Black Flag 218 (1999)

Editorial

Tony Blair has helpfully told us that the class war is over. Remember this when they bring the war against drugs into your living room and as social housing, built and paid for by working class people, is sold off for city profits. We can all feel pleased with ourselves after June 18 but, no matter how many times we watch the video, exploitation and oppression continue all over the world.

J18 wasn't explicitly anarchist - a lot of the international action had little connection with what we would recognise as anarchist politics. Militant grass-roots action has never been the sole preserve of anarchists. We look at groups and movements around the world and close to home and see people we don't think we agree with fighting the same struggles in different ways. We certainly haven't got all the answers. But one thing we do know - all around the world the class war continues.

Meanwhile, you may have noticed a few changes around here... yes, you guessed it, Black Flag has had a much-needed, complete redesign. After all, if we propose a revolutionary transformation of society, we shouldn't be afraid of embracing a little change for ourselves. Hopefully, it also helps communicate our message more effectively, in a more accessible, contemporary and visually appeal-ing way. We hope you like it - your feedback on the new look is actively encouraged.

After this redesign we'll be changing the name to BF, appearing on Channel 4 a lot and disappearing up our own arses into academia. Sadly this is only as true as the sayings of Blair: we're still at least as broke as any other anarchist magazine and, without admitting to intellectual bankruptcy too, we welcome both financial and written contributions.

Contents

NATIONAL NEWS

• Social Cleansing & the End of Council Housing
• In the City: J18 activities in London
• All Around the World: J18 activities elsewhere
• Behind Dover's Headlines: Asylum seekers and the NF
• Drugs & Guns: 'Yardie Crime' in Harlesden and the Nation of Islam
• The Stupid Season: Anarchist Jamboree in Cornwall?
• 121 Centre Evicted: End of the 18-year squat in Brixton

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Indonesia Resistance to Electoralism Repression
• Dirty Tricks in Italy Persecution of Militants
• The Invisible War: Iraq - Aftermath of War
• A New Internationalism? Kosovo - Aftermath of War
• Mayday in Medellin: Confrontational Clashes in Columbia

FEATURES

• Southall Black Sisters Interview with women's group fighting violence and fundamentalism
• Big House Bigotry Loyalist Betrayal in Northern Ireland
• The People's Flag is Deepest Black: Anarchist Symbols
• The Hate That Dare Not Speak Its Name! Football Homophobia
• Anarcho-Quiz You Know It!
• I Was Tony Blair's Lap Dog: Interview with Nick Cohen, Observer Journalist
• The Brazilian Anarchist Uprising of 1918
• The Medicine Still Isn't Working: Right-wing economics

PRISONERS

• Mark Barnsley Update
• Back In the USSR?
• Oregon J18 Prisoner
• Remote Control
• Biba Sarkaria
• Jerome White-Bey

REVIEWS & LETTERS

• Film & the Anarchist Imagination: A Book by Richard Porton
• Detroit - I Do Mind Dying: The History of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers
• Twenty-First Century Anarchism: Review by G Purchase
• Karl Kreuger Obituary: Dutch Anarchist 1946 - 99
• Pacifism as Pathology: Ward Churchill's new book
• Redemption Song: Reclaiming Ali as a Symbol of Resistance
• More Reviews
• Letters
• Contacts: Activist Listings