NOT THE FULL ENGLISH

Last Saturday (9th) saw far-right knuckledraggers, the English Defence League, stage four regional demos in Middlesbrough, Halifax, Cambridge and Plymouth. There had also been one planned for Derby, but the fash bottled it. Generally counter-demos were better attended and more lightly policed than their far-right counterparts, perhaps partly due to the EDL’s new policy of not cooperating with police (see SchNEWS 776).

The Middlesbrough and Halifax ED actions drew around 300-400 each. Cambridge managed a couple of hundred (though this was dwarfed by a counter-demo more than four times the size), but it was Plymouth that won the prize for most farcical protest of the week.

It didn’t look good in the run-up, with EDL infighting meaning other South West divisions were actually telling members not to go. A breakdown in communication meant two different meeting points split the already small turnout, with around 60 waiting at the official start and end pub (Wild Coyote, Exeter St – in case you were wondering) and others kettled on the Hoe. With help from the police, EDL stewards managed to round up supporters, swelling their numbers to almost 200.

Meanwhile, up to 500 hundred counter-demonstrators gathered in Jigsaw Gardens (the opposite side of the city). With the Unite Against Fascism event seemingly more focused on Labour politicians and union leaders giving speeches about “smashing the EDL” and the EDL themselves surrounded by twice the number of police – the prospect of actually smashing the EDL was never particularly high.

Portsmouth will see the next regional EDL demo on Saturday (16th). Not having to compete with other divisions, and the sell-out crowd expected for the Chelsea – Portsmouth friendly the same day, the turnout is expected to be higher. However, with groups of autonomous antifascists and unaligned locals determined to defend their town, it could be an interesting situation.

Portsmouth - Antiracists will assemble at 12 noon in the Guildhall Square on Saturday 16th July.

As SchNEWS goes to print the EDL website is still offline having been targeted by hacktivists last week, a fact they seem unwilling to admit, saying only that it “is undergoing redevelopment”. When it finally returns, we can expect more bragging about how they are going to invade Tower Hamlets on 3rd September. Whether this actually happens remains to be seen – the EDL cancelled Tower Hamlets last year fearing “a suicide mission”. If they actually make it this time around, antifascists will be keen to prove them right.