Wednesday, 24 July 2013

FRFI Statement in response to GAA Meeting walkout of 18 July

On Thursday 18 July, supporters of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! experienced the latest organised attempt to exclude us from the Glasgow Against Atos campaign. In a concerted act a number of individuals walked out of the campaign unwilling to engage in meaningful discussion about how to take this vital campaign forward.  

A GAA activist pointed out that Atos' corrupt sponsorship of the Commonwealth Games next year in 2014 is a real opportunity to challenge them and that such behaviour should not be allowed to set the campaign back.

A whole range of shabby tactics has been used against FRFI. Slanderous emails and facebook postings have circulated in increasing in volume and intensity and attracted the dubious encouragement of many who have never attended a single anti- Atos event. 

FRFI Supporters face court for involvement in GAA street activity. We have openly argued for the fullest defence of the democratic rights of all. Now FRFI is accused of deliberately seeking arrest as part of a strategy of self promotion. One of the two comrades arrested on the 22 February GAA picket, for using a loudspeaker, has outrageously been described as a ‘liability to any campaign who don't want any attention from the police.' (‘to members of FRFI and Glasgow Defence Campaign’, 22 June)

Within days of the 18 July meeting a GAA member prominent in the campaign against Atos sponsorship of the Commonwealth Games, and not a supporter of FRFI, was visited by plain clothes police. Is he to be slandered also?

Only the vile multinational Atos and its friends in government stand to gain from this backward and reactionary behaviour. 

Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! has never disguised its socialist politics and our commitment to the defence of the disabled and the working class. 

We openly argue for the politics of action, democracy, involvement and solidarity because we say that this is how that defence can be successfully built. The politics of those who walked out are the politics of exclusion, control and ultimately isolation. We reject this completely.

Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! calls on all those who want to take the Glasgow Against Atos Campaign forward in openess, militancy and determination  to join together in democratic spirit and organisation.

Atos Out!
Venceremos!
We Shall Win!

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