"White Lives Matter" Racist Trash not welcome in Portsmouth.Anti Racist Rally Portsmouth Guildhall square. 8th October.

Simon Magorian.
Stand Up to Racism.
The racists from South Coast Resistance, who are basically Pie and Mash Squad, or considering their debacle in May in Portsmouth, would be better called "Pie and Mash, Halloween masks and a crate of discount beer Squad"are blessing us with another event.
The title for their event.White Lives Matter really says it all.The White Lives Matter Movement in the U.S.A. is obviously a response to the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the large number of African American deaths at the hands of the police.WLM in the States is basically Ku Klux Klan and what's left of The Angry White Man Movement. As such SCR is not just attempting to appeal to Racists but also to Nazis.Concepts like White Pride are the currency not of the far right but Fascists.

There has been a spike in Racism nationally since the Brexit vote and this has even included the murder of a Polish man.The way the media have conducted themselves both before and after the referendum  has given the impression that it is now acceptable to be openly racist and clearly some far right groups thinks this is an opportunity to spread their message of hate.

There have been some examples of this hitting Portsmouth like this graffiti reported in Portsmouth News shortly after the referendum.

Portsmouth is an Antiracist city with a good multicultural vibe. This was clearly demonstrated at the large turnout for Hope Not Hate's  More in Common event in honour of the murdered MP Jo Cox recently.
In fact there has not been a significant upturn in racist incidents in Portsmouth.

These guys want to change that.

Our protest is not about them it's about us.


Link to page with demo details here. 

This is about us making an important statement about the majority of citizens who want a non racist inclusive city that doesn't demonise immigrants and welcomes refugees.
We want people to bring banners and placards to celebrate our diversity. Bring musical instruments and poems if you like.We will also be doing a collection for the forthcoming Stand Up to Racism trip to Calais in December.
We are coming together to celebrate multicultural Portsmouth.
We send out an invitation to everyone who regards diversity as a sign of strength to join us in a positive demonstration , where we can unite and celebrate multicultural Portsmouth.
Yes to diversity.
No to Racism.
Called by Stand Up to Racism/Unite against Fascism./Love Music Hate Racism.

 

Pie and Mash Fascists in Portsmouth washout. The Reich that lasted not for a thousand years but a mere 12 minutes.

By Simon Magorian.
Unite Against Fascism.

 
 Photo: Les Crompton.

For weeks the Pie and mash squad have been screaming about their local anti-Immigrant ,anti-Refugee demo and declaring in stentorian tones that they speak for Portsmouth.It was called in the name of South Coast Resistance,the group who did not exist until two weeks before the demo were called, and are P&M in all but name and were the flag of convenience for this particular debacle.
 Their protest was due to start at midday, however, they got down there early, taking a position on the Guildhall steps from about 1030 onwards. At this point they numbered about 20, the Unite against Fascism/Stand up to Racism protest started to assemble opposite them on the main concourse in Guildhall Square. From the outset we clearly outnumbered them substantially.
Their claim of course is that they represent the people of Portsmouth. This would be true if the people of Portsmouth went around in skull masks necking vast quantities of lager at 10 o'clock in the morning, but thankfully they don't. As soon as we got there we got the chanting going. A lot of work had been done by all the groups organising for this.Not Just from Unite Against Fascism and Stand Up to Racism who had called the demo.There were of course Portsmouth Trades Council banner who supported our protest along with banners and flags from Portsmouth AntiFascists , Unite,Unison,PCS,NUT,RMT, NASUWT and others.It was broad ranged, lots of students, people from town,the Pompey Pensioners. Dozens of people had turned up from the Anti Fascist Network from Portsmouth Southampton and Brighton. We quite clearly represented a very broad range of groups from across the south.

From the outset we decided that our protest was not merely going to be an antifascist protest but we were going to define the meaning of the day. This was not merely to be a protest against them but a protest in solidarity with refugees.
We had a   Stand up to Racism  stall set up in the square where people could sign a statement in solidarity with refugees. Throughout the course of proceedings many people came up to sign this and sign up to our convoy going to Calais with stand up to racism on 18 June. One of the reasons why racists in Portsmouth have been feeling more confident is due to the disgraceful behaviour of Donna Jones Tory leader of Portsmouth City Council, who led a campaign attempting to have Portsmouth removed from the government asylum hub. She also pushed through the scrapping of the councils Hate Crimes Unit, which was shortly followed by the dumping of a pig's head carved with a swastika on it outside a local Muslim school. Many of the people speaking at the rally felt that the antics of Donna Jones and her Conservative colleagues have created a space where racists feel more confident in Portsmouth.
Needless to say Donna Jones was nowhere to be seen during our protest.
However amongst many people who came up to sign a statement in solidarity with refugees was the only newly elected Labour councillor Stephen Morgan.

The Nazis in comparison seemed very quiet and totally unfocused politically. They seem to spend most of their time just swaying or gesticulating in our general direction.


Perhaps they're not feeling too chipper. We recently had an enormously successful packed launch rally for Stand Up to Racism in Guildhall Library.
David Cameron has just had to backtrack on allowing child refugees into Britain amidst accusations that this was akin to refusing the Kindertransport who brought jewish children to Britain fleeing Hitler.
The election victory of Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, as London Mayor,  after one of the most disgracefully racist campaigns in recent history,whose family came over from Pakistan in '47 and whose father was a bus driver and his mother a seamstress is a victory for anti racists the importance of which is difficult to overestimate.

These things make them very,very angry .

It also makes them very,very demoralised.


Good.

We had   predicted they would  get about 40 people for their protest, and the presumption was that there might be other people coming, that was certainly the impression they had been giving for the few weeks.In reality we had flattered them ,they had a couple of dozen,we had 150 and including people who came over to give support and moved on around 200.
When the Guildhall clock let out the peals for midday we assumed that their protest might actually be starting even though they had no more people, however they just continued in a desultory way, swaying and gesticulating. At this point I think the penny dropped that was all the numbers they were going to get for their protest and decided the best option would be to walk off the steps and head to the nearest pub.So hot and dehydrated they stumbled off to get more alcohol.
So that was it. Their protest was supposed to start at 12 o'clock and finished at 12 minutes past.

12 minutes.

Truly fainthearted fascists.

We promptly took all our banners and placards marched onto the steps the Guildhall's square to declare it antifascist space.
A big cheer went up when the  delegation from Dover arrived from the Kent Antiracist Network, in solidarity with the magnificent opposition they have been giving the fascists down there.

We then proceeded to have a pro-refugee rally. There followed  speeches from Unite Against Fascism,Stand Up to Racism, the leader of Portsmouth Trades Council John Woods, Mick Tosh of the RMT, Pompey pensioners, AFN, and poems were read out.



Close to a hundred pounds was collected for our convoy on June 18, this is alongside £100 from Portsmouth Trades Council and £150 by Unison City Branch pledged earlier in the week . Another important statement was made in terms of Portsmouth standing up for refugees and against racism.We turned a day that could have been negative into a positive day of humanitarian solidarity.

Another miserable day for the fascists.

Pie and Mash/ South Coast Resistance Fascist Hatemob Not Welcome in Portsmouth.Join the UAF counterprotest.

There will be  Hatefest called by Pie and Mash and the local Fascists called under their latest Flag of Convenience , South Coast Resistance, on May 7th in Guildhall Square. .
It is based on a lie.

It is claiming Portsmouth Council is planning to give preferential housing to Refugees ahead of locals.Donna Jones policies regarding Refugees could be described as EDL friendly. Also it's worth pointing out for the umpteenth time. Asylum seekers get no Council housing at all!
This belongs to the school of thought that Refugees get put up in 5 star Hotels and are given shedloads of money. They normally get housed in the shittiest places and are expected to survive on £36.95 a week.

They are hoping to stir up some trouble on the basis of Anti-Refugee sentiment.They hold to the point of view , that if someone is down, rather than help them up you should give them a good kicking.

After many setbacks ,they are hoping to rebuild on the basis of hatred for Refugees which sadly is a current within British society.
What broke there  backs in Portsmouth was broad based opposition to them.Specifically the protest outside the Muslim Madami Academy about 3 years ago.Not only did we outnumber them but we could clearly say we represented Portsmouth.
We had Pensioners and schoolkids, banners from Nas/Uwt, NUT, Unison , Pcs and of course Portsmouth Trades Council.We represented all the Faiths, Students,LGBT and were totally multicultural.

They had a bunch of drunken boneheads shipped in from outside.

We intend to do the same this time round.Our opposition will be broadbased, multifaith and diverse.We want to have a colourful vibrant celebration of multiculturalism in Portsmouth.We are asking for as many Trade Union and community banners as possible.
There has been a lot of solidarity shown towards Refugees in Portsmouth. Stand Up to Racism amongst many others has organised events and solidarity protests.

Stand Up to Racism is backing this counterprotest.

It is also being backed by Portsmouth Trades Council.

It is important that his is not merely an Anti Fascist event but we also push a positive message in Solidarity with Refugees.
By affirming the rights of Refugees we also affirm our own humanity.



Please support our Facebook Page so we can start building opposition to them.

To get to the facebook page press here.


Pie and Mash for people who don't know are the mouldering remains of the EDL.Some people think it's slightly comical for a group to have a name like that.It is however rhyming slang.
Pie and Mash-Fash.
Geddit?

The local Nazis have had a bit of a hard time of it,of late. Every attempt they have made to resurrect there fortunes has been a dismal flop.Their latest attempt has been to try and set up a Portsmouth section of Soldiers of Odin. I saw a rather inebriated group of them sashaying around Portsmouth and Southsea station last week.
At the beginning of March there was a meeting held down here by Western Spring.
As it says on their Website :

"Recently, five Nationalists from three groups met in Portsmouth with a view to co-operating in the advancement of the Nationalist Cause. The three groups were Western Spring, Pie and Mash Squad, and the New British Union (NBU)."

Although I can't see NBU and P&M getting on particularly well ,the NBU see themselves as Mosleyite officer class type material and probably see the mashers as the kind of salt of the earth types who smashed up Communist Party meetings circa 1933.From what i can gather this consisted of half a dozen members of The Master Race in somebody's living room in Portsmouth.
It's tempting to sit back and laugh at the Fascists.However, whilst they may  be very small at the moment across the channel they are growing alarmingly.In Poland and other countries they have been getting demonstrations of  many 10s of thousands.
People are talking of Marine Le Pen , the French leader of the Fascist Front National of being a serious contender for the Presidency.
It is important we do what we can to marginalise them now.

There have been a number of these small Nazi demos up and down the country.Now, unfortunately it's our turn to oppose them.
They have issued a call out for others to support them.
It will be very small and very nasty.

However,if possible, we need to nip it in the bud now.

Please help to build for the counter protest.
Portsmouth has a brilliant tradition of opposing the Fascists.
Let's show this shower what Anti-Fascist Solidarity looks like.
Please help to build the opposition by using the Facebook page and/or contact me at the email/tel no below.

Simon Magorian
Convener
Portsmouth Unite Against Fascism
07758112931
portsmouthuaf@gmail.com

Fascists have another poor day in Dover.

By Simon Magorian.

The Nazis had another bad day in Dover.The South East Alliance only managed a paltry 80 people for their Anti-Refugee hatefest.The Kent Anti Racist Network managed to mobilise  around 350 people for their event.KARN led a convoy of aid vehicles that went down to the port to be  cheered and  sent off to Calais. There were a large number of locals on the march , and the figures were bouyed up by contingents from Unite Against Fascism , Anti Fascist Network and London 2 Calais.
The AntiFascists managed to block the road where the Nazis were due to march for over an hour.It was pretty clear after the last demo in January where the Police didn't know what they were doing, that nothing was going to occur which might be an impediment to the career prospects of the Chief Constable. Not just Dover Police were in attendance but Police from Sussex, Essex and a contingent from the Met on standby.

There were very clear messages being relayed on the day. It was not just that they wanted to make a point to the Anti-Fascists (they were clearly targetting Black bloc protesters) and wanted to push the Nazis through. They also wanted to make a point to the Nazis, that they were beholden to the Police for their safety. It was as if they were saying ,the Anti Fascists protesters chant of "If it wasn't for the coppers you'd be dead." was absolutely true. I imagine the policing for the day was decided at the very highest level.
However, as far as I am aware over a dozen people were arrested all of them AntiFascists.Solidarity must be offered to all of them.
We ended up in a pub in  Folkestone ,and were discussing the people arrested.Whilst there I saw on my phone that the local Tory MP,Charlie Elphicke  had tweeted:
"Militant hard left occupying port road at Dover. Unwelcome, damaging to our nation's economy and the town. Go away."
If there is any justice there will be a major shitstorm heading his way,if he sees the Nazis as not being a problem and the people who condemn them are.
 Utterly disgraceful.
I have never been in Folkestone before ,but my mother has.She was a nursing sister here who was 48 hours on her feet when they were bringing the exhausted soldiers in from Dunkirk.
I don't imagine Mr Elphicke objected to an AntiFascist outsider like my mother being down there in 1940.Sometimes we need our AntiFascist outsiders to show support.

What has been happening in Dover has been the locals have been leading the way in showing principled oppostion to the Fascists and compassion towards the wretched suffering of refugees.
I would like to pay homage to KARN and to Bunny La Roche in particular to the sterling work they have been doing in Dover.
AntiFascists from outside will continue to come and give support .
We do not need a permission slip from the local Tory MP Mr Elphicke thank you very much.
Oh, and yes we will like my dear old mum was many years ago , be outside agitating AntiFascists on the 23rd of April when the Fascist rabble threaten to come again.
Solidarity to all.

Portsmouth Celebrates UN Anti-Racism day.March 21st. Join the world protests against Racism!

Simon Magorian UAF.

It's vitally important to make a stand against racism,now more then ever.With Politicians trying to outdo each other as to who can be tougher on immigrants in the runup to the General Election it is crucial for everyone who opposes racism to get out and clearly state;"Not in my Name!"

We need a maximum pushback against the Racists and Nazis.All demos and protests against the Racists helps to undermine their confidence and gives a boost to Anti -Racists everywhere to fight back.
Newcastle gave a clear lead. Thousands of Anti-Racists turned out against the Nazis of Pegida ,outnumbering them 10 to 1. Hundreds turned out on the Stand Up to UKIP protest on the last day of their conference in Margate.The EDL recently cancelled a proposed march in Brighton in the face of massive opposition.However they plan marches in Manchester ,Oxford and elsewhere.Their marches must be vigorously opposed.

National Demonstration Saturday 21 March Assemble 12pm, BBC Portland Place, London W1A 1AA (nearest tube Oxford Circus) Rally Trafalgar Square

Diane Abbott MP • Owen Jones Writer and Journalist • Jeremy Corbyn MP • Claude Moraes MEP • George Galloway MP • Natalie Bennett Leader, The Green Party • Dr Marina Prentoulis Syriza London / Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia • Christine Blower General Secretary NUT • Colette Levy Hidden Child from Vichy France • Bruce Kent VP Pax Christi • Talha Ahmad MCB National Council Member • Stephanie Lightfoot-Bennett Chair, United Friends and Families (UFFC)• Carol Duggan Mark Duggan Family Campaign • Janet Alder Justice for Christopher Alder • Marcia Rigg UFFC Co-Chair / Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign • Maz Saleem Daughter of the late Mohammed Saleem • Sam Fairbairn Secretary Peoples Assembly Against Austerity • Hamja Ahsan Free Talha Ahsan • Gerry Gable Searchlight • Ismail Patel You Elect • Jo Cardwell Stand Up To UKIP • Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu Joint National Secretaries, Unite Against Fascism

• Click here for details of coaches from around the country. • Click here for rallies in your area building for the demonstration. • Please donate to help us cover the costs of the march.

This racist tide will only be driven back by you and me standing up and confronting it. From Germany to Greece to Ferguson, people who want a society free from racism are saying no more. People are taking to the streets in large numbers to oppose the racist Pegida movement in Germany and the Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn in Greece, and to protest against institutional racism and police violence against Black communities. People are outraged at the Islamophobic and anti-Semitic backlash after the Copenhagen and Paris attacks, and the mass media silence on the Chapel Hill shootings where three Muslim students were brutally shot dead, so many have mobilised under the slogan ‘Muslim Lives Matter’. Immigrant communities are fed up with being wrongly blamed for an economic crisis they did not create. On UN anti-racism day people across the world will be taking a stand. Will you be there? Last year over 10,000 people from across Britain people took to the streets in London – students and trade unionists, people of all faiths and none, migrants, musicians, teachers, pensioners and parents. And together we showed unity in the face of racism. A huge demonstration this year, just a month before the General Election, will send a powerful message to all politicians:

We are the majority and we will stand up to racism.

Demos are happening across Britain, and internationally including London, Glasgow, Cardiff, Athens and Barcelona. #standuptoracism #m21 standuptoracism.org.uk Facebook: ‘Stand Up To Racism’ Twitter: @AntiRacismDay

 TRANSPORT DETAILS

There will be transport going up to London from Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Unison City Branch have generously sponsored a coach.

Seats are £10 waged
               £5 unwaged.

Contacts: Mark Sage,Unison 07816835621
Simon Magorian, UAF 07758112931

Collection points.
9.00 The Hard Interchange
9.10 The Student's Union,Cambridge Rd.
9.20 Fratton Trades Club, Fratton Bridge
9.30 Old Post Office, Cosham.


Facebook page here.

  

Another Bad Day for the EDL in Portsmouth.They did not go where they want.

All Photographs Sion Reynolds.


By Simon Magorian

UAF

The EDL had another bad day in Portsmouth.The pretence that this was not an EDL march didn't last long.At Lake rd ,when they assembled near the Al Madani School , the air was rent with cries of E-E EDL.The initial intention of the march organisers had been to march down Albert Road.

Albert Road is widely regarded as Portsmouth's Brick Lane . It is where all the small Asian businesses are, the location for world food restaurants and is regarded as the multicultural centre of  Portsmouth.
Unite Against fascism contacted both the Police and Council to oppose their right to walk down such a contentious area. We had also encouraged other people to contact the authorities and complain. The day before the protest police informed them  that they  would not be allowed to march through that area.
On their Facebook pages they declared they would ignore the route they had been given and would  march through anyway.The slogan they use is 5w,meaning "We go where we want". As it turned out with only about 40 people the idea of pushing through the police line did not seem a particularly good idea to them.

So it was not so much "We go where we want" as "We go where we're told to ! "

Also,some people who had turned up believing that this was a dignified protest to commemorate the brutal murder of Alan Henning by Isis left in disgust when they realised who was behind the protest.

The Anti Fascist protest was much more diverse,and much, much larger .After the Fascists left we marched down to the Guildhall led by Jon Woods President of Portsmouth Trades Council with their banner.Also there were the stalwarts of NAS/UWT ,Portsmouth Unison and Unite Community Group, with their banners.It was good to see the women from UCG as there had been an attempt by the EDL to intimidate some women from the group after a recent Gaza demonstration. It was heartening to see that they refuse to be intimidated.

We marched down to Guildhall Square on the way there,there were a couple of incidents.A group split off from the EDL march and shouted outside the Mosque for a few minutes, before they were ejected and a group came alongside our march screaming drunken obscenities.

When the whole thing came to an end in Guildhall Square they appeared to have been whittled down to about 28.They ended up on the Guildhall steps and demonstrated their rather limited repertoire of "English till I die" and "E-E-EDL ",and that was about it.
We stood outside the Civic Offices opposite and had a rally.People queued up to speak from Trade Unions, UAF and the local Mosque to talk about defending multiculturalism and opposing Fascism.There also seemed to be a large number of Students amongst us and people who had never been on one of our protests before.
 It was pointed out that they had been organising on the sly and had managed to mobilise around 45 people and we had managed to pull about 100 people together in 48 hours.It was speculated that the human debris opposite represented the Fascists who were banned from Public Transport or were too lazy to join their mates in Birmingham.
Apart from a handful of them running up the stairwell of the Civic Offices to spit at people and throw coins before being removed by the Police,that was it.They then ambled off in a desultory manner to find a pub to get even more drunk.

We outnumbered, outchanted and outstayed them.

Our protest represented the real Portsmouth, Trade Unionists ,Black and White,Jewish and Muslim ,LGBT and students.It was diverse and powerful..It was a source of considerable pride for our town.We clearly outnumbered them .

A brilliant day for Anti-Fascists.

"EDL " Fascists to hold another protest in Portsmouth.Sat 11th.

There is to be another EDL type march to be held in Portsmouth.Although this is not an "Official " EDL march many of the usual suspects are involved.
 .
The march is being called with the  support of a ragbag of Fascist and Racist groups.Ignoring the wishes of Lee Rigby's family they are using his tragic death to promote race hate.
They are calling the march,depending on which post you read ,for the following : to remember Lee Rigby,stop Muslim Schools ,stop more Mosques being built, to oppose Isis and to oppose multiculturalism.

The Nazis are crowing that the Police are planning to allow them to march through highly contentious areas.They are claiming they will be marching up Albert Road (where many Asian businesses are) and also past the two main Portsmouth Mosques.

This is from one of their supporters on Facebook that Portsmouth Nazi Watch posted :

"Hello everyone please can everyone share this we have organised a march for this Saturday the 11th start in at 12 noon the route Starts at the muslim school in lake road....down fratton, then onto Victoria Road South past the jami mosque then onto Albert road, back up Lawrence road, onto fawcett road back onto fratton road back at start point!!! This is a protest for our country to stop moscs Islamic schools n there law bring as many people as u can its time to take back wat our ancestors thoughts wars to keep be with us or against us hope to see u all there "

This also has been doing the rounds.

 
The Police have not finalised the route , this has to be sorted out and agreed by the Police and the local council.,so I suggest you get on the phone right now.


  The racist march is being publicised on South East Alliance,NF and other EDL breakaway forums.This will attract all sort of Fascists and Racists.

They have to be opposed.





We need to sort out the largest possible mobilisation.

We will be assembling at Lake Road near The Madani Academy at 11.45 AM. Obviously details may change.

Facebook page for our counter protest.

Link here.


Oppose Racist and Sectarian March in Portsmouth.Portsmouth UAF

 It will be updated but please use it as an organiser.

Love Music Hate Racism Presents :Summertime Blues and Funk and Hip Hop.

A great night of music and fundraising.

There will also be a stall with LMHR merchandise, including a new range of  T shirts badges etc.



There will be tickets available on the door, however we would advise people to get them from The Wedgewood Rooms box office in advance.

The Box Office is open to personal callers on Thursday & Friday  from 3.30pm until 7.00pm (10.00pm on a show day),  12noon - 6.00pm on Saturdays and when the doors open for a Wedge event.

Telephone calls and orders are taken from
12noon - 7.00pm Monday to Friday
and 12noon - 6.00pm on Saturdays.

You can order online through our 24 hour secure server or by sending a Cheque or Postal Order (Payable to: Wedge & Edge Ltd) to:

The Box Office
147b Albert Road
SOUTHSEA
PO4 0JW 

You can also get them online here.

Facebook Page here.

Hope to see you there !

Stand Up to Ukip formally launched .Sign the Statement!

by Simon Magorian.

In the wake of the general election results SUTU have launched a National campaign against Ukip.
It has been signed by leading trade unionists, MPs and campaigners including Len McCluskey, Diane Abbott, Sally Hunt and Manuel Cortes .

We will be urging local Trade Unionists, Community activists and local cultural figures to sign up to it.




Please copy it and help build the Statement against Ukip's politics of hate and division.

Link here.



In Portsmouth there was a magnificent 100 strong rally to oppose Nigel Farage when he came here.

However,there is no escaping the fact that Ukip did exceptionally well here.Obviously there were the factors of there being a backlash against the  Lib Dems and there has been a lengthy period of tabloid scrutiny over Mike Hancock's private life. Over 10,000 people voted for Ukip and there is no escaping the reality that we have our work cut out for us.

 The Elections now over,now is perhaps time for some reflections on how they went and some thoughts on how the campaign against the far right weathered and where we should be going in future.

When looking at the results for Ukip in the council elections as opposed to the European elections one thing was abundantly clear. The surge for Farage and co really happened last year and he has probably peaked.In 2013 Ukip managed to get 23% of the vote and this year they managed to get 16%. This does not mean there is nothing to worry about,it means that they have managed to consolidate their base and this is extremely worrying.The problem with Ukip is not just one of Europhobia ,but the emergence of a right wing populist movement ,vying to become a British version of the Tea Party movement in the States.
One of the most telling incidents during the campaign was having an argument with a Ukip supporter to be told: " Don't talk to me about facts, I'm angry !" Ukip is very much an angry white man's movement.
The reality is that most of Ukip's policies are basically very old fashioned conservative policies .
A you gov poll found that Europe was the third most important  issue for Ukip voters at 36%  with Asylum and immigration topping the poll at 83%.
It would be foolish to pretend that Ukip were not taking votes away from Labour they clearly are,however they are predominantly chipping away at the conservative base.In London Ukip barely made itinto double figures and their four Councillors in Barking were unseated.Labour gained Hammersmith and Fulham, Croydon and Amber Valley from the Tories.
Rotherham Council where Ukip did well had exceptional circumstances.It was one of the areas in Britain which is referred to as "Post Industrial," where the local industries were decimated by Tory policies and neglected by the Blair government.These were seen as target areas for the BNP.During the 2008 high point for the BNP they had two Councillors elected there.Rotherham was also the centre for one of the most notorious "grooming" cases.Which resulted in a court case where several British-Asian men received lengthy jail terms  for sexual abuse of children as young as 12. In the aftermath the  Home Affairs Select Committee criticized the South Yorkshire Police force and Rotherham Council for their handling of the abuse.They recently had a by-election when the local MP Denis Mcshane had to stand down after being charged over fiddling his expenses.He was subsequently jailed for six months.
The abuse scandal has been ruthlessly exploited by The English Defence League .In the last eighteen months the people of Rotherham have had to endure not one, not two, but three EDL protest marches in the city.Even with local opposition these events could not fail to have an effect. It is however important to point out that Labour still have 50 of the authority's 63 Councillors.

IMPORTANT EVENTS.


It is important that we get opposition to Ukip up and running.The launch of Stand Up to Ukip will be widely discussed at the forthcoming Unite Against Fascism  Conference.

 9.30 – 5pm
Saturday 14 June
Trade Union Congress
Congress House
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3LS

I would urge everyone to attend. Themes include: Challenging racist scapegoating of immigrants ● No to Islamophobia and Islamophobic attacks ● Celebrating diversity ● Busting the myths on immigration ● Responding to racism and fascism in Europe ● Stand up to UKIP.

You can book here. 



                                                       THE INVESTIGATION.

There will also be a public reading of an edited version of The Investigation on Thursday June 12th at the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth.
This is an extraordinary work about The Holocaust and I would ask everyone to support this. More details here.

Please note there will be A Love Music Hate Racism gig at The edge of the Wedge.

Tuesday 17th June.

Music from :
Rex Domino
 The midnight 23s
 and Megan Linford.
Admission £5 waged.£3 unwaged.
Right of admission reserved.
Bill may subject to alteration.

Venue:
The edge of the wedge.   

More Details.

There will be the launch meeting of Portsmouth Stand Up to Ukip on Friday 20th June at 7.30 at Portsmouth Community Centre.

More details to follow.

Please download the sign up sheet to get things moving,and once again  please support these events.

Best Wishes.

Simon Magorian.

07758112931




 

The Investigation. A story for our time ,and all times.

The Work-In-Progress Theatre Group proudly present a reading of an abridged version of The Investigation by Peter Weiss. Edited and directed by Waldemar Maxim.

This play is based on the transcripts of an actual trial in Germany in 1965 at which the survivors of Auschwitz tell their story and the camp personnel attempt to explain/deny their role in the mass murder.

This play was put on at the Arcola Theatre in London seven years ago and had full houses. The cast is very strong and the evening, if not enjoyable, will certainly be memorable.

Limited seating so book your tickets early.


D-Day Museum 023 9282 6722
W-I-P Theatre Group 07968 262 805

This is a public reading of one of the most celebrated works of the 1960's documenting the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials of 1963-1965.

It is one of the most compelling works that deals with the Holocaust and is a truly unforgettable experience.
It was recently revived by a Congolese theatre company to examine the experience of the Rwandan massacre.The cast was made up entirely of survivors of the massacre and toured extensively across Africa.

Where people are demonised and objectified it is a pertinent examination of what leads societies to commit such horrors.

It is a difficult and necessary work of art.

This is a truly extraordinary work ,please come out and support it.

UAF calls for vote against UKIP

Unite Against Fascism

Date: Friday 2 May 2014

News release: For immediate release

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) calls on the British electorate to vote against UKIP on 22 May in the Euro elections. This follows media reports  linking UKIP candidates with the British National Party (BNP) and English Defence League (EDL), and on-going exposure of racism, Islamophobia, sexism and homophobia. 

Gary Port a UKIP candidate in Greenwich admitted liking a group devoted to the British National Party (BNP) on Facebook and said: “I don’t think it’s clear whether the BNP are racist…”. Heino Vockrodt, a UKIP candidate in Brent described members of the English Defence League (EDL) as “honest normal people.” This follows racist comments by William Henwood who was forced to resign from UKIP after suggesting Lenny Henry should emigrate to “a black country” and comparing Islam to the Third Reich; and explicitly racist comments by UKIP member Andre Lampitt. UKIP donor Demetri Marchessini claimed that rape cannot exist within a marriage and UKIP Roger Helmer said in 2000 that homosexuality was “abnormal and undesirable”. (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/ukip-local-elections-candidates-racist-language-is-exposed-9310580.html)

Sabby Dhalu, UAF Joint Secretary said:

“There appears to be a racism epidemic in UKIP, coupled with Islamophobia, sexism and homophobia. The media has been littered with such reports of UKIP, clearly these are not isolated incidents or individual cases. Any organisation with links to the BNP, EDL, racism, sexism and homophobia has no place in a free, fair and democratic society. We urge the British public to vote against UKIP on 22 May and call on the Standards Board for England to investigate UKIP.” 

Weyman Bennett, UAF Joint Secretary said:

“Earlier this week, Deputy Chairman of UKIP Neil Hamilton said UKIP was taking votes off the BNP, saying that former BNP voters feel their communities are being ‘swamped by immigrants’ and that some of these people are now voting UKIP. This follows the election adverts produced by UKIP attacking immigrants for taking the jobs of established British communities – a cynical attempt to score points prior to the Euro elections by wrongly blaming immigrants for the cost of living crisis for the majority of the population, instead of blaming those responsible for the economy and the welfare of British people. This is whipping up racism and is the sort of climate that breeds hatred and violent racist attacks on Britain’s streets.”

Two Important events for Anti-Racists. Sunday : Say No to the MFE Fascists in Brighton.Monday say no to racist Farage in Portsmouth.

    

 A horror double bill.

March for England  on Sunday .

Farage and his South Coast UKIP launch on Monday.


March for England Sunday 27th Brighton.

                                                                            Last year.

Lewis Nielsen Brighton UAF :

"For those of you who don't know, this Sunday, March for England (MfE) are planning to march along Brighton seafront. MfE are a racist, far-right organisation that has links with the English Defence League.
In previous years, MfE supporters have made Nazi salutes, and shouted racist, sexist and homophobic abuse at passers by.
Its important that we get as many people as possible to join the counter demonstration to show MfE that racists aren't welcome in Brighton, or anywhere else. So bring your friends and join the counter demo this Sunday at 11.30am at the seafront side of West Street."
 Part of the police instructions for MFE are as follows.
"Those taking part in the march are not allowed to carry banners, other than those in support of the March for England or the cross of St George, engage in any unlawful behaviour or display Nazi salutes."

Nazi Salutes?

Why would they need to say that?

Because they're Nazi filth.

The Brighton Unity statement is here. 

Anyone coming from Portsmouth please contact Simon Magorian 07758112931


Stand Up to UKIP Protest Farage and his racist chums.
 Portsmouth Guildhall Square 7.00 PM Monday 28th.


Whilst it is undeniably true that UKIP are a democratic and not a Nazi party ,they are a thoroughly racist organisation.The growth in their support creates the situation where the other parties attempt to outflank them and public discourse moves in an evermore racist direction.
This leads to a situation which creates a space for fascist organisations to grow.

It is also important to point out that their policies far from being new and fresh are just very right wing.

They represent the Tory Party of the 1950s,when racial minorities were marginalised the LGBT community was invisible and fearful, and women were expected to be  well tailored and quiescent accessories.

It is important we have a vibrant and noisy demonstration against Farage and co.

Bring Trade Union and Community banners and placards.

Let's send them packing with a flea in their ear !

Facebook event site here.

https://www.facebook.com/events/238105376375668/241992522653620/?notif_t=like

More info contact Stand Up To UKIP

Simon Magorian:07758112931

THEY WANT TO TAX THE POOR NOT THE RICH.

UKIP wants to introduce a flat rate

income tax of 31 percent. That means low-paid workers would face a huge tax hike—while the Duke of Westminster, who is worth a cool £7.8bn, would have his tax cut.

FARAGE IS A TAX DODGER.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he is a man of the people. The
Daily Mirror proved he is not. It exposed the fact that Farage opened a
trust fund in an offshore tax haven,in a bid to save thousands of pounds in tax—
money that could be spent on schools, hospitals and public housing.

NIGEL ( SNOUT IN TROUGH) FARAGE IS AN EXPENSES FREELOADER WHO MAKES MARIA MILLER LOOK LIKE AN AMATEUR. 

  

UKIP claims to be anti-establishment. But Farage is
a private school educated,ex-Tory City broker. On topof his £81,500 a year salary as an MEP, he has claimed £2m of taxpayers’ money in expenses and
allowances. Not bad for someone who claims to oppose the EU.

THE POLITICS OF SCAPEGOATING.

UKIP blames migrant workers from Eastern Europe for the economic crisis,
unemployment and lack of housing.
This is a lie: the bankers and their rich friends in the City created the crisis—and they want the poor to pay. Immigrants haven’t shut
down major employers, closed hospital services or
sent your gas and electricity bills through the roof.

 

BIGOTS AND RACISTS.

UKIP is riddled with racists, sexists,homophobes and bigots. Nigel Farage
says his political hero is Enoch Powell, whose 1968 ‘Rivers of Blood’
speech has been a touchstone for racists and fascists
ever since. When fascists were exposed among UKIP
election candidates, Farage admitted the party
couldn’t vet its candidates to keep them out.

AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS.

UKIP wants to take money awayfrom state schools and give it to
private schools like Eton.UKIP boasts that if it got into
power it would scrap the European Convention
on Human Rights.
This act protects us all.
Its measures include our right to a fair trial and to freedom of
assembly. It bans slavery andtorture.

AGAINST EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LESBIANS AND GAYS.

UKIP opposes same-sex marriage. They
say there is no demand for same-sex marriage, ‘apart from
a small but noisy minority within the gay community’. They claim same-sex
marriage will ‘undermine the position of the church’.

ANTI ENVIRONMENT AND WANTS CASH FOR ARMAMENTS.

UKIP pledges to massively increase military expenditure,
building seven aircraft carriers.This would cost around £48.3bn—
almost half the NHS budget for a year.
UKIP wants to slash the number of wind farms and
launch a £90bn nuclear power programme.

Brighton Unity Statement against the March for England 2014

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 Last year, around 1500 Brighton residents from different backgrounds came out in unity to show the racist MfE that they are not welcome in brighton. Below is a Unity Statement against the March For England signed by various Brighton groups and trade unions. We welcome support from all groups and individuals who want to sign up to the statement. To add your organisation just email brighton@uaf.org.uk
Brighton is a brilliant and vibrant city where many people of different cultures, backgrounds, abilities and faiths come together. It has a positive and unique character which its residents enjoy and embrace. Brighton people live here in the knowledge that they will be valued and that the things which make each individual different are celebrated here – not despised. We take great pleasure and pride in being surrounded by humanity in all its exciting diversity.
Because of this it is very saddening to discover that the far right group March for England, which is a division of the violent and racist organisation the English Defence League, is to march in Brighton (on April 27 2014). In previous years, participants in the March for England have made Nazi salutes and shouted homophobic, sexist and racist abuse at passers-by.
When groups like this come to Brighton it is because our multicultural city in all its diversity proves that their own doctrine of hate is wrong, and they want to damage our unity. That is why we stand together: black, white and Asian; people of all faiths and of no faith; trade unionists; people of different political persuasions; University, school and college students; people of all abilities; whatever our sexuality.
In Brighton we all stand together. And when someone tries to threaten our community we must stand together even more firmly and join the counter demonstration on 27th April, meeting at 11.30am at the bottom of West Street.
Caroline Lucas MP
Nancy Platts, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven
Brighton and Hove Unite Against Fascism
Stop the March for England
Brighton Trades Council
Brighton and Hove Unison
Brighton University UCU
Brighton and Hove NUT
University of Sussex Students Union
Brighton Love Music Hate Racism
Phélim MacCafferty, Green Party Councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide
Sussex Partnership Unison branch
Sussex LRC
Councillor Warren Morgan, Labour and Co-operative Councillor for East Brighton, Leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group
Geoffrey Bowden, Green Party Councillor for Queen’s Park
Ruth Buckley, Green Party Councillor for Goldsmid
Lizzie Deane, Green Party Councillor for St Peter’s and North Laine
Ben Duncan, Green Party Councillor for Queen’s Park
Chris Hawtree, Green Party Parliamentary candidate Hove and Portslade
Rob Jarrett, Green Party Councillor for Goldsmid
Davy Jones, Green Party Parliamentary candidate Brighton Kemptown
Mike Jones, Green Party Councillor for Preston Park
Leo Littman, Green Party Councillor for Preston Park
Lisa Murray, Chair Brighton Hove Green Party
Phélim Mac Cafferty, Green Party Councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide
Alex Phillips, Green Party Councillor for Goldsmid
Steph Powell, Green Party Councillor for Queen’s Park
Bill Randall, Green Party Councillor for Hanover and Elm Grove
Sven Rufus, Green Party Councillor for Hollingdean and Stanmer
Sue Shanks, Green Party Councillor for Withdean
Ollie Sykes, Green Party Councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide
Liz Wakefield, Green Party Councillor for Hanover and Elm Grove
Pete West, Green Party Councillor for St Peter’s and North Laine
Dr. Peter Kyle, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Hove & Portslade
Purna Sen Labour parliamentary candidate, Brighton Pavilion.

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Portsmouth EDL Flashmob protest outside Mosque.

Photograph from Portsmouth News.

A frankly bizarre slogan, One might presume that terrorists were already radicalised.
But then again these are the guys responsible for this little gem.

Evidently the EDL are in league with the White Witch.

This was another rather desperate protest for Portsmouth EDL.The first we heard of it was around 7.30 when we were informed that there were about 20 of them opposite the Mosque in Victoria Road North.When I got down there about 20 minutes later there presence had been reduced to about 15.We did a quick call out of UAF who lived locally to get some support there.

The EDL always need something to hang a particular protest on,in this case it appears to be that a local Muslim has gone to fight with an Islamist group in Syria.

This was a desultory affair and within a short period of time we outnumbered them without any difficulty. The EDL have further embarrassed themselves by claiming they surrounded the Mosque, which presumably means they have very long arms.We peaked at 22 and for the last hour of their protest they were down to 11 people.Under the circumstances we didn't even send out a mass text to get people down there.Portsmouth UAF and Portsmouth Anti-Fascists easily outnumbered them.

This is yet another manifestation of how weak they have become.A rather pathetic end to what has been a pretty disastrous year for the EDL.

Hopefully in 2014 we can finish them off once and for all.