LONDON: 50,000 in Trafalgar Square Carnival Against BNP
Around 50,000 people converged on London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday 29 April for a Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) Carnival that used top musicians and speakers to send out a message of unity against the threat posed by the fascist British National Party in this Thursday 4 May’s local council elections.
The event was a positive celebration of the real multicultural Britain the likes of the BNP love to hate, but all the artists and speakers also urged everyone who could to turn out to vote to stop the BNP on Thursday. In addition, thousands signed up to get more actively involved with Love Music Hate Racism and co-organisers Unite Against Fascism, with hundreds pledging to turn out today for mass anti-fascist leafletting in Barking and Dagenham, the area of London where the BNP pose the greatest threat.
A fantastically diverse line-up featuring Belle & Sebastian, Roll Deep, Lethal Bizzle, Boy Kill Boy, The Paddingtons, Heartless Crew, and many more was lapped up by the overwhelmingly young, multiracial crowd. The atmosphere all day was one of unity and celebration but also of determination to stand together to stop racism and fascism - with huge cheers for the political speakers and spontaneous chants of “Love Music Hate Racism” and “F*** the BNP” breaking out.
Speakers highlighting different elements of the anti-fascist movement included Donna Walker, sister of murdered black teenager Anthony Walker; Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha; Derek Simpson, leader of trade union sponsor Amicus; Weyman Bennett from Unite Against Fascism; Lee Billingham from LMHR; Tahmina Saleem of the Muslim Council of Britain, Ben Summerskill from gay rights group Stonewall; and Red Saunders, one of the founders of the original Rock Against Racism movement.
The only disappointing aspect of the day was that longtime LMHR supporter Pete Doherty was unable to play with his band Babyshambles after being arrested by police on the morning of the event. However, the rest of the band did come down to show their support, and Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell with LMHR’s Martin Smith made speeches strongly criticising police for failing to bail Pete in time to play at such a major anti-racist event, despite appeals from event organisers. The police decision was especially curious since Pete was since bailed the morning after. Drew McConnell then sang one of Doherty’s most famous songs, the haunting reflection of modern Britain, “Albion”.
The London event was one of a series of events around the country organised by Love Music Hate Racism in the run-up to the 4 May elections. Events are coming up or have already taken place in Leeds, Wakefield, Thurrock, Sheffield, Manchester, Shrewsbury, Bristol, Hastings, Chester, Barrow, and Hull.
Chris Peck , lead singer of Boy Kill Boy
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Simon Clark www.eyebox.net”
(C) Simon Clark, Eyebox / Amicus the union / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Derek Simpson, leader of trade union sponsor Amicus, addresses the huge crowd
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Simon Clark www.eyebox.net”
(C) Simon Clark, Eyebox / Amicus the union / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Stuart Murdoch, Belle & Sebastian
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Simon Clark www.eyebox.net”
(C) Simon Clark, Eyebox / Amicus the union / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
LMHR event organisers
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Simon Clark www.eyebox.net”
(C) Simon Clark, Eyebox / Amicus the union / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Crowd at LMHR Trafalgar Square event
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Simon Clark www.eyebox.net”
(C) Simon Clark, Eyebox / Amicus the union / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Drew McConnell from Babyshambles and DJ Statik, backstage at Trafalgar Square
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism”
(C) Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Lethal Bizzle on stage at Trafalgar Square
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism”
(C) Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Roll Deep on stage at Trafalgar Square
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism”
(C) Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
Crowd at LMHR Trafalgar Square event
Image free to use where credited to the photographer “Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism”
(C) Jasmine Worth / Love Music Hate Racism. All rights reserved.
More photos from the day will be put on the site very soon, and many can be accessed via the Flickr.com stream on the front page of our site. For high-resolution versions of particular images please email info@lovemusichateracism.com
April 30th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
IT WAS GREAT DAY…ESPECIALLY AS I PERFORMED …!!!!I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!!!!!AND I MADE SURE THAT EVERY PERSON KNEW TO BE PROUD OF TEHMSELVES ..BECAUSE IF WE ARE THE RACISTS HAVE NO CAUSE….
April 30th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
i PERFORMED ON THE DAY…AND I CSAN HONESTLY SAY IT WAS A GOOD EVENT…I DIDN’T AGREE WITH THE VIES OF All the speakers but ..otherwise it was a good event….i made sure i let the crowd know that we should be proud of ourselves in order to let the racists know we have a problem..
April 30th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
Hey, I just wanted to highly congratualte all who worked toegther to make the gig at Trafalga Square on Saturday such a major success. To be honest, I hadn’t known much about “Love Music Hate Racism” but went along for the free music.Never did I expect to be so overwhelmingly moved by the whole united spirit of the day. It was so refreshing and I truly do believe that if we all pull together, white and black, young and old ,eventually we will stamp out the fucking fascists once and for all!!
ps. Boy Kill Boy…. perfomance of the day most definetly
Cheers, Mia.
May 1st, 2006 at 12:44 pm
I went along to the gig and it was bloody amazing! lost half my things and my make up was running but I was right there at the front chanting with the best of em
one wicked gig !!
x
May 1st, 2006 at 12:58 pm
I went to the event! it was awesome, i missed it last year because i had exams and now i cant wait till next years one! It was great to see Urban acts with Punk acts and the chanting was great “F**K the BNP!!” woot!
!
i even got to meet Drew from Babyshambles after her performed Albion
anyway Love Music Hate Racism
Niks xx
May 1st, 2006 at 1:04 pm
this was the second love music hate racism gig/campaign i have been to. it was a really great day. fantastic to see so many people inspired and involved to act against the fascists. some very moving moments as well as some very entertaining times. great music, great speakers and a great mix for everyone.
May 1st, 2006 at 2:12 pm
lethal b was rawly the best act of the day
keep up the good work
May 1st, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Hi,
well done for organising the anti-racism gig which was a visible sign to the BNP that the majority do not take them seriously. However, I was disappointed by the lack of intelligent comment by some of the speakers and artists. It’s not enough to encourage people to f***k the BNP (and i object to the swearing -there were youngsters and babies present) we needed to hear why we shouldn’t be voting for them - what it is about their policies that are undemocratic. Also people be aware that hatred is not acceptable, even if directed against the BNP - and racism is rife in the black (e.g. Black African vs. Afro-Carribean) and Islamic (and Socialist/Revolutionary) communitiesy (re. Jews, for example. We need intelligence not violent, naive rhetoric to argue against the halh-truths of the BNP and other wolves posing as sheep. But cheers all the same.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:00 pm
the gig was amazing!!! the atmosphere was great, lethal bizzle and boy kill boy were so good!
x
May 1st, 2006 at 9:57 pm
i thought that it was absolutely amazing, i’m just sad it doesn’t happen every month. it brings people from all different walks of life together. LMHR is all about “Love peace and rock ‘n’ Roll”
May 1st, 2006 at 11:32 pm
just read what antony said and i totally agree, maybe next year you should be the speaker! And i am totally saying it in a unsarcastic undertone
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:49 am
Looks like a great event. Kudos to all who contributed and bo**ox to the BNP!
We’ve mirrored the report on the Lancaster UAF site and linked back. Hope that’s okay. LUAF x
May 2nd, 2006 at 1:08 pm
the performance was heavy!! the best song was def pow! the crowd went wild!! lol i had a gd sleep at da end of it lol but it was sooooooo worth it
May 2nd, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Was such a brilliant day…went last year’s one and i’d have to say that the line-up was better than last years.
I also found it quite emotional especially when that family of the murdered boy came out giving a speech.
I had a great time, and i can’t wait for next years!
“F*** The BNP!”
X
May 2nd, 2006 at 3:56 pm
A good event. If this was a mini-March on Washington, then Belle and Sebastian were exuberant enough to stand in for Bob Dylan - but sadly there was not much rhetoric worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as Martin Luther King’s. ‘F*** the BNP’ is not in the same league. Thank goodness (and probably thank God) for Donna Walker. Her words and the size of the crowd spoke volumes.
May 2nd, 2006 at 8:29 pm
hey whats up i really enjoyed the festivle was a great turn out love evry aspect of it even though i aint into punk music too tuff… but my highlights had to be the speech from Anthony Walkers family and when i filmed on my video camera to white men shouting F**K BNP now i really hope it goes ahead again but lets hope we dont need to beacuse BNP will not make it!!!!!!!!! xx LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM xx
May 2nd, 2006 at 9:20 pm
In a few words:
Boy Kill Boy Kicked Ass
Belle And Sebastian Kicked Ass
BNP suck Ass
May 5th, 2006 at 9:21 am
OMG the gig was wkd! considerin me and ma b/f were just goin london for da day lol
cant w8 till the next 1 ill b der! f*** da BNP! 
hehe well worth it!
May 22nd, 2006 at 5:19 pm
[…] Love Music Hate Racism » Blog Archive » LONDON: 50,000 in Trafalgar Square Carnival Against BNP […]
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
from London Student:
Love Music, Hate Racism
On the day that London got its first timid glimpse of the sun, 50,000 young people gathered on Trafalgar Square for a demonstration of unity against racism. Love Music, Hate Racism, taking place just a few days before local council elections in which the fascist BNP were standing, featured a multiracial array of bands, from rock giants like Belle and Sebastian to rapper Lethal Bizzle and up and coming bands like the Mentalists and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. The aim was to unite people through their love of music, which, argues the organisers, can beat the false divisions created by racism.
The show began at noon, and the line up was impressive: Apart from the musicians, there were many political speakers such as representatives of the family of racially motivated murder victim Anthony Walker. Some artists like Little Bizzle performed songs and skits that directly related to the issue of racist abuse, and even the bands whose songs did not made very critical statements: “Racism is a big issue in Hull, which is where we’re from, and we really hope to do something against it by playing here,” said Lloyd Dobbs from The Paddingtons.
By 2pm it was clear that the eagerly anticipated Pete Doherty wouldn’t show up for the Babyshambles gig (he’d been arrested earlier in the day). Bassist Drew McConnell played an acoustic version of Down In Albion, but thousands of fans could not hide their disappointment at Doherty’s absence. Martin Smith, one of the organisers, knew how to raise their spirits: “Shouldn’t the police be going after Anthony Walker’s murderers rather than arresting Pete?” to which the crowd cheered and the police officers scattered around Trafalgar Square looked vaguely embarrassed.
By this time, the square was brim full with a multicultural crowd, some of which were, much to the dislike of the police, happily bathing in the fountains and awaiting the last performance of the day - Belle & Sebastian.
Trumpet player Mick expressed his approval for the event: “We don’t have anything of this scale in Glasgow and music is a fantastic way of sending a message against racism.”
Martin Smith, who has been organising Rock Against Racism since his activist time in the 70s, wanted students to know about the importance of fighting racism: “When I was in school, kids would get beaten up because of their skin colour, and I wanted to see the situation change. Students, there is something you can do against racism. If you don’t like the world you live in, then go and change it. Don’t just sit on your sofa - go out and demonstrate.”