Xtra! The Paper for Armchair Terrorists

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Complete online archive of Xtra! - an anarchist/autonomist newspaper published in North London from 1979 until 1982.

Xtra's "Structureless Tyrants" included Simon Read (who infamously infiltrated the National Front's HQ Excalibur House in Shoreditch and became a key witness in the inquiry set up to investigate it). Martin Wright (who would later be involved with Class War) was also a contributor.

In 1981 a teenage Chemistry student in Nottingham was sentenced to three years imprisonment for distributing 200 photocopies of issue 8's cover story ("Burn Babylon Burn" on the Brixton riots) - see Black Flag vol 6 #11 p8.

Author
Submitted by Fozzie on July 17, 2020

Comments

Serge Forward

3 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Serge Forward on July 17, 2020

Xtra was my favourite read, back in the day!

Fozzie

3 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Fozzie on July 18, 2020

It's a bit subcultural which doesn't ever age that well, but the uncompromising snide attitude is pretty refreshing still I reckon.

The stuff in the pilot issue and issue 8 about a member of Xtra! infiltrating the NF HQ and then getting nicked for trying to poison fash hardman Derrick Day is like something out of a TV thriller!

Serge Forward

3 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Serge Forward on July 18, 2020

I only started reading it about issue 4 but was well impressed... "uncompromisingly snide"... that would have been a good slogan :D The Derrick Day stuff was dead good.

R Totale

3 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by R Totale on July 18, 2020

Ah, I think that's the same NF infiltrator who was profiled/interviewed here: https://invereskstreet.blogspot.com/2012/01/simon-says-by-ian-walker.html

Fozzie

3 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Fozzie on July 18, 2020

Yup same one.

Steven.

1 year 5 months ago

Submitted by Steven. on November 24, 2022

Damn shame we missed it!

Fozzie

1 year 5 months ago

Submitted by Fozzie on November 24, 2022

£150 seems a bit steep though, especially as the auction includes a t-shirt and a bunch of material that is already on Libcom...

Steven.

1 year 5 months ago

Submitted by Steven. on November 24, 2022

Yeah definitely, if we had seen it we would have sent a message and asked to buy that just by itself

Fozzie

1 year 5 months ago

Submitted by Fozzie on November 24, 2022

Ah right - good to know if I spot anything similar in future...

Submitted by Steven. on November 25, 2022

Fozzie wrote: Ah right - good to know if I spot anything similar in future...

Great, thanks. Even if something is quite expensive potentially we could try to crowdfund it. Back in the day we did that with a bunch of solidarity materials

Fozzie

3 hours 42 min ago

Submitted by Fozzie on April 27, 2024

Now a complete archive for all you ageing armchair terrorists out there... (and younger ones I guess).