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CONTACT LARAG

larag@talktalk.net

LARAG c/o NUT, Town Hall,
London SE6 4RU

21/07/10 Forthcoming events

Saturday 28 August
Anti-fascist coach from south London to ‘We are Bradford’ event against the EDL — details to follow. If you want to go, please write to larag@talktalk.net so we can ensure that enough transport is arranged and so that you can be informed of details nearer the time.

Tuesday 7 September
LARAG meeting — 7.30pm Town Hall, Catford. With speaker and short film from Love Music Hate Racism.

Tuesday 5 October
LARAG meeting — 7.30pm Town Hall, Catford. With discussion on Islamophobia and speaker from One Society Many Cultures.

09/07/10 Exhibition updated

Our exhibition “The Fight Goes On” has now been updated, including the recent 2010 election results and lessons in how to defeat the BNP from the very successful UAF campaign in Barking.

You can download a printable copy (A3, 22MB colour PDF) via the link on the left. The online version has also been updated.

09/07/10 Sign the petition

Thais, Jhoselin and Justina belong in Lewisham!

Thais and Jhoselin arrived in the UK with their mother Justina Grajeda and their father in 2002. Their father died tragically in 2007 in a bike accident. Now aged 16, the girls are described as grade A students, and both have places at local sixth forms.

The family’s application to remain in the UK has recently been turned down by the Home Office. This decision has brought great stress to this family, especially to the girls, who have been trying to come to terms with the unexpected recent death of their father.

LARAG is supporting their call on the Home Secretary to grant this family the right to stay in the UK. Please sign and distribute their petition (5.4 MB PDF).

07/05/10 Latest news

LARAG thanks all its supporters, UAF supporters more generally and all anti-fascist campaigners for the excellent work done nationwide in the last few hectic months, particularly in Barking and Dagenham.

Nazi BNP humiliated in general election

• Griffin falls to third place in Barking
• Fascists fail to make gains in Stoke
• Pockets of BNP support entrench

The fascist British National Party suffered a major blow in the general election when its leader Nick Griffin spectacularly failed to take his target seat of Barking in outer east London. Griffin was beaten into third place in the constituency — behind Labour and the Conservatives — with a share of just 14.6% of the vote, compared with the 16.9% the BNP polled in 2005.

Unite Against Fascism joint secretary Weyman Bennett said: “The BNP were defeated by mass anti-Nazi activity. We built a coalition against them of black, white and Asian people, trade unionists, LGBT people and members of different faith groups. We systematically visited every ward, every major workplace and council estate, exposing the BNP as Nazis.”

The BNP fared no better in their Stoke-on-Trent target seats, coming fourth in each seat. Deputy BNP leader Simon Darby took only 7.7% of the vote in Stoke Central, while BNP candidates in Stoke North and Stoke South took 8.0% and 9.4% respectively.

The humiliation suffered by the BNP in Barking and Stoke came amid a wave of popular revulsion against the party’s Nazi and racist politics.

The day before the election BNP candidate Bob Bailey was filmed viciously lashing out at an Asian man in Barking. Former Stoke BNP leader Alby Walker issued a statement condemning the BNP’s virulent racism and apologising for his previous involvement in the party.

But results in other areas should warn us against being complacent over the BNP threat. The fascists polled several strong results in Yorkshire, including 10.4% in Rotherham, 8.9% in Barnsley Central, 8.6% in Barnsley East and 7.7% in Rother Valley. And while the BNP was held back in Barking, the fascists made significant gains in the neighbouring constituency of Dagenham & Rainham, where their share of the vote rose from 4.4% to 11.2%.

For further analysis watch www.uaf.org.uk

09/04/10 Latest news

Support the days of action in Barking and Dagenham on Sunday 11th April and Sunday 25th April.

You can get up-to-date news on the Barking campaign from Barking UAF. Also see www.uaf.org.uk.

For the latest south-east London action, email: larag@talktalk.net

25/03/10

LARAG activists have been active opposing the EDL in Bolton and supporting the UAF day of action in Barking and Dagenham — more to follow.

Meanwhile in response to the BNP threatening to stand in Lewisham, LARAG initiated a Stop the BNP Mayor in Lewisham statement, published by Newsshopper — read their report.

Wide community opposition to racist party standing for mayor in Lewisham

In response to the news that the fascist party the BNP plans to stand their controversial candidate Tess Culnane for Lewisham Mayor in the local elections in Lewisham in May this year, a wide variety of political, community, church and trade union organisations have jointly signed a statement opposing the racist, Islamophobic and divisive politics of racist parties like the BNP, urging the people to use their vote.

Councillor Jarman Parmar, Chair of the Lewisham Anti-Racist Action group, which coordinates Unite Against Fascism activities locally, organised this statement:

He said: “We know that the vast majority of people in Lewisham do not support the racist politics of the BNP which is trying to divide our community, so we have successfully brought together the broadest range of organisations to show their shared belief that racist politics have no place in this Borough. We all have to use this opportunity at election time, when serious economic problems need to be addressed, to show that their politics of hatred should not be given space to grow. We all need use our voice in May for democracy and tolerance. Fascists were stopped in Cable Street in 1936, at Lewisham in 1977, by myself and many others and they must be stopped today.”

Statement on behalf of organisations and individuals:

As representatives of many political opinions and parties in Lewisham, we affirm the values of unity, tolerance and mutual respect, which have always helped people from different backgrounds to live together.

We are deeply concerned at the activity of racist and fascist groups such as the British National Party, which use people’s fears to stir up race hate, which their candidacy in the Lewisham Mayoral election will seek to do.

We also reject their demonisation of Muslims, and their claim to speak for Christians, as an affront to all our religions and beliefs and a danger to the unity of the whole community.

In the next few months the people of Lewisham will choose their Mayor who will lead Lewisham council in all its policies at the Town Hall.

We believe that a high turnout of voters will minimise the impact of candidates on extremist platforms in our borough.

So we urge the overwhelming majority to turn out and vote, and give a clear signal that messages of race hatred and division are not welcome here.

Signatories: Sir Steven Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham; David Britton, Conservative Mayoral Candidate; Chris Maines, Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate; Dean Walton, Green Party Mayoral Candidate; Joan Ruddock MP (Labour); Fr Paul Butler — Rector of S. Paul’s, Deptford; The Rt. Revd. Christopher Chessun Bishop of Woolwich; Gurkbash Garcha, ex-Lewisham Mayor; The Venerable Christine Hardman, Archdeacon of Lewisham & Greenwich; Darren Johnson, Leader Green Party Group & Prospective Parliamentary Candidate; Owen Hylton, Pastor, Beacon Church; Jim Dowd MP (Labour); Heidi Alexander, Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Lewisham East; Sue Luxton, Green Party Councillor, Ladywell Ward, & Lewisham Chair of Sustainable Development Committee; Jimi Adefiranye, Brockley candidate (Labour); Paul Moore, Lewisham TUC; Martin Powell-Davies, Secretary, Lewisham NUT; Cathy Duggan, Secretary, Lewisham NASUWT; Des Freeman, Secretary, Goldsmiths UCU; Jacob Sakil, Young Mayor; Jesse Fajemisin, President Goldsmith SU; Sadie King, Lewisham UNISON Equality Officer; Delroy Brent, Lewisham UNISON International Relations Officer; Mike Lewis, Chair, Lewisham UNISON Black Members’ Group; Vicky Foxcroft, Brockley Candidate (Labour); Paul Newing, Brockley candidate (Labour); Cllr Jackie Addison, Crofton Park Councillor (Labour); Cllr Sylvia Scott, Crofton Park Councillor (Labour); Pauline Morrison, Crofton Park candidate (Labour); Cllr Sam Owolabi-Oluyole, Evelyn Councillor (Labour); Norman Doyle, Assistant Headteacher and Lewisham Resident; Cllr Crada Onuegbu, Evelyn Councillor (Labour); Joseph Folorunso, Evelyn candidate (Labour); Damien Egan, Lewisham Central Candidate (Labour); Mike Harris, Lewisham Central candidate (Labour); Roy Kennedy, Ladywell candidate (Labour); Tim Shand, Ladywell candidate (Labour); Monique Howell, Ladywell candidate (Labour); Cllr Madeleine Long, New Cross councillor (Labour); Cllr Paul Maslin, New Cross councillor (Labour); Cllr Stephen Padmore, New Cross councillor (Labour); Paul Bell, Telegraph Hill candidate (Labour); Joan Millbank, Telegraph Hill candidate (Labour); Dan Whittle, Telegraph Hill candidate (Labour)

16/02/10

In addition to meetings and helping Unite Against Fascism days of action in Barking and Dagenham(email larag@talktalk.net for details), we are organising films and discussions in New Cross and Deptford in March on lessons learned how to stop the fascist BNP:

Sunday 7th March — live bands, bar c with short film from Love Music Hate Racism (from 7pm) and discussions (from 4pm) with films, Caribbean food with Q&A on fighting racism and fascism. All at the Albany Deptford as part of Lewisham Peace Justice Solidarity event — see ‘Forthcoming Events’ at Lewisham Peace Justice Solidarity. You can find a leaflet with full details at Green Crofton Park.

Thursday 18th March — a series of short films at Café Crema New Cross, including Who Shot the Sheriff? — the history of Rock Against Racism and Love Music Hate Racism; Lewisham 1977 about the Battle of Lewisham, filmed in New Cross by Deptford TV volunteers; and The Battle of Cable Street and The Legacy of Cable Street with film maker Yoav Segal. With Q&A with the film maker and Unite Against Fascism. For details of the films and venue, see under ‘Forthcoming Events’ at Lewisham Peace Justice Solidarity.

02/01/10 South-east London UAF launched on Facebook

There is now a new Facebook page for anti-fascist activists across south-east London. Keep abreast of the latest news here.

04/11/09 New leaflet warning of racism and the BNP launched in south-east London

Help us get the message out — this new leaflet can be ordered by emailing larag@talktalk.net, or can be downloaded here (172kb).

07/10/09 No platform for the BNP on Question Time

LARAG is urging people to protest against the BBC’s decision to invite BNP leader Nick Griffin to appear on Question Time on 22 October. You can see Unite Against Fascism’s response on their website here, where you can also download leaflets.

Please email larag@talktalk.net if you want to be informed of local activities.

28/7/09 Shut down the BNP’s Nazi ‘festival’

Unite against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism Counter demonstration:
Kettle the Nazi BNP’s Red, White & Blue ‘Festival’
Codnor, Derbyshire Saturday 15th August

This fascist rally will take place off the back of the European Elections and see the BNP attempt to draw the harder elements of its audience into its core organisation. If the fascists succeed in building on their election success they will start to pose a direct threat to all of us. Their ‘RWB festival’ provides a chance for us to show that our movement will not let them go unchallenged, by surrounding it in our thousands and shutting it down on its main day.

We can’t let the BNP membership hit 6000. We need to take this opportunity to confront them while they are still small and separate them from their support base. We are taking coaches from across the country to allow anti fascists to take part in this mass mobilisation. Coaches from South East London will leave Lewisham Station at 6am. The demonstration will be accessible to every anti-racist.

Buy tickets — everyone should attend

Tickets for the coach cost £20 full price / £10 subsidised / £5 school and FE student. We are asking everyone to come and bring who they can with them. Everyone should be able to raise anti fascist campaigning at their work or community group.

A national leaflet can be downloaded from www.uaf.org.uk

Donate to subsidise the cost of transport:

The cost of transport is prohibitive to many and donations allow us to provide cheap tickets to students and the unemployed. We can accept cheques, card payments or cash. Please make cheques payable to Coach Brokers Ltd (include ref no. CB-003-626 on back of cheque).

For more information:
Please email jennifer.jones@gold.ac.uk, ring Jen on 07950 193820 or Rob on 07930 953265

13/7/09 Web update

Our exhibition “The fight goes on” has now been updated and is available for download via the link on the left. The online slideshow has also been updated.

6/5/09 News update

Leafleting is being organised across south east London stations and markets up until the June 4th elections, and especially over the weekend from Friday 29th May until Tuesday 2 June. If you can help us mobilise the anti-fascist majority in London please email larag@talktalk.net

25/2/09 The threat of the BNP in SE London and nationally into the June 2009 elections: some key facts

A successful campaign in Downham, in south-east Lewisham, meant that at the by-election on 19 February 2009 the BNP vote was pushed to 283 votes (just over 10% of those who voted, voted for them) which is down from a peak of 513 votes (nearly 20% of the electorate, in a late 2002 by election).

However the BNP threat is growing elsewhere, where more campaigning is needed — they came within 10 or so votes of being elected in a Bexley ward in January 2009 and on February 19th were elected with 41% in Swanley in Kent, turning over a safe Labour seat. At the Unite Against Fascism conference on 21/2/09, where hundreds of activists came from across the country, the threat of the BNP at the elections on June 4th in other parts of the UK, especially Yorkshire, the North West and the West Midlands was highlighted.

The UAF have produced an excellent pamphlet analysing the BNP’s growth across the country and identifying the priorities and challenges for anti-fascist campaigning learnt over the last few years. This can be ordered from UAF, and is also available from LARAG.

The conference discussed the impact of the recession on the BNP’s growth, the Love Music Hate Racism campaign, which is attracting young people, and the need to rebut the racist myths that the BNP build their support on.

Two recent publications are recommended which systematically analyse and challenge common myths and distortions and show their consequences:

"Sleepwalking to segregation? Challenging myths about race and migration" (order form)
by Nissa Finney and Ludi Simpson

"Muslims Under Siege: Alienating Vulnerable Communities" (read online)
by Peter Oborne and James Jones

25/1/09 LARAG says: Unite to Stop the fascist BNP in the run-up to the European Elections in June 2009

The British National Party will be standing in the Downham by-election on Thursday 19th February. As part of Unite Against Fascism, LARAG will be ensuring that the truth about the fascist BNP is delivered to all voters, so as to mobilise the majority opposed to their racism and hate-fuelled politics.

LARAG's next meeting on Tuesday 3rd February will plan our activities. Your help and support is needed, so please do at least one of the following:

1. Come to our next meeting — so we can plan activities together — email larag@talktalk.net for further details
2. Tell us which day/s you can help us leaflet, from midday onwards on either of the two weekends before the by-election (ie 7th or 8th or 14 or 15th February). Email larag@talktalk.net
3. Send a donation to Unite Against Fascism, which is leading this initiative and vital work needed to stop the BNP making further inroads in the European Elections in June this year.
4. Come to the Unite Against Fascism national conference on Saturday 21st February. LARAG will be sending a delegation. LARAG urges everyone who is opposed to the rise of racism and the fascist BNP to attend the Unite Against Fasscism conference on 21/2/09 (see leaflet on right) and get involved in Stop the BNP activities wherever they stand.

For evil to prosper all that is necessary is that people of good will do nothing

1/4/08 Last chance to Stop the Fascist BNP in London!

Little time is left to mobilise the vote to Stop the fascist BNP being elected on the Assembly.

Help urgently needed now and then up until May 1st. LARAG is prioritising all resources to stopping the BNP.

For info on local activities, or if you want to leaflet your local station, street, estate or local meeting (you can order leaflets from us), then just email larag@talktalk.net

Also we urge you to sign up to www.uaf.org.uk to see all events across London and be updated as new parts of the campaign are rolled out. Events are planned to commemorate the fascist bombings in Brixton, Brick lane and Soho and also to protest about the fascist BNP election broadcast. Get involved now!

15/02/08 Unite against fascism

LARAG urges people to attend the Unite Against Fascism National Conference in Central London on March 1st as the next step in the campaign to stop the fascist BNP in the May elections. More at the UAF website.

Our exhibition will be on display - see link opposite. LARAG is sending a delegation and will discuss the conference and its conclusions and what we can do locally at our next meeting in early March: email larag@talktalk.net for details.

15/02/08 LARAG Press Release:

Response to attack on newly opened Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford.

The Stephen Lawrence Centre is a fitting memorial to the racist murder of this young man and a permanent contribution following the determined efforts of his mother, Doreen Lawrence, ensuring that all members of community are given the opportunities that her son were denied.

We are therefore disgusted at the regular vandalism of the centre particularly the significant incident this week, showing the continued existence of racism, and the violence and criminal behaviour that accompanies these ignorant and hate-fuelled beliefs. These latest incidents (4 in total in the last week since the opening of the centre) remind us that the plaque commemorating Stephen on the spot where he was so brutally murdered was also repeatedly vandalised by racists over the years.

Doreen Lawrence fought an inspiring campaign over many years to get justice for her son. She changed policing in London for the better in the process. She was supported by many people and organisations in the process.

Sadly some people have not shown the same respect for her in her battle for justice.

So like the Mayor of London we condemn the vandalism and note that it also comes on the anniversary of the inquest that confirmed Stephen's death to be an unprovoked racist murder.

So racism must not be allowed to drop down the agenda. Especially with the fascist British National Party hoping to get elected on to the London Assembly in May this year. We must all use our votes to ensure racism is not given a voice and space in the forthcoming Mayoral and Assembly elections.

Mahmuda Kabir, Secretary Lewisham Anti-Racist Action Group
and Councillor Jarman Parmar, Chair LARAG

23/11/07 Free exhibition: Fighting fascism in London

New exhibition for Londoners produced by LARAG -
‘The fight goes on! 70 years of struggle against fascism in London.’

On October 27th, the Lewisham Anti-Racist Action Group launched a brand new exhibition: ‘The fight goes on! 70 years of struggle against fascism in London.’

See a slideshow of the exhibition here for more. You can also download a high-quality PDF for printing out ( please note that this is a very large 12MB file and will take a long time to download). Order the exhibition for free loan from: larag@talktalk.net

Using eye witness accounts and some rarely seen photos the exhibition documents three decisive occasions when Londoners have had to mobilise to defeat fascist parties threatening London, whether on the streets or through the ballot box. The exhibition covers the Battle of Cable Street 1936; the Battle for Lewisham 1977 and forthcoming the London elections 2008. Lessons from the past are accompanied by an up to date assessment of the fascist threat to London today, examining the campaign by Unite Against Fascism. There words of wisdom and inspiration from Holocaust survivors and celebrities from TV and music are used to speak out against the evil of fascist parties today and urging people to use their vote. The exhibition shows the important role the Jewish , black  and all other minority ethnic communities have played  in uniting  with all those wanting to defeat the scourge of fascism in our great city.

If you know of a local organisation that wants to exhibit it at a meeting etc email larag@talktalk.net

LARAG future activities:

• Campaigning as part of Unite Against Fascism is our main priority - see uaf website forthcoming events.

• We are currently discussing initiatives to build the anti-fascist awarenesss in south east London in the coming months. We recommend the recent election briefing produced by UAF: see detailed analysis on web site. We urge all members to circulate this to local community groups, particularly union branches.

• We also recommend the new publication, 'Mythsbusters' about asylum seekers produced by NAAR and Unison.

• Book our exhibition "The fight goes on: 70 years of struggle against fascism in London".

LARAG is:

• a campaigning group of individuals from across south-east London

• working with others to campaign against racism in all its forms. We are the affiliated to the National Assembly Against Racism.

• campaigning against the fascist BNP, as part of the national campaign Unite Against Fascism.

• distributing thousands of leaflets warning people of the BNP’s fascist nature and the need for everyone to use their vote to ensure they do not get elected.

• working with others as unity in action is the most effective way to campaign for justice for all and stand up to hatred and intolerance.

So if you are in south east London join with us to speak out against racism:

• get on to our e-mail list to hear about news and local activities: email larag@talktalk.net

• come to our monthly meetings where we discuss the latest news and plan campaigning. Everyone welcome: we meet the first Tuesday of each month in the Town Hall, Catford. Email larag@talktalk.net for details.

Previous LARAG events: