Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/641/10384
From The Socialist newspaper, 6 October 2010
Nuneaton: community must organise against racism
Anti-EDL campaigners in Nuneaton, photo by Bob Smith (Click to enlarge)
Recently in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, there has been a flurry of activity by the racist and hooligan English Defence League (EDL).
Tom Sidwell, secretary Nuneaton Anti-Fascist Action and Nuneaton Socialist Party
On 12 September the Royal Fusiliers army regiment were granted freedom of Nuneaton and Bedworth borough. There were rumours of a local EDL presence on the day to cheer home the troops as the pre-ceremony parade marched through the town centre. Some 40-50 EDL supporters from across the Midlands turned out.
Later that day at a local pub near the heart of the Asian community, there was a tense standoff between Asian residents and EDL sympathisers. The police arrested an EDL member who threw a bottle.
After this incident, local socialists, trade unionists and anti-fascists formed Nuneaton Anti Fascist Action (NAFA). We organised a public meeting to prepare for the EDL's impending return on Sunday 26 September for a similar parade of the Gurkha regiment.
The meeting was well attended by representatives of many parties, religions and trade unions, despite internet threats by the EDL to disrupt any meetings we held.
We organised a rally in the Asian community to show solidarity and to show that the EDL's brand of ignorant hatred would not be tolerated in our town. Approximately 30 people turned up for the rally including local young people. We forged links to discuss further action to keep the EDL and other far right groups at bay in the future.
While we were engaging the community, the town centre was an extremely unpleasant place to be. There were around 150-200 EDL supporters with a huge police presence and small pockets of EDL walking around abusing anyone Asian they saw. There were seven arrests on the day (all EDL) for public order offences, two of which featured offensive weapons.
NAFA will continue to meet and organise against far right activity in our usually peaceful town.
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In The Socialist 6 October 2010:
Defend Child Benefits
Socialist Students
Campaigning Socialist Students win support
YFJ and PCS unite against cuts in Leeds
Socialist Party editorial
National Shop Stewards Network and the struggle against Con-Dem attacks
National conference called against cuts in jobs and services
Anti-cuts campaign
No excuses for not fighting cuts
Thousands tell Tories: 'No cuts'
Bristol MPs fail to answer young workers' anger at PCS debate
Meetings and protests against the cuts
Labour councillor's contempt for care centre users
Protests on October 23 to fight the government's spending review axe
Socialist Party workplace news
Time to strengthen RMT's fighting leadership
Health and Safety
Warning: this government could seriously damage your safety
Europe: fighting the cuts
Spain: workers demonstrate their strength
Ireland: a socialist alternative to the crisis
Portuguese workers win the promise of a general strike
Internationalism against austerity: 100,000 demonstrate in Belgium
Socialism 2010
Why you should come to Socialism 2010
Socialism 2010 - a weekend of discussion and debate
International socialist analysis
Chávez wins majority but right-wing gains ground
Socialist Party review
Anti-racism
Nuneaton: community must organise against racism
Leicester: action needed against EDL
Campaign defeats BNP in Stroud
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