Why it is right to peacefully oppose the EDL in Bradford on 28th August

It is important that we oppose the EDL and stop them intimidating and terrorising communities. Please make sure you have booked your coach ticket to Bradford so that we can stop the EDL - email northlondon@uaf.org.uk for details.
http://uaf.org.uk/2010/08/why-it-is-right-to-peacefully-oppose-the-edl-in-bradford/

Keep Barking and Dagenham Nazi free!

Barking and Dagenham Unite Against Fascism is organising a day of action on Saturday 26 June, to make sure we keep the Nazi British National Party out of the borough when voters go to the polls for a by-election.

A by-election will be taking place for a council seat in Barking and Dagenham’s Goresbrook ward on Thursday 8 July.

A massive campaign by antifascists drove the BNP off the council in May – they lost all 12 of their seats and their leader, Nick Griffin, was humiliated in his attempt to take the Barking parliamentary seat, coming in third with a reduced share of the vote.

Now we need to make sure we keep the borough Nazi-fre and don’t let the BNP sneak back in at the by-election.

Day of action details
Meet 11am, Saturday 26 June at Jazzie Jake Caribbean Grill, 8-10 North St, Barking IG11 (nearest tube and railway station: Barking)

We are calling on everyone who helped in the recent election campaign to get involved. For more information email barkingdagenham@uaf.org.uk or call 07969 630 056.

Please come along and bring friends and colleagues!

By-election: keep the Nazi BNP out of Barking

East London's Barking and Dagenham council has announced a by-election in the Goresbrook ward. It is expected to take place in early July.

Due to a technical error, Louise Couling – one of the Labour councillors elected last month when the BNP were booted out of the borough – has been forced to resign.

The recent success against the Nazi BNP in the local and national elections in Barking and Dagenham has proved the power of the anti-fascist majority.

But as they have done in the past, the Nazi BNP will try to use the by-election to regain a foothold in the area. We cannot let them sneak back in through the back door.

Unite Against Fascism is organising a series of events – including leafleting, canvassing and a cultural event – in the Goresbrook ward to ensure the fascist BNP is kept out of the borough.

We are calling on everyone who helped in the recent election campaign to get involved. For more information contact Barking & Dagenham UAF on barkingdagenham@uaf.org.uk

Relief as BNP pulls plug on annual Red, White and Blue festival

Full article available here: http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/crime/Relief-BNP-pulls-plug-annual-festival/article-2256609-detail/article.html

Hodge: Unite Against Fascism ‘vital’ to beating BNP’s Griffin in Barking

Barking’s MP Margaret Hodge has acknowledged the contribution of campaign group Unite Against Fascism in the resounding election defeat of Nazi BNP leader Nick Griffin and his party’s council candidates.

Hodge said: “Unite Against Fascism was part of the winning strategy in Barking which focused on those areas where the BNP were strongest. Our emphatic victory on 6 May in the local and general elections is a reflection of the support we received from Unite Against Fascism who made a vital contribution to the campaign to drive the BNP out of Barking.”

She added: “UAF put in months of work that began before the elections. They knocked on thousands of doors and distributed many more leaflets. This helped to mobilise to beat the BNP and increase voter turnout which made such a difference in reducing the BNP’s vote.”

Hodge’s comments are cited in a post-election briefing on the UAF campaign.

Longstanding antifascist campaigner Peter Hain MP also praised the UAF campaign, saying: “The BNP's Achilles heel is that they live in the Nazi hinterland. Labelling them as Nazis was a central factor in defeating the BNP. It's great to see UAF organising like the Anti Nazi League.”

Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of UAF, added: “The BNP has experienced its first defeat since electoral rise from the 2001 general election. It has lost 27 councillors - including 12 in Barking and Dagenham , held only 2 council seats and gained none.

“A big factor in the BNP's defeat was the rise in voter turnout because the local elections coincided with the general election so the BNP's vote was squeezed. However UAF's role was crucial because the BNP suffered a setback in the its key target areas of Barking, Stoke and Dudley where the BNP's vote was reduced from 2005 and UAF prioritised campaigning in these areas.”

Drubbing at the ballot box

In his introduction to the document, UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said: “The best news of the election was the drubbing the Nazi BNP received at the ballot box. First came the shattering defeat of Nick Griffin in Barking and Dagenham constituency in East London. In the BNP’s number one target seat and one which they thought they could win, Griffin came third with 6,620 votes (14.6% of the vote). Labour’s Margaret Hodge won with 24,628 votes (54.3% of the vote). Then came the glorious news that the BNP had lost every single seat it held on Barking council.

“This massive set back for the BNP was repeated around the country. It lost the large majority of the 31 council seats they were defending at these elections. They retained a seat in Pendle, but they lost the other 8 seats they stood for in the area. In Stoke, where Griffin bragged the BNP would take control of the council the BNP lost every seat including their three councillors up for re-election. They now have just four councillors on Stoke council. In Burnley the BNP lost all ten seats they were standing in, including the one seat up for re-election. Again in Barnsley they failed to win any seats, and in Sandwell the BNP lost two sitting councillors.

“Over the last two months hundreds of Unite Against Fascism activists campaigned, leafleted and canvassed in Barking. Across the country millions UAF leaflets were distributed, in Barnsley over 8,000 people attended the Love Music Hate Racism carnival and our anti BNP advan toured the country.”

Warning note

But Bennett also sounded a warning note, saying: “We must not be complacent. The BNP still got a worrying 563,743 votes across the country — and the combined vote of the BNP and UKIP was 1.6 million. The BNP are not going to disappear. The election setback for the BNP has seen tensions rise inside the organisation: there are a number of key members of the BNP calling for the head of Nick Griffin. There is also a strong possibility that sections of the BNP will be further drawn towards the racist street thugs of the English Defence League.”

Only 8 days left till the general election!

In the last few days we need one big push to make sure we have done our best to stop the Nazi BNP making any gains in the upcoming general and local elections. Please come along to at least one of the events on the list and send me an email to say what you can come to.

Thursday 29th April - 9.30am "Love Marmite Hate the BNP" at the Royal Courtsof Justice, nearest tube Holborn. Unilever are taking the BNP to court re the Nazis alleged use of the Marmite brand in their recent party political broadcast. The fascist BNP have called for their supporters to attend as Fuhrer Nick Griffin will be heading up the Nazis' 'defence'. Lets join together in a show of unity against them polluting our streets with their hate. Please spread the word and bring banners,

Friday 30th April - 5.30 pm leaflet Finsbury Park tube for gig (if you can do your local tube, I can send you the leaflets to print off)

Saturday 1st May - 11.30am UAF Day of Action in Turkey Street. The BNP are standing an MP for this area, we need to show that they are not welcome. Meet at 11.30 am at Turkey Street station, we will have a stall outside the station where people can help. We will also be leafleting houses Hertford Road.

Saturday 1st May - 8pm Love Music Hate Racism gig at The World's End, Finsbury Park with the Counterfeit Beatles (flyer attached)

Sunday 2nd May - ALL OUT FOR BARKING Unite Against Fascism Day of Action
Stop Nick Griffin's bid to become Barking's MP and the Nazis taking over Barking/Dagenham Council; meet from 11am at Jazzie Jake Restaurant, North St, Barking, 1g11, nearest tube BARKING. for more details call 07969 630056.

Please email uafnorthlondon@gmail.com to confirm what events you can attend.

Dudley celebrates multi-culturalism and rejects the race hatred of the EDL

On Saturday a number of coaches travelled from across the country to show solidarity with Dudley as Unite Against Facism held "One Dudley Many Cultures".

The carnival was brilliant with a wide range of speakers from Trade Unions and the inter-faith forum including David Walker, Bishop of Dudley, Cllr Pete Lowe, Lye & Wollescote, Khushid Ahmed, chair of Dudley Muslim Association, Steve Beardsmore, Unison, Jim Warner, Dudley Trades Council. Also, we were kept entertained with Dj's, drummers and other musicians.

In contrast, the EDL were marched to a disused car park on the edge of town. There were several violent clashes as they attempted to break through police lines to run riot through the town. Witnesses describe hearing several vile anti-Muslim chants from the EDL, including: "If you build your f—king mosque, we'll burn it down."

Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of UAF, said: "Today was a success for anti-racists and anti-fascists. The EDL were forced to huddle in a car park on the edge of town. They showed their true colours when they unsuccessfully tried to break out and run riot. In contrast UAF and local anti-racist groups mounted a powerful show of unity against the EDL and their friends in the Nazi BNP.

"The policing of today's events in Dudley stands in sharp contrast to tactics used in Bolton two weeks ago. There the police marched the EDL into the centre of town and attacked the anti-racist protest. In Dudley the EDL were not allowed into the town centre and the anti-racist protest was allowed to go ahead unmolested. The authorities should take note when policing future such events."

From Dudley news - EDl begin to riot and get out of the police kettle, whilst police stand by: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf_ttJjxtL0&feature=related

Video of the EDl rioting and the police condemning the EDL, also showing the UAF peaceful demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPUdBArUntw

All who oppose EDL need to take a stand. Join Unite Aganist Facism and get involved.