Love Music Hate Racism

National March & Parade Against Racism and Fascism ** Stop the Fascist BNP ** ** Love Music Hate Racism Carnival Hits the Streets! ** Saturday 21st June 2008 Assemble: 12 noon, Tooley Street, London SE1 (behind Greater London Assembly building, nr Tower Bridge) To: Trafalgar Square W1. ************************************************** In the wake of the election of the fascist British National Party's Richard Barnbrook to the Greater London Assembly (GLA), and of other new BNP councillors in other parts of the country, we will show once again that anti-fascists are the majority. The Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) Carnival at the end of April showed the mass multicultural audience opposed to racism and fascism and now is the time for the Carnival to hit the streets. Barnbrook must not be allowed to settle comfortably into his ill-gotten office, but must be resisted at every turn. Together we can stop the BNP from turning their GLA win into a respectable platform for spreading racist poison in London and across the country.

Keen to keep the momentum going following the tremendous impact this year's Viccy Park Carnival had, and mindful of renewed if limited success for the fascist BNP in local election elections, LMHR have announced plans to take the Carnival to the North of England in 2009, ahead of June's European Parliament elections in which the Nazis will again be aiming to do well. There will also be a major LMHR event in Yorkshire this summer. John McClure aka The Reverend of Sheffield's Reverend and The Makers is working with LMHR on an exciting lineup of top acts from the region, to hammer home the message that many thousands of people in Yorkshire want to rid their area of racism and fascists like the BNP. The Rev announced the Yorkshire event in this week's NME in an excellent article on the BNP's results in the May elections, alongside a piece by Babyshambles' Drew McConnell analysing the London elections and the need to keep up the fight against racism and fascism. More details will be announced shortly.

Babyshambles frontman Peter Doherty says he was "gutted" to have missed last Sunday's 100,000+ Love Music Hate Racism Carnival in east London's Victoria Park. He wasted no time upon his early release from jail this morning to condemn the election of the fascist BNP's Richard Barnbrook to the London Assembly. The singer said, "There will be no passage of evil through these isles without a proper, good struggle. This island has always been a melting pot and personally I am 100% mongrel in the great dog stew of history. Bona fide scouse, London Irish, jew Geordie BiloRussian. Closed borders are like closed minds. What of humanity's horizons? How infinite are they or how barricaded are they? Racism is upon us and let us not forget it is still within living memory that six million people died in gas chambers because of a hateful ideology."

The fascist British National Party's London fuhrer, Richard Barnbrook, has managed to con a small minority of Londoners into voting for him, to scrape onto the London Assembly via the cross-London party list - largely through votes won in outer London boroughs like Barking & Dagenham and Havering & Redbridge . Without the anti-fascist campaigning prior to the election, and particularly last Sunday's huge Love Music Hate Racism Carnival, the BNP would undoubtedly have gained more seats in London. The Carnival showed the mass audience opposed to racism and fascism which can build the bigger united anti-fascist movement that can stop the Nazis. A protest has been organised against the BNP and Barnbrook - at 6pm on Tuesday 6th May at City Hall London SE1. The protest is called by LMHR with other organisations sure to join the call, and everyone is encouraged to attend. Weyman Bennett from Unite Against Fascism said: “Several members of BNP have convictions for racial hatred this includes the leader of the BNP Nick Griffin. In the past other fascists leaders have use the democratic freedoms in order to destroy everybody rights and freedom of speech. ” Drew McConnell, of leading LMHR-supporting band Babyshambles, said: "Multicultural Britain should be celebrated. Immigration is not to blame for unemployment or housing problems, and does not negatively affect the economy, but the BNP tell us this is actually the case. We want them to know they're not fooling us. Everyone knows the BNP are a Nazi organization, and they can't hide behind their suits forever.”

With 100 of 160 local council election results declared so far, the BNP have gained 8 new local councillors across the UK, winning 2 seats in each of Amber Valley (Derbyshire), Rotherham (S.Yorks) and Nuneaton and Bedworth (Warks, nr Coventry), as well as seats in Thurrock (Essex) and Pendle (Lancs, nr Burnley). However, in places where the fascists have previously done well, such as the West Midlands (Sandwell & Dudley), Broxbourne in Herts, and in Oldham, their vote has fallen significantly (e.g. average BNP vote has halved in Sandwell) - surely in large part the result of anti-fascist campaigning. Watch this space for more on the election results.

Check out our special LMHR Carnival '08 'photostream' on flickr, with essential pics taken by LMHR's own team of ace snappers. You can also see the pics other people took by looking at the 'Latest Photos' section lower down this page - or go straight to http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/lovemusichateracism/

We now have a full range of LMHR t-shirts back in stock - all sizes and colours in men's, women's and children's are avaiable. We also have loads of new types of LMHR badges - get the whole set and support the cause! Finally, there's our uber-trendy LMHR hessian bags. T-shirts cost £11 inc p&p, badges are £5 for 10, and the bags are just a fiver. You can pay either via www.lovemusichateracism.com/donate or else send a cheque payable to 'Love Music Hate Racism' to LMHR, PO Box 2566, London N4 1WJ.

If you havent already - don't forget to use your vote today if you live in London or in an area with local council elections. The BNP thrive on low turnouts, so whichever other party you feel you can vote for, get down there and do it!

Tim Mattia from nme.tv has really nailed the feeling among the artists performing at Sunday's Carnival in his excellent report.

LMHR Carnival '08 was a massive success - comfortably more than 100,000 came to the event through the day. The crowd was young and old, diverse, and lapping up the Carnival's anti-BNP message, surely giving a huge boost to turnout in this Thursday's GLA and local elections. Musical highlights were too many to mention in a brief review, but all the acts performing were superb - a blow-by-blow account will follow. For now, thanks and congratulations should go to all those of you who came, the acts, the trade unions/Morrissey/all those who donated, Metropolis/AP/Nine Yards and all the excellent production contractors, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, St Johns Ambulance, the volunteers collecting/selling/grafting all day, and above all the LMHR team who have worked tirelessly and selflessly for months to make this event happen: Alison, Anita, Bunny, Christine, Donna, Drew, Dave, Fay, Jamie, Jon, Josh, Kaleigh, Lee, Martin, Olivia, Princess, Sadia, Tony, Val,Weyman, and Xanthe. Lots more Carnival reviews, photos and footage to come, but a taster for now below... the awesome crowd, and youtube video of the glorious Poly Styrene and all-round top man Drew McConnell's Helsinki doing X-Ray Spex classic 'Oh Bondage, Up Yours!'

Spectacular Alliance Comes Together to Stop the BNP . What brings veteran MP Tony Benn, rebel rocker Paul Simonon and gay and lesbian rights activist Ruth Hunt on stage together in a one-off all ages carnival spectacular alliance? Organisers of this Sunday's Love Music Hate Racism carnival expect that the event will attract over 100,000 people. And the message is clear-- we want to celebrate the diversity of London and urge people to vote against the fascists in next week's London elections. Tony Benn said: "Our world is now a little village packed with weapons of mass destruction. Racism breeds hatred that could destroy the human race. Music speaks to the heart of everyone and helps us to build peace".

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "This powerful event comes at a crucial time. Music is an effective way of getting across the anti-racist message. I am looking forward to the concert on Sunday and want to congratulate the organisers on programming a fantastic line up. "

Ruth Hunt of lesbian and gay rights group Stonewall, said: “Stonewall is proud to support Love Music Hate Racism. Every one of modern Britain’s diverse communities must stand together to challenge all forms of discrimination. There is no place for fascism and intolerance in a civilised society.”

LMHR organiser Lee Billingham said, "Without the huge contribution of the trade union movement, this Carnival wouldn't be going ahead. The trade unions and their members - representing 7 million people from every background - have put in over £200,000, an historic level of support for an anti-racist initiative".

Morrissey has personally stepped in with a significant financial contribution to the Love Music Hate Racism campaign in order to allow their 30th Anniversery Rock Against Racism concert to go ahead in Victoria Park, London this weekend without financial loss or burden to the campaign. In addition to his own contribution he has rallied his management, booking agency and promoters to make up the majority of the £75,000 deficit LMHR was faced with after a main sponsor pulled out.

A BNP councillor and Greater London Assembly candidate launched into a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse on a newspaper journalist today, branding Ilford Recorder news editor Sally Lowe "a Nazi". Cllr Robert Bailey, deputy leader of the British National Party (BNP) group on Barking and Dagenham Council, was unhappy over the Recorder's coverage of the London Assembly elections. The Recorder is the regional media sponsor for Sunday’s Love Music Hate Racism Carnival 08 in Victoria Park, Hackney, on Sunday. In a verbal attack peppered with four-letter words, the former Royal Marine accused the Recorder of bias and called Miss Lowe, 29, a "jobsworth". The Barking and Dagenham Alibon ward councillor threatened to urge BNP members to boycott the Recorder. Cllr Bailey said: "When we have control on Barking and Dagenham Council we are going to hit you where it hurts. You won't see a penny from us and we will tell everyone to boycott your paper."

Wednesday's pre-Carnival press conference and photocall gave a taste of what's to come this Sunday as a wide range of artists playing at the weekend spoke to the national media at Victoria Park on why they're playing the event and of their determination to celebrate and defend our multicultural society.

Commemoration of the 1978 Anti Nazi League march against the Nazis Sunday 27th April 2008, Weavers Field, London E2 to Victoria Park, London E3. Assemble at Weavers Field 9.30am onwards, march to leave 11.00am Called by Anti Nazi League Supported by SERTUC, Connect, PCS,NASUWT,UCU,CWU,Unite the union, Musicians Union, NUT,Unison,UAF and LMHR

This Sunday's LMHR Carnival is getting some great national media coverage - Sunday's Observer carried a 3-page article by Sarfraz Manzoor on LMHR and the 30th Anniversary of Rock Against Racism.

The weekend papers also carried much talk of the 40th Anniversary of racist politician Enoch Powell's infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech, much of which was way too uncritical. But on Friday in the city Powell made his speech, Birmingham, members of UB40, Steel Pulse and other local bands and campaigners held a LMHR press conference which sent out a clear message that Powell was wrong and that our multicultural society is a great thing we must defend against the racist backlash. the slogan 'UB40 in stand against Enoch' appeared on newstands across the city on Friday night. See the Birmingham Post's article. Central TV also carried a report on the conference

Members of UB40 and other local bands will hold a Birmingham press conference for Love Music Hate Racism on Friday April 21st to say that Enoch Powell was wrong, there have been no rivers of blood – let's celebrate multi-racial Britain. 40 years ago, on 20 April 1968, Conservative cabinet member, Enoch Powell, called for a halt to immigration, and an end to anti-race discrimination legislation. He predicted "Rivers of Blood" on the streets of Britain if immigration continued, and if the dependents of migrants living in Britain were allowed to join them here. His speech unleashed a massive wave of racism directed at Ugandan Asians fleeing Idi Amin, and at all non-white immigrants then living in Britain.

Specials founder Jerry Dammers is hosting the LMHR Carnival '08 Finale, which will feature a set from Paul Simonon (The Clash), Simon Tong (The Verve), Tony Allen (legendary afrobeat drummer) and Damon Albarn (Blur) - aka The Good, The Bad and The Queen.

Raffle in support of Oxford LMHR. 1st prize: Two tickets to Truck Festival 2008

Babyshambles' bassist Drew McConnell has put together a one-off version of his "other band" HELSINKI to perform at LMHR Carnival '08 on Sunday 27th April 2008. As well as Helsinki regulars Matt Parke and Spencer Brown, the 40-minute set will include appearances by 'Shambles guitarist Mick Whitnall, Reverend & The Makers' John McClure, ex-Arctic Monkeys man Andy Nicholson, Ed Larrikin, and Poly Styrene whose band X-Ray Spex opened the 1978 RAR/ANL Carnival. Other special Helsinki guests are expected to confirm over the next few days. Drew McConnell said: "This has got to be the most important event of the year. Dozens of the best acts around, a huge celebration of multicultural London, and a chance to help stop those BNP racists gaining a foothold in the capital. We'll be there doing our bit, so bring everybody you know and join us! Oh - and the whole thing's free, so put your hand in your pocket and give generously to the anti-racist cause!"