USA: NATION OF ISLAM LEADER HEADS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST RACISM

(16 Oct 1996) English/Nat

A black radical American leader gathered thousands of African-Americans in New York Wednesday, to demonstrate against racism.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan led about 10-thousand black men, women and children in rally on the first anniversary of the Million Man March.

Farrakhan has attracted the animosity of such ethnic groups as the Jews by calling them "bloodsuckers," and generated the ire of the U-S government by visiting leaders such as Moammar Gadhafi and Saddam Hussein in the past.

The Day of Atonement rally in New York, called by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan went ahead despite anger from some groups, Wednesday.

New York mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, snubbed Farrakhan and the rally, calling the Nation of Islam leader's past attacks against Jews and whites "The rhetoric of hatred."

But the mayor couldn't prevent the "World's Day of Atonement" event from happening.

Supporters turned out at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza outside the U-N hoping to hear the message from Farrakhan and a host of other speakers.

Many entered into the spirit of the occasion, bringing their children along while others merely saw it as a money making opportunity.

Traders were busy selling T-shirts and other commemorative merchandise.

Others were hoping to recapture the mood of last year's "Million Man March," when hundreds of thousands of black men came together and pledged racial solidarity.

This time, though, the entire family--not just black men and boys--were included.

Security was tight with both the police and the Nation of Islam's own guards on duty.

The Nation of Islam is a black nationalist group that says it is guided by the Koran.

Farrakhan's message to America's black community is one of self-reliance, discipline, spirituality and separatism.

But for many the event called 'The Day of Atonement' had its own individual meaning.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The Day of Atonement means the day that the world shall atone for the black man's, the black woman's and black child's plight, the suffering and the trials and tribulations that we have been through since we have been snatched from the bowels of our motherland, and brought here to the United States, of this wilderness of North America."
SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The Day of Atonement means when one unifies itself, dealing with the situation of the stress and of the slave mentality that we've been going through, putting the black man and the black woman together as one unit as a family."
SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

People congregated in front of the stage where, following a traditional Muslim prayer, the programme commemorated influential blacks throughout U-S history.

But the crowd was waiting in eager anticipation for the main speaker, who did not keep them waiting.

UPSOUND: The honourable minister Louis Farrakhan.

Despite Farrakhan's obvious popularity with his supporters, he was protected behind clear bullet-proof shields because of his unpopularity in some quarters.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I'm sorry I'm behind this contraption, but I thank God, but this is tough time New York. I have a lot of friends here but I also have a lot of vicious enemies here that would love to see something evil happen to me. Not because I am a bad man, but because of the truth that's in my mouth."
SUPER CAPTION: Louis Farrakhan

Crowds filled several blocks in the city and video screens were erected so they could all see and hear what Farrakhan had to say.


SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Louis Farrakhan




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