In August the Socialist Party in Liverpool issued a statement on the ‘riots’ which they put forward as a motion to the Liverpool anticuts group on 18 August saying,
“We are appalled at the current rioting which has resulted in the destruction of working people’s homes, workplaces, and the community facilities and shops they rely on.”
“We recognise that there are those who are using riots to engage in criminal activity and this is to be condemned.
“In condemning the wanton destruction…”
This opening reflects exactly the same position of Cameron, Miliband and the police and gives a green light to implementation of draconian penalties.
The SP leaflet and motion did not mention the killing of Mark Duggan by the police, nor the intense police harassment.
The Tory and Labour parties are saying that the struggle is criminal and all who participated are criminals. The Socialist Party is saying the same. The young people are fighting against the terrible cuts and conditions they face. To build the strong links we need to defend the youth.
The motion did call on the Labour council to reverse the cuts; however it said nothing about defence of the youth or building the links with the unions.
At the same time we need to warn the organised working class that plastic bullets and water cannon can now be used against all of us.
After a passionate discussion most Socialist Party members in the meeting opposed amendments that were put forward which removed any condemnation.
Amendment: “Liverpool Against the Cuts stands for: Defending the youth against police harassment, racism and arbitrary and unjust sentences which are nothing more than Tory retribution against the poor.
Building links between the trade unions, the communities, the youth are marginalized and alienated from society. All of us are under attack from the Con Dem government, all of us are under economic siege and we need to organise a joint political fight against cuts, economic and social deprivation, austerity measures, racism and police harassment.”
It was a large meeting and the amendments were overwhelmingly endorsed.
The working class has a powerful history of struggle and can show the best way to fight against the bourgeoisie. This is the main point for us the revolutionaries of today, how to organise the working class and its trade unions to support Black and poor working class communities with the most effective methods to fight and win.
The hate and anger which has built up in the Black communities against the police has to be challenged against capitalism.
We ask the Socialist Party to review their position as the attacks on services, mass unemployment, police repression will produce all kinds of explosions of protest.
