UK Anti-racism Feature Archive
BNP Membership Leak 2.0
21-10-2009 11:50
On 20th October 2009 a list containing personal details of BNP members was leaked for the second time by the whistleblowing website Wikileaks. According to Wikileaks the latest data reflects the state of the party membership as of April 2009. An analysis of the data alludes to the successes and failures of the antifascist movement within the UK.
The claims of a 'surge' in BNP membership since the European elections appear to be false. The figures show a unique paid annual membership of 11,811 which is significantly less than the 14,000 recently claimed by the BNP. The list leaked in November 2008 showed a membership of 12,802 names although this list was widely regarded to include non-members who had shown an interest in the party.
Wikileaks state that a total of 35,000 memberships appear on the list, but after this number reached 33,000, 100,000 has been added to all subsequent membership ID numbers. "It has the effect of making the BNP look larger to new recruits and those they talk to, since the numbers on their membership cards are all over 133,000" say Wikileaks. This was a tactic originally adopted by the German nazi party after 1919 who added 500 to every member's number to exaggerate the party's strength, and was regarded as a key propaganda tactic to increase support.
The number of lapsed memberships also appear to be significantly high which indicates the party is poor at retaining committed support. A member of the state-funded antifascist group 'Searchlight' stated "people join the party because they're angry, agitated or curious, but they leave in equal numbers out of the bottom". However most BNP supporters are unlikely to join a political party so the figures exhibit a skewed representation of the current landscape of fascism in the UK.
Related Articles: BNP Threatens Free Media | Keep Question Time Nazi Free | No to the BNP! No to the Racist Labour Government! | Secret BBC Location
Leaflets, placards, and a fascist with a camera: yet another court hearing for Peter Tierney
05-09-2009 14:11
Anti-fascists challenge BNP's return to Derbyshire
19-08-2009 20:56
Last weekend saw the British National Party (BNP) return to the village of Denby, Derbyshire. For the third year in a row, the fascist party were holding their annual Red, White and Blue "festival" in the village, on land owned by party member and former Tory councillor Alan Warner. Anti-fascists protested outside the site. The BNP's recent successes in the European Elections appear to have strengthened the demonstrators' resolve with reports indicating that 1,000-1,500 anti-fascists mobilised against the event.
Last year the event was protested by several hundred activists in the nearby village of Codnor, while a smaller group of antifascists attempted to block access to the site. The campaign against the festival has continued throughout the year with Warner (1 and 2) and event organiser, David Shapcott, having been "visited" by anti-fascists. Warner appears to have decided that enough is enough and told the Derbyshire Evening Telegraph earlier this year that he was looking to move.
Photos: Demonstration against the BNP Event in Codnor 1 | Demonstration against the BNP Event in Codnor 2 | Protest against the BNP Event in Codnor, Derbyshire : Police Action | Demonstration against the BNP Event in Derbyshire: Surveillance Operations | AirRobots Drone deployed at Demo against the BNP Event in Derbyshire | The 'welcoming Gate Crew' BNP Event at Codnor, Derbyshire | Report of anti BNP protest in Codnor with 20 photos | BNP 'Red, White and Blue' festival hit by direct action | Photos from Protest against the BNP's Red White and Blue Festival 2009
On the newswire: Angel-faced BNP racist aged 12 | Radio Derby's friendly chat with the BNP | Report from the protest against the BNP's RWB festival 2009 | First report back from RWB demo | BNP nazi guest barred from UK | Nazi farmer Warner gets another visit | Stop the BNP's 'Festival' of Hate | BNP confirm RWB will be held in Derbyshire for a third year | Fascist farmer targetted again | The BNP's 'RWB' Organizer Gets An Early Call
Previous Features: Protests greet BNP "festival" | Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival" | BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP
Links: Antifa England | Hope Not Hate | Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Unite Against Fascism | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page
The sorry saga of Peter Tierney: an update
07-08-2009 11:34
Full article | 3 additions | 7 comments
No Border Camp at the UK Border extention beyond the channel
25-06-2009 20:47
A farcical curtain of steel descended on Calais, and the massive campaign of demonisation of the camp by the local authorities continued in the press. The camp gradually grew to around 1000 people from all over Europe. Many local people visited the site, a group of around 100 mostly Kurdish and Afghani migrants participated at a daily basis and a lot of local kids and young adults hanged out in the Camp [Report and Pics]
It run alongside the main motorway from the port out of town and it was just a few minutes from the "Jungle", the makeshift camps where migrants are living. Migrants report that currently the controls at the border are very tight and that no one has been getting through for few weeks, consequently the number of migrants in Calais are at their highest in several years.
On Sunday 21st of July, people from the camp went to the festival in the town centre of Calais, with a sound system, to give out leaflets that explain the aim and nature of the camp, in an attempt to communicate directly with the locals beyond the media lies. After the prohibition to distribute any kind of literature that was issued the following Monday, giving out leaflets became an action in itself where people got arrested. Issues of the daily produced newspaper "Nomad" were also confiscated.
Assisting the migrants seems to be a criminal offence, which granted an arrest on Wednesday 24th June, but people have been thinking about some paractical ideas you can do this summer to help the hundreds of migrants stranded in Calais.
On Friday 26th morning, a man demanded showers for migrants when he glued himself to the entrance of La Mairie de Calais - one died trying to have one in the dangerous place where they are forced to wash themselves. In the afternoon, the local motorway was blocked to highlight the hypocrisy of allowing freedom of movement for goods and animals but not of people. Reports: [1|2] Pictures: 1 [Summary of Friday actions]
On Saturday 27th, the campers left the Camp at 10am to go to the transnational demonstration. Here there are reports and Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Videos 1 | 2.
Back in the UK, a demonstration was called in solidariy with the detainees in hunger strike in Yarl's Wood detention centre [Photos 1 | 2].
People are using alternative and corporate tools for real time reporting.
General info and resources: [ 1 | 2 | 3 | After Calais what's next? | Reflecting on Calais No Border Camp 2009 | Video on S4 Welsh Chanel
BNP activists assault anti-fascists in Liverpool city centre
24-04-2009 12:55
BNP candidate "would revel at causing some havoc"
31-03-2009 16:23
Councillor Lewis Allsebrook, who is running for the party in the upcoming European elections, has said he "would revel at causing some havoc" in Brussels. In a series of bizarre outbursts on his many blogs he has also called Church of England readings of the Bible "normally twisted and evil" and claimed that there is "a ring of darkness around Nottingham" that the Labour party would call "Diversity".
Meanwhile, in Sutton in Ashfield, the BNP's fundraising fish and chips dinner at the Nag's Head, featuring "light and sound effects plus cinema-graphics", was spoilt by an anti-fascist demonstration.
Previous feature: East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains
Newswire: Foot in mouth disease rampant in BNP | BNP in Sutton last night | Anti BNP Demonstration - Sutton In Ashfield - 25-03-09 | BNP take council seats in Amber Valley
Links: Antifa | Hope Not Hate | Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue Festival | Unite Against Fascism
Full article | 2 additions | 2 comments
Merseyside Police Protect British National Party
01-12-2008 22:09
10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance Procession
28-10-2008 11:39
On Saturday 25th October 2008,several hundred people attended the 10th Annual United Families & Friends Remembrance procession which was led by many family members of those who have died in suspicious circumstances in police custody, prison and 'secure' mental health facilities.
In customary tradition the procession made its way in dignified silence from Trafalgar Square down Whitehall to Downing Street in dutiful respect to those who mourn the loss of loved ones and to invoke their memory and the collective injustices that their deaths represent. In the past year 182 such deaths have been recorded recorded, and a banner carried in the march listed over 2500 who have died.
Reports and Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Previous UFF processions: 2005 | 2006 [More] | 2007
External links: Inquest | Injustice the film 1 | 2 | Online petition against the Shoot to Kill Policy
Is this what democracy looks like?
16-10-2008 11:22
On Tuesday evening, the University of Nottingham Students Union (SU) Council voted against a motion of no confidence in its Education Officer, Craig Cox. Cox held up a placard saying 'Bring Back Slavery' at a National Union of Students (NUS) event earlier in the year and was subsequently at the centre of a race hate investigation. The NUS has found Cox to be guilty of breaking equal opportunities guidelines and banned him from all non-democratic national events.
Cox has been allowed to stay in spite of a strong campaign by black and anti-racist students, who mobilised around 60 people to picket the meeting, and 2000 letters written to representatives. A fellow Conservative and personal friend of Cox's chaired the meeting and made the decision to close it to debate from all but voting Council members. Students have questioned the democracy of the system that has allowed Cox to remain in his post.
Newswire: Nottingham SU Council back racist | Riseup Radio: Say No to Racism Audio | Picket Nottingham Student Union | Students mobilise against racism on campus | Yet Another Racist at Nottingham Uni
Previous Features: Racist on Student Executive at Nottingham University | Nottingham and Slavery - A Hidden History
Links: University of Nottingham Students Union | NUS Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Campaign | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism topic page
Racist on Student Executive at Nottingham University
07-09-2008 09:47
Recent news that Craig Cox, incoming Education Officer at the University of Nottingham, is being investigated by the police for an alleged race hate incident was no surprise to some students. Cox, who waved a sign saying 'Bring Back Slavery' at a recent National Uniont of Students (NUS) event, is the latest in a succession of students who have flirted with racism and fascism at the university.
Former examples include the the editor of a student paper that gave free reign to Phil Edwards (real name: Stuart Russell) of the British National Party (BNP), the debating society, Forum, who invited Holocaust denier David Irving to speak, and former BNP councillor, Sadie Graham.
Newswire: Yet Another Racist at Nottingham Uni | Meeting called at uni after BNP article published in student paper
Previous Features: Anger Over "Terror Arrests" at Nottingham University | Heavy Handed Police Condemned Over Peaceful Protest | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe
Links: University of Nottingham Students Union | NUS Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Campaign | Ceasefire Magazine | Notts Indymedia Anti-racism topic page
Protests greet BNP "festival"
21-08-2008 17:41
Between the 15th and 17th August, the BNP held their annual Red, White and Blue (RWB) "festival" in Denby, Derbyshire. This is the second year that the event has been held in this location. Last year there was little organised resistance, with only a single protester in attendance. This year saw more significant and diverse mobilisations against the event.
A rally was held in Codnor, by Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism (UAF). Despite people attending from as far afield as Brighton and Lancaster, this demonstration was relatively small and never came close to the 700 people limit imposed by Derbyshire Police. Elsewhere, activists associated with Antifa made their way cross country and attempted to barricade the road in order to prevent access to the site, resulting in clashes with police.
Local feeling against the RWB has been strong and many residents of Codnor, Denby and Amber Valley attended the demonstrations against it (some of them members of the recently formed Amber Valley Stop the BNP group).
Newswire: Anti RWB Protest Codnor & Denby 16-08-08 | Anti-RWB Protests, A Very Successful Failure. | Sunday Photos | Demonstration against the BNP Event in Derbyshire : The March | Demonstration against the BNP Event in Derbyshire : Designated Protest Point! | Demo at BNP festival. Pics & report. | Protestors at RWB | R,W,B Festival Denby/codnor | Britain's Racist Police
Previous Features: Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival" | BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP
Links: Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Smash The BNP's Scumfest! | Unite Against Fascism | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page
Full article | 3 additions | 65 comments
Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival"
11-08-2008 14:02
Between 15th and 17th of August, the fascist British National Party (BNP) is holding its annual Red, White and Blue 'festival' on a farm in Denby, Derbyshire. In previous years this so-called 'family festival' has brought together BNP members and white supremacists from across the world to enjoy Nazi marching songs and drunken glassings. The event has past off largely unremarked upon in previous years, with just a token response from the anti-fascist movement. Last year when the event was held in the same place, there was only one single protester. This time, however, local campaigners involved in Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP have been mobilising since late last year. The call has subsequently been taken up by Antifa England, Lancaster Unity, Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism among others.
Details: Leaflet and maps | Antifa Callout | Google map of site | Photos of the area | Coaches: 1 | 2
Newswire: Will It Be All White On The Night? | The Alan Warner (BNP) Supporters Club | BNP Begin Arriving for Festival, While Anti-Fascists Leaflet Codnor | RWB toilet supplier targetted | BNP's Second Licence Application Rejected! | Protest against fascist BNP's Red, White & Blue | New paint job for the RWB's fascist farmer
Previous Features: BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP
Links: Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Smash The BNP's Scumfest! | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page
No Salute to Israel, 60 Years of Apartheid is Nothing to Celebrate
01-07-2008 14:18
Today, a series of non-violent protest actions disrupted the 'Salute to Israel' parade. The parade celebrated 60 years since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Activists wished to remind the public that since its inception, Israel has been maintained through the constant oppression of the Palestinian people, in particular through ethnic cleansing.
The 'Salute to Israel' parade was a shameful show of support to a government engaged in war crimes. Sponsors included the Jewish National Fund, an organisation deeply involved in the colonisation of Palestinian land as well in anti-Palestinian discrimination within Israel. Activists wish to stress that the British government's authorisation, protection and support of this event is entirely unacceptable.
En route, the parade was greeted by activists with red dye on their hands to symbolise the blood of Palestinians killed by the Israeli government. In Trafalgar Square, both fountains were turned red after activists poured dye into the water and a Palestinian flag was unfurled at the entrance of the National Gallery. An activist climbed up a big screen which had to be turned off for most of the event. Also, another group attempted to get onto the roof of the National Gallery in order to unfurl a banner but were arrested in the process.
Police responded by making a series of ridiculous arrests, assaulting and detaining a woman for singing anti-zionist songs and deploying Forward Intelligence Teams to monitor and follow those attending the counter demonstrations.
Several Counter demonstrations were held by Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Action Palestine and Friends of Al Aqsa while Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others drove three double decker buses draped with Palestinian flags and black balloons around the square and Rhythms of Resistance tried to drown out the Pro-Zionist hip hop gig.
Newswire Posts Action Reports and photos of fountains and screen Climber | Report and Photos|
Press Releases Autonomous Actions For Palestine Disrupt Zionist Parade| 60 Years of Israeli War Crimes - Nothing To Celebrate |
Links Israel at 60 Protest Site| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Jews for Justice for Palestinians | Action Palestine| Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods | Friends of Al Aqsa | Palestine-UK Twinning Network |
Corporate Media Coverage of the Protests Al Jazeera Report |
Video Buses and Critical Mass | Woman assaulted by police for Singing|
Full article | 2 additions | 6 comments
Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba
23-06-2008 12:35
In the early hours of Saturday morning, activists occupied and shut-down the HQ and only UK freight warehouse of Carmel Agrexco - Israel's largest agricultural exporter from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The occupation held for over 6 hours until they were forcibly removed at 12 noon.
During the occupation over 10 loading trucks intended for the warehouse were sent away. British supermarkets - accounting for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports - had some of their orders affected. The Israeli government has a 50% stake in the company. Exports include flowers, avocados and herbs grown in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
Newswire: Israeli Owned Agrexco Warehouse Shut Down | Carmel occupied! Israeli settlement exporter shut down| Video of Police Forcibly removing Activists but Failing to Make Arrests
Previous Actions: Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid
Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation
Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign | The Big Campaign | ISM London | ISM Palestine
BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests
12-06-2008 12:41
On Tuesday June 10, Amber Valley Borough Council met at the Town Hall, Market Place, Ripley to hear the premises licence application for the BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival, scheduled to take place on land owned by party member and former Tory-councillor Alan Warner at Denby, Derbyshire from the 15th to the 17th August 2008.
Security at the meeting was tight. Protesters gathering outside were greeted by several van loads of Derbyshire's finest, evidence gatherers and a FIT Team. Inside, the police, who had initially raised no objection to the licence, claimed to have received "significant intelligence" which had forced them to reconsider their position. Fearing conflict between the BNP and anti-fascists they wished to see the imposition of new conditions including the erection of a seven-foot high fence around the site and the installation of temporary security lighting. When invited to sum-up their position the BNP representatives withdrew their application and stormed out of the meeting, insisting they would go ahead without the licence.
Newswire: Red White & Blue festival - Licence Refused | Red White Blue Festival licence refused | Protest Against the BNP: June 10 | Notts Stop the BNP objection to BNP licence application | Object to the BNPs "festival" | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism Topic Page
Previous features: East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe
Links: Amber Valley Borough Council | Antifa | Stop the Red White and Blue Campaign
East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains
07-05-2008 20:33
On Thursday May 1, local elections took place in various parts of the country. While the far-right British National party (BNP) did not do as well as they had hoped, they were able to win one seat on the London Assembly, meaning that a fascist is now one of the twenty-five people running London.
While they made no gains in Nottinghamshire (where there were elections in Bassetlaw, in which the BNP fielded only one candidate), in Derbyshire they got their first two seats on Amber Valley Borough Council with Chris Roper taking Heanor East and Lewis Allestree winning Heanor West. In Heanor & Loscoe Paul Snell polled 512 votes, to the victorious Labour candidates 513. These results, while worrying in themselves, are of particular interest because it is within the Amber Valley area that the BNP are planning on holding their annual Red, White and Blue festival.
Newswire: Notts Stop the BNP objection to BNP licence application | Object to the BNPs "festival" | BNP take council seats in Amber Valley | Notts Indymedia Anti-Racism Topic Page
Previous features: Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe
Resources: BNP and far-right election results: East Midlands | UK
The Harmondsworth Four acquitted
22-02-2008 19:50
The four migrants accused of "conspiracy to commit violent disorder" during the Harmondsworth uprising in 2006 were today found not guilty. Relying on a clearly insufficiently indoctrinated jury, the attempt to single out and punish few individuals with violent criminal convictions and long sentences has been thwarted. Of course, all four have already served one year and three months in prison, on top of varying times in immigration detention. Now they will have to resume their struggle against the immigration system, which imprisoned them for seeking refuge in the first place, and will most probably be dispersed around Britain's detention estate until their cases are 'resolved'.
Today the Support the Harmondsworth Four Campaign held a protest outside Sodexho's London headquarters. There had been a solidarity protest outside the court every Monday [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5].Background: letter from two of the Harmondsworth 4 to Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! | 'Report of the Investigation into the disturbances at Harmondsworth and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres', Robert Whalley | Chief Inspectors of Prison Report on Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre
Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP
21-01-2008 10:33
On Saturday, activists from across the Midlands and Yorkshire met in Nottingham to co-ordinate activities against the British National Party (BNP).
Around 100 campaigners met at the Queen's Walk Community Centre in the city for a conference organised by Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP.
Participants discussed the ways in which the BNP could be opposed, the formation of a regional anti-fascist network and the possibility of protests against the BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival.
Links: Midlands and South Yorks Activists Organise Against Racist BNP | Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP Event : Leaflet PDF
Newswire: Stop the BNP in Brinsley gains ground | Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party | BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley | Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue
Full article | 2 additions | 3 comments
Broxtowe BNP Councillor Expelled From Party
12-12-2007 21:26
Broxtowe BNP councillor Sadie Graham appears to have been expelled from the party for setting up a "treasonous" blog, along with the party's Head of Administration, Kenny Smith. The blog, containing materials from anti-fascist organisations, called for the removal of Mark Collett, the party's Head of Publicity.
After a Stasi-like operation in which the BNPs 'Intelligence Department' (fronted by an ex-South African police official) recorded and spied on telephone calls of party members, stories are circulating on Nazi webforums that five BNP security entered Graham's house and ransacked it looking for further evidence. This is further bad news for the beleaguered fascist party who are already facing serious internal divisions and a revived militant anti-fascist movement.
Update: Sadie Grahams house raided by police | BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley
Features: Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue | BNP wins seat in Broxtowe
Newswire: Sadie Graham Expelled from BNP! | 2nd Anniversarry of mums brutal murder by Kirkby Notts"freeSpeech"BNPcandidate | Nott's group go to BNP Conferance | Sadie Graham Shoots Straight| BNP threaten anti-fascist leafletters in Brinsley
Links: Lancaster UAF | Antifa (UK)