skinhead movement, openly fascist sands, and running its own although irregularly published, Skinzine' and mail order services.
Originating from the Rock against Communism' movement (the fascists response to Rock against Racism) Blood and Honour split from the National Front in the late 1980s, and now have a core group of around 300 although some estimates its periphery ataround 8-10,000.
Contrary to claims in the Guardian.sxrewdriver are very much alive and gigging. frequently playing in Britain and elsewhere in Europe Fronted by Ku Klux Klan member, lan Stuart Donaldson no nas been convicted of par ticipating in a racist killing) Screwdriver notorious of the Blood and Honour bands, which includes 'Of bands like Skullhead and No Remorse.
The appeal of such bands is to disatfected white working class youth. They concentrate their efforts in places where the black community is small or negligible - often rural or suburban areas.
Security around Blood and Honour gigs is tight; notification is by word of mouth, and may involve many re-direction points, policed by less cerebral cadre, in an effort to keep the location of the venue unknown.
The Blood and Honour skinhead movement is only one aspect of the fascists' project to penetrate youth culture. Having had some success with the scooter clubs the BNP and NF fellow travellers are now tum ing their attention to bikers.
Interesting to note, then, that Ian Stuart Donaldson also has another band, White Diamond, which is a heavy rock outfit. ship between the BNP and an uncasy alliance. Donaldson not the best PR for the new model BP. who have been clearly embarrassed on a number of public occasions by their presence.
Conversely, Blood
Honour have accused the BNP of exploiting them as little more than a fund-raising sideline. Nevertheless, Hope and Honour provide a fertile recruitng ground for the BAI Die impact of Blood and Honour type organisations on youth must not be underesfascist and anti-racist movements, The need to stop their events taking place whenever possible is self-evident, but all too often our response is purely reactive.
The strength of Rock against Racism in the late '70s was that it represented a positive alternative for working class youth who might otherwise have been drawn in by the superficial antiestablishment posturing and violent 'street cred' of fascist youth culture.
The promotion of a youth relevant anti-fascist and antiracist culture remains the best way to win young working class people away from the sewer politics of Blood and Honour.