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Anti-Fascist/Anti-Racist demo - Cardiff Saturday 5th June

U

Udo Erasmus

Well-Known Member
The counter-demo to the English and Welsh Defence League will be assembling at 11 am outside Wales Millenium Centre/Oval Basin/Roald Dahl Plass and marching through Butetown, Grangetown, Riverside and Canton into the City, ending at City Hall around 1 pm to join hundreds who will be assembling there. The scum are saying they will be gathering at the Museum next door, but cowards that they are, they may runaway somewhere else . . .

Called by Unite against Fascism, supporters of this demonstration include Wales regions of Unite, PCS, CWU, NASUWT, Community and RMT trade unions, community groups, anti-racist organisations, cultural organisations etc. A full list of sponsors to be announced shortly

REGGAE AGAINST RACISM AND FASCISM

Fans and bands make a stand The legendary Dub in the Pub DJs are official backers of the demonstration and will be bringing their mobile soundsystem and decks and mixing it up early for the hundreds of people who will be gathering around the City Hall playing the finest reggae, ska and dub. UAF supporters have been leafleting gigs, pubs and clubs for the last few weeks and been getting a very favourable response.

TAXI DRIVERS ON STRIKE AGAINST RACISM AND FASCISM

Last week a group of Asian taxi drivers liased with Cardiff UAF they talked about the racism and assaults that they often face on a nightly basis and announced that over 80 drivers had already stated that they would strike and refuse to drive on the day that the scum come into town (and they are expecting a lot more to join the action - they explained that this was not an act of fear ('we face racism every night') - but an act of defiance. The next day, a group of White taxi drivers got in touch asking how they could join the action in solidarity with muslim drivers. This is a historic action that deserves our full support and solidarity!

FOOTBALL FANS AGAINST RACISM AND FASCISM

Bluebirds vs. the Nazis have distributed over 5000 leaflets to City fans and been getting a cracking response.

CYCLISTS AGAINST RACISM & FASCISM

Cardiff Critical Mass who organise a monthly cycle are saying that on Saturday 5th June they will be cycling against racism, fascism and islamophobia and forming a "bike bloc" on the demo.
 
Woot Woot!

This is turning into a carnival against fascism :) Cardiff united!

The response to the edl has made me SO proud of Cardiff.

One of my mates (who is from Cardiff but lives in the midlands, and has never done any protesting before) is coming from Birmingham especially to come to the counter demo(s), and a couple I know from Cardiff who also have never done any sort of action before are coming out for it.

now I've just got to get my banner done! See you there!

b23
 
one of the reasons why we are beginning in butetown (though personally i am not fond of this phrase 'race riot' to describe people defending themselves from white racist rampaging mobs)

Tristram Hunt said:
Cardiff race riots, 1919 Scene of the first credible declaration of black British identity

In June 1919 the black communities of London and other seaports such as Cardiff faced an explosion of race riots. Their response was to defend themselves vigorously, and, when offered repatriation, to reply that they were British citizens.

The black reaction to those events was to define the multiracial nature of cities such as Cardiff for the next century. Later generations of black activists and liberal campaigners were to draw on their experience in outlining the unique type and content of Britain's present-day multiculturalism. If black Britain has a history, then the Cardiff race riots were one of its most important events.

The anti-black riots that spread through British ports that spring were associated with the demobilisation of the armed forces after the first world war, a period of economic crisis in which black populations became the scapegoats. In Newport on June 6 white mobs wrecked so many properties that, according to the South Wales Argus, the city looked as if it had suffered an air raid. The riots were at their most virulent in Cardiff. By June 11 they had developed into a series of organised attacks in the centre of the city and, in particular, on Bute Town, where most of the black population lived. Hotels and lodging houses were besieged by mobs led by "colonial" (Australian) soldiers armed with rifles, who presented themselves as leaders of the action.

The bulk of the black population rejected repatriation, insisting on their right to stay and be treated as equal citizens. In later years, the black seaport communities became the base of anti-colonial agitation in Britain, supporting African activists such as Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta.

Today, Cardiff boasts repeatedly about its diverse identity, but there is no official memorial or indeed memory of what was arguably the most important series of events in the establishment of the city's multiracial population. The dock areas in Cardiff and Newport are now the sites of extensive refurbishment and gentrification. What better time to remember June 1919, and the struggles that marked one of the most notable passages in the difficult birth of Britain's multicultural identity?
Click to expand...
 
Great stuff that needs to be remembered, especially as there is an anti-colonial struggle in Wales today (DO NOT DERAIL THREAD!).
 
just on an aside there is now a very interesting mural about the history of butetown near the shops on loudon square that commemorates among other things the butetown riots of 1919 - not sure if this counts as an official memorial, but i think there was council backing for the project.
 
aarIan makes a good point


http://ianbone.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/cardiff-v-edl-saturday-june-5th/
bone said:
Could be interesting. Two groups of people that haven’t got out on the streets to fight the EDL yet are the West Indians and Somalis. Cardiff has well established communities of both and signs are some sections are mobilising for Saturday with talk of 80 taxi drivers turning up for example.Radicalism seems to have vanished from West Indian politics here since the street riots of the 70s and 80s so what happens in Cardiff will be hopefully be a return to the streets. All depends on whether they are able to act autonomously or walk into the pens with the UAF and bleat slogan
Click to expand...
and
A group of TAXI DRIVERS turned up to the last planning meeting and spoke about the racism and abuse they often experience on a nightly basis. They said that over 80 drivers so far had said that they would be striking on Saturday 5th June (and they expect more to join the action) they explained that this wasn’t an act of fear – ‘we get racism every night’ but an act of defiance……………

Anti-fascists have also launched the Bluebirds vs. The Nazis group and over 5000 leaflets have been distributed among Cardiff City Fans with fantastic feedback on the streets.
Click to expand...

comments are good too :D
also heard that one about spoons refusing them and even going as far as promising to shut all Cardiff spoons down if the scum manage to get in and populate one
 
sounds like the counter-demonstrations are gonna be massive in swansea and cardiff, the torch of anti-fascism in s.wales has passed on from the 1930s generation onto our generation
 
I spoke with around half a dozen tacsi drivers over the past couple of weeks, and not one of them knew anything about any strike. Shame if none turned up, though. And I'm afraid I dont share positive notions of an anti-fascist tendency in South Wales - the atmosphere as far as I can dedeuce seems all to the contrary. For that very reason, I shall be lending my presence along with several of you here.
 
Walesonline story
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...sing-groups-plan-city-marches-91466-26567954/

WoL said:
Ali Ahmed, of the Bengla Deshi Association, said: “The Muslim community within Cardiff greatly values the good relations that have long existed between the different communities. We are horrified that this violent, racist organisation is planning to bring its message of hate to our city...

The day of the planned protests is also the day Wales play South Africa at the Millennium Stadium and when the Stereophonics play at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Cardiff’s divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Bob Tooby, said he respected the democratic right to protest but warned police would be clamping down on any troublemakers.

He said: “We are putting extra officers on patrol on Saturday but we are well prepared. We have been to demonstrations by the defence league in Newcastle and Aylesbury to see what has happened.
“We have met with people from both sides and been in discussions to make it a peaceful, family-friendly event.</p>
“We believe that it will be a peaceful demonstration. However, if people are coming here to cause trouble we will take a firm stance and there will be arrests.”
The police are working closely with the local authorities to organise road closures in the city, and are confident that the protest will not disrupt other events.
Grangetown councillor Asghar Ali, who will be taking part in the UAF’s march, said the separate routes meant the two groups should not collide.
He said: “The two groups should be kept apart by the schedule and the police. I do not think that we should face each other and get into a conflict. They will march their way and we will march our way
Click to expand...
 
Jeff Marsh (AKA Joe Cardiff AKA ARRYLAD AKA about half a dozen other names) says the Swansea demo is now cancelled:


Hope to see you all outside the museum at 11am.
 
Dic Penderyn said:
Jeff Marsh (AKA Joe Cardiff AKA ARRYLAD AKA about half a dozen other names) says the Swansea demo is now cancelled:


Hope to see you all outside the museum at 11am.
Click to expand...


Peter Hain is a communist and a bank robber :eek:

He really is away with the fairies. The trouble is, as i have seen from other less progressive message boards, some people are falling for this shit.
 
Dic Penderyn said:
Jeff Marsh (AKA Joe Cardiff AKA ARRYLAD AKA about half a dozen other names) says the Swansea demo is now cancelled:


Hope to see you all outside the museum at 11am.
Click to expand...


I like this one....
"get to this demo you fucks, this is more important than work or family, if you dont turn up i will delete you off my facebook friends."
 
I'm going to park in work about 12 and walk over.... might see you there ddraig :) will bring some jazz fags :)
 
Udo Erasmus said:
check out the front page of today's Echo, my friend . . .
Click to expand...


Some more encouraging noises since my post above!

Personal interest, but I shall be keeping a beady eye looking out for the presence of self-styled 'Welsh Republicans' at said protests. Plenty of Facebook & Youtube accounts advertising their wares, and even promises to turn up tomorrow, but isn't it all just so much hot air?
 
I would imagine that taxi drivers are quite fragmented into different firms, but hopefully the Echo article will have spread the word widely :)

For those who didn't see yesterday's echo it had a front page about Cabbies being on strike and this article: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardif...strike-over-anti-muslim-rally-91466-26577239/

A couple of small disagreements with the article. UAF didn't ask drivers to strike, they came to that decision themselves, also the taxi drivers who came to a UAF meeting made it clear that it wasn't an act of fear, but an act of defiance and protest.
 
I said to my good lady yesterday that if I wasn't having to work a full shift today I'd have loved to have gone into town to stand against the fascists :(. She gave me a look that said of course, my love, and went back to watching telly :D.

I really would have though.
 
Infidel Castro said:
I said to my good lady yesterday that if I wasn't having to work a full shift today I'd have loved to have gone into town to stand against the fascists :(. She gave me a look that said of course, my love, and went back to watching telly :D.

I really would have though.
Click to expand...

The fash are having the same problem, work family etc. if they dont turn up though they are going to be deleted from marshy's face book friends :facepalm:
 
Udo said

'sounds like the counter-demonstrations are gonna be massive in swansea and cardiff, the torch of anti-fascism in s.wales has passed on from the 1930s generation onto our generation'


apparently the anti EDL demo has about 500 on it according to BBC wales, is that 'massive'
 
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