Anti-fascists claim victory as BNP festival cancelled

The BNP have announced that their annual Red, White & Blue festival (RWB) will not be taking place this year. Anti-fascists, who have protested the festival over the past 2 years, are claiming this as a victory.

According to Amber Valley BNP organiser, Lewis Allsebrook, the BNP will be trying to hold a number of smaller events across the region instead of holding one big festival. Dissidents within the BNP are claiming that the this is because few members are interested in buying tickets for this year's event.

The festival has taken place on farmland near Codnor, Derbyshire since 2007. Last year over 1,000 anti-fascists and locals marched against the festival and in 2009 militant anti-fascists attempted to block roads leading to the site. In addition, the farmer who hosts the RWB, the festival organisers and even toilets companies have been targeted for direct action. RWB host Alan Warner has cited the attacks on his property as a reason to give up hosting the event.

The RWB was the BNP's annual "family festival", usually held in August. Before coming to Derbyshire, the event was already notorious for playing Nazi marching music, hosting racist comedians and inspiring drunken violence between party members. Its image has not improved since then.

In 2007 the event passed largely unnoticed by anti-fascists, with only one lone protester turning up to express his views. By 2008 local anti-fascists Notts Stop the BNP were more organised and launched a concerted campaign against the festival. The licensing hearing was picketed and, as a result of mounting pressure, Derbyshire police imposed more serious security conditions on the event. BNP representatives withdrew their application in a huff and stormed out of the hearing.

Meanwhile, Alan Warner received a number of late night visits from activists who stole his flag, locked his gate and painted anti-fascist graffiti on his walls. STS, the company supplying the festival with toilets, also had their depot targeted.

On the weekend of the festival, a rally was held by several hundred anti-fascists responding to callouts from Notts Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who had had jumped on the bandwagon at the last minute. This was, unfortunately, marred by squabbling between the two groups. Meanwhile, a group of 100 masked anti-fascists emerged from the fields in an attempt to blockade access roads to the festival site. Fighting between riot police and this bloc resulted in over 30 arrests and led a local paper to plead for the BNP to "Never again" come to the area.

The direct action continued after the event with Warner being targeted two more times as well as RWB organiser, David Shapcott, being visited at his Burnley home.

Last year's festival was marred for the BNP by over 1,000 protesters turning up to march on the farm and the fact that an American white supremacist, who was booked to be one of the event's main speakers, was banned from entering the country. A number of festival goers were later convicted of racially abusing the protesters. Photos from inside the festival showed a pathetic turnout for what was supposed to be a flagship event.

At a meeting of East Midlands BNP organisers last weekend, whose minutes were leaked to Indymedia, the decision to cancel this year's RWB was announced. The local Amber Valley branch of the BNP have made the preposterous claim that the reason for the cancellation was worry about diverting police funds from anti-terrorism to policing the RWB. More cynical commentators have suggested that the campaign against Warner and the plummeting popularity of the festival are more likely reasons.

imc-notts-features

Police hoping BNP will move festival away from village

Derbyshire police say they hope the British National Party will confirm an alternative venue for its annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Speaking after a meeting last night, Superintendent Howard Veigas said the event, held for the past three years in Denby, led to "the same community suffering year after year" from the upheaval it brings to local residents.

Supt Veigas said: "The police do not feel it is a suitable location for the festival. We have great concerns that it is such an imposition and a huge disruption to the local community. But if it has to come back we will have to take on the organisation."

His comments came after BNP councillor Lewis Allsebrook told the meeting at Denby Church of England School, in Church Street, that the party was looking at "two or three alternative locations" for the event. Mr Allsebrook, who represents Heanor West on Amber Valley Borough Council, reiterated that the party may move its festival away from Derbyshire.

He said: "The BNP is looking at alternative sites. The decision would be made at a central level. We came here to listen to what everyone has had to say and we are going to take on board their views."

Around 20 villagers turned up at last night's meeting. Almost all praised the police for the way they handled this year's event, which saw 18 people arrested – four supporters of the BNP and 14 protesters. One man, who did not wish to be named, said: "It was a fantastic job by the police. I felt very secure knowing they were there."

Another resident told the meeting: "I think the police response was absolutely excellent in the way they handled the different interest groups."

Villagers at the meeting, which was organised by the police to seek residents' views on the way the force handled the event, were shown video footage taken from a police helicopter. It showed demonstrators, marshalled by officers and police on horseback, as they marched down Heanor Road to a designated protest point on Codnor-Denby Lane. Police formed a cordon but were pushed back twice as the protesters shoved their way through.

Chief Superintendent Garry Sherwood, Commander for the Constabulary's A Division, which covers Amber Valley, told the meeting: "It reminded me of when I started policing more than 20 years ago – a thin blue line with arms linked."

Derby Telegraph

BNP legal bid cost taxpayers £5,000

The borough council spent almost £5,000 in taxpayers' money pursuing a legal injunction to stop caravans being parked at the British National Party's annual festival in Denby, it has been revealed.

The right wing party held its controversial Red, White and Blue bash on land owned by party member Alan Warner off Codnor Denby Lane in August.

Amber Valley Borough Council wrote to Mr Warner in July warning him that using his land as a temporary caravan park for the weekend was contrary to the Town and County Planning Act and obtained an injunction. Mr Warner says he refused to sign the injunction as it did not specifically say how many caravans would be allowed and as soon as the number was confirmed as three he agreed. However in the meantime the council pursued a case in the High Court against him.

Now a freedom of information request by the BNP has revealed council solicitors' fees amounted to £4,373 plus VAT of £626.25 for the case.

Mr Warner said: "The only reason I didn't sign their injunction was because it said a 'small number' of caravans would be allowed. That could be ten, it could be 20. When the police confirmed it was three I signed up straight away but Amber Valley jumped the gun. It is unbelievable really, costing the ratepayers all this money."

Mr Warner says he has now submitted an application to Amber Valley Borough Council applying for permission to site 40 caravans on his land next summer.

Amber Valley Borough Council has defended its decision to pursue an injunction against the number of caravans permitted at the festival. A spokesman for the council said: "Do we feel the costs of the High Court injunction were a constructive use of public money? Yes."

More than 1,000 people marched in protest against the festival on August 15 and police made 19 arrests as well as issuing two cautions and two fixed penalty notices. In September, a BNP member, 66-year-old John Jones, was fined £146 by Derby magistrates for making a Nazi salute at protesters.

Ripley and Heanor News

Angel-faced racist aged 12 - Girl burns golly at BNP's Red, White and Blue

A little girl grins with glee as she holds a golly over a fire . . . while a jeering BNP politician finds the doll guilty of BEING BLACK during a vile mock trial and execution. The baying crowd cheers when the toy - dubbed Winston - is condemned and dropped on to the flames to "die". Goading on the assembled adults and kids, the politician, a local council candidate, yells out these chilling words: "Let's get a real one . . . in the town we'll find one or two."

The sickening stunt was staged at the British National Party's annual FAMILY festival last weekend - yet the BNP insists it is NOT racist as part of its successful ploy to attract votes in elections. Around 1,200 members converged on fields at Codnor, Derbys, for the Red White and Blue "fun" weekend. Our undercover reporter, posing as a supporter to gain entry to the members-only event, secretly filmed racism everywhere.

(Left, GUILTY: Golly 'Winston' is held by girl before being dropped on the fire)

For £1 a go, people were throwing wet sponges at a man in a Barack Obama mask locked in stocks. Elsewhere stalls were selling T-shirts with slogans like It's A White Thing and books such as Race, Evolution and Behavior - which insists whites give birth to larger-brained babies and blacks are prone to crime. Supporters gave Nazi-style salutes and shouted Sieg Heil.

And in the "political tent", party chairman and MEP Nick Griffin, 50, was setting out how his party would deal with proposed anti-discrimination laws forcing the BNP to change its whites-only membership policy. He said: "Since if we want to survive we will be forced to let them in, the key will be before we do so to change the party - to ensure that whoever's coming in doesn't have any control."

Saturday night was the climax of the festival - and when the vileness reached its peak. Firstly, around 50 skinheads took part in a PAGAN ceremony to summon occult powers for their cause. They chanted incantations as they passed around and drank from an animal horn filled wth mead.

(Left, JUDGE & JURY: Coombes (seated), Hamilton (top left), and a BNP mate)

Two hours later, local council candidates John Coombes, of Maidenhead, Berks, and Dick Hamilton of Marlow, Bucks, were sitting with others around a brazier. Hamilton's ghettoblaster blared out songs supporting Hitler and attacking "niggers". Then began the "trial" led by Coombes, 45.

A 12-year-old girl there with her dad (we are protecting her identity) held a golly called Winston over the fire as Coombes "charged" him with "mugging, rape, drug dealing". He sneered: "Right Winston, you're about to get cooked. Anything else to say? Says he ain't a drug dealer. He thinks he's not black. He's charged with being black. Now get on there."

Skinhead Hamilton chipped in: "If he jumps off he's innocent." Coombes went on: "He's guilty, guilty as charged. Let's get a real one - in the town we'll find one or two. They'll also be guilty of the heinous crimes I charged him with - may God forgive your horrible soul." Coombes repeated the charges then added: "He may have appeared innocent to you lot but I'm sure he done lots of things wrong."

During the weekend the party's other MEP Andrew Brons used his stint in the political tent to compare Muslims to SMALLPOX during his speech. He declared: "I'm less concerned about the presence of mosques than the presence of the people that use them. Being worried about the presence of a particular mosque is almost like looking at a disease like smallpox and saying it's a problem with spots."

Ex-BNP cultural officer Jonathan Bowden, 47, also attacked Islam, and dubbed Jewish Israel as "cancer". He bleated: "The only way this (Muslim) problem will be solved is if they go back - go back to their civilisation. (But) we must renounce support for Israel. Israel is the cancer that lies at the heart of much of this."

(Left, SICK SALUTE: Party supporters make the Nazi sign and yell out 'Sieg Heil')

And Greater London Authority member Richard Barnbrook joked about BLACKING himself up. The deputy opposition leader of Barking and Dagenham council boasted: "I've got balls made of steel. In my own ward, if I go around naked, and put boot polish on my face, they'd still love me."

In the evenings, supporters sat round campfires venting hate. During one chat, Stockport area organiser Duncan Warner explained to our reporter in sick twisted logic why using the word "Paki" was OK.

"Paki means pure. So why do you get offended when all that they're doing is calling you pure?" he whined. "You get called a Paki, how can you get offended by that?"

Elsewhere party supporter Danny Marshall, of Cotmanhay, Derbys, and his girlfriend Bev boasted of using intimidation tactics to rid the village of foreigners who'd moved there. Bev said: "Where I live is National Front. It's BNP. There's this black family that's just moved in from Nigeria. An hour later they were out...They were coming to nick our jobs. They had an hour to get out of their premises - from us people, ourselves."

Marshall said: "The Lithuanians and Czechs are sneaking in because they're white. You find the fuckers on the doorstep."

Bev added: "These guys from Poland came into Cotmanhay and did a car wash. Somebody wrote BNP on their sign - once that was there they were gone...guess who that was? Me and Danny. I wrote BNP."

Elsewhere another man moaned: "If things don't become any better, and I become older, so I'm 70 or 75, I'll take a GPMG (machine gun) - seriously, I'm not joking here - and I'm going to fucking destroy lots of people.

On one occasion shouts of "Reds, reds" broke out. BNP members grabbed hammers and axes then charged to the perimeter fence. A lone anti-facism protester trying to get into the festival was stopped by police before the thugs got to him.

During the weekend police arrested 19 of the protesters outside - and one BNP member. Meanwhile, half an hour after the sick golly burning the BNP's London organiser Bob Bailey arrived. With him was Griffin - who stated last October "the BNP is not racist". Together they warmed themselves on the embers.

NoTW

Convicted Italian fascist Roberto Fiore addresses BNP followers in Derbyshire

Protestors at the Red, White and Blue yesterday

Right-wing European activists have addressed the British National Party’s annual gathering despite protests by anti-fascists that blockaded the event and resulted in 19 arrests in the Derbyshire countryside.

Last night Roberto Fiore, the leader of the Italian far-right party Forza Nuova and a friend of the BNP leader Nick Griffin, spoke to several hundred people at the Red, White and Blue Festival about the “threat” to Europe from Islamic extremism.

Mr Fiore, who once said he was happy to be described as a neo-fascist, was sentenced in 1985 to 10 years prison in Italy, in his absence, for being a member of the political wing of the Armed Revolutionary Nuclei, a fascist terror group. The group’s armed wing was implicated in the Bologna bombing of 1980, which killed 85 people. Mr Fiore’s jail term was eventually “timed out” under Italy's statute of limitation laws, and he was able to return to his homeland in April 1999.

Mr Fiore was joined at the BNP gathering last night by Marc Abramson, a councillor for a nationalist Swedish political party. Mr Abramson told The Times that he would be speaking about the need for a “total stop” to immigration as it was out of control in Europe.

Mr Griffin, an MEP in the North West, is scheduled to address the gathering this afternoon.

Yesterday police arrested 19 anti-fascist protesters during a demonstration outside the event, near Denby. More than 1,000 protesters from the group Unite Against Fascism and trade unions gathered to express their anger at the BNP’s presence. About 100 protesters successfully blockaded the road for more than an hour, delaying the arrival of some BNP supporters.

A statement on the UAF website today said: “Unite Against Fascism is aware of around a dozen anti-fascists arrested on the day, mostly those involved in occupying road junctions. We believe that such tactics of non-violent direct action are a legitimate response to the BNP’s racist thuggery and we do not believe anyone should be arrested for such actions.”

The police operation, which included a helicopter and several hundred officers, is estimated to have cost about £500,000.

Denby and nearby Codnor, where several shops closed, were disrupted for most of the day as roads were closed and streets blockaded. Residents said that they were fed up with the disturbance from the festival, which has been held in their village for the past three years.

Some blamed the protesters but others said that the presence of the BNP had besmirched the village’s reputation nationally. Many were fearful of speaking out against the party, claiming there would be “retribution” as they had been threatened by members in the past.

John Lumsden, a resident who lives a few houses away from the field where the rally takes place, told The Times: “The bottom line is that no one wants them here. This is a little community where everybody is friendly and we don’t agree with their values. But not only that, this shatters the peace of the place. The event is far too big and it is simply an inappropriate site.” Mr Griffin told The Times that the BNP event was a family festival and supporters merely wanted to be left to themselves.

He said: “We don’t create any havoc at all. No-one would even know we were here if it weren’t for the far Left trying to use this as a cynical recruiting bid to try and get ethnic minorities on side. They are going to cost the taxpayer a lot of money.”

A spokesman for Searchlight, the anti-fascist group, said that Mr Fiore’s presence “says all that anyone needs to know about the modern BNP”

Times Online

First report back from RWB demo

A superb view of the march approaching the RWB

Early reports back from the demonstration at the BNP's Red, White and Blue piss-up suggest that there were in excess of 1500 protestors and a measly seven arrests (three for being outside the designated protest zone, for God's sake).

The other four arrests were made when those at the head of the march of about a thousand demonstrators tried to force their way past a cordon of mounted and standing police to the entrance to the RWB site 150 metres away. Bags of flour, plastic bottles, eggs and fruit were thrown.

What a lovely bunch of neanderthals - the BNP in action

The main body of demonstrators, which was monitored by a helicoptor, CCTV cameras and a camera mounted on a drone, gathered in Codnor's Market Place, chanting "Nazi scum, off our streets" and waving placards. The other arrests took place at the junction of Codnor-Denby Lane and Heanor Road, where smaller groups of protestors clashed with officers.

At the front of the march - and facing the horses

The march came a day after an open letter was published on Unite Against Fascism's website, condemning the BNP event. The letter, whose signatories include former London mayor Ken Livingstone, children's author Michael Rosen and trade union leaders, accused the BNP of trying to "build up a hardened neo-Nazi core at the centre of the organisation".

It said: "We condemn the BNP and its festival of race hate, and we urge people to reject this party's poisonous and anti-democratic agenda."

Drone used to monitor BNP event

A drone fitted with video cameras will be flown over a British National Party gathering in Derbyshire after dozens of protesters were arrested last year.

Police are using the plane to monitor the event near Ripley on 15 and 16 August and any protesters who turn out. Last year police arrested more than 30 protesters near the site off Codner Denby Lane, but no-one was charged. Officers said it would cost "about £500,000" to police the event. The plane will be used to record evidence.

Chief Constable Mike Creedon said: "We will apply to the Home Office for special funding which is occasionally available. I'm not overly hopeful about this. Last year's costs were something in the region of £300,000. It will be significantly more this year. I would think we're pushing around half a million pounds, and that comes from a budget which is already heavily stretched."

In a statement Derbyshire police said that a pilotless drone plane would be used to record evidence at the Red, White and Blue festival. The force said: "The drone, fitted with CCTV cameras, will be used by a trained operator from the manufacturing company. It will record any incidents of disorder for evidence-gathering purposes."

It said it was not the first force in the country to use drone planes.

BBC

March against Red, White and Blue festival could involve more than 1,000

Anti-BNP groups expect more than 1,000 people from across the country to take part in a rally and march against the party's Red, White and Blue festival.

The event is due to be held on fields off Codnor-Denby Lane, Denby, for the third consecutive year, on the weekend of August 14, 15 and 16. Word of the protest plans came as the home of Alan Warner – owner of the fields where the festival is held – was daubed with graffiti.

Last year, more than 400 anti-BNP protesters took part in a peaceful rally and protest march, organised in Codnor. But, away from the march, 36 anti-BNP campaigners were arrested outside the festival site after clashes with police.

The Trade Union Congress, Unite Against Fascism, Stop the BNP and Amber Valley Campaign Against Racism and Fascism have now said they will be marching again this year, on Saturday, August 15. Last year, the march went from Codnor Market Place and down Heanor Road to its junction with Codnor-Denby Lane where it was stopped by a police cordon. About 30 protesters were then allowed to go and demonstrate in a designated area near the site's entrance.

This year's route has yet to be confirmed, as negotiations with police are not yet complete. But the groups said they wanted to get as close to the festival site as possible.

Alan Weaver, the TUC's policy and campaigns officer in the East Midlands, said: "We'd like the people in the festival to know they are not welcome in Derbyshire and we reject their politics. It's always difficult to predict how many will come. But I would think between 1,000 and 2,000. Up to 50 coaches would come from as far south as Brighton and as far north as Scotland."

One of the shopkeepers on the route said he would prefer it if the march did not happen. Bill Holmes, owner of Codnor Pet and Aquatics, Market Place, said that during last year's protests, people tore down flags, including the Union Jack, which were on display outside his shop. He said: "I'll stay open. I won't shut for anyone – particularly them. They are a nuisance."

Mr Warner said protesters had already made their mark on his home by painting the words "Dead Nazi" on one of his walls and locking his farm gates shut. The incident happened during the night. Mr Warner was awoken by the driver of a delivery lorry which could not get on to his land. Police said they were investigating the vandalism and that they were also speaking to the protesters about the march route.

Activists are due to meet for a protest and mass picket in Codnor Market Place from 9am on August 15. A rally will be held from 11am followed by the march at noon.

This is Derbyshire

Stop the BNP’s Red White and Blue Festival

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

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

Stop the BNP’s Red White and Blue Festival

Protesters set to oppose Red, White and Blue again

Anti-fascist campaigners have announced they will once again take part in a protest march against the British National Party's Red, White and Blue festival this summer.

The Amber Valley Campaign against Racism and Fascism (AV CARF) will march through Codnor towards the festival site at land off Codnor-Denby Lane on Saturday, August 15, during the three-day event by the right wing political party.

Last year, more than 500 people from trade unions and anti-BNP organisations were involved in the protest. Police arrested 33 campaigners for violent behaviour or breaching the peace near the festival ground.

AV CARF spokesman John Kimberley said: "We intend to call a lawful and peaceful protest to highlight our concerns about the BNP's festival of hate, which they want to impose on our local community in Denby Village. The national so-called Red, White and Blue offended local people last year. The BNP uses the festival to express its odious racist views."

It is the third year the BNP has held its summer rally on land belonging to party member Alan Warner. There will be a fairground, entertainment, and speakers at the event. Mr Warner, who has been personally targeted by anti-BNP campaigners several times, has dismissed concerns over the response of members of the public.

He said: "I'm not really worried about the protesters and people targeting us. There has never been any trouble on the site."

Around 400 police officers were used to patrol the festival and the protest last year, costing £250,000. A police spokesman said: "We have concerns based on the risk that was caused by last year's violence in the area surrounding the festival."

Belper News

Protest against the BNP's RWB on Aug 16th

August 16th mobilisation against the BNP's Red, White and Blue
Get there as close to 9am as possible.

Map of meeting point

Download leaflet (pdf)

Email for more information

Website

Stop the BNP's Red, White and Blue

Stop the BNP's Red, White and Blue

(click on text above for details)

Notts campaign against the racist BNP grows

Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP campaign was set up about a year ago, after the election of a BNP councillor (subsequently expelled from the BNP) onto Broxtowe Borough Council in May 2007.

Activists from the campaign and supporters in the Derbyshire area have built a strong united local campaign against the racist British National Party's activities in their area. Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP (NStBNP) has already had some successes, including a 150-strong protest in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire last October which effectively stopped a BNP public meeting with their chairman, Nick Griffin, from going ahead.

When the BNP launched plans to host their 'Red, White and Blue' summer music festival in a rural part of Derbyshire, NStBNP pledged to mobilise against it. The campaign organised a successful conference with regional trade union backing and participation, and over 100 in attendance last January. This conference initiated a campaign against the festival and has already had national media coverage.

This campaign has operated on a democratic, broad basis, with members of the Socialist Party, other socialists, anarchists, trade unionists from a range of political opinion and others from the area involved. It has roots in the local area, and is open to anyone who agrees with the campaign's aims. Actions initiated by this campaign have already led to set-backs for the BNP's festival.

The BNP's application to sell alcohol and play live music was withdrawn after the police altered their position at the licensing panel and made it clear they would oppose the application unless the BNP agreed to extremely strict security measures, which the BNP could not keep to. The police said that it was intelligence of the opposition that made them change their minds.

Despite this change of mind, the police corralled protesters outside the licensing panel and took photographs of the campaigners and allowed the BNP to also do so. As the camp is on private land, the lack of a licence cannot stop it going ahead. However, it is a blow to the BNP leadership's attempts to give credibility to this festival of hate which they advertise as a family event in an attempt to hide their far-right, violent origins.

NStBNP has called a mass protest against the festival at 9am on Saturday 16 August, and a rally at 12.30pm in Codnor, a nearby village. These details were publicised by NStBNP on the recent Love Music Hate Racism demonstration against the BNP in London, and more widely especially in the East Midlands area.

United action needed

Unfortunately, Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and the main political force behind it, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), have been largely absent from this campaign. This is despite numerous requests for meetings from the local campaign and the campaign leafleting the UAF national conference last March so they were aware of what was happening.

Some weeks after the details of the protest were announced, UAF members have begun distributing leaflets advertising a rally at 11am without any discussion with the local campaign. UAF have even added NStBNP as one of the organisations calling the rally without consultation! UAF's unilateral call for a rally at a different time has, understandably, raised fears that they are attempting to split the anti-BNP movement.

Any attempts to organise a rally separate from the NStBNP rally will weaken the strength of opposition to the BNP's festival. It would also show a complete disregard to the democratic lines along which the local campaign has been built, within which UAF have so far declined to participate. That would be counter to the idea of building a united mass campaign against the BNP, of involving new activists in campaigning and discussing tactics and slogans, of involving as many as possible to develop the best slogans and ideas capable of defeating the BNP.

Despite the obstructions created by the UAF's approach, the campaign is determined to make the protest a massive success and many people are involved in a range of work to build the protest. Last weekend, the campaign took leaflets to the Durham Miners' Gala as it wants an attendance from all over Britain.

There is a website to keep in touch with details http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com/ or email us at nobnpfestival@riseup.net

Socialist Party