I had a busy weekend – on Saturday I went to Lincoln for an anti-fascist protest. It was supported by the NUT, PCS, Socialist Party and Lincoln Trades Council. 100 people turned up and we marched through the city centre to voice our opposition to the BNP, chanting “jobs and homes not racism, stop the BNP”.
A grand total of 6 football hooligans made fascist salutes and unfurled a St George’s cross with “BNP” on it. We pointed out that St. George was Turkish. Another slight disturbance happened when a BNP supporter grabbed at our banner, but he was arrested – presumably for mouthing off at the police who were having a word with him.
The demo was a huge success, building on the public support shown for earlier LARF (Lincoln Against Racism and Fascism) demos. We are also holding a Rock against Racism gig at the Duke of Wellington later in the month.
On Sunday, I went over to Nuneaton to leaflet for Steve Gee the Socialist Party candidate in a ward where we are standing for the first time, against the BNP. It was very positive to hear someone say that he would vote for us, but if we weren’t standing he may have voted for the BNP. It is an indication of the lack of a mass, working-class alternative to the three main parties of sleaze and corruption that the BNP can pose as a party of the left in some of its propaganda. We had an excellent response in Nuneaton and I am going back there on Thursday to help get our vote out on polling day.
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