Riseup Radio is a monthly community based podcast from Nottingham, UK. Reports on stuff that didn’t make other local media, music from local artists and bands and chatting about stuff that matters. The July show features a report on the recent anti-BNP march in London and an update on the campaign against Red White and Blue. There’s also an interview with Hicham Yezza, arrested and detained under the Terrorism Act at the University of Nottingham, information on resistance to coal locally and globally, and an exclusive interview with Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd.

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The resolution below was carried unanimously at the Midlands TUC Council meeting Saturday, 29th June. It was proposed by Notts, Mansfield and Nottingham Trades Council. During the debate speakers praised the campaign led by Notts Stop the BNP and Notts, Mansfield and Nottingham Trades Council which was instrumental in persuading the police to oppose the granting of premises licenses for the event.

However, speakers stressed that it was still necessary to mobilise nationally for the planned protest - in fact, the Secretary of the Midlands TUC even spoke of an international mobilisation being appropriate, as the RWB Festival is an international event for the BNP.

Opposition to the BNP’s “Red, White and Blue Festival” in Derbyshire 15th-17th August

This Midlands TUC Regional Council meeting notes:

• The election of BNP member Richard Barnbrook to the Greater London Assembly;
• That the BNP had a net increase of 10 councillors elected at the May 2008 local elections;
• That the BNP has a firmer toe-hold in places like Barnsley where they came second in 7 wards;
• The BNP’ s use of community-based activism, local organisation and the way they relate their racist politics to issues like the crisis in housing, the NHS and education.

This Midlands TUC Regional Council meeting believes:

• That the BNP is a fascist organisation with historical and contemporary links to open Nazis, Combat 18, American White Supremacists, anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers;
• That local BNP organisation goes hand-in-hand with a rise in racially motivated attacks and assaults;
• The BNP pose a physical threat to anti-fascists, trade unionists and campaigners;
• That campaigns against the BNP should address both the physical threat posed and the political terrain contested by the BNP.

This Midlands TUC Regional Council meeting further notes:

• That the BNP’s annual  ”Red, White and Blue Festival” is due to take place from August 15th-17th  in the village of Codnor, Derbyshire within the Midlands region;
• The call made by a both the Derby & Notts, Mansfield & Nottingham Trades Councils, Derby Unite Against Fascism, Notts Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism nationally (in conjunction with local & regional trade union organizations) to mobilise against the “Festival”; with a demonstration on August 16th 2008.

This Midlands TUC Regional Council meeting resolves to:

• Support the demonstration on August 16th in Derbyshire and
• Urge trade union affiliates to support it as well by publicising it to their own branches and for trades councils to publicise it to affiliated trade unions and encourage the organization of transport to support the demonstration
• Encourage donations of financial support to the organisers of the demonstration

This isn’t exactly news anymore, but according to the Amber Valley Borough Council website, the licence application for the Chillout Festival, due to take place on Alan Warner’s land the week after Red White and Blue, has been withdrawn. There’s no explanation as to why.

Trade unions support accelerates for our campaign to stop the BNP Red, White and Blue festival.

A slightly modified version of our draft motion was passed at the national conference of the RMT in Nottingham today, Thursday, June 26. General Secretary of the RMT in the debate referred to the picket organised by the campaign to Stop the BNP’s Red, White and Blue Festival as a ‘tremendous initiative’.

The motion reads:

This AGM notes that on Friday 30 May a young female student was attacked on her way to work by three armed members of the far right. They pulled her to the ground, kicked her repeatedly in the ribs and slashed at her head with a knife. Whilst attacking her they called her “A Dirty red” and a “Britain hater”. She suffered a fractured rib and severe bruising, but given the severity of the assault the injuries could have been far worse. The attackers singled out this student because she campaigns on her campus to drive out the BNP. The victim is also a member of Unison and the NUS. They knew her name and route to work, and deliberately targeted her to intimidate her and others campaigning against the far right. We condemn this cowardly attack.

We further note:

• The election of BNP member Richard Barnbrook to the Greater London Assembly;
• That the BNP had a net increase of10 councillors elected at the May2008 local elections;
• That the BNP has a firmer toe­hold in places like Barnsley where they came second in 7 wards;
• The BNP’s use of community ­based activism, local organisation and the way they relate their racist politics to issues like the crisis in housing, the NHS and education.

This AGM believes:

• That the BNP is a fascist organisation with historical and contemporary links to open Nazis, Combat 18, American White Supremacists, anti­ Semites and Holocaust deniers;
• That local BNP organisation goes hand­ in ­hand with a rise in racially motivated attacks, assaults and injury;
• The BNP pose a physical threat to anti­fascists, trade unionists and campaigners;
• That campaigns against the BNP should address both the physical threat posed and the political terrain contested by the BNP.

This AGM further notes:

• That the BNP’s annual “Red,White and Blue Festival” is due to take place from August 15th-­17th in the village of Codnor, Derbyshire;
• That in previous years this event has proceeded with either small ­scale or token opposition;
• The call made by a local, trade union backed anti­fascist conference on January19th to mobilise against the “Festival”
• The efforts of the “Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP” and “Derby Unite Against Fascism” campaigns to organise a national mobilisation against the “Festival” on August 16th 2008.
• That this call for a national demo has been taken up by the UAF (Unite Against Fascism) campaign.

This AGM resolves to:

• Sponsor the demonstration on August 16h in Derbyshire and make a financial contribution to the “Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP” campaign;
• Advertise the demonstration to membership/affiliates
• Encourage affiliates to organise transport to the demonstration.

One of the speaker’s at last Saturday’s demonstration against the BNP in London, was Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). During his speech, he plugged the upcoming protest against the Red White and Blue festival. You can listen to the whole thing online:

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Others: stream link

Check out more audio from the campaign on The Internet Archive.

Indymedia UK describes itself as “a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.” It allows people to post reports about activities they’ve been up to, side-stepping the mainstream media. The site now has a page collating reports and announcements which have been posted about the campaign against the Red White and Blue “festival.” You can find it here.

Click here to download leaflet for August 16th picket and rally

Please distribute widely.

Geography of locations referred to in leaflet
Codnor Denby Lane

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Codnor Centre (Market Place)

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According to an article in the Heanor & Ripley News, Alan Warner, on whose land the Red White and Blue festival is supposed to take place, has had anti-BNP messages daubed on his wall.

BNP festival man’s property vandalised

The BNP member who will stage the party’s annual festival on his land later this year has told how his property has been targeted by vandals.

Alan Warner, of Codnor Denby Lane in Denby village, a former BNP councillor on Heanor Town Council said he woke on Wednesday morning to find a torrent of abuse daubed on his garden wall in white paint.

He said: “I got up and there were three bike locks attached to my gate.

“BNP Scum was painted in big letters on his wall, along with Swastikas and other offensive slogans.

“I started to clean it but feel like leaving it so everyone can see it and see what people we are dealing with creeping around in the night.”

The BNP’s annual red, white and blue festival will be held on Mr Warner’s land in August for the second year running but controversially will be staged without live music and a licence to sell alcohol after objections from the police and councillors.

Mr Warner has contacted police about the damage.

He said: “We are a political party and not racist as they keep making out.”

The BNP’s Deputy Leader and Press Officer, Simon Darby, has claimed on his blog that the BNP “have now heard that the authorities are happy for the event to go ahead.” Exactly which “authorities” he is referring to is unclear, but he claims, “The only restriction will be noise-monitoring equipment which will be put in place at either end of the site.” These conditions are considerably less onerous than those the police called for at the recent licensing panel at Ripley Town Hall. It’s possible, of course, that Darby’s simply lying, but it may be the first indication that the licence application for the festival will go back to Amber Valley Borough Council (who only adjourned after the last meeting) for reconsideration.

The struggle against the BNP isn’t limited to the campaign against the Red White and Blue “festival” and following the election of Richard Barnbrook onto the GLA it is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. In response, Love Music Hate Racism are organising a National March & Parade Against Racism and Fascism in London, next Saturday (June 21). There will be transport from around the country, but locally coaches will be going from Derby and Nottingham.