Statement against violent attack by BNP supporters in Morley

Statement against violent attack by BNP supporters on anti fascists leafleting in Morley

Groups of anti-racist and anti-fascists including members of the clergy, trade unionists and local citizens were attacked on Saturday 4th November by organised groups of BNP supporters. The anti-fascists were delivering leaflets warning people of the dangers of the BNP. The leaflets alerted other people in the community of Morley of the true fascist nature of the BNP. In May 2006 a BNP member was elected as a councillor in Morley with only 12.85% of the vote. The overwhelming majority chose not to vote for them.

It is a citizen’s democratic right to make peaceful comment about a political party. The BNP supporters involved in this organised attack don't agree with democracy and want to intimidate anyone that disagrees with them. Unite Against Fascism has leafleted around Morley many times before and had a warm response from other people in Morley.

We won't be intimidated by their fascist ideas or their thugs that attack people. Unite Against Fascism supporters will continue to leaflet in Morley, and in other areas where the BNP try to divide communities and to hide their true nature as fascists.

Signed by:

Linda Riordan MP
Mike Wood MP
Ed Balls MP
Glyn Ford MEP
Tony Woodley - General Secretary TGWU
Billy Hayes - General Secretary CWU
Paul Mackney - Joint General Secretary UCU
Mark Serwotka - General Secretary PCS
Matt Wrack General Secretary FBU
John Hannett, General Secretary Usdaw
Adrian Askew - General Secretary CONNECT
Dr Abdul Bari - Secretary General Muslim Council of Britain
Gemma Tumelty - President NUS
Henry Guterman - MBE Refugee from Nazi oppression
Sabby Dhalu - Joint Secretary UAF
Weyman Bennett - Joint Secretary UAF
John Campbell Yorkshire & Humberside UAF Chair
Sam Kirk - Chair Leeds UAF and Yorkshire & Humberside UAF Joint Organiser
Paul Scarrot - Yorkshire & Humberside UAF Joint Organiser
Pav Akhtar - UNISON National Race Equality Officer
Siobhan Endean - Head of equality Amicus
Roger Kline - Head of equality and employment rights UCU
Sue Bond - National Deputy President PCS
Derek Johnson - Yorkshire and Humber UCATT Regional Secretary
Paul Clays - CWU NE Regional Secretary
Ruqayyah Collector -Black Students Officer NUS
Lee Jasper - Secretary National Assembly Against Racism
Lee Billingham - Love Music Hate Racism
Zita Holbourne, PCS National Executive Committee, TUC Race Relations Committee
Sean Cahill, Yorkshire and the Humber FBU Regional Secretary
Tansy Feltis - London and South-East Regional Committee Chair PCS
Niaz Faiz - Chair, DEFRA PCS Race Equality Forum (personal capacity).
Surjeet Panwar - LRDG Finance PCS
Veronica King - Vice- President (Welfare) NUS
Joe Rukin - National Treasurer NUS
Ellie Russell - Vice-President (Further Education)
Eni Bankole - PCS Branch Organiser at Communities Scotland, Edinburgh
Rose Grant - Assistant Secretary DEFRA PCS Race Equality Forum
Stephen Brown - National Secretary NUS
Wes Streeting - Vice-President (Education) NUS