This film is part of Free

Anti National Front Demonstrations Bradford

One of many “national” marches by the NF in the 1970s through predominantly Asian areas, with the inevitable angry anti-racist opposition.

Non-Fiction 1978 8 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Yorkshire Film Archive

Overview

A police eye’s view of the organised counter demonstration to a National Front march in Bradford on 24 April 1976. In a control room police tactics are outlined to officers, before showing the large numbers who have turned out to oppose the NF, with many banners, including from local Indian Workers Associations, Bradford Gays Against Fascism, student unions and the Yellow Teddy Bear campaign. There are speeches in the city centre, while the NF arrive at Manningham School.

As part of a recruitment drive the NF organised many marches in West Yorkshire during the 1970s – always with opposition, including Bradford community theatre group General Will. This march of about 1,000 heavily-protected NF supporters chanting “send them back” went through the mainly immigrant area of Bradford to Manningham Middle School near Lumb Lane. The film shows the peaceful counter march, organised by Bradford Trades Council, not the subsequent violence, mainly by Asian and West Indian youth who, incensed by the NF provocation, pelted the police who were protecting them, setting two police vans alight, with 24 arrests. The following year the Indian Progressive Youth Association was formed.