THE BRITISH National Party's hopes of taking great strides forward in the North West in the general election ultimately came to nothing.
Having pulled out of standing in Manchester Gorton, it retreated to neighbouring Rochdalo, a tractional stronghold which it hoped to use as a stepping stone to the rest of the region.
But even playing at home, antiFo. racist pressure took its tol bruary's BP campaign launch rally was abortod due to mass action by anti-fascists.
A projected election rally in Roch dale Town Hall was thwarted by the council's decision to ban it from hold. ing meetings in public venues Challenged Ultimately it was forced to meet in a pub in an outlying area. Even these modest efforts were challenged when anti-fascists arrhed on masse both at the redirection point and the venue itset.
The BNP managed to assomble a mere 25 of its most ardent supporters, a sharp contrast to the 100 plus turnout expected. Section he Ani Nazi Lague an orters of Anti-Fa:
besieged the pub. The protest attracted many local young peop ofice attacked the chanting dem onstrators; ten were arrested, nine of them charged with offences ranging from 'obstruction' to the more serious incitement to violence and 'affray.
lespite the arrests, the outcom ras a real success for us and a tote failure for the fascists. The demonstration successfully carried out the principlo of 'no platform for fascists, something anu-racists must surre to every time the far right attempts to organise.
April 17, 1992 No. 20