EDL in Bolton Sunday 20th Mach

[Fidel Follower]

The EDL are planning to march on the 20th.
Ofcourse it is our job on the left to oppose them.

I presume it will run much like Notts, Leeds, Manc etc. UAF get kettled and don't do much, but we have to show that we're eady to oppose them.

I'll keep the post updated,

FF

[Sasha]

I trashed all the offtopic discussions...... dont make me do it again...

[Fidel Follower]

Just a reminder that it's on tomorrow, there's plenty of coaches leaving from cities around the country.

UAF and SWP mainly, but they are good for transport.

I hope there's a good turn out, be safe.

FF

[Patchd]

See you there, I'll be on my best behaviour that day :tt2:

[YKTMX]

Here's the post I made at Socialist Unity. It refers to some things on the topic there but I'm sure you get the point


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I just got back from Bolton today. I was with the Scottish contingent kept penned in at Oxford Street, just off the Square.


As others have said, it was a sometimes frustrating day that had a particular inspiring and positive end note.


For our part, we formed a line at the bottom of the street stopping a few EDL, never more in groups of 5 or 6, from getting up the street and into the square. There were about 2 or 3 hundred of us. Most the Scots delegation was white and younger, largely female too, but we had lots of Asian locals, including about a hundred Asian lads who formed another barrier across the street stopping any EDL’ers getting by. We also had a few older, more “experienced” antifascist comrades milling about in front of our lines.



These guys were the ones actually ‘escorting’ any EDL’ers who came by.
There was no “violence” here, though. The Nazis who came by clearly saw the odds were against them.
At about 4, after being on the street since about 10 o’clock, we marched into the square, as described in post 36. We met a large, young, ethnically diverse (including, I might add, more than a few dozen young Afro-Carribean lads) celebrating. It was an excellent moment.


We then marched out of the square, through Bolton city centre. We encountered a few groups of EDL’ers milling about. At one point, even, we saw a group of about 100 or so at the end of a side street. They were quick enough to run though.


And that’s important. These people are bullies, first and foremost. They feed on the passivity and timidity of their victims. The sight of 300 pissed-off Asian lads running towards them, something, given the fact they shat themselves and ran away, they obviously hadn’t encountered before in that way, might give some of them a bit of pause in the future.


As for the critique of the slogans. There was a lot of ‘Nazi Scum off our streets’. I don’t have a problem with this. It’s INTENDED to infuriate the other side. The thing is, we’re not trying to convert EDL’ers to socialism. We’re trying to break the hardened Nazi core (is anyone, even the “grievance mongers”, disputing such a thing exists?) from the bitter young guys who’ve attached themselves. One way to do this is to promote dissension in their ranks.
The idea that because they don’t like being called racists and fascists we shouldn’t call them racists and fascists really does need to be explained in greater depth. Its logic utterly escapes me.


These people are using nationalist rhetoric and racist scapegoating to whip up petty-bourgeois discontents (tell me, how many working class guys can afford Chelsea season tickets?), marginal sections of the working class and young sections of the unemployed and lumpenproletariat for a campaign of physical intimidation and street-fighting.


We need to confront this sensibly, seriously and honestly. I am proud to have been at the demo today. I think it represented a manifestation of a genuine antifascist tradition in Britain and I think its that tradition can ultimately turn the tide. Playing footsie with the cops or shitting yourself because they’re all skinheads isn’t going to help.
Anyway, a long, confusing but ultimately quite satisfying day that most people I think thought ended in a minor, although not overwhelming, victory to our side.
Next Stop Dudley!
NO PASARAN

[Patchd]

Police were even more massive cocks today, but it was great seeing those pigs get bitten by their own police dogs. Good to see Salford antifa there though and the level of militancy against the state on our side was great, we were all up for it with the fash too but the police presence was too large, they came in with riots snatching up individuals in our crowd, at some point we managed to isolate a few of them too, won't go into the details but at those points those pigs were shitting themselves for obvious reasons.

ACAB TCAB.

(Oh and if you're wondering, by 'we', I meant the whole crowd, not a specific group)

http://exposethebnp.com/2010/03/20/the-battle-of-bolton-and-the-media/

[thejambo1]

what was the fash turnout like today? they seem to have inflated their figures on another forum that was reporting on it. typical of them i suppose.

[Patchd]

600-700 of them, the BBC claims they had 2000 and outnumbered us which is utter bollocks. But I guess we shouldn't get surprised when the mainstream media sides with the racists, the only thing that could stop them from doing the same in the future would be if their workers took industrial action over this issue and threatened to do so again if the beeb did the same, they misrepresented facts and in a lot of cases just completely lied about them.

[Sasha]

WEYMANN BENNETT NOW BEEN CHARGED (http://ianbone.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/weymann-bennett-now-been-charged/)

LATEST: Weymann Bennett has said on his release ‘POLICE NEUTRALITY NEEDS TO BE QUESTIONED’!!! Jesus Christ!!!!!! Are you really that fucking stupid!!
Weymann has now been charged with ‘Conspiracy to commit violent disorder’. I don’t know what bail conditions have been set but they are likely to have been highly restrictive as in the forthcoming prosecution of ANTIFA members.Dora Kaplan makes some telling points in regard to the previous post on Weymann’s arrest. I did not know UAF had fallen out with Searchlight – what were the ostensible reasons for the fall out? It may well account for the high up decision to arrest Weymann now that the shield of protection offered by Searchlight’s state security connections has been removed.The UAF leadership may at last wise up to the fact that calling for state bans and police prosecutions of their opponents was always likely to rebound on them at some point – see countless posted by me on this blog.No doubt however the desire to portray themselves as victims will simply enable the UAF leadership to build a ‘ DEFEND WEYMANN’ campaign in alliance with their usual allies of left Labour MPs, trade union bureaucrat and the wallahs of multicultural quangoism and demands for a public enquiry etc etc.In the meantime continued cries of ‘Non passaran’ as repeatedly chanted in Bolton yesterday – presumably ‘cos they couldnt think of anything to shout in English in case it be deemed racist – will fall on stony ground.Will Weymann’s arrest lead to the formation of a genuine anti-fascist movement on the streets or simply another excuse to build up the SWP with Weymann with an onion up his sleeve touring student unions for the next year?? Despite these reservations I think Ales is right and we have to show solidarity with Weymann against this cocky state repression – whether many will bite that bullett we’ll have to see.




http://ianbone.wordpress.com/

[Patchd]

Weymann is a scab to the antifascist movement, but his arrest by the state should still be opposed. He wasn't even inciting any form of violence, he was the one trying to get the crowd to stop fighting with the cops and was even shouting at the crowd down a megaphone when we did, his arrest is a clear sign of political targeting and if the state feels comfortable with charging Bennett with 'conspiracy to commit violent disorder' then think about how they will react to real militant antifascists.

[thejambo1]

cheers patchd,saw the more realistic figures and yep,the bbc are a load of shit and should look at the misrepresentation with their facts and figures. edl dont need any publicity and giving them better than good publicity is really shit.

[Redaction]

Poor poor weyman:(

[El Rojo]

The Bolton police commander is a complete and utter shit. The Bolton News report says two police officers were injured. 1 broke a finger and the other was bitten by a dog. Whose dog I wonder? Obviously it must be the new UAF canine division. That is the only possible answer that makes sense. Yes.

Then they quote Chief Pig Garry Shewan, who says that "their [the UAF] actions led to injuries to police officers" police officer Gary, police officer. The tone of the article suggests half of Bolton's "finest" are now in hospital.

[Steve_j]

his arrest is a clear sign of political targeting

Not just him either, they also went in and arrested Martin Smith before the demo even started. I think its pretty safe to say it was his arrest that triggered the hostility with the police that prevaled throughout the day, i think about 10 other protesters went down with him. Not good :(

Maybe this will send a strong message to the UAF leadership, as they seemed to find working with the police all well and good whilst the activists on the front lines got sent to the cells, but now that they got taken away, it might just be the slap in the face they need in regards to co ordinating demos with the police.

[No pasarán]

it's also another example of just how obviously the police seem to be on the side of the edl... I mean look at how much they get away with. Yet the police will target the UAF, which despite who may also be in their block is basicly a pascifist organisation?

[Redaction]

The police and now the press are siding with the EDL what on earth are we antifascts going to do.

[Steve_j]

Not to mention the EDL's riot in stoke, i mean WTF? they had 17 arrested (bbc) yet on saturday The UAF and other Antifascists had atleast 55 arrested! For what may i ask aswell?

Besides weymann has anyone else been charged?

[No pasarán]

The police and now the press are siding with the EDL what on earth are we antifascts going to do.

Well we won't be trusting you with the answers...

Just stop posting here, we won't give you any of the information you so obviously and blatantly seek. I am trying to be fucking polite here, I could say much worse things to you but you're not worth me being banned for.

[Redaction]

No its not worth being banned is it.

[Lord Testicles]

Besides weymann has anyone else been charged?

Four apparently (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8580205.stm).

[The Idler]

Permanent Revolution have published an account critical of the UAF (http://www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/3007).