Bristol Anarchist Bookfair

bristol | community | news report Monday September 15, 2008 16:39 by George Nonbio

Event review and Inteview with the Boofair collective

At the Bristol end of the Bristol and Bath cycle path is a banner encouraging people to come by bike to the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, which took place last Saturday (September 13th) at St.Werburghs community centre. Somebody else has decided to scrawl over the banner with “Nothing says anarchy quite like a bookfair”. My sentiments exactly, what ever happened to rioting in the streets and smashing the state? Are today’s crop of so-called anarchists so apathetic and self absorbed that they think organising themselves a bookfair will bring about the downfall of the government? Since when did the words “organise” and “anarchist” appear in the same sentence anyway?

I spent the day with Bristols [alleged] fly-posting, banner-dropping, lentil-munching, pseudonym-ing, anarchist bookfair collective.

New signage to reduce city centre congestion over the M32

Arriving at the centre the railings are adorned with colourful banners welcoming visitors and at the front entrance some of the organising collective are on hand to give out programmes for the days activities.
“I think they were trying to be facetious” says one organising member David Gower, when asked about the addition to the cycle path banner “but in fact they were correct. In the anarchist movement the most powerful tools available to us are direct action and the written word, so yes nothing does say anarchy quite like a bookfair.”

Today is about breaking down the misconceptions of anarchism being all about starting riots, waving placards and drawing the letter “A” in a circle. Collective member Kate Sharpley explains “We are right to be angry after centuries of exploitation, injustice and abuse. As well as carrying a new world in our hearts, anarchists are also building that new world here and now. The Bookfair demonstrates the depth & breadth of anarchist ideas, beliefs & practice, free from media manipulation and state control.” She went on to add “Anarchism is about mutual aid, solidarity, autonomy and social change. It’s about class politics, resisting injustice and exploitation and defending the earth we live on. "

The venue is full to bursting, (organisers estimate over 350 people attended throughout the day) there around 60 people in each of the main halls where over 25 stalls are set up including groups such as the Anarchist Federation and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign along side a range of stalls selling books and pamphlets on politics, environmentalism, and social change, the likes of which you would be hard pressed to find in your local Waterstones. There are then about 20 attendees in each of the three side rooms where workshops are being held and easily a further 90 people enjoying the sun in the courtyard where more workshops and live music are taking place. The workshops offer discussion and practical advice on everything from direct action and anti-capitalism to saving seeds and maintaining your bicycle.
“Some people don’t understand why we are doing workshops on topics like bringing up a baby without using nappies and swapping seeds with your neighbours” says collective member Rita Lynn, “Anarchism is not just about removing state control, once that control is gone the only way society will be able to continue is if we possess all the skills we need ourselves.”

Once visitors have had their fill of books and workshops they are invited to have their fill of some of the rather tasty vegan food on offer supplied by a group who are more often found dishing out Sunday dinner at the Kebele Co-operative in Easton. “We want to show Bristol that vegan food doesn’t have to be boring, tasteless slop” said one cook, and they have definitely succeeded.

Speaking to one of the organising members at the end of the day the group were happy with how successful the day had been. “It’s gone brilliantly” said Andy Brigade “our aim was to introduce more of Bristol’s community to anarchism while at the same time helping to progress the existing radical community in the Southwest, and we have done just that. Next year we will be back: bigger, better and noisier”.

The bookfair welcomed over 350 people, many by bike or public transport