Rick Lyons recent article in the Guardian (Wednesday September 8th 2008) was a piece that any anti-fascist in the UK should frame and hang up on the lavoratory wall, along with his previous rant in the Daily Star (Sunday July 27th 2008) which is probably the most right-wing rag in the country, entitled “Nazi Bashers In BNP Vow”, an article that had Antifa themselves no doubt laughing hysterically as Lyons appeared to be doing their job for them.

In the Star, Lyons in a moment of stunning genius decided to take postings from the Antifa website and internet forums, by his own admission, and fall into the trap of not seeing blatant misinformation at work, hoping in fact he was going to get his story of the decade which would transform his pathetic journalistic career.

Up to now his literary contributions include such stunning masterpieces as

ANGIE IS A BOURNE WINNER-
"Angelina Jolie has landed her biggest film role yet... playing a foxy female super-spy"

and

TAKE OUR CHALLENGE -

"Brits have gone world record breaking crazy...with the help of the nation's favourite luxury chocolates. Hundreds of bonkers Brits are attempting to break the quirky record - which currently stands at six - every week."

These are just two of a whole selection of trash that most sensible people would line their cat litter tray with rather than take any serious notice of.

But what can one expect from a Daily Star ‘Crime Correspondent’?

Lyons belief that he was onto something huge and that an almighty army of anti fascists would be turning up to have a full scale battle with the fascists of the BNP, led him to contact Antifa by email on several occasions trying to get information but was told in no uncertain terms to ‘hop it’.

He carried on regardless though and was no doubt the height of amusement at work when the said carnage he predicted did not in fact occur, nor was it ever going to.

Dejected and bitter at being made a monkey of, his scathing attack in the Guardian that Antifa had failed and that the BNP had come out on top, again has the reporting dynamics of a secondary school needlework rag, with clearly no background knowledge of the opinions of the residents in the Denby area let alone any serious investigation having being done in the local community. Put simply, he doesn’t know what he is writing about.

Lyons mediocre understanding of the day’s events and the groups involved led him to write

“After emerging from a field dressed in anarchist black and attempting to block the road with objects from farmyards, Antifa were dealt with – severely and quickly – by riot police. Assessed simply against their own aim - that of stopping the festival - the group's expedition to Derbyshire can only be seen as a complete failure. What should be of more concern to Antifa than impotency though, is that their actions served to help their opponents. By fighting with police, taking private property and scaring residents, they gifted the BNP a PR victory by allowing them to seem the more law-abiding and reasonable group.”

His total dedication in trying to correct his own self imagined and misguided loonacy will quite likely lead him in the new direction of a ‘cheese and wine column’ next year, when the RWB event is refused permission to be held in Denby and is seeking a new home, due nothin more than to the fact, as Lyons himself puts it “there was a clash, but it was over in less than 20 minutes”.

Lyons went on to write

“Some denunciation, outcry and opposition of the BNP is no doubt required. Hopefully Antifa's members now recognise that their approach was ineffective and counter-productive. At the other end of the road from where Antifa were beaten back by baton-wielding police and dog handlers with alsations, a dignified, peaceful protest against the Red, White and Blue Festival was taking place. Members of Unite Against Fascism, Stop the BNP and trade unions held a well-attended march and rally. Next year, I urge Antifa to take off their black bandannas and hoods, put down the missiles, and join them.”

It’s amazing that the TV media footage on the day showed scuffles between the UAF protestors et al and the police on their ‘dignified march’, but hey Rick, when you’re baying for blood- whats a little ‘slap and tickle’ to justify your second rate talent at reporting!

No such media footage went out about the militant action.

In terms of Antifa taking any advice from Rick Lyons there is clearly a touch of grandeous delusion going on there. There is a fine tradition of physical militant ant-fascism in Britain which is not going to be given up by groups because some half-witted middle class hack didn’t get his jollies on. Long may it continue.

Perhaps Mr.Lyons could however carry on doing Antifa’s work for them by continuing to publish their propoganda and succesfully getting the RWB stopped wherever it may try and raise it’s ugly head next year.

His assistance in the matter in that respect has been nothing short of exemplary.

It seems however he is just too stupid to realise it!