Workers Solidarity Movement

Workers Solidarity position paper No Platform for Fascists as ratified at April 2006 National Conference. This sits under the Fascism position paper, refer to that for more context.

No Platform for Fascists

        A Workers Solidarity Movement Position Paper

1. As anarchists, we believe that there should be a right to free speech, to organise, and to freely express political opinions; and that such rights are extremely important. These rights, however, are not inalienable and there are very limited occasions on which they should be curbed.

2. There is a distinct difference between the right to free speech and the right to organise. Racist comments and ideas should be challenged and opposed, but a distinction must be drawn between this and incitement to violence/active recruitment to fascist organisations.

3. Attempts by fascist groups to recruit members to fascism cannot be tolerated by an anarchist organisation. If such groups are not smashed when they are small, they will inevitably grow to a size where they will feel confident enough to attack immigrants, workers' organisations, etc.

4. We therefore holds that the right to organise does not extend to fascist organisers. Attempts by such organisers to exercise this 'right' will be opposed by us - physically if necessary.

5. This does not necessarily mean that all fascists should be prevented from exercising the right to free speech. There may be occasions, for example, on which members of fascist organisations do not pose a threat as 'recruiters', and are therefore best ignored. Others, such as the revisionist historian David Irving for example, actively recruit people to fascist organisations and should therefore be denied the chance to exercise their right to organise.

6. Racism - while being an obnoxious set of beliefs - is not fascism. Therefore we do not oppose the right of racists to free speech. We do, however, believe that racists should be actively challenged and opposed on all occasions. The task is not to prevent racists from speaking but to defeat their arguments by putting forward a strong alternative, and by challenging the assumptions and myths on which racist arguments are based.

7. Racist organisations/individuals who physically attack people or who carry out attacks on hostels, B+Bs or other accommodation used by refugees and asylum seekers do not have the right to organise, to recruit for such activities. In such instances, force should be met with force; with maximum democracy used in deciding how particular organisations/individuals should be dealt with.

As ratified at April 2006 National Conference