Report from UAF National Conference in Manchester

Just back from the UAF National Conference in Manchester, people from across the country packed into Manchester's Central Hall to discuss UAF strategy in the wake of the European election reuslts.

There was a vibrant debate about the no platform policy and what it actually means in concrete terms, given their inevtiable increase in visibility in the media, we may need to revaluate this positon to ensure that the anti fascist does end up no platforming itself - for now we will continue to fight for no platform.

The conclusion of the conference was that the fight against the BNP needs to intensify, and grow rapidly uniting as many different trade unions, community groups, acitvists, youth organisations, politicans, students and anyone else who wants to stand up to the fascist BNP.

The most important thing in the UAF calendar is mobilising in Codnor, Derbyshire on Saturday 15 August, 9am to stop the BNP holding a fascist 'victory' rally which is dubbed the Red, white and blue festival. See the blogpost below for details of coaches to Derby and feel free to email if you want to get involved.

The fight against fascism is entering a new serious phase and it is essential that there is no complacency. See you at Codnor!

Converge on Codnor to stop the BNP rally

Download A5 leaflet here

Download a list of coaches to Codnor here

Unite Against Fascism is calling on anti-fascists across the country to converge on Codnor, Derbyshire, at 9am on Saturday 15 August to protest against the British National Party rally taking place in the village that weekend.

UAF supporters intend to "kettle" the rally by surrounding it with protesters. This action will demonstrate that the vast majority of people in this country reject the Nazi politics of the BNP.

The BNP pretends that its annual "Red, White and Blue" event is a harmless family-oriented "patriotic" festival. In reality it is aimed at promoting the BNP's fascist agenda to both its hardcore followers and its softer supporters. Previous years have seen SS marching songs played as "entertainment" at the rally.

The rally will also be a magnet for neo-Nazis across Europe. Last year the BNP invited guests including Czech neo-Nazi Petra Edelmannova who has called for a "final solution to the Gypsy issue" and Sweden's Marc Abramsson, a Swedish fascist who campaigns for "racially pure kindergartens" that exclude non-white children.

This year's guests are likely to include representatives of Jobbik, a violently racist Hungarian Nazi party that organises pogroms against Roma people.

Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said:

"The BNP's 'Red, White and Blue' is a nothing more than a festival of race hatred. The fascists will use their rally to harden up its supporters and build its army of thugs. Wherever the BNP organises, racist violence follows.

"Allowing this festival to go ahead will mean more race hatred and racist attacks on our streets in the months to come. That is why it is so important for anti-fascists to come to Codnor in huge numbers to surround the BNP's rally.

"The presence of two BNP Nazis in the European parliament also poses challenges for anti-fascists. We need to build the broadest possible movement against the BNP with roots in communities across the country."