Nick Griffin sent packing
Jim Jepps
Unite Against Fascism won another victory last night (Thursday 3rd
July 2004)..
The far-right British National Party had hoped to host a meeting with
their fuehrer Nick Griffin in Southend but local campaigners - who'd had
a hard slog during the Euro elections - mobilised an excellent number of
supporters and closed the meeting down, preventing the BNP from
furthering their message of race hate.
The south of Essex had been the focus of the BNP's Eastern Region
campaign and had been seen off at the polls, but with a worryingly high
vote. The Nazis hope to keep the pressure up in the region but
anti-fascists are determined to prevent that from paying off.
The UAF groups in Southend and Basildon show exactly what can be
achieved by a broad coalition of those who oppose fascism - and the
local roots of these groups are absolutely excellent. But where the BNP
are focusing on an area, it is also important for those nearby to
support these campaigns in whatever way they can.
To contact the South Essex UAF
click here
Unite Against Fascism's website can be found at
www.uaf.org.uk
Update;
Southend: BNP candidate
bailed
British National Party candidate
Matt Single, 33, has been arrested on suspicion of assault.
He was helping organise a BNP meeting at the Golden Lion Hotel, Southend,
when trouble flared with anti-fascist protesters.
Mr Single and another man were arrested. Both were bailed until August
11.
June 2004