March and carnival against Racism,Fascism and Islamophobia.

London November 6th.

There will be a variety of Artists performing on the 6th Nov.
Some on the March and others at an event afterwards.

The line-up for the Carnival is begining to take shape,but their will probably be other acts involved.

Performing on floats on the march and at the Carnival so far will be Jerry Dammers,Mumsy ,Drew from Babyshambles and LMHR favourite radical rapper Lowkey.

Flowdem,from Must be the Music will be joining their rivals Missing Andy on the bill.

Also on the bill will be Kid British, Abbas Hasan,Tasha Tah and DJ Rugrat.


Coaches are leaving from:
The Hard 9.00 AM
Students Union Cambridge Road 9.15.
Frastton Bridge 9.30 .
Tickets £15 waged.
£10 unwaged.
To book tel:07528839223.

UAF protest against the English Defence League in Leicester.

Leicester antiracist demo says: ‘EDL not welcome here’

People from across Leicester’s diverse community staged a peaceful demonstration against the violent racists of the English Defence League today.

The EDL have tried to stir up hatred and division by demonstrating in the multiracial, multi-faith city, particularly targeting Muslims.

Their “protest” ended in violence and attacks on the police, journalists and local black and Asian people.

In contrast, over 800 people came to the antiracist protest called by UAF in the city centre today – they included black, white and Asian people, with Muslims joined by Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and people of no religion in an impressive display of unity.

The scale of the opposition to the EDL became clearer throughout the day, as it emerged that several hundred more antiracist demonstrators were prevented by police from reaching the city centre assembly point.

Large numbers
The EDL attempted to attack black and Asian people in other areas of the city, but were unable to as large numbers of local people came out to defend their local areas, including Highfields. Local people also gathered to protect their places of worship and community centres throughout the day.

The UAF event heard speakers from the local National Union of Teachers, Public and Commercial Services civil service union and NHS workers’ Unison branches.

They shared the platform with UAF’s Paul Sillett, Communications Workers Union national political officer Steve Bell, three local councillors, community activist Joe Allen and representatives from the Muslim community, the Indian Workers Association and local Kurdish people.

The Fosse Boys – a well known group of Leicester City Football club supporters – helped lead the chants against the racist EDL. Local bands and performers also entertained the crowd.

Cllr Ross Willmott, a former leader of Leicester City Council told the crowd:

I’m proud to be here and show our city belongs to us all. The streets must not be ceded to fascist thugs.

Cllr Patrick Kitterick also emphasised the importance of turning out on the day to show opposition to the EDL. He said:

When people said “Stay inside and leave the streets”, I said “I will not.” In our diversity, we are beautiful. The EDL say they want to stop the islamification of Leicester. We say we have nothing to fear from our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Andy Connelly, another councillor and joint branch secratary of Leicester CWU, added:

It’s important for us all that we don’t leave our city to the EDL. Our trade unions and everyone need to stand together against the EDL. That’s why this protest is so important.

Speaking after the demo, Unite Against Fascism joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:

Leicester people have made it clear the EDL is not welcome in their city. The EDL have been similarly unwelcome in every other town and city where they have turned up. No-one wants them.

We are organising a major demonstration on 6 November – backed by the TUC, the Muslim Council of Britain and a host of trade unions, MPs, artists, faith groups and campaigners – to say no to racism, fascism and Islamophobia. That will be an opportunity for people to come together from all over the country and show that the EDL, the BNP and their poisonous racist and fascist ideas are not welcome anywhere.

Above report Courtesy of UAF.



Kim Wright of Isle of Wight UAF attended the demonstration below are his impressions of the day.



On Saturday I went to Leicester for the Demo against the EDL.

On the whole it was a good day, however, I did feel the Venue put us in a vulnerable position.

The stewards did seem to have good communication with the Police this time, as all attempts made by EDL to get to us, Failed!

I heard some people saying that we had upwards of 700 demonstrators behind us although in reality I thinks it was more like 350-400. The music was OK but a noticeable lack of speakers.

Nearing the end of the day there did seem to be a few incidents of disruption from the EDL, but didn't really affect us.

Having made my own way to Leicester, upon my return to the train station the police were directing EDL along the same route which included innocent by standers of mixed race, this allowed them to abuse people in their racist thug way without any intervention from the Police. On the platforms there was a distinct lack of policing leaving these thugs to run riot. I had the indignity of having to make my way home on the train sharing it with them. They appeared to be acting in a jubilant manor as if they had won, 'saying they were able to march without any intervention by the Police, it was easy'.

This left me feeling that we were the ones penned in, in a vulnerable position and these thugs were still able to get their own way with the Policing. It would still appear that we are outnumbered by these animals by atleast 2-1. Clearly we still have a long way to go to get these EDL racist thugs off our streets.

Regards

Kim

Stop the Edl in Bradford.

Why it is right to peacefully oppose the EDL in Bradford
Statement from UAF
The prospect of the English Defence League coming to Bradford on Saturday 28 August demands a sober and effective response from the anti fascist movement as whole. We wish to explain why we believe it is vital that there is a peaceful multicultural celebration in Bradford city centre on the day of the EDL action.

This is in contrast to the view expressed in the August edition of Searchlight magazine and in the Morning Star newspaper, by Hope Not Hate organiser Nick Lowles, where he argues that banning the EDL march in Bradford “….is our only option and sole focus”.

UAF supports the call made by Bradford trade unions, local community and faith groups for a ban of the proposed EDL demonstration in Bradford on Saturday 28. But we do not agree that this is the “only option”, nor that if “thousands of EDL supporters manage to get into Bradford then we have already lost”, as Lowles’s argument continues. On the contrary, the experience of Stoke and Luton tells us that the EDL are more likely to go on the rampage when there is no public opposition to them on the day of their actions.

Take steps
Firstly, on the call for a ban. In the view of UAF and many others, section 12 and section 13 of the Public Order Act, allow the police to ban both marches and static demonstrations. However to date, apart from one in Luton, the authorities have refused to ban EDL demonstrations. Therefore, in our view, the response to the EDL planned mobilisation in Bradford has to be to campaign for a ban, and at the same time take the necessary steps to put in place a peaceful celebration of multicultural Bradford in the event that the EDL are allowed to assemble there.

UAF has been engaged in serious discussion over many months, with the communities targeted by the EDL, other faith communities, local and national trade unions and many others, to consider the most effective way to respond to these EDL actions where they are allowed to go ahead. From these discussions, clear support has been expressed for ensuring that the EDL are not allowed to go unopposed, and that there should be events held that assert the positive local support for their multicultural, diverse and united communities.

Accordingly, Bradford Unite Against Fascism is organising with trade unionists, faith groups, community groups and others a “We are Bradford” peaceful, multicultural celebration of unity to show that the overwhelming majority of the people of the city reject the EDL’s poisonous message. The event being organised is not a “counter demonstration”.

Solidarity across communities
It will be held in the city centre, and there will be transparent arrangements made with the police, with whom the ‘We Are Bradford’ event is co-operating fully to ensure that there is no confrontation with the EDL. This will demonstrate that Bradford does not welcome the attempts by the EDL to whip up hostility between communities, strengthen the solidarity of all Bradford’s communities against racism, and will also provide the media with a focal point to profile the breadth of support for multicultural Bradford, rather than allowing the agenda to be dominated by the EDL.

In the framework of both mobilizing support for a ban and preparing for the eventuality that this call is ignored, Unite Against Fascism invites Hope not Hate to jointly organise with us a peaceful multicultural celebration on Saturday 28 August in the city centre.

Unite Against Fascism is acutely aware of the huge responsibilities facing the antifascist movement in Bradford given the experience of the 2001 riots and the electoral breakthrough by the BNP in 2004 in the wake of the racist myth about so-called “Asian grooming” of young white girls for sex.

Positive event
But we believe that a disorganised and chaotic response to the EDL coming to Bradford is more likely if the antifascist movement does not fulfill its duty on the 28 August to organise a safe place for all those people who will undoubtedly wish to make their voices heard against the threat of the EDL and in support of our multicultural society. The issue is whether the response to the EDL’s presence is properly stewarded and channeled to a peaceful, positive event – not whether there will be a response. Failure to organise such a response would also send a signal to the EDL that they are free to escalate their actions against the Muslim and other communities without any expression of the breadth of opposition to their message of hate.

We are also concerned at the possible implication of Nick Lowles’ comment that “The EDL is coming to Bradford to provoke another riot. Let’s not give them one.” [Searchlight August 2010] We must be very clear that experience tells us that the EDL does not need an excuse to start a racist riot.

In Dudley the EDL attacked a Mosque, and Hindu & Sikh temples. We also have to emphasise that the responsibility for violence in the town rests with the EDL and not the peaceful gathering organised by the local Interfaith Forum, Unite Against Fascism and others.

We should not give any ground to the myth that the EDL is a legitimate, peaceful movement which is ‘provoked’ into violence. Nor is it acceptable for anyone to imply that people supporting a peaceful celebration of our multicultural society on the same day as an EDL action are in any way responsible for provoking the EDL.

EDL and BNP
If the antifascist movement is to deal effectively with the threat posed by the EDL it is necessary for it to understand the causes of its growth and its relationship to the British National Party.

In the context of a rise of Islamophobia across society the EDL has been allowed to make gross attacks on the freedom of conscience, thought, religion and cultural expression of Muslims including actions outside mosques. If there were demonstrations against Christian churches or Jewish people and synagogues there would quite rightly be widespread outrage and condemnation.

Unite Against Fascism consistently argued, both before and after the 2009 European election, that the election of even one BNP MEP would represent an historic breakthrough for British fascism with serious negative consequences. We now see in Britain an embryonic pogrom movement in the form of the EDL which is a direct product of that BNP breakthrough. There is a de facto far right division of labour: the BNP does the electoral politics whilst the EDL intimidates on the streets.

The UAF has been clear that both these threats must be countered, and was central to the local campaigns against the BNP in Barking, Stoke-on-Trent and other areas of the country where the BNP were successfully driven back electorally.

Intimidating
But, in developing our strategy and tactics we must never forget that the fascists are not primarily a parliamentary party. They seek to impose their views by force – intimidating communities and if they ever come to power eradicating their opponents. Therefore, alongside the campaign of mass action to oppose them electorally, it is also vital to develop a movement that comes to the defence of communities under attack, demonstrating to the fascists that these communities are not isolated and will not be left to stand alone.

We have to reply to the EDL by demonstrating that the labour movement, other faiths, those of goodwill, will celebrate our multicultural society in the face of the fascists’ attempts to whip up hatred, prejudice and fear. We only need to look at other European countries to see what happens when movements akin to the EDL are allowed to grow without this type of broad response. It leads to an increase in racist violence directed against whole communities, including arson and murder.

The EDL is a racist organisation that concentrates on anti-Muslim prejudice as a focal point for racism. It will seek to organise any anti-Muslim current but starts with those, such as football ‘casuals’ most prepared to ‘take to the streets’. Contrary to the media’s portrayal of the EDL as being opposed to ‘extreme Islam’, in reality it seeks to create a street force capable of intimidating and attacking the Muslim communities, and further down the line to pose a physical threat to other black and Asian communities and to the labour movement.

Over the last year the antifascist movement has learned many lessons about how we can successfully celebrate and defend our multicultural society against the attacks of the EDL. In Dudley, UAF worked closely with local communities to peacefully celebrate “one society, many cultures”. This was such a broad and united response that dismay at its success has been publicly voiced by leaders of the EDL. The effectiveness of this campaign, and the support it won locally, was also reflected in a dramatic decline in the BNP vote in the General election in the town and the warm support it received from the local media.

Duty to stand in unity
More recently, the march celebrating Tower Hamlets, on the day of the planned EDL demonstration, brought together the breadth of the antifascist movement, including local elected politicians, faith communities, trade unionists, lesbian and gay activists and all those who oppose fascism. It was the largest antifascist mobilisation for a decade. It was a peaceful, focused and vibrant expression of unity.

We believe that the antifascist movement has a duty to stand in unity with all those in Bradford and beyond who wish to publicly show their support for our multicultural society and their opposition to Islamophobia in the face of a national mobilisation of the EDL. The antifascist movement will not be forgiven if it abandons those people to their fate on 28 August.

The truth about Tommy Robinson

We are obliged to Searchlight for the following article exposing the Nazi reality behind the EDLs leadership.


The BNP past of the EDL leader
Nick Lowles and Simon Cressy expose Tommy Robinson

Searchlight can exclusively reveal that the leader of the English Defence League is a former British National Party member who has served 12 months’ imprisonment for assaulting an off-duty police officer.

Self-proclaimed EDL leader Tommy Robinson is really Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, from Bedford.

In 2004 he joined the BNP with a family membership. In the same year he assaulted an off-duty police officer who intervened to stop a domestic incident between Yaxley-Lennon and his partner Jenna Vowles. During the scuffle Yaxley-Lennon kicked the officer in the head.

He was convicted on 18 April 2005 for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, for which he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, and assault with intent to resist arrest, for which he received a concurrent term of three months.

Vowles, also a BNP member, was cautioned for possession of cocaine. She told the court that the she found two empty bags in her house and was taking them out so that her parents did not find them.

Yaxley-Lennon attended Putteridge High School in Luton and moved to nearby Bedford more recently. Robinson also claims on his Facebook site that he attended Putteridge school.

The revelation that Robinson had been a member of the BNP explains why so many of the initial EDL activists also attended BNP meetings in the Luton/Bedford area.

More importantly, it dispels the myth that the roots of the EDL are not in hard-core racism.

It destroys the protestations by the EDL leadership that, “They aren’t the BNP and they aren’t Nazis,” made at their phoney press conference held last September in a disused Luton warehouse, where they unfurled a swastika flag and proceeded to try to set it alight for the cameras.

It also explains the real reason why Robinson felt the need to hide his face.

Apart from his BNP membership and his convictions for violence, Robinson told a BBC film crew that he lived in a part of Luton where Islamic fanatics lived and that he feared for his safety. The reality is somewhat different as he lives in Wilstead, a relatively leafy village on the outskirts of Bedford.

The exposure of his identity follows a split in the EDL that is mostly being fought over the internet.

Paul Ray, self-styled spiritual guru of the EDL, has posted a series of messages on his Lionheart blog, in which he and his friend Nick Greger announce their intention to take control of the EDL. Ray was the original mover in creating the EDL, although he quickly fell out with the other leaders and moved abroad to Malta. Ray has focused his efforts on making Crusader-themed anti-Muslim promotional videos, and he and Greger have just issued a notice of “expulsion” of the EDL’s leaders, together with a demand for control of the EDL’s websites.

In one of their videos Greger goes on to say “another well-known man will soon appear within the new leadership, a man from Ulster, who is also currently in exile”.

This is almost certainly a reference to Greger’s friend Johnny Adair, a prominent loyalist terrorist who now lives in Scotland following an intra-loyalist feud. Adair’s friendship with Greger was the subject of a television documentary in 2006, when Adair met Greger while in prison for plotting acts of terror and was then the head of a nazi group in Dresden, Germany.

It is thought that Ray and Greger were responsible for the appearance of a video on YouTube that unveiled Robinson as Stephen Yaxley along with a series of photographs, following outlandish claims by Ray that the EDL led by Robinson threatened to kidnap and harm members of Ray’s family.

Robinson later confirmed on his Facebook page that the photographs were indeed of him, saying, “Hey at least people can see my hansome [sic] face now”.

Disastrous Night for the Nazis in Council and Parliamentary Elections.

The hard work that has been done consistently by Unite Against Fascism over the last few years is beginning to reap dividends.At the council and Parliamentary elections the BNP were not just stopped in their tracks they were pushed back massively.
In Barking the BNP had high hopes of consolidating a base they had been building for some time, with 12 councillors it had long been regarded as the jewel in the crown for the BNP in the south.
Huge amounts of financial and human resources were targeted on Barking with the hope of making Griffin the BNPs first MP.
There were widespread fears that he was in with a genuine chance of winning it.Political commentators observed that they could take control of the council and would have large amounts of public money at their disposal.
UAF has organised mass mobilisations of leafleters and canvassers to prevent this.

Nick Griffin eventually was pushed into third place.The councillors they had installed over years of work were thrown out on their ear.The Nazis were not just pushed back in Barking.

They were smashed.

Margaret Hodge the Labour Culture Minisster was returned with an emphatic 16,000 majority above the conservative candidate,with Griffin limping in in third place.In her victory speech Hodge was forthright.

“This is a great moment in history – a never to be forgotten moment for both the good people of Barking and Dagenham and for all of us in Britain. Our voters have been faced with a stark choice. They have overwhelmingly chosen to support democratic politics, built on tolerance, fairness and decency – not fascist politics built on division, prejudice and hatred. This vote is an important and clear victory for our values our respect for and solidarity with all, whatever their race, religion or background, our determination to always work in the interests of the many not the few, and our strong commitment to social mobility and equality. On behalf of all the people in Britain, we in Barking have not just beaten, but we have smashed the attempt by extremist outsiders to exploit people’s fears and concerns to foster evil national political ends. The message from Barking to the Nazi party is clear: Get out and stay out. You are not wanted here and your vile politics have no place in British democracy.”


Worse was to follow.When the count for the council seats was completed the day after the ballot they had not just failed to gain any new seats but lost every one of the 12 seats they gained in 2006.

On the Tuesday before the Election, the head of the party’s online operation resigned and took the website down with him. Simon Bennett, 41, directed BNP traffic to his personal site, which contained a lengthy diatribe against Mr Griffin and other senior figures.

Nationally the elections have been a disaster for the BNP.



The party's two remaining councillors in Sandwell were removed, as were its sole representatives in Solihull and Leeds.They have lost people in Burnley and elsewhere.
There are reports they have suffered heavy losses on Stoke Council,long regarded as a power base for the BNP.

In the past, when the Nazis have had similar disasters they have promptly indulged in internecine warfare.The sight of the Nazis tearing each other to pieces like ferrets in a sack has been one of the British lefts favourite spectator sports.


UAF has succeeded in taking the Anti-Fascist campaign into the BNPs heartlands.This is a huge advance,
It is right that we should celebrate what we have achieved.
However nationally over half a million people voted for the Nazis.

It is therefore imperative we do not ease up the pressure now.They are down but they are not out.We must not rely on a civil war within the Fascist movement to do the job for us.

Now more than ever we must build UAF and LMHR.

Final Week of Activism Against the Nazis!

Saturday May 1st.

Mass leafletting Gosport High Street.
11.45-1.30.
Portsmouth contingent assemble 11.30 at Portsmouth Ferry side.

The Hard
Leafletting 2.00 p.m.


Southsea
Mass leafletting /Street Meeting.
Commercial road
2.00-3.30

LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM

It's not just about opposing the Nazis.We need to celebrate multiculturalism and offer a positive alternative.

In the evening there will be a Love Music Hate Racism gig at The blue Lagoon.
Hilsea Lido
London Road.

Bemis
Al Robertson and the Wheels of Fire
Headzoom
Discovery
Students Unwaged:£2
Waged :£4

This has been sponsored by NAS/UWT

Event Organiser:Ben French
Headzoom_events@hotmail.co.uk

There are still some tickets left but they are going fast.
So book ASAP !




Sunday 2nd

Stop the Nazis taking control of Barking!

Mass leafletting of Barking ,where Nick Griffin is standing.There is a genuine risk of the BNP taking control of the council as well.
This would give the Nazis a real boost nationally.
We have transport going up.
We have cars going up from 9.00am.

If you want to get involved contact :portsmouthuaf@gmail.com

Telephone Simon Magorian: 07528839223

There will be other leafletting throughout the week and possibly we will be at the May Fair at St.Mary's church.
Please get in touch!

Barry Bennett and his Nazi leanings ,the story continues...

Portsmouth News published a helpful piece this week by Sion Donovan ,which will assist the electors of Gosport make an informed choice about whether to vote for the Nazi Barry Bennett.Most of the stuff in it will be familiar to readers of this blog.

Strangely some more digging was recently done by the people from Searchlight magazine.

"Bennett was, until recently, a regular user of the American-based nazi Stormfront website, despite being half Jewish, “from ancestry not religion” he is keen to stress. “I believe in National Socialism, WW2 style, it was best, no other power had anything like it,” ‘he wrote. “The ideology was fantastic. The culture, nothing like it. If it was here now, I’d defect to Germany.”

Perhaps the BNP should be renamed The Luftwaffe Solidarity Campaign .

What's not to love.

Southsea Against the Nazis.

Assemble Mountbatten Fountain.

1.30 P.M.

17th April

Commercial Road Southsea.

Street meeting and leafletting.

Geoffrey Crompton is the proposed Nazi candidate for Portsmouth south.He might sound like a character out of a P G Wodehouse novel but he's representing a hate filled Nazi organisation.We need to get the word out and make it clear to the Nazi BNP that public spaces in our city are Anti -Nazi zones.

Last saturday we had a magnificent afternoon of leafletting against Barry Bennett the BNP candidate in Gosport.Between 35-40 people were involved in the afternoons action and we had a magnificent response.

The BNP seem to be loath to get out on the stump thus far.Unfortunately this is unlikely to last.It is therefore imperative we create a political culture that is as hostile to their propaganda as possible.

Please get out and support us in keeping Portsmouth Nazi Free!

Further details.

Simon Magorian

07528839223

Don't Vote Nazi!

GOSPORT AGAINST THE NAZIS

Now the election is finally upon us we are about to embark on a series of street meetings and leafleting events.

The BNP has stated that it will be standing candidates in Portsmouth South (Geoffrey Crompton) and Gosport (Barry Bennett).
To kick off our campaign we will be holding a street meeting /leafleting session in Gosport.
The Portsmouth contingent will be meeting by the ferry terminal at the hard at 11.30 am.
10th April.
Please spread the word and bring yourselves, friends and workmates to this event. If you have any Union/community banners, placards etc please bring them along.

Please contact local political parties ,faith groups and community organisations you think might be supportive.
Jon Neil and Gareth Edwards have produced an excellent leaflet for us to distribute.

The idea is we will start the event at about midday and carry on for a couple of hours .The nature of the event will be dependent on how many people turn up.
If it’s a big turnout we will hold a street meeting if it’s smaller we’ll just leaflet –depending on what people want to do on the day.

If anybody has any stuff left over from the rally please bring it along. I am missing a huge pile of stickers, if you have them please bring them.
I hope to see you there!
Best wishes
Simon Magorian
Convenor
Portsmouth UAF
simonmagorian@gmail.com
07528839223

Final Programme For UAF Multicultural Festival.

One Dudley Many Cultures” Celebration rejects the hatred and division of the EDL


Saturday 3 April, 11am Stafford Street, Dudley Enter Dudley via Wellington Rd leading to Southalls Lane. Drop-off point is Cross St, DY1 1RN Please note change of location. The event will not be assembling in Market Place as previously advertised.

Bands, DJs and musicians organised by Love Music Hate Racism will be performing, along with the following speakers:

David Walker, Bishop of Dudley
Cllr Pete Lowe, Lye and Wollescote
Steve Sparrow, Interfaith Forum
Khushid Ahmed, Dudley Muslim Association Chair
Steve Beardsmore, UNISON
Mohammed Rashid, Dudley Muslim Forum
Jim Warner, Dudley Trades Council
Paul Singh, former REC representative and community activist
Steve Bell, Communication Workers Union
Kanja Sesay, NUS Black Students Campaign
Sheera Johal, Indian Workers Association
Sabby Dhalu, Unite Against Fascism
Love Music Hate Racism representative

Unite Against Fascism, together with other local community groups in Dudley, will be taking part in an event to celebrate Dudley's multi-faith, multi-racial and multicultural society this Saturday.


This is a peaceful event which brings together anti-fascists, interfaith communities, local politicians and young people celebrating the diversity of British society. It has targeted the Muslim community and Mosques in order to whip up hatred, division and violence where it has been allowed to march.


In Bolton a man was stabbed in a pub by an attacker wearing an EDL jacket in the evening following their demonstration two weeks ago. In Stoke violence and disorder ensued after their demonstration; the local Asian community and Police were attacked.


EDL supporters have paraded their violence on youtube. The EDL are made up of football hooligan groups and fascists who have been caught on camera giving Nazi salutes following their demonstrations.
Clare Short MP for Ladywell Birmingham said:

“We must all stand firmly together against those who want to spread hatred and division. Hate and prejudice is always ugly and wrong. And it never solves any of the problems that need attention.
In Germany, similar groups to the English Defence League started off spreading hatred against Jews. And then their hatred spread to disabled people, trade unionists, communists, gay people and gypsies. All were sent to concentration camps and millions were systematically eliminated. And the politics of hatred also spread to war, which engulfed the world, killed 25 million people, and left massive destruction across Europe and beyond. Today similar forces are working to spread hatred against Muslims. They are trying to incite hatred, division and war. We must stand together against this evil. There are many problems in Britain and the world. Together we can work to solve them. Divided we all will suffer”

Celebrate Multiculturalism!No to the EDL in Dudley!

STOP THE RACIST EDL THUGS!

DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY 3rd APRIL

The English defence League (EDL) - a group of racist thugs and
football hooligans with links to the Nazi BNP - will be marching on
Dudley on Saturday 3 April to whip up race hatred against Muslims.
These thugs spread fear and terror when they rampaged through Luton
and Stoke recently. They smashed cars, attacked shops and assaulted
Asians. When some locals tried to stop them they were called 'race
traitors' and attacked.
Don't believe the EDL's lies when it claims to be a 'peaceful' group
opposed to 'Muslim extremism'. They are nothing of the sort. The EDL
are a group of violent bigots that want to intimidate and attack all
ethnic minorities. During their recent march in Bolton they chanted
anti-Asian and anti-Semitic slogans.

They should not be allowed to march in Dudley. Join with Unite Against
Fascism to celebrate our multicultural society. Lets show the EDL they
are not welcome.

This is going to be an important peaceful multicultural event.

Defence of freedom of religion is a central plank of any democratic society.

It is imperative that we put a marker down on the third of April in Dudley.


Coach leaves
Fratton Bridge 7.00am
Cosham 7.15am
Southampton Cenotaph 7.45
Tickets are £15 waged (minimum donation) and £10 concessions (minimum
donation)
Prepared to negotiate for Under 18s.
To reserve a place please call Jake 07854982366 or Simon 07528839223

Portsmouth Rallies against the Nazis!

We Serve Notice on the Nazis!

Nobody who was building for this weeks Unite Against Fascism Rally could have anticipated the success it finally became.
At 7.10.only a handful had arrived and people were getting tense.People were worried about the press attacking the UAf over the protest against the EDL in Bolton.Would this drive people away?Over the three previous days the UAF organising committee had been putting out frantic last minute emails and phoning people up.Hopefully there would be over 50 people attending the event.

By 7.20 the meeting room was full and people had been roped in to hurriedly move more chairs in.Five minutes later Gareth Edwards, Portsmouth Uaf chair pointed out that people were still coming up the stairs and we were about to be in flagrant breach of the fire regulations.
We hurriedly got permission to use the main room-The Yehudi Menhuin room-the largest space in the guildhall library.Quickly stalls were set up,and people settled down.A group from PCS,fresh from the picket lines came in and put there placards down the front to join the Unison and Nas/uwt banners.

At 7.40 the rally started.As we looked around every chair was taken .There were people of all ages, black and white, gay and straight and representatives of all the main parties.Every seat was taken along the sides, it was standing room only and people were crowded all the way along the walls and around our stalls selling t-shirts and badges.There were also representatives in the room from the local student body,GMB,NUT,UNITE,UCU and CWU amongst others.

There were in excess of 150 people there when we gave up counting.

It was packed.

Portsmouth Uafs convenor Simon Magorian opened the meeting by reminding people how we had defeated the Nazis in the seventies with the Anti-Nazi League.They had attempted to march through Portsmouth unopposed and were stopped."They wanted to march to the war memorial but we stopped them.They ended up having to make their speech outside a municipal lavatory.Thats not what you sign up to the Nazis for .It's so you can strut through the streets like the master race .We humiliated them and they never really recovered from it.We stoppped them once we can do it again."
It was excellent to see both of Portsmouths MPs on the platform,both of them committed anti-racists.
Mike Hancock the Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South was the first speaker.He recently helped to organise a major civic reception for Portsmouths large Bangladeshi community for the huge contribution they have made to the city.Speaking about the BNP,
"its manifesto is about dividing communities.We stand together against them.We love our city-it's all about our diverse community.
"we will stand up for that,and for each other in the face of these bullies.We will include clear messages in on our communication that we oppose these Fascists."
Sarah McCarthy-Fry Labour MP for Portsmouth North nailed it,
"They pretend not to be racists,but very quickly their concern about crime turns to blaming it on Asylum sseekers." She also reiterated her lifelong stance of never sharing a platform with Fascists.

Sion Reynolds spoke on behalf of Nas/Uwt about the importance of keeping the Fascists out of our classrooms and how the BNPs politics of hatred ond division were antithetical to all the values and traditions of the teaching profession.He also worryingly reminded us that the last time the nazis stood in Portsmouth North schools were broken into and daubed with swastikas.

Weyman Bennett was the last to speak and in an uncompromising and occasionally humorous speech pointed out the inherent violence of the BNP and how unity can stop them and that Anti-Fascists are the overwhelming majority.
"The BNP is a Fascist Party attempting to win respectability,but we've already won an important battle.
"It's policies are racist but they fear to admit it in public.That's because people don't want to be associated with racism.Together we can build on that."
He also pointed out that The English Defence League were the BNPs foot soldiers and where they have marched unopposed violence and criminal damage had been targetted towards the Muslim Community,and the crucial importance of mobilising against them.

Following the invited speakers Gareth Edwards addressed the meeting on behalf of the UAF committee.
"We have a massive task ahead of us.We have to get leaflets through 40,000 doors.We don't have any Billionaire backers or Press magnates stumping up cash, we have to rely on donations from local trade unions and people like you.We need an army of volunteers to get the message through peoples doors to counter the Nazi lies of the BNP.Please sign up to help us smash the Nazis.Please give us your support and please give genorously!"
Clipboards were passed around and dozens signed up for the campaign,whilst a collecting bag went around at the same time for donations,which was quickly filled.

There was a wide ranging discussion from the floor ,interestingly not one single person raised criticism of Uaf for opposing the EDL on the streets.
It seems that the attempted witch hunt against UAF by the police and sections of the media- in Portsmouth at least- has fallen on deaf ears.

At the end of the meeting all the representatives of the three main parties pledged to put anti-Nazi and Anti-BNP statements on their campaign materials.

Closing the meeting Simon Magorian thanked all the speakers,pointing out the huge symbolic effect of having both the local MPS on the platform.He also asked people to sign the Portsmouth Unity Statement against the BNP.
"This is the largest Anti Nazi meeting in many years,I was at the launch meeting of Portsmouth Anti-Nazi League in 1977 and this is much bigger.Actually this is the biggest Anti Fascist meeting in Portsmouth ever!We have pushed the Nazis back before by uniting against them and we can do it again.We are now declaring Portsmouth a Nazi Free Zone!"

This was a massive boost to the Anti-Fascist movement in portsmouth.
Petitions were filled declarations signed and T shirts and badges bought.All well and good, but this time committments were made and the main Parties made public declarations to oppose the Nazis. For the first time in over 20 years the Nazis are contesting parliamentary seats in Portsmouth.

The phoney war is over.


We will keep Portsmouth Nazi Free!

Portsmouth Rally Against the Nazis

Guildhall Library March 25th
7.30 PM
Hosted by Portsmouth Unite Against Fascism
Principal Sponsor National Association of Schoolmasters /Union of women Teachers.

Speakers:
Sarah McCarthy Fry.MP Portsnouth North
Mike Hancock. MP portsmouth South
Martin Smith.National spokesperson Love Music Hate Racism.
Jerry Bartlett Deputy general secretary National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of women Teachers.

The British National Party is hoping to make a breakthrough at the next election ,they hope that the generalised cynicism with established politics will make for a more conducive environment for their Fascist-lite politics.

Nick Griffin once said that people Voted BNP because they saw ,"what they percieved to be a strong disciplined organisation with the ability to back up its slogan "rights for whites" with well directed boots and fists.When the crunch comes,power is the product of force and will and not of rational debate."
The recent attack on Dominic Kennedy of The Times by official BNP stewards at a press conference shows that beneath the veneer of faux respectability
they are still the same Nazi thugs and are outside our tradition of pluralist democracy.

We are hoping people will use the rally as a focus for opposing the BNP and that people will take away copies of the unity charter to sign and circulate amongst their communities.

We are urging trade unions and community groups to sponsor the rally and to bring their banners/emblems to the meeting.

This is the first major Anti-Fascist rally in portsmouth for years.
Please join with us and help to build it.

If you want to help please contact:Simon Magorian at simonmagorian@gmail.com
Tel:07528839223

Meet the new Nazi. Just like the old Nazi.

"What's good enough for Hitler's good enough for me"

Introducing Barry Bennett.The Nazi BNPs chosen candidate for Portsmouth.
His candidature was announced with much fanfare by Andrew Brons on the BNP website.Brons along with Nick Griffin is one of the two Euro MPs that the BNP have. Those of you with long memories will remember his conviction for a breach of the peace and using insulting language.The offending language in this instance was shouting during a street meeting "White Power" and "Death to the Jews".
Then again of course ,he was co-editor with Richard Vernall of the National Front journal New Nation.Vernall was notorious as the author a work of Holocaust denial called Did six million really die?
Which was the bible of Nazi Holocaust deniers for many years,it has now been usurped by the insane ramblings of David Irving.
But enough of his colleagues.Let Mr Bennett speak for himself.
When The Guardian did an expose of the Nazi views of prominent members of the BNP last year Bennett was a prominent example.
According to The Guardian he posted an article on a white supremacist website the bizarre comment,
"David Beckham is not white he's a black man."
He was just getting warmed up,he continued,"Beckham is an insult to Britishness and i'm glad he's not here".
He further added,
"I know perfectly respectable half-jews in the BNP...even Hitler had honorary Aryans who were of jewish descent...so whatever's good enough for Hitler's good enough for me.
God Rest his soul."

God rest his soul!

The electors of portsmouth will have no truck with Mr Bennett and his Nazi friends and will resoundingly reject him at the ballot box.
.

BNP standing in portsmouth.

The British National party have announced they are standing for elections in Portsmouth. Therefore it is imperative that all anti fascists are campaigning to prevent them from establishing a base in our town.in the1970s they tried establishing a presence in the city.They were fought back by a militant campaign led by the Ant-Nazi-League.

The British National party is probably the most successful fascist organisation in Britain since the British union of Fascists in the 1930s. Them campaigning in Portsmouth means racist leaflets going through doors and racist graffiti are In our community. Everywhere they campaign racist attacks go up we must not tolerate this. It means we must build an effective campaign against the BNP in Portsmouth. We will be leafleting against their poison and division . We will hold meetings and be doing outreach work with trade unions and voluntary groups to prevent them from establishing a base in Portsmouth.

They will not simply disappear,the old bromide still rings true all that is necessary for evil to prevail is that good men and women do nothing

Unite against Fascism in Portsmouth will be running a co-ordinated campaign and leafleting and holding public meetings to expose the BNP for the Nazis that they are.

A public meeting will be held with local MPs and two National speakers to draw people together. We will be initiating a new campaign and a new unity statement. Further details will be published on this blog and released to the press in the next few days.

EDL London March

All out to stop the EDL in London

Assemble 11am, Friday 5 March
Houses of Parliament, London

Londoners will be gathering at 11am outside the Houses of Parliament on Friday to protest against the racist English Defence League. The EDL is a group of violent hooligans with links to the fascist British National Party. It wants to march through London to intimidate and harass Muslims and other ethnic minorities.

It is many years since a fascist or racist organisation has openly tried to march in London. That is why it is vital to get as large a turnout of anti-fascists as possible tomorrow to tell the EDL's thugs that their brand of race hate is not wanted here. If they do not meet any opposition, they may go on the rampage against Asians and others, as they did in Stoke-on-Trent in January.

Peter Hain MP, veteran anti-racist and founder of the Anti Nazi League, said today: "The English Defence League, together with their allies the BNP, represent a racist and fascist threat – not just to Muslims but to our Black, Asian and Jewish citizens too. I hope there will be a big mobilisation to oppose their march on Parliament." He is one of several MPs, trade unionists and campaigners to have signed an open letter against the EDL (click here to read).

Tell everyone you know to try and get to the Houses of Parliament for 11am. We will be gathering outside the main entrance to the Parliament buildings. Further decisions wil be made on the day, depending on what the EDL tries to do. If you can't get there for 11am, please come along later if you can. We should be there for a few hours at the very least. Updates on the day will appear on the UAF Twitter feed – go to twitter.com/uaf or check the box on this website.

Anybody wanting to come from Portsmouth we should be getting the 9.20 train from Portsmouth and Southsea.
Tel:07528839223

Love Music Hate Racism at The Edge of the Wedge.

Last Nights gig was an enormous success with many people signed up and £115 pounds raised.
Many people signed up for the campaign against the BNP in the forthcoming elections.
Thanks:
Particuar thanks for Gareth Edwards for his tireless efforts in organising the gig.
Richie Moran for compereing the event.
All the staff for their hardwork.
The bands and the djs for the great music.
The people of Portsmouth for supportiing a great Anti-Fascist cultural event.

UAF CONFERENCE

Over 600 attend UAF national conference

Thanks to everyone who came to Unite Against Fascism national conference. It was a great success with over 600 attendees gathering to discuss how to take forward the campaign against the British National Party at the local and general elections this year.

Workshop sessions covered topics such as stopping the English Defence League, tackling racism and Islamophobia, and building anti-fascist campaigns in the workplace. The Love Music Hate Racism session unveiled plans for a series of anti-racist music festivals to take place across the country later this year.

Speakers at the conference included Margaret Hodge MP, Ken Livingstone, Dawn Butler MP, as well as Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett from Unite Against Fascism. They stressed the importance of campaigning against the BNP in Barking, Stoke and other areas targeted by the fascists, while also mobilising to stop the threat of the English Defence League and other racist hooligan groups.

Margaret Hodge is MP for Barking, where BNP leader Nick Griffin is running for parliament. She told the conference: "The BNP is a vicious and evil party. They are bringing fear into the borough. The battle is on in Barking & Dagenham – but this is also a once in a lifetime opportunity to take them on and show that there is no place for the BNP in this country."

Ken Livingstone said: "We need to recognise there has been a surge in racism as result of the BNP electoral breakthrough last June. The EDL demonstration in Stoke last month was a fascist riot. We cannot let mainstream parties pander to prejudice and use dogwhistle politics. Don't give an inch to Islamophobia or racism."

Weyman Bennett said: "We face a fight on two fronts – against the Nazi BNP at the ballot box and against the EDL's racist thugs on our streets. We need to get everyone who opposes the racists and fascists to come to Bolton on 20 March to stop the EDL, and to Barking and Stoke in coming weeks to stop the BNP at the elections."




Local reportbacks:

notes on Fighting Racism and Fascism in the Media workshop:

Unfortunately both speakers, Michael Rosen and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown were unable to attend. Chair, David crouch of the Financial Times and NUJ member became the speaker.

the session was aimed at people working in the media.
Issues: Historical racist press; loss of workers power in the Thatcher years; failure of media to be critical of BNP; especially the BBC whose bosses claim they should simply report and not comment in the interests of impartiality; strict editorial control and workers being told what they must write or include/exclude.

conclusion: workers to unite and refuse to report biased articles. encourage fellow workers to do the same as they may gain confidence if supported.

A new group has formed called Expose. They will be leafletting White City stadium tube (opposite entrance to BBC) on Wednesday and volunteers were gathered for that. There will be an official launch on Tueday 23rd February 7.00 pm at the Amnesty Centre in London. A facebook group has been created:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=265717011709

Frances Pilling.

Report on workshop on "Bringing Anti-Fascism into the workplace"

This had speakers from the NAS/UWT, NUT, Unite, and the TUC training organisation.
The NASUWT speaker talked about what they have done to proscribe BNP membersfrom working for the NAS, and developing a campaign to ban teachers from being members of the BNP. The NUT spoke about how the new Political fund is being used to fund campaigning against the BNP in Barking and other key places. A key idea from several speakers and the audience was that we need well organised workplaces, which fight for better pay and conditions, but which will also keep fascists out of the workplace. It will then be easier to argue for support for other anti fascist activities.


Penny Foskett NUT

UAF Annual Conference.Building the Fightback against the BNP and EDL.

Stopping the Nazis in 2010: come to UAF’s national conference on Saturday 13 February

UAF national conference 2010
Saturday 13 February, 9.30am to 5pm
TUC Congress Centre, London WC1B 3LS

Speakers include: Ken Livingstone, Margaret Hodge MP, Dawn Butler MP, Kay Carberry (TUC), Billy Hayes (CWU), Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (journalist), Michael Rosen (writer and broadcaster), Wes Streeting (NUS), Edie Friedman (Jewish Council for Racial Equality), Dr Abdul Bari (Muslim Council of Britain), Weyman Bennett (UAF & Anti Nazi League), Sabby Dhalu (UAF & National Assembly Against Racism), Martin Smith (Love Music Hate Racism), Riz Ahmed (actor and MC), Jerry Dammers (The Specials), Itch (King Blues), Kid British... and many more

Unite Against Fascism is holding its annual national conference on Saturday 13 February at the TUC Congress Centre in central London.

This will be a crucial event for everyone who opposes the fascist British National Party and wants to prevent it from making gains at the next general and local elections. It will also be a focus for all those resisting the rise of racist anti-Muslim groups such as the English Defence League.

The climate of racism against immigrants and Muslims, together with harsh and uncertain economic circumstances, have created conditions that have allowed the Nazis to grow.

The BNP has been steadily building support over the past few years, culminating them gaining two MEP seats at the last European elections. Now BNP leader Nick Griffin intends to stand for parliament in Barking, a constituency where the fascists already have 11 councillors.

But the BNP has not gone unopposed. In the past year Unite Against Fascism has organised dozens of high-profile protests, rallies and campaigns against the Nazis. We helped disrupt Griffin's press conference, blockade the BNP's annual rally in Derbyshire, and most recently organised a huge protest outside the BBC studios when Griffin appeared on Question Time.

UAF groups around the country have also regularly opposed the EDL in cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The next six months will be vital for turning the tide against the fascists. UAF stands for uniting everyone who wants to fight back against the BNP and EDL - black and white, gay and straight, people of all religions and none.

If we stand together we we can defeat the Nazis just as we defeated the National Front in the 1970s and the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s. Come along to our conference and find out how you can join the movement.


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Register now! Fees are £25 for organisation delegates, £10 for individuals, or £5 for unwaged/students. Make cheques payable to Unite Against Fascism, or use our secure online donation facility at www.tinyurl.com/UAFdonate and write "Conference Registration" in the comment box. Please include your name, address, email and phone number. Cheques should be sent to UAF, PO Box 36871, London WC1X 9XT

Contact UAF - email: unite@ucu.org.uk tel: 020 7801 2782

Local contact details Simon Magorian Tel:07528839223