IMPORTANT ME TALKING ABOUT THE FERGUSON TOUR STUFF: As some of you will know I am speaking at two events of the Ferguson Solidarity Tour with Reverend Sekou, an activist from Ferguson. The first is this Saturday in Brixton where Marcia Rigg and London Campaign Against Police and State Violence are also speaking. I was asked to speak by Defend the Right to Protest (DtRtP) who are one of the groups who organised and initiated this tour. I am also a member of the committee of DtRtP but not so involved in organising this series of events. As such I feel like I should address London Black Revolutionaries public account of why they decided to stop working in the tour due to DtRtP. I first heard about LBRs decision on reading an email sent to our committee on Monday saying that they had pulled out of the event and explained this already as well as that DtRtP members should not attend their protests or events or contact LBR members apart from through their official email. As I wasnt given the explanation referenced nor had a reply to my email sent on Tuesday asking for an explanation I only really have their public statement, second hand information and previous knowledge to go on with regards to this. I have a massive respect for the work LBR has done in a very brief time so I must say I am sad they are no longer able to be involved in organising this. I am also sad about whatever events led to the breaking down of the working relationship between LBR and DtRtP. But like a lot of people Im still left incredibly confused as to what has happened. Respectfully, LBRs public clarification seems more obscuring than explanatory. What does it mean to level a charge of not being black-led? Of course I think that the fight against racists, racism, white supremacy and state violence should not be co-opted by mostly white organisations. This seems obvious but it isnt always the case. But I would contend that DtRtP has not done this as far as I can see. Rather it seems that DtRtP is doing what it always has, providing solidarity to other campaigns. In fact I have been glad to be a part of a campaign that takes these campaigns incredibly seriously and thus offers its support when needed. The majority of speakers at the event are black. That calculation in itself does not absolve one having silenced black, but I think one can see from the line-up that a huge amount of effort has been put into ensuring this isnt the case as far as the events are concerned. But what about the organising? It is also important that white organisers dont take the lead in place of black organisers. As I said I havent been hugely involved in the organising, but I have been on the list and invited to the organising meetings. In fact a lot of people from lots of different organisations (including LBR) were invited to the meetings, which I believe were at least intended to be pretty open and inclusive. i cant attest to what happened in those meetings, but I can say that a few people worked incredibly hard to ensure these important series of events actually happened. People have also asked whether SWP members are still involved in DtRtP protest. I wont go into the pretty complicated account of how DtRtP came to no longer have any SWP members involved, but I would not be involved if it did and would not be speaking at these events. But the claim has been made that undemocratic SWP structures still pervade in our organisation. Im not sure where this has come from given that it has never been structured like the SWP and has been incredibly open in its organising. In fact the small group of people involved in DtRtP has seen new people come in and out of involvement with the committee over its time and while a core set of activists have stayed largely the same over a few years I would say this is largely due to a commitment to the important solidarity work many others have been unwilling to do. There have been requests and invitations for others to get involved and varied levels of success. This situation will not be unfamiliar to many individuals and organisations who have been supporting justice campaigns long term. Again, I have a massive respect for the organising that LBR have done so far but with the limited information they have provided I have to disagree with them on this. LBR have not asked people to not attend the Ferguson Solidarity Tour, but asked those who do attend to be critical. Please always be critical. I think these events are incredibly important and show that issues that Ferguson has brought to the fore world wide are being taken seriously by a much wider spectrum of people than they did previously. The events will marry what is happening with violence and state policing both in the US and the UK and I hope lead to further and bigger organising on this through the year. I hope LBR continue to play their leading role as much as I hope DtRtP continues its supporting role and I am willing to work to make both of those things happen. Please come along to the events. You can find the necessary information here: fergusonsolidaritytour/ If you have any questions do ask me. See you Saturday or Monday if you attend either the Brixton or UCL events.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 23:08:53 +0000
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