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Dagenham: BNP rally drowned out by anti facists

red letter | 10.12.2006 21:47 | Anti-racism

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An attempt by the fascist British National Party (BNP) to hold a racist rally in Dagenham, east London, ended in humiliation for them on Saturday.

Despite extensive leafleting in the borough, the Nazis only managed to attract around 70 people to their rally – and they were surrounded by over 400 anti-fascist protesters chanting slogans and jeering at them.

The anti-Nazi counter demonstration, called by Unite Against Fascism, drew a large, vibrant and diverse crowd of local residents, trade unionists, students and anti-racist activists.

East London trade unions were particularly visible on the Unite demonstration, with banners from the GMB, T&G, RMT, PCS and Unison unions.

Other groups present included Queen Mary University student union, Respect councillors and activists from across east London, and Labour Party supporters.

Richard Barnbrook, the leader of the BNP’s council group in Barking & Dagenham, struggled to make himself heard to the small crowd of Nazis that gathered in a car park near Dagenham civic centre.

But his words were drowned out by the chorus of anger and derision from the anti-fascists. The BNP supporters eventually filed away, visibly downcast and uncomfortable.

The BNP is trying to exploit the social problems in Barking & Dagenham – especially the lack of affordable housing – to whip up race hatred and build a Nazi organisation in the area.

This rally was its first attempt to move beyond passive electoral support in the borough by holding an open air public meeting. It was a failure.

In contrast the Unite counter demonstration brought together broad sections of the labour movement and the left in Barking & Dagenham in a confident and united protest.

The following should be read alongside this article:
» Demonstrate against the BNP’s racist rally



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red letter

Additions

Some Pictures from Dagenham

11.12.2006 11:58

Demonstrators make their way to protest against the BNP meeting
Demonstrators make their way to protest against the BNP meeting

Applauding the speakers at the ant-racist rally
Applauding the speakers at the ant-racist rally

Lee Jasper brought support from the Mayor of London
Lee Jasper brought support from the Mayor of London

Barnbrook enjoys a little limelight
Barnbrook enjoys a little limelight

Some of the small audience listening to Barnbrook
Some of the small audience listening to Barnbrook

It was great to see a successful protest against the BNP meeting.

Barnbrook had a different line on why they were holding an out-door meeting. He said they had wanted to use a hall, but the council had refused.

He had got permission for the meeting in the car park, but didn't have permission to use a megaphone. However after a few minutes it became clear he couldn't continue without one. Once he started using that, what he had to say was perfectly audible to the small group listening. But it soon became clear that he didn't have very much to say at all, although it wasn't clear how much this had to do with the protestors and the many journalists present.

His audience was small, and it certainly looked worried, very different from the confident and united demonstrators on the other side of the fence and the police line.

Here are a few pictures from the event. More on my 'My London Diary' in a day or two.

Peter Marshall
mail e-mail: petermarshall@cix.co.uk
- Homepage: http://mylondondiary.co.uk


Don't you ever learn?

11.12.2006 13:47

Dude, what is wrong with you? you've posted pictures of protestors, it's now only a matter of time before they all apear on redwatch, or are circulating the C18 mailing lists, please please please for the love of god, if you post pictures of protestors, and espacialy anti facist protestors pixel out their faces.
This is happening too often in Indymedia, there is a lack of communication problem here. is there a way to prevent it form happening again? most of the pictures on redwatch are ripped off of Indymedia.

Good protest though

Name?


Comments

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The same happened in Poland just 2 days ago...

11.12.2006 11:41

in a bit smaller scale
but the similar proportion (15/30)
in Olsztyn (North-East of Poland)
 http://pl.indymedia.org/pl/2006/12/25029.shtml

fasci-not-well-fed-bonehaeads
suprised and feared by the counters, hide behind the cordon of 20 cops
and stayed there till the end...


*
just their demo there was based more on a sexual minorities background,
(agression on which is well supported by current extreme right-wing
Polish government)

as we don't have too many of ethnic minorities
these days...(Post 45' cleansing and replacement USSR funded)

besides some traces of Greek communities (post 50 or something)
some gypsies (most moved now to your country)
quite lot of Chechenyans
and Iraqies
(and some from those areas of da World)

Arrow


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Ooops, you did it yet again.

11.12.2006 13:54

Worried my arse! What a shower of shite you looked. You were the worried ones with your vile mouths and faces covered with scarves in case anyone noticed you, you fucking nonce cases.
As for jasper, a pig-thick half-baked negroid, fucking hilarious!
I needed a good laugh with the weather so depressing, and fuck me I one! eh eh

See you in May for more BNP victories in Dagenham losers.
ooops!

Nathaniel Victor


The only way to live in a free society

11.12.2006 14:36

The only way to live in a free society is to live in a free society.

Regards,

Peter

Peter Marshall
mail e-mail: petermarshall@cix.co.uk
- Homepage: http://mylondondiary.co.uk


Stand up and be counted

11.12.2006 15:32

Don't be intimadted by the Nazis and redwatch. We need to stand in solidarity with the high profile anti nazis such as weymounth Bennet and co, they are the ones who really put their necks on the line, besides if the nazis ever did get into power most of us will be fucked anyhow.

p.s. look how miserable the nazi crowd seem to be.

red letter


Another photo

11.12.2006 15:51


In a true democracy, we'll be allowed to talk and protest everywhere, and they will get shot. This is what i think of their blatent abuse of the freedom of speach

Name?


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