Anti-Fascist victory – followed by a police sting

By New Worker correspondent

 AROUND 5,000 anti-fascists from a wide spectrum of community groups, faith groups and trade unions succeeded once again in preventing the Islamophobic English Defence League from bringing their message of hate and violence into London’s East End.

But after the EDL thugs had been marched away police sprang a nasty surprise and kettled and arrested a large number of anti-fascists who had started to make their way home – the numbers given vary from 160 to 180 – and took them away in buses laid on for the purpose.

The arrestees then had their details taken and were bailed after few hours with a caution that included a bar on them taking part in any demonstration near the EDL or the British National Party within the area bounded by the M25.

Local community organisations, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman, Jim Fitzpatrick MP and Unite Against Fascism leader Weyman Bennett had been in close liaison with the police prior to the event.

They had been told that the borough police force would supervise the anti-fascists while “Gold Command” would supervise the EDL.

Relations with the police seemed to be good; there was no violence or provocation from the anti-fascists with the exception of a small group of youngsters who tried to intercept the EDL march south of the river near Tower Bridge.

The fascists had gone from the scene; there was no longer any real danger of a clash or violence; the anti-fascists were in a good mood and partying. So the decision to arrest a large number is very disturbing. And at least five legal observers were among those arrested.

A legal expert told the New Worker: “Gold Command is just the code name for the officer in charge of the operation – in this case the entire 'public order' incident. There is a silver and bronze command underneath him.

“This assurance was always nonsense you know the police often lie….

“My guess is that the kettling was partly to make it simpler for the police to keep the two sides separate. It would also be very useful for the police to arrest 180 people – for the names and addresses, DNA and fingerprints and personal details.

“A caution is actually an admission to committing an offence – you get a record, you just aren't taken to court.

“If you are charged, or released on bail there can be bail conditions for example don't go somewhere or do something as a condition of being released.

“I'm not sure what legal force this has - no one should sign something like that without speaking to a lawyer first – better to get charged.”

 The EDL, who had initially promised to mobilise thousands, were left embarrassed when only 750 racists turned out on the day. Their demonstration was disrupted by drunkenness and violence as they targeted each other when it became clear their racist march would not make it to Tower Hamlets.

In contrast, local mosques, trade unions, and community organisations mobilised thousands of people onto Whitechapel Road to protect the East London Mosque which had been threatened by the EDL.

The UAF rally highlighted the strength of multiculturalism in the borough, people from different cultural, religious and political backgrounds were determined to stand together in the face of racism.

UAF groups from across the country, including the South East coast, the Midlands, and as far afield as Wales, also joined the counter-demonstration. But the majority of the mobilisation were themselves local residents angry at EDL attempts to divide them.

When news reached Altab Ali Park that Tommy Robinson had been arrested, and that the EDL had turned away early from their rally, cheers went up throughout the demonstration. Protestors carried a banner saying, “Tower Hamlets United Against Racism” and led a victory march along Whitechapel Road to the East London Mosque. Marchers made it clear, if the EDL were to return, they would too.

Sixty-Five Fighting Years!

By New Worker correspondent

ON THE 9^th SEPTEMBER 1948 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was established in the free northern part of the Korean peninsula that had once been part of the Japanese Empire. In the DPRK it is a public holiday and hundreds of thousands of Koreans packed Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang for a spectacular military and civilian parade through the capital.

It’s a special day for Koreans on both sides of the divided country and amongst the overseas Korean community because on that day in 1948 the Korean people expressed their democratic will through popular power and immediately took the first steps towards building a new socialist life for the workers and peasants who had fought to free themselves from the Japanese yoke that had enslaved them for many decades.

 It’s also special day for communists all over the world who showed their solidarity with Democratic Korea. London was no exception. Communists and Korean solidarity activists joined diplomats, journalists and business-people at a lunch-time reception at the DPRK embassy that was opened by DPRK ambassador Hyong Hak Bong last week.

Andy Brooks, Hyong Hak Bong and Michael Chant at the reception

 The leaders of the NCP and the RCPB (ML), Andy Brooks and Michael Chant, were there along with veteran London communist Monty Goldman from the CPB, who was jailed for two months for protesting against the Korean War, as well as Daphne Liddle, the joint editor of the New Worker, and Dermot Hudson from the Korean Friendship Association.

And Comrade Hyong Hak Bong returned to south London as guest of honour at a meeting and social to honour the 65^th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that was opened by Andy Brooks, who chairs the Friends of Korea, in south London on Sunday.

The event, at the south London headquarters of the RCPB (ML) kicked off with a spirited rendition of the DPRK national anthem and the Song of Kim Il Sung by the violinist Leslie Larkum, who has recently visited Democratic Korea. This was followed by the screening of a documentary covering the recent visit of a RCPB (ML) delegation to Democratic Korea produced by one of their own comrades.

Comrades heard lively eye-witness reports from comrades who took part in the recent 60^th anniversary celebration in the DPRK of the Korean people’s victory in the Fatherland Liberation War in July. Michael Chant, Leslie Larkum and Dermot Hudson painted a vivid picture of Democratic Korea which is led by Kim Jong Un and guided by Marxism-Leninism and the Juché Idea and also determined to struggle for reunification and defend its socialist path.

Comrade Hyong Hak Bong addresses the meeting

 And a 16-year-old student who was also in Pyongyang in July told us about his impressions of the socialist capital and his struggle to tell the truth at school about the reality of the DPRK today.

Other friends of Korea, like John McLeod of the Socialist Labour Party and Theo Russell of the NCP, who have also been to north Korea, joined in a general discussion that ended with an appeal from Hyong Hak Bong for everyone to go to the DPRK, if they can, and see for the new life for the Korean people with their own eyes.

A sunny afternoon in Charlton

The summer heat-wave may have finally ended but the sun still shone on the comrades and friends who came to the Metropolitan NCP Cell and Supporters’ Group annual garden party in Charlton last Saturday. The table was groaning with good food, which is not surprising given that it was prepared by one of our stalwart comrades and there were plenty of soft and stronger drinks to wash it down.

An afternoon of discussion and friendly banter could not end without a collection for our communist paper and the comrades showed their thanks by putting £77 into the collection tin for the New Worker..

Love Russia, hate homophobia

 AROUND 1,000 campaigners against homophobia protested outside Downing Street on Tuesday 3rd September, just before the G20 meeting in Leningrad to send a message to Russian President Putin that his new law banning “propaganda” about homosexuality is unacceptable.

Like the hated “clause 28” in Britain a couple of decades ago, the law is in effect a gag on the discussion of matters relating to homosexuality, especially among the young.

It prevents teachers, youth workers and other counsellors from helping gay adolescents who may be in serious fear and turmoil as they realise they are homosexual by reassuring them that they are not evil or unnatural.

Anti-homophobia campaigner Peter Tatchell led the speakers, who included the gay celebrity Paul O’Grady.