More than 40 anti-fascists picketed the Slimelight (Electrawerkz) club on Saturday night (25th June). The Islington venue hosted Sol Invictus and a number of bands with known fascist links. Slimelight’s manager May Uan Mak refused to cancel the concert despite telling a local reporter:“These bands do have clear fascist connections…It would be impossible for me to deny that...Art can be fascist too. The fascist language can be just as powerful as any other language”
Many local residents passing by were shocked that such a concert headlined by a band that includes one member, Andrew King who recently released a song that includes lyrics about “monkey men” and “only the smell of blood will smother the smell of subhuman dung” and concludes “you’ll never kill the Aryan soul…White man was born for battle” should be taking place in their borough and a number joined the picket.
Although many going to the concert were unaware of Sol Invictus’ history, worryingly there were a number of concert-goers that sported swastikas and SS uniforms and were a direct insult and a threat to every Jew, Muslim, Black, Asian, gay and lesbian trade unionist and socialist who were horrified by the symbols of the Nazis that were responsible for the Holocaust that exterminated millions in Germany in the lead up and during the Second World War. An Islington councillor, James Murray spoke to the protestors promising that he would support the campaign to stop any fascist concerts taking place in the borough in the future.
Despite the protests, more bands stuffed with fascist sympathisers are billed to play at Slimelight on 1stOctober. Headlining in October are Sutcliffe Jugend, led by Kevin Tomkins, who plays with a band called Whitehouse. Whitehouse leader William Bennett is quoted as saying how Whitehouse are "concerned with the struggle against the unhealthy Negroid influence in popular music". Another Whitehouse member Peter Sotos was convicted for possessing child pornography after he was busted by Chicago PD for producing a fanzine called Pure, in which Sotos says "females are dogs whose only worth is as pawns for my pleasure" and describes death camps as "Triumphs of Nazism". The local trades council, teachers, civil servants, lecturers and health service unions in Islington have pledged to back the campaign to stop Slimelight management allowing fascist bands a platform in the area.
LoveMusicHateRacism and Unite Against Fascism will continue to oppose the actions of Slimelight management, and will campaign for the cancellation of the gig in October.
We are holding a organising meeting at 7.30PM this Thursday July 14th at the Pleasance Bar (Near Caledonian Road Station). We invite all anti-racists and anti-fascists to attend.
Please contact LMHR north London: northlondon.lmhr@googlemail.
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The EDL is threatening to come to Tower Hamlets that day to spread race hatred and attack the local Muslim community.
Last year, around 5,000 people marched through Tower Hamlets in an impressive show of strength and unity against the EDL, although the racists had already been forced to call off their own protest, admitting it would be “a suicide mission” to attempt to march through London’s East End.
The East End of London has a fine tradition of standing up to racists and fascists. Local people blocked Mosley’s Blackshirts in the 1930s. They drove the BNP out of the borough in the 1990s.
More details of the 3 September anti-EDL demonstration will be released in due course following consultation with community and antiracist organisations.
Please note this date has changed – the event is no longer scheduled for August.
