Submitted by martin on 29 August, 2009 - 9:49
Author: Sammy Klein
In the run-up to the demonstration Amber Valley anti-fascists spent a great deal of time leafleting and explaining their stand against the BNP.
On the march AWL members made an effort to speak to local residents, give them leaflets and sell socialist material. The responses were mixed — Amber Valley is an area of strength for the BNP, and an area without a strong left or labour movement. However the assumption made by some of the marchers that white working class residents are necessarily hostile is counter-productive. There was some shouting at local people who were bystanders — some were fascists, some were not.
In fact it is a middle class reaction — the assumption that white youth with short hair are hostile to our stand.