National EF! Action

At the Northern EF! gathering recently, a discussion was initiated concerning the possibility of a nationally organized EF! action. It was felt that morale and confidence around organising big actions was getting low: nobody dare get an action together, in case a) it gets stopped by our friends in blue, and so b) fails, and c) they then get slagged off by everyone else for doing things wrong. Obviously this situation is not good, but it was felt that doing national actions every so often is a worthwhile and an important thing to do.

Large actions can be empowering (while local stuff is key, it's good to feel you're part of something bigger every once in a while); they're good for involving people who maybe don't have a local activist group to work with; some actions can only be done with large numbers; and we shouldn't be cowed by the possibility of being over zealously policed. The general feeling was that we should think about doing a big action early next year. And that it should be organised by a "national" group of people from all over the country to ensure it gets widespread support. Some people felt that at the summer EF! gathering there was a tide of opinion against doing national actions per se. A successful action needs everyone's will behind it. PLEASE respond with any opinions on this issue to National Action? c/o the EF!AU.