Brother S was at the UAF carnival. He tells me there were approximately 500 people present (these are the real numbers, expect them to be subject to revolutionary inflation), and the atmosphere was generally peaceful and convivial. Like Stoke but unlike Bolton, the police on this occasion were tolerant and not looking to ape their Greater Manchester colleagues. They did however confiscate some of the placards from a trade union delegation, presumably because they could be broken up and used as weapons (does that mean placards will be banned from future demos?)
Most of the left were there. The SWP were out in force but had left their 'smash the BNP/EDL' type placards at home. The UAF's slogan was much less confrontational too, preferring "EDL + BNP = racist Nazi thugs". Other lefts spotted by Brother S included a TUSC banner, a solitary Socialist seller, and the Communist League - whose raison d'être these days is turning up at anti-EDL mobilisations to flog tatty old books from Pathfinder Press.
If there were political lessons to be taken from Dudley, Brother S felt that keeping the two sides so far apart and having it heavily policed injects a certain artificiality to the situation, which could dampen turn out at future protests. However, I would add that given the contrast between the EDL's and the UAF's behaviour, it is not always necessary to seek confrontation with the EDL to inflict a moral and political defeat on them.
*See comments.
For the record, the claim that the EDL were chanting - "If you build your fucking mosque we'll burn it down" - was refuted by the senior police officer who was monitoring Twitter. There was disinformation coming from both sides online today, but the majority was, sadly, from the left trying to stir things. When will we ever learn *sigh*!
ReplyDeleteThat's a shame. There's no need to exaggerate the EDL's awfulness - as anyone who's seen them in the flesh can testify.
ReplyDeleteI support the aims of the UAF but the things I hear make there behaviour on the day sound as bad as the EDL nutters. I don't believe in violence for any reason and especially not for demonstrating so it is always good to here that its the right wing nazi nutters that are causing the problems not the UAF.
ReplyDeleteI went today - just got back. I'd say 500 sounds low - I'd have guessed at at least a 1000. Promise you this isn't 'revolutionary inflation', although numbers dropped off as the day went on. There were a fair few SPers there, a few Socialist Appeal, lots of SWP. The day was fairly dull, although some argy-bargy towards the end with rumours spreading that the EDL were heading up on mass, and a few EDL spotted behind Police lines.
ReplyDeleteOn way out on the buses, it was clear that there were different mobs of EDL and Asian youngsters chasing each other around the streets.
All the sticks from the placards had to be removed, not just from one delegation, apparently because placards had been used as weapons by anti-racists in Stoke - news to me - and that came from the 'bronze commander'.
My overview of the day - probably not worth a trek from North Wales, although largely peaceful. Was disappointed that the UAF stewards and spotters assumed every white working class lad wearing clothing pretty typical of the average working class lad was an EDL infiltrator - including at one point me and my mate. Also remain unconvinced that a strategy which relies on screaming Nazi a lot without putting forward any sort of political alternative will have any great success in winning over people who are sympathetic to the EDL and/or BNP - although it makes UAF supporters happy, which maybe is the aim. On the other hand, the majority were UAF/SWP so I suppose they at least bring numbers.
No idea about the EDL - we were miles away and the only EDL we saw were the occasional spotters behind the Police lines and the ones getting their arses chased all over town at the end.
Also witnessed the Police turning away Asian youth for seemingly no particular reason. UAF stewards were pretty good and largely did their job, MAB stewards not so good - they seemed to be leading the runs at police lines towards the end.
Good mixed crowd and plenty of locals, and not much trouble, so I suppose that counts as a success - although live music rather than various people playing CD's would have helped keep people in the square. Haven't checked the media reports yet though, so I'll probably be in a pit of despair when I see how it has been spun.
"All the sticks from the placards had to be removed, not just from one delegation, apparently because placards had been used as weapons by anti-racists in Stoke - news to me - and that came from the 'bronze commander".
ReplyDeleteAnd to me! There was absolutely no violence on the UAF side in Stoke. It was probably the best policed demo I've ever been on, and the best behaved!
Here's the first piece of mainstream coverage I can find. A PR disaster for the EDL. I wonder how they'll try and spin this one.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason this comment from 'anti-Nazi' disappeared when I came to approve it:
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
For the record, the claim that the EDL were chanting - "If you build your fucking mosque we'll burn it down" - was refuted by the senior police officer who was monitoring Twitter. There was disinformation coming from both sides online today, but the majority was, sadly, from the left trying to stir things. When will we ever learn *sigh*!
3 April 2010 16:38
Phil said...
That's a shame. There's no need to exaggerate the EDL's awfulness - as anyone who's seen them in the flesh can testify.
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Why do you trust a copper and assume the left is exaggerating and trying to stir things? I think that is a bit poor, to put it mildly.
For those who doubt the story - perhaps you think the EDL is "not as bad as it's painted"? - you can hear the chant in question quite clearly on this clip at about 3:18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxlxaSf0J6o
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the chanting, the police officer later retracted his comment. There seem to have been many witnesses who heard the chanting, and I've also seen video. I'll try and find it.
Steve