Fears over clashes in Brighton on St George's Day (From The Argus)
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Fears over clashes in Brighton on St George's Day
2:20pm Thursday 15th November 2012 in News By Peter Truman
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EDL supporters take part in the March for England in Brighton in April
Far right and anti-fascist groups are preparing to clash in Brighton on St George’s Day.
Last year bins were torched and items were thrown at the police as March for England held a St George’s Day march through the city.
There were also counter-demonstrators who lined the route along Queen’s Road and blocked the route before being moved on by police using batons and pepper-spray.
The far right organisation has revealed plans to repeat its march next year.
Anti-fascist groups have said they are planning another counter protest on the day.
A post on the website of Rough Music, which describes itself as Brighton’s “trouble makin’, dirt diggin’ monthly newsletter”, calls for a counter-mobilisation.
It said: “This time around there's no pretence that April 21 will be anything other an attempt to force unwanted and very un-Brightonian opinions down our collective throat.
“This isn't a celebration, it's a threat.”
It quoted the Stop March for England group, one of those who took to the streets last year to oppose the march, who said: “Brighton was a significant turning point for anti-fascism in the UK – we showed that a community united could drown out the message of hate.”
Missiles thrown
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We are aware that March for England has put in a proposal for coming to Brighton and we are talking to the organisers.”
The force will hope the march will not be a repeat of last year, when officers were subjected to missiles being hurled at them, including plates of food and drink cans.
A ten-year-old girl taking part in the march was hit on the head but continued to take part.
Sussex Police had to investigate complaints of heavy-handedness after the march when YouTube footage showed officers, some on horseback, hitting unarmed protestors.
But it claimed the tactics were “professional and proportionate” with officers under attack and the footage should be seen in context.
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Comments(22)
rubberflipper
says...
2:47pm Thu 15 Nov 12
lordenglandofsussex wrote:Quite right. Ode to the day that the media will refer to the "anti-fascists" as Marxists or extreme left which is exactly what they are. These people are always happy to attack Fascism but when you mention how the Jewish people suffered at the hands of the fascists during WW2, they don't want to know!
"Far right and anti-fascist groups"
Let's use the correct words here:
Far right and far left groups. What is the difference between Fascists and Marxists? Nothing at all because they both believe in controlling what the individual can do and what they should think.
Having said that I'm not implying that any of these people are indeed Fascists or Marxists, although perhaps the Argus is by the use of its words, not mine!
As for St George's Day, people should be allowed to celebrate England's national day at liberty without interference just like the Irish, Welsh and Scots are able to do on their national days.
Atticus
says...
2:48pm Thu 15 Nov 12
leobrighton
says...
3:04pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Terry K
says...
3:24pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Crystal Ball
says...
3:32pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit
says...
3:41pm Thu 15 Nov 12
(Having said that my sympathies are with the antifa groups).
CatoTheCat
says...
3:48pm Thu 15 Nov 12
There wasn't a lot to differentiate Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot except their murder scores.
I say let them march, let their voice be heard and then all can see how wrong they are. (I'm thinking
of Nick Griffin on Question Time and what happened
once his opinions were publicly aired).
meow. got any tuna?
PorkBoat
says...
3:56pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Metro Reader
says...
3:59pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Can't the police or home sec ban them?
The only 'winner' in all of this is the police overtime bill.
Q the greens welcoming them with open arms....
leobrighton
says...
4:27pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Metro Reader wrote:This will happen because the police will welcome them with open arms its a bonus for the overtime on a bank holiday weekend and extra time off in lieu. Also they can depend on the Arsegas for all the pro-police publicity so a double bubble bonus for them. Who cares if the rest of us have to suffer
OH please spare us just once.
Can't the police or home sec ban them?
The only 'winner' in all of this is the police overtime bill.
Q the greens welcoming them with open arms....
theleftygiraffe
says...
5:12pm Thu 15 Nov 12
As for missiles being thrown, there's plenty of video evidence showing the EDL/MFE march throwing stuff first. I don't exactly condone retaliatory behaviour but it's understandable.
I say let the fascists march, make fools of themselves and then get banned from all the pubs like they did last year. At least the cops kettled the right group of people last year.
HJarrs
says...
5:39pm Thu 15 Nov 12
As for St Georges day, it is a mystery why so many of you seem to want to celebrate some bloke from the mediterannian who pretended to kill a dragon!
rubberflipper
says...
6:07pm Thu 15 Nov 12
HJarrs wrote:Well, because it is England's national day! You know, England the country you live in. Perhaps you're a Scot and then your post makes sense.
Having seen what is happening in Greece with the brutal rise of a facist party, we should send all those extremists that don't believe in democracy packing whatever label you want to put on them.
As for St Georges day, it is a mystery why so many of you seem to want to celebrate some bloke from the mediterannian who pretended to kill a dragon!
England has an identity just like Wales, just like Ireland and just like Scotland. Or are you just another England and English hating bigot?
rubberflipper
says...
6:20pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Celebrate and be proud of our identity just like the Scots, just like the Irish, just like Welsh, just like the Danes, just like the Norwegians, just like the Canadians, just like the Australians and just like the Icelanders.
Don't let the English hating bigots get the way.
Sussex jim
says...
7:22pm Thu 15 Nov 12
rubberflipper wrote:Quite right. But St.George's day is April 23rd. It should of course be a bank holiday. I urge all true Englishmen* to march and celebrate on this day, even if it means taking a day's annual leave.
On April 21 next year I encourage all English people to put a up George flag outside our homes and celebrate our national day. Celebrate England because despite its problems it is still a great part of Britain.
Celebrate and be proud of our identity just like the Scots, just like the Irish, just like Welsh, just like the Danes, just like the Norwegians, just like the Canadians, just like the Australians and just like the Icelanders.
Don't let the English hating bigots get the way.
*or other gender
Algeria Touchshriek
says...
7:31pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Totally agree with some comments above. There really is not much difference between the far left and the far right.
The far right want to kill everyone who is not part of their master race and the far left want to kill everyone who doesn't like couscous.
If you add a few letters, take a few away and reorganize its structure, Caroline Lucas is in fact an anagram of Adolf Hitler.
ourcoalition
says...
7:31pm Thu 15 Nov 12
What is that old saying - "big car crash - no one hurt!" (yes, I know, that isn't it, but I'm a bit bored!!).
Somethingsarejustwrong
says...
8:18pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Fairfax Sakes
says...
3:44pm Fri 16 Nov 12
PorkBoat wrote:You do seem to have a taste for turning the hoses on people, were you a wet T-shirt judge in a previous career?
Turn the hoses on them! All of them, left, right, Marxists, Fascists. Hose them all into the gutter. We don't want unwashed, baying mobs or beer bellied yobs in our city!! How about organising a march against BOTH groups? I bet it would attract more protestors than BOTH groups combined.
PorkBoat
says...
9:09pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Fairfax Sakes wrote:No, I'm an unemployed hose-turner-onner, I'm looking for work.
PorkBoat wrote:You do seem to have a taste for turning the hoses on people, were you a wet T-shirt judge in a previous career?
Turn the hoses on them! All of them, left, right, Marxists, Fascists. Hose them all into the gutter. We don't want unwashed, baying mobs or beer bellied yobs in our city!! How about organising a march against BOTH groups? I bet it would attract more protestors than BOTH groups combined.
redllewellyn
says...
10:21pm Sun 18 Nov 12
om/watch?v=P_iEH_Bym
Dc
The police acted in a horrifically violent way with no provocation. they went out of their way to beat a path through the anti fascists for the EDL.
lordenglandofsussex says...
2:38pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Let's use the correct words here:
Far right and far left groups. What is the difference between Fascists and Marxists? Nothing at all because they both believe in controlling what the individual can do and what they should think.
Having said that I'm not implying that any of these people are indeed Fascists or Marxists, although perhaps the Argus is by the use of its words, not mine!
As for St George's Day, people should be allowed to celebrate England's national day at liberty without interference just like the Irish, Welsh and Scots are able to do on their national days.