March 13, 2011

The British Constitution Group in Birkenhead

Karen Otty, another BNP member moving around the far-right
According to an anti-fascist comrade over the water, the gathering was “a strange collection.” On Monday afternoon, several hundred people assembled outside a court in Birkenhead and attempted to arrest a judge. The protest occurred under the banner of the “British Constitution Group.” But who are they?

My comrade told me that “most of the Liverpool BNP contingent” were there, along with “plenty of suits, plenty of hippy types with tie dye and dreadlocks, some urban commandos with camouflaged faces, and some eccentric David Icke types, one holding a banner saying ‘judges are lizards!’” In terms of fascists, I can recognise Liverpool BNP’s current branch fundholder Karen Otty from the videos on the Wirral Globe website.

It seems Liverpool Organiser and unhinged fruitbat Mike Whitby was there too, at one point being bundled away by police when attempting to enter the court.

The event itself was for Roger Hayes, an ex-member of UKIP, and his refusal to pay council tax. This is as part of the BCG’s campaign of “lawful rebellion,” whereby “a variety of actions may be taken that will eventually lead to the unequivocal recognition of our constitution and the acknowledgement of the reassertion of our national sovereignty.”

Hayes’ sophistry in court has made him a cult hero to the lunatic fringes of the libertarian right, particularly the “freeman on the land” movement. But their absurd idea – that you only have to declare yourself unbound by common law and the state (albeit begrudgingly) accepts this – has also seeped into the far-right. Hence the circular argument over the concept on VNN when Mike Whitby claimed to have used the tactic after being dragged away for throthing at the mouth and calling everyone “communist paedophiles.”

What remains to be seen is whether more will come of this than one rather oddball protest. We know from the rantings on the Liverpool BNP blog, not least Peter Tierney’s, that the rainbow of conspiracy theories that are attached to such movements have support on the far-right. It is thus safe to assume that if another event occurs fascists will be found somewhere amongst the crowd.

The BCG itself cannot be identified as a fascist grouping. It is certainly reactionary, and plays into nationalist sentiments with talk of “national sovereignty” and “acts of treason” by those “conspir[ing] to transfer our national sovereignty into the hands of foreign governance.” But it’s use of terms such as “the shadowy elite of the supranational and criminal banking cartel” play to the conspiracists in much the same way. It thus comes across as a bizarre cross between the Tea Party and the 9/11 Truth Movement.

Ultimately, there are two things we know for certain about the British Constitution Group. One, that it attracts the attention of fascists. And two, that it is a movement of reaction, diverting people’s anger and energy away from the realities of class struggle. Both points make it worth keeping an eye on.

Liverpool Antifascists

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't that one of the Teirneys standing in front of the female plod in the yellow coat?

Anonymous said...

The freeman concept has been pushed for some time in conspirarcist circles, most notably in the US, and on the David Icke forum over here.

The surprise is not the nature of the arguments themselves (which US militia groups were coming out with 15 years ago) or the far-right presence (9/11 truthers like Annie Machon and David Shayler were hanging out with anti-semites years ago) but the size and combativity of the demonstration.

Anonymous said...

It's a natural home for anti-semitism which is why the organisation has the potential to become an EDL alternative for freaks like the Tierneys.

Anonymous said...

The Love Police were heavily involved with this event, the founder of which is fully Jewish.

Anonymous said...

Aside from the sizable Liverpool BNP contingent in attendance a certain Raymond St Clair was mc'ing proceedings at the Birkenhead Cunty Court shambles. Who he one might ask? It's a long a sordid story but basically 'Gary Martin Beaver' is an out & out conman who in previous incarnations sold worthless titles of nobility & was heavily involved in dodgy online marketing companies that as a matter of course collapsed taking gullible investors money with it.

Beaver has turned himself into a 'Freeman on the Land' guru which is a great vehicle for his vanity & greed. He specialises in peddling his worthless pseudo legal gibberish & 'representing' non council tax defaulters in the Magistrates Court (they always lose!)

So there we have it. A bunch of scouse fascists, a conman & a paranoid conspiracy theorist (Gerrish) & this bizarre spectacle was recently endorsed by Griffin.

I think we're going to be hearing alot more about this kind of thing as the BNP's political fortunes collapse.

anarchist said...

I don't think it would be a bad thing if the BNP got into 'sovereign citizen' activity. As far as I know no one has ever won a case, and because England doesn't have the gun culture of the US there's less likelihood of it leading to shooting incidents.

Anonymous said...

"...some eccentric David Icke types..."
Please! Or as one might say: "Give over"!

Anonymous said...

@ Anarchist

Correct, FMOTL legal arguments have never been successfully run in a UK Court (or a Court in any other jurisdiction for that matter) mainly because they're utter, utter bollocks.

I think it's increasingly clear that Griffin is up to 'something' - ie the civil rights organisation that it is thought will rise up 'phoenix like' from the ashes of the BNP. Needless to say this will entail demos against the 'corrupt leftist' Court.

Anonymous said...

The article is very misleading and inaccurate.Declaring yourself free is not intended to remove you from the common law,it's the exact opposite,you declare yourself to be bound by common law only. It's based upon study of the law and the legal definitions within black's law dictionary.This guy who isn't paying tax has always said show me it's legal and I'll pay,but the court cannot without abandoning the common law and with holding his rights.All these people want are their lawful rights,you should support them as one day you may want your legal rights,the fact that it's so difficult to get your common law rights in the run for profit courts should itself prove how corrupt the system is.

Fly Poster said...

"The article is very misleading and inaccurate."

_ No, FOTL crap is misleading and inaccurate, I know of people that have lost their homes believing in this bullshit. No one, I repeat no one has a freeman success story.

Conspiratorial, dangerous claptrap.

p.metcalfeonline said...

I have to disagree with some of the remarks made about the British Constitution Group. I am not a member, but out of interest I attended the their Stoke meeting.

One of the comments made by a speaker on the rostrum was " I believe we owe a huge apology to the Muslim people of Britain " To which the ( most ) audience made a resounding applause in agreement.

Anonymous said...

The BCG itself cannot be identified as a fascist grouping. It is certainly reactionary, and plays into nationalist sentiments with talk of "national sovereignty" and "acts of treason" by those "conspir[ing] to transfer our national sovereignty into the hands of foreign governance." But it's use of terms such as "the shadowy elite of the supranational and criminal banking cartel" play to the conspiracists in much the same way.

Reactionary now is stating facts?
Read the 1689 English Bill of Rights now within our constitution- there you will see why these Traitors are accused of Treason!!

Are you so dim as to not know that a shadowy elite exists- a criminal banking cartel- Fractional Reserve Banking how'd you describe this fraud?


By the way- arn't you aware yet that NICK GRIFFIN is a placeman?

Uncovered years back by Christopher Story FRSA!