A coach was provided from Stoke (in part financed by North Staffs TUC) that carried a disappointing seven people.Oooh, seven people! Hope it was a small coach. Wouldn’t want to waste union money and resources, would we?
We later marched about half a mile through the village to the entrance to the farmland where the BNP were holding their ‘festival’. The police stopped us there but did allow thirty protesters to walk the further three-quarters of a mile to a designated ‘protest spot’. We congregated for about an hour before marching back.Oh, well. Exercise is good for you!
I have to say that the locals did not appear to be very supportive. They generally looked bemused or rather hostile. Only one motorist sounded his horn in support.Hmm, I only know one way of sounding my horn, and it’s usually to tell some clown to get out of the bloody way! I wonder what coded message the driver used to pass the word to the socialist brethren that he ‘supported’ them…?
It’s a wonder the BNP didn’t halt their festival and all return home when confronted with the might of the socialist’s ‘forward action team’, isn’t it?
Funny, but there’s no mention of the 33 protestors arrested at the rally. Must be an oversight…
So, instead of letting the BNP festival go completely unremarked by the press and thus ignored by the population at large, these idiots go to the trouble of creating sufficient hoo-hah to get the publicity the BNP couldn't dream of generating by itself. In sporting circles I believe such a result is called an own goal.
ReplyDeleteActually it's probably worse than that from the demonstrators' point of view. If there's any result, it's to generate interest in the BNP and either add to its support in the general population or to move people from an anti-BNP position to neutrality - an own-goal hatrick.
Is this person sure the motorist used their horn in support?!
ReplyDeleteIt's a spectacular own goal, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI suppose if they were carrying signs that said 'honk if you agree with us!', they might, just might, be able to claim it as a supporter, but if not, well....
Is it the same anti BNP protest as this one:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hurryupharry.org/2008/08/19/swp-make-six-million-jews-disappear/
Cheers for the plug.
ReplyDelete1) Both me and my co-writer believe in speaking the truth about the effectiveness or otherwise of any kind of action. That means no inflated figures and no bullshit.
2) The arrests weren't mentioned because he wrote the post very shortly after returning from the protest. As you will see there are links to others in its comments.
3) It is not really an 'own goal' because the bruhaha means the RWB festival will probably be even less welcome next year - assuming the BNP lasts that long considering its deep financial problems. It also brought together a wide variety of people from different backgrounds, forging relationships and networks which will sustain future anti-fascist mobilisations.
Ok, I've said my piece now. I'm off for a shower.
"s it the same anti BNP protest as this one?"
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was. Good old SWP - no need to go upsetting their new core vote, I suppose...
"It is not really an 'own goal' because the bruhaha means the RWB festival will probably be even less welcome next year..."
Yup, all those annoyed villagers are going to say to themselves "Well, let's let a bunch of bussed-in rent-a-mob TUS leeches tell us what to do next year". Of course they are....
"Ok, I've said my piece now."
Never heard the expression 'When you're in a hole, stop digging'..?