Fighting against racism and fascism
Today, on the anniversary of nazi David Copeland’s third and most deadly nail bomb attack on London in 1999, we remember his victims; those who died in the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho and the many more injured there, and in Brick Lane and Brixton.
25 years ago, Searchlight worked with BBC Panorama to investigate Copeland’s bombing campaign, and more importantly, the men who had inspired him to do it.
Some of those guilty men were confronted on camera. You can watch the Panorama programme below.
British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.
To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.
Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.
