KAE TEMPEST, LORENZO KOM’BOA ERVIN AND PETER GELDERLOOS WILL BE AMONG THE PERFORMERS AND SPEAKERS AT THIS YEAR’S BIG ANARCHIST GET-TOGETHER. ~ Freedom News ~ With the bookfair nearly upon us Freedom threw a few messages at the organisers, who have kindly gotten back to us with the workshops schedule, fresh off the spreadsheet. The event, which is taking place at the Leake Street (or Waterloo) Tunnel, near Waterloo Station, is hosting its usual wide assortment of stalls, including our own venerable table, AK Press, Housmans, Agit Press, Dog Section Press, the Anarchist Review of Books, PM Press and many more. But no bookfair is complete without people having a good old try at putting the world to rights in the form of a workshop or breakout room, and with more than 20 events across four rooms ranging from sex work decriminalisation to radical singing and urban liberation, visitors will be spoiled for choice. Full programmes with room numbers and pointers for where to go will be available on the day, but below is your at-a-glance guide to what’s happening when. All details, as ever, are subject to change so double check on the day! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10AM Learning from Capitalism’s Past and Confronting Future Challenges | Old Moles Collective A presentation and discussion on capitalism’s history and the threats to our future through environmental crises and war. A journey to TOTAL LIBERATION and VEGANARCHY | Autonomous Animal Action Solidarity with our fellow animals is not too much to ask. Join us for a discussion on how we can create a multi-species world.How can we create a radical antispeciesist pathway? What skills and tools do we need? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.30AM Anarchism and Anti-War Resistance in Russia | Antti Rautiainen Thousands of Russians have been opposing the invasion of Ukraine. During the first month of protests against the war, 15 000 people were detained. Small street actions are still taking place, although they are heavily persecuted. More than 300 people have been imprisoned for anti-war activities, including six anarchists and antifascists. How can we support the movement? The Mimeo Revolution | Aloes books Talking about the history, mechanics and technology of the stencil and spirit duplicator, with hands-on demonstrations to include using typewriters, scribes and both stencil and spirit duplicating machines. Global Ecology not Global Economy: What can we learn from the history of the 1990s eco-anarchist direct action movement? | Mayday Rooms The archive and meeting space is whipping out its girthy documents for people to look at and discuss. Decrim! What? Why? How? | Decrim Now Exploring the fight for decriminalisation of sex work, the movement’s history, and its current manifestation in the UK and beyond. Offering a historical perspective as well as practical steps for change, the workshop seeks to empower attendees with knowledge and next steps, whether they are sex workers, allies, or allies-in-development. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1PM The Apocalypse All Over Again | Peter Gelderloos Exploring ecological crisis’s roots in colonial capitalism and the State and how collective memory, mutual aid, ecosystems of revolt, and rooted networks can transform how we understand the urgent question of survival. The author will discuss examples from the UK, Catalunya, North and South America From rage to insurrection | Earth First! What can we learn from successful radical ecological direct action in the past? What worked, what didn’t, and how can we encourage more of the good stuff, and get over appealing to governments and corporations to do the right thing? And when is the moment to stop discussing and fight back, navigating questions of grand strategy versus insurrectionary joy? Solidarity Economy as Strategy | Solidarity Economy How we can build collective power to survive and overcome capitalism? The solidarity economy – a pluralist framework which can include cooperatives, unions, mutual aid and much more – offers a framework for surviving together while also building systems and infrastructure for a better world, based on values of cooperation, solidarity and mutual support. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.15PM Social Revolution | Andrewism The radical writer, vlogger and Solarpunk advocate will be talking on this, that and the other. Prisoners Solidarity Catching up on who’s in need of support, how to do so, and most likely writing a supportive letter. Punx of Colour, solidarity and collective organising: The story of Decolonise Fest | Decolonise Fest Taking an opportunity, following the big event earlier this month, to reflect on the DIY project. Radical Singing | Red and Black Song Club and Song Bloc Singing and discussion session. Join in and learn about the history behind the songs. No experience necessary and children welcome! The Red and Black Song Club is based in Glasgow and celebrates songs of working class struggle, anti-fascism and resistance. Song Bloc brings together various singers from Fire Choir, Trans Chorus, Stop Shopping Choir and F*Choir. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.30PM Kae Tempest – Satellite stage Tempest, fresh off his latest album Self Titled, will be performing a range of his works. Solidarity work in Palestine with the International solidarity movement | ISM Hear from activists who’ve been doing solidarity work in Palestine and find out how you can get involved. The ISM was founded during the second intifada and has since then brought internationals to Palestine to stand in support of communities struggling against the Zionist regime. How to start a union in your place | Draughts Workers Union Come hear from the Draughts Workers Union on what steps they took to build a fighting union in their workplace, and how you can do the same in your job. How to map your workplace, have 1v1 conversation, find key leaders, and get ready to strike. Solidarity not Charity? | Bad Apple Magazine Based on interviews with former guests and volunteers of an anarchist shelter for migrants and refugees with no recourse to public funds, the workshop will look in depth at some of the complex power dynamics in practical solidarity across borders. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.45PM Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin The US anarchist and former Black Panther will speak on the continuing necessity of black anarchism, and about building a new anti-fascist movement, recognising the importance of black anti-fascist movements of the 1960s and 1970s that created the National Committees to Combat Fascism. He will discuss how understanding European colonialism, and its maltreatment of African peoples, is important to any discussion of Fascism. The talk will be followed by a Q and A session. Genocide Panel (Palestine and Sudan) Discussing two of the most lethal situations in world politics today. Panel details being finalised, Anti raids and migrant solidarity: resisting changing types of violence | Anti-Raids London Violence from the state and the street against migrants is rising and converging. As the landscape of violence changes we have to grow and be flexible to meet it. We’re bringing together a coalition of London anti raids groups to share knowledge and skills, and think together with attendees about strengthening networks to keep all our neighbours safe. Fighting for our right to the city | Festival For Urban Liberation: Aylesbury Campaign, Lesnes Occupation, Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth, London Renters Union Grassroots organising for housing access to everyone. We are fighting against flying rents, attacks on council houses, ethnic cleansing in the estates and housing in London turning from a common to a commodity. The city’s sterilised urban space, ghost like empty buildings, deserted areas rotting as tokens of the stock market, are reclaimed for our right to live a life worth living. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pic: B/Flickr CC The post London Anarchist Bookfair 2025: The workshops list appeared first on Freedom News.

CALENDARS ARE RAPIDLY FILLING UP, BUT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE TIME TO HANG OUT WITH COMRADES, PERUSE THE LATEST POLITICAL LITERATURE AND SCHEME OVER A COFFEE … With the ever-early Derry Radical Bookfair having successfully concluded its ninth outing on February 1st, Cardiff doing well in March and two more events happening this weekend it’s probably high time to get listing on all the other events set to happen this year. It’s shorter at the moment than the number of 2024 bookfairs, mainly because several regulars who usually table in the autumn/winter are yet to announce, but we’ll be keeping an eye on things to update the list as we go. For the sake of easy calendar entries, here’s the list by date: * April 26-27: Bristol  * April 27: Cambridge * May 10: Middlesborough * June 7: Newcastle * August 9: Hull * October 11: London * October 18: Peterborough  * November 1: Bristol Note: All details are subject to change. Let us know via editor [at] freedompress.org.uk if so, or if you want an anarchist bookfair in Britain or Ireland adding to the list! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BRISTOL Bristol Radical History Festival April 26th-27th at the M-Shed & Cube Microplex 10am-4.30pm Website | Facebook | brh [at] brh.org.uk The festival is held over two days at two main venues: Saturday 26th April at Bristol’s social history museum on the city’s historic harbourside, M Shed; and, Sunday 27th April at volunteer-run arts centre and cinema Cube Microplex. The event includes history talks, walks, exhibitions, stalls, film screenings and a pre-festival trip to the Bristol Archives. Programme of events. Bristol Radical Bookfair November 1 Details TBA Website | Facebook | bristolbookfair [at] riseup.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBRIDGE Cambridge Radical Bookfair April 27th at East Barnwell Community Centre 12pm-4pm Instagram | cambridgeanarchist@gmail.com Stalls, talks, workshops and food. The ethos of this bookfair is “to mark the new and expanding phase in the growth of radical ideas and concepts, and their expression in literature, politics, music, art, and social life.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HULL 3rd Hull Radical Bookfair August 9th at Danish Church 11am-4.30pm Facebook event  Small but perfectly formed featuring a dozen or so stalls, with a special screening on the Spycops scandal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LONDON Anarchist Bookfair in London October 11th Details TBA Website | Facebook  | Bluesky | Mastodon | anarchistbookfairlondon [at] riseup.net If the last two years are anything to go by the biggest of the book gatherings will be spread across Rich Mix, Angel Alley and other places but who knows what exciting things are in store … -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MIDDLESBOROUGH Teesside Radical Bookfair May 10th 12pm-6pm at the Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough Website | Facebook | teessideradicalbookfair [at] inventati.org A festival of solidarity and radical ideas, featuring stalls, info, workshops, films and an afterparty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWCASTLE Newcastle Ewan Brown Anarchist Bookfair June 7th 10am-5pm at the Star and Shadow Cinema Website | Facebook | Contact: newcastleanarchistbookfair [at] protonmail.com Something of a fixture in the calendar by now, and well organised at a cracking venue with a full cinema for radical films, there will be around 20 stalls, and workshops on a theme of ‘Creative Flow’ – writing, speaking, using your mind and your hands to change the world around you – followed by the usual stonking afterparty. See website for full details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PETERBOROUGH Peterborough Radical Bookfair October 18th 11am-4pm at the George Alcock Centre, Stanground, Peterborough Facebook The older of the two Cambridgeshire showings alongside newcomers Cambridge, Peterborough is in a very nice community hall on the edge of town, lending it a more local vibe than you sometimes get with town centre stuff. Stalls, talks and grub. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTHING ANNOUNCED (YET) … * Belfast Radical Bookfair: Nothing confirmed yet but last year they ran a smaller-scale event at the end of November, so keep an eye out around then.  * Bradford Radical Bookfair: The 2024 outing had been set for September before being cancelled. Nothing yet for 2025. * Dorset Radical Bookfair: The ever-excellent organisers of “anarchy in the sticks” have often had venue trouble but did manage to book The Roastery in Bournemouth last year. A shortfall in donations (see their website) has been unhelpful for the 2025 kitty, so it’s unclear whether it’ll be happening this year, but if it does then October is the usual month to keep an eye out. If you’re local get in touch to help them keep it going! * Edinburgh Radical Bookfair: Lighthouse Books often puts something on in the autumn, nothing announced yet though * Glasgow Radical Bookfair: Usually a December affair, so still a bit early for detailsLiverpool Anarchist Bookfair: Their socials have gone a bit quiet, nothing announced yet but we’ve contacted them to have an ask and the last one seemed to have a bit of momentum * Manchester and Salford: Another one that usually happens later in the year (November or so), but they had a good showing in 2024 * Sheffield Radical Bookfair: Recently announced they’re unlikely to be able to manage a bookfair this year, but never fear Shieffielders, there’s plans for Spring 2026. The post The 2025 Anarchist Bookfairs List appeared first on Freedom News.