BNP fundraising event attacked

antifa | 15.03.2009 09:44 | Anti-racism | Social Struggles | Liverpool

A fundraising event for the British National Party in Leigh, Greater Manchester on Fri 13 March was attacked by anti-fascists. A BNP trailer was totally wrecked, and one BNP activist, Tony Ward, was allegedly attacked with a hammer, requiring hospital treatment.

BNP activist Tony Ward

The BNP were due to hold a fundraising event at the Pure night club at in Leigh, but it was cancelled. Their trailer was allegedly attacked outside the Ellesmere Pub in St Helen's Rd by anti-fascists with hammers, who smashed all the windows and totalled the vehicle.

The recently leaked BNP membership list contains an Anthony Ward in Liverpool, described as an "activist" and it is thought this was the injured person.

One man was arrested on suspicion of GBH but was later released.

Links to some corporate media reports of the event:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7943556.stm

http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=mob-bash-bnp-man-with-hammer&method=full&objectid=21200118&siteid=93463-name_page.html

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1102439_bnp_man_attacked_with_hammer

antifa

Comments

Hide the following 17 comments

Interesting

15.03.2009 16:18

not hard to see who the REAL fascists are here...

john

Well Done..

15.03.2009 16:20

Most of the time you read or hear about the BNP, it is from the far left petty bourgeois anarchist most of the them do seemed to have a fascination about them. Now after the attack on Tony Ward, 48, was hit with a hammer and later treated in hospital. they are now in the main stream media, such as the BBC and SKY. No doubt the story will be carried in scores of local papers in the North West, with the picture of his injury. People(those are the ones voting in the Euros in June) will not be impressed by that. The BNP are pushing the story for all it's worth, and I fear they will get political dividends from it.

A thread on the U75 general forum regarding the attack on the, would be worthy of a thread on Storm front regarding an attack on someone from the ethnic minorities. Childlike comments, Middle Class student types gloating over violence (although most of that type of poster has never thrown a punch, or received a punch in their lives), hard man posturing, and general crass comments made it the worst thread to have been on U75

The BNP are tiny and are not about to sweep into NO10. Their opposites numbers on the left seem to be lacking a party after Respect fell apart. They pay far to much attention to the BNP, Violence broke out as 30 people surrounded a BNP vehicle outside the Ellesmere Pub in St Helens Road in Leigh on Friday evening, said police.

Now we agree there will be a time for the use of force, but this is more about macho postering than political action, to defeat the far right, need we keep on repeating this, but the growth of the far right is due to the left petty bourgeois anarchist not engagement with the working class.

You only need to read the propaganda of The Far right, well done to The Middle Class you have once again weakened The Working Class.

http://underclassrising.net/
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Homepage: http://underclassrising.net/

FAB

15.03.2009 16:26

News like this really encourages people who despise the far right, which is every ordinary person:)

I am everywhere
mail e-mail: Ourideasareineveronesheads.com
Homepage: http://fuckthebnp.com

Sadly....

15.03.2009 17:56

...this is just not true:-

"News like this really encourages people who despise the far right, which is every ordinary person"

Sim1

Real fascists?

15.03.2009 21:49

Yeah John the real fascist is marked by the fact he has a big hole in his forehead! You do know that violence has been used for decades by anti-fascists? Using violence doesn't make you a fascist anymore than participating in elections makes you a democrat. Groups form the Edelweiss Pirates to the 43 Group to AFA and Antifa have been using direct action against fascists and nazi's for years. Just because you smack a fascist it doesn't make you one, such an assumption suggests a chronic misunderstanding of fascism.

BruisedShins

BNP Victim Mentality

16.03.2009 07:49

The evidence is that BNP members volunteer to be photogenically injured in order to appear in a propaganda drive for the dwindling hitler cult. The amount of victim creation that goes on in the BNP as a matter of policy is truly frightening.

The leaking of the membership list victimised people with only a passing contact to the BNP (as well as genuine, active, hard line fascists) and this tactic continues on with BNP members being victimised at such events. Antifascists do become physically involved and that is not what is being questioned here. It is the more sinister role of the "political soldiers" of the Right who seek to create victims among their own ranks in order to garner support from the sympathy vote. Only by creating a victimised minority can the BNP actually hope to continue existing in a multicultural society. Think about it: "racism cuts both ways", is just one example of the victim mentality the BNP seeks to create. Apart from being a misrepresentation, it serves to degrade anybody with any sense of identity.

The BNP want to victimise their members. A clear message that it is the BNP creating victims is also needed.

Nick Griffins Accountant

Great action

16.03.2009 14:54

The headline grabbing hammer blow seems to have distracted people from the fact this it seems like this was a great action. If the BNP are going to tour the country trying to spread race hate in our communities then direct action against them and the property in order to prevent them is not only commendable but necessary. And if fascists picks up head wounds in the process, well I won't be shedding any tears.

Good night white pride

Stop, Hammer Time!

16.03.2009 16:36

Whoever did this needs to be bought a drink right now. This is brilliant. This really does send out a message, if you join the BNP, you get smashed in a face with a hammer, I mean, I wouldn't fancy joining if I saw that, not that I would anyways.

Black And Redskin

hypocrites

17.03.2009 22:51

Just goes to support what i've been saying for a long time:
All activists are troublemakers who don't care about society except for their own short-sighted selfish needs. Militant antifacists are as bad as facists. Probably worse because they have a self-righteous hand-of-god type attitude about it all. Totally oblivious to the fact that most people hold them in equal contempt for their violent actions. Would probably still be lauding themselves if the guy suffered real damage or death. That is nothing to be proud of and is not what the vast majority of people hold in high esteem. If you applaud violence you have really got to ask yourself - should you be allowed to walk in society?

tom

this is sick

19.03.2009 07:48

i was really shocked and sad and angry tosee this sort of article in the indymedia. The person who sent it in has seriously gone over the limit. I do not want to associate with this sort of things and i suggest no disgusting admiration of violence like this should be allowed here. otherwise you will drive people like me out of the movement and trust me, you don't want that. Only a big movement with large numbers can be successful.

I don't agree with this sort of actions that are only going to serve to rage a war more and more. Shame on you for submitting this sort of shit in here! (otherwise i do agree that antifa is needed but the tactics should be under discussion!!!!)

Fuck you who did this, if you would be in my community i would suggest off-siting you. Are there any other members of our community who agree with me?

Fiona Marks

Violence is Appalling

19.03.2009 08:13

Fiona - with all due respect, you are right to be appalled by violence but wrong to allow it to drive you from any kind of democratic movement.

The BNP has spent several years cultivating the image of put upon victim. Realistically, it is the only way for them to be seen as anything other than the violent thugs that they are. The Fascist forums tell rabid stories and half truthes about what happened. Including that the BNP activist was specifically targeted by a hammer wielding member of a gang of forty black youths or a gang of eighty multicultural yobs. Which perpetuates myths that the BNP see as important to their cause. Apparently, he also had forty stitches. It seems to be a magic number, forty.

The main result of the action was the destruction of BNP property rather than harm to people. While militant antifascists do prefer violence against militant fascists, the results are often a lot less "physical" than both sides portray.

The BNP activist was a victim of violence, no doubt about it. His record of violence and intimidation is something that the BNP have tried to play down. They have also attempted to play down the fact that the fund raising event was to take place in a club that is currently shut for renovation. Because the fact that shut clubs hold no events is distortable to the lie that the club was shut by a politically correct police officer to prevent the BNP having a meeting.

Yes, be appalled and object to violence, but stop accepting the stories at face value. The BNP are militant, fascist thugs who are adept at getting their story with their spin into the media. If you look at the mainstream media presentation it is extremely sympathetic to the BNP because it tries to be even handed, fair and neutral. Which the BNP exploits. The alternative presented in indymedia is that the whole incident was part of a violently destabilising strategy of tension that the BNP are indulging in. They want to be victimised and need to be victims.

Be appalled at the violence but ask why it is happening and what causes it. The ability to ask questions is something the BNP do not want people to have.

Nick Griffins Accountant

hmm

19.03.2009 15:01

Now why does Liverpool Indymedia praise this yet when a BNP member went into the next to knowhere bookshop in November they where straight on the phone to the police?

Your either Militant or you stay on the side of the Police

Contradiction Patrol

yet again the trolls turn up.

19.03.2009 18:07

Asking about Bookshops telephoning the police the moment a known criminal walks into their premises is hardly relevant. Is this the kind of vacuous question the BNP love to ask?

Part of their Love Fascism Hate Literacy campaign, maybe?

Waterstones also (and a lot less obviously) telephone the police the moment any one of a number of BNP Supporters enter the premises. Same at Hairy Records. Same at The Works.
Get the feeling it might not be because they are fascists?

Face facts - antisocial BNP scum are not wanted. Not even close.

A passing Shopper

no contradiction - fascists are scum so they deserve beatings

19.03.2009 23:03

There is no contradiction unless you are a principled pacifist:

Fascists are scum so they deserve a beating.

Anti-fascists aren't scum so they don't deserve beatings.

It's as simple as that.

anon

Let's look at the important bits here eh?

20.03.2009 14:09

To be frank, I don't care whether or not a BNP activist has been hit with a hammer. On the one hand I don't feel it achieved much but on the other hand I have absolutely zero sympathy and if anything a feeling of 'serves you right'. After all, surely Mr. Griffin's belief that power comes from 'well-directed boots and fists' means that he wants violent confrontation.

Anyway, the important part about this is that there has been a disabling effect on the BNP European Election campaign caused by direct action by anti-fascists. The BNP's infamous lie lorry has been damaged to fuck and as a party with limited resources I hope this will help.

Furthermore I woul like to highlight the work of Searchlight in getting the owner of the Pure nightclub to cancel the BNP meeting in the first place. The fact that the BNP turned up anyway is a testament to their stupidity.

Speeds

re-posted comment

21.03.2009 10:20

http://underclassrising.net/ | 15.03.2009 16:24 | Manchester | Sheffield

Most of the time you read or hear about the BNP, it is from the far left petty bourgeois anarchist most of the them do seemed to have a fascination about them. Now after the attack on Tony Ward, 48, was hit with a hammer and later treated in hospital. they are now in the main stream media, such as the BBC and SKY. No doubt the story will be carried in scores of local papers in the North West, with the picture of his injury.

People(those are the ones voting in the Euros in June) will not be impressed by that. The BNP are pushing the story for all it's worth, and I fear they will get political dividends from it.

A thread on the U75 general forum regarding the attack on the, would be worthy of a thread on Storm front regarding an attack on someone from the ethnic minorities. Childlike comments, Middle Class student types gloating over violence (although most of that type of poster has never thrown a punch, or received a punch in their lives), hard man posturing, and general crass comments made it the worst thread to have been on U75

The BNP are tiny and are not about to sweep into NO10. Their opposites numbers on the left seem to be lacking a party after Respect fell apart. They pay far to much attention to the BNP, Violence broke out as 30 people surrounded a BNP vehicle outside the Ellesmere Pub in St Helens Road in Leigh on Friday evening, said police.

Now we agree there will be a time for the use of force, but this is more about macho postering than political action, to defeat the far right, need we keep on repeating this, but the growth of the far right is due to the left petty bourgeois anarchist not engagement with the working class.

You only need to read the propaganda of The Far right, well done to The Middle Class you have once again weakened The Working Class.

Links to some corporate media reports of the event:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7943556.stm

http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=mob-bash-bnp-man-with-hammer&method=full&objectid=21200118&siteid=93463-name_page.html

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1102439_bnp_man_attacked_with_hammer

http://underclassrising.net/
- e-mail:

http://underclassrising.net/
- Homepage:

http://underclassrising.net/

admin

Hammer Time!

22.03.2009 12:31

Despite the whining from the usual suspects on here, I don't know of a single person who wasn't really pleased when they heard about this. Well done!

Antifascist