Anti BNP march central london 21st June 2008

Protesters march in London against the fascist BNP online only

Up to 10,000 people took to the streets of London today to join the national march against the fascist British National Party (BNP).

The demonstration was called by Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR). It came in response to recent gains by the BNP at the May elections, including the Nazi's first London assembly seat.

The march was young and angry, with a large turnout from schools and colleges across the country. There was a strong trade union presence on the march too, with contingents from the FBU, UCU, PCS, Unite and several other unions.

Protesters gathered near City Hall, home of the London assembly, and marched to a rally at Trafalgar Square accompanied by a float featuring musicians from the LMHR campaign.

Addressing the rally, Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of UAF, pointed to recent violent attacks on Roma Gypsies and immigrants in Italy as a warning of the dangers of letting fascist parties gain a toehold in the electoral system.

He said the march should be the opening shot in a long campaign to drive the Nazi BNP out of our council chambers, out of the political mainstream, and into the dustbin of history.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the UCU lecturers' union, warned that the BNP was aiming to relaunch its student wing in universities and colleges later this year.

She pledged that the union would do its utmost to prevent fascists from organising on campus and spreading race hatred among students.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS civil service workers' union, highlighted how civil service bosses in Hastings had sacked PCS rep Eddie Fleming for his union activity, but turned a blind eye to two Nazis in the workplace standing in elections for the BNP.

Jon McClure from Reverend and the Makers is organising a series of gigs and carnivals against the BNP in the north of England. He called on demonstrators to challenge racism wherever they encountered it and to join the struggle against the BNP.

Many protesters were angry at the attitude of the police towards the anti-fascist march. The police refused to let the LMHR float into Trafalgar Square or allow amplified music at the rally.

A couple of anti-fascist demonstrators were also arrested by police on grounds related to last week's separate demonstration against George Bush's visit to London.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• british
• national
• party
• bnp
• united
• against
• fascism
• demonstration
• central
• london
• martin
• smith

[fallout6111]

@SatchmoSings You're very welcome.

[RasclartPictures]

"Fuck the Nazi's"

.. Nice, shows how civilised the main protestor is eh?

[SatchmoSings]

@fallout6111 Yes, I would very much like to see San Francisco one day; thank you for the invitation.

[fallout6111]

@SatchmoSings Yes...I am, no one ever gives me or my family any shit whatsoever, I don't know what SA you've been to or what part of it, but feel free to check mine out anytime! 

[LeonSKennedy828]

@SatchmoSings haha, keep spouting your bullshit as all you lot do, because I'm done here. Even if what you were saying was true (which it isn't) you'd be a massive hypocrite since as I said, right wing propaganda spouting morons like you love to think they're better than certain groups of people for no good reason.

Also, way to try and put words in my mouth.

[SatchmoSings]

@fallout6111 Really? You're married? With school-aged children?

I doubt it.

[SatchmoSings]

@LeonSKennedy828 This was precisely my point; gay people do NOT want equality and they've proved it now that they're in the majority.

And you are correct; the gays want superiority and yes, they now have their own city where this has come to fruition.

[LeonSKennedy828]

@SatchmoSings Ooh, harsh, real harsh.

As for San Francisco, okay, maybe the balance in favour of gays is a bit too favourable towards gays, so guess what? Why not lobby for equality, which is what most gay people want?

You idiots love to make out they want superiority, when in fact what's the right wing THRIVES on.

[fallout6111]

@SatchmoSings Propaganda, simple as. I live in SA, am straight and I never get any shit whatsoever.

[SatchmoSings]

@LeonSKennedy828 I stand by my observation; you could have continued about what I said about San Francisco but instead you stooped to talking about the one subject you're REALLY an expert on.