Unite Against Fascism is launching a campaign – Don’t let the racists divide us – to organise a nationwide response to the attempts by the racist and fascist English Defence League and British National Party to exploit the tragic death of Lee Rigby to whip up racism and hatred.

This campaign will be launched at its ‘United communities – Don’t let the racists divide us’ event, taking place at 12 Noon, tomorrow Saturday 1 June, opposite Downing St.

The campaign is being launched in response to the stepped up activities of racist and far right groups in the aftermath of the murder, which have cynically attempted to exploit this tragedy to pursue their own agenda directed against Black, Asian and especially Muslim communities.

This has already led to a spike in Islamophobic attacks and a wave of assaults on Mosques. Muslim communities are experiencing verbal abuse, women’s headscarves have been torn off as well as more serious threats and violent attacks. Racists are simply stepping up their campaign.

This Saturday the English Defence League are organising 55 protests in different towns and cities across the country over the weekend. The far right British National Party is trying to re-launch itself after its recent splits by holding a national protest in Whitehall, Central London at 1pm – the first time they have done so since 1998.

UAF is organising local community responses around the country and the event in Whitehall to counter the BNP’s mobilisation.

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