Love Music Hate Racism

London’s live music scene is now under threat following the introduction of new police bureaucracy named “Form 696” the paperwork is for liscencees of venues in 21 London boroughs to fill out. Police are asking for information regarding the ethnicity of all performers and the ethnic backgrounds of the audience. These questions are designed to scare promoters from using Black and Asian performers. At the moment the paperwork is only being introduced in the capital but there are growing fears that the bureaucracy could be used in other major cities should it be deemed “successful”. Love Music Hate Racism is calling upon music fans of all genres to take a stand against “Form 696” and defend our rights to enjoy all aspects of our multicultural society in peace. We stand behind Feargal Sharkey and all others who challenge racism within the music industry.

Saturday 29th November, 2pm, Arc Theatre, Malthouse Studios, Barking, IG11 7BT. Guest speakers inc: Ama Uzowuru NUS Vice President (Welfare), London rapper and producer Jelluzz , Carolynn Hansen ( B&D UAF&LMHR), Weyman Bennett ( National UAF). In the wake of the election of the fascist British National Party's Richard Barnbrook to the Greater London Assembly (GLA), the 12 councillors elected in Barking and Dagenham and especially with the current economic situation we are eager to ensure that the BNP do not exploit their current positions and are opposed them wherever possible, discrediting their racist myths and propaganda. We want raise awareness of the threat the BNP poses and this meeting will allow us to discuss plans for events and activity to help build an effective campaign to stop them. Everyone is welcome.

*** Due to circumstances beyond LMHR's control, our event at Matter O2 next week (Nov 27th) has had to be postponed. We are working on a new date which will be announced very soon.*** Love Music Hate Racism are proud to announce a massive benefit show at London's newest superclub featuring a stellar eclectic lineup of live acts and DJs at the O2 Arena's new venue MATTER, featuring: THE AUTOMATIC CHASE & STATUS, Roll Deep (with full-live band) Kids in Glass Houses, Boy Better Know ft. Skepta & JME, Crissy Criss & Youngman MC, The Thirst, Joe Driscoll, Chrome & Artcha, Digga, Stripped Muzik Club ft. Norman H, KMT. with more to be announced...

On Saturday 12 members of the BNP were arrested in Liverpool city centre while handing out leaflets spreading their message of racism and hate. The fascist BNP are planning to hold a demo in Liverpool this Saturday 29 November! We are organising a protest to stop the BNP spreading their racist lies in Liverpool. We are calling on everyone to unite against them. If you're black, white, asian or jew, gay or straight, male or female come to the mobilising meeting!

Around 150 trade unionists, students, pensioners and anti racist campaigners from across Greater Manchester and the rest of the North West gathered at Manchester Town Hall this Thursday (20/11/08) to discuss the threat from the fascist BNP in the coming Euro elections. Former Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Afzal Khan spoke of the need to expose the BNP for what they really are- a racist, fascist party hiding behind their suits to gain respectability.

The media too often gives the fascist BNP too easy a ride, but the ramifications of the UK’s Nazis’ complete membership list being released to the world on the net have been almost entirely bad for them. The scale of feeling against the BNP has become apparent, with the small minority of public servants on the list facing the sack from their jobs and disgust and ridicule from colleagues and locals. Many people have been checking to see who their local fascists are thanks to some of the helpful maps and blogs that have been created, showing where BNP members live. We’ve collected together some of the best press and web resources that have picked up on the story, click this article to see them. The List *is* still available online; even if the legality of hosting it is open to question we would hazard a guess that a google search involving the words “bnp”, “list”, “co”, “uk”, and “members” might point interested parties in the right direction. The main thing for anti-fascists and anti-racists is to use this information to our advantage. We at LMHR want to make it clear we are NOT encouraging people to attack individual BNP members or their homes; what we DO want to see is mass campaigning to expose BNP members as Nazis, and for BNP members where possible to be removed from their jobs and kicked out of trade unions. The successors to Hitler and the Holocaust have no place in our society and people joining the BNP must do so with the full knowledge that they are a Nazi party with all that entails.

Aston University Live Music Society will be hosting a great night of live entertainment on Friday 21st November. This promises to be a wicked night with some great acts and at only £1 a cheap one too, so get down there early! See inside for more info

By Tim Woodall, Manchester LMHR. On Saturday 15th November, the BNP staged a conference at the New Kimberley Hotel in Blackpool. Their decision to congregate there was part of an ongoing campaign to target the North West in an attempt to gain support for Nick Griffin, who is likely to stand in the 2009 European Elections. This is a major threat to democracy. Consequently, Unite Against Fascism organised a demonstration that mobilised people against the BNP and sent a clear message to everyone inside the hotel: "Fascists are not welcome in the North West." More than 200 people marched through Blackpool at the weekend. We walked in unison from the Winter Gardens, past cars full of people along the promenade - many of whom beeped their horns, cheered and gave us the thumbs up - down to the grotty, run-down hotel itself. Outside, a number of key anti-fascist figures made speeches, followed by united chants that really summed up why we were standing out in the cold on a Saturday afternoon: The BNP is a Nazi party: Smash the BN

*** Due to circumstances beyond LMHR's control, our event at Matter O2 next week (Nov 27th) has had to be postponed. We are working on a new date which will be announced very soon.***

The publication on the internet of the British National Party (BNP)’s entire party membership list should be welcomed by anti-fascists. The BNP had previously won a court order banning the publication of the list. The reason for this is simple – they know that membership of this fascist organisation remains something to be hidden, not proudly proclaimed. Decades of successful anti-fascist campaigning have ensured that the BNP – despite some limited electoral successes and modest increase in membership - continued to be viewed as pariahs associated with the genocidal politics of Hitler and Mussolini. Despite their efforts to “modernise” (read: lie), they are still known as out-and-out racists who incite violence against non-whites, and as homophobes whose ideas led one former member David Copeland to murder gay people with nail bombs. This is the key problem for their now-outed members in the public services – do we really want racists teaching our kids, policing our communities, or serving in the army?

The British National Party (BNP) has announced it is to hold a national conference on 14th, 15th and 16th November in Blackpool at the New Kimberley Hotel. Last year over 200 people attended the protest called by North West UAF against the presence of these fascists in Blackpool. Local people including members of the council, hotels, trade unions, students , residents and anti-fascist condemned the BNP for holding it's conference in Blackpool . Please join both Love Music Hate Racism and Unite Against Fascism in demonstrating against the Nazis once again.

LMHR spoke out critically yesterday about a question asked by BBC Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman in an interview about Obama with Dizzee Rascal on Thursday's edition of 'Newsnight'. Read the report from Saturday's Guardian, watch the interview on youtube here (the BBC seem to have pulled it from their site!), and click the title or 'read more' for our full response.

Around 300 people came to London's ULU venue on Friday night for the launch of the new LMHR/National Union of Teachers initiative for schools. The beta version of the new LMHR/NUT schools website can be previewed now at www.saraf.org.uk. Teachers and school students are encouraged to register at the site and to send us your ideas for content. Video of some of the performances from the launch event, including Helsinki, Bashy and Riz MC, plus the opening speech from NUT leader Christine Blower is up now at the LMHR youtube channel www.youtube.com/lovemusichateracism.

Friday 7th November 2008. ULU, Malet Street, London WC1 (nr tubes Goodge St/Warren St/Russell Sq) Doors 8pm, live music til 11pm. HELSINKI (Babyshambles' Drew McConnell plus very special guests) BASHY RIZ MC LOWKEY + more tbc. Tickets: £5 adv - www.ticketweb.co.uk // £8 on the dooor.

Stafford Forum present a special LMHR night featuring four of Stafford's finest bands: A Child Rasputin, Mauskramp, Hips Like Cinderella, Matrix Clubmix. www.staffordforum.com

It's been a week of symbolic victories as two more bastions of white exclusivity tumbled. Barack Obama's successful ascent to be the US's first black president is a victory above all for the millions of people who have struggled for black civil rights and the millions who have campaigned over the years for equality. Of course, in a country which has has more black men in prison than in higher education, and where a quarter of black Americans live below the poverty line, the test of Obama's real impact on racism lies ahead. The leader of Britain’s Nazis, the BNP’s Nick Griffin, reacted with predictable hostility and ire on the fascist organisation's website, accusing Obama of "anti-white racism", labelling him “a true racist bigot”, and predicting (or hoping) that the new US president will be assassinated by one of “a string of white Supremacist nuts and disgruntled ex-jarheads”.

[Props to Tim Mattia for an excellent film.] Tomorrow night's ULU gig is a don't-miss show with some of London's top talent playing together exclusively for LMHR to launch an important campaign. In the historic week a black man entered the White House, let's step up the struggle to throw racism and fascism in the dustbin of history. Tickets £5 from www.ticketweb.co.uk or!- Special LOW guestlist rates available for students, trade union members and the unemployed - call or email us for details.

It's been a week of symbolic victories as two more bastions of white exclusivity tumbled. Barack Obama's successful ascent to be the US's first president is a victory above all for the millions of people who have struggled for black civil rights and the millions who have campaigned over the years for equality and in the course of Obama's campaign raise demands for other political changes - from pulling out of Iraq to tackling America's economic as well as racial inequality. Of course, in a country which has has more black men in prison than in higher education, and where a quarter of black Americans live below the poverty line, the test of Obama's real impact on racism lies ahead. Somewhat less seriously, as with golf and tennis so now with motor racing as another sport traditionally associated with rich whites is conquered by a black person. Lewis Hamilton's victory also took place against a backdrop of reminders of the racism he has had to overcome in his chosen pursuit, and as with other sports where black stars have broken the mould racism can continue to pervade despite the race of the sport's winners. The leader of Britain’s Nazis, the BNP’s Nick Griffin, reacted with predictable hostility and ire on the fascist organisation's website, accusing Obama of "anti-white racism", labelling him “a true racist bigot”, and predicting (or hoping) that the new US president will be assassinated by one of “a string of white Supremacist nuts and disgruntled ex-jarheads”. These victories however will be welcomed by anti-racists across the world, and we must hold on to this feeling we can change the world, and use it to build a mass movement to rid our society of racist and fascist ideas and groups who peddle the centuries-old lie that non-white people are inferior and less deserving of rights and respect. Now is the time to go on the offensive against racism - join us.

Love Music Hate Racism are working with both teachers’ unions (NASUWT & NUT) on nationwide projects to increase the amount of anti-racist and anti-fascist teaching and events in our schools. A gig to launch our work this year with the NUT (National Union of Teachers) is taking place at London’s ULU venue on November 7th. The gig will feature Drew McConnell's HELSINKI, Bashy, Riz MC, Lowkey and Baby J as well as many others.

Report from last week’s Unite Against Fascism/LMHR East Midlands conference/rally Around 120 people attended the hugely successful and lively ‘Stop the BNP’ rally on Saturday 1st November in the East Midlands. A huge range of subjects were touched on by the speakers Bob Laxton MP, Lee Baron CWU Regional Secretary, Weyman Bennett joint Secretary [...]