Monday 23 December 2019

St Andrews Day Anti-Racism / Anti-Fascism Rally 2019

More from the St Andrews Day rally - here, Tommy Campbell from Unite...

It is important that we continue to demonstrate our commitment to fight back against racism and fascism
Tommy Campbell, Unite
especially given that the far right are on the march again.

On 27th January next year sees the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz the Nazi extermination camp by the Soviet Red Army and the eventual defeat of Hitler and Mussolini in May 1945.

However there are those in power who wish to see the Soviet Red Army’s role in the defeat of Fascism re-written and if possible completely written out of the major role they played in WWll.

Its important that Fascism is still challenged when it raises its head and a credit to young people. Trade Unionists and others who are now counter protesting when the far right hold any public meetings.

Resistance to the far right is necessary as you must the follow the footsteps and  uphold the principled stand  by others in the past who have fought Fascism in Spain and during WWll. 

No Pasaran !!!



Tommy concluded by reading the following  poems;


An excerpt from 'For the hearing of the tale, For the future of the wish – Resistance in Nazi Concentration Camps' by the late Hilda Meers…
At the cut edge of a chain of circumstance
In a prison yard, here a man risks death-by-beating
To pick a daisy for his cell mate, who can’t walk.
In the gruesome dark of the camps, sparks flare.
Shared bread, light from hope that glimmers on, undimmed
There’s one who unsuspected sprinkles petrol over the roof
At his comrades’ signal, a new bright flame
Consumes the Nazi crematorium as prisoners rebel.

The dead call us in harsh voices – Listen,
Buried tales tell of what we strove to do,
Men, children, women, to save each other
And peoples of the world… including you.

Strange Fruit by Abel Meeropol (pseudonym: Lewis Allan)

Southern trees bear a strange fruit, 
blood on the leaves and blood at the root, 
black body swinging in the Southern breeze, 
strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant South, 
the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, 
scent of magnolia, sweet and fresh, 
and the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck, 
for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, 
for the sun to rot, for a tree to drop, 
here is a strange and bitter crop.


Granite City Heroes (about the International Brigaders, and others who continue to fight back against Fascism in Aberdeen) by Tommy Campbell


Working-class heroes, so strong; so proud

your  ideals keep us fighting, shouting aloud

whilst we campaign for justice, your hopes  see us through

in this time of peace in Aberdeen, paid for by you.



Your voices still echo, in the old Castlegate

where you challenged the fascists and  spoke out against  Hate

with your thoughts for the future and a better world yet to gain

the same dreams of freedom that took  you to Spain.



Your courage emboldened on an Aberdeen street

you determined your fate and accepted no defeat

humanity, so chiselled, seen sharp on your face

the photos now displayed  in so many a place.



Your flame, burning gentle, we will keep it alight

fighting the good fight, for right, against might

and the love for all others that’s the meaning of you

your example a guidance, a help to bring us through.



Your proud battle flag is there for all to see

it mirrors your conscience and  marks your bravery

shrouded in  blood and shrouded in pain

your memory lives on as you have not died in vain.



For  the campaign’s not over, as onwards we go

we are strong, proud and many, we want all to know

No Pasaran was their call and  it’s with us still

for we’re holding  that line and we always will.