Thursday- protest against the BNP Platform on Question Time

The erosion of democratic rights and incitement of racial hatred has began with a screening of Question Time audience applicants for antifascists, and with the BNP launching attacks on other panellists on grounds of race.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bnp-attacks-fellow-question-time-panellists-1804757.html

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23756472-question-time-audience-vetted-for-anti-fascists.do

Nick Griffin has stated that

"Once we're in a position where we control the British broadcasting media, then perhaps one day the British people might change their mind and say, 'yes, every last one must go'. But if you hold that out as your sole aim to start ...with, you're not going to get anywhere. So instead of talking about racial purity, we talk about identity."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/18/nick-griffin-question-time-bbc

In the BBC granting a platform to the BNP, the BBC sets a dangerous precedence; legitimising the BNP as a political party. In doing so they legitimise their views. This is anti democratic as the BNP wish to disenfranchise a huge cross section of British society. They are giving the ‘right’ to a platform to a party that seeks to take away the rights of others.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/15/bnp-question-time-bbc-griffin

FEMINIST REASONS TO NO PLATFORM THE BNP

As feminist activists I propose we must unite with anti fascist protests to no platform the BNP and expose them as a party of hate, division and social exclusion. This is in the name of cross liberation campaigning, but also because the BNP seek to impinge on women’s rights directly, and their brand of ‘women’s rights’ tarnish the name of feminism which is an obstacle to all women’s rights advocacy. This has been recognised by a motion passed at the last NUS Women's Committee meeting.

• BNP members have publically glorified and ridiculed rape.
• Further policy to clamp down on reproductive and LGBT rights, banning mixed marriages, and banning religious dress and food from public arenas, disproportionately affects women.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3716550.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7326987.stm

• The BNP use women’s rights as a tool to incite racial hatred, for example saying that all of the sexual assaults in Norway this year have been committed by ‘third world immigrants’.
• This false claim that sees feminism as a repository of white western supremacism can lead to an antifeminist backlash in the defence of multiculturalism.
http://barnsley-nationalists2.blogspot.com/2008/02/womens-rights-third-world-style.html
http://bnp.org.uk/2009/09/third-world-rape-nightmare-grips-oslo/

• In BNP strongholds aggression and harassment on the basis of race and religion rises.
• Many students have been directly affected by encounters with fascist groups in the last few months, such as the BNP’s presence at pride, and recent riots in Birmingham and Doncaster.
• The affects of this are not restricted to the targeted social groups, but affect the welfare and unity of the entire student body.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/06/rightwing-rally-arrests-birmingham
http://www.uaf.org.uk/news.asp?choice=90808





WHAT YOU CAN DO


PROTEST against the BNP platform on Question Time this Thursday- 9am-7pm

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166170547914&index=1

To join our delegation, meet up SOAS Steps 2pm or 5pm to travel to White City BBC Hq

Or see the Unite Against Fascism website for local demos at regional BBC studios, which are taking place at 5pm across the country- www.uaf.org.uk




Also....

• Sign this statement by sending an email marked "Question Time" tounite@ucu.org.uk
• Complain to the BBC by phoning 03700 100 222 or online athttp://bit.ly/bbccomplaints
• Join the Facebook group protesting at the BBC decision athttp://bit.ly/0909uaffb
• Take the UAF petition round your workplace or community: http://bit.ly/0909uafqt
• Make a donation to Unite Against Fascism at http://bit.ly/uafdonate