October issue - London Calling

ireland / britain | community struggles | other libertarian press Sunday October 09, 2005 19:49 by London Class War - Class War londoncwf at hotmail dot com PO Box 467. London E8 3QX 07986 041 207

The monthly bulletin of London Class War

Welcome to the October issue of London Calling - a special issue devoted to the London anarchist bookfair.
Inside you will find a guide to the radical (and not so radical) history of Holloway, plus a few brickbats are thrown in the direction of the residents of Kensington and Chelsea, and their 4x4s!

October London Calling

LONDON CALLING
THE BULLETIN OF LONDON CLASS WAR
OCTOBER 2005 - BOOKFARI SPECIAL
www.londonclasswar.org - londoncwf@yahoo.co.uk - PO BOX 467, LONDON E8 3QX

PLENTY OF 'C'S IN KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA!

NO CONGESTION CHARGE IN KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA!
Virtually every top of the range Land Rover you see in west London seems to have one of the above stickers in the back. The residents of the most prosperous London borough seem mortally vexed at the idea that their gas guzzling vehicles may be charged 8 quid per day to make that half mile trip to take Tabitha to nursery. Whatever next?

Class War has never been keen on the congestion charge. Firstly it's a regressive tax - the rich pay the same as the poor. A Mini pays the same as a Mercedes. Secondly Ken Livingstone lied when he said the cameras used to enforce the charge would not be used to monitor Londoners and their vehicles for security purposes. They are, and information is routinely passed to the police; the data is used to complement the 'Ring of Steel' surrounding the City of London. The behaviour of the residents of Kensington and Chelsea however, could have been designed to convert us into advocates for the scheme. The sooner it is extended westwards to Kensington and Chelsea the better. Why should these posh bastards be exempt?
That however is not enough. There is no need for any 4x4 vehicles in central London (how many times has it snowed this year?) so why not set the congestion charge at 80 quid per day for 4x4s? The arrogance of the 4x4 drivers is a byword now for crassness. Apart from the obvious environmental impact, 4x4 drivers trust to their cars to safeguard them and their precious offspring from injury whilst paying scant attention to the welfare of other roadusers.
There's no call for off road vehicles in London. There's nothing good, either, about their filthy rich drivers. Despite their flaunted wealth, their breathtaking arrogance in opposing a charge many working class people have no option but to pay beggars belief.
Here's hoping that some of them have a coronary when Ken finally imposes his charge on the yuppie scum of Kensington and Chelsea.

+BURN THATCHER ON BONFIRE NIGHT!+
LONDON FIELDS, HACKNEY, 7PM!

IT ALL HAPPENS IN N7!
This years London Anarchist Bookfair is in Holloway on Saturday 22nd October. Here’s our guide to one of London’s busiest thoroughfares.

RADICAL HOLLOWAY
Holloway, and the surrounding area has more than played its part in working class politics and history over the years. Nearby Pentonville prison played host to the“Pentonville Five, dock shop stewards jailed in 1972 for contempt of court. With strikes set to sweep Britain, and marchers moving towards the prison, Edward Heaths government caved in and all five men were released.

Holloway has Britain’s largest women’s prison, regularly condemned by prison inspectors, who return the next year to make exactly the same condemnations. It was here that 28 year old Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, was hanged on 13 July 1955, despite the efforts of a mob, several hundred strong to break into the prison. Only in 1971 were her remains exhumed from the prison grounds, and she was buried in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

Another resident of Holloway prison was British Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, who was interned in a house in the grounds of the prison with Lady Mosley under special regulations for most of World War 2. A member of the British Union of Fascists was allowed to serve as their butler. After all, the class system had to be maintained, even for imprisoned fascists.

In the past Holloway has been the scene of fierce battles between anti-fascists and fascists, going back over 60 years. In the 80s and 90s fascists would attempt to snipe (with very mixed degrees of success) at Irish Freedom marches and Bloody Sunday commemorations, whilst a post war attempt by Oswald Mosley to reform his fascist party ended in humiliating defeat outside Holloway Prison itself on Mayday 1948. Morris Beckman, in his classic anti-fascist work “The 43 Group” recounts the day in some detail:
“The parade turned into Camden Road, and when it reached Holloway Prison, it halted and the marchers lined up in ranks outside. Mosley emerged from his car and with all the bravura of a dictator inspecting his elite troops he strode along them. As he passed by, each fascist before him saluted, which he did not return. A few shouted “Seig Heil”, which Mosley did not return.
Then ‘the Leader’ scrambled into his car and was driven rapidly away. For him, it must have been a devastatingly disappointing day. The mounted police were already galloping away, and the foot police were climbing into tenders and being driven off. The fascists broke up into fractious crest-fallen groups. At this point they were attacked by those who had walked from Camden Town to meet them. Within minutes the antagonists locked and a fierce fracas broke out. Those police who had not departed rushed in to break up the fighting, but it lasted for well over an hour with more running battles spread up and down Camden Road and spilling into side streets as far down as York Way and back across Holloway Road and into Seven Sisters Road. It even reached as far as Finsbury Park, where three battered fascists actually jumped onto a moving bus at Manor House to escape the attentions of the young men who were chasing them.”


GOING OUT WITH A BANG!
Should you meet the partner of your dreams at the bookfair, you do not have far to travel to purchase that essential item to assist you with your love life. The lower end of Holloway Road boasts not one but two sex shops, Fettered Pleasures and Zeitgeist. These are a considerable notch above the somewhat seedy, round the back of the bus station adult stores that many town centres have. Unfortunately sex at this end of the“market” does not come cheap either, so do npt expect too much change out of 50 quid if purchasing any clothing.

IN THE KNACKERS YARD
For years the area around this part of Holloway was known as Nags Head. This was because the junction of Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road boasted a large pub of the old school – the Nags Head, popular with Londoners for generations.Ask a bus driver if he went to The Nags Head, and he knew exactly where you wanted to go, right up until the mid-90s, when the Nags Head became one of those hideous corporate Irish theme pubs. Even the name changed.
Locals voted with their drinking arms, and the ONeills soon closed. Today it operates as a cheap clothes store, whilst O’Neills continue their corporate vandalism elsewhere.

SOME FACTS, NEWS & HELPFUL HINTS that will make your day at the Bookfair
more pleasant.

1. The first Class War conference of some 50 people took place in 1985, and a rally of over 200 people was held in Holloway. Who would have believed at the time that 20 years later Class War would be still going strong and holding probably the sexiest stall at the Bookfair and having another conference the day afterwards?

2. The first co-operative tenants' management groups started in Holloway. They were modelled on the Holloway Tenant Co-operative, formed in 1972 and possibly the first of its kind in England. It was started by three community workers at a time of intense property speculation and displacement to convert dilapidated houses that were not included in the council's schemes and offer them, preferably to the sitting tenants. The co-operative took over houses bought and converted by the Circle 33 housing trust and eventually became a registered housing association. The original founders withdrew, leaving the local tenants to manage the co-operative. It represented a radical change after a hundred years of working-class housing in Islington, from provision in accord with middle-class ideas to decisions made by the tenants themselves.

3. There is also a Holloway Road in Victoria, Australia. Apparently.

4. Holloway has a long tradition of various trades in the past, and workers used to meet in Holloway’s inns, like the Mother Red Cap (worth a visit to see the deco), the Horse and Groom, and the Archway Tavern where AFA (Anti Fascist Action) met up before republican marches down Holloway Road to counter the National Front who, usually with a mass pig presence, would hold a pathetic counter flag flying demo in a back street somewhere.

5. Holloway has a soft cuddly & bizarre side. It is the headquarters to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) on 162 Holloway Road.
Abolition 2000 (A2000 UK) of 601 Holloway Road, London aim to achieve a global treaty to abolish nuclear weapons. We cannot quite see George W signing up to that!
Also, Active Resistance to the Roots of War (ARROW) of 162 Holloway Road, are a non-violent direct action affinity group.
Well, what do expect when Holloway Road holds one of the largest universities in London?

6. Contraband - Holloway is famous locally for people selling cheap fags and baccy about halfway down Holloway Road. If you are lucky, you may even glimpse Customs and Excise nicking someone for selling it. It is a bit like buying drugs as the smugglers seem to hide the baccy & cigs in bins, under stalls and - believe it or not - under the pavement between cracks. It is all very cheap & well but be warned: the cigs are a bit iffy and tend to catch fire and burn out of control (at two pound fifty a pack) and the tobacco seems to be the shavings from the factory floor.

7.The best boozer for the Bookfair has got to be The Coronet. Sadly it is a Wetherspoon chain, but beware: its so big that it may take a while to find your way out.

DO’S AND DON’TS AT THE 2005 ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR
DON'T get so pissed you leave all your books, t shirts and posters in the Coronet pub
DO cycle to the venue (on the pavement of course) then smoke foul roll ups outside whilst whinging about the lack of clean air in London
DON'T approach the Class War stall asking "How much does it cost to be an Anarchist these days?" (the answer is twenty-three pound seventy-six pence)
DO feel free to make a donation towards the organisers’ costs
DON'T fall asleep in any of the meetings

CLASS WAR GUIDE TO THE ANARCHIST BOOKFAIRS OF 2006
If you cannot get enough of that bookfair experience, there is no need for you to wait 12 months for the next London event. Take a look at these hotspots!

Belgium
Class War’s favourite Bookfair – by a long way! We have been going for three or four years now - maybe its all that strong beer. Held in Gent, a city well worth a visit and it is always good to meet other activists from northern Europe. More details from:
http://www.spin.be/aboekenbeurs/index.php?lang=en&mod=stalls

Croatia
A Croatian anarchist bookfair took place in Zagreb in March 2005. This was organised as part of a series of Balkan Anarchist Bookfairs, established by anarchist movements in the region. The idea of Balkan Anarchist Bookfairs is to create "travelling events," so the first took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the second in Zagreb, and others will follow.

Holland
The 7th Annual Dutch Anarchist Bookfair, which is held in Utrecht, Holland with around twenty different stalls, anda good bar selling Belgium and Dutch beers in a relaxed atmosphere. Venue near the centre of town and if you like a puff an excellent few days can be spent here . This year it is on Saturday 3rd December from 11.00 pm till 6.00 pm at the De Karagdoor, Oudegracht 36 in Utrecht.
www.kargadoor.nl

Italy
Last month saw an Italian Bookfair, spread over three days in the glamorous city of Florence. Organised by the Archivio Famiglia Berneri, London Class War would have gone to this but they changed the date! Details of future events from fiamma.chessa@tin.it

Manchester
The Anarchist Bookfair, formerly the Radical Bookfair, is a platform for grass roots, activist anarchist and radical politics. It focuses on books, magazines and pamphlets relating to Anarchism, Peace, Ecology and Radical Social Change. At previous Bookfairs there have been workshops and talks from speakers on a range of topics, local campaigns and practical issues.
The next Bookfair is on 3 December more details from
www.radicalbookfair.org.uk

Norwich
A good Bookfair held in a nice park near the city centre. Another Class War favourite with a lot of different stalls and some interesting meetings held in Waterloo Park, Angel Road, Norwich. Usually held in June. More details from www.norwichanarchists.org

Quebec
The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair and Festival of Anarchy is the largest anarchist event in North America, and an important exchange of anarchist and anti-authoritarian ideas. The Bookfair is for anarchists and non-anarchists alike, in French and English, with participants from all over North America and beyond. Founded in May 2000, the bookfair is now entering its sixth year. It is in May.
http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/bookfairs/montreal.html

USA
The Providence Anarchist Bookfair was held in July on Empire Street in downtown Providence Rhode Island. The Providence Anarchist Bookfair was being organized as an opportunity to exchange anarchist and anti-authoritarian ideas. The Bookfair is for anarchists and non-anarchists alike. It is free to attend and open to the public.
http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=792

For details on international anarchist events we strongly recommend the A-Infos website at www.ainfos.ca

MERCHANDISE!
We have a range of new posters out, for a pound each:
Thatcher’s Death Party; anti-Diane Abbott; Hospitalised cop; The Master Race?; Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen.

Also new out is an ASBO hooded top, yours for a score. And there is also the new issue of Class War, containing all the latest news, plus your old favourites – still top value at just a quid!

On our stall at the Bookfair we will also have the new paper a range of t-shirts, CDs, books, pamphlets, lighters, stickers, and other goodies for the discerning anarchist!
For a full merchandise list, please send an SAE to the London address.

DIARY DATES
22 October – London Anarchist Bookfair, The Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 – 10-6pm. www.anarchistbookfair.org
But you probably know that already.

23 October – Class War Conference, meet at 11am. We hope to see as many members and supporters at this as possible.

31 October – Demonstrate against arms dealers’ banquet, Banqueting House, Whitehall, 7pm.

5 November - 7.30pm – Class War Bonfire night party. Burn the politician of your choice! London Fields, Hackney E8.

6 November - 7pm – London Class War meeting.

12 November – Raise Your Banners Festival of Political Song, South Hall, The Hewitt School, Cecil Road, Norwich. 10am – 5pm. Look out for the Class War stall.

29 November – Demonstrate against dinner for airport expansion fat pigs,
Tower Bridge, 6pm. www.earthfirst.org.uk

LONDON CALLING STATEMENT
For the past decade we've been producing London Calling on a fairly regular basis. Various members of Class War have produced the bulletin over the years, a variety which has been reflected in the changing appearance it's had. In its latest incarnation, a couple of London CW have made it a more attractive and - we hope - interesting read than it had been before. Out went some of the space fillers and in came a deliberate direction towards London, and specifically Hackney, news.
We ran several campaigns, about the continuing Harry Stanley saga and about Jamie Oliver's foul yuppie restaurant. Yet we received little feedback about London Calling, and fewer people renewed their subscriptions.
Recently we decided that the amount of effort going into the regular monthly production of a newsletter consumed too much effort and resources for too little return. We aren't ceasing production of London Calling, though - it will reappear but on an irregular basis for events like the Bookfair, special events and occasions and basically as and when required.
We would like to thank all the people who have subscribed to, read and contributed to London Calling, and should circumstances change we will begin reissuing it on a regular basis.