June 21, 2009

Four nazis arrested at anti-BNP protest

The image is blurry but you can still see these nazi twats sieg-heiling
North West UAF held a vibrant and noisy protest outside the BNP's 'Victory Rally' today. Exactly how many of their party attended the rally is unclear. But it is interesting that there was no sign of them at the hotel windows, no display of numbers or any celebration.

Just over 100 people from around the region took part in the protest; which was great, given that there were only a few days in which to organise and publicise it. Banners included those from Blackpool Trades Council; Blackpool and Fylde College UCU; Greater Manchester UAF and the local PCS.

Several speakers addressed the crowd and onlookers on the promenade. Points made included: why we say 'no platform for Nazis'; the fact that they are virulently homophobic as well as racist; the level of misogyny within the party and ended with a promise to Griffin that wherever he tries to appear publicly in the North West, we will be there too. Speakers talked about the fact that anti-fascists represent the majority and that UAF will organise protests to outnumber and oppose the Nazi BNP wherever they try to organise.

Andrew Wheatley, from Blackpool Trades Council, emphasised that, despite Griffin winning the North West seat, the BNP do not represent the majority of people in the area. Pete Marsden, of Blackpool UNISON, speaking in a personal capacity, criticised the “British Jobs for British Workers” slogan which had benefited the BNP.

Jain Gawn, of Blackpool and Fleetwood Unite Against Fascism, talked of the legacy of fighting Fascism in Britain, including the Battle of Cable Street and the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Jain also cited the recent attacks in Belfast as an example of where racism leads. Other speakers included Dione Bough of UNISON, Independent Socialist Councillor Michael Lavalette, and others.

Weyman Bennett, joint-national secretary of UAF, called for people to attend the demonstration against the Nazis’ “Red, White and Blue” event in August, while Dave Sewell of Manchester University Students Union spoke about the need to continue a No Platform position against the BNP.

Off to the clink we go...
There was anti-nazi representation from across the North-West, with protestors from Blackpool and Fleetwood, Lancaster, Wigan, Preston, Liverpool, Kendal, Manchester, Barrow, and elsewhere, and representation from the North West’s LGBT community.

A letter was read out from the two Blackpool MP’s, Joan Humble and Gordon Marsden, which had been sent to the New Kimberley Hotel, opposing the Hotel’s hosting of BNP events, stating “The Nazis too deceived, frightened and scapegoated people – just the same as the BNP try to do. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that many BNP activists try to deny the Holocaust.”

Unfortunately, the rally was not entirely free from Nazis. Several of them came out of the hotel to harass people. This is a new development for BNP gatherings in Blackpool and was obviously born out of a new confidence they've gained since the elections. We will have to make sure that that confidence is short lived. While many of their thugs lolling around in gangs were dressed in suits, a small group of skins sauntered over in ‘nationalist’ t-shirts and started sieg-heiling at the crowd (with a wall and cops in between, to protect themselves, obviously). Whilst this was met with fury and much shouting, no on attempted to physically attack them. Instead we slowly moved them on along the prom.

It was quite obvious that the episode was orchestrated purely to provoke us into a violent response. When the old Nazi salute didn't cause anyone to loose control and attack them, they started chanting the names of concentration camps, as a taunt. As they descended into a tirade of racial abuse the police intervened and four of them were arrested. It would be hard to find a clearer example of the fact that the BNP is a haven for hardcore, unreconstructed, Nazis.

Some of the crowd at the demo
As time went on we noticed small groups of thugs strategically positioned down the promenade. Like vultures they were gathering in order to pick people off as they left the protest. It was agreed that the best way to avoid anyone getting hurt was to leave the area outside the hotel together as a group. With the numbers involved, this became a demonstration in its own right. We marched down the prom singing and chanting.

While it was depressing to see them so confident and closer to our demo than in other years it is important to bear the following in mind: anti-fascists are by far the majority; it looks like we had far more people outside that hotel than they had inside it and while we can march through the streets, they can't. It is going to be a long, hard summer making sure that this remains the case. They've got their seats in Europe, but that does not mean we have to allow them the chance to take over our public places. As their 'Victory Rally' was such a flop, they’re likely to try again at the Red, White and Blue gathering. We need to make sure they have nothing to celebrate when they get there!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL that windnes front lad and wigan kike your best snitchs on to them wrongins since l13 nov 08!!

Anonymous said...

Well done to everyone who made the effort to turn out to the protest.

Unknown said...

the four nicked werent bnp thugs

they were a different brand of thugs

Anonymous said...

Good report ta.

Gwen Stevens said...

They look like BNP nazis to me, people will come on & say they are not but I think at least 2 of them are on the BNP security team, they look to me like the same thugs pictured outside the RWB last year guarding the gate, I have the pics here :-)

Gwen....

Anonymous said...

The photo's are blurred because i suspect they've been doctored.

Anonymous said...

These thugs are part of a group called British freedom fighters.They are the same group who attacked and protested against muslims in Luton a few weeks back.Be aware these people are very dangerous and mainly made up of football thugs ,so they are not shy to commit violence at UAF demos.Please be careful.

egothree said...

It doesn't matter which far right rabble they belonged to, they hung out with the BNP so they are BNP sympathisers by definition. The BNP often get cretinous football hoolligans who aren't party members to do their dirty work.

Antifascist said...

'The photo's are blurred because i suspect they've been doctored.'

You need doctoring, you idiot.

football intelligence said...

It wouldn't suprise me if the BNP helped form this fringe group of steroidal muscle as Combat18 were originally used at BNP events. Probably some of the group (maybe not those pictured) are from the Chelsea Headhunters but this would need to be confirmed.

The police and MI5 should crossreference the Headhunters to discover if this is true. The British Transport Police like the Metropolitan Police has a large file on every member of the Headhunters.

Anonymous said...

The British Freedom Fighters also attacked the RCP stall in manchester picadilly, along with another bonehead group. What a set of losers. They belong behind bars, to be released to the gutter.

Anonymous said...

the bff claim its them on their website. there is also a photo on their website of the demo taken from inside the kimberley. either they have nicked it off simon darby's blog as the same photo is there or bff were in the kimberley or either group took the photo and shared it with the other. Darby should be asked if the photo (if it is his) is being used on their site with his approval/does he approve of them/their site etc.

Anonymous said...

There are clear photographs of at least two of the Seig Heiling cretins posted here..

http://www.daylife.com/photo/05U672SfNDgUf