Another highly successful Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) gig was held in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Thursday of last week.
The bill consisted of Jerry Dammers, formerly of The Specials, newly signed indie rockers Last Gang, plus popular local band The Snap!
Two generations came together – those who were part of the Rock Against Racism movement that The Specials supported, along with a new generation of local young anti-fascist music lovers.
The gig was sponsored by the Unison union’s West Yorkshire police service branch, and supported by Wakefield TUC and Wakefield Unite Against Fascism, as well as local council and health Unison branches.
Nurses, local hospital workers and council workers were out in force on the night.
The gig was held at Balne Lane Working Men’s Club, situated on a mainly white working class estate in a ward where the fascist British National Party (BNP) is standing for the local council on 3 May.
The BNP has been trying to build around the issue of a new asylum seeker hostel in the area, but this gig boosted the feeling that anti-fascists are the majority in Wakefield.
Anti-BNP speeches from the bands and campaigners went down a storm, and the LMHR/Unite stall was mobbed.
A highlight of the night was young local poet Matt Abbott reading out his poem Nazis On The Doorstep, which poked fun at the BNP’s racist hypocrisy.
To read Matt’s poem go to the Magazine section of www.lovemusichateracism.com
Andy Brammer Wakefield Unite Against Fascism
LMHR will team up with the PCS civil service workers’ union in cities across Britain this May Day.
LMHR is organising sound systems and bands to play at PCS rallies in Birmingham, Leeds and the East Midlands.
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