Transport details and collection points from Leeds on Saturday 5 February:

To book a ticket on the coach from Leeds please email info@leedsuaf.org.uk
or ring Andy on 07746713034.

7am Bangladeshi Centre, Roundhay Rd., LS8
7.10am Leeds Uni Parkinson steps
7.20am West Yorkshire Playhouse
Tickets £25 waged, £10 unwaged, 16 and under: donations.

The EDL, a violent racist organisation, with links to the British National
Party and other fascist groups, has called a ‘protest’ on Saturday 5th
February – they describe it as going ‘back where it all began’.

It is clear what they mean: the EDL was formed after masked racist thugs
went on the rampage through Luton last year, attacking Asian residents and
spreading fear and intimidation.

That is the reason they are targeting Luton again – their own publicity is
designed to remind its supporters of their hate-filled history. They claim
Luton will be their biggest demonstration yet. The EDL hope to benefit
from Jack Straw’s recent damaging and unsubstantiated comments including
his claim that Asian men target white girls in particular as they are seen
as ‘easy meat’.

The EDL are refusing to cooperate with police, and EDL divisions are
planning to split up and roam around the town in groups to threaten and
intimidate local residents, especially Muslims. Their aim is to go on the
rampage again.

UAF believes we need to have a peaceful protest that makes it clear
racists aren’t welcome in Luton. UAF are urging people to gather at 12
noon in George Square.

Where antiracists and antifascists have turned out in numbers to show
their opposition to the EDL and to support our diverse, multicultural
communities, the EDL has been unable to run rampage as it did in Luton
last year.

For up to date details about Luton please see the national website.

The Leeds UAF public meeting will discuss how the fascist British National Party and the racist thugs of the English Defence League fit into a worrying picture of gains for the far-right across Europe and beyond.

Electoral gains

Last month, Austria’s far-right Freedom Party took more than a quarter of the votes in the Vienna city elections and has announced plans to expand into Germany, while earlier this year, the fascist Sweden Democrat party won 20 parliamentary seats – sparking big anti-fascist protests within hours of the result being announced.

The SD’s success follows that of other fascist organisations such as Jobbik in Hungary, which has hugely increased its vote and has a large paramilitary wing, the Hungarian Guard.

The Leeds meeting will also discuss what we can do to counter the fascists’ threat.

Details

7pm, Thursday 11 November
Leeds Metropolitan University
Lecture theatre, The Civic Quarter, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS1 3HE

The prospect of the English Defence League [EDL] coming to Bradford on Saturday 28 August demands a sober and effective response from the anti fascist movement as whole. We wish to explain why we believe it is vital that there is a peaceful multicultural celebration in Bradford city centre on the day of the EDL action.

This is in contrast to the view expressed in the August edition of Searchlight magazine and in the Morning Star newspaper, by Hope Not Hate organiser Nick Lowles, where he argues that banning the EDL march in Bradford “….is our only option and sole focus.”

UAF supports the call made by Bradford trade unions, local community and faith groups for a ban of the proposed EDL demonstration in Bradford on Saturday 28. But we do not agree that this is the ‘only option’, nor that if “thousands of EDL supporters manage to get into Bradford then we have already lost”, as Lowles’s argument continues. On the contrary, the experience of Stoke and Luton tells us that the EDL are more likely to go on the rampage when there is no public opposition to them on the day of their actions.

Firstly, on the call for a ban. In the view of UAF and many others, section 12 and section 13 of the Public Order Act, allow the police to ban both marches and static demonstrations. However to date, apart from one in Luton, the authorities have refused to ban EDL demonstrations. Therefore, in our view, the response to the EDL planned mobilisation in Bradford has to be to campaign for a ban, and at the same time take the necessary steps to put in place a peaceful celebration of multicultural Bradford in the event that the EDL are allowed to assemble there.

UAF has been engaged in serious discussion over many months, with the communities targeted by the EDL, other faith communities, local and national trade unions and many others, to consider the most effective way to respond to these EDL actions where they are allowed to go ahead. From these discussions, clear support has been expressed for ensuring that the EDL are not allowed to go unopposed, and that there should be events held that assert the positive local support for their multicultural, diverse and united communities.

Accordingly, Bradford Unite Against Fascism is organising with trade unionists, faith groups, community groups and others a “We are Bradford” peaceful, multicultural celebration of unity to show that the overwhelming majority of the people of the city reject the EDL’s poisonous message. The event being organised is not a “counter demonstration”.

It will be held in the city centre, and there will be transparent arrangements made with the police, with whom the ‘We Are Bradford’ event is co-operating fully to ensure that there is no confrontation with the EDL. This will demonstrate that Bradford does not welcome the attempts by the EDL to whip up hostility between communities, strengthen the solidarity of all Bradford’s communities against racism, and will also provide the media with a focal point to profile the breadth of support for multicultural Bradford, rather than allowing the agenda to be dominated by the EDL.

In the framework of both mobilizing support for a ban and preparing for the eventuality that this call is ignored, Unite Against Fascism invites Hope not Hate to jointly organise with us a peaceful multicultural celebration on Saturday 28 August in the city centre.

Unite Against Fascism is acutely aware of the huge responsibilities facing the anti fascist movement in Bradford given the experience of the 2001 riots and the electoral breakthrough by the BNP in 2004 in the wake of the racist myth about so called ‘Asian grooming’ of young white girls for sex.

But we believe that a disorganised and chaotic response to the EDL coming to Bradford is more likely if the anti fascist movement does not fulfill its duty on the 28 August to organise a safe place for all those people who will undoubtedly wish to make their voices heard against the threat of the EDL and in support of our multicultural society. The issue is whether the response to the EDL’s presence is properly stewarded and channeled to a peaceful, positive event – not whether there will be a response. Failure to organise such a response would also send a signal to the EDL that they are free to escalate their actions against the Muslim and other communities without any expression of the breadth of opposition to their message of hate.

We are also concerned at the possible implication of Nick Lowles’ comment that “The EDL is coming to Bradford to provoke another riot. Let’s not give them one.” [Searchlight August 2010] We must be very clear that experience tells us that the EDL does not need an excuse to start a racist riot.

In Dudley the EDL attacked a Mosque, and Hindu & Sikh temples. We also have to emphasise that the responsibility for violence in the town rests with the EDL and not the peaceful gathering organised by the local Interfaith Forum, Unite Against Fascism and others.

We should not give any ground to the myth that the EDL is a legitimate, peaceful movement which is ‘provoked’ into violence. Nor is it acceptable for anyone to imply that people supporting a peaceful celebration of our multicultural society on the same day as an EDL action are in any way responsible for provoking the EDL.

If the anti-fascist movement is to deal effectively with the threat posed by the EDL it is necessary for it to understand the causes of its growth and its relationship to the British National Party.

In the context of a rise of Islamophobia across society the EDL has been allowed to make gross attacks on the freedom of conscience, thought, religion and cultural expression of Muslims including actions outside mosques. If there were demonstrations against Christian churches or Jewish people and synagogues there would quite rightly be widespread outrage and condemnation.

Unite Against Fascism consistently argued, both before and after the 2009 European election, that the election of even one BNP MEP would represent an historic breakthrough for British fascism with serious negative consequences. We now see in Britain an embryonic pogrom movement in the form of the EDL which is a direct product of that BNP breakthrough. There is a de facto far right division of labour: the BNP does the electoral politics whilst the EDL intimidates on the streets.

The UAF has been clear that both these threats must be countered, and was central to the local campaigns against the BNP in Barking, Stoke-on-Trent and other areas of the country where the BNP were successfully driven back electorally.

But, in developing our strategy and tactics we must never forget that the fascists are not primarily a parliamentary party. They seek to impose their views by force – intimidating communities and if they ever come to power eradicating their opponents. Therefore, alongside the campaign of mass action to oppose them electorally, it is also vital to develop a movement that comes to the defence of communities under attack, demonstrating to the fascists that these communities are not isolated and will not be left to stand alone.

We have to reply to the EDL by demonstrating that the labour movement, other faiths, those of goodwill, will celebrate our multicultural society in the face of the fascists’ attempts to whip up hatred, prejudice and fear. We only need to look at other European countries to see what happens when movements akin to the EDL are allowed to grow without this type of broad response. It leads to an increase in racist violence directed against whole communities, including arson and murder.

The EDL is a racist organisation that concentrates on anti-Muslim prejudice as a focal point for racism. It will seek to organise any anti-Muslim current but starts with those, such as football ‘casuals’ most prepared to ‘take to the streets’. Contrary to the media’s portrayal of the EDL as being opposed to ‘extreme Islam’, in reality it seeks to create a street force capable of intimidating and attacking the Muslim communities, and further down the line to pose a physical threat to other black and Asian communities and to the labour movement.

Over the last year the anti-fascist movement has learned many lessons about how we can successfully celebrate and defend our multicultural society against the attacks of the EDL. In Dudley, UAF worked closely with local communities to peacefully celebrate ‘one society, many cultures’. This was such a broad and united response that dismay at its success has been publicly voiced by leaders of the EDL. The effectiveness of this campaign, and the support it won locally, was also reflected in a dramatic decline in the BNP vote in the General election in the town and the warm support it received from the local media.

More recently, the march celebrating Tower Hamlets, on the day of the planned EDL demonstration, brought together the breadth of the anti-fascist movement, including local elected politicians, faith communities, trade unionists, lesbian and gay activists and all those who oppose fascism. It was the largest anti-fascist mobilisation for a decade. It was a peaceful, focused and vibrant expression of unity.

We believe that the anti-fascist movement has a duty to stand in unity with all those in Bradford and beyond who wish to publicly show their support for our multicultural society and their opposition to Islamophobia in the face of a national mobilisation of the EDL. The anti-fascist movement will not be forgiven if it abandons those people to their fate on 28 August.

For details of the coach from Leeds to Bradford please call 0788 6387361.

Join the ‘We are Bradford’ multicultural celebration on August 28 to show that the overwhelming majority of people reject the divisive and racist EDL.

Bradford Unite Against Fascism is working with local communities, trade unionists, faith communities and others to build a peaceful ‘We are Bradford’ celebration of multicultural Bradford on 28 August, in opposition to the attempt of the English Defence League (EDL) to use Islamophobia to divide the city.

It will show that the city’s diverse cultures, faiths and communities are united in saying “The EDL is not welcome in Bradford.”

The EDL claims to be against ‘extreme Islam’, but in reality it is a racist organisation inciting hatred against all Muslims. This is shown by its protests outside Mosques, such as outside Harrow mosque on 11 September 2009 to coincide with Friday prayers. It has called for the closure of East London mosque and recently planned to go into the heart of Tower Hamlets to threaten people attending a Muslim conference.

The EDL is an embryonic pogrom movement. Its claim to be a peaceful pressure group is exposed by the fact that it bases itself on violent, racist football‘crews’, notorious over the years for being riddled with fascists, including the most violent elements such as ‘Combat 18’.

Islamophobia — hatred and fear of Muslims — is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. If we allow one section of our community to be attacked and scapegoated, who will be next? It is time for all people of good will, young and old, of all faiths and none, whatever our heritage,whatever our sexual orientation, to unite and speak with one voice.

For details of the coach from Leeds to Bradford please call 0788 6387361.

Leeds Unite Against Fascism is campaigning hard to stop the BNP making progress in the parliamentary and local elections on 6 May by urging the anti-fascist majority to use their vote on 6 May to stop the BNP.

Please email info@leedsuaf.org.uk for details of local UAF activities.

If you would like to leaflet your local street(s) at a time convenient to yourself please email the campaign with your contact details and the name of the constituency & ward you wish to leaflet in.

The racist hooligans of the English Defence League have rescheduled their plans to descend on Bolton for Saturday 20 March. Unite Against Fascism has called a national counter demonstration for all those who want to defend our multiracial society against the EDL’s thuggery and violence.

Please log on to www.uaf.org.uk for the latest news about the local and national campaign to oppose the EDL.

The EDL has grown on the back of the breakthrough by the BNP in June. The two organisations have a far right division of labour. For now the BNP focuses on elections and the EDL aims to dominate the streets.

The recent EDL racist riot in Stoke, attracting up to 1,400 racists, and its provocations outside Harrow mosque are a serious warning of what is to come if the EDL is allowed to grow unopposed.

To not oppose the EDL would lead to even larger actions, the creation of ‘no go’ zones for Black and Asian people and direct attacks on communities as in Oldham in 2001.

The EDL is an embryonic pogrom movement that concentrates on anti-Muslim prejudice as a focal point for its racism. It will seek to organise any anti-Muslim current but starts with those, such as football ‘casuals’, most prepared to ‘take to the streets’.

It aims to create a street force capable of intimidating and attacking the Muslim community, and further down the line to pose a physical threat to other Black and Asian communities and to the labour movement.

Other European countries have shown what happens when groups akin to the EDL are allowed to grow. It leads to racist violence directed against whole communities, including arson and murder.

We should also challenge the media’s failure to condemn the EDL’s racist violence and its inaccurate portrayal of the EDL as being opposed to ‘extreme Islam’.

For transport details for the coach from Leeds please email info@leedsuaf.org.uk

BOLTON UNITY STATEMENT

This statement was initiated by North West Unite Against Fascism. To add your name or organisation’s name to this statement, please email mancuaf@gmail.com. Alternatively you can sign the statement online. We the undersigned completely oppose plans by the English Defence League to hold an anti-Muslim protest in Bolton on Saturday 20 March.

The EDL is a group of racists and football hooligans with close links to the fascist British National Party. When the EDL came to Manchester in October, Muslim graves in the area were desecrated. When the EDL came to Stoke-on-Trent in January, the words “Islam scum” and “EDL” were daubed on a local mosque.

Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims – is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.

Today they threaten mosques, tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple or church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, black, Asian or Eastern European people, travellers or lesbian, gay and transgender people.

We have beaten fascists and racists before by standing up in unity against them. We cannot stand by and let these racists attack any section of our community. Let’s gather in such large numbers that we make it clear to these fascist and racist thugs that they are not welcome here. Let’s protest against the racists and fascists, oppose their politics of hatred and defend Bolton’s diverse and united community.

We call on everyone to support and attend the protest against the EDL in Bolton on Saturday 20 March.

Signatories include: Ruth Kelly MP, John Leech MP, Sir Gerald Kaufman MP, Tony Lloyd MP, Margaret Hodge MP, Dawn Butler MP, Beverley Hughes MP, David Chaytor MP, Graham Stringer MP, Ken Livingstone, Christine Blower (NUT), Billy Hayes (CWU), Hugh Lanning (PCS)

Thursday 4th February 2010, 7:00pm Leeds Met University, Civic Quarter (opposite the Dry Dock)

Speakers include:

Ian Stephenson (Regional secretary, NUT)

Weyman Bennett, (UAF)

Arshad Khatana (Chair, Armley Mosque)

Sophia James (Leeds University Equality and Diversity Officer)

Chair; Mick Hooson, (Chair, Leeds UAF)

Food and networking after the meeting at 8:30pm

Provided by Medina Catering — £4 waged/£2 unwaged

The Leeds Unite Against Fascism public meeting will be a crucial event for everyone who opposes the fascist British National Party and other anti-Muslim groups such as the English Defence League [EDL].

It will be a chance to discuss how to build a united movement against fascism and the most effective way forward to defeat the BNP.

The election of two members of the BNP to the European parliament in 2009 threatens to normalise the presence of the BNP in politics. The fascists will attempt to use their foothold to push their bigotry in the media and whip up race hatred on our streets. They will also try to use their European gains as a springboard for this year’s local elections and general election.

Leeds UAF group plays a major role in celebrating and defending our multicultural city. We have also continued to oppose the racism that has fed the growth of the BNP and to explain why appeasing the BNP will only serve to strengthen it.

The next six months will be vital for turning the tide against the fascists. We must do all we can to alert communities to the BNP threat and mobilise the vote against them.

Unite Against Fascism is holding its annual national conference on Saturday 13 February at the TUC Congress Centre in central London.

This will be a crucial event for everyone who opposes the fascist British National Party and wants to prevent it from making gains at the next General and local elections. It will also be a focus for all those resisting the rise of racist anti-Muslim groups such as the English Defence League.

The election of two members of the fascist British National Party to the European parliament in 2009 threatens to normalise the presence of the BNP in politics. The fascists will attempt to use their foothold to push their bigotry in the media and whip up race hatred on our streets, as we have seen with Nick Griffin’s appearance on Question Time. They will also try to use their European gains as a springboard for this year’s local elections and general election. Nick Griffin has recently announced that he is to stand in Barking, East London, where they already have 12 councillors and there is a threat they could take countrol of the council if they gain more seats in these local elections.

We have also seen an upsurge in racist demonstrations organised by right wing football hooligans with links to the BNP. These have been targetted at the Muslim community, and in many ways are a product of the BNP’s electoral gains. This anti-Muslim racism should also be seen in the wider context. The worrying results from the Swiss referendum on the banning of minarets shows how quickly forms of racism can develop into wider commonsense opinion when not challenged.

Unite Against Fascism has played a leading role in challenging the BNP’s attempt to make progress on the back of its breakthrough in the European elections. We have continued to oppose the racism that has fed the growth of the BNP and to explain why appeasing the BNP will only serve to strengthen it. UAF groups around the country have also played a major role in celebrating and defending our multicultural towns and cities in the face of the racist English Defence League’s [EDL] attempt to use Islamophobia to provoke conflict and division.

The conference will bring together all those who oppose fascism, including trade unions, Muslim, Jewish, Christian and other faiths, black, Asian, lesbian, gay and disabled communities, enabling us to come together to discuss strategies that have been successful in defeating fascism and to organise activity across the country to stop the BNP in these elections. The event will also be an organising conference for the Love Music Hate Racism Carnivals taking place in key areas across the country.

The next six months will be vital for turning the tide against the fascists. Time is still on our side – the fascists are not yet established as they are in countries like France, Austria and Italy. We must do all we can to alert communities to the BNP threat and mobilise the vote against them.

Register now! Fees are £25 for organisation delegates, £10 for individuals, or £5 for unwaged/students. Make cheques payable to Unite Against Fascism, or use our secure online donation facility at www.tinyurl/UAFdonate and write “Conference Registration” in the comment box. Please include your name, address, email and phone number. Cheques should be sent to UAF, PO Box 36871, London WC1X 9XT.

For transport details from Leeds please email info@leedsuaf.org.uk

The English Defence League [EDL] action in Leeds on Saturday 31 October is the latest manifestation of the rise of racism and Islamophobia over the last two decades.

The ‘Celebrate and Defend Multicultural Leeds’ rally called by Leeds Unite Against Fascism attracted over 1200 people from communities across the city. The rally had widespread backing – from the trade union movement including Yorkshire & the Humber TUC and Leeds Trades Council, the Muslim and Jewish communities, faith groups, students, LGBT campaigns amongst many others.

It succeeded in demonstrating that the vast majority of Leeds people support their multicultural city and ensuring that the 400 racists from the EDL were unable to achieve their goal of dominating the city centre on Saturday.

Unite Against Fascism remains firm in its belief that anti Muslim prejudice continues to be the cutting edge of the fascist BNP and groups like the EDL – in the same way as anti Semitism was in the 1930’s and racism directed at black people was in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Contrary to the media’s portrayal of the EDL as being opposed to ‘Extreme Islam’ in reality it seeks to create a street force capable of intimidating and attacking the Muslim community, and further down the line to pose a physical threat to other black and Asian communities and to the labour movement.

The most overt example of this to date was the demonstration called by the EDL outside the Harrow Mosque on 11 September. This was all the more provocative because it was called on a Friday, the main day for Muslim prayers. Yet there was no advance condemnation of this from the government or national media.

The Harrow events show how dangerous the situation has become. One only has to think of the national outcry which would rightly greet a call for a demonstration against Jews outside a Synagogue or against Christians outside a Church on a Sunday.

The EDL is a racist organisation that concentrates on anti-Muslim prejudice as focal point for racism. It will seek to organise any anti-Muslim current but starts with those, such as football ‘casuals’ most prepared to ‘take to the streets’.

The EDL has grown on the back of the increasing legitimisation of Islamophobia and the breakthrough by the BNP in June. As predicted by UAF, every racist thug in the country has been emboldened and encouraged to make their particular contribution to the ‘cause’ of racism.

We must remind people that the lesson of history is that democracy and the multicultural society cannot defend themselves. We have to manifest in words and deeds that the overwhelming majority of society rejects racism, Islamophobia and fascism. To not oppose the EDL would lead to even larger actions by them, the creation of no go zones for black and Asian people and direct attacks on communities as in Oldham in 2001. The recent EDL action outside the Harrow mosque is a taste of what is to come.

The ability of the EDL to attract over 500 people to its Manchester rally and 400 in Leeds is further evidence that the problem is not going to disappear without a mobilisation of everyone who supports our multicultural society and who rejects the EDL’s racism and Islamophobia, with the labour movement and all those immediately threatened by the EDL and the rise of racism at the centre of the campaign.

We only need to look at other European countries to see what happens when movements akin to the EDL are allowed to grow. It leads to the creation of pogrom movements with an increase in racist violence directed against whole communities, including arson and murder.

Last Saturday’s events in Leeds are further proof that only a united anti fascist movement which consistently challenges racism, discusses what works and is led by the labour movement and those under immediate threat from the BNP & groups like the EDL, will have the capacity to succeed.

UAF will ensure that diversity and multiculturalism will be celebrated and defended whenever the EDL attempts to gather in our towns and cities – their racism cannot go unopposed.

Anti-racists, politicians, faith leaders, trade unions and community leaders and have signed the statement opposing the EDL marching in Leeds and calling for unity to celebrate and defend multicultural Leeds.

The statement reads:

“We the undersigned strongly oppose plans by the ‘English Defence League’ – a group linked to the fascist BNP – to demonstrate in Leeds city centre. The EDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims. Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims – is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.

Today they threaten the mosque, tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple or church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jewish people, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians & gay men, travellers or Eastern Europeans. There is no place for Nazis, racists or the BNP in Leeds multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious community.

We call on the Home Secretary and the police to ban the EDL action.

We also urge people to attend the peaceful ‘Celebrate and defend multicultural Leeds’ rally to be held outside the Art Gallery on Saturday 31st October at midday.”

Signatories so far include:

Organisations:

Yorkshire and Humberside TUC, Yorkshire and Humberside UCU, Leeds TUC, Yorkshire and Humberside UAF.

Individuals: Fabian Hamilton MP, Councillor Richard Brett (Leader of Leeds City Council), Bill Adams (Regional Secretary, TUC), Sue Dorsey (President of the Leeds Jewish Representative Council), Right Reverend John Packer (Bishop of Ripon and Leeds), Paul Clays (Regional secretary of the CWU), Tim Roache (Regional Secretary of the GMB), Ian Stephenson (Regional Secretary of the NUT), Councillor Arif Hussain, Councillor Josephine Jarosz, Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Councillor Adam Ogilvie, Asghar Khan (Prospective councillor), Zubeda Arshad (Armley Mosque), Revd Ashley Hardingham (Minister Chapel Allerton Baptist Church), Gill Goodswen (Vice President, NUT), Tony Stanley (Leeds REC), Mick Hooson (NAPO – West Yorkshire Branch Chair), Keith Allen (Actor), Tony Walsh (PCS Negotiations officer), Patrick Murphy (Leeds NUT secretary), Prof Malcolm Povey (President Leeds Uni UCU) Andy Brammer (Wakefield TUC secretary), Brian Mulvey (Leeds City Council UNISON Branch secretary), Bill Chard (GMB Regional Organiser), Sally Kincaid (NUT – Wakefield and District Divisional Secretary), Ken Cridland Lancashire Secretary (National Union of Teachers), Ian Murch (National Treasurer of the NUT and Bradford divisional secretary), Alex Kenny (NUT National Executive member), Andy Lee (Central Sec, CWU Leeds #1 branch), Geoff Lockyer (Organiser, PCS Leeds & District Revenue Branch) and many others.

For more information, or to add your name to the unity statement send an email to info@leedsuaf.org.uk