So last weekend was that time of the year again, time for the annual London Anarchist bookfair. I did not buy anything this year which I am glad about because othwerwise I would have been skint (Due to the fact that I was skint anyway). Overall it was good as usual, brilliant to see a new (To me at least) initiative has been set-up called Love Sex, Hate Sexism (https://lovesexhatesexism.wordpress.com/) which is “A small DIY non-profit collective, raising awareness of sexism and sexual assaults within the punk community, while also promoting healthy sexual attitudes” based in London. This has been a long time coming as it is something vitally needed and although I am not a punk it is something we should all get behind. I hope to see Love Sex, Hate Sexism at 0161 Festival in Manchester next year. It was also good to see some usual faces and the London-based Polish anti-fascists group Dywizjon 161 (https://pl-pl.facebook.com/dywizjon161?fref=nf) and Pozor Distro. (http://pozordistro.co.uk/). It was also my first time seeing a Class War stall there.

But it seemed like for most of the day attendance was down from last year and had less working-class content (Apart from Class War, Dywizjon 161, Pozor Distro, London Anti-Fascists, Love Sex, Hate Sexism and the usual Solidarity Federation and Anarchist Federation). It give working-class content a 6 out of 10 compared with 8 out of 10 last year and the year before.

Then there was the Poor Door demo. at No. 1 Commercial Street. It was fucking fantastic with around 100 turning up (My estimation) to tell Redrow to fuck off! It was bouncing with a drum band and a folk band also. Well done to both, it was brilliant. There was also a range of banners from Class War and other groups. All kinds of people were there from grandparent(s)/parent(s) and kid(s) to locals and political people from outside of the area. Also great to see Polish, black, Asian etc. working-class together with white working-class people fighting together for the future and soul of what always has been a solidly working-class area. This is not just a slap in the face to gentrification but also to arseholes like Britain First, the English “Defence” League, British National Party, UKIP and other scum (Community actions (Alongside the obvious physical and other political work) will be the actual nail in the coffin for these racist pricks). There was also a hefty police presence with both the Met. and the City of London Police turning up, great speeches from protest participants, a smoke flare was let off too which added to the atmosphere and much press and passerby interest (With one person on a bus going past giving a clenched fist). A particularly funny moment was when a yuppie tried to get through one of the rich door entrances but as it was blocked he tried to get through the revolving door which was locked shut to prevent us from getting in. So what did he have to do? Go in through the poor door instead. Fucking hilarious, he looked extremely pissed off.

Then the main road going through Whitechapel/Aldgate was blocked for a bit too as a spontaneous addition to what was going on pavement side. This was not meant as an action against the general public, far from it, it was to show the police and Redrow that we will not go away, this is only the start!

Class War is well and truly back! Class Unity! Class Pride!