BNP could split after Nick Griffin wins leadership by 9 votes

Former friends: Andrew Brons and Nick Griffin

While the BBC was, disgracefully, giving an EDL leader a platform on Newsnight, the corporation's website brought us something to smile about. It seems the divisions inside the British National Party run as deep as we thought. BBC News reports:

'Nick Griffin has been re-elected as leader of the British National Party, according to the party's website. It said he received 1,157 votes and his opponent, Andrew Brons MEP, received 1,148. Eleven papers were spoiled.

The website quoted Mr Griffin as saying the "time for division and disruption is over" and urging members of his party to "go forward together". In May, the BNP, which has been hit by divisions, lost many of the seats it held on local councils in England.'

June 2009 seems a long time ago. That's when two MEPs were elected from the BNP: Nick Griffin in the north west and Andrew Brons in Yorkshire and Humberside. The European Parliament elections marked a high point for the fascist party, following breakthroughs in local elections during the previous few years. Growing 'respectability' was symbolised by Griffin's infamous appearance on the BBC's Question Time.

In two rounds of local elections since then - last year and again this May - BNP support has fallen, with the party losing most of the seats it defended. Most spectacularly, the BNP lost all its 12 seats on Barking and Dagenham council in east London in May 2010. The party's activists were also disappointed by their general election results, feeding disaffection and division.

Since then the tensions have turned into open revolt, with Brons becoming a figurehead for those challenging Griffin's fuhrer status. The two MEPs have clashed publicly. Their party has also suffered a deep financial crisis, leaks of membership lists and embarrassing revelations about violent conduct by its members.

This has all been rather cheering for anti-fascists, whose activity opposing the BNP over many years helped prevent it getting more of a mainstream foothold. Defeats and disappointments for the fascists encouraged the divisions which now threaten to fragment it. Griffin's hope for an end to 'disruption and division' is likely to prove forlorn.

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Norway killer linked to EDL

The Guardian's report 'Norway gunman claims a London connection and links to the EDL' informs us:

'Anders Behring Breivik, the man behind the Norway killings that left 93 people dead, began his journey in extremist rightwing politics at a small meeting in London in 2002, according to his online manifesto, and may have attended a far right demonstration in the UK as recently as last year.

In a 1,467-page document that contains chilling details of his preparations for Friday's attacks, Breivik outlines his UK links, claiming he met eight other extremists from across Europe in London in 2002 to "re-form" the Knights Templar Europe – a group whose purpose was "to seize political and military control of western European countries and implement a cultural conservative political agenda".

The manifesto, signed "Andrew Berwick London 2011", contains repeated references to his links to the UK far right group the English Defence League. On Sunday there were unconfirmed reports from one of the organisation's supporters that the 32-year-old had attended at least one EDL demonstration in the UK in 2010.

"[B]ar one or two doubt the rest of us ever met him, altho he did come over for one of our demo in 2010 … but what he did was wrong," said an EDL member online.

In the manifesto titled 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, Breivik writes: "I used to have more than 600 EDL members as Facebook friends and have spoken with tens of EDL members and leaders. In fact; I was one of the individuals who supplied them with processed ideological material (including rhetorical strategies) in the very beginning."...

It reveals an obsession with the Crusades and a supposed threat to Christian Europe posed by Muslim immigrants and mainstream political leaders. Breivik predicts a European civil war will take place in three stages, ending in 2083 with the execution of "cultural Marxists" and the deportation of all Muslims.'

The Guardian's report is likely to be damaging for the EDL in three ways. It may prompt the British state to be less tolerant of EDL demonstrations. It also threatens to embarrass many of the 'softer' supporters, who could be inclined to dissociate themselves. Some supporters are more dedicated than others - bad publicity (and it doesn't get much worse than this) can separate a broad layer of casual supporters from the committed hardcore. Finally, this can galvanise anti-racists to take action to beat back the EDL threat.

The key to defeating racist movements is the collective action of the anti-racist majority. The police and intelligence services can't be relied upon to deal with violent far-right groups and individuals - not least because the state is culpable in the Islamophobia which creates the conditions in which they fester. A sustained mass campaign against the Islamophobia which provides the breeding ground for the EDL - and equivalent organisations or networks elsewhere - is required.

The appalling media reaction to unfolding events on Friday evening - with a widespread assumption among editors, journalists and commentators that it must be 'Islamist' terrorism - served as a vivid reminder of the prevalence of elite Islamophobia. It hopefully shocked people into recognising how embedded anti-Muslim assumptions have become in the media.

Islamophobia, not only in the UK but across much of Europe, is state-led. A 'respectable racism' which has become vastly more prevalent during a decade of the 'war on terror', it finds its most acute expression in EDL mobilisations - and, even worse, the horrific massacre on Friday. We need to permanently turn the tide against this racism in the media, in politics and on the streets.   

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Newcastle: uniting to stop racist EDL

We had a UK Uncut action planned for Newcastle yesterday, assembling at Grey's Monument (typically regarded as the city's central point) at midday. It was initiated at a local Coalition of Resistance open meeting which planned a number of things to do in the wake of the huge 26 March demo.

A number of other groups, ranging from Amnesty International to Revolutionary Communist Group, had decided to have stalls at the Monument, also from noon onwards, because it was feared racists and fascists might take St George's Day as an opportunity to gather there.

The idea was that a number of different groups all having simultaneous stalls and activities, plus a sound system, would ensure anti-racists retained the space if a rabble of racists turned up. Our plan was to go ahead with the UK Uncut tour - a positive antidote to racist hate, as well as being important in itself - but a couple of us would stay there on the Coalition of Resistance stall, and immediately call and ask everyone to return if the EDL showed up.

When I arrived at about 11.45 there were already 30 grim-looking National Front supporters on one side of the Monument, but we (and a couple of other groups) still started setting up our stalls. By 12.30 many more anti-racists had arrived, and the police ensured the NF kept their distance, so we decided to start the tour of tax-avoiding businesses and bailed-out banks.

Everyone was just about to set off from the COR stall - banner, placards and flyers at the ready - when a large group of EDL supporters suddenly arrived en masse. I'd estimate 80, but it's difficult to be sure. The police swiftly moved in to separate them from us. After momentary shock and disorientation, we all stood firm and started anti-racist chanting.

It was very tense, to begin with, but everyone stayed together and refused to budge. We obviously took the very quick decision that we needed to stay put, be part of defending the Monument from the racists, and re-arrange UK Uncut for a weekend in May. There was a tremendous sense of unity and we turned the tide against the assorted racists and fascists.



A stand-off continued for around an hour. Anti-racist numbers grew. We out-did the EDL hooligans in chanting, and the sound system kicked in with some reminders that our side has all the best tunes. The racists started to disperse, and looked rather miserable.

The EDL numbers were unexpectedly high. It was far from clear beforehand that there'd be any presence at all. But this shouldn''t be interpreted as evidence that the EDL is a growing threat - overall my impression is they have stalled, and may be in decline. It's obvious they chose St George's Day as a chance to make an impact and drew in some of their softer support.


Anti-racists protest EDL and National Front in Newcastle from William Lloyd on Vimeo.


It was clearly a frustrating and discouraging experience for them. We should take heart from that. But their mobilisation yesterday does indicate that something bigger and broader on our side is required next year (and may be needed before then).

We will need the organised left, anti-racist groups, the anti-cuts movement and trade unions all pulling together to create a powerful demonstration and festival of unity.

In the meantime, make sure you're on the May Day march and rally next Saturday - assemble 11am at Centre for Life, near Newcastle Central Station, marching to Exhibition Park for a rally against cuts, racism and war. I'll post details of the re-arranged UK Uncut action when I have them.

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Stop Islamophobia: another vital step in opposing this racism in Tyneside

This is a guest post by Tony Dowling:

Around 80 people attended an anti-Islamophobia public meeting, in Newcastle on Thursday, called by well-respected local Labour councillor Dipu Ahad, in response to the recent Qu'ran burning incident in nearby Gateshead.

A group of around 30 EDL supporters gathered outside, where there was a significant police presence, but the meeting went ahead as planned.

This is the third major public meeting on Islamophobia in Newcastle in the last few months. Tyneside Stop the War Coalition has previously organised two meetings of a similar size, first in June and again just last week.

Alongside those events, this meeting was a useful step towards developing a new broad coalition to tackle the growing threat of Islamophobia, of which the racist EDL is just one manifestation.

Dipu Ahad, Newcastle councillor in the multi-racial Elswick ward, spoke about the urgent need for a united response to the wider threat of Islamophobia. He stressed the need for broad-based unity.

Dipu talked about facing racism in a variety of contexts and noted, "When I was young racism was due to colour, but now it's about religion." He spoke of the suspicion and distrust often directed towards Muslims.

Laura Pidock of Show Racism the Red Card emphasised that her organisation seeks to get racism out of society, not just football. She emphasised how many young people are instinctively anti-racist and opposed to racist divisions.

She talked about the urgent need, in schools and elsewhere, to undermine the crude associations many people have between Muslim and 'terrorist', which is fostered by media and some politicans.

Abu Tayeb of Islamic Diversity Centre recalled that Muslims are not the first group to have been targeted by media misrepresentations. Black people, the Irish and Jews have all been subject to scapegoating. Now the media are demonising and misrepresenting Muslims.

Abu said "We are not going to be silenced and become victims. Different cultures must stand up to oppression." He called anti-Islamic bigotry the last form of acceptable prejudice.

Yunus Bakhsh of Unite Against Fascism noted that a particular problem seems to be emerging in the North East, since the Quran burning in Gateshead is the only example in country. "When you start with book burning," said Yunus, "you end up burning people". Yunus said the EDL was established after Muslims protested in Luton, and claimed it was being used as a front for the BNP.

A number of people called for support for the TUC-backed national demonstration on 6 November. Speaking from the floor, the President of the local Pakistani Cultural Association said his organisation would fund a coach to November's demo. Activists are now hoping to mobilise a strong turnout from Tyneside.

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Tyneside Stop the War rallies opposition to Islamophobia

Roger Nettleship, longstanding convenor of Tyneside Stop the War, has posted recordings of the speeches from Friday's public meeting on the local Stop the War website, with this short intro:

'On Friday October 8th a varied audience of around 80 students and people from the community attended a public meeting on Islamophobia and the Media, organised by Tyneside Stop the War Coalition and hosted by the Politics, Militarism, Space Research Cluster of Newcastle University's school of Geography, Politics and Sociology.

4 speakers addressed the meeting, chaired by Tony Dowling (Tyneside Stop the War). The speakers were Dr Nick Megoran (Lecturer in Human Geography), Hazera Begum (former head sister for Muslim students at Northumbria University and supporter of Stop the War Coalition), Zeinab Raza (InspireMe Islam, Newcastle) and Yvonne Ridley (writer, campaigner and broadcaster).'

The importance of the issue of Islamophobia, for us in Tyneside, has recently been highlighted by the EDL attack on a left-wing meeting and the 'Koran burning' incident.

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EDL thugs attack meeting in Newcastle

I received this urgent message from UAF North East yesterday. It was also reported yesterday that 6 men have been arrested in neighbouring Gateshead (where I live) for inciting racial hatred - see 'Koran burning' in Gateshead. It is now being reported that the arrested men are EDL supporters.

'Last Night - Wednesday 22nd Sept - up to 30 racist EDL thugs wearing EDL shirts attacked a Socialist Workers Party meeting at The Tyneside Irish Centre in Newcastle town centre.

Two members of staff were physically assaulted in what was clearly an attempt to disrupt the meeting. There were no other injuries and the thugs soon dispersed.

Clearly frustrated at not being able to mobilise large numbers of local thugs it seems that the EDL are now intent on smaller scale but brutal attacks on our right to organise and meet. They cannot be allowed to get away with this or propagating their poisonous beliefs.

All progressive, anti fascist and anti racist groups and organisations need to be vigilant - but we will not be intimidated by racist thuggery.

The incident follows the arrest if two EDL supporters in Gateshead in relation to a racist incident.

Unite Against Fascism North East will be organising a further response in the near future.'

Image: UAF's anti-EDL protest in Newcastle, 29 May 2010.

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EDL racists in Bradford

'The racist EDL dubbed their demonstration in Bradford ‘The Big One’ and promised to get 5,000 there. The event turned out to be the ‘not so big one’ with somewhere in the region of 1,000 there.

The police figures for the EDL contingent were just 750. The racist thugs made little secret of their intentions to attack Muslims, hurling stones and smoke bombs at a crowd of protesters from Bradford, and shouting their slogans of hate.

‘Allah – paedophile’, ‘We love the floods’ and ‘Allah, Allah, who the fuck is Allah?’ were their slogans of choice.

However, with the police penning them into a walled compound and local Bradfordians applying a good deal of mockery, the EDL had a pretty miserable day.'

Read more of John Westmoreland's report for Counterfire HERE.


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EDL and the rise of Islamophobia

Last Friday I spoke at a public meeting about Islamophbobia, alongside Yvonne Ridley and a number of excellent local campaigners. Mark Tyers wrote this report of the event for Counterfire:

Yvonne Ridley, former Taliban captive, award winning journalist and European president of the International Muslim's Women Union, had a stark message for the 80 people attending a public meeting on Islamophobia in Newcastle.

“We are standing at the start of a street which the Jews were dragged down in the Thirties. The demonisation of the Jewish people in the Thirties began with cartoons depicting Rabbis with Grenades in their ringlets, to make them look subversive, to make them look dangerous and this is how it starts... and of course we know where this ended."

She was of course talking about the rise in Islamophobia in Britain and across the rest of Europe: a racist, anti-Islamic viewpoint, sparked and driven by the ongoing "War on Terror" and fanned by the pains of the recession. But she also pointed - as did other speakers - for reasons to be hopeful, such as the broad and united nature of the anti-war mobilisations over several years.

This European wide-rise in the scapegoating and demonizing of British Muslims has involved a relentless campaign by politicians and right wing media to brand Islamic organizations as extremist. It has seen the systematic abuse of the anti-terror laws to initimidate Muslims.

Most worryingly, it has spawned a number of racist, far right organizations such as the EDL whose marches have directly and indirectly led to an increasing number of verbal and physical attacks on Muslims in the community.



Yvonne Ridley said: “I can't understand why the police allow them [the EDL] to gather. The Muslim extremists who chanted things like “behead the infidels” at the troops homecoming marches were banned, yet the EDL, who have said and done a lot worse, aren't made illegal?”

The meeting was organised by Tyneside Stop the War and also addressed by a range of local speakers. It follows the recent national 'Stop Islamophobia' conference in London. A planning meeting in Newcastle, to discuss how to take campaigning forward after the successful public event, has been announced.

Picture: Sunday's anti-EDL demonstration in east London.

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How to stop the EDL

Liam Macuaid has a short but inspiring report of last night's huge anti-racist meeting in east London, which followed the recent formation of United East End.

Here's his account:

'Depending who you talk to it was 800, 900 or 1000. The London Muslim Centre (LMC) in Whitechapel tonight hosted a bloody big meeting to show that very very few people in Tower Hamlets want the English Defence League to come anywhere near the place.

I lost count after the 23rd speaker. All points of view from the Salvation Army to Unite, the NUT and the Baha’is were there. An overwhelmingly Muslim audience applauded Labour councillors, trade unionists, Catholic priests and Respect members who stood opposed to race hatred, anti-Semitism, homophobia and fascism.

You’d need to be seriously thick to not work out that pulling that number of people together, with the express intention of persuading them to attend a demonstration on June 20th celebrating the EDL’s decision that not going to Tower Hamlets is the better part of valour, is quite an achievement.

If we gauge these things by the posters on the walls of the LMC and the screen projections the organisational triumph belongs to United East End. It even managed to convince the leader of the council and several councillors that it was worthwhile associating their name with the anti-racist event.

Even though the EDL has been faced down the locals are going to have a concert, rally and maybe even a march to show that the racists are not welcome. It was an inspiring event which showed that locally rooted anti-fascist campaigns can scare the buggers off, bring people together and hold the potential to help organise the upcoming defensive struggles.'

The meeting was on the back of a brief but effective campaign, which had already led to the EDL cancelling its march.


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Mobilising to stop the EDL

I've been ill and stuck indoors the last 2 or 3 days, which has meant missing not only a Eurovision party (I'd been designated Greece, with appropriate political topicality, as my country) but unfortunately also the anti-racist mobilisations greeting the EDL's visit to Newcastle. At least 1000 people turned out, and a local comrade and friend has written this report for Counterfire which I'm republishing here.

'At least 1000 trade unionists, LGBT activists, Muslims, anti-war campaigners, students and others turned out on the streets of Newcastle today to succesfully counter the racist English Defence League (EDL) march.

The 600-strong EDL march was kept to its Bigg Market march route through pressure from a 600-strong Unite Against Fascism (UAF) counter-march and a 100-plus mobilisation by North East Against Racism (NEAR). It was denied control of Grey's Monument (commonly regarded as the centre of Newcastle) by an anti-racist rally jointly organized by the TUC and Hope not Hate, which attracted at least a further 400 people.

The TUC, UAF and NEAR events were constituted mostly by local anti-racists. In contrast the EDL, a far right marching organization consisting of football hooligans and racists, had bussed in most of its marchers from around the country to allegedly campaign against “the spread of Islam and Islamic extremism”. I overheard a member of its 'Gateshead Division' stating to his friend “Its like a match day”.

The UAF march began at St James Park, home of Newcastle United, and proceeded to move through Newcastle city centre to passionate chants of “EDL, Off our Streets” and “When the EDL spread racist lies, We fight back and organize”.

Its climax was a rally at Newgate street, right next to the EDL march route, where UAF demonstrators cheered speeches from UAF, NUT, RMT and trades council speakers.

As Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of UAF, said, “we have trade unionists on our side who have a history of protecting workers rights. Who do the EDL have? Football hooligans, good at nothing but spreading hatred and violence”.

Josh and Rose, from near Berwick-upon-Tweed, caught the bus to attend the UAF demonstration and commented that it was “great to see this many people demonstrating against the EDL today” and said that they wanted to “see more people challenging racist views in their everyday lives”.

A group of local LGBT activists said the various counter marches, when added up, had resulted in a “good turnout ” of anti-racists, though one said it was "a shame about the separations between them.”

The marches all passed off peacefully, thanks in part to high quality stewarding by UAF and NEAR members. Police kept the anti-racists and EDL members separated at all times, without resorting to using the controversial 'kettling' tactics that provoked widespread condemnation on a number of previous occasions.'

N.B. No comments on this one, so don't even try! (anything on EDL and UAF attracts racists and sectarian loons alike).

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EDL coming to Newcastle: trade unionists call for anti-racist unity

I was pleased to see the message below circulated to National Union of Teachers (NUT) activists in Tyne and Wear. It's from Ian Grayson, Secretary of Newcastle NUT and a member of the union's NEC.

'PROMOTING COMMUNITY AND SOLIDARITY
Demonstrate against the English Defence League
Grey’s Monument, Newcastle
Saturday May 29, 11am to 3pm

The English Defence League is holding a march and rally in Newcastle on Saturday May 29. The EDL are a far-right racist organisation which seeks to oppose diversity and promote a message of hate against Islam and other groups in our community.

This is not how our region is, or how any progressive person could want it to be. Trade unions have successfully campaigned, alongside others, to stop racist groups making any progress in the north east.

In opposing the EDL, NUT members can join with fellow members of Northern TUC, in a non-confrontational way, in putting forward a positive message about equality and diversity in our community.

Please try to attend, and get together with NUT colleagues under the NUT banner at Grey's Monument in showing our opposition to racism and discrimination.'

N.B. There's also a Unite Against Fascism march to oppose the EDL on Saturday.


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Updates from Bolton anti-fascist protests: "police tactics which are brutal and intimidating"

The Sauce is providing frequent updates - through words, pictures and video - from today's anti-fascist demonstrations in Bolton. Updates include:

11.48: The far right EDL has certainly chosen a northern town scarred by the bankers' economic crisis - Bolton is punctured with closed shops and businesses. Woolworths, one of the biggest victims of the recession, has not yet been replaced. The economy has managed to board up more windows than today's protests. Rather than attack the people who have damaged the country, the EDL attacks working class people.

12.01: Riot police and officers are already attacking anti-fascist demonstrators trying to brake out of the kettle. Tear gas fired (Police deny this, saying it's a flare which is much more likely). Protesters shouting "shame on you." Loud bangs and UAF supporters being dragged from the crowd. An eyewitness says: "there are people passing out and getting crushed."

12.46: Two riot officers race a protester forward at speed to prevent them speaking to a legal observer.



13.07: Announcement that the police have arrested Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of UAF.

(The video is of legal advisor John Tipple)