One disnchanted bystander watching the 30,000 anti-fascist marchers leaving Hyde Park was heard to remark cynically: "It's only rock and roll." Since when did rock and roll mobilise a quarter of the whole London police force on a Sunday afternoon? Since when did rock or reggae drag Tony Benn and Arthur Scargill away from their Sunday roast dinners?
Without a shadow of doubt this was a very political rally / march / celebration.
But the Anti Nazi League and Rock Against Racism jointly proved once more that it was the musical payload at the end of the march that gwes voice to the optimistic intention of the movement.
Tom Robinson, who so effectively headlined the movement's first carnival in April was rapturously received at the rally at Hyde Park. He told the predominantly youthful audience that the real work against racism had to be done by the young at school and at work.
"But don't come on like Joan of Arc and bore people shitless," he implored. Much better, he said, to persuade people through reason and entertainment.
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