One of the alarming aspects of a potential increase in votes for the BNP on Thursday is that this could be accompanied by an upsurge in violence from emboldened racist/fascist thugs.
There have been several attacks in South London during the election campaign. Yesterday, Cormac Hollingsworth, standing as a Labour candidate for Council in South Bermondsey, was leafleting an estate in the area 'when he was punched three times in the face and kicked. Meanwhile the attacker kept up a stream of insults and shouted pro-BNP slogans' (full story at TMP online). South Bermondsey is the only Southwark ward where the BNP is standing a candidate in the election, represented by Nigel Seary of Nelson Square, SE1. I suppose there's some comfort to be taken that they couldn't get anyone to stand who actually lives around the South Bermondsey/Blue Millwall heartland.
Meanwhile David Clarke, the BNP candidate for Heathfield ward (Croydon Council) was convicted last week of two separate assaults on anti-racist campaigners who had been giving out leaflets outside East Croydon station. Full story at Croydon Advertiser.
It doesn't surprise me at all to hear this - I cycle through South Bermondsey on the way to work and since St George's Day it has been like Shankhill Road with flags everywhere.
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