Yesterday evening’s demonstration against the EDL in Bristol seems to have gone well despite short notice.
A dozen EDL supporters outnumbered by police & anti-fascists outside City Hall (photo: @Bristol_Culture)
The local Bristol EDL had called a demonstration outside a meeting that was to be discussing an application to convert the empty Jesters comedy club in Stokes Croft into an Islamic religious and cultural centre. The event was to be for members of the Assahaba Centre group proposing the development to “discuss the objectors’ concerns and provide a better insight into the Islamic faith”. Funnily enough no one objecting to the development was interested in this and the meeting was cancelled due to lack of interest from objectors. The EDL not interested in actually hearing about the Muslim faith from some actual Muslims? Who’d have thought?
The council made the decision to approve the mosque application the day before the EDL protest.
So the EDL held a barely half hour long protest outside a meeting that wasn’t happening because they refused to go to it, before they headed back to the pubs they came from.
EDL pioneer radical new Y-fronts-as-headgear look
Bristol UAF, Bristol Anti-Fascist Co-operative and Bristol Anti-Fascists mobilised against the EDL. There were about 100 anti-fascists opposing about 30 EDL, from most accounts. Outnumbering the fascists 3 to 1 is not bad for short notice.
There was a frank exchange of views and some minor skirmishing.
For more background on the Stokes Croft Islamic centre and the EDL’s campaign against it, including multiple threats to “burn it down”, see our previous post.
This particular local struggle in Bristol may not be over yet, but this was a positive moment, showing that the EDL will be opposed wherever they raise their heads.
Info below taken from another opposition page on facebook.
“The English Defence League have announced a flash mob demonstration for next Tuesday evening at 6pm (7th January) at College Green outside the Council House. They are demonstrating outside the Council House in protest at a planning application to convert a building in Stokes Croft into an Islamic Cultural and Religious Centre. Their demonstration is clearly designed to stir racial division and hatred in the city.
Bristol Unite Against Fascism are calling a counter demonstration at College Green to begin at 530pm on Tuesday 7th. We welcome all anti-racists and anti-fascists.”
Fascists hiding behind the murder of Lee Rigby gathered in a number of locations throughout the UK today in an attempt to stir up racial hatred amongst communities and fight with the *’commies’ (*anyone that disagrees with them) whilst pretending to lay wreaths for the murdered soldier.
Fascists were thin on the ground in a lot of areas by all accounts.
Antifascists had the numbers.
Anti-fascists out in Leeds
Anti-fascists marching through Parliament Sq, London
Anti-Fascists out in Sheffield
BNP muppet from Croydon got into difficulties in London
Poor turnout of BNP scum in London
Golden dawn fans the ‘Infidels‘ inside pen in Manchester (vid-click pic to view)
Small antifascist presence in Bristol, EDL never turned up at the cenotaph @ 1pm
Anti-Fascist presence in Northampton
Belfast: Anti-Fascists out against the ulster defence league
Police snatch squads protecting BNP scum, arresting Anti-Fascists in London (58 A-F arrested)
London: Anti-Badger cull protesters unite with Anti-Fascists against the BNP
Above: EDL’s (cough) “Dignified silence” for Lee Rigby in Sheffield
Edinburgh: Scottish defence league/ EDL pull nazi salutes in “honour” of Lee Rigby
Colchester: EDL perform nazi salutes infront of the war memorial in “honour” of Lee Rigby
The Cardiff four out to (cough) ‘lay a wreath’. One of the (cough) ‘mourners’ looks strikingly like well known Welsh nazi Luke Pippen, with freshly shaven head. Why would a bonafide nazi be “honouring” Lee Rigby? Pippen blatantly supports those that sent british soldiers to their graves during ww2.
Brighton’s war memorial, seems Anti-Fascists got there first!
Let’s defend ourselves against the English Defence League!
The EDL are marching in Bristol on the 14th of July. The counter- mobilisation is in full swing, so get involved. There have been alot of posts on Bristol Indymedia about the EDL demo.
Now is the time for our call to action. Come to Templemeads area and line the route at 10am on the 14th to give them the welcome they deserve. Stay alert. Stay mobile. Bring your mates
There are many many ways to show your opposition to the EDL: don’t let them march, don’t give ‘em a lift in your taxi, put posters up in shops, don’t serve them drinks, raise awareness about their farcical attempts to disguise their homophobia, chat to work colleagues, decorate the city…. do whatever you feel comfortable with but now is the time to get a crew together and take action against racism in our city.
We want to meet them at the station to stop them marching for any distance. We will resist them wherever they turn and we will be watching them. Let’s defend ourselves against the EDL! Zero tolerance of fascism on our streets.
On the 14th July the EDL are proving their stupidity by attempting to march through Bristol. Bristol Anti-Fascists are hard at work organising a community response – here are some leaflets and stickers to view, print off, and distribute… have fun!! (drop us a mail if you can’t use the ones here and we can arrange to e-mail you the files in a different format.) More Info to follow closer to the time. Get involved innit!
“Local antifascists took action yesterday with a paint attack on The Last Resort skinhead music and clothing stall on Corn Street. This business is run by Chris Pugh, a fascist skinhead and member of the English Defence League, and is being used to provide a platform for racist, fascist ideology under the cover of being “just about the music”. We thought it could do with a bit of an antifascist redecoration. The merchandise got absolutely trashed and we had no trouble from the “tough guy” skinhead behind the stall. While we understand that it will take more than a red and black wash to persuade these bigotted idiots about the error of their ways, we think it’s a good starting contribution to the sort of dialogue we’re prepared for with fascists in Bristol.
The EDL have announced that Bristol is one of their targetted cities for a national march this year. We almost hope they do come, so they can see what a welcome they will receive. If the EDL think that they will be able to march through Bristol without serious trouble, they’re in for a nasty surprise. The time for polite, controlled marches and dead end, liberal “antifascism”, which poses no real challenge or threat whatsoever to the return of street based fascism, is over. We will be waiting.
This action was taken in solidarity with our antifascist comrades in Liverpool. You are not alone.
We also remember and salute our murdered antifascist comrades in Moscow. Nikita Kalin, a good comrade, outspoken antifascist and tireless fighter, killed by fascist knives. We will never forget or forgive.
Respect to Jock Palfreeman, imprisoned in Bulgaria for daring to step in to stop a racist attack and confront a fascist street gang.
Zero tolerance of fascism on our streets. Fight back. For direct action and militant antifascism.”
“A meeting of the Bristol EDL didn’t get off to a flying start (or any start at all for that matter) as they found 30 militant antifascists waiting for them in the Drawbridge pub on St. Augustine’s Parade last night. Around 10 visibly nervous EDL members turned up and didn’t stay long when they realised they didn’t have many friends in the pub. One was overheard on the phone saying “There’s about 30 of them. They’re big. Don’t come here.” One of the Bristol EDL’s players, Chris Pugh arrived fashionably late (like, an hour and a half late!) and stood on his own by the bar looking sheepish and more than a little bit down in the mouth as anti EDL leaflets were distributed around the pub. 2 hours after the supposed start time of the meeting, with the EDL crowd dispersed, we were happy to agree the job was done.The successful occupation of their meeting place by antifascists prevented the local right wing bigots from meeting up as intended and will not have done much for the confidence and self esteem of an organisation already floundering with infighting and lack of direction. It was clear to all involved that for all their big talk and tough guy image, when faced with serious opposition, the EDL, like most fascist groups, back down quicker than you can say “Where have all the fascists gone?!”
Bristol EDL or any other fascist scum can expect more of the same. Zero tolerance of fascism in our city.
