By Jon Kelly BBC News Anarchists share few of the beliefs of mainstream society - except the desire to be with someone special on Valentine's Day. So the once-notorious group Class War is marking 14 February with a speed-dating event.
By Jon Kelly BBC News Anarchists share few of the beliefs of mainstream society - except the desire to be with someone special on Valentine's Day. So the once-notorious group Class War is marking 14 February with a speed-dating event.
It's the day every singleton dreads. If recession, bad weather and global turmoil aren't enough to make a lonely heart's blood boil, then surely the arrival of 14 February must turn every spinster and bachelor into a committed anti-St Valentine dissident. Ugh. Valentine's Day is too commercial
It's the day every singleton dreads. If recession, bad weather and global turmoil aren't enough to make a lonely heart's blood boil, then surely the arrival of 14 February must turn every spinster and bachelor into a committed anti-St Valentine dissident. Ugh. Valentine's Day is too commercial
Happily, salvation is on hand from an unexpected quarter: Class War, anarchist agitators of tabloid infamy, and now Britain's most unlikely matchmakers.
Happily, salvation is on hand from an unexpected quarter: Class War, anarchist agitators of tabloid infamy, and now Britain's most unlikely matchmakers.
Better known for generating outraged headlines - the group was blamed by Fleet Street for instigating 1990's Trafalgar Square poll tax riots, and featured a regular page three "hospitalised copper" in its own newspaper - its activists have arrived upon a fresh tactic to advance the downfall of bourgeois society. Speed dating.
Better known for generating outraged headlines - the group was blamed by Fleet Street for instigating 1990's Trafalgar Square poll tax riots, and featured a regular page three "hospitalised copper" in its own newspaper - its activists have arrived upon a fresh tactic to advance the downfall of bourgeois society. Speed dating.
This Valentine's night, the outfit once condemned by the Daily Mail as a "sinister urban revolutionary band dedicated to turning the nation's inner cities into no-go areas for the police" wants to help introduce curious insurrectionaries to each other for fun, friendship, or possibly more.
This Valentine's night, the outfit once condemned by the Daily Mail as a "sinister urban revolutionary band dedicated to turning the nation's inner cities into no-go areas for the police" wants to help introduce curious insurrectionaries to each other for fun, friendship, or possibly more.
Dance if you want to
Dance if you want to
True, the self-proclaimed "anarcho-speed-dating" evening will be a far cry from most events of its kind. Co-organiser Pinki, who hopes those attending will meet someone nice
True, the self-proclaimed "anarcho-speed-dating" evening will be a far cry from most events of its kind. Co-organiser Pinki, who hopes those attending will meet someone nice
Proceedings at the Cross Kings - a boozer in an as-yet un-gentrified corner of north London - will be overseen by a dominatrix known as Miss Scarlett L'amour. There will be no segregation by gender, out of respect to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender attendees.
Proceedings at the Cross Kings - a boozer in an as-yet un-gentrified corner of north London - will be overseen by a dominatrix known as Miss Scarlett L'amour. There will be no segregation by gender, out of respect to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender attendees.
Anarchist literature will be on sale all through the anti-Valentine's evening. And entertainment will be provided by punk bands with such names to set the heart a-flutter as Active Slaughter and Headjam.
Anarchist literature will be on sale all through the anti-Valentine's evening. And entertainment will be provided by punk bands with such names to set the heart a-flutter as Active Slaughter and Headjam.
It is, nonetheless, quite a change of tone for an organisation which, during the 1980s, staged "Bash the Rich" marches through Kensington, Hampstead and Henley-on-Thames, with supporters carrying banners proclaiming: "Behold your future executioners."
It is, nonetheless, quite a change of tone for an organisation which, during the 1980s, staged "Bash the Rich" marches through Kensington, Hampstead and Henley-on-Thames, with supporters carrying banners proclaiming: "Behold your future executioners."
But just as the anarchist heroine Emma Goldman famously insisted that she didn't want to be part of the revolution if she couldn't dance, her ideological forebears are equally reluctant to be part of any struggle that won't let them look for love. I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy Emma Goldman (1869-1940), after being told agitators shouldn't dance
But just as the anarchist heroine Emma Goldman famously insisted that she didn't want to be part of the revolution if she couldn't dance, her ideological forebears are equally reluctant to be part of any struggle that won't let them look for love. I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy Emma Goldman (1869-1940), after being told agitators shouldn't dance
And the very incongruity of the event is what inspired Pinki, the 26-year-old social worker and Class War activist who jointly came up with the idea.
And the very incongruity of the event is what inspired Pinki, the 26-year-old social worker and Class War activist who jointly came up with the idea.
The night is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, she insists, hence the dominatrix: how else are anarchists meant to be kept in line?
The night is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, she insists, hence the dominatrix: how else are anarchists meant to be kept in line?
But Pinki hopes that staging it against the current backdrop of recession and financial turmoil will illustrate the anarchist argument about poverty and working-class self-organisation.
But Pinki hopes that staging it against the current backdrop of recession and financial turmoil will illustrate the anarchist argument about poverty and working-class self-organisation.
"Things are pretty grim right now - and the poorest people are going to suffer the most," she says. "But it's at times like this that you feel a sense of community, and anarchists believe in mutual aid, in helping each other.
"Things are pretty grim right now - and the poorest people are going to suffer the most," she says. "But it's at times like this that you feel a sense of community, and anarchists believe in mutual aid, in helping each other.
"To a lot of people, Valentine's Day is commercial love day. We just want to let people have a giggle and meet lots of nice people."
"To a lot of people, Valentine's Day is commercial love day. We just want to let people have a giggle and meet lots of nice people."
GSOH
GSOH
One attendee who is looking forward to doing just that is Aileen Greiner, 21, a warehouse worker from west London, who learned about Class War through the punk scene.Aileen seeks a man to make her laugh
One attendee who is looking forward to doing just that is Aileen Greiner, 21, a warehouse worker from west London, who learned about Class War through the punk scene.Aileen seeks a man to make her laugh
A veteran of the G8 protests "and various other things I shouldn't talk about", her four-year relationship came to a traumatic end over New Year. Although an aficionado of young gentlemen who sport the "psychobilly" look - a rock subculture that marries punk style with Elvis-esque quiffs - she says that all she is looking for is someone to make her laugh.
A veteran of the G8 protests "and various other things I shouldn't talk about", her four-year relationship came to a traumatic end over New Year. Although an aficionado of young gentlemen who sport the "psychobilly" look - a rock subculture that marries punk style with Elvis-esque quiffs - she says that all she is looking for is someone to make her laugh.
"I find myself in quite a lot of trouble, so he'd need to be able to stick up for me," she smiles.
"I find myself in quite a lot of trouble, so he'd need to be able to stick up for me," she smiles.
"Anarchism is all about unity. It's about bringing people together. Isn't that what speed-dating does?"
"Anarchism is all about unity. It's about bringing people together. Isn't that what speed-dating does?"
Also on the lookout is Tommy Munroe, 21, a music student and singer-songwriter from Woking, Surrey, who stuck up a friendship with anarchists while performing on London's alternative scene.
Also on the lookout is Tommy Munroe, 21, a music student and singer-songwriter from Woking, Surrey, who stuck up a friendship with anarchists while performing on London's alternative scene.
"I'm not expecting to run away with somebody lovely, but you never know your luck," he laughs.
"I'm not expecting to run away with somebody lovely, but you never know your luck," he laughs.
He doesn't mind if that somebody is "a boy or a girl, as long as they're pretty". And he doesn't find anything strange about agitators being equally committed to bringing down the system and finding companionship.
He doesn't mind if that somebody is "a boy or a girl, as long as they're pretty". And he doesn't find anything strange about agitators being equally committed to bringing down the system and finding companionship.
"From a distance, when you think of anarchists you think of big boots and fighting with policemen," he says.
"From a distance, when you think of anarchists you think of big boots and fighting with policemen," he says.
"But all the ones I've met have been very nice, very committed people. They believe in something and they want to find love, just like everyone else. Why would that surprise anyone?"
"But all the ones I've met have been very nice, very committed people. They believe in something and they want to find love, just like everyone else. Why would that surprise anyone?"
Perhaps it shouldn't. And who, whatever their position on the political spectrum, could begrudge them that? Happy Valentine's Day.
Perhaps it shouldn't. And who, whatever their position on the political spectrum, could begrudge them that? Happy Valentine's Day.
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