Mobilisation against BNP’s Red, White and Blue festival August 15th now underway

Charlie Salmon | 21.06.2009 10:29 | Anti-racism

From nobnpfestival.wordpress.com

Representatives of the Amber Valley and Derby Campaigns Against Racism and Fascism and Notts Stop the BNP campaign met in Heanor, Derbyshire on Saturday, June 20th to discuss plan for the protest against the BNP’s Red, White and Blue festival this year, 2009.

The meeting agreed to organise a protest again this year’s BNP festival on August 15th convening in Codnor Market Place. The protest will begin with as many local activists as possible assembling from 9 am. We expect contingents to arrive from elsewhere in the country leading up to a National Rally at 11 am with a demonstration to follow that.

The meeting agreed that the the objectives of the protest against the BNP’s RWB festival will be:

to bring together those who oppose the BNP in a peaceful and unified show of mass opposition to this major national event of theirs;
to make clear to participants in the BNP event that they are not welcome in attempting to use Amber Valley as a base for their activities;
to attempt to make our protest seen by as many as possible of those thinking of attending the festival;
to encourage opponents of the BNP in the Amber Valley district and wider area to continue to campaign against the divisive policies of the BNP and the violent activities of their members;
to safeguard as much as possible the safety of those protesting.
Representatives from all of the campaigns planning the protest will be meeting on a weekly basis from now on up until the event itself. A number of organisations, such as UAF and Hope not Hate, had to send their apologies. It is hoped that they, along with sponsors of the event last year, will be able to attend the next major planning meeting planned for July 18th in the centre of Nottingham. The details of this will be sent to last year’s sponsoring organisations and posted on this website soon.

This website will again be used to keep people informed of this protest as well as other campaigning activity in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area. For further information please contact the email address associated with this website nobnpfestival at riseup.net

Charlie Salmon
Homepage: http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com

Comments

Hide the following 21 comments

swap meet?

21.06.2009 11:26

Of course UAF/HNH had to "send their apologies".

They'll soon announce their own demonstration that they have tight control over.

As usual.

U@F

if it

21.06.2009 11:39

ain't in their names they are never interested.

ballz

..

21.06.2009 13:27

oh dear, another protest bent on "bearing witness" without actually doing anything to stop the festival. Wake the fuck up!

antifa

smash the fash

21.06.2009 15:05

What good is uaf gonna do in standing outside making a little bit of polite criticism??

Antifa need to mobilise. For too long now antifa having been sitting about criticising uaf etc. Its a bout time they made their fucking presence known.

United we could shut this fucking nazi-fest down for good

antifa

"antifa"?!

21.06.2009 23:11

"Antifa need to mobilise. For too long now antifa having been sitting about criticising uaf etc. Its a bout time they made their fucking presence known."

Why don't YOU make your presence known. Either get involved or STFU

Antifa

Militant Antifa shouldn't bother with the RWB

22.06.2009 00:15

Look at how many arrests last time? police intelligence gathering and hassle. Not worth it. Lets pick battles we can actually win. Personally I have no problem with the BNP having a "festival", what I do have a problem with them is organising in working class areas and feeding off peoples fears and insecurities caused by capitalist society. Thats where they need to be shut down not in some fucking dicks farm in derby.

solidarity

another antifa

Picking your battles

22.06.2009 14:04

I'd agree with this

"what I do have a problem with them is organising in working class areas and feeding off peoples fears and insecurities caused by capitalist society. Thats where they need to be shut down not in some fucking dicks farm in derby."

There are more appropriate and practical targets than 1000 odd bnp fenced up in a farm protected by a couple of hundred police in riot gear. If people really want to confront them at this particular event it's probably best to scout around the newsagents/grocers in codnor, there was a few of them hanging around there last year. Though again this is likely to be in the vicinity of police so it probably isn't worth it. The fight is in our local areas not in some police guarded fortress in a field in derby.

BruisedShins

2 questions that come to mind...

22.06.2009 18:37

1) Who's doing the catering for this fascist festival?

2) How easy is it to get hold of very large amounts of liquid acid these days?

creative antifa

lollypop brigade

24.06.2009 13:21

the time now is right for antifa to mobilise .as towards the uaf they are a laughing joke waving the lollypops and shouting nazi. its time to take a different line.
the uaf just embarrass us and you only have to take a sneaky look on the right wing web sites to see that they laugh at the uaf.
the uaf want kicking out of our movement now

maguire

A United Campaign Is Called For

26.06.2009 00:31

And only the UAF can deliver a united campaign against Nazism.

Last year over 2000 people joined the UAF demonstration against the Nazi BNP. Hope Not Hate did not send anybody to the demonstration despite invitations from the national secretary of UAF in the name of Unity.

The UAF is the natural successor to the spirit of the original ANL and the militant antifascism of the battle of Cable Street.

Antifa and HnH do not have strategies in place that can empower people to challenge racism and fascism.

Only a national campaign and national strategies can defeat the BNP and this must start immediately to stop the Nazis.

Donna
Homepage: http://www.uaf.org.uk

Short term memory, Donna?

27.06.2009 09:20

HnH had a few people there, including a speaker at the local demo which UAF tried to ruin.

Donna is a Jockey

Support the protest AND work long term in the community

27.06.2009 11:03

another antifa said "I do have a problem with them is organising in working class areas and feeding off peoples fears and insecurities caused by capitalist society. Thats where they need to be shut down not in some fucking dicks farm in derby."
I agree in so far as any one-off demo made up largely of people there for one day alone has limitations on what it can do.
What it DID do last year was to encourage local anti-fascists to organise there for the first time in years, knowing there were a lot of people 'out there' who could help them. Since then they have been having some quite large meetings in Heanor. Their long term campaigning, tallking to both those who want to get organised against the BNP as well as talk to some of the naive or intimidated people who might be tempted to vote for the BNP is what will really drive them back.
Our protest is an opportunity to get a national response to a national BNP mobilisation. As of this minute it looks as though we could get a larger turnout last year and really discourage people trying to get access to the site whilst also encouraging locals to step up their campaign.

Dave Matthews
mail e-mail: pete.radcliff@ntlworld.com
Homepage: http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com

Dave/Pete-whatever your name is

27.06.2009 15:53

Last year the UAF took over your protest, pushed your mob to the back and made you look like Weyman's lickspittle, so don't come on here giving it the big one.

Militant antifascism is the only way.

Harry Roberts

Horse Rider

27.06.2009 20:12

Dave, your site states in article that C18 was born in Belper?

Get a grip you silly sausage.

Bethnal Green more like.

Wanker

Dave Migt Be A Jockey Too

Silly boys or old men

28.06.2009 09:29

Harry Roberts - you say militant antifascism. Perhaps you could give us an example of that instead of hiding behind the alias of a now dead criminal cop-killer from the 1960's or are you suggesting armed robbery is your idea of militant antifascism?

Similar to some other comments. Let us know what you did in the last 10 years that you think was good.

There is unfortunately very little positive to say in terms of direct action to impede BNP organisation. An action called by the Notts Stop the BNP campaign that had 150 people blocking the streets in Kimberley and stopped Griffin holding a meeting. Other examples?

Before I worry about your comments, I would like to know about your proud histories of struggle and of examples to follow. C18, where it started I don't know - didn't write article but I have been active in the area long enough to know they have been strong in Derbyshire from way back. If you are a serious researcher into the history of C18, 'Dave Migt Be A Jockey Too' I will try and contact the person who posted that article - but I think you are just someone who is unable to organise any serious anti-fascist action but likes as Harry to pretend. Would be happy to learn otherwise.

Pete
Homepage: http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com

Serious Researcher?

28.06.2009 11:51

It is not. It's the idiots from Leeds BPP trying to cause friction.

Biera

Me again

28.06.2009 11:53

Although it is fair to say, although I could not find the offending article, I think Bethnal Green probably is a more likely answer.

Oops...

Harry Roberts?

28.06.2009 12:55

Is not dead. He's due for release this year.

Facts straight please, ladies.

Also, C18 was formed in London's east End. Where I assume Bethnal Green is?

Fact Finer

there is only one way to deal with the fash.....

28.06.2009 13:41

"Last year the UAF took over your protest, pushed your mob to the back and made you look like Weyman's lickspittle, so don't come on here giving it the big one" this is true. wayman bennett ought to stick to saving the area where he comes from and let a more active approach to the fash be taken round here.we dont want him and dont need him . having the uaf try to take over just brings in a lot of lollypop waving idiots .they should leave it to us. we have plans that dont need ruining. maguire

maguire

You cheeky Trot bastard!

29.06.2009 17:56

"And only the UAF can deliver a united campaign against Nazism.

"Last year over 2000 people joined the UAF demonstration against the Nazi BNP. Hope Not Hate did not send anybody to the demonstration despite invitations from the national secretary of UAF in the name of Unity.

"The UAF is the natural successor to the spirit of the original ANL and the militant antifascism of the battle of Cable Street.

"Antifa and HnH do not have strategies in place that can empower people to challenge racism and fascism.

"Only a national campaign and national strategies can defeat the BNP and this must start immediately to stop the Nazis."

The only sort of 'unity' the UAF/SWP are interested in is a 'unity' under their complete control. In terms of the RWB, that means a nice safe well-policed space where they can sell papers, recruit new members, collect money, and stop anyone from doing fuck all else to make the UAF look like the political parasites that they are (and that WILL include grassing people up to the cops.)

Last year the UAF weren't even interested until the last minute, when they saw that something was going to happen anyway and moved in to sabotage militant opposition and even that of their own group in Notts.

You have got a cheek talking about Cable Street you worthless Trot. You and the rest of the SWP are just parasites, whose only interest in antifascism has been opportunistic. You have done nothing to stop the rise of the BNP, quite the reverse. The sooner antifascists get together and show real unity by kicking you bastards out of our movement the sooner the real struggle against fascism can begin.

The SWP are SCUM!

Leave it to us

08.07.2009 20:42

With respect, can Antifa stay awy if they#re intending on breaking any laws? We're planning a peaceful protest, not getting ourselves maced, tasered and nicked because of a few rabble that want the violence. You do your thing, we'll do ours. We have Denby covered again.

UAFsupporter
Homepage: http://www.uaf.org.uk