SP Newsletter No.192
On Saturday October 13 two neo-Nazi organisations (Blood & Honour and the Hammerskins) held a racist gig at the Melbourne Croatia Social Club in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine North. Since then the local community and many anti racist groups, including the Socialist Party, have been campaigning against the use of sporting facilities for Fascist events.

On Thursday a lobby was held at the governing body for football (soccer) in Victoria, the Football Federation Victoria (FFV). Many complaints have also been made to senior officials at the Melbourne Knights Football Club who share the premises with the Melbourne Croatia Social Club.

Since then both the Melbourne Knights and the Football Federation of Victoria have come out condemning racism. The Knights have apologised to the community for the fact the event even took place. They have also promised that they will use their influence over the Social Club to ensure that racist events never take place again on the premises.

See the article below written by Mario Xuereb and published on page 4 of the Age Newspaper today. It includes quotes from SP National Organiser, Anthony Main.

Soccer chiefs in racism row over grounds hire

Victorian soccer bosses have come under fire from anti-racism groups after neo-Nazis hired grounds used by the Melbourne Knights Soccer Club to hold a racist rock concert.

Members of the white supremacist Hammerskins and Blood and Honour groups held a concert at Knights Stadium in Sunshine on October 13.

The ground is home to the soccer club and the Melbourne Croatia Social Club, which owns the site and hired out the venue.

Anti-racism campaigners yesterday criticised the Melbourne Knights and Football Federation Victoria for allowing the staging of the concert, which commemorated a dead white supremacist.

Anti-racism campaigner Anthony Main said the concert included overseas white power and local skinhead music groups.

“It’s racist music to the extreme, but it’s also a way for those guys to network and to meet,” Mr Main said.

He called on Football Federation Victoria to ensure the venues used by its clubs were hired out diligently.

“We don’t think that extreme racists should be able to organise in our community,” he said.

Football Federation Victoria and the Melbourne Knights distanced themselves from the concert, saying they did not book events for the venue.

Melbourne Knights chairman Matt Tomas said the social club operated separately from the soccer club. He apologised for the incident, saying it was regrettable.

ENDS

The Socialist Party welcomes the comments of the Melbourne Knights and notes that this is the second time in the space of a year that Fascists have been forced out of venues. Last year the same memorial gig was held at the Birmingham Hotel in inner city Fitzroy.

Since then the pub has received massive amounts of negative publicity and can no longer let the annual racist gig take place. SP will continue to campaign against race hate and the violent activities of neo-Nazis. There is no place for the crimes of Fascism in our local communities.

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.

We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to get rid of the capitalist system. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. For more information about joining in your area contact the SP National Office. 03 9639 9111.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Become a supporter of SP by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. It only costs $20 per year or $10 concession and you will receive our paper delivered to your door every month. You will also receive our email newsletter every week and will know that you are supporting an organisation that is at the fore of fighting against the system. To subscribe contact the SP National Office on 03 9639 9111

Issue 39 of ‘The Socialist’ will be out next week. This month we will be producing a federal election special edition. We will produce 30,000 copies and on top of distributing them to our subscribers and selling them on street stalls around the country, we will be letterboxing them to a large part of the seat of Melbourne where SP member Kylie McGregor will be standing.

If you can help with out letterboxing, even if it is only a few streets call our National Office on 9639 9111. Otherwise readers can pick up a copy at our regular street stalls, from our National Office or by becoming a subscriber. This month’s paper features articles on the federal election including IR laws, health, education, the economy, gay marriage, immigration, drugs, Iraq war, nuclear power and global warming.

Regional Activity

Victoria

The SP Melbourne Branch meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets Carlton South. This week the branch will be discussing the situation in Sudan. For more info call 96399111. All welcome.

New South Wales

To find out more info or to join SP in Sydney contact Gary - 02 9728 7727

To find out more info or to join SP in Newcastle contact Samantha - 02 4968 1545

Western Australia

To find out more info or to join SP in Perth contact John on – 08 9402 0728

Please note childcare is available at all SP meetings but only by prior arrangement please call ahead first.

News links just a click away –

Read the latest news about our student comrades in Nigeria who are still in jail.
Please support the campaign for their release.

Nigeria: Day of action protest march in Osogbo
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2007/10/25nigerb.html

Nigeria: Imprisoned students get world-wide support
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2007/10/25nigera.html

Get Active - Join the fight back, Get Militant - Join the Socialist Party.
The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). To contact or join the SP or CWI anywhere in Australia or the world call our National Office on +61 3 9639 9111

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