Unlike Momentum’s World Transformed we Won’t Ban Events On Palestine and Zionism because we do stand for a World Transformed!
People may remember the lead up to the Labour Party Conference in 2019, which as it turned out was Corbyn’s swansong. I wrote at the time that The Suspension of Chris Williamson MP is Shameful – This May Be the End of the Corbyn Project
In the lead up to the Conference, under the approving eye of Jennie Formby and Corbyn, who by then had completely surrendered to their enemies, the Board of Deputies and the Zionists waged a campaign to physically prevent pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist events.
Packed session at the Rialto in 2019
At the beginning of August Brighton and Hove Labour Left Alliance booked in turn 3 venues to hold a meeting with Chris Williamson MP, who had been unlawfully suspended by Formby and Corbyn. All 3 venues gave way to pressure
Justin Schlosberg, one of the speakers, accused those who forced Waterstones to cancel the book launch of being 'book burners' see students in 1933 burning books in Nazi Germany
First was the Brighthelm Church & Community Centre, run by right-wing Christians. They agreed to a ‘request’ by local Blairite MP Peter Kyle not to host the meeting.
The Holiday Inn were next. Subject to a social media bombardment and then two Zionist thugs walked in threatening staff.
Jack Mendel, political correspondent of Jewish News pleased at another success for those who would destroy free speech
Then finally, on the day of the talk the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House quaked and gave in.
But we didn’t give in. We immediately called people to a rallying point and then took people from there to an open air meeting at Regency Square. The Zionists howled. Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl was left by herself holding a solitary placard about ‘anti-Semitism’. Leader of the Labour Council, Daniel Yates wanted us prosecuted for breaking the by-laws. All these ‘democrats’ hated free speech that called into question the Apartheid State of Israel.
Yet despite having to publicise the meeting at literally half a hour’s notice, nearly 200 people turned up outraged that a tiny group of Zionists had tried to prevent Chris Williamson from speaking. In the end the Zionists held a demonstration of 12 – half from London! We demonstrated we had mass support whereas the Zionists had the support of the elites.
We then decided that we had to hire an alternative venue for the forthcoming Labour Party conference which couldn’t be cancelled (strange that the Right usually condemn Cancel Culture except when they want to do the cancelling). The Rialto Theatre stepped in and despite the normal Zionist Twitter harassment they stood firm.
Book Launch for Bad News for Labour that Waterstones cancelled
The Rialto is an amazing venue with a hall upstairs holding 100 people and a bar downstairs in which seminars can be held.
Ken Loach popped in for the standing room only book launch
In the 2 days we could hire the Rialto we had an amazing number of meetings. The LRC, whose meeting the Quakers had also cancelled, held their meeting at the Rialto. Chris Williamson, Jackie Walker, Kerry Ann Mendoza from The Canary spoke. Ken Loach popped in to the book launch. See WE DEFIED ZIONISM'S BOOK BURNERS – FREE SPEECH TRIUMPHED AT THE LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE THIS WEEK
The Zionists had also forced Waterstones to cancelthe book launch of Bad News for Labour. This was a book authored by 5 academics – Greg Philo, Mike Berry, David Miller, Justin Schlosberg and Tony Lerman, which demonstrated the lack of evidence behind the fake ‘anti-Semitism’ witchhunt. This was the last thing the Zionists wanted – proof of their campaign of lies and deceit. So these book burners set about bullying Waterstones, who later apologised for their cowardice, when customers let rip their disgust at their decision.
This year we have booked the Rialto for 3 days. The Zionists may huff and puff but it will be to no avail. Like all racists and fascists, Zionists hate freedom of speech. In Israel demonstrations are attacked by the Police and armed thugs. In Britain the Board of Deputies whines about ‘anti-Semitism’ in tandem with racists such as Boris Johnson and Sir Starmer in order to attack our democratic rights.
The Resist! Event will host a launch event at 6pm on Zoom on Friday, May 28.
The speakers will be:
Becky Massey, Hove Labour Party activist expelled on a fake charge of “anti-Semitism” by @UKLabour – for a single tweet about Chris Williamson.
Chris Williamson – the former Labour MP and founder of RESIST: Movement for a People’s Party – whose presence in Brighton in 2019 has helped inspire #TheResistEvent. Read how and why here.
Kerry-Anne Mendoza, editor of The Canary, will talk about why #TheResistEvent is so important.
Tony Greenstein, the first Jewish socialist to be expelled by @UKLabour on a fake charge of anti-Semitism. Read his blog here.
Ben Steele, of Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will speak about the need for anti-imperialism Follow: @BrightonPSC.
Esther Giles, treasurer of the Socialist Health Association, will discuss the campaign against the privatisation of the NHS. Follow her on Twitter.
Deepa Driver, chair of Camden Momentum and executive member of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, will emphasise the urgent need to stand up for free speech, for whistle-blowers, and for Julian Assange. Follow her on Twitter.
Jackie Walker, author, activist, and co-writer (and performer) of The Lynching. Follow her on Twitter.
The meeting will be chaired by Tina Werkmann, of Labour Against the Witchhunt, one of the supporting organisations included among our launch partners. Along with Labour Left Alliance, Labour Campaign for Free Speech, and the Labour in Exile Network.
If you haven’t already registered, please register here to ensure you are sent a link to the Zoom launch, which will begin at 6pm on Friday, May 28.
Our Free Speech stall on the seafront
Chris Williamson meeting at Regency Square
Greg Hadfield introduces session on modern monetary theory
