The Stirrer's Birmingham United campaign to show the city's peaceful support for our cultural and racial diversity has won backing from Unite Against Fascism. Mike Wongsam, Chairperson West Midlands UAF explains why.
Twice in recent months, Birmingham has played host to racist protestors. Now there is a threat they will return again. How should the people of Birmingham respond?
Adrian Goldberg has suggested a "Birmingham United" event to give people of different colours and varying faiths a chance to show to the outside world the true face(s) of this great city. It is a great idea, and one that Unite Against Fascism will strongly support.
We think the best, and most effective, response to those who would spread hatred and division is for Birmingham to come together in a spirit of unity. Birmingham is a multi-cultural city and proud of it. We are one society and many cultures. Our diversity is one of the things that make this city special.
We do not want to see a repeat of the violence that broke out on August 8th. If the Birmingham United idea can be turned into reality it would be the best possible demonstration of our rejection of these hate-mongers, and the best possible assertion of the true face of Birmingham. It should be peaceful and united. It deserves the support of all of us.
The story of August 8th, though, should not be distorted. There is an attempt to paint anti-fascist protestors as "outsiders" and "trouble-makers", no different from the racist thugs who came to cause the trouble. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It was obvious to anyone who was there that the anti-fascist protestors were almost exclusively from Birmingham. Large numbers of young people assembled because they feel, rightly, that this is as much their city as anyone else's. And they were not prepared to turn the other cheek when repeatedly provoked by racist gangs hurling abuse.
The days when Black and Asian people felt they had to cross the road rather than risk a confrontation with racists are long gone.
Unite Against Fascism called the protest, responsibly negotiated with the police at all stages, and provided stewards. It is, however, asking a lot for volunteer stewards to achieve what the police were ultimately unable to do in the face of repeated racist provocations.
Those who think this anger can be whipped up by "outsiders" or those with a "political agenda" are deluding themselves. Many people assembled under the banner of UAF, but the truth is that the vast majority were not members of UAF, and most had arrived after hearing from friends that the "BNP" were coming to abuse Muslims in our city centre. In the age of the internet, news travels fast.
Repeated racist demonstrations will inevitably provoke a response. The anger that was felt by these young people cannot be turned on and off by anybody, and certainly not by UAF. But this risks creating a dangerous situation in our city centre. That is a challenge for all of us. And we all have a responsibility to do something positive to respond to it.
In his August 6 column in the Birmingham Mail, Adrian Goldberg said: "In the absence of a ban, it would be nice to see some forthright condemnation of this protest from figureheads in the church and politics, but I guess civic leadership is something we lack in Birmingham right now".
Quite right. It is not enough for us to bury our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away. All of us who oppose racism and fascism have to stand together and speak out against those would divide our city and inflame tensions.
Let us show that Birmingham really is united.
Join the Birmingham United Facebook group here.
The Stirrer
(Stirrer editor and Birmingham Mail columnist Adrian Goldberg also hosts a nightly phone-in show on TalkSport Radio, between 1 and 5 am.)
Showing posts with label UAF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UAF. Show all posts
20 August 2009
9 August 2009
Birmingham city centre protests: Riot police arrest thirty-three people
Riot police made 33 arrests tonight as they fought running battles with rival protesters as racial tensions spilled over on the streets of Birmingham.
Two people were injured as violence broke out in the city centre between a right-wing group campaigning against Muslim extremists and anti-fascists. The rivals had held vocal but peaceful protests in separate parts of the city centre until trouble flared in New Street just before 7pm.
Terrified shoppers cowered in Primark and Saturday night revellers fled in panic as hundreds of police, some clad in full riot gear, struggled to keep the peace. As our dramatic pictures show, at one point a man shields his head as he lies prone on the ground while a young thug attempts to kick him in the face. Another photograph appears to show a middle-aged man throwing a punch as he is confronted by another man as tensions reach boiling point.
By 8.30pm police had restored order, but tensions remained high. A West Midlands Police spokesman said: ‘‘We can confirm 33 arrests have been made to date the majority for disorder. To date there has been one report of criminal damage to a car, although we expect further reports. We have also had reports of two people being injured and no known injuries to police officers. A high visibility policing presence continues. A post operation investigation has now commenced into any criminality that took place during this afternoon’s protests.’’The unrest flared after a group called Casuals United organised the city centre demonstration against Islamic fundamentalists. The group rumoured to have links to the English and Welsh Defence League and the far-right BNP were formed after radical Muslims caused outrage by protesting against returning British troops in Luton earlier this year.
But Unite Against Fascism organised a rival rally after claiming the Casuals are made up of hardcore soccer hooligans intent on causing racial unrest. Their protest took place next to Birmingham’s Bullring, while the Casuals gathered outside the council house in Victoria Square.
It us unclear what sparked the disorder, but riot police were soon involved in a large number of incidents and at one point they were forced to seal off New Street with a steel barrier. Other officers were seen running ran across Corporation Street, desperately trying to keep the opposing sets of protesters apart.
Scared shoppers fled in all directions as chaos and confusion descended on the city centre. Emily Bridgewater was buying clothes in Primark on New Street when violence broke out. She said: "Everything seemed fine until suddenly it all kicked off outside and there was stampeding and screaming. We ended up being locked in Primark, the shutters came down and the alarms went off as the riot police tried to regain control of the street. It was very frightening."
Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood condemned those involved in the disorder. The Labour MP had previously called for the Casuals rally to be banned after the Sunday Mercury first revealed the plans. He said: "I predicted this would happen when the Casuals announced their protest. Lots of innocent people, children and families, could have been hurt in this idiotic incident and I wholeheartedly condemn both sides for taking part in these scenes which have brought shame on Birmingham.
"I condemn the Casuals for organising their protest and inciting this fighting but I equally condemn the anti-fascist campaigners who rose to the bait. People have a democratic right to protest. But perhaps in future West Midlands police should look at holding sensitive demonstrations on separate days. That way they might avoid the scenes which have blighted our city centre tonight."
A West Midlands Police spokesman said the force had been aware of the planned rally by the Casuals but no formal request to march had been received. He said: ‘‘An additional counter protest also took place in the city centre by Unite Against Fascism. West Midlands Police has been in talks with leaders of this organisation and they have fully co-operated with police throughout the planning stages for this event.’’
Sunday Mercury
21 June 2008
The Great Rock and Roll Swindle
The following article is taken from the No Platform blog.
While Norfolk Unity does not agree with every sentiment expressed, broadly speaking we concur. Although a small number of NU supporters have gone down to London to support the UAF/LMHR march, as a group we felt that the event was badly timed, ill-thought out, and lacked any clear focus beyond the negative "Stop" message.
Our belief is that defeating the BNP can only be achieved where it matters - one-to-one on the door-step. It's time-consuming, labour intensive and unglamorous, but it's an approach that works.
We proved this to our own satisfaction in the 2007 local elections when - late in the day - it became alarmingly clear that the BNP was on course to win one, and maybe two seats in King's Lynn, having encountered little or no opposition. We could have stood in Lynn town centre shouting slogans and perhaps made the pages of the local weekly newspaper. If we had, the Norfolk would almost certainly have added to the roll of BNP councillors.
As it was, we targeted North Lynn ward for an intensive door-step canvass over two days. There were only three of us then, driving over from Yarmouth with a small stock of hastily printed leaflets, but we did just enough - and I do mean just enough - to convince would-be BNP voters to change their minds. Nevertheless, the BNP came within spitting distance of winning the ward.
There are issues in Lynn and all over Norfolk of general disquiet at the scale of migrant labour coming into the county, and of its impact on jobs, wages, housing and local services. These are legitimate concerns which a dozen "Stop the BNP" marches will do nothing to address.
Reminding our visitors, then, that we do not agree with every sentiment expressed, here's the article from the No Platform blog:
* * *
What's all this then? Not wanting to go on another Stop The War/Ban The Bomb/Stop The Nazis march?
Well, no. As much as protest is a valid and valuable way of stopping the BNP it is not and must not be the only way. In fact, it cannot be, because it just does not work on its own.
The BNP will only be beaten by actually challenging their message with ours, and sadly with a large dollop of pragmatism.
The BNP is a party building itself up on the backs of the disenfranchised white working class. There is no point denying it.
Rock concerts to teenagers too young to vote-indeed as was the case at Victoria Park-not even told to vote -(the gig was held after the closing date to register even)is a postive way of building a progressive movement for the future. It was however, no substitute for the genuine hard work actually being done where the BNP was both strong, and where there was a large BME vote waiting to be galvanised.
But, sadly, in the case of the current UAF/LMHR swindle on the antiracist movement in case you have not realised it folks, the horse has somewhat already bolted. What is the point of marching in protest to city hall when there will not even be anyone in??
Searchlight's Nick Lowles has already dealt with the dissapointment of the BNP's election breakthrough here and here It's quite sobering reading. We might not all agree on his entire analysis' but it's probably more than just hitting the proverbial nail on the head: He's given it brain damage here and HERE
Still however, the UAF insist that marching alongside floats on a Saturday afternoon to an empty building to make an empty gesture will defeat the BNP.
And yes although marches are nice, good fun etc, etc you have to wonder why when there are two council elections being held in outer East London where the BNP has very good chances of winning, the UAF are having a march instead through the centre of London to protest against one already elected BNP official.
Why are the UAF not going to actually join trade unionists and anti-fascists in actually doing some hard graft and trying to actually stop the BNP in the areas where they are standing, some 7 or so miles from where the UAF are having their march?
This is not the first time the UAF have been called into question. GMB steward Sam Tarry has attacked the UAF twice in the past month for their lack of campaigning during the elections.
In a recent interview on the Islam Channel Tarry told the viewers that the £400,000 spent by LMHR and UAF to hold their undersubscribed activity at Victoria Park, could have actually have been spent on employing eight full time anti-BNP organisers instead.
Further, in an article in Labour Briefing, Tarry claimed that the UAF had not put out any literature during the election campaign other than materials advertising their concert. Again, a concert where nobody was told to vote, and where the large majority were possibly not even registered.
This lack of voter registration is an enormous worry, something with planning and of course common sense, that the UAF could have addressed but did not.
In the latest edition of Socialist Worker, UAF joint secretary Weyman Benette goes some way in explaining why the UAF cannot and do not engage with voters who may well be voting BNP.
Weyman says:
United we will smash the Nazi BNP
Who will, and how? Well suggests Weyman, the SWP of course. "The BNP trades on whipping up fear and creating scapegoats out of immigrants and ethnic minorities".
He certainly agrees with Mr Lowles on that, then. Then he goes on "It’s important to tackle these lies. But there are deeper reasons for why the BNP is attracting so many votes. One is the fact that the mainstream parties have significantly less local involvement and engagement than they once had".
I agree. So how are the lies being told in Barking and Dagenham and in the two elections currently being held actually being addressed by a march in central London? He doesn't answer. But he does continue..."The BNP has exploited this political vacuum to present itself as some kind of political alternative. We need to expose their claims on this front too." Erm, could you be a bit more clearer Weyman, it reads to me like you're not really confident that you can engage on these issues yourself. So come on, HOW WILL YOU DO THIS EXACTLY?
"..we need to mobilise this anti-fascist majority. That means getting ordinary people out in their thousands – like at the Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) carnival back in April, or on this Saturday’s demonstration"
BUT WEYMAN, THE PEOPLE VOTING FOR THE BNP LIES AND MYTHS WILL NOT BE AT YOUR MARCH. THEY'LL BE AT HOME READING LEAFLETS PUTTING THESE ARGUMENTS TO THEM!
He gets even better...."We have to challenge the Nazis where they are trying to build a base." This he can obviously do from a march in central London and not in the constituencies where the BNP is actually standing!!
He goes on to even claim the "BNP want another Nazi Holocaust." Is he totally mad? Has he ever knocked on the doors of Mr and Mrs Smith who are voting for the BNP. Try telling them that, when all they want is whichever ridiculous pot of gold the BNP has made quite accessible to them by simply putting out leaflets.
Running around shouting "Nazi" and "Fascist" is becoming a little bit long in the tooth. Rather like this great drain on the resources of the many genuine and decent people inside and out of the UAF, wanting to genuinally fight the BNP.
UAF & LMHR?
Just another Great Rock and Roll swindle.
While Norfolk Unity does not agree with every sentiment expressed, broadly speaking we concur. Although a small number of NU supporters have gone down to London to support the UAF/LMHR march, as a group we felt that the event was badly timed, ill-thought out, and lacked any clear focus beyond the negative "Stop" message.
Our belief is that defeating the BNP can only be achieved where it matters - one-to-one on the door-step. It's time-consuming, labour intensive and unglamorous, but it's an approach that works.
We proved this to our own satisfaction in the 2007 local elections when - late in the day - it became alarmingly clear that the BNP was on course to win one, and maybe two seats in King's Lynn, having encountered little or no opposition. We could have stood in Lynn town centre shouting slogans and perhaps made the pages of the local weekly newspaper. If we had, the Norfolk would almost certainly have added to the roll of BNP councillors.
As it was, we targeted North Lynn ward for an intensive door-step canvass over two days. There were only three of us then, driving over from Yarmouth with a small stock of hastily printed leaflets, but we did just enough - and I do mean just enough - to convince would-be BNP voters to change their minds. Nevertheless, the BNP came within spitting distance of winning the ward.
There are issues in Lynn and all over Norfolk of general disquiet at the scale of migrant labour coming into the county, and of its impact on jobs, wages, housing and local services. These are legitimate concerns which a dozen "Stop the BNP" marches will do nothing to address.
Reminding our visitors, then, that we do not agree with every sentiment expressed, here's the article from the No Platform blog:
What's all this then? Not wanting to go on another Stop The War/Ban The Bomb/Stop The Nazis march?
Well, no. As much as protest is a valid and valuable way of stopping the BNP it is not and must not be the only way. In fact, it cannot be, because it just does not work on its own.
The BNP will only be beaten by actually challenging their message with ours, and sadly with a large dollop of pragmatism.
The BNP is a party building itself up on the backs of the disenfranchised white working class. There is no point denying it.
Rock concerts to teenagers too young to vote-indeed as was the case at Victoria Park-not even told to vote -(the gig was held after the closing date to register even)is a postive way of building a progressive movement for the future. It was however, no substitute for the genuine hard work actually being done where the BNP was both strong, and where there was a large BME vote waiting to be galvanised.
But, sadly, in the case of the current UAF/LMHR swindle on the antiracist movement in case you have not realised it folks, the horse has somewhat already bolted. What is the point of marching in protest to city hall when there will not even be anyone in??
Searchlight's Nick Lowles has already dealt with the dissapointment of the BNP's election breakthrough here and here It's quite sobering reading. We might not all agree on his entire analysis' but it's probably more than just hitting the proverbial nail on the head: He's given it brain damage here and HERE
Still however, the UAF insist that marching alongside floats on a Saturday afternoon to an empty building to make an empty gesture will defeat the BNP.
And yes although marches are nice, good fun etc, etc you have to wonder why when there are two council elections being held in outer East London where the BNP has very good chances of winning, the UAF are having a march instead through the centre of London to protest against one already elected BNP official.
Why are the UAF not going to actually join trade unionists and anti-fascists in actually doing some hard graft and trying to actually stop the BNP in the areas where they are standing, some 7 or so miles from where the UAF are having their march?
This is not the first time the UAF have been called into question. GMB steward Sam Tarry has attacked the UAF twice in the past month for their lack of campaigning during the elections.
In a recent interview on the Islam Channel Tarry told the viewers that the £400,000 spent by LMHR and UAF to hold their undersubscribed activity at Victoria Park, could have actually have been spent on employing eight full time anti-BNP organisers instead.
Further, in an article in Labour Briefing, Tarry claimed that the UAF had not put out any literature during the election campaign other than materials advertising their concert. Again, a concert where nobody was told to vote, and where the large majority were possibly not even registered.
This lack of voter registration is an enormous worry, something with planning and of course common sense, that the UAF could have addressed but did not.
In the latest edition of Socialist Worker, UAF joint secretary Weyman Benette goes some way in explaining why the UAF cannot and do not engage with voters who may well be voting BNP.
Weyman says:
United we will smash the Nazi BNP
Who will, and how? Well suggests Weyman, the SWP of course. "The BNP trades on whipping up fear and creating scapegoats out of immigrants and ethnic minorities".
He certainly agrees with Mr Lowles on that, then. Then he goes on "It’s important to tackle these lies. But there are deeper reasons for why the BNP is attracting so many votes. One is the fact that the mainstream parties have significantly less local involvement and engagement than they once had".
I agree. So how are the lies being told in Barking and Dagenham and in the two elections currently being held actually being addressed by a march in central London? He doesn't answer. But he does continue..."The BNP has exploited this political vacuum to present itself as some kind of political alternative. We need to expose their claims on this front too." Erm, could you be a bit more clearer Weyman, it reads to me like you're not really confident that you can engage on these issues yourself. So come on, HOW WILL YOU DO THIS EXACTLY?
"..we need to mobilise this anti-fascist majority. That means getting ordinary people out in their thousands – like at the Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) carnival back in April, or on this Saturday’s demonstration"
BUT WEYMAN, THE PEOPLE VOTING FOR THE BNP LIES AND MYTHS WILL NOT BE AT YOUR MARCH. THEY'LL BE AT HOME READING LEAFLETS PUTTING THESE ARGUMENTS TO THEM!
He gets even better...."We have to challenge the Nazis where they are trying to build a base." This he can obviously do from a march in central London and not in the constituencies where the BNP is actually standing!!
He goes on to even claim the "BNP want another Nazi Holocaust." Is he totally mad? Has he ever knocked on the doors of Mr and Mrs Smith who are voting for the BNP. Try telling them that, when all they want is whichever ridiculous pot of gold the BNP has made quite accessible to them by simply putting out leaflets.
Running around shouting "Nazi" and "Fascist" is becoming a little bit long in the tooth. Rather like this great drain on the resources of the many genuine and decent people inside and out of the UAF, wanting to genuinally fight the BNP.
UAF & LMHR?
Just another Great Rock and Roll swindle.
20 March 2008
Exeter meeting rallies support to baulk BNP
A public meeting has been held in opposition to the British National Party, prompted by news that it plans to field candidates in local elections in Exeter.The event was organised by the Devon branch of the National Union of Teachers in a bid to combat growing political activity in the city by the far right party.
The BNP contested 11 seats on councils in Devon last year and campaigners are concerned that candidates may stand in the city's council elections in May.
The meeting was held at the Global Centre, St David's Hill, last night.
On the reasons for arranging the event, Mike Gurney, deputy secretary of Devon NUT, said: "The NUT is always interested in fighting for an education system available to all equally and has always held a strong commitment to anti-fascism. That means opposing the BNP. Hopefully, we will get a group of people who will campaign against the BNP if they stand. We want people to swamp the BNP vote."
Jessica Pearce, from the PCS union, said: "Trade unions have been key in fighting fascism for decades and my union is launching a campaign to make sure people vote in elections to stop the far right and make sure the myths of fascism don't go unchallenged. They pretend the reason people can't get jobs is because people from other countries come and take them, and that blatantly isn't true."
South West MEP Glyn Ford was unable to attend but sent a message of support. Other speakers included a representative from Unite Against Fascism and John Cox, welfare and equal opportunities officer from the University of Exeter's students' guild.
Express and Echo
The BNP contested 11 seats on councils in Devon last year and campaigners are concerned that candidates may stand in the city's council elections in May.
The meeting was held at the Global Centre, St David's Hill, last night.
On the reasons for arranging the event, Mike Gurney, deputy secretary of Devon NUT, said: "The NUT is always interested in fighting for an education system available to all equally and has always held a strong commitment to anti-fascism. That means opposing the BNP. Hopefully, we will get a group of people who will campaign against the BNP if they stand. We want people to swamp the BNP vote."
Jessica Pearce, from the PCS union, said: "Trade unions have been key in fighting fascism for decades and my union is launching a campaign to make sure people vote in elections to stop the far right and make sure the myths of fascism don't go unchallenged. They pretend the reason people can't get jobs is because people from other countries come and take them, and that blatantly isn't true."
South West MEP Glyn Ford was unable to attend but sent a message of support. Other speakers included a representative from Unite Against Fascism and John Cox, welfare and equal opportunities officer from the University of Exeter's students' guild.
Express and Echo
17 February 2008
Successful NU inaugural meeting
Norfolk Unity held a very successful and constructive first meeting in Great Yarmouth on Friday night. 21 people of all political persuasions and none attended, with several apologies from those unable to attend due to the travelling distance or prior commitments.
The meeting raised over £140 to kick our bank account off, and a further £70 in subs were paid on the night. The landlord of the pub where the meeting was held even waived his room hire and buffet fee.
It was decided that Norfolk Unity would remain an independent antifascist group until after the May local elections, when speakers from Searchlght, UAF and other organisations would be invited to address us on the benefits of affiliating to them.
Because Friday's meeting was very Yarmouth/Broadland-centric it was decided that in future meetings should rotate between Yarmouth, Norwich, King's Lynn and Thetford, with a view that each town would establish its own Unity group.
After the meeting we were joined for a lively social by pub regulars and entertained by a well known local folk artist who donated his services to the cause.
A fantastic night and a great start! Thanks to all who attended.
The date and location of the next meeting is yet to be finalised, but we'll keep you posted here.
In the meantime, as promised below is a link (click on the graphic) to the TUC/Searchlight publication "Organising against racism and fascism handbook", which was discussed at our meeting.
The meeting raised over £140 to kick our bank account off, and a further £70 in subs were paid on the night. The landlord of the pub where the meeting was held even waived his room hire and buffet fee.
It was decided that Norfolk Unity would remain an independent antifascist group until after the May local elections, when speakers from Searchlght, UAF and other organisations would be invited to address us on the benefits of affiliating to them.
Because Friday's meeting was very Yarmouth/Broadland-centric it was decided that in future meetings should rotate between Yarmouth, Norwich, King's Lynn and Thetford, with a view that each town would establish its own Unity group.
After the meeting we were joined for a lively social by pub regulars and entertained by a well known local folk artist who donated his services to the cause.
A fantastic night and a great start! Thanks to all who attended.
The date and location of the next meeting is yet to be finalised, but we'll keep you posted here.
In the meantime, as promised below is a link (click on the graphic) to the TUC/Searchlight publication "Organising against racism and fascism handbook", which was discussed at our meeting.
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