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Royal Holloway’s Independent Student Newspaper
VOLUME XI, ISSUE II • FRIDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2016 • Royal Holloway, University of London • Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX
Fascists Face Fierce Opposition at RHUL DANIEL BRADY CO-EDITOR ROSA SMITH NEWS EDITOR
Last week, Royal Holloway students boldly showed that fascism is not welcome on campus, nor in a society as a whole. A large group of students and members of the community, numbering approximately 50, turned out on Saturday afternoon to protest against the demo by extreme right-wing group RVF, a violent neo-Nazi splinter group of the British neo-Nazi group Combat 18. Students organized a counter-protest against a planned demonstration by the RVF, which took place outside and inside the campus main gate on Saturday, November 22nd. Before the event, Facebook group ‘No Fascists Royal Holloway’ stated: ‘We feel when fascism rears its ugly head it is important to stand up. A peaceful counterdemonstration sends a clear and decisive message fascism
is unacceptable and we stand in solidarity with Jewish, BAME and LGBT+ students who are all targets for these neo-Nazis.’ Racial Volunteer Force (RVF), planned the protest in retaliation to two of their members being fired by Royal Holloway. The chief organizers of the event were reportedly previously contracted as cleaners on campus. Royal Holloway released conformation of the upcoming protest last week, which had only previously been advertised through social media and flyers on campus. On Thursday, October 20th, two days before the event, it was stated: ‘Following information Royal Holloway received about the individuals’ associations with a group known for violent and discriminatory views, they were removed from the team supplied by the contractor to provide cleaning services on campus.’ RHUL students reportedly found out about the protest through the RVF’s activity on Twitter, where they contacted
Students protest extreme right-wing group RVF outside Founders. Photo by Alex Hobbs.
the Twitter pages of the SU, College Principle, Paul Layzell, and RHUL home page, with the hashtag #RHULDemo. Tweets were also sent to The Founder’s Twitter page. In 2005, five members of the group were jailed for 15 years between them, pleading guilty to race hate crimes and stockpiling weapons. Evi-
dence seized included Polish Neo-Nazi magazine Stormer, which in the past has paid tribute to Soho bomber, David Copeland, who was imprisoned for life after murderous attacks on gay and ethnic minority communities in London. Evidence in their trial also included the RVF magazine, which included
Index News..............................................................................1 Opinion And Debate......................................................6 Lifestyle...........................................................................9 Features........................................................................12 Arts...............................................................................14 Arts: Film......................................................................16 Arts: Music....................................................................19 Sports...........................................................................22
The One Show, p. 3 Piccolino, p. 9
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instructions on how to make a nail bomb, as well as using swastikas as part of their propaganda. The counter-protest largely outnumbered the RVF members, who were positioned outside the gate and were closely monitored by the police. Continued on
page 3.
Joshua Bibby, p. 23
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