Wednesday, 16 October 2013

World In Action - Violence With Violence - The Battle of Welling Oct16 1993 and the Criminalistion of Anti-fascism.

On the 20th Anniversary of the Oct 16 1993 'Battle of Welling', it is well worth revisiting this early attempt at criminalising militant anti-fascists. This episode of ITV's World In Action starts out looking at the spate of racist murders that blighted the early 1990's, but then goes on to blame anti-fascists for creating a culture of violence by taking the fight back to the fascists and putting the scum on the run. 

Other than Red Action and Anti-fascist Action, the programme also focuses on Class War and the now-defunct Panther UK (both factions, confusingly labled "Militant faction" and "Non-militant faction". The reformist faction (labelled "Militant faction") was a puppet of Militant tendency. The others were the black nationalist militants who broke away hoping to emulate (rather than just cash in on the legacy of) Malcolm X, the Black Panthers and Marcus Garvey. However, both groups soon slipped into oblivion - where are they now? (Serious question btw)).

Also featured/promoted is "Red" Ken Livingston and the careerist/collaborationist Labour Party liberals and "black nationalists" of Marc Wadsworth and Lee Japser's Anti-Racist Alliance. 

Recommended viewing...

20 Years Ago - October 16 1993 - ITN News report on the "Shut down the BNP" Welling demo 1993