Stop the BNP’s Red White and Blue Festival

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.

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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.