Here follows the UAF statement condemning the BNP's "Red, White & Blue" event:
The fascist British National Party plans to hold its annual "Red, White & Blue" rally in Derbyshire on 14-16 August. The BNP bills this event as a "patriotic family festival". The truth is very different. The event will be a rallying point for neo-Nazis and racists from across Europe.
Last year guests invited to the "Red, White & Blue" by the BNP included Petra Edelmannova, a Czech neo-Nazi who calls for a "final solution to the Gypsy issue". The BNP's deputy leader Simon Darby defended this rhetoric, saying "What's wrong with people who talk frankly about their problems?".
Last year guests invited to the "Red, White & Blue" by the BNP included Petra Edelmannova, a Czech neo-Nazi who calls for a "final solution to the Gypsy issue". The BNP's deputy leader Simon Darby defended this rhetoric, saying "What's wrong with people who talk frankly about their problems?".
Other guests included Marc Abramsson, a Swedish fascist who campaigns for "racially pure kindergartens". This year's guests are likely to include representatives of Jobbik, a violently racist Hungarian party that organises pogroms against Roma people.
The purpose of the BNP's event is to build up a hardened neo-Nazi core at centre of the organisation. Student BNP members have been ordered to attend a lecture on "ethno-nationalist theory" during the rally. Previous "Red, White & Blue" rallies have involved SS marching music as "entertainment". BNP leader Nick Griffin is a Holocaust denier with a criminal conviction for incitement to racial hatred.
We are already witnessing a spate of racist attacks in areas of high BNP activity. The BNP's "Red, White & Blue" will only to encourage more bigotry and violence on our streets. We condemn the BNP and its festival of race hate, and we urge people to reject this party's poisonous and anti-democratic agenda.
Dr Abdul Bari, secretary-general, Muslim Council of Britain; Lee Barron, Midlands regional secretary, Communication Workers Union; Jerry Bartlett, deputy general secretary, NASUWT; Weyman Bennett, joint secretary, Unite Against Fascism; Christine Blower, general secretary, National Union of Teachers; Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary, Unite Against Fascism; Billy Hayes, general secretary, Communication Workers Union; Chris Kitchen, national secretary, National Union of Mineworkers; Ken Livingstone, chair, Unite Against Fascism; Michael Rosen, author and former Children's Laureate; Mark Serwotka, general secretary, Public & Commercial Services union; Mick Shaw, president, Fire Brigades Union; Wes Streeting, national president, National Union of Students; Matt Wrack, general secretary, Fire Brigades Union
email unite@ucu.org.uk to add your name
UPDATE From the Independent: BNP festival 'rallying point for neo-Nazis'
Amongst the 'attractions' at this meeting is a fake cemetary, demonstrating a rather weird sense of what makes 'family fun' for the BNP:
From the Derby Telegraph:
A mock graveyard of people whom the BNP says were killed in anti-white racist attacks is among the "attractions" at the Red, White and Blue festival in Derbyshire this weekend. The event, held in Codnor-Denby Lane, Denby for the third consecutive year, started yesterday.
Anti-BNP protesters claim it is a fascist show; the BNP insists it is for families. The party said other events at the festival would include teaching teenagers how to deal with "anti-white racism" in schools, colleges and the workplace.
Last year the Derby Telegraph was barred from the site, but yesterday our reporter was able to enter. The graveyard featured about 30 wooden crosses with the names and faces of murder victims. A sign at the graveyard read: "The forgotten victims: a memorial to those who paid the ultimate price. Please take a moment to remember them. Victims of anti-white racist violence. Light a candle and pray that our efforts are rewarded in this political struggle before more lives are wasted."
Elsewhere on site, T-shirts were on sale with slogans like "It's a white thing" and leaflets available headed "Islam: A threat to us all".
Head of the BNP's youth and student wing, Mike Howson, said he expected about 50 young BNP members to take part in youth events over the weekend. He said this would include explaining to older teenagers how to deal with "anti-white racism". This will involve the youths being told what their rights are if they belive they are victims of what the BNP called discrimination against whites.
The BNP has refused to say which speakers from abroad will be at the festival and refers to only one unnamed foreign guest speaker in its programme. Anti-BNP groups claim the speakers will include a number of spokespeople from fascist European parties. Yesterday, a US white supremacist, Preston Wiginton, was banned from entering Britain to speak at the festival. Wiginton was barred by officials at Heathrow airport. The UK Border Agency said it had intelligence that Wiginton was to give a speech and said it was feared he would promote "extremism, hatred and violent messages".
Today, more than 2,000 protesters were expected to take part in a peaceful march from Codnor Market Place to a point on Codnor-Denby Lane. It was being organised by Unite Against Fascism, Stop the BNP, Derby Racial Equality Council, Amber Valley Campaign Against Racism and Fascism and the TUC.
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