cont o l Festicn ORATION AIRES HEPE GR UM 730;
ICTALD Over 50,000 people marched through Paris on Saturday 6th February to protest against the rise of racism. Although the Socialist Party wanted to simply oppose Le Pen, many of the demonstrators argued that it Is the austerity policles and the racism of the Socialist government that have allowed the Front National to grow THE SUGAR-COATED Public Eye's 'Right Fighters' (BBC2, 22 January) provided a well-documented CAPUL of the links between neo-nazi skinheads and the organised far right at home and abroad.
In particular it showed the British National Party is recruiting an army of street fighters Honour movement, an umbrela sroup for neo-nazi skinhesd bands, and amongst organised gangs of football hooligans.
More disturbingly, the programme pointed out that the message of white power and race hate spread by 19807 has been accompanied by a rise in raciallv-motivated attacks and racist murders.
But while the provided a well-researched critique of the far right, it had little to say about how they can be stopped. In fact, there was no mention at all of the organised anti-racist movement.
The presenters had little to suggest other than demand that the police do more to control the neo-nazis. The futility of such an approach was demonstrated by he numerous interviews wit police officers shown in the prostamme.
Asked about the role of his ponce force in escortng neo nazi skinheads in and out of Honour gig in Mansfield, which to racial hatred, chief constable Dan Crompton said: "They are entitled to express their views in a like manner to other people."
Similarly, while the police ofnicet responsibie tor stewardls the BNP Rights for Whites march throuch Thamesmead. near the spot where Rolan scribed the event as "most unsensitive", he argued that the DivE naa a tegal vient to marca and "we were able to help them exercise that right by protecting them".
The conclusion for anti-fascists is clear. Although we should not refrain from demanding that the state and police act against the neo-nazis. we should be under no illusions that this provides any answers.
It will be left to organisations such as the Anti-Racist Alliance, in conjunction with the wider the fascist menace wherever it sory competitive