At the recent Left Forum in New York City, a small group of people handed out a flyer attacking Ajamu Baraka of the Black Alliance for Peace and held a demonstration at the final plenary session when he started speaking.  UNAC has issued the following statement in defense of the political orientation, which they were protesting.

UNAC defense of anti-imperialism

6/6/18

Two organizations used Ajamu Baraka's presence at the recent Left Forum in order to attack anti-imperialism itself. They falsely accuse him of being a defender of genocide and a Donald Trump supporter as a ruse to hide their support of imperialism as carried out not just in Syria but around the world.

Ajamu Baraka's history of activism and his role as National Organizer and National Spokesperson for the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) demonstrate a commitment to democracy, justice, and the rights of all people to self-determination. United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) is a partner with BAP on initiatives such as the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases. BAP is also represented on the UNAC Coordinating Committee. The two groups work together because we share the same determination to end U.S. state sponsored violence wherever it is carried out. In just one year since its founding, the Black Alliance for Peace has made great strides in reviving the black radical tradition of opposing "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world."

While the lies and vitriol directed at Ajamu Baraka were not strictly personal they were in essence attacks carried out against this black led movement as well. BAP's success in a short period of time make it a target of faux leftists whose goal is to legitimize U.S. foreign policy while cynically appearing to oppose it. The attempt to silence a leading black anti-war organization is therefore racist and makes their actions all the more insidious.

These organizations reveal themselves to be supporters of the U.S. hegemon, telling slanderous falsehoods in order to hide their true political stance. They have a history of disrupting anti-war actions and forums hosted by UNAC and others whenever an anti-imperialist position on Syria or other issues are being discussed. UNAC stands with everyone who is clear about the necessity of ending the U.S. goal of reaching full spectrum dominance in Syria and everywhere. As such it is vital for us to stand with Black Alliance for Peace and against any effort to denounce its work and its leadership. We encourage other organizations to add their names to this statement or to issue their own statements of support and solidarity.

Any U.S. Attack on Syria Is International Gangsterism, by Black Alliance for Peace

Recent Statement of the Hands off Syria Coalition, of which UNAC is a founding member