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Police protect NF march in Bermondsey

Leo | 14.04.2001 22:27

A massive police presence allowed about 20 National Front supporters to march in Bermondsey, South-East London today.

A tiny group of about 20 National Front supporters were given massive police protection to march in Bermondsey in South-East London today. Several hundred anti-fascists, including Anti-Nazi League, No Platform, Firefighters Against the Nazis, Socialist Alliance, local Labour Party and religious groups protested against the NF march, and tried to stop it, but were blocked in by hundreds of cops and continually photographed.
In the aftermath of last weeks march by the NF in the area, at least 3 racist attacks happened, but they were allowed to march again.
Last weeks police operation cost half a million quid, which works out to approximately 15 grand a fascist to allow them to spread their racist garbage.
Altho' the Nazi Front are tiny, they are hoping to build support in poorer areas like Bermondsey, off the back of the campaign to scapegoat refugees and asylum seekers by the likes of Straw, Widdecombe and the right-wing press.
The majority of local people do not support the Nazis, though and resent the massive police presence.
The NF have applied to march again next week and local anti-Nazis are calling for action to stop them.

Leo
- e-mail: leo9@apexmail.net

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

Let them march (?).

15.04.2001 10:52

They're vile and thoroughly abusive but don't you need to have a policy of letting people march? Otherwise, how are they going to decide who can march and who can't? If they're going to stop them from marching then why shouldn't they stop us? OK so we're good and the nazis are evil but as far as the police are concerned we're all just trouble makers who need to be policed one way or the other.

Banning stuff is a really dubious policy. We should think VERY carefully before we start going down that road.

On the other hand, one does have to balance the the nazis' right to march against the right of ethnic minorities not to have racial hatred stirred up against them....

Then there's the money. Not sure where that fits in..

Mr S


Just ignore them

15.04.2001 17:46

Anti-Capitalists don't march and protest with police support or protection, they are brutally repressed by armed riot squads. The fact they protect the NF speaks volumes. But the government would love anarchists and Nazi's to be embrioled in counter demonstrations, don't fall for it. It's divide and rule tactics!

peasant


Confronting the nazis is important

16.04.2001 14:49

The National Front are looking to march again in Bermondsey this Saturday, April 21st. After their first march nine days ago there were at least three racist attacks in the area immediately after. The nailbomber David Copeland marched with the NF. Stephen Lawrence's murder happened in an area where the BNP had their bookshop, pumping out Nazi propaganda. The facts are that whenever the nazis march, people get attacked or killed. History shows us that when you ignore them they get stronger. The nazis have never got a foothold in this country because people have always confronted them in the streets as well as ideologically, from Cable Street in the 30's to Lewisham in the 70's to the Isle of Dogs in the 90's. At a time when Labour and Tory MP's both spread lies and racist slurs about asylum seekers and a judge can openly criticise the findings of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry without a word from the government, the nazis are looking to take advantage. Don't let them. Come to Bermondsey on Saturday and send these scum scurrying back into the sewers from where they came from.

shaun
mail e-mail: shaund@apexmail.com


lets put this into perspective

18.04.2001 23:12

the difference between the two opposing groups as i see it, to do with the philosophy that each subscribe to. whereas the anarchists are promoting free speach and the right to individual self government and autonomy, the nazis are all about opression, and crushing all opposition, instead of allowing the people to decide for themselves. how can the authorities even contemplate putting these two groups in the same category and allow the nazis to march, (notice how the resulting news i.e. the racist attacs was kept very low key by the national media) and not allow a suposedly peacfull demo to happen. (also notice the massively over-hyped news coverage around at the moment). come on get real, mr authority, you need to get your priorities straight, and think about what kind of messages you are putting across!

Mr D
mail e-mail: phreak.ninja@fetchmail.com