UAF officer in court over police assault allegation

Mr. Smith is a national officer of the UAF and is also coordinator of their sister campaign, 'Love Music Hate Racism'. Today he began a court session with serious allegations against him for supposedly assaulting a police officer. These allegations arise from a protest that occurred on October 22nd outside the offices of the BBC when leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin, appeared on the television programme Question Time.

The protest today outside of London's South Western Magistrates' Court, organised by the UAF, was supported by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) amongst a host of Unions, such as the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) amongst others. Head of the NUJ Jeremy Dear, who did not attend the protest today has said previously in a statement, "The NUJ has worked with Martin on a number of anti-fascist campaigns and we are supporting the efforts to clear his name."

The were a number of speeches from the UAF's Weyman Bennett, General Secretary of the PCS Mark Serwotka, deputy general of the NUT, Kevin Courtney, London and Eastern regional secretary of Unite the Union Steve Hart and CWU head of policy Steve Bell. This was interspersed with poetry from Zita Holbourne from the PCS national executive committee and joint chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (Barac). Drew McConnell from Babyshambles indie-rock band also did a brief performance.

Martin Smith spoke out against the charges which he strenuously denies. One major worry is that this case will set a benchmark for how anti-fascists are dealt with in the future climate. The action today was one of solidarity and an illustration of the right to protest in order to stand up against fascism and the police allegations.

Doris Page a Jewish activist also offered some words at the protest saying, “My immediate family and I escaped from Nazi Germany. Others were taken to concentration camps and killed. There is a direct link between what is happening today and what happened in the Holocaust." She refers to the way in which the state repeatedly allow fascist groups such as the EDL to demonstrate whilst anti-fascists, such as Martin are in the firing line for their active role against racism.

The London Patriot which calls itself an 'independent site for London Nationalists' has written, "Let’s hope he [Martin Smith] goes to jail, see if he enjoys the company of black and asian prisoners he loves so much," in an article entitled 'UAF Thug and Trade Unionist Martin Smith on Trial for Assaulting Police Officer.'

Mr Smith's final words to the crowd before entering the court were, “I am not a criminal. My only crime is that I refuse to bow down to fascism or the BNP. This is not about me, it is a test case for the anti-fascist movement.”