Anti-racism rally and picnic against National Front this Saturday

Anti-racism activists will be holding a rally and picnic at the Wellington Cenotaph at 10am on Saturday October 25. The rally and picnic is in opposition to plans to hold a "Flag Day" rally by the "Nationalist Alliance", a coalition comprising the National Front, New Right and National Democrats.

Spokesman for the anti-racism rally, Josh Simmons said "The Nationalist Alliance claim to be celebrating New Zealand Flag Day but their leadership all have a long history within the extreme-right political movement in New Zealand."

"The National Front in particular have had a number of key members and leaders who have been convicted and even jailed in recent years for offences such as racial attacks, vandalism of Auckland mosques, theft of explosives and destruction of a Maori carving worth $15,000 in Hamilton."

In previous years members of Wellington gang the Hammerskins have joined the NF on their Labour Weekend rally. The Hammerskins are an openly white supremacist gang who last year held a concert to celebrate Adolf Hitler's birthday. The concert was organised in conjunction with "Blood and Honour", a white-power music organisation banned in some countries as a terrorist organisation after assaults and murders committed by members.

This year the National Front are bringing Australia First Sydney Secretary Jim Saleam to New Zealand for their rally. Saleam has served time in jail for firebombing a Brisbane bookshop and organising a shotgun attack against a representative of the African National Congress.

"The fact that a number of NF members have turned up to their rallies wearing nazi insignia shows the lie to the NFs claim that they are the victims of a smear campaign" concluded Mr Simmons.

ends.

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