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Stop the BNP's 'Festival' of Hate

Ben | 30.06.2009 21:08 | Anti-racism | Migration | Workers' Movements | Sheffield

Local Campaign Groups and the TUC mobilise against unwelcome Fascist event



The Amber Valley and Derby Campaigns Against Racism and Fascism and Notts Stop the BNP are jointly planning a mass demonstration to oppose the BNP’s Red, White and Blue festival this year, on Saturday 15th August 2009. This is attracting widespread support. These local campaign groups are meeting with the Midlands TUC, who have passed a resolution calling for a protest with them, and calling for all their constituent unions to mobilise.

The protest will begin with as many local activists as possible assembling in Codnor from 9 am. It is anticipated that contingents will arrive from elsewhere in the country leading up to a National Rally at 11 am, with a demonstration to follow that. These details may change nearer the time.

The objectives of the protest against the BNP’s RWB festival will be:
1.to bring together those who oppose the BNP in a peaceful and unified show of mass opposition to this major national event of theirs;
2.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;
3.to attempt to make the protest seen by as many as possible of those thinking of attending the festival;
4.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;
5.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, have not been actively involved as yet, but UAF have said they will work with the local campaigns, and have announced the same event time.

Last year there was confusion and division as the UAF attempted to organise separately, make their own arrangements with police, and then to hijack the main march.

Also last year at the opposite end of the festival site police violently attacked a separate action by atifascists trying to disrupt the BNP.

A major planning meeting is planned for July 18th in the centre of Nottingham. The details of this will be posted on the website soon.

The website  http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com/ will 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  nobnpfestival@riseup.net

Ben

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Police

01.07.2009 10:16

The Police are going to double their presence this year. From a police insider, they intend to use snatch squads, and plain squad cops on the demo itself.
Last year 30+ anti fascists were arrested, their mobiles were taken of them. Some of them had been very silly in the use of their mobiles, and the police have this info for use.
Be warned.

Police insider

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police infiltrate us

02.07.2009 22:13

we know they have infiltrated us. what we have to do is make sure we dont have any thing in our house that could cause problems..they arrest us then search our house while we temporally in custody.
all this is for, is to go through ya stuff..... they have even been known to go throught ya computer..i got arrested last red white and blue it caused me more problems than you could imagine (my mum wasnt too happy when 6 police officers came into our house and went through my bedroom with a fine tooth comb).they like perves going through ya personals. just make sure ya cover every base!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i learnt the hard way we should all stick together and learn from our mistakes..

sarah/union rep

Don't be put off

03.07.2009 09:38

I have to say, I don't know whether the above two comments are genuine, or are fascist interference trying to put people off coming. I apologise if I am offending anyone by saying this.

In 2008 the police did indeed behave very harshly at the South West end of the lane, and some antifascists were injured. These people were (I understand) making a brave effort to actually hinder the fascists and blockade the RWB, which was after all a stated aim of the Notts campaign at that time. The 'main event' at the other end of the lane was much more peaceful however, with the police largely behaving themselves with a co-operative (and arguably relatively ineffective) protest.

The police do now quite routinely raid the houses of poeple under arrest, which is a power they have under sections 17 and 18 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. I do not recall anyone telling me they had experienced this after last years RWB, but I stand to be corrected.

This year the protest advertised is just that - a protest. It is being organised this year by not just the Notts campaign, but the Derby one and the Amber Valley one, and the regional TUC. The Derby and Amber Valley campaigns were not in existence last year. The political complexion of these campaigns is pretty broad and moderate, and they have decided already to begin discussions with the police in order to 'maintain people's safety'.

Despite the fact that the police tasar people when they are down, baton young women in the face, murder passing newsagents etc etc, I tend to think this years main event is going to be bigger than last years, but also probably not very confrontational. Possibly the bigger danger than violence or arrests on the main event is the danger of being ineffectively herded about and remaining polite to the BNP.

I do not know whether there are any other more disruptive actions being organised against the RWB this year, but that is a separate matter.

So please do not be put off.

Ben

Come to this meeting, help get shed load of people there

04.07.2009 12:12

in a organised confidence raising way. What the BNP dont want is a load of Diverse well organised carnival atmosphere outside their red white & poo in numbers that it will hinder their access.

THere needs to be alot of stewards to stop protect the speaker-music area+ women & children who came last year & not leave it just to the police who often it seems are more interested in arresting& attacking us.
If you want to help organise & plan where the procession goes then come to this meeting, unless your a nazi in which case you will be made very unwelcome;)
Lets not split our numbers+ try& takeover undemocratically from locals who organised the protest.

If we do an action, then lets do one that wont go pete tong & create a situation which the BNP could exploit or the police could crack down on.

Britpop Charlie Chaplin

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IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Police amongst anti fascists

05.07.2009 19:35

Apart from huge police numbers on the day, local anti fascist groups have police informers in their ranks. Come on, it is not really hard to get on board is it, just turn up for meetings and show your active, and that is what the police have been doing.

In a pub in Derbyshire where the police drink, off duty police after a few pints have been bragging they are amongst the anti fascists, although no details.

Anti fascists should be suspect of individuals advocating ''militant action'', even coming from those whose credentials seem sound.
The police could well be setting up anti fascists for a sting and conspiracy charges.

I am still going on the day but I will be very very careful.

Ric

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