ANTI - RACISTS/ANTI-FASCISTS UNITE AGAINST THE BNP IN DERBY
Over 500 people met on Saturday and took to the streets in Codnor, Derbyshire to oppose the fascist “Red, White and Blue” festival. Unite Against Fascism organised a demonstration and managed to mobilise many trade unionists, community groups and local residents.
There were a number of coaches from the surrounding East Midlands, Derby, Chesterfield, the Black Country, Nottingham and Leicester.
Union participants included: CWU – Northampton branch, NASUWT, NUT – Central Notts Association, NUT – City of Derby, PCS – Leicester revenue, TUC – Coventry, TUC – Derby Area, TUC – Nottingham & Mansfield, TUC – Wolverhampton, Bilston & District, UCU – East Midlands, Unison – Ashfield branch, Unison – Leicester City branch, Unite – Derby branch.
Also there were banners from Derby Race Equality Council and the Indian Workers’ Association (Derby branch), and many more. Because of police restrictions only 30 people were allowed to directly oppose the BNP at the entry gate. They reported a good response from local people who gave them cups of tea and praised them for opposing the fascist festival.
Love Music Hate Racism and Baby Jay organised a rally featuring local artists, which followed the Unite Against Fascism demonstration. An event was planned to take place later in the day but was forced to be postponed after intervention by Derby police and when the venue pulled out.
These are a few of the quotes from the speeches made from the UAF platform:
Jerry Bartlett, deputy general secretary, NASUWT:
“I’m proud to be marching today against the Nazi BNP. We want to drive racism and fascism out of our schools and out of our communities. So long as we stand together, we are invincible.”
Lee Baron, Midlands regional secretary, CWU:
“I’m here representing 30,000 CWU members across the Midlands. We need to stand together united against the fascists. But we also need to address the situation where our people, working people, are beginning to turn to the BNP. The labour movement needs to fight, organise and campaign for policies that can help working people.”
Dave Green, national executive, FBU:
“It’s unacceptable that the BNP feels it can operate in this region. We need to get the message across loud and clear that the BNP is a party of fascists.”
James Eaden, national executive, UCU:
“There’s no place for Nazis in the trade union movement. We will expel any Nazi from our organisation.”
Balbir Singh Sandhu, chair, Derby Race Equality Council:
“The BNP says it is just a political party, but it is about spreading race hatred—and we want to stop that. Derby Race Equality Council says no to racism.”
Rajinder, Indian Workers’ Association:
“It’s been a very good day. People have come here from all across the country to protest against the BNP. As the crisis of capitalism deepens, they will try to blame black people and people who are different. We are here today to stand up and fight back.”
Despite a very good turnout we have to be concerned by the BNP claim that a thousand people attended their festival. We will have to redouble our efforts next year, in the upcoming European and County elections, and at the next Red, White and Blue ‘festival’, wherever it takes place. We will make sure that we have a bigger demonstration to expose the BNP as a fascist organisation.
(c) Sarah Honeysett and LMHR.
