Trade unionists and antifascists march in Liverpool in 2013
Antifascists in Liverpool are preparing to mobilise against a “White Man March” called by neo-Nazi groups on 15 August.
The hardcore fascists’ move follows an earlier “White Man March” in Newcastle earlier this year. This was very small – with just 100 attendees – but brought together white supremacist and hardcore fascist groups from across Britain.
Trade unionists and antifascists staged a major march through Liverpool in 2013, and last year voters across the North West threw out fascist Britiah National Party MEP Nick Griffin at the European elections. Now antifascists in Liverpool are determined to stop the gathering of neo-Nazi groups trying to use their city as a place to spread vicious racism.
Liverpool UAF has launched a unity statement urging local people to defend multicultural Merseyside and to oppose the “White Man March”. To add your organisation’s name, please contact uafliverpool@googlemail.com.
Defend multicultural Merseyside
No to the fascist “White man march”
We, the undersigned, are united in our defence of Merseyside’s multicultural community and in our opposition to the planned fascist “White Man March” in Liverpool on 15 August.
A previous “White Man March” in Newcastle included members of fascist groups such as
National Action, the British Movement, the National Front and other racist organisations.Far right groups such as these have previously attempted to target sections of our diverse community in Liverpool – Muslims, Jews, trade unionists, the Irish community, black people and the progressive bookshop News From Nowhere.
Recently, a member of the fascist National Action group was convicted for anti-Semitic harassment of Wavertree MP Luciana Berger. An attack on any section of our community is an attack on all of us.
Liverpool has a proud history in opposing fascist organisations. In 2014, we kicked out then fascist BNP leader Nick Griffin as MEP for the North West region. Nazi Nick disgracefully claimed that Anthony Walker’s killing “wasn’t a racist murder”.
Racist demonstrations by groups such as the EDL and North West Infidels have been successfully opposed by diverse, broad, majority mobilisations – involving trade unionists, MPs, MEPs, councillors, faith groups, young and old, male and female, gay and straight, black, Asian and white – in large shows of united opposition which send a clear message to fascists that they are not welcome in our cities.
We call on everyone to support, and attend, Merseyside UAF’s planned mobilisation to show united opposition to the “White Man March” in Liverpool on 15 August.
Initial signatories include:
Steve Rotheram MP
Unite North West Region
Mick Whitley, regional secretary, Unite North West
Alison Spencer-Scragg, political officer, Unite North West
Theresa Griffin MEP
Bill Esterson MP
Gerry Gable, Editor/Publisher Searchlight Magazine
Martin Timson, Liverpool City Unison branch (pers cap)
