Liberal Democrats Attack Bristol Labour Movement and Anti-Fascists

bristol | protests | feature Saturday July 21, 2012 15:12 by POUM tim_nelson86 at yahoo dot co dot uk

We Are Bristol want to thank you once again for the support given by trade union and other groups to our peaceful counter-demonstration against the racist EDL on Saturday July 14th.  More than 1000 joined our march and rally and we were proud to march together to join Pride at the end of our demonstration. We also note that more than £500,000 was spent by the authorities in the city in accommodating the EDL march, yet at the same time a grant of just £30,000 has been denied to the organisers of St. Pauls Carnival, meaning that this year the city’s prime multi-cultural event will not take place due to lack of funding for security.

However, we have since heard of an astonishing attack by Liberal Democrat councillors on two of the speakers at our rally, Marvin Rees, Labour Mayoral candidate and Mike Wollacott (Labour Councillor for Brislington East and Communication Workers’ Union representative). The statement from the Liberal Democrats is printed below in full (follow link), and speaks for itself.

We would like to offer maximum support to our colleagues from the city’s Labour group and ask you urgently to offer your  trade union branch and personal support to the following statement which we will send to the City Council leader and to the press and media.

We Are Bristol are shocked at the attack by leading Liberal Democrats in the city on Marvin Rees (Labour Mayoral candidate) and Councillor Mike Wollacott for giving their support to the rally against the racist EDL on Saturday July 14th. Our march and rally was supported by over 1000 people, including trade union branches and community organisation across the city. Yet the Liberal Democrats in their statement have chosen to denigrate the people of Bristol who have dared to stand up against the racism and bigotry of the EDL. We call upon the Liberal Democrats to withdraw their statement immediately, and to respect our political representatives’ right to do their proper job of speaking up for the people of Bristol.