Racist attacks in South Belfast

Written by Paddy Meehan Monday, 21 December 2009 00:00

We reprint a collection of leaflet, articles, press releases and letters that were produced during the campaign to stop racist attacks on Roma families on the Lisburn Road. Socialist Party members who live in the area played a key role in organising local residents to oppose racism and fight for jobs and homes.

In defence of anti-racist protest

Written by Gary Mulcahy, Socialist Party Thursday, 17 December 2009 14:16

A reply to Derek Hanway

16th July 2009

The reflections of Derek Hanway in the pages of Fortnight magazine (July/August 2009 No. 466) unfortunately have only helped to obscure and distort the facts surrounding racist attacks on Romanian families in Belfast in June.

Should fascists be allowed free speech?

Written by Mick Barry, Youth against Racism, Cork Tuesday, 15 December 2009 17:54

Reproduced below is a pamphlet written by Mick Barry a member of both Youth Against Racism Europe (YRE) and Militant from October 1993. YRE was a campaign organised by young people across Europe to oppose the rise of far right organisations like the British National Party and the NPD in Germany. The pamphlet deals with the question that came up amongst some young people about whether fascists should be allowed free speech.

Should fascists be allowed free speech?

The visit of Nazi historian David Irving to Ireland raises the issue of how to combat fascism. Our anti-fascist campaigning work show is that 99% of ordinary people are hostile to fascism. However, people are divided on how to challenge it.

Kick the BNP out!

Written by Administrator Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00

Shut down BNP ‘call centre’
By Patrick Leathem-Flynn, 13 Oct 09

The BNP is operating from a secret office in Dundonald in Belfast. Located at a business park this ‘call-centre’, as they describe it, it is used to recruit people. They also use it to distribute their far-right propaganda and spout their racist rhetoric around Britain.

Keep the BNP off the BBC

Written by Administrator Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00

Protest - 5.30pm Thursday 15th October, BBC Broadcasting House, Ormeau Ave, Belfast

Download the poster

The BBC have offered the BNP a platform on Question Time. The far-right BNP won 2 seats in the recent European elections. This party is attempting to develop a respectable image, but their core is out-right fascism. Their founder called Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’ his ‘Bible’ and Nick Griffin, the current leader, regularly denied the Holocaust.

Television workers union backs Belfast protest against BBC invitation to BNP

Should fascists be allowed free speech? By Mick Barry, Youth Against Racism in Europe (1993)

Television workers union backs Belfast protest against BBC invitation to BNP

Written by Administrator Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00

Television workers union backs Belfast protest against BBC invitation to BNP

PROTEST: 5.30pm Thursday 15th October, BBC Broadcasting House, Belfast
Called by Youth Against Racism

The union representing workers at the BBC has backed a protest to be held next Thursday 15th October outside BBC Broadcasting House in Belfast against the decision to invite the BNP on to the Question Time programme.

BECTU (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union) which represents 26,500 workers across the UK today revealed that they could not support a far-right party like the BNP being given a platform to spread racist lies.

The union has also pledged to support any member who decides, as a matter of conscience, not to work on the broadcast because of the involvement of the BNP.

Welcoming BECTU’s support, Paddy Meehan of Youth Against Racism added
“All trade unions need to take a stand against the BNP, a far-right anti-union party, being given such a platform. We want workers to come down to BBC Broadcasting House on Ormeau Avenue in Belfast at 5.30pm on Thursday 15th October to express their opposition to this decision. The BNP is about taking away all democratic rights which have been won by ordinary people down the years. They must be opposed wherever they try to organise.”

How to stop the racist attacks

Written by Gary Mulcahy Saturday, 30 May 2009 00:00

This article was written on 21 February 2004 after a number of racist attacks against ethnic minorities at the end of 2003 and beginning of 2004.

Over December and January a spate of racist attacks against members of ethnic minority communities living in Belfast received international media attention. In an article on 10 January, The Guardian labelled Northern Ireland "the race-hate capital of Europe".