Opposing the British National Party (BNP), English Defence League (EDL) and other fascist and/or racist groups
This Branch/Region notes:
Christopher Alder, a former paratrooper, died in police custody in 1998. Christopher Alder choked to death on the floor of a police station in Hull where the CCTV recorded officers chatting and saying that Christopher was faking illness. They also appear to be making monkey noises at him and laughing.
The RMT has organised a meeting to discuss 'racism, the state and the police.'
Please print and distribute the flyer amongst your colleagues and friends.
This special meeting aims to secure your solidarity. The meeting will cover the case of Sean Rigg and Christopher Alder. Sean, a young and talented musician died shortly after being detained by Brixton polive in 2008. Why he died remains unanswered.
Christopher Alder died in police custody in 1998. An inquest in 2001 recorded his death as unlawful killing. A year later, a court cleared the five police officers of manslaughter and misconduct.
RMT attended the recent Battle of Cable Street 75th Anniversary Rally. Several RMT members were present and General Secretary Bob Crow spoke at the event which RMT has participated in for several years.
In 1936, fascism was gaining ground across Europe. In Britain, Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists (BUF) portrayed Jewish people as the cause of the country's problems. East London had the largest Jewish population in Britain and the announcement that Mosley and his Blackshirts planned a provocative march through the area.
On the day, up to 250,000 people gathered to defend the East End. There was a fierce battle with the police when they attempted to clear a path for the march and a barricade was erected and defended in Cable Street.
The 75th anniversary programme aims to keep alive the spirit of the defenders of Cable Street who took to the barricades that day.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of a key moment in the 20th Century struggle against fascism in this Country, the Battle of Cable Street. . RMT is sponsoring the celebrations and rally on Sunday 2nd October in East London and all members are urged to attend what should be a magnificent day.
Assembly for the march is 11.30 at the junction of Braham Street and Leman Street (Aldgate East Tube Station). The Rally will be at 13.00 in St George-in-the-East Gardens (off Cable Street).
The RMT intervened to halt the Metropolitan Police's plans to run special trains for English Defence League (EDL) members. The EDL had planned to march through Tower Hamlets, an area with a high Asian population and the Metropolitan Police wanted to assist the EDL to their destination by asking LUL management to run special non-stop trains for them.
This plan was swiftly halted after RMT station staff and train drivers, with the support of the union's London Transport Regional Organiser declared that they would refuse to work for the duration if they felt that there was an imminent and serious risk of danger.
The RMT's Political Officer has written an open letter to London Undergrounds Managing Director about the events which occured on the underground.
The English Defence League (EDL) is a racist organisation – but not just that. For all its ludicrous claims to represent the ‘white working class’, it attacks working-class people fighting back against cuts.
The EDL has denounced British Airways strikers, disrupted socialist meetings and attacked Swansea Trades Council’s May Day march. Now it is attacking student protesters against cuts and fees.
The EDL is holding a demonstration in Luton on 5 February. Anti-racists will be mobilising against them.
This resolution submitted by LU Fleet branch was carried by the February meeting of the Regional Council:
This Regional CouncilNotes -
1 - This Regional Council notes the recent increase in Islamophobia, racism and fascism across Europe, such as the openly fascist Hungarian Jobbik party, France's effective ban on the burka and British Tabloids' demonisation of Muslims.
Notts Stop The BNP held a conference in Nottingham to discuss how to counter the threat from the British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL). The conference was organised with the support of Workers Liberty. There were Delegates from Stoke, Lincoln, Liverpool, Sheffield, Amber Valley, Birmingham, London and Nottingham - many of whom were members of local anti-fascist organisations, or unions. The RMT had a good turnout.
The following resolution, submitted by Jubilee South & East London Line branch and seconded by Hammersmith & City branch, was carried unanimously by the March meeting of the Regional Council.
This region notes:
Thousands of UAF supporters gathered in Bolton to oppose the English Defence League on Saturday. The protest was strengthened by striking taxi workers protesting at the EDL coming to their city. It was a magnificent display of anti-fascism. We outnumbered the EDL by 4 to 1.