Workers Solidarity Movement

In what is becoming a regular event the rich kids of 'The Phil,' a University club in Trinity College Dublin, decided they wanted to play with fire by inviting far right BNP leader Nick Griffin to address their meeting. Last night they were forced to cancel the event after getting their fingers burnt when a 30 strong anti fascist flash mob protested at their regular meeting last night, a week before Griffins organising opportunity had been scheduled.

  According to a press statement issued today by the College and the Phil - "Following careful review of operational and safety issues, the Philosophical Society and the College are now not satisfied that the general safety and well being of staff and students can be guaranteed. Access to the College will not be given to Mr Griffin or members of the BNP. " The press statement did not mention last night's Anti Fascist Action organised flashmob in its report, presumably the college is trying to keep that protest quiet.  The Phil put out a second separate statement that strangely claimed the decision to cancel the invitation had already been made but which said of the protest "However, the nature and tone of the incident crystallized for council the correctness of the resolution to cancel the debate, due to the seriousness of the potential threat to the safety of students and staff."

Rich college kids getting their kicks by giving fascists an organising opportunity has become a stable feature of campus life in colleges in Ireland - every couple of years some clowns claim their 15 seconds of fame by handing some nazi wannabe an organizing opportunity. Also typically these invitations are cancelled when the university realizes the depth of militant opposition such a visit is likely to bring in and backs out of the level of confrontational policing that would be necessary to make such a meeting possible.

Last nights action built on the considerable effort that had gone into winning campus workers to opposing the platform being offered to Griffin, the campus unions had come out in opposition as had a number of academics and students. The sudden flash mob resulted in the college authorities panicking when the debating room in the GMB was occupied,  hurriedly calling in security reinforcements and evacuating the building. Our video footage starts a few minutes into the protest as the building is being evacuated while the Hooray Henry's of the Phil glumly look on. Our camera man arrived late so was stuck in the lobby as the building was being evacuated. After ignoring the Phil committee members telling him to leave he gets chucked out by one security guard before another more aggressive one has a go at grabbing his camera. The video ends as the people taking part in the AFA flashmob withdraw, at that point they have been told that the invitation to Nick Griffin will be cancelled.

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. We therefore hold 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.

• Read the WSM No Platform for Fascists position paper
• Read more articles on fascism & anti-fascism
• Found out more about AFA on their website