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Remember the thirtieth anniversary of Battle of Lewisham - August 13 1977
The fight to defeat racism and fascism is more important than ever!
Unite to stop the fascist BNP!

Thirty years ago a mass demonstration stopped the fascist party of the time, the National Front, who wanted to march from New Cross to the centre of Lewisham. Around six thousand anti-fascists, including large numbers of local black people, prevented some eight hundred supporters of the National Front from marching through Lewisham. This success led to the formation of the Anti Nazi League, which along with other anti-fascist organisations and the Rock Against Racism cultural movement led to the defeat of the National Front as a serious force by 1981."

Lewisham Anti-Racist Action Group, part of the nation-wide campaign Unite Against Fascism, urges us all to reassert the principle that there is no place for fascist and racist politics in our communities in London or anywhere in Britain.

A challenge is being mounted by the fascist party, the British National Party, in the London Assembly elections next year who will target the elections aiming to take a seat on it.(note 1).

This celebration of a past victory against fascists in Lewisham will remind people what united action against racist politics can achieve and acts as a call to action to stop the BNP next May. In the elections of 2008 the people of Lewisham together with London must unite once again and use their vote - where the anti-fascist majority uses its vote the BNP are defeated .

Together with unite Against Fascism and Love Music hate Racism, we are appealing for anyone wishing to join us in commemorating this historic victory in Lewisham thirty years ago, particularly those who were there, to join us in organising a cultural commemoration event in Lewisham in August 2007. An organising meeting will be held on Tuesday 5th June 7.30pm-9pm in the Civic Suite Catford (room booked in the name of councillor Parmar).


Jarman Parmar, a Lewisham Councillor, who was inspired by the events of 1977 adds:

"We must stand together again to defeat these fascists.

I witnessed first hand the events in Lewisham in 1977. I was inspired by way the local community said 'No to the fascists, they will not pass here'.

I have continued fighting racism throughout my life whether in the work place, in various campaigns and in my role as a councillor since I was first was elected in Lewisham in 1990.

So I am shocked and angered by the rise of a fascist party like the BNP. As Chair of the Lewisham Anti-Racist Action Group I am urging everyone to remember this historic event when the fascists were defeated. The fascists are trying to spread their vile beliefs again, and this time they are trying to intimidate us by getting elected to the London Assembly and play a role in governing London

We cannot let this happen. The BNP want to destroy multicultural London. BNP activity is associated with racist attacks. (see note 2) The BNP uses elected positions to promote race hatred. It is on the record condemning mixed race relationships. (note 3 and 4).These racist views are a direct attcak on many Londoners and their children.

I thought that these kinds of ideas had been thrown into the dustbin of history when we defeated the NF in the 70's. We will not let them spread their lies and hatred again. We must use out vote and warn people that they are a fascist party which has no place in multicultural London.

That is why we are planning a concert (with Love Music Hate Racism) and public meetings to remember this historic event when the fascists were confronted and defeated. The people of Lewisham showed what they would do to ensure justice- and stood together to say 'No fascists welcome here!'. The vast majority of Londoners today detest their ideas. So join with us. We must stand together and stop the fascists.

Remember what we did in Lewisham thirty years ago. And remember for evil to prosper- all that is necessary is that people of good will do nothing."


Notes

1. Election results: In the 2004 London assembly elections, the BNP came within 0.1% of the 5% threshold for gaining a top up seat on the assembly. In this May's local elections, it gained over 290,000 votes, the highest vote for a fascist party in a local election in British history. It came within 2500 votes of gaining a seat in the Welsh Assembly elections.

2. BNP and racist attacks: In the year that the BNP targeted Barking and Dagenham, racist attacks increased,whilst racist incidents have fallen across the rest of London to record lows. Racist incidents in Barking increased in the year preceding the May 2006 local elections according the Barking and Dagenham's Multi-Agency Racial Incidents Panel.

3. Richard Barnbrook (leader of BNP group in Barking and Dagenham-on mixed race marriages: I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people. That's my view. It's not the party's view." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6255195.stm

4.The BNP' s view on mixed race marriages: "The British National Party stands for the preservation of the national and ethnic character of the British people and is wholly opposed to any form of racial integration between British and non-European peoples." http://www.bnp.org.uk/resources/constitution_8ed.pdf