[Onthebarricades] UK: Blockade targets BNP - fascists kicked out of Nottingham

[Andy]

Anti-fascists successfully blockade BNP meeting venue 
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/10/383877.html

Notts IMC | 17.10.2007 21:17 | Anti-racism | Nottinghamshire 

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, was scheduled to speak at Kimberley Parish Hall on Tuesday 16th Oct. The hall was surrounded by anti-fascists from well before the event was scheduled to take place. The anti-fascists massively outnumbered the police as well as the BNP and their supporters. Anti-fascists were responding to a callout from Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP for a mass demonstration against the planned meeting.

Police numbers were very low though and they did not really have the resources to make arrests. There were 3 arrests though, mainly around the chaos of a particular scuffle or other. All this resulted in was 2 cautions and 1 released uncharged. The evening ended with the anti-fascists agreeing to leave. It was only this gesture that allowed Nick Griffin to leave the building. No more than about 10 people managed to pass through the lines over a period of more than 2 hours.

Reports: tonight in Kimberley | Stopping the BNP in Kimberly

Previous feature articles: BNP wins seat in Broxtowe | Campaign against racism in Lincoln is gaining ground | Founder of British fascist gang stabbed to death | BNP Action in Loughborough

>From the newswire: Stop the Nazi BNP in Nottinghamshire! | BNP Standing in Notts. Griffin Speaking | Anti-BNP demo in Beeston | BNP councillor's neighbour | Sadie Graham shoots straight

 




On Tuesday night around 100 anti-fascist protesters and local people managed to succesfully blockade a BNP meeting in Kimberly, which had hoped to see party leader Nick Griffin as the main speaker. Antifash wrote: "In a pincer move of dangerous guile and cunning we approached the parish hall where the fash were due to meet from two different directions. In a bit of an anti-climax there were only a handful of coppers and no obvious fascist presence. We quickly moved into a line to completely block the front of the hall, preventing any movement in and out. After a bit of pushing and shoving with the outnumbered police we had a line several people deep across the driveway to the hall. Down at the other end people blocked the pedestrian entrance to the hall. No wannabe fascists were going to get into this meeting."

Anti-fascists from many different walks of life and persuasions linked arms and made a show of force against the few skinheads and others who did try and push through. Scuffles ensued as the police first tried to break anti-fascist lines at the main gate, and then clear the smaller entrance. One antifascist suffered a minor injury as the main gates were pushed to and fro in the melee. There were three arrests near the smaller entrance. In all perhaps 10 BNP supporters were helped into the hall by police, before they gave up all attempts. Several times that number of fascists stood at a distance in the rain, helpless and dumb.

Nick Griffin has a conviction for inciting racial hatred, and has been known as a Holocaust denier. His party has been targeting the Western and Northern parts of Nottinghamshire for years, not daring to approach the more diverse and wised-up urban centre. Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP organised the counter rally to show that the BNP's race hate politics are not welcome in Kimberley or Eastwood.

Defend jobs, defend our communities, our health service, our housing and the education rights of our kids. Yes! But also defend them from the race hate of the BNP that only leads to violence and division. '

"It is more important to control the streets of a city than its council chambers." Nick Griffin, 1997

Well, you're not having our streets, you Nazi scumbag!

Once the BNP supporters had given up and gone, the anti-fascists held the cordon until they chose to withdraw, but not without insisting that Nick Griffin be made to leave the town centre first. Amid chants of "scum" Griffin was hastily driven away into the night on the back streets towards Watnall.

Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP is a broad coalition of Trade Unionists, local people, community activists and others, that has flourished over the last six months in response to the BNP's renewed attempts to gain a foothold in the area. In the May council elections BNP regional organiser Sadie Graham was elected in Brinsley, with two independents and Labour failing to unite the anti-fascist vote. In Kimberley the BNP barely managed 10% at the polls, despite heavy campaigning. In Nottinghamshire the BNP have had little luck so far on the streets or in the council chambers.

Notts Stop the BNP say that further actions are planned in the run up to a bye-election in Sutton West on 1st November, where they have already had a prescence on the streets.

Notts IMC 


http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/10/383854.html

Stopping the BNP in Kimberley 
Antifash | 17.10.2007 17:14 | Anti-racism | Nottinghamshire 

A personal account of last night's anti-fascist action in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, which resulted in the total disruption of the BNP's planned meeting with their leader, Nick Griffin. 


What could be more enticing a prospect for a rainy Tuesday night in Kimberley than 'An Evening With Nick Griffin'? It seems hard to imagine anything more delightful than the chance to hear this nazi scumbag spread his fascist filth to a ragged bunch of local misfits (I mean, hardcore aryan warriors). Still, the chance to show the BNP up for what they are - vile fascists - and to stop their hate-peddling in our area, over 100 anti-fascists turned up to do the decent thing and send them home with their tails between their legs. 



I left the city centre at about 5 already bumping into a few fellow antifash on the way. Getting to the meetup early things were looking good. Lots of our lot gathered around in smaller groups and plenty of cars ready to go. Got myself a lift and, in spite of the rush hour traffic, was at the Sainsbury's car park in Kimberley in plenty of time. Damn, this weather's miserable. And where have all those people from the first meetup point disappeared to? Our mass seemed a bit less than critical. Not many filth about though, although the SWP have gone straight over to have a chat with the senior officer (which bit of 'No comment' didn't they understand?). Everyone must be off on a reccy, sheltering from the rain, or giving their cash to Sainsburys. Eventually some banner and placard bearers got together and we headed out into the town. 



In a pincer move of dangerous guile and cunning we approached the parish hall where the fash were due to meet from two different directions (OK, there was a small communication breakdown). In a bit of an anti-climax there were only a handful of coppers and no obvious fascist presence. We quickly moved into a line to completely block the front of the hall, preventing any movement in and out. After a bit of pushing and shoving with the outnumbered police we had a line several people deep across the driveway to the hall. If we'd moved a bit quicker we could have got the gate shut but it seemed not everyone cottoned onto the plan quick enough. Down at the other end people blocked the pedestrian entrance to the hall. No wannabe fascists were going to get into this meeting. 



At this point, heavily flanked by his meatheads and the local plod, Griffin made an appearance on the hall steps. It turned out he'd already got here along with Broxtowe BNP councillor Sadie Graham and a couple of others (presumably local organisers). It was all too much fun for Griffin, stamping his little feet with delight and laughing until he was red(er) in the face and his pudgy frame shook. What he'd forgotten, of course, was that to have his meeting he'd need to get his followers in there too. 



Slowly skinheads of various sizes started turning up and trying to get to their meeting. They were massively outnumbered and didn't look to stand a chance. Eventually the police managed to break a small handful through at the pedestrian entrance and arrested 3 from our side. Most of the boneheads were stuck outside in the rain looking miserable, having to put up with chants of 'Nazi scum, off our streets'. 



Eventually, at about 8:45 (1 1/4 hours after the meeting was due to start) the assembled fash realised that this was not going to be their night and slunk off. 'It's like 1945 all over again' someone joked. The only people left on the other side of the street now were the assembled local kids. They'd seemed to be in support of the fash at first but I wonder what they thought then, to see them defeated and heading off to lick their wounds. Not such heroes now I reckon. 
Still, I think it would have been good to have made more of an attempt to engage with the kids rather than standing around making jokes which often seemed to amount to what a bunch of chavs the skinheads are, or some version of Victory to the Workers. If we want to make our alternatives to fascism seem attractive I think there are better ways of doing it. 


Now it was time for the nazis in the building (who'd been making desperate attempts to try and make it sound like they were having a barnstorming meeting!) to try and make an escape. After police negotiations with a very pissed off looking BNP security meathead the handful of people they'd got through before made a dash (with heavy police protection of course) to get out of the driveway of the neighbouring house. They were forced back into the building again looking shame-faced. Later again, stewards apparently entered into negotiation with the police to bring the 'meeting' to a close. Apparently we had to stand aside and let Griffin leave and agree to go home when he had. I'm not sure what we were meant to be getting out of this negotiation. I wasn't happy because it was only about 9:30 and the BNP leadership could easily regroup with the members who'd left together for a late meeting. Still, it seemed like a tactical mistake to split the group, so we made a space for the fuhrer's car to leave amidst angry shouts of 'Scum!' Sadie Graham and a few other hangers on appeared on the steps again in an attempt to laugh us off but they could barely conceal their rage. 



After Griffin had gone it was time to wrap up and get out. There was a lot of backslapping going on, and it certainly was a victory for us, but it would be good not to relax our pressure on the BNP. They clearly are campaigning hard in Notts and Derbyshire, and are planning on holding their Red, White & Blue festival in the area again next year. Let's make sure we kick them out for good before we congratulate ourselves too much. 



Antifash 

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/10/383826.html

tonight in Kimberly 
Pete | 17.10.2007 02:00 | Anti-racism | Nottinghamshire 

Wow, that was fun! 

Hopefully people will post up something more comprehensive soon, but I thought I'd kick off with my feelings about tonight's Stop the BNP action. 


Nick Griffin was scheduled to speak at Kimberly Parish Hall tonight. Things did not go according to how he would have planned. 

The hall was surrounded by anti-fascists from well before the event was scheduled to take place. To romantic shouts of 'No Pasaran' and the like the crowd picketed the venue completely. 

Shortly after I arrived I saw a police group forming clearly planning to break through the lines of people, but when they tried it they were pushed back. 

The anti-fascists massively outnumbered the police as well as the BNP and their supporters. The latter is hard to quantify as the line between BNP supporter and idle onlooker was blurred. This is mainly because the BNP supporters were mainly passive and to be frank vacant. Apart that is from the applause they accompanied every time the police forcibly handled an anti-fascist. 

A number of attempts were made by BNP supporters to bust into the meeting and a few got through. Only with the support of some very big police officers who were repeatedly dragging anti-fascists away from their lines. 

Police numbers were very low though and they did not really have the resources to make arrests. There were 3 arrests though, mainly around the chaos of a particular scuffle or other. All this resulted in was 2 cautions and 1 released uncharged. 

The evening ended with the anti-fascists agreeing to leave. Had they decided to stay it was not at all obvious how Nick Griffin would have been able to leave the building. 

I am not sure how many made it into the building in the end, but it can't have been more than about 10 that passed through the lines. This is over a period of more than 2 hours. 

Not sure what more to add. I'd recommend against posting photos though. In fact I'd ask that Indymedia moderators take them down if they are posted. Perhaps they could be shown in public at some event in the future, but there's no need to make REdwatch's job too easy. 

anyway, my personal gratitude and solidarity to all who were there. 
Pete 
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