HOPE not hate blog: Mr HOPE man

Mr HOPE man

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 2 June 2009, 22:52

Today has been one of my most enjoyable days as an anti-fascist. In beautiful weather we handed out almost 500,000 HOPE not hate leaflets at about 160 events across the country.

I was based in Manchester, where during the course of the day 140 people handed out 28,000 leaflets in the city centre. There were teams at the train stations, tram stops and dotted around the shopping areas. We were even joined by the Bishop of Middleton and staff from the office of the Bishop of Manchester.

Our new leaflet went down a treat. In fact I have to say that I have never experienced such a positive reaction to an anti-fascist leaflet in my life. Literally hundreds of people stopped and read the leaflets there and then in front of me and several dozen thanked us for our campaigning.

It was the same across the country. In London we totally ran out of leaflets, with over 10,000 being handed out by 40 activists in Barking & Dagenham alone this morning. I even heard a report, though unsubstantiated, that Unite’s Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley was out at Kings Cross.

There was a brilliant response in Yorkshire, where 75,000 leaflets went out, including 22,000 in Sheffield. My good friend Paul told me this evening that it was “the best anti-fascist day of his life.”

Perhaps one of the most amusing stories of the day came from Derby, where Unite officer Kevin Hepworth told us that he had never experienced such a positive reaction to a leaflet in 30 years. Standing outside Derby station he said that travellers were getting off trains from London, Nottingham, Sheffield and Birmingham all saying that they had been given the leaflets at points of departure.

My most amusing story was as I was leafleting at Manchester’s Oxford Road station this afternoon and a woman who I had never met before approached me and said: “Oh hello Mr HOPE man.”

I smilied and replied: “yes, I guess I am”.

Posted: 2 Jun 2009 | There are 5 comments

Comments

Comment 1 | From: Pianoman | Date: 3 June 2009, 08:24

I would also like to give a quick mention to the guy who handed me a leaflet outside Birmingham New Street Station and to whom I gave a small donation to. Your efforts are very much appreciated. Brum is one of the most racially integrated cities in the UK and thus it would make any BNP activist quake in his boots!!

Comment 2 | From: Liam | Date: 3 June 2009, 18:08

Can I just take the time to say thank you for doing such important work. The BNP question has really been bothering me recently. Have a look at my open letter/blog to the party that poses some questions regarding their policy statements - unanswered of course! http://runningbomb.blogspot.com/

Comment 3 | From: Liam | Date: 3 June 2009, 18:16

Comment 4 | From: Blackpool Mick | Date: 3 June 2009, 21:42

I spotted Mr. Hope at Oxford Rd. station while returning from a hospital appointment yesterday afternoon. He was too busy to approach so I recieved a leaflet from one of his team.It was the "Least we Forget" which I had helped deliver in Fleetwood Monday.

Comment 5 | From: Rachael | Date: 4 June 2009, 18:28

"In fact I have to say that I have never experienced such a positive reaction to an anti-fascist leaflet in my life." It was the same in Preston, we did get moved away from the train station... however I found the public to be very accepting when it came to the leaflets - when I've been leafleting in the past it has been no where near as good! I do think the appearance of the leaflets helped!

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