make the bastards work for every
crowd trying to get their hands on a dozen shown there was agreed by the heads of of- have been Benefits Agency Fraud scrap of information.
peaceful youth in masks, and battered state of the capitalist global command Inspectors and immigration officials. The On a similar topic, British
anybody who dared to speak out against system, as the G8 can be accurately transport officials sometimes film Transport Police have taken to wondering
the practice of throwing the youths onto called. At least the Italian army, navy, air proceedings, or take pictures around train stations in London and
the ground. force, and police were moved into a state of car tax discs or license plates. Manchester with sniffer dogs and
Of course these events have led to of war against demonstrators, and the Targets tend to be people driving works approaching people traveling from A to B.
prolonged arguments over the nature of massacres continued into the school and vans (the fabled white van man) and If the dog smells drugs on you, or the
the Black Bloc, and the future of torture of the arrested in the prisons. cycle couriers. officer claims the dog does (which is a lot
anti-capitalist globalisation practice. Subsequent raids last year, new police Even 10 years ago such random more common) an arrest is made. Whilst
Purist anarchists like the Workers brutality against peaceful people of the harassing of people going about their the media focuses on the debate about
Solidarity Movement published a mostly White Overalls in Jan 2002, and raids on business would have brought a storm of the de-criminalisation of soft drugs and
boring and wrong in places critique of the Indymedia Italy in February 2002, protest. In the whole of the debate about experiments in areas such as Lambeth,
Black Bloc. They said that the Black Bloc throughout the length of Italy, are stop and search, the use of police the reality of the BTP approach is more
doesn't build anarchism on the ground examples of the blatant repression on our officers to stop people going to and from random policing, more harassment, more
(and they as 'meeting' bores can movement (see [Link]) Its work has not even been mentioned. stop and search. Bastards.
dominate us all) this is facile we think clear that the suspension of human rights
because many of us involved in Black was agreed in advance by heads of state,
Bloc type actions ARE also engaged in as Italy is a signatory of the Human Rights
other and more long term work. As usual
the bores can't see the popular dynamic
convention which is a prerequisite of EU
membership. Not forgetting the 100
CLASS WAR CONTACTS
that confrontation creates and sustains. police raids with over 60 arrests in E Mail classwaruk@[Link]
If we were left to their boring tactics and September 2001, where the police trashed
presentation skills we would still be computers as well. (Schnews Fri 21st Telephone 07092 170105
wandering the streets of some hamlet on Sept 2001) And they ask us to respect Website Official website under construction,
the west coast of Ireland trying to build private property! details to follow. In the meantime check
an anti capitalist movement of 'local Clearly there is activity to be done [Link]/~lemming/classwar for all the
people in our area'. Fair enough if that's where you live and work, but the world latest Class War news, views and bile.
what the WSM do, but we somehow capitalist command and control Australia Class War, Suite 20,Princess Highway
suspect in 10 years time they will still be organisations need to be protested against Sydney 2224.
talking about it. as well. The next big one is in Kananaskis,
Black Bloc actions represent Alberta, Canada. Chosen because Cheshire CW cheshire_cw@[Link]
nobody but ourselves on these large supposedly they can protect it from Essex CW BM Box 357
international actions; it is not our job to protesters in a remote mountain region. London WC1N 3XX
protect people on the marches though we Well here's news to the world
should have some responsibility towards leaders and their lackeys the police, Europe Class War Europe
our comrades on the march. However, we experienced protesters and risk Postfach 160 127
cannot be responsible for what the police assessors have already cased the place 33721
will do, especially if you wander round the and have spread around the news Bielefeld, Germany
inside of a trashed bank after it's been that the terrain is ideal for protesters and
smashed up by the Black Bloc... crappy for cops in large riot equipment, Glasgow glasgowcw@[Link]
Common sense isn't it? People on the anti the road and forest are huge and it's Hunt Sabs Class War Hunt Sabs
capitalist protests must realise that vulnerable all along the way. Protesters PO Box 135
protest is not solely walking like sheep will be setting up camp early so nobody Basildon, Essex
behind an SWP banner, it means being will be able to sneak in, and their already SS15 5SA
able to tactically asses what is going on is a rolling programme of events and
at any demonstration. Where are the training to prepare, starting 3 weeks London CW PO Box 467
police moving to or concentrating their before the summit itself officially (Also South & West Yorks temp contact) London E8 3QX
forces? The peaceful must also realise commences on June 26th. We also strongly recommend checking the following website - [Link]
6 Class War Issue 83

personality, stammer...and a profound Super Shelley

fear of being physically assaulted
emanating from early childhood Stops Sutton programme) The liberal over reaction was

Censorship
experiences.” In his statement, Ray also such that it was possible to wonder
implicated John Kamara. John served whether they’d listened to what Blunkett
twenty years in prison until the Court of actually said.
Appeal overturned his conviction. In Congratulations to prisoner John Shelley, In the run up to the 2001 general election
setting the conviction aside, the Court of who has scored a goal against HMP Full the Home Office released a statement
Appeal implied that at least part of Ray’s Sutton in York. John had been stopped setting out New Labour’s crime policy for
Fact Not Fiction confession must be untrue. Yet Ray from receiving material from Class War the next term-Criminal Justice: The Way
Gilbert remains inside. and Haven Distribution. However Ahead. Contained in it - alongside plans
“You asked what books I’m currently There is other evidence, ignored at the following a legal challenge Full Sutton to scrap the double jeopardy rule, ban
reading? Just some fiction stuff from the time, which points to Ray’s innocence. conceded that such a ban would infringe “aggressive” defence cross examination
library here because that’s all they have. John Suffield had bought a pint of milk prisoners rights to freedom of expression, etc was a proposal for a scheme called
They don’t want you to get too smart and a newspaper and placed it on a shelf which are protected by Article 10 of the “Custody to Work” whereby short term
because you might not come back to within the shop. This suggests that the European Convention of Human Rights. sentence prisoners would be expected to
prison in the future.” prosecution claim that Ray and an Class War urges any other prisoner work in privately run prison workshops for
This quote, from US prisoner Randy Capps accomplice waited outside for Suffield and being buggered around by the prison wages as part of a “job training
in a letter to Class War in February, then bundled him into the shop is wide of authorities to take a similar stance. Well scheme” for employment on release. The
illustrates the importance of providing the mark, and that the killer or killers might done John and three cheers also to the Way Ahead moved from suggesting that
material support to prisoners, both at home have been in the shop when Suffield Prisoners Advice Service for their work on poverty was a cause of crime to
and abroad. Class War will provide arrived to open up. Evidence that a the case! suggesting that the solution to crime was
whatever support we can to our prison customer had threatened to return to sort the imposition of the discipline of low paid
contacts. We also recommend prisoners Suffield out the day before the labour on the working class. Blunkett’s
get in touch with London based Haven murder was also not properly pursued. It new proposals take the idea one step
Books, who operate a free books to did not help that Ray pleaded guilty, or further. In his speech he states “I am
prisoners service. They can be that he made a similar admission in 1982, interested in creating special open
contacted at Haven Books, 27 Old after his conviction, admitting guilt but prisons and hostels which would deny
Gloucester Street, London, WC1N exonerating John Kamara. Ray explains liberty but allow offenders to work, to learn
3XX. that he was under pressure while on new skills.”
remand and then while held in local jails In other words, far from being a “liberal”

Ray Gilbert after conviction, by the associates of the alternative to custody, the hostels and
real murderer, to stick with his open prisons, the tagging schemes and
confession or put himself and his family weekend options transfer the site of
In December 1981 Ray Gilbert was found at risk. From the moment he was able to imprisonment to within the community.
guilty of murder and sentenced to 15 years escape the influence of these associates, The open prisons and hostels become
in prison. Twenty one years on, he’s still Ray denied his guilt, and has done ever modern day workhouses for the New
inside - currently in the Close Supervision since, even though his refusal to admit Labour poor. The logic of “Custody to Work”
Centre at Woodhill. Ray refuses to admit guilt has meant that he’s remained in jail has not been abandoned. Blunkett has rec-
his guilt and has fought his conviction and for five years over his tariff. ognised, with a prison population of 70,000
often enough the prison system itself - Ray Gilbert has refused the easy option - and rising - the majority women, boys, petty
since the day he was sent down.
Alongside John Kamara, Ray Gilbert was
he’s fought for his innocence and
refused to concede and inch to the prison
Swedish Comrade offenders and the mentally ill, that “prison
is an expensive way of denying people
convicted of the murder of Liverpool bookie system. He deserves our support. Requires Support liberty.” The liberal left’s excitement only
goes to prove how far removed they are from
John Suffield. Ray was a mixed race kid
from Toxteth, 22 years old, with a speech Write to Ray Gilbert (H10111) at HMP the everyday life of those of us most likely
impediment, and a history of involvement Woodhill,Tattenhae Street, Milton Jonas Enander has just been given two to run the risk of jail. Part of the task of
in petty crime. There was no evidence Keynes MK4 4DA. years and 6 months for his part in the anti building a working class movement that
against him at the time of his arrest. He EU protests in Sweden last year. does not just exist in the shadow of liberal
was not picked out on an ID parade, there Letters to Jonas Enander, KVA, reformism but represents the interests of
Write to Home Secretary David Blunkett
was no fingerprint evidence, no blood Aby-Funbo 755 97 Uppsala, Sweden. the working class itself, has to be
raising your concern that the Parole Board
samples connected him to the crime. Until To contact the Gothernburg prisoner organising resistance to the expansion of
refuses to release Ray Gilbert
she was threatened with prosecution, solidarity group e-mail: prison labour Blunkett and co intend -
because he refuses to admit his guilt at
Ray’s girlfriend gave him an alibi. Ray was solidaritetsgruppen@[Link] whether in jails or in the new workhouses
Home Office,50 Queen Annes Gate
held for two days and two nights in London SW1H 9AT of the penal Third Way.
custody without representation. Under
pressure, he signed a confession. A Write to Criminal Cases Review
A Penal
renowned psychologist, Olive Tunstall,
reviewing the confession, has said that
Commission, Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street,
Queensway, Birmingham B1 1TT, Third Way? Martin Ward
the confession should be treated as raising your concerns re the conviction
unreliable on the basis of “Mr Gilbert’s and asking them to look at the new Its amazing how easily some people are Martin Ward died on remand at Woodhill
personal vulnerability at the time, and his evidence, including Olive Tunstall’s report, fooled. David Blunkett’s recent speech to prison on 19th February 2001. The
youth, limited education, abnormal in Ray Gilbert’s case. the annual prison service conference had inquest into his death ended on 15th
The Guardian pissing its pants with February 2002 with a verdict of death by
excitement over “a historic switch in natural causes contributed to by neglect.
penal policy”, a “politically bold and The inquest revealed that an agency nurse

ADVERTISE IN CLASS WAR

admirable move” and a break with the visiting Martin found him hyperventilating,
“prison works” approach of Michael coughing up blood, and suffering from acute
Howard and Jack Straw. stomach pain. Despite this he was refused
The cause of all this hysteria was permission to see a doctor, and as a result
To advertise in britain's best selling class struggle Anarchist Blunkett’s announcement of a plan (the did not receive the medical treatment that
publication, please contact London Class War. Rates are: details of which remain unclear) to would have saved his life. There have been
remove short-term prisoners from the seven suspicious deaths at Woodhill in the
prison system- a “third way” between last year. Our prisons are not just dumping
1/16th page - £15 community programmes and prison. grounds and cages for working class
1/8th page - £20 Various ideas are apparently under people, more and more frequently, they’re
consideration-intermittent custody (part becoming our graveyards as well.
We reserve the right to refuse adverts from hippies, known rip off community, part prison) a new The Irish Deaths in Custody Campaign is
intermediate sentence (special open calling for an independent public
merchants and people with their eyebrows too close together.
prisons or hostels) or custody minus (a inquiry into Martin Ward’s death. Contact
suspended sentence under which them at PO Box 29644 London E2 8TS
offenders complete a community Tel: 07931 844969
Class War Issue 83 7

Diary Dates Queen Mum-

Good Riddance!
Police and
Monday April 29th Manchester M4 7HR. Class War will have a
Hopefully your hangover has now subsided
Thieves?
6pm onwards stall – come over and get involved!
Movement Against the Monarchy call a and the champagne stains have washed
out of your trousers! Saturday March 30th According to recent press reports,
demonstration against the 5 living current and Sunday 5 May Hackney now has more shootings and
ex-prime ministers who are having dinner with finally saw the Queen Mum do the
Midday onwards stabbings than Soweto, once considered
the Queen and Prince Philip at Downing Street. decent thing after a record 101 years of
Loony Left Football tournament and Hackney the most violent city on earth. Odd then
Lets be there to make a noise against them... sponging off the British taxpayer, and
not for sale picnic. Both kick off in Clissold that the Metropolitan Police can spare
Followed by a MA’M video at another what a party she started! Within hours of
Park from 12 noon onwards. large numbers of officers in the borough
location from 9pm onwards... call MA’M on her death large numbers of Queen Mum
Good Riddance stickers were being to take pictures of people going in and
07931 301 901 Monday May 6th out of a social centre. Most evenings
displayed in pubs and clubs across the
10am-5pm The Radical Diary at 47 Kynaston Road,
Tuesday 30th April country. Despite a well concerted media
Anarchist bookfayre The Exchange Stoke Newington is monitored by a team
7pm blackout they continued to go up in towns
community centre, Sebbon Street, of uniformed officers, complete with
Why is Hackney up for sale? Come to an and cities across the UK. Well done to
Islington, N1. Visit the Class War stall and cameraman. It has been raided twice.
open meeting of the Hackney not for sale all concerned!
many others. In a clear attempt to disrupt the centre’s
group. How the borough got into the mess its A special mention must go out to
residents of Wareham in not so sleepy political activity its computer has
in and what are the alternatives for the future. Monday May 6th been confiscated.
@ the Old Fire Station, Brooke road, Stoke Dorset. After sycophantic Mayor Doreen
6pm Class War show the Australian Class Local residents, who would be
Newington, N16. Cleaton opened a book of condolence to
War video “Incitement to riot” followed by a lucky to receive anything more than a
the old bag, within two hours it had been
discussion on how police tactics during crime number if mugged or burgled, have
Tuesday 30th April filled with appropriate responses! “Fuck
public order situations have changed over the been appalled at both the scale and
7pm you shitface” and various other swear
past few decades and news from Mayday. At frequency of the police operation. All in
Robert King Wilkerson ex-Black Panther words that we agree with entirely!
the London Action resource Centre, 62 all the Met have achieved only one thing
released in 2001 after 27 years in prison talks Fieldgate street, London, E1. Nearest tube in Kynaston Road – bringing local
about the injustice of the Louisiana criminal
justice system. Venue tbc. Call 07786716335
Aldgate East or Whitechapel.
The Class War residents into the Dairy and into greater
contact with those using it. It is probably
for details. Sunday May 12th
7pm
on Mayday as close to community policing as the Met
are ever likely to get!
Wednesday 1st May Class War meeting at a prestigious
International Workers day. Actions include central London location. At this time of the year we remember our
9am Solidarity demonstration with the movements dead and fight for the living.
Wombles at Horseferry Road magistrates June 1st Four innocent anarchists were hung in
court. Anti Royal Street party and parade in Chicago fighting for the 8 hour day in 1887,
Midday Trade Union march from Clerkenwell Kennington. MA’M parade the Guillotine to and May the first became International
Green. This year the unions have to put up the venue and meet at the Brixton Ritzy at Workers Day the whole world over. The
with Globalise Resistance not us. midday. Mayday struggle has become almost a
1pm Mayday in Mayfair - Be there or be ritualistic time for the police and media to
square. June 4th gather names and faces and generally
5pm Soho Carnival Parade. Assemble Old 10.30am spread lies about the movement. This year
Compton Street, London, W1. Anti Royal Street parade. Tower Hill 10.30am we’ve got a political show trial not unlike
for the Execute the Queen festivities. Come the one in Chicago in the 19th century.
Friday 3rd May dressed appropriately with drinks. Axes and Victory to the Wombles! With the Post
11am guillotines welcome. Old crones should come office workers under threat this is also the
Prisoner resistance! Introduction to the UK with large amounts of knitting. time to show active solidarity and build
Prison system, reform and revolt. an effective fightback on the industrial
Call 07786716335 August front. No Casualisation!!
Great British Beer Festival. Contact the
Class War?
"Its great to see how the
Sat 4th May Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) for details. community can make a
Brockwell Park. Legalise Cannabis day in the real difference to the
Park. Look out for Commander Brian Paddick! November 21st-22nd All in all this years African Nations Cup place where they live."
NATO Summit, [Link] first NATO was a bit of a disappointment. Defensive
Sunday 5 May summit to be held in the former Eastern Bloc. football and tired players ensured the BBC The Minister for
1pm-5pm With George Bush topping the guest list a coverage was often not worth staying up Housing, Planning and
Manchester Radical Bookfair. At Merci, Bridge lively couple of days is expected! For more for. Spare a thought then for the pupils of Re-generation, Lord Councillor Jules
5 Mill, 22A Beswick Street, Ancoats, information contact: intersec@[Link] Nyabonhanse school in Kenya who rioted Falconer, whilst visiting Pipe- Gotcha!
for two days after authorities refused to a tree planting ceremony
put a TV in their dining room. Allegedly in Stoke Newington,London, in January.
Mind Your Language led by a 9 year old they attacked the head-
Class War Small Ads Unknown to Falconer one Hackney
master, poured petrol over him and were resident had indeed made a real
A translation of the “This Is Class War” only prevented from setting him on fire by difference earlier that day, hitting
For Sale – A wheelchair, a pair of
column in this paper, and a translation of the intervention of armed police. What Hackney council leader Jules Pipe in
walking sticks and an unopened
the subscription details are now available will they do if they miss any of the World the face with a pie she had baked for
Easter egg. For more information
in Swedish. We hope to make Class War Cup coverage in June? Falconer! Well done Agent Just Deserts!
contact Buckingham Palace on
literature available in further languages over
020 7930 4832.
the next few years, with German, Greek,
Wanted – Builders to remove old Name
French and Vietnamese translations of
boiler from Windsor Castle. Must
the “This Is Class War” column in the Address
be CORGI registered. Please
pipeline.
phone Windsor Castle on 01753
We are also looking into the possibility of
869898.
making Class War available on cassette
tape at some stage in the future.

Start my subscription from issue

Advertisement
£5.00 for the next 5 issues

£5 for 10 copies of the next issue

European orders - Cost is double.
Everywhere else - Cost is quadruple
Send to London CW, PO box 467, London
E8 3QX

Cheques/POs to "London
Class War" only, please!
The bigger they come, the harder they
fall!

SubScribe to Class War!

8 Class War Issue 83

The Class War Interview

The (International)

Noise Conspiricy

Class War recently hooked up with the

Swedish hardcore band The (International)
Noise Conspiracy. They took a break from
touring and recording classics such as
“Capitalism stole my virginity”, to answer our
stupid questions.

Class War: tell us a little about the CW: What is the movement going bombing Afghanistan’s infrastructure and into two parts and will do very poorly in
groups history etc. through since the anti EU that is leading nowhere, just thousands the coming autumn election. But the
(International) Noise Conspiracy: we have demonstration in Gothenburg, of innocent people slaughtered. prejudice it feeds on is still there, they
all been active in bands in Sweden for organized by several continental And it works… We were touring are represented on a few council’s in the
several years, some better known than Anti-Fascist Action groups last year America a few weeks after the attack at south of the country.
others. The idea to start this band came and what has been the reaction? the WTC and the start of the ‘war’ and The anti-fascist movement has
from Lars (guitar) and Dennis (vocals) when INC: Gothenburg brought a political could see how it affected people there. If been quietening down a fair bit, bit it still
they realized that what they were awareness to a lot of people. What the yanks were nationalists before then does a lot of preventative work and keeps
listening to was very different from the type happened provoked a lot of people to take that is nothing in comparison with what itself well informed and updated on the
of music they were playing. Everyone more sides in the political arena. 25,000 they are now. Everywhere there were signs nazi organizations.
or less knew each other, common people demonstrated against the saying things like ‘In God we trust – united
political and musical directions brought us European Union meeting, the visit of we stand”. And half the cars we passed CW: Anything else to add?
together. George Bush and the expansion of had the American flag and stickers INC: Keep up the fight!
neo-liberalism. This resulted in rioting and saying “Don’t mess with the US” etc.
CW: Influences? the famous picture of a Swede being shot Slogans that you would never get away
INC: Lots of different ones, eg the Clash, in the back by riot police. The mainstream with in England or Sweden. It was all The (International) Noise Conspiracy have
KRS 1, Emma Goldman, MC5, Dead media in Sweden for a long time only horrifying and scary to see, but in the an English language website which can
Kennedys, EZLN, James Brown, the showed what happened through the eyes same time we also got the privilege to be viewed at
Intifada, Guy Debord, Billy Bragg, Karl of the police and politicians but lately meet Americans that think in a different [Link]
Marx, the Stooges, The Who, Deep intelligent and critical views have been way and they have a rough time I can Those with posh computers will be able
Purple, Slayer, The Last Poets, Durruti, given some space (!) and criticism has promise you. Its not easy when the two to download Mp3’s of several tracks and
Manic Street Preachers, K Foundation, emerged of those in charge. major news channels call the war against view “The Reproduction of Death” video.
Discharge, Public Enemy, Majakovsky, Afghanistan “the war between good and
NWA, Napalm Death, Harry Cleaver, TLC, CW: A Class War member in Germany evil”.
Gang of Four, Ebba Gron, Miss Elliot, The saw you play there and thought you DISCOGRAPHY
Jam, Noam Chomsky, Michel Foucault, were superb, what did you think to CW: If you could choose to tour with 7” The International Noise Conspiracy/
Crass. the German gigs? any band from any time and place Seperation Split
INC: Germany is one of those countries who would that be? 7” Plays Abolish Work
CW: Did you have any particular we always return to and play in. We are INC: I was just reading the book about 7” The Conspiracy
ambitions or goals when you started doing really well there at the moment, a Motley Crue, “The Dirt”. It seems like a 7” T.I.M.E.B.O.M.B
the band? lot of that is because the choice of local lot of fun stuff happened on their 80’s tours. 7” The Subversive Sound
INC: We wanted to be the most physical music is not that great. Everyone there It would have been fun to have been around CD The First Conspiracy
and intellectual radical band in our time. says the best bands are coming out of back then. So I guess we go for them. CD/LP Survival Sickness
Scandinavia and England at the moment. CD/7” Smash It Up
CW: Where do you stand on the Germany appears to be turning into CW: Is fascism/nazism a big problem CD/7” The Reproduction Of Death
political scale? Europe’s Japan. All the bands we know in Sweden these days? CD/7” Capitalism Stole My Virginity
INC: We think the lyrics speak for play to really enthusiastic audiences. INC: Organised fascism is going down- CD/LP A New Morning Changing Weather
themselves. As a rock band we have Germany is the only country where you the biggest Swedish racist party has split CD/7” Up For Sale
freedom to move between different ways get criticised for not playing long enough
of looking at and analyzing society. We when you have been rocking your arse
obviously want to be associated as a band
with radical left politics.
off for more than an hour.
Vibration White Finger
CW: What are your views on the
CW: Are any of the band active in Afghanistan/USA conflict and the The DTI are still pratting about. By taking 12 months just to be seen. Against
particular organizations and how big so-called war on terrorism? Christmas 2001 132,000 claims had this background the government is to bring
is the Swedish anarchist/syndicalist INC: The attack on the World Trade been received. Only 17,000 have had the shutters down on new claimants –
movement? Centre was tragic, because the people final settlements. The DTI still refuse to September 2002 is the closing date for
INC: No-one in the band is a member of that were there were workers, surely well conclude settlement figures and scales miners claims. At the time of writing there
an organization but everyone is politically paid workers but still workers. What the on the impact of the disease, and worse, does not appear to be any deadline for
active. It is very hard to be active at home USA are trying to do, and manage quite are going nowhere with the problem. workers in non-mining capacities.
when we are touring for a large part of the well with in this war is to exterminate all Most likely they are waiting to see the Potential claimants – not just
year (as Class War went to press the INC traces of opposition and obliterate the fact extent of the problem before they come miners but any industrial workers are
were due to tour the UK) The Swedish that the WTC bombing happened for a forward with figures. In other words they urged to contact:
anarchist movement is alive and well which reason. There are obvious reasons why have a pot of money or figure in mind
is good. But it is small and powerless in people in the Arab world, Asia, Latin and are waiting to see how many will be The Miners Advice Centre, Emerson
the bigger political arena. The syndicalist America (all over the world) hate and involved in the share out before they can Avenue, Stainforth, Doncaster.
union SAC is tiny with only 8,000 despise America and their foreign policy. work out any specifics. Tel: 01302 841 365.
compared to the social democratic labour America is ignoring these facts and are Meanwhile specialist medicals are The advice is free, without obligation and
movement. building yet another aircastle through still log jammed with queues – it is given by an expert in the field.
Doing The Business
Class War Issue 83 9
hit with it, squealing in anguish. As the
fash reached the station we were kept in
the kettle, the police eventually charging
the crowd that had been taking the piss
pepper spray, nasty, nasty stuff, a lot out of them for a good 30 minutes. We
worse than CS. linked arms, eventually forming a human
Welcome to Class War's regular round up The only option was to go round barrier that was 5 deep.
from the front line of direct action. the city in small groups to find an In all 19 arrests -all anti-fascists-
opening in the police barricades. Success were made. Later that night a concert was
at last as a group of 8 NPD strolled past held locally by the excellent Swedish band
us. The last turned and we were able to The (International) Noise Conspiracy and
November 18th 2001 a bit of too and fro and they backed off,
have a toe to toe with them, but plod were
people left. We stayed until 10 then left, we were able to gather to discuss future
Stop The Bombing Anti-War soon on to us again. The cops had to be tactics. Watch this space!
apparently at 10 past 10 the cops came
March, Hyde Park to Trafalgar back, beat up and nicked everyone who
distracted if we were to get through and
Square this was eventually done in spectacular
was left which was about 150. Bastards.
fashion by basically 70 of the crowd 13th March 2002
The Saturday was the Anarchist
The biggest march in London since the running into the opposite direction and the
demo which was good, started as only a Police Federation Demonstration,
country bumpkins shuffled into town in numskulls followed. This too-ing and
few thousand, the march went through a Westminster
1998, crowd estimates varied from 100,000 fro-ing went on for the best part of an hour,
poor immigrant area of Brussels quite
(CND) anything from 20-50,000 (the by which time the NPD had marched off
peacefully, then went into a posh area and
media) and at the lower end of the scale home. When the filth came to London on 13
people took out banks, posh shops and
to 36 people and a border collie (the March, we were there to welcome them!
cars when some posh twat started to
Metropolitan Police). Size of course is no About thirty anarchists (and the samba
complain that his Merc was being
band!) made our presence felt outside the
guarantee of quality and as well as the smashed up he got a volley of March 2nd 2002
expected peaceniks and university Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre,
bricks - nice! Police seemed to be fucking Anti-Fascist Mobilisation, drowning out the poxy bagpipe band the
lecturers there were some very, very mad pussys but it in other parts of the demo
mullahs indeed, one person even spotted
Bielefeld (again!) cops had brought. Some inventive people
there were some nickings and the use of
Abu 'Wanker' Hamza of the Finsbury Park had made artistic anti-police placards, and
water cannon was fucking vile. However Numbers were much smaller this time,
mosque, who famously lost both his we showed the cops how to demonstrate,
considering the amount of Molotovs and with only about 450 NPD and 3000
hands whilst fighting for the Mujhahadeen properly. Though they had the advantage
other stuff they got thrown at them, the anti-fascists on the streets. Leading Fash,
in Afghanistan. It is one thing to oppose in numbers (most of us have got proper
police barely seemed able to respond. Christian Worch, got a stone through his
George Bush bombing the towns and jobs to go to!) our intelligence and hearty
car window en-route. As before there was chants told. Unfortunately, Paddick didn’t
villages of the poorest nation on earth,
no chance at getting at the main group, turn up to see the ‘Anarchy is Attractive’
another to be seen on the same side as
people who make Ian Paisley look
December 20th 2001 although six strays were spotted. As we banner, though ‘May Day’ Todd did. All
Picket Of The Home Office for chased them one, who obviously had a round, an away win.
progressive. Pleasingly the collecting
Mark Barnsley pair of bollocks, turned to protest. Sorry
buckets waved by some of the most
mate, my fist slipped! When it comes to doing the business
earnest looking Islamic organisations
The police were particularly brutal, however, we all have to doff our caps to
present were largely ignored, and the A freezing cold day and a disappointing
and fully earned the chants of 'Ich bin JoAnn Jones from New York, who has
Anarchists present were able to give out turnout - we were only seven or eight
nichts, Ich kahn nichts, gibt min eine been charged with the murder of a New
a message of No War But The Class War strong. Still the presence of ourselves plus
uniform - I am nothing, I can't do anything, York City marshall. Erskine Bryce
that contrasted with the purely two shivering coppers was enlivened by
give me a uniform'. They also used the apparently went to Ms Jones' Brooklyn
anti-American statements of the last the arrival of none other than the Home
kessei (kettle) tactic which many apartment to serve her with an eviction
century left. Secretary himself, David Blunkett. With
English Class War members are fully notice. Her response was to shove him
This march was the first outing for the plain clothes cops in his Jag showing
familiar with! As the Nazis passed our over a banister, batter him with a stick
our Carlsberg style banner 'Class no inclination to get out, Blunkett was led
location everything to hand was thrown before dousing Bryce with a flammable
War - Probably The Best War In The through our picket on the arm of DCI
at them, including (I don't know how) liquid. In a stylish finale she then (alleg-
World'. Unfortunately somebody was so Bryan Drew Head of Strategy at the
human faeces! One cop, who attempted edly) used his own cigarette lighter to set
taken with the design they robbed it whilst National Criminal Intelligence Service, with
to take a beer bottle off a protestor was him on fire! Way to go Jo!
we were holding a post march de-briefing the two uniformed cops having kittens at
session in a West End hostelry. A their lack of back up. We were able to
disappointing end to a somewhat mixed give Blunkett a nice bit of stick, the third
day. time he has been personally confronted
by campaigners for Mark in less than a
year. Having escorted Blunkett into the
December 13th-15th 2001 building, Drew, last seen briefing Donal
Macintyre before his Macintyre
Resistance Is Sprouting – Undercover ‘investigation’ into football
Demonstration against The hooliganism, came out again, presumably
European Summit in Brussels to get Blunkett's dog, which had been left
in the Jag!
Managed to get a cheap crossing on
Wednesday night to get to Brussels on
the Thursday morning. Just in time for a February 2nd 2002
big trade Union demo, which was cack,
they kept throwing firecrackers on the floor
Anti-Fascist Mobilisation,
for no apparent reason which was a bit Bielefeld, Germany
odd. Still beer was cheap, strong and
plentiful, but it was a totally useless demo This was to oppose a march by the
where zero of interest happened. fascist NPD, who were protesting against
On the Friday morning went for a an art exhibition "The Crimes Of The
bit of a look around the city's historical Wehrmacht". Their route was set to German anti-fascists doing the business
sites and managed to be stood in the road follow one used by nazis in 1936, when

Out On The Streets

when all the delegates were being shipped Hitler aimed to build a mini-Nuremburg in
in by police escort in limo’s, as there was Bielefeld with a 36,000 capacity stadium.
only four of us somewhat hung over and We used mountain bikes to great effect
tired flicking V signs and abuse was all early in the day to get some people away New Labour has a Stalinist obsession with of privatisation have added to the
we could muster, shameful really.…… from the massive police operation. Along figures and statistics. One area where the problem. 109 families were evicted
The main demo was also Am Langen Kampe residents displayed government has been persistently during the disastrous ITNet fiasco,
disappointing very few of the 'Nazis Raus' in their windows - Nazis Out. accused of fiddling its performance figures where the payment of housing benefit
demonstrators even considered ignoring By mid morning pigs from Bonn, Bochum is that of measuring homelessness. So was privatised. Whilst ITNets share
the police approved route (despite no and Dusseldorf had arrived to help the as to show that street homelessness is price rose, families were evicted. The
police in sight) meant we went no-where strained resources of Bielfeld's falling, many rough sleepers are simply Hackney Independent Working Class
near the red zone. Some banks and a constabulary, although they were still not counted as being homeless. Another Association is campaigning for all those
police station (sadly no gun store, people managing to keep on top of things. We tactic is to encourage the homeless into evicted to be re-housed, and make the
did check) got done as did a bunch of had joined up with AJZ community group (very) temporary accommodation point that had middle class families lost
posh cars, all seemed a bit easy. Then and people from a local cultural centre but whenever an audit of rough sleepers is due. their homes because of problems with
we went back to the convergence found attempts to get through their lines When the audit is completed, and the a mortgage company, new Labour
centre - the police laid siege to the place, were refused if 'you look like you are from figures are down, the rough sleepers would not stand idly by. The Hackney
the use of water cannon was horrible as it the left spectrum'. Attempts by the AJZ return to the streets. IWCA can be contacted at Box 48, 136
was fucking freezing the whole time (-4C), group to steam the lines were repelled by In Hackney, New Labour’s policies Kingsland High Street, London E8 2NS.
10 Class War Issue 83

Royal Fail seized on by the tabloid press as evidence of

militancy within Royal Mail and of uncontrollable
elements within the C.W.U. The latter is undoubt-
Where's
The
Announces
edly true. Left with no guidance from the C.W.U.
workers have in many cases decided to take the

Money
fight to management themselves. There is little or
no trust between local reps and those at branch
level or above. Full time union representatives are

Gone?
Job Cuts
seen as being aboard a gravy train and often seem
more concerned with claiming expenses and
grabbing overtime. The result is that rank and file
staff act, and in many cases act with success,
against the will of officials from the union. Officially the purpose of government is to
Talk is of withholding payment of the political ensure the security and prosperity of the
In 1996, the plot to privatise Royal Staff on long term sick levy from Labour. The Socialist Alliance would like people. In the United States, each
Mail, masterminded by Michael (long term being defined as a to get their hands on this cash so they can President is felt to be obliged to ensure
Hesletine, the man who destroyed period of three weeks for the become 'New Old Labour' and continue to rule over that the current generation of Americans
the mining industry, failed. It was purposes of Royal Mail) have been us. The fact is than many members of the C.W.U. is more prosperous than the last. Tony
referred to as 'a privatisation too called in for interview and have taken the initiative themselves and contacted Blair and Gordon Brown have made it
far', by those Tory M.P.'s whose dismissed by sector managers. the union to cease making the contribution to the clear that a core aim of their government
in-trays were overloaded by the These have included staff who political levy. Once again, the rank and file are is the elimination of child poverty, albeit
blue rinsed country set who could are off sick due to road traffic ahead of the game while the union bosses flounder. within the extremely distant target of
see the village sub-post office and other accidents sustained The new Chairman of the Post Office is Allan twenty years.
closing down. while in Royal Mail employment. Leighton. Recently brought in after a spell with British workers already work longer
Tony Blair, of course walks Royal Mail employs it's own Asda, he stated staff might like to consider taking hours than our counterparts elsewhere in
where Thatcher feared to doctors and nurses who no pay rise to help Royal Mail out of the hole it Europe. Now it seems that not only are
tread, Helped on by a £1 examine staff to determine their has dug itself. This from a man on twenty times the we going to have to work longer hours,
million donation from the fitness for work. This is very much basic salary of a postman/woman and on far less but that we are going to be expected to
Communication Workers Union, a case of 'who pays the piper hours a week. Leighton also sits on the board of have far longer working lives. Both the
the Labour Party is pressing ahead calls the tune' as the Royal Mail Leeds United F.C. The same club which will have to Pensions Policy Institute and the TUC
with privatising all sections of the doctor or nurse are often at sell off many of it's players in the close season to have warned that economic conditions,
Post Office. Already gone are the odds with their N.H.S. clear it's debts. Hardly an endorsement of business and the weak nature of state provision,
Engineering Department and counterparts in their findings. It acumen there then. Leighton is in the mould of will mean a longer working life for all of
Quadrant, the catering arm. Now goes without saying whose obnoxious 'here today, gone tomorrow' opportunists us. Many workers in there 20s and 30s
Labour sights are firmly set on advice management listen to. so favoured by Blair and who have brought the Post will have to retire, not at 65 but at 72.
letter and parcel deliveries. To The only people who seem Office from 608.m a year profit, to 1.5m a day Given that New Labour insist that
achieve this, massive job cuts to be taken unawares by the losses. The multi-million pound cock-up with the society is now more prosperous than ever
which will lead to a deterioration announcement are the leadership name change to the ridiculous 'Consignia' and back before, we feel justified in asking exactly
in services have been announced. of the C.W.U. On the very again has made management a laughing stock. where the national insurance contributions
First to be singled out is morning the job cuts became No one is held accountable for this state of and taxes paid, in the billions, have gone?
Parcelforce. Separated from the public news, the C.W.U. affairs and the whereabouts of the missing millions Given the massive technological
rest of Royal Mail by the Tories General Secretary, Billy Hayes remain a mystery. Balance this with the two year development in most workplaces in the
as part of their privatisation plans, stated to the news media that suspended dismissal a worker can expect for failing past decade, how can we have to work
Parcelforce soon began to lose this should not be allowed to to get a special delivery letter signed for and it's for longer than we did in the era before
money and was left to wither on happen under a Labour easy to see why discontent is rife. internet, e mail, desk top publishing etc?
the vine. Rather than reintegrate Government. Hayes must have The Government solution has been to The answer is of course that we are
parcel deliveries back with letter spent the last five years on a appoint Gregor McGregor as postal regulator. being screwed. We may be working
deliveries which would have made desert island to have missed His recommendation is to turn over those parts harder, we may be working longer. But
sense, Labour simply chose to Blair's agenda. Hayes is of the postal service which still make cash to the profits created are going to a very
carry on as if Parcelforce didn't something of a Labour-left Lord private firms who will pay only the minimum wage small, very greedy group of men and
exist and left it to run with a top Lucan. Since his election in a to a casual staff. women who want us to carry on toiling
heavy management who were out piss poor turn out of voters, he This will mean an end to second deliveries for them for as long as possible. Pensions
of touch with both seems to have gone missing, and the extension of first deliveries to four hours might not be the sexiest of subjects, but
employees and customers. This leaving all public duties to his each, with mail being delivered later in the day. to many young people the fate of your
is shown in their aborted plan to B l a i r i t e Trolleys which pension is the clearest example of just
attempt the delivery of parcels in side-kick and can carry how capitalism, and capitalists are
inner city estates at evenings. defeated multiple bags of screwing us all.
Staff did not wish to deliver in opponent, John mail are being

If You
poorly lit areas alone and Keggie. Billy trialled. The hope
customers did not wish to Hayes, former of staff will no
answer doors after dark to total militant from doubt be the
strangers. Merseyside provision of toilet

Can't
Now, 15,000 Parcelforce and John facilities on the
employees are to lose their jobs Keggie from trolleys as the
in what has been described as Red Clydeside, idea that workers
'just the start, not the end' of know which might just not be

Stand
redundancies within the Post Of- side their able to cope with
fice Group. bread is but- four hours of
All together, some 40,000 tered on. They Tory boy didn't privatize the Royal Mail walking without
out of a workforce of 200,000 will signed a 'no needing a piss

The
lose their jobs. strike' deal with Royal Mail to- seems to have eluded the brains of the outfit.
Rank and file workers were wards the end of 2001. Publicly All is not lost however. Billy Hayes has
not taken by surprise at the the deal is hailed as as success. promised strike action if there are any compulsory
announcement. For many months Privately, both sides know that redundancies. We wonder if this will resemble the

Heat
now, Royal Mail's junior on any given day, 15 minute strike the C.W.U. ordered selected staff
managers have been issuing unofficial industrial action will hit to take in support of the wage claim and carefully
warnings against those workers any part of the postal service. It designed to cause least disruption to Royal Mail at
who have taken time off due to is nothing unusual for two or three the end of March.
sickness or accidents on duty. delivery offices to be on strike in Or possibly the anti-privatisation
There is the strong belief that the London at a time. demonstration called at a time very few C.W.U. The news that Prince Edward has burnt his
issuing of such warnings is now These strikes are usually members could have made it and which became an hand whilst cooking a steak comes as no
automatic and part of an overall due to heavy handed junior excuse for a spot of Trot placard waving. surprise, following his aunt's famous inability
plan to reduce staff levels without managers who bully newer staff It will make no difference as workers will to run a bath. What next for Britain's most
paying redundancy money. or as in one tragic case in the arrange their own opposition independently of the useless family? Prince Charles drowns
Warnings have been Midlands, harass black workers. mob based in C.W.U. House, Wimbledon or indeed whilst trying to flush the toilet? Princess
issued to a postman in the North This is well known to the C.W.U. any other party political opportunists with their Anne chokes whilst putting on a blouse?
West after he was hospitalised who issue warnings against own agenda to impose their form of dictatorship We all know that upper class idiots cannot
with a case of meningitis and a harassment in their journal, but on our class. cope without the workers to run society,
post woman who had to have seem reluctant to take any steps The message to Royal Mail bosses, union but the royals appear to be the only family
surgery for the removal of a breast against the perpetrators. bosses, and the left-wing vampires should be "Fuck who would actually starve to death without
lump. The strikes have been Off, Do one!" Loud and clear. their servants!
Class War Issue 83 11

Class War Merchandise

T-Shirts, Records, Pamphlets and
To order the latest merchandise please tot up the
total cost of all the items you want, add 10% to Badges, Stickers Magazines
cover our postage and then send a Cheque or
Justice For Mark Barnsley Notes From The Borderland
Postal Order to the London address made out to The campaign T shirt £5 £3
“London Class War” only. Issue 4 of the magazine that takes
Days Of Coma -
For bulk order rates please phone or e-mail for a 7 inch 4 track EP by Swedish metal band a long hard look at the grubby world
quote. Mindblaster £2 of politics and the secret state.
Required reading for all
Smart Metal Badge serious anti-fascists. We will also
Australian Class War has an excellent The small skull and crossbones design
have issue 5 when it becomes
merchandise catalogue available on request £1.50
available.
from: Class War, Suite 20, 26 Princes Highway, Xmas Cards
Sydney 2224, Australia. 10 Class War designs, envelopes Bash The Fash - Anti-Fascist
provided. Ideal for your boss this Recollections 1984-93-
Books Christmas. £1.50
K Bullstreet
In The Hands Of The Enemy - Mark £2
Stickers
Barnsley’s Struggle For Justice
All Power To The Imagination - Loads of different designs - Old favourites The first of a series of recollections
Dave Douglass £6
like Fuck The Police etc 50 stickers for from active anti-fascists.
£5 Published by Mark’s campaign group, this
£1. New Stickers Available for Summer
Class struggle, trades unions, the book covers a brief history of Mark and
2002, contact London CW for details.
miner’s strike all for a fiver! the campaign for him, before various Beaten Up Fitted Up Locked Up
supporters write of their experiences - Mark Barnsley and the
Anarchist - Ian Bone campaigning for Mark and against the Videos Pomona Incident
£3 state. Includes articles by members of
Cheshire and South Yorkshire Class War. £2
Hard hitting debut novel by Class War Incitement To Riot!
founder Ian Bone. Recommended. Essential reading for anybody
Hard music and even harder looking to support the campaign to
action of community fightback from around
On Fire - The Battle Of Genoa and the Class War 2002 Anti-Jubilee the world. Produced by Australian Class free Mark.
Anti-Capitalist Movement
Calendar War £6.00
£3
Lots of royal baiting alongside crucial
16 different viewpoints on Genoa, what
anniversaries from working class history. And I Know Why I Stand Here!
happened, why and where we go next. Up Against The Odds
If you liked our Y2K calendar, you will love Excellent video about the fans of the
Strongly recommended. £1.50
this!Lastfew toclearat£2. staunchly anti-fascist football club St
Pauli. £5.00 An account of the JJ Fast Food
Workers strike in Tottenham from
1995-6.
SPREAD THE WORD!

STICKERS
Tom Barker and the IWW
£1
Brilliant working class history of a

50 FOR £1
British émigré and rabble rouser
deported from Australia and
refused re-entry to the land of his
birth in 1917!

21st Century Class War

£1
A manifesto for the new millenium.

Between The Riots

£0.50
Hilarious magazine compiled from
when Ipswich Class War edited the
Class War Supporters Bulletin. Fun
for all the family!

Class War Back Issues

£1 (for 5)
Are you missing copies of your
favourite newspaper? 5 different
issues for £1. For details of
individual numbers contact us.

Animal
£0.50
Issues 1, 2, and 4 are still
available of the class struggle
magazine with the big heart and
low quality production values!
12 Class
Class War
War Issue
Issue 83
83
warning given, and why was the car parked
on the zigzag lines of a pedestrian
crossing with the hazard warning lights on
? When you look at the true events
surrounding the Ealing bomb (including
police attempts to cause civilian fatalities)
it is little wonder that the mainstream
media coverage quickly dissipated. Let’s
also not forget that not only has
responsibility for the bombing never been
claimed, but nobody has been arrested in
connection with it. So any attempt to link
it to the so-called “Real IRA” is
Playing The Numbers Game Class War’s. Since when did Dear Comrades currently nothing more than speculation.
revolutionaries need the consent of the
Comrades! majority of any constituency however Was issue 82 the “Anti-Terrorism” issue The right of Irish men and women to
defined in order to pursue a political goal? or something ( “The Real IRA- Bag Full of resist the imperialist occupation of their
Cracking paper! A jolly good read! Quick The idea of political action is to: Bombs, Heart Full of Hate, Head Full of country is surely (for revolutionaries)
point on the race article (Establishment Shite”) ? Very topical. unassailable. To suggest without basis,
Anti-Racism, Making Things Better or 1) target a defined enemy and that those who reserve the right to resist
Worse, Class War 82) What’s an ethnic 2) to act as a “propaganda of the deed” Class War has rarely had anything occupation are somehow, intrinsically
minority? If ethnicity is culture and cul- in pursuit of the goals of the organisation coherent to say about British “right-wing” is not only disgraceful, it is
ture is day to day living, why the fuck am concerned. imperialism in Ireland and the armed plainly ridiculous, and shows a
I in a different group to my black mates? response to this and Orange fascism in fundamental ignorance of the politics of
We eat, work, dress, play, ruck, fuck and The Real IRA do not claim to have the the Six Counties, least of all in the days the situation (if not of politics in general.)
rave the same yet culturally I’m with the support of a majority of nationalists. They when “uncritical and unconditional It is also a slur on Irish revolutionaries who
ethnic majority? Do what? do have a critique of the peace process - support” for the Provisional IRA was the are at the sharp end of repression by the
it is set down in the pages of Sovereign prevailing (if unofficial) CW party-line. British and Irish states (where a growing
Culturally I have nothing in common with Nation - it is odd that that critique is Therefore it is doubly regrettable that an number are “interned” merely for alleged
middle class farmers or the Oxbridge neither mentioned nor analysed in your opportunity to mount a critical analysis of membership of a proscribed
mob. If we are placing class over race lets article. Given the Six Counties remain the prevailing situation (including the organisation.) It is not long since you were
not get sucked into the dividers and rul- under British rule, given that both politics and tactics of Oglaigh na h sending CW to at least one serving
ers warped way of thinking. Lets think Loyalist and RUC attacks on the Eirean-the so-called “Real IRA”) should be Oglaigh na hEirean POW.
about what we are saying. nationalist community continue night so carelessly squandered. The piece
after night, given the issues raised by the published last issue was disgraceful, not Possibly even worse than the “fascist” slur
How can 5 billion people of colour in a process of demilitarisation - it ought at least because of its abandonment of (which CW has all to often fallen victim to
world of 6 billion be a minority? When it least to be accepted that a critique of the accuracy in favour of smear and insult. itself, along with regular accusations of the
comes to class, our class we are almost peace process is possible, and any Let’s at least try to stick to the facts. fetishization of violence) is the
6 billion. The working class is the only response to the 32 County Sovereignty Despite a combination of fleetingly half- characterisation of those still committed
culture I want to be associated with. Committee and the Real IRA be based sound analysis and a lot of distorted to armed resistance (or at least reserving
on that ground. rubbish used to shore up the evident lack the right to engage in it) as mere
In for the long haul, of research and understanding that had “psychopaths” and “escapees from some
As far as deliberately targeting the gone into the piece, its central premise mental institution.” This is little different
Paul. working class is concerned, it’s bullshit. was fundamentally flawed. Whatever to the racist smears used to falsely
The Omagh bomb - wherein a clear criticisms we as anarchists may have of characterise the Irish people and the Irish
CW Reply: The same here! The point to warning was given- has the fingerprints of the so-called “Real IRA”, to say that they freedom struggle for centuries, and it is a
remember is that we unite on the basis of the state all over it. The RIRA ‘s are deliberately targeting and seeking to shameful argument to use. Margaret
what we have in common - our shared activities in England have included the kill British civilians is palpable nonsense. Thatcher may have attempted to publically
class interest and background. Views that rocket attack on MI6 HQ, 2 small bombs Omagh was an atrocity, and despite the deny the political motivation of
put race ahead of class have been in Hendon - no injuries, the BBC bomb in evident state collusion that allowed it to Republican volunteers, but even she did
dominant on the left - and across the Shepherds Bush, clearly intended as happen there can be no excuses given not try to claim that the struggle against
political spectrum - for a generation. The “spectaculars” - no risk to the public so by those involved in carrying it out (nor British imperialism in Ireland was nothing
events of 2001, with riots in several far as we can see: a bomb at have I heard any given.) But despite the more than some form of mental illness.
English cities and clear distrust between Hammersmith Bridge intended to cause cross-referencing, the piece was not
white and Asian communities in others maximum disruption, but again, no essentially about Omagh, specifically There is much that could be said in CW
show those politics have failed. The obvious risk to the public, and the Ealing referring to an “intention to massacre about the Irish struggle, and about the
working class either unites and fights its bomb-wherein: scores of innocent people” -working class politics of armed struggle in general, but
corner, or it divides on racial grounds and people in England, Scotland, and Wales”. you really need to be able to do better
fights amongst itself. Its that simple. 1) a warning was given and The impression given by the piece is of a than this. The vacuous analysis of the
2) the explosive content of the device was widespread bombing campaign Stormont sell-out and the decision of Sinn-
Our article on the Real IRA in Class War such that CCTV pictures showed passers systematically targeting British civilians - Fein to administer British rule in 6 of the
82 provoked two critical letters. by yards from the blast who remained on “it is the ordinary persons in the street 32 counties of Ireland (which
their feet. who are the intended targets.” includes assisting in the criminalisation
Dear Class War of Republican prisoners) was nothing short
In July 2000 the RIRA tried to blow up Now forgive me, because I’ve been in prison of pathetic. As for the suggestion that
Your issue 82 contained an article “Bag railway track near Acton - again a tactic blocks for much of this year, and there Provisional IRA volunteers (who have in the
Full of Bombs, Heart Full of Hate, Head designed to cause disruption, and one are so many civilians getting blown up past planted infinitely more bombs on
Full of Shite” which purported to offer a employed previously by the Provisionals. everyday in Afghanistan that perhaps I’ve British soil than the so -called “Real IRA”
critique of the Real IRA. The article The November 2001 Birmingham bomb missed a few over here. But off-hand I can ) should assist British interests by
accuses the Real IRA of “operating was again accompanied by a clear think of only 3 operations in waging war against anti-Stormont
outside the struggle of the working class” warning-there were no injuries. The facts England (and none in Scotland and Republicans, that really is beneath
and targeting “ordinary working class folk” here speak for themselves. Wales) which have been linked (by the contempt. It also shows an alarming level
in its bombing campaign in cops) to the group known to the media as of ignorance about what has been going
England. The article concludes that the Finally your article asks the PIRA to the “Real IRA”. Presumably the piece is on in Ireland for the past few years, with
Real IRA are “anti working class and come off cease fire to wipe out the RIRA not referring to the (conveniently individuals who speak out against the
reactionary.” and its supporters. If this weren’t so ignored) rocket attack on the Stormont sell-out being terrorised,
pathetic it would be a disgrace. Macho headquarters of MI6, nor to the taxi-bomb beaten-up and even killed. “Policing
It is legitimate to criticize the posturing from an organisation unable to outside the BBC. So that only leaves the activities” which the British and Irish states
effectiveness of any tactic employed in pursue such an agenda itself . The fact is Ealing Broadway car bomb. have been glad to ignore, if not actively
pursuit of a progressive goal. It appears the Real IRA have a number of prisoners encourage, and which your
to us that it ought not to be legitimate to now in British and Irish jails, denied Certainly, if this was the intended target correspondent presumably applauds.
base such critique on accusations political status and subject to harassment (and we can only speculate on that) it was
unsupported by facts. It is suggested that and oppression. Even if you disagree with a very poor one by anybody’s There have also been hundreds of
the Real IRA have no mandate. It is their strategy, it seems to us you have an standards ,and it was also arguably highly pipe-bombings, shootings, beatings, arson
certainly the case that they have a base obligation to support their prisoners. The irresponsible. But if there had been a attacks, and murders by Orange fascists
of support which sustains them and which calumnies of your article seem to be an deliberate attempt “to massacre scores since the signing of the Stormont
agrees with their political analysis, buys attempt to get off the hook in relation to of innocent people” ( a view also put for- agreement. They were still widespread
the paper the Sovereign Nation which that fact. ward by the cops and the right-wing press) during the period when the 3 alleged
supports their aims, and provides recruits why wasn’t a larger amount of “RIRA” attacks mentioned above took
for the Real IRA itself. It is a fair bet that Nick S, London. explosive used, why was no extra place, and they continue to this day. For
the base of that support is bigger than shrapnel added, why was an accurate many nationalists, the war in Ireland is still
Class
Class War
War Issue
Issue 83
83 13
13
a daily reality. Yet your piece mentioned the water, unless you somehow reason

THIS IS
none of this, presenting a false image, and its getting your own back, as if working
thus removing the context of armed class people in Ealing or Birmingham are
resistance. responsible for what the British state does
in Ireland.

CLASS
The first casualty of war may indeed be
the truth (closely followed by some poor A fuller version of this reply is available on
souls in the Third World usually) But truth our website. Those who wish to
shouldn’t be a casualty of “Class War.” continue the discussion can do so on the

By all means necessary

Always in struggle
discussion board at [Link]

Crippled?
WAR
Mark Barnsley
31 October 2001 Dear Comrades, The Class War Federation is an - not as elitist terrorists but as
Whitemoor Prison, England. organisation of groups and an integrated part of the Class -
Whether you are for or against what the
CW Reply: The piece you criticize was Americans are doing in Afghanistan, one
individuals who have come they started it, we’ll have to
obviously not intended as a heavy thing that is certainly controversial is the together to change the Society finish it!
theoretical and historical analysis. It was damage caused by weapons of mass we live in, to improve the lot of
a short response to what we see as destruction. In Serbia the Allies
unprincipled and undisciplined attacks on deliberately destroyed bridges and vital working class people. Class society creates other
working class areas. We currently sell, services. This was a deliberate act to abuses based upon the
and published, Dave Douglass’ book “All deprive Serbia of a viable infrastructure
Power To The Imagination” which to some and industrial base. The same is now
This Society is divided into prejudices of Ruling or Middle
extent represents the theoretical being perpetrated (or was) against classes based on control of its Class such as gender, ethnic
background to our critique of the Real IRA Afghanistan. Whoever gains political institutions and wealth. The origin, sexuality, disability. The
and its devil may care attitude. ascendancy over the ruins will have to deal
with US destruction of the Ruling Class - those who “own” Ruling Class often use these to
That is not to say we have not made infrastructure. the factories or natural resources divide our class. We must unite
thorugh analyses in the past - in our former
theoretical magazine (The Heavy Stuff This destruction is a deliberate ploy to
- whether it’s through shares or on the basis of we have in
Issue 5) our position in solidarity with the render Afghanistan crippled for the being chairman of the board common our Working Class
then Provisional IRA campaign was quite foreseeable future, such is US hatred for etc., who are under normal backgrounds and needs.
unequivocal. That support came at a time any nation which dares to oppose its
and in a context of the programme of world domination. This is circumstances supported by the
nationalist communities of the six true of its campaigns against Iraq, North Middle Class - those who gain The Class must fight these
counties fighting an all out war. As a class Korea and in south east Asia.
and as an oppressed nationality, against
their position in society by divisions, on all fronts. Above
the British state, its soldiers and the Yours, patronage of the Ruling Class - all the CWF believes that
loyalist death squads. In the face of who carry out their dirty work politics cannot be separated
bitter repression by the state, through A Scottish Comrade.
murder and internment without trial, the of controlling and (dis) from life - and life from politics.
bombing campaign against the British CW Reply: You could actually take your organising the working class who We reject the missionary/ right-
mainland was initiated. That bombing was analysis further back to the 1940s, and
part of the context of the overall struggle how after destroying much of Germany
do all the necessary work. Such eous so called “revolutionary”
which people of both islands could see. and Japan, the Americans financed the a society is the root cause of Left. Our politics must be ful-
Although we had reservations about the re-development of those countries, on their most of the problems filling and relevant to our every
dangers of innocent civilians lives being terms. Their aim is always to win the
lost, and harsh criticism of the more peace, even if they do not always win the experienced by Working Class day lives.
thoughtless and irresponsible bombings, war. As a final point though, the Afghans people the World over. as the
overall we recognize it was part of a mass have at times done a pretty good job of
armed uprising. destroying their own infrastructure in the
Ruling Class has every intention Working Class people must take
past 20 years! of keeping its privileged responsibility for their
None of this is in any way comparable to position it must be destroyed- progressive revolutionary
the Real IRA, who do not as you appear Stool Pigeon?
to suggest represent the continuing this is Class War. politics - fly by night middle
struggle of Irish freedom fighters. As you Dear Comrades, class radicals have been the bane
correctly state violence against the
nationalist community continues. Pipe I have just learned some information I
Real change can only come of our movement for as long as
bombs, murder, even pickets of children would like to share with you. Watching about by working class people the Working Class has existed.
going to school. Has the Real IRA Crimewatch there has been an inside view organising themselves to deal
defended this community? Has it been of a police cell. One surprising trick is that
engaging in attacking the loyalist the inmate gets his/her shit with the problems that they OUR AIM
paramiltaries behind these attacks? Not analysed if the police think they have experience and to provide for
it has not. The loyalist proto fascists were swallowed any important evidence. How
not on Hammersmith Bridge, they were do they do this?
ourselves. Therefore the aim of the CWF
not in the BBC car park at Shepherd’s It is not about becoming better is to increase the militancy and
Bush but that’s where the Real IRA The inmate does not know that everything treated slaves but masters of our self awareness of the Working
decided to carry out its attacks. Omagh, flushed down the toilet goes to a special
targeted by the Real IRA in its most transparent container located in the destiny. Direct action is Class in defending their interests
infamous attack, actually had a Sinn Fein basement. Once there, with a pair of gloves necessary against the and solving their problems. We
majority on its council at the time. the pigs can examine the evidence.
individuals and institutions who do this through propaganda,
We believe in mass class action, not Yours, stand in the way of this. There active participation and debate
some armed adventure by a few is no alternative. Violence is a as equals.
individuals without any mandate from the Anon, postmark obscure.
community they claim to represent. If you necessary part of the Class War
cannot see that planting a car bomb in CW Reply: Just goes to show that
Birmingham or Ealing is more than likely policing really is a shit job!
to blow up and kill passers by (yes, even
if it has got its lights flashing) and the
outcome be used to whip up anti-Irish Discussion Page
feeling and political reaction you really do
need your political eyes testing. The state
may well have its fingerprints “all over” the
Join Class War! The Class War website now has
a lively discussion page, where
Omagh bombing, but our Class War membership costs £12 per calendar year (£6 unwaged) you can find handbags at six
outrage was based on the fact that the and is open to anybody who agrees with our politics and has been paces on a whole range of issues.
harsh lessons of Omagh have not been Just click on the heading
in touch with their local Class War group for 3 months. Drop us a
learned. A pile of bodies on a pavement “discussion board” and scroll down
in England is not going to deter loonies line to get involved! to the bottom of the page.
throwing pipe bombs at Catholics across
14 Class War Issue 83

organised gigs, T shirt sales and folk song revival of the 1960s and 70s and
professional CD production appear to have saved countless songs from
brought in vast sums of money to their extinction.
movement. There are lessons to be
learned here for progressive Virtually every activist, radical trespasser,
organisations, although hopefully they will union militant and class warrior will have
not stick as much of it up their noses as come across Ewan’s work. This book
C18 did! reflects these decades of bitter and
optimistic struggle. It is compiled and
For Class War however, the significance annotated by Peggy Seeger, with a
of the book also comes in what it does foreword by her brother Pete. These books
NOT say. In the early days of C18 Search- are extraordinarily comprehensive and
light accused former Class War member filled with illustrations and the music to
Tim Scargill of passing accompany the songs.
information to C18. They also made
similar allegations against two people Peggy Seeger was a comrade, lover and
known to many Class War members - co-singer of 30 years, as well as making
Larry O’Hara and Malcolm Astells. a contribution in her own right. An expert
police officers dithered over
Direct Action - Memoirs evacuating the factory. In their
Searchlight even told the New Statesman on stringed instruments, her banjo was a
Of An Urban Guerilla that the C18 attack on the anarchist weapon aimed at the system in all its
communiqué after the bombing DA
Freedom Bookshop in Whitechapel could guises. The emerging third world
laughingly commented
have been committed by Class War. None revolutions took her into conflict with her
Ann Hansen
of these allegations are repeated or even native USA - or at least its state - for she
AK Press/Between The Lines £10 “We did not expect this kind of slow and
alluded to. This obviously begs the honoured the American working class and
indecisive response from the
questions did Searchlight ever believe their was one of its finest spokesmen. During
Ann Hansen was one of the five authorities.”
own claims in the first place? If not why the height of the cold war their visits to
members of a group, Direct Action, who
make them? China and Chile, solidarity with Vietnam
emerged from the Canadian Anarchist If you place your political credibility - and
movement in the early 1980s. They more importantly people’s lives - in the and concerts for Latin
Another interesting oversight is the American guerillas ensured an exile from
carried out two major bomb attacks - hands of security guards and police
failure to mention Leeds Nazi Tony White, the States that only ended with Ewan’s
against the Cheekeye-Dunsmuir power officers (neither the sharpest set of tools
who stole an address book from the North- sad death.
station on Vancouver Island and the Litton in the box) you run the risk of the sort of
ern Star offices in Leeds. This gave C18
Systems factory in Toronto, where public criticism and personal guilt DA
access to a long list of names, Critics obviously will point to Ewan’s
guidance systems for cruise missiles to the court upon conviction was big
addresses and phone numbers of trades “Stalinism” although this had been rooted
were made. enough to recognise this, and it is
unionists, socialists and anti-fascists. in the anti-fascism of the second world
important that others do.
Whilst his actions are referred to on a war. In both China and Cuba he saw what
Hansen’s book is written in part in the
couple of occasions White himself is not he thought to be refreshing signs of
style of a novel giving dialogue and In her final paragraphs, Hansen reaches
named, even though he is again active in working class democracy and anti-
actions to characters based on her own many conclusions on tactics that Class
the far-right, this time with the National bureaucratic struggle. Many of the
reminiscences and insight into the War would sympathise with and her (brief)
Front. The difficulty for Lowles of course Communists of the war period had
police and security services investigation comments on this also have
is that many on the far-right - and many similar visions. In retrospect Ewan might
against her and Direct Action. The book relevance to the debate on the Black Bloc
in the anti-fascist movement - believe be the first to concede they had placed
certainly manages to be a much better that raged after last years demonstration
White is, or was working for Searchlight. too much trust in characteristic leaders
read than DAs communiqués which in Genoa. If Hansen has a message it is
Now that would be a story worthy of a and images. Their optimism was a little
managed to be both moralistic and as dull that being passive is to be fought against
Panorama documentary, somehow we too premature and more than a little
as ditchwater. Its strengths include at all costs. On that we agree with her.
don’t think Lowles will be making it! naive. However it is not to such leaders
Hansen’s brutal honesty and the detailed
re-creation of the groups actions from that their songs were devoted, but to the
Minus 1 skull out of five! people of no property, the people of no
shoplifting to car thefts, graduating to
armed robbery and bombings. The position, the industrial workers, the
character of the other members of the fighters, the protestors.
group emerge as Hansen illustrates the White Riot
internal dynamics of an organisation of just The Essential Ewan These two books are monuments to
Nick Lowles working class culture of the past and
five people fighting, in splendid MacColl Songbook: visions of hope and change for the
isolation, the Canadian state. Milo Books £7.99
Sixty Years Of future. Their ingenuity and poetry will live
long beyond their lifetimes and will
The cover of this book tells us all we need Songmaking continue to inspire the struggles at the
to know about the would be paramilitaries
of Combat 18. Of the two nazis posing on sharp end of the class conflict.
the cover, one is pointing a gun at his
The Peggy Seeger Both books can be ordered in the UK by
comrade. The other seems to have Songbook: Forty Years phoning 01284 707050 or by e mailing
severe difficulty in doing up his trousers. orders@[Link]
Of Songmaking
If these are the people that are going to each
“save” the white race, it really is time to
Pub Oak Publications, £22.95 each
go down the pub and give up.
Between the two of them these singer- Monarchy In The UK
Given that Lowles’ Searchlight
revolutionaries notched up 100 years of
organisation promoted C18 so by Homebrew
struggle and celebration of life, labour and
assiduously in documentaries on three
love in song. Ewan was a voice for three
separate television channels in the 1990s, One of the perks of doing the Class War
generations of working class socialists,
a sober assessment of C18 was always mail is now and again you get a free CD!
perhaps best illustrated by three songs
unlikely. For some reason Lowles seems Homebrew have just released this very
from different periods all of them hits in
determined to give the impression that C18 topical anti royal rant with some excel-
every sense of popularity and popular con-
The book illustrates, again, the fuehrer Wilf Browning is a really nice bloke lent lyrics to get the blood flowing if you
sumption. The Manchester Rambler
weaknesses of both the North American (we hope they are paying you well Wilf) know what I mean! My personal favourite
(1932) Dirty Old Town (1949) and The First
left and the limitations of “terrorist” and the role of militant anti-fascists in un- line is
Time Ever (1957) Over the years many
campaigns. The name and actions of an dermining and hurting C18 is, as usual
bands and singers dipped into Ewan’s
associate group - the Wimmin’s Fire with Searchlight, completely "Burn down a castle, kill a Princess, it
work - The Dubliners, The Pogues and
Brigade, who attacked sex shops, reads under-reported and devalued. C18 were won’t be any hassle to finish off the rest,
even Elvis, although whether he knew he
like some bad piss take of feminists in humiliated in London in January 1994 when cuz the guns are loaded and pointed right
was singing from the work of a
Private Eye, whilst it is clear that a small nazis traveling for their memorial gig for at you!"
Scottish Communist is not known.
group of people cannot blow up the Ian Stewart Donaldson were routed by
social relationships of society, especially Anti-Fascist Action. Both before, and es- Top fucking marks boys!
Together with progressive producers, sing-
if they distance themselves from the rest pecially after this incident C18s
ers and working class activists Ewan and
of that society. Worse still class rarely violence, although unpleasant, was You can contact Homebrew at:
Peggy developed a new art form in the
warrants a detailed mention. usually confined to soft targets like the homebrew@[Link] or
shape of the radio ballad. It reached mil-
Anti-Nazi League or SWP. c/o 6 Mowbray Place, Thirsk,
lions, was inspired by work and
In bombing Litton Systems, DA injured 8 North Yorkshire, YO7 1RF.
struggle and glorified the lives of working
people, 4 seriously. Their bomb exploded One area the fash appear to have been
people and those outside the mainstream
prematurely after security guards failed to leagues ahead of their opponents is in the
of society. It was the cornerstone of the
fully understand a telephone warning and money making stakes. Well
Class War Issue 83 15

The Stars Tennis Balls 9-11 political-military BLA, was jailed for 75 his death, he’d developed an anarchist
Steven Fry years to life for the attempted $16 million critique of the BPP and BLA and written
(£7, Arrow) robbery of a Brinks truck making a bank widely of the need for a working class-
Noam Chomsky pick-up. At the time of this trial Kuwasi orientated anti-imperialism. Kuwasi said
Seven Stories Press was a fugitive, having escaped from a New of the left
Moab is My Washpot Jersey State prison in 1978,where he had
This is one of the many books rushed out been sent after convictions for bank rob-
Steven Fry
in the publishing frenzy following bery and a sniper attack on the police.
(All good bookshops)
September 11, and it shows. It’s full of
repititions and inconsistencies, which If you wanted a model of what a
We’re taking the opportunity to review
even the book’s editor is forced to committed revolutionary should be,
Steven Frys’ latest book to comment
acknowledge. For students of Chomsky Kuwasi was probably it. As he put it in
more widely upon his work and society.
‘9-11’ contains little new, and there are his Brinks trial opening statement
Firstly The Stars Tennis Balls is an ab-
better introductions for those new to
sorbing read (or listen if you have it on
Chomsky. Some books are better left on “Before becoming a clandestine
tape) The plot is quite complicated and
the shelf; this book should never have seen revolutionary I was a tenant organiser and
when you think an escape heralds the end
the shelf in the first place. was arrested for menacing a 270 pound
of the book it is really just entering its
second half. Clearly the depth of knowl- colonial building superintendent with a
edge Fry has about culture, economics machete... Being an organiser for the
and globalisation means he has written a Community Council on Housing I took part
book for it’s time, including topics such in not only organising rent strikes, but
as drugs, the informal economy, the se- pressing slumlords to make repairs and
cret services, political corruption, the maintain heat and hot
media and new technology to frame a water, killed rats, represented tenants in
convincing and clever story. Including the court, stopped illegal evictions ,faced off
traditional elements of a novel; that of City Marshals, helped turn rents into re-
adventure, betrayal, loss, and love. From pair resources and collective
being a bit familiar with his work and the ownership by tenants and demonstrated
man himself; Public school, Oxbridge, Fry whenever the needs of tenants were at “They are too elitist to even want to
and Laurie, Blackadder etc we can stake.” organise the working class and they fear
comment a bit about his political views them like the plague because (the left)
that seem to come over, and do in places, The Cleaver and Katsiaficas work has a are largely petty bourgeois, college
in his work. more academic orientation, but it students, white collar workers etc.”
nevertheless contains a lot of useful
Firstly we must say as a gay man, a material, including a detailed history of the He wrote also that
writer, and ex-con he is not unlike Oscar BLA, the FBI campaign against the Pan-
Wilde who he played in the film of the thers, the influence of the BPP within the “By not engaging in mass organising and
same name, but we know there are vast white left, and a detailed examination of delivering war to the oppressors we
differences as well. Respect is due to Fry black fighting formations by Russell Shoat become anarchists in name only.”
for some of his work and politics, for -jailed in 1972 for an assault on a Penn-
example with young offenders, as he was sylvania police station following the mur- Kuwasi tried to show by example - and
himself (credit card fraud) However there der of a black youth by the police. Much his example is one we can learn much
are some areas where we have serious Deck The Redneck of the practice of the BPP stands as the from.
disagreement that perhaps eminate from most useful model of working class self
our respective class backgrounds. Punk/Hardcore Fanzine, organisation to merge from the
Whereas Fry comes from the rural south- 40 pence from Box Sabs, sixties’ left, and this book gives us some
ern middle class who went to all the insight into why. Each
4 Onslow Road,
educational institutions of privilege and Southampton,
natural order perhaps we shouldn’t be so SO14 0JB Kuwasi died of AIDS in jail in 1986. By
surprised... That is he appears to be at
parasite Elizabeth II is perhaps the
best neutral towards Foxhunting and the This is a lively fanzine that manages to Sit Down If You Hate The definitive football glory hunter. Her first
Monarchy, and he does talk about them cover several different topics in a light-
in a fairly positive light in his hearted humorous style. There is a brief
Royals match? The 1953 FA Cup Final. Other
autobiography. This is a shame really for than the 1966 World Cup Final and the
look at prisoner support, a 7 page Bristol
generations of working class trade The death of one of the more useless roy- 1996 European Championships Final
special that covers community activity
unionists, socialists, anarchists and als, Princess Margaret, was hardly news every game she has attended has been a
and ace local football team The Easton
Marxists have despised both of these to shake the world of football to its foun- FA Cup final. Still, at least she was happy
Cowboys, plus some gig and record re-
‘institutions’ as having no conceivable dations. The foppish Margaret spent most at Euro 96 - the Germans won.
views. On the downside the fanzine is laid
place in a future ‘socialist’ society. out in the style of far too many fanzines of her time in either the West End or her
Martinique holiday home. We are aware
and sadly all punk fanzines. It probably
of no instances of Margaret even attend- Angry White Pyjamas
looked original in 1977, now it looks
clichéd and idle. Still its got spirit and ing a football march.
Robert Twigger
that’s what matters.
Secret Soldiers: Special All the more curious therefore that the Pre- Phoenix Books, £7.99
Forces in the War miership and the Football League
This is currently the most hyped book on
ordered a minutes silence be held at all
against Terrorism games on Saturday February 9th. The martial arts, and tells the story of a year
or so in Twigger’s life, learning Aikido in
Peter Harclerode
Kuwasi Balagoon: A lack of interest in this elderly rich wino
Japan. Twigger’s book serves as an
was perhaps best illustrated by the
Soldier’s Story Sunderland fans who stood up until they interesting insight into Japan and the
This is a fascinating and frustrating book. realised who the mark of respect was for, nature of Japanese society, especially
The subject is a very interesting one, but Solidarity Publishing and promptly sat back down again. when he enrolls for the year long Tokyo
this book, which promises a lot, left me riot police course in Aikido. Oddly
feeling a bit let down. After Harclerode Glory Hunter civilians and non-Japanese nationals can
described the Red Army Kathleen Cleaver and take this course, and Twigger is at pains
Faction’s Astrid and Thorwald Proll as ‘a George Katsiaficas eds: If there is one thing any true football fan to point out that Japanese cops are
couple’, when they were brother and better integrated into society than those
sister, I started noticing a lot of things
Liberation Imagination hates, its the glory hunter. The horrible
in the west. We are sure they are still
snidey little boy who was supporting
which didn’t add up. Mostly these were and the Black Panther Blackburn Rovers when they won the bastards though!
small things, but it’s very annoying Party league, switched to Manchester United
reading a book and having to check all when they won it, switched to Newcastle Twigger gives us some insight into the his-
its assertions! For students of counter- when they looked like winning, then toric nationalist and right wing nature of
Routledge
terrorism the best thing about ‘Secret switched back to Manchester United when Aikido (as well as the racism of
Soldiers’ will be its bibliography; its they actually did. If these characters do Japanese society) and the sheer hard
Kuwasi Balagoon was a member of the
content can be better gathered manage to stick with one team, they fucking work of the training. Worth
Black Panther Party and the Black
elsewhere. Though there is a valuable invariably get tickets for the big games, reading if you are currently thinking of vis-
Liberation Army. He was one of the New
book about special forces in counter- and never bother with the League Cup ties iting Japan - if you can afford it - and prob-
York Panther 21 subjected in 1969 to an
terrorism to be written, this is not it. on cold Tuesday evenings. During the vari- ably worth reading if you are
attempted frame-up by the FBI’s
ous gushing articles about the interested in martial arts. If not give it a
COINTELPRO programme and, as an
Jubilee it has emerged that chief miss.
underground member of the clandestine
FINGERS CROSSED!

GOING,
GOING,
GONE!
CLASS WAR PO BOX 467 LONDON E8 3QX
SubScribe to Class War!