Transport Details for Bolton Protest

People travelling from within the North West region, please assemble 9am, Victoria Square, Bolton.

Unite Against Fascism is laying on coaches to Bolton from:

• Manchester Chorlton Street bus station leaving at 8am - phone/text Mike on 07903586191 to book a seat.

• Chorlton library at 8.30am. Phone Mark 07765 122 829 to book a seat.

• Manchester University Union leaving at 8.30 am. Phone Jen 07772346819 to book a seat.

• Manchester Met Union. 8.30. Phone Jen 07772346819 to book a seat.

• Salford Art Gallery, The Crescent, Salford. 8.30am. Call Martin 07958 535 231

• Bury Bus Station. 8.45am. Call Geoff 07857 610 426

• Jaffa Cafe, Wiilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester. 8am. Call Nahella 07988 572 976

People travelling from outside the North West, assemble 11am, Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton.

Map of location of  protest - Town Hall, Victoria Square.

Details of transport from other cities can be downloaded here (pdf)

There is an appeal for donations from individuals and trades unions to cover transport costs to this protest. Cheques should be made payable to 'Manchester UAF'.  Mail to PO Box 111 Chorlton Manchester M21.

Why the racist EDL are a threat to us all

The English Defence League (EDL) — a group of racist thugs and football hooligans with links to the Nazi BNP — intend to march in Bolton on 20th March to whip up race hatred against Muslims. These thugs spread fear and terror when they rampaged through Luton and Stoke recently. They smashed cars, attacked shops and assaulted Asians. When some locals tried to stop them they were called ‘race traitors’ and were attacked.

Before the EDL visited Manchester last October they emailed and telephoned Mark Krantz, convener of GM STWC telling us to 'keep out of town'. Our planned STWC campaign stall had to be cancelled that day, hundreds of EDL supporters were then allowed to march down Manchester's Market Street.

“Islamophobia and fascism must be stopped,” says Walter Wolfgang, long time Labour Party member and leading member of CND and the STWC. He urges people to attend the mobilisation against the EDL in Bolton and to join the national Unite Against Fascism (UAF) rally. The National Steering Committee of STWC has agreed to support the mobilisation to Bolton to oppose the EDL and their anti Muslim hatred.

MPs from Greater Manchester including Sir Gerald Kaufman MP, John Leech MP, Beverley Hughes MP, Tony Lloyd MP, Graham Stringer MP and Ruth Kelly MP have signed the Bolton Unity Statement which says:

'Let’s protest against the racists and fascists, oppose their politics of hatred and defend Bolton’s diverse and united community. We call on everyone to support and attend the protest against the EDL in Bolton on 20th March.'

School student Ed from Chorlton is going to Bolton. "I will not grow up in a society were fascist thugs can rampage on our streets giving Nazi salutes and holding up signs saying 'No more mosques'. I am proud to be part of multi-racial/cultural Britain and these hooligans will NOT change that. Come to Bolton! Defend our streets!"

Pensioner Bartley Wilcock is joining him. ‘When the Nazis dropped bombs on Manchester in 1941 it did not push us out and a group of Nazi thugs in Bolton won't either’. Bartley is Treasurer of the Manchester TUC Pensioners Group. All the main Trades Unions are sending people and banners, as are many Student Unions.

'In the past, the fascists came for the Jews. Today it is the Muslims, tomorrow it can be any one of us,' says Nahella Ashraf, Chair of GM STWC.  Mr. Mohammed Shafiq, of the Ramadam Foundation says that, ‘the vast majority of the Muslim community should stand together with the people of Bolton.'

Stop the EDL in Bolton NATIONAL demonstration, 20th March.

Muslim Graves Desecration in Chorlton a Week before the Manchester EDL Demo (Oct 2009)

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