In the past in Britain (and still today in most other European countries) opposing fascism was considered a duty by almost all anarchists and socialists. Today, many (particularly within the British anarchist movement) have abdicated responsibility for taking on the fascists, and either ignore the issue completely, or at best seed responsibility to specialist antifascist groups such as Antifa. Opposing fascism is something ALL of us have to play a part in, particularly with the growing influence of fascist groups like the British National Party (BNP.)

An mp3 of Chomsky's talk last night, entitled Crises and the Unipolar Moment.

Saturday 24th saw another successful edition of London's Anarchist Book Fair. The same as in previous editions, the event was very well attended throughout the day. It is difficult to say exactly how many people made it there, but looking at it from our stall we can easily say that hundreds of people (if not thousands) spent the day checking out the stalls, networking, attending sesssions and, our guess is, plotting too.

The Anarchist Book Fair has undoubtedly become a focal point for the radical, alternative, autonomous and anti-authoritarian political movements of this island, and as such, it offered a large program of talks, presentations, workshops and meetings. London IMC and Dissident Island were busy recording audio from some of these, so here there is a selection:

• Capitalism's Present Crisis: How Will It End?
• London's 2012 Olympics 
• Too Many Prisons, Not Enough Justice 
• Chat With Aki Nawaz (Fun-Da-Mental)
  
• An update with what's happening in Greece
• Ian Bone
• Postal Workers Talk

About 50 people gathered outside the Home Office in central London demanding the immediate release of Iraqi detainees who were deported to Baghdad two weeks ago but were returned to detention after the Iraqi authorities refused to admit them. A number of them have been on hunger strike since Monday, 19th October, in protest at their continued detention and inhumane treatment. One of the hunger strikers addressed the crowd from detention via a phone-loud speaker link and read out a statement by the hunger strikers.

Over 50 Students and activists protested and disrupted a lecture tonight at the London School of Economics (LSE) by Daniel Ayalon, the controversial Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel. Protesters greeted Ayalon outside of the lecture on LSE’s campus with placards and banners, whilst inside audience members heckled the controversial Minister as a "racist" and "murderer" in relation to the illegal occupation and violence carried out by the Israeli state.
Ayalon was in the UK to meet British government officials and speaking at the LSE ahead of these talks in a lecture s titled "The Middle East: The View From Israel". Security at the university was tight, with private security and police officers keeping a close watch on protesters. The Minister began and ended his lecture amid boos and chants of “Free, Free, Palestine” whilst his speech was interrupted relentlessly throughout with audience members questioning Israel’s atrocities.

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InfoUsurpa brings  you this weeks events happening in London Social Centres and beyond...

At this years London Anarchist Bookfair I grabbed Musician, Activist, Punk, Broadcaster and Musilim, Aki Nawaz who was there to introduce his film 'To Gaza With Love'.

A small group, but a workshop that brought up many very interesting ideas about the reasons for Prisons. We began by thinking about the kind of crimes that often get people into conflict with the courts.

Organised by: Bristol and Brighton Anarchist Black Cross

Mp3 Audio (below) from a very informative talk organised by Corporate Watch. Olympics: Gentrification, Corporate Interest, Corruption and Resistance.

One of the largest audiences at the 2009 Anarchist Bookfair was for the talk Capitalism's Present Crisis: How Will It End?. From the bookfair website:

The capitalist system is facing years of crisis and social instability. This raises two questions. 1. what caused the crisis? Was it greedy bankers, the natural tendencies of the capitalist system or was it the resistance of the working class? 2. How will the crisis end? Will it end with more state regulation, more cuts in living standards or with working class revolution? The anarchist bookfair and Mute magazine have invited 3 speakers to debate these issues. Paul mason, presenter on BBC newsnight and author of Meltdown; John Holloway, author of change the world without taking power; William Dixon, Mute magazine contributor.

The talk was an interesting opportunity to talk about the economic crisis - check out the audio (below).

DECEMBER SEEDS 

A GREEK SHORT FILM
An interesting short film about the revolt in Athens Greece December 2008.

you can download from indymedia athens:

www.black-tracker.gr/details.php?id=311

(Subtitles in engish included)

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, a British soldier from York, who has recently returned from active service in Helmand province, Afghanistan, lead thousands of anti-war protesters through central London on 24.10.09. The march attended by up-to 10,000 called for all British troops to be brought home from Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Glenton has been court-martialed for refusing to return to Afghanistan, now he faces up to two years in jail for desertion. The protest ended in Trafalgar Square where people listened to speeches denouncing British involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

More photos: 1 > 2 > 3

Once known as Basildon New Town, and welcoming the bombed-out of East Lodon,

this Tory-lead authority is about to spend two million pounds evicting a hundred

Gypsy families from their own land and driving them

from the district.

Once known as Basildon New Town, and welcoming the bombed-out of East Lodon,

this Tory-lead authority is about to spend two million pounds evicting a hundred

Gypsy families from their own land and driving them

from the district.

Indymedia London wants to hear from YOU! We've come up with a survey to find out what users and contributors think of the new site. Please take the Survey if you are reading/posting to or in some other way using or contributing to Indymedia London.

High court bailiffs turned up this morning but gave up seeing as the place was barricaded, and supporters were present both outside and inside the builidng.

New Contact Udates for the Teddington Community Garden

Out Of A Job Looking For a New Occupation ! Then Join us down at Teddington Community Garden Project.

Non Commercial House has received 12 hours notice for it's eviction after losing the court case last Thursday. At around 5pm an 'Advanced Notice of Possession of Land' was received from Marston High Court Enforcement Officers & Certified Bailiffs stating that occupiers are required to leave within the next 12 hours, before Friday 23rd October, 0800 hrs. Come and stay the night tonight at 165 Commercial Street ahead of the eviction or head down in the morning before 8am.

Hackney Council is having a survey about a proposed borough-wide controlled drinking area.

At the 28th annual London Anarchist Bookfair, you can also join workshops and discussions on subjects such as ‘Greece – after the insurrection’, ‘Capitalism's present crisis’ arranged by the super cool MUTE, find out about ‘Radical journalism’, be entertained by anarchist clowns in ‘The Coming Revolution’, and learn all about ‘Current Anarchist Strategy’, then come see us, London Indymedia, at our ‘Morning Meeting’ to tell you all about this great new website and it’s many exciting hidden features, or come see us at our stall, where we’ll be selling hot new DVD’s, Indymedia laptops and mobile phones! (well, one of those is true), and you can tell us how great our super new revolutionary web site is.

See the full timetable here

“As capitalism collapses around us in the market of ideas the anarchist pound is buoyant.”

All that on Saturday not enough for you? then read more . . . .

InfoUsurpa brings you events happening in London Social Centres and beyond...

Calais Migrant Solidarity this morning has received three reports by email of direct actions made in and around Calais in solidarity with the 100s of migrants in the area at the receiving end of constant police harassment and violence.

The rampART Social Centre was evicted at 5:30am this morning by 45 police, bailiffs and a priest.

After over 5 years and many eviction scares it has finally happened... 3 people and a dog were inside when police attempted to chanisaw the door. They also had climbers going up to the roof conjuring up memories of the raid during the G20 in April. Police are blocking the entrance to all three roads leading to the social centre with vans and their bodies. They are handing out a piece of paper with a telephone number to call to get belongings out of the building. If you are able to help move or store stuff please contact the rampART collective - rampart@mutualaid.org.

Protesters met in London on Monday 12 September as a part of an international day in support of the 'Minga' - the united struggles by Latin American native people - and to protest against the increasing threat of agro-fuels both to them and, through global warming to the planet as a whole.

The protest was a part of a Global Mobilisation for Mother Earth called on the anniversary of Columbus landing on Abya Yala (the Americas), 517 years ago by the Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indigenas (CAOI). In London the action supporting the 'Minga'- the collective mobilisation of people from along the Andes - Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru - marching together in their refusal to accept the destruction of their land was organised by the Coordinadora Latino-Americana which unites a number of Latin American solidarity groups here.

Climate Camp activists intending to drive to the Swoop on Radcliff on the 17th October should be prepared to take a few precautions if they want to avoid being picked up by vehicle surveillance.

URGENT: Stop the first mass deportation flight to Baghdad
First demonstration at Communications House, London, on Wednesday 14th October, 5pm.

The Stop Deportation network and other groups and organisations are demanding that the first mass deportation flight to southern Iraq, expected to leave on Wednesday, is suspended and the detainees threatened with forcible removal are released immediately. Over the last week, detainees in various immigration detention centres have been given 'removal directions' clearly stating they will be removed to Iraq, rather than the Kurdistan Regional Government-controlled region, which was stated in previous removals.

No Borders protest at Becket House immigration reporting centre

A handful of No Borders activists held a protest on Friday, 9th October, outside (and inside) Becket House immigration reporting centre in south London, demanding the immediate closure of this horrible place. After 'intimidating' staff and security guards with their 'scary' banner and leafleting passers-by, protesters had a tour inside the secure car park, where snatch squads' and G4S vans were waiting to take detainees arrested there to detention centres across the country.

Today five people picketed the Catalonian Delegation on fleet street, holding up a banner, handing out leaflets and shouting slogans demanding the release of Amadeu Casellas.

Amadeu Casellas is an anarchist prisoner who was convicted for robbing banks in the 1970s. He used the money to support workers' struggles. Despite having fully served his sentences and spending more years in prison than the maximum allowed by law, the authorities will not release him. His is now in a critical situation after 85 days on a hunger strike, and since October 4th on a drinking strike.