White Roses V EDL

White Roses V EDL

A hundred anti-fascists gathered at the Brighton’s War Memorial today and left white roses, a symbol of opposition to fascism and war. The White Rose Movement was the name of a group Munich students who opposed the Nazis and were executed.  People gathered between 12 noon and 1.30 pm, they held up posters saying “Against Hate, War and Fascism”, “Don’t Hijack Death” and “Don’t let hate divide us”. They laid white roses on the memorial itself.

The gathering was in response to a report in yesterday’s local newspaper The Argus that the EDL would be marching in Brighton and laying a wreath at the war memorial at 1pm. The far right group has been busy exploiting the killing of  Fusiler Lee Rigby despite his family and regiment’s request not to use his death to fuel revenge. Knowing that Brighton will never welcome racists and fascists, the “official EDL” altered the advertised time of their wreath laying to 10.30 am, secretly sneaking in to lay flowers.  Unaligned and new EDL sympathisers were left to walk into a large anti-fascist presence at 13.00.  Passers by accepted anti-fascist leaflets and as Brighton people faced off  EDL supporters outside the war memorial.

The space was peacefully occupied by the anti-fascist people of Brighton who, like the Munich students, refused to be silent and allow the EDL to claim the public space and capitalise on the murder of a solider.

Casual story of the week (by Schnews)

We really probably shouldn’t indulge ourselves but something about the ongoing fictionalization of events in Brighton last Sunday by the far-right keeps us heading back to Facebook and Twitter for the latest fantastic developments.

Now you might think the reams of photos of boneheads being kicked all over the pavement/hiding behind the police/ getting bashed on the bonce by flying objects might present a fairly conclusive picture of what happened – but you’d be wrong.

Unfortunatley for EDL fashion victims Casualties United – they weren’t quick enough with the camcorder when one of their girls ( a kickboxing champion no less!) battered seven antifa men unconscious. Now that’d be worth seeing! Unfortunatley overcome with modesty the Casuals seem to have disappeared this stirring episode from their Facebook.

In an unconscious admission of what really happened (i.e the fash got kicked all over town) Casuals are pinning all their bullshit on one incident down near the pier – apparently a happening so fearsome no ‘commie’ dares speak of it. The Casuals crack suicide squad (some of whom had already taken a bit of shoeing) managed to run a vaguely defined number of Antifa (think of a number – quadruple it and add five) and batter them all – glorious stuff!!

Sadly back in boring mundane reality what actually happened was that a small group of Casuals, was confronted by a larger mixed group of anti-fascists. To be fair the Casuals did start when outnumbered and managed to split a girl’s head open with an umbrella. They were then put on their arses and two of them (including Steven Sands in what must have been one of the worst afternoon’s of his life) got nicked.

One participant observer told SchNEWS “They actually weren’t very good at fighting – it was all sort of rush in, try and get the first punch, then grab hold of someone and fall over”. Maybe SchNEWS is being unfair and staunch nationalists that the Casuals are they were practising some indigenous form of martial arts – the way of the stunned ferret or some such.

More Crap Arrests…

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OPPOSE THE MARCH FOR ENGLAND 2013

Last year thousands of people lined the streets of Brighton to drown out March for England’s message of hate. Let’s do it again. Racists and fascists have no place in our diverse city.

Death knell for the EDL? by Schnews

Brighton hinted at it, Bristol seemed to continue the pattern but today’s misguided outing to the London borough of Walthamstow showed the extent to which the English Defence League is now in a steep downward spiral.

This was intended to be a re-run of Tower Hamlets – a mission into darkest Muslamic country to liberate a corner of England. In the event around only two hundred fash made the trip down – to be confronted by a multi-racial crowd of over two thousand.

After getting pissed up and fighting amongst themselves at King’s Cross station the EDL gathered at Blackhorse Rd tube station. They were then marched in a mobile kettle along Forest Rd, the initial stage of their intended route to the Town Hall. The UAF were behind police lines occupying half of Forest Rd. Autonomous anti-fascists waited just down from the crossroads. The EDL approached at a snail’s pace entirely surrounded by cops.

As soon as the hapless leaguers came in sight the Anti-Fascist Network‘s banner was unfurled – triggering scuffles with the police and a couple of arrests. The cops soon realised that if a handful of anti-fascists were going to cause that much bother then getting the EDL past the UAF demo was going to be more trouble than it was it worth. The answer was to divert the EDL down the side-streets and try to smuggle them to their rally point.

SMASH GAZEBO

Meanwhile, realising that the EDL march had been blocked anti-fascists started breaking away in small groups getting round police lines to the rally point. Soon hundreds had gathered in front of a gazebo decorated with England flags and staffed by the EDL’s top boys. Unfortunately for them their minions were being held up by police a few streets away leaving leaders Tommy Robinson and Kev Carroll to have a rally/garden party behind police lines that barely got into double figures. The leaders attempted to string a few words together over their P.A. system, but were completely drowned out by anti-fascists. After they were bombarded with missiles and with the baying crowd threatening to break the police lines, the EDL’s police liaison officers told them to leave the area. Rumours that Kev and Tommy later indulged in a bit of sulky mutual recrimination and even handbags at dawn have so far been confined to the socialist press.

Eventually the fash were herded to the relative safety of a side street where police allowed them 15 minutes of unplugged whining before slowly marching them back. The EDL were remarkably silent for this once vocal organisation and at time’s it felt, appropriately enough, like a funeral cortège. Locals came out to disrupt the sombre mood and give them some abuse to send them on their way. One anti-fascist told SchNEWS “They recruited no-one, didn’t seem to have a point to their demo and basically looked like thuggish idiots. They’re not even frightening anymore”.

DON’T STAY ANOTHER DAY

Having been thoroughly humiliated by anti-fascists most EDL were probably looking forward to getting home, unfortunately for them though their day didn’t end there. The MET seemed to decide to kick ‘em while they’re down and proceeded to kettle them for a few hours before finally nicking them all to ‘prevent a breach of the peace’. They were then apparently bused into the centre of London and released minus their coaches which plod had already sent packing.

Unsurprisingly many of the EDLers took their frustrations out on each other, with numerous arrests for fighting amongst themselves, including EDL steward and March for England regular Dave Bolton getting a kicking. The infighting moved online in the aftermath, with members declaring they won’t go on another demo (so much for ‘No Surrender!’) and openly calling for a change of leadership. The more loyal members have directed their anger at the police for not protecting them or forcing the march through – which is pretty pathetic for an organisation that claims to ‘go where we want, when we want’. Many of the same EDL members who threatened to arrive tooled up and hoping for it to ‘kick off’ are now moaning on Facebook about the lack of police protection when it did – be careful what you wish for.

 

For other accounts of the day check:

Malatesta – http://malatesta32.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/they-dont-think-its-over-it-is-now/

EDL News – http://www.edlnews.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/latest-news/809-edl-suffer-humiliating-defeat-in-walthamstow

EDL’s novel approach to silencing critics – it didn’t work

Police help unfurl an antifascist banner

EDL leader ‘Tommy Robinson’ throwing as strop in his pen

The ‘We Are Walthamstow’ march – http://guy-smallman-photos.photoshelter.com

Help to identify fascist photographer

(from indymedia.org.uk)

This character had been spotted on March for England and recent casuals united fail in Brighton taking pictures of demonstrators. On MFE he was visibly shitting it, but last Saturday he had been bit more brave until he got confronted by few Anti-fascists who politely told him to fuck off. Anybody can identify him?

Brighton 161

Brighton Anti-fascists statement on Saturday events

Statement by Brighton Anti-fascists

In response to threats by far-right grouping Casuals United a couple of
hundred anti-fascist activists assembled in Brighton’s main shopping area,
Churchill Square. They had been gathered together quickly by call out from
Stopmfe http://stopmfe.wordpress.com/, Brighton Anti-Fascists
http://brightonantifascists.wordpress.com/, Brighton Unite Against Fascism
http://uaf.org.uk/tag/brighton/.

They waited the arrival of an EDL flash mob. The EDL’s football hooligan
division, Casuals United, had been boasting on their blogs that they would
be returning to Brighton in numbers and strength to take revenge on local
people. Five weeks previously, hundreds of locals had stood side by side
against right wing racists who had tried, and failed, to parade around the
city under the banner of ‘March for England.’

The waiting anti-fascists supported the Great Brighton Street Party put on
by Brighton and Hove UnCut http://brightonuncut.wordpress.com/ , which
arrived in Churchill Square to set up an anti-cuts picnic with pretty
bunting, pots of tea, cakes, poetry and plays. They celebrated community
spirit instead the Jubilee. Apart from the odd EDL spotter who thought
that wearing sunglasses and carrying a Primark bag was a good disguise,
there was no sign of any approaching fascist flash mob.

After three hours of holding the Church Square, anti-fascist set off for
an impromptu march down North Street behind a hastily painted NO FASCISM
banner. The fascists, who had arrived Brighton from places as far afield
as Hull, Milton Keynes and Bournemouth, had not yet had the Dutch courage
to leave their drinking holes. The anti-fascists thought they would
demonstrate instead. They headed for St James Street.

Of the rumours about where EDL actually were, one was important to act
upon. There were reports of violence outside gay clubs. The nastiest
tweetings from Casuals United in the run up to their revenge on Brighton
had been homophobic. Anti-fascists confronted EDlers on the corner of St
James Street and continued to confront them whenever they could be
identified EDL helped with this by waving their arms and shouting abuse
from behind police lines. Anti-fascists rushed around the police to hassle
and harangue them. There were skirmishes along Old Steine and in Poole
Valley bus depot. Anti-fascists risked arrest and four were held for
public order offences and one (ridiculously) for assault on a police
officer. Sussex Police say they acted to ‘prevent a major disorder’.

As the afternoon wore on, more local people joined the mobile protests.
Brighton Anti-fascists distributed a leaflet to explain their actions:

“Fascism grows if we let. We are here to challenge the racism,
Islamophobia and fascism of the EDL, Casuals United and the March for
England. This has no place no place in our city or anywhere else.”

Both BBC and The Argus report that as a result of protests the fascists
were ‘escorted’ by police out of the city
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9742009.Full_story__18_arrested_during_protests_in_Brighton/.
Anti-fascists who had dodged kettles but were split up by police lines
managed to regroup and confront the EDL one last time, forcing the escorts
down side roads to be bussed out from behind Brighton station.

Casuals United have put out some utter nonsense on their blog, exaggerated
their numbers, underestimated that of people who opposed them and claimed
they had a good day out. They can only lose more credibility. The fascists
present in Brighton on 2 June will know these are lies and will begin to
lose faith in their organisations and, hopefully, their politics.

Fash and Chips (story by Schnews)

Fash & Chips

Casuals United, the football hooligan wing of the EDL, made complete tits of themselves in Brighton today (2nd). In response to their humiliation at March for England the fash thought it would be a good idea to come back in even smaller numbers to have a go at the “rabid hordes of commie UAF gays” that passes for the population of Brighton.

Far right websites, blogs and Facebook pages are already attempting to claim that antifa either a) didn’t turn up, b) ran away, and/or c) attacked patriots unprovoked. In reality the knuckle draggers managed to skulk about in a few pubs (including Belushis, The Saint James & The Amsterdam) while around 100 antifascists stewarded the UK Uncut demo and Palestine Solidarity stall near Churchill Sq. Once the stall had packed up around 3pm the antifascists mobbed up and headed towards Old Steine to confront the racists.

Police halted the majority of the march halfway down North St, meaning only around 30 made it to the bottom of St James Street, where small groups of fash were skulking around making homophobic remarks. A spirited fistfight broke out, though the police waded in before a decisive outcome was reached.

The cops then rounded up most of the EDL and marched them to the train station, with antifascists haranguing them all the way. Many of them then left town with a few others heading back into town to find a pub to defend from Sharia Law.

Antifascists then regrouped for a well earned pint, while others headed to Hollingbury police station to pick up arrested comrades. So far at least 5 antifascists and 5 fascists have been nicked today.

A more complete & concise roundup of the day’s events will be posted in the near future.

Up the punks!!

Brighton EDL proves their anti-racist credentials… yet again :)

Not a day goes by without EDL trying to convince everybody that they are against racism and as a matter of fact they are most progressive organization currently existing in UK. Well, here’s screen from their own Facebook page proving their anti-racists credentials Better luck next time eh boys and girls?

FASH, BANG, WALLOP (reposted from Schnews)

Quote of the day – “Well who thought it was a good idea to organise these two demonstrations on the same day? Surely it was obvious there would be problems” – random Brighton theatre-goer/by-stander

Yesterday’s counter-protest against the March for England exceeded all expectations. Although the fascists did march they did so inside a mobile police kettle continuously surrounded and occasionally bombarded by counter-protestors. Their march route was cut short and for once the chant “Police protect the fascists” was 100% accurate.

Last year the police successfully kettled most of the anti-fascists, allowing the MfE free rein through the city. They took full advantage of the opportunity to hand out racist abuse and attack alternative looking types. Brighton anti-fascists were determined to avoid a repeat.

Aware that the cops plan was to push the march straight down the road from the railway station to the sea front, the anti-crowd was encouraged to spread themselves thinly along the route. This prevented a pre-emptive kettle.

The MfE were due to start their procession at midday, but due to the geography of the area no-one in the counter-demo had a direct view of their meet-up point at the station. A strange High-Noon quiet settled over the town centre as the counter-protest shuffled and waited, watching police movements for a clue as to what might happen. Numbers gradually built up, serenaded by the bizarrely soothing tones of dub from a punk- soundsystem.

For a while it looked as if the cops were going to throw the towel in and refuse to allow the MfE out of the station. At half-twelve jogging lines of cops and the arrival of horses let everyone know that the fash were on the move.

One eyewitness at the station told SchNEWS “From where they were mustered, they could only see a tiny part of the counter-demo, mainly the UAF contingent. They were very cocky. As soon as they turned the corner and saw the opposition their faces fell”. By this point there were around 500 anti-fascists on the streets.

The nationalists had only mustered around 100, a third of what they had predicted. Yesterday SchNEWS reported that “there was little if any English Defence League insignia actually on display”. Since then we’ve been told that EDL banners and an Essex Infidels flag were unfurled at the station. In reality this was a moot point as the main body of march consisted of known EDL faces, including virtually all of Brighton and Portsmouth EDL with the addition of various unsavoury characters such as Jeff Marsh of Casuals United. Despite the presence of a few token women and kids the march was overwhelmingly male, bald and fat.

It didn’t take long after the march set off before the first few antis were in the road behind a banner. From then on the march became a rugby scrum as the cops used horses, truncheons and pepper spray to force the MfE through. Every time the cops broke through an anti-fascist line, another would form ten or twenty metres down the road.

BATTLE OF CHURCH ST

The pressure only intensified as the police decided to abandon the planned high-profile route and try to smuggle the nationalists down the back-streets. Anti-fascists got ahead of the game and running around the side got in front of the march on Church St to build barricades. Fascists and police came under attack with bottles. It was at this point that some-one set a bin on fire, irritating everyone, right and left, with the acrid smoke.

What was totally remarkable was the level of solidarity for the counter-demo by folk from all walks of life in Brighton. There was no support for the MfE. Pensioners and kids shouted abuse at the fash. The UAF stood shoulder to shoulder with Antifa punks.

Eventually the MfE, numbering around a hundred ended up in their pre-prepared pen, – unfortunately for them so did almost the entire counter-demo. They then had to put up with two hours of being jeered at by the surrounding mob before cops rushed them back to the station to be dispersed. Their march was dogged every step of the way but as they were leaving the crowd was happy to let the cops rush them along. Anti fascists went on to enjoy a pint in the sunshine.

MARLBOROUGH LIGHT-WEIGHTS

Despite the usual online japery the few EDL who tried to make a stand outside the cordon were quickly seen off. Joel Titus, self proclaimed leader of the EDLs youth wing was spotted skulking with a crew of half-wits in the Marlborough pub, one of the few bars that would serve them on the day. A handful of anti-fascists were able to send them packing. Virtually no other pubs would serve the MfE and they failed to maintain a presence in town after they were dispersed.

Is this the end of the March for England in Brighton? Watch this space!

Final word to Brighton Anti-fascists “Brighton showed the racists today that their brand of hatred isn’t welcome in our city. Brighton has always historically seen off the fascists, in the the thirties , the seventies and now today. Big thanks to all who turned out! – Up the punks!”

As far as SchNEWS knows no-one on our team got nicked- If you were arrested and require support then please contact stopmfe@ymail.com

Stop March for England in Brighton

The ‘March for England’ will return to Brighton on Sunday 22nd April. We, as Brighton & Hove residents, are calling for all locals to oppose the march and the racist, fascist ideals it promotes under the guise of patriotism. We want people to harangue, mock and disrupt the march – together we will drown out their racist message.