A Non-Profit Event

United action needed

Unfortunately, Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and the main political force behind it, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), have been largely absent from this campaign. This is despite numerous requests for meetings from the local campaign and the campaign leafleting the UAF national conference last March so they were aware of what was happening.

Some weeks after the details of the protest were announced, UAF members have begun distributing leaflets advertising a rally at 11am without any discussion with the local campaign. UAF have even added NStBNP as one of the organisations calling the rally without consultation! UAF's unilateral call for a rally at a different time has, understandably, raised fears that they are attempting to split the anti-BNP movement.

Any attempts to organise a rally separate from the NStBNP rally will weaken the strength of opposition to the BNP's festival. It would also show a complete disregard to the democratic lines along which the local campaign has been built, within which UAF have so far declined to participate. That would be counter to the idea of building a united mass campaign against the BNP, of involving new activists in campaigning and discussing tactics and slogans, of involving as many as possible to develop the best slogans and ideas capable of defeating the BNP.

Despite the obstructions created by the UAF's approach, the campaign is determined to make the protest a massive success and many people are involved in a range of work to build the protest. Last weekend, the campaign took leaflets to the Durham Miners' Gala as it wants an attendance from all over Britain.