Dave Gardner, Left-Wing and Animal Rights 'Activist', Exposed as BNP Member!

West Midlands Anti-Fascist | 05.02.2009 23:41 | Anti-racism | Social Struggles | Birmingham

Dave (David) Gardner is known to many involved in both animal rights and left-wing struggles in the West Midlands. What is less well known is his history of far-right activism, a past he has recently returned to.

Formerly a member of the fascist organisation the National Front, at the start of the decade, he endeavoured to integrate himself with assorted left, liberal and animal rights groups.

His attempts to get involved with militants of AFA were quickly rebuked. From here he got involved with varying success in groups as wide ranging as the anarchist influenced S26 collective to the SWP, Birmingham Friends of the Earth Building to assorted animal rights grouplets.

Repeatedly anti-fascist militants raised his past antics and refusal to pass on any information re: his supposedly ex-mates. Repeatedly they were ignored.

Now there can be NO DOUBT over where Mr Gardner's allegiances lie.

First he was snapped on the BNP demonstration in support of sacked BNP teacher Adam Walker, fratenising with longterm BNP activists, leafletting and generally being a fascist fucker!
(see photos below)

Dave Gardner BNP member

Dave Gardner at the December BNP protest in Birmingham

Dave Gardner distributing 'Solidarity' leaflets: A BNP front

Days later the BNP membership list was leaked. Guess who is on the list!

Search for 'Dave Gardner' on the leaked BNP members list on Wikileaks

http://wikileaks.org/leak/bnp-membership-list.txt

Dave Gardner's email:

paganman14@hotmail.com

No Pasaran!

West Midlands Anti-Fascist

Additions

Gardner gets a mention in a press release by West Mids Anarchists 2003

27.02.2009 00:52

'Finally we would like to reasure everyone that Dave Gardner has had NO involvement in WMA and never will , especially as the rumours of his involvment with special branch and the national front remain unresolved.'

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/06/71002.html

searching high and low

Comments

Hide the following 22 comments

He Can Fuck Off

06.02.2009 00:28

never seen him on a demo which is suprising but as an animal rights activist and an antifa fan i will not tollerate this racist bastard on a demo i am at. i am sure same applies to other ar activists

AR ANTIFA

he does look familiar

06.02.2009 10:47

He does look vaguely familiar - from the animal rights protests at Hillgrove Farm about 10 years ago, perhaps?

If he hangs around groups which have diverging and even contradictory goals, possibly the reason is he is working for the state or private investigators, rather than being a genuine fascist?

Or he could even be an anti-fascist trying to infiltrate the fascists, in which case this article will have fucked it up rather! It does sounds like this isn't the case though.

veg@n

In hiding?

06.02.2009 11:05

I wonder if dave will be brave enough to show his ugly mug on the bnp birmingham demo on Tuesday? Or will he be too cowardly to show his true colours now his little secret is in the public domain?

BruisedShins

Veg@n if he is a lefty infiltrating fash this story might not effect him,

06.02.2009 12:33

sounds like he still has fash mates either way, some of his ex fash or still fash mates would probably stickup for him. Yes its a delicate situ, but he looks like a adult. He could well be a hero, he could be a nazi scumbag. If he is the former then yep it seems his cover has been blown, possibly, if I was him depending on situ I would get trusted activits to vouch for him to antifa through their official channels

Redskin

sad fact

06.02.2009 18:58

the sad fact is some people are stupid.
their are Nazis amongst the animal rights, and their are butchers, dog fighters and vivisectionist amongst the antifascists. we need to work together using articles like this to inform each other.
a fascist in oxford was kicked out of animal rights for being a Nazi, and i'm hoping this guy will never have the cheek to turn up at AR again, and if he does he should be excluded. but the fact is at the minute its all one sided. their ARE animal abusers in anti fascist groups and this is accepted.
please don't misunderstand me, lets kick this fucker out of AR, but lets see more vigilance within the antifascist movement.
I'm fairly sure as well that the BNP are targeting AR activists.
especially with ex-ALF activists running and seemingly proud of it

http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/4099106.BNP_candidate_s_secret_criminal_past/
the BNP have launched campaigns for better animal welfare. with a whole section on their land and people website

http://landandpeople.bnp.org.uk/?cat=31
plus
small things like fighting for the RSPCA

http://bnp.org.uk/2008/06/bnp-battle-to-keep-a-rspca-office-open
for years now the leaflets have talked about stricter policy's on animal slaughter.
so we need to make sure that people within our movement (animal rights) aren't stupid enough to believe their bullshit. very few are, but it happens.
like i said before tho, this is completely one sided. their are so many known anti-fash whom i consider scum.
come on anti-fa/AFA lets consider the fascism being inflicted on animals everyday.

veganarchist

Vegan Anarchist

06.02.2009 19:19

What a load of cock. Cruelty to animals is not 'fascism' it's cruelty to animals.

Stop being a twat.

Antifa Member (personal capacity)

To Antifa Member

06.02.2009 21:12

You may not agree with the use of the word fascism – but what about vegananarchist’s general point, if you want us to eject fascists from animal rights then you lot should eject animal abusers?

Random person (professional capacity)

Too Random

07.02.2009 12:43

Who are these "animal abusers" in the anti-fascist movement? Do you have the names of these dog fighters, badger baiters and whalers? If so bring them foward and i'm sure it will be brought up at meetings or the people concerned. If however you are accusing people in the anti-fascist movement of eating meat then yes i suppose it's true that many people in that movement represent a fairly standard cross section of society and that your distaste for them points more towards your implicit misanthropy and narro mindedness than any real problems with anti-fascists.

I don't eat meat but nor am i going to patronise people who do because it's their choice, yes they are implicitly toleraing the death of animals, something that has gone on in human culture for millenia. However if someone wants to embrace the ideals of fascism and national-socialism, advocates ruling society with an iron fist, of imposing draconian government, exterminating union members, anarchists and socialists, establishing concentration camps and forcefully deporting ethnic minorities, then i'm not going to stand by and say that's their choice, i'm going to stand up to them and ensure that they never get an opportunity to implement their misanthropic ideals.

Now if you're not talking about the act of eating meat (something which hundreds of millions people do the world over) and you are infact making accusations of actual animal abuse then please step foward with some solid facts and evidence. Otherwise keep your vague, patronising drivel to yourself.

Durruti

Rebutle by Dave Gardner

07.02.2009 13:38

I am not and never was a threat to anyone. Everyone I worked with in various campaigns I respected and still do today.I held anti-capitalist views then and still do today. I held anti-vivisection views then and still do today. I held anti-road building views then and still do today. I am a long standing modern nationalist. I don't apologise for anything. I meet many caring and committed people during these campaigns. It was a learning and rewarding experience for which I will always be grateful. Respect. Dave Gardner.

Dave Gardner

In defence of Dave

07.02.2009 18:20

I knew Dave quite well a few years back but have not seen him about now for several years. He was very involved in organising demos in Birmingham in the late 1990`s. He organised McDonald`s demos and a string of demos/stalls outside Natwest who were involved with HLS. Also several anti captialist events including a mini street party which involved touring various luxury car dealerships and other corporate scumbags. He was involved in various other eco groups etc aswell.

We once chatted about his beliefs. It appeared that when growing up, he had struggled to get involved with something that he could feel a part of. After searching for somewhere to channel his energy and find friends, he apparently got involved in football hooliganism, which led to the BNP.

There was always criticism of his BNP involvement, amongst animal rights and other groups. I don`t defend Dave`s involvement with the BNP, but when organising for various campaigns mentioned above, he did some great work. Various people made his involvement with campaigning more and more difficult and eventually, he was pushed out altogether. As someone who was also involved with the anti-fascism movement, of course I can understand why he was pushed out. But when he was no longer around, there was alot less activity in Birmingham in terms of animal rights and anti capitalist campaigning, which was a shame.

I believe he`s just a bit mixed up but no doubt as he says, still holds the same animal rights/anti cap beliefs he always did. His energy could potentially once again be put to good use.

animal activist

Some of us steered well away from Dave Gardner from day one!

07.02.2009 19:45

Thanks for putting the time and the effort into exposing this racist bigot. Hopefully people will stop this handwringing and face up to what he's really about and where his allegencies lie.

BNP fascist scum shouldn't be tolerated or empathised with in progressive activist circles. Stop being spineless and make a stand!

As for all his 'worthy activism' in the past, well, some of us steered well away from him precisely because of his past and I'm pretty certain his presence excluded other hard working people. I went to a mayday event he appeared to organise and it was fucking pathetic. It's worth noing that some of the best infiltrators are always the hardest working members of groups. I also remember him from the front desk of the Brum Friends of the Earth building - what the fuck were they thinking? Does he still lurk around that place?

No Pasaran!

activist with a conscience

animal abuse

07.02.2009 20:21

if i had meant meat eaters i would have said meat eaters.
i know antifascists in my area who are reasonably well known in the community, and do not hide their professions.
what good/point is posting details? that will result in either my head getting kicked in or my door knocked down when someone kicks them in.

veganarchist

I have a conscience too!

07.02.2009 20:48

I won`t let anything get in the way of effective campaigning. Not doing stuff purely because I didn`t want to appear to show an allegiance to someone who is disliked by others, would not get animal rights or other activism anywhere.

When Dave was campaigning for animals and against the capitalist system, he wasn`t out with the BNP. Result!!

You say that the Mayday event Dave organised was rubbish. Well if that`s the case, did you organise it better the following year? I don`t think so.

animal activist

To Durruti

07.02.2009 22:22

I wasn’t saying there were animal abusers among the antifash, veganarchist did and I just asked what you thought of his point. I don’t think any animal rights activist would want you to exclude meat-eaters – I wouldn’t even exclude meat eaters from AR demos.

Random Person

like i said.....

08.02.2009 13:24

i don't know any anarchist anti-fascists who are animal abusers and i don't believe there are any in the movement, if we're talking liberal anti-fascists who are only anti-fascist when it suits their economic policy to be so then i don't doubt there are animal abusers amongst them but don't get these people confused with grass roots anti-fash.

As for Dave Gardner's fence sitting friends, either the guy has some serious mental health issues in which case he should seek help or he is quite happy to affiliate with fascists. If the latter his "anti-capitalist" principles are null and void and he's as bad as the scum he hangs around with and should be treated with the same contempt that Nick Griffin and other fascists are treated with.

No Pasaran!

Durruti

I didn`t say I was Dave`s friend

08.02.2009 21:07

I`ve not said that I was Dave`s friend, just that he organised some good, effective campaigns for animal rights, environment, anti-capitalist issues. This can not be denied. I`ve no doubt that there are people out there who are vegan/eco-aware now after Dave helped to educate them.

At the end of the day, an animal stuck in a cage in HLS doesn`t much care about the political views of those fighting for his liberation.

There are very well known and respected AR campaigners/liberationists who once took part in animal abuse. When they began to see the light, thankfully campaigners gave them a chance, otherwise the one time animal abusers may have returned to their evil ways.

There are so few people willing to put their time and energy into fighting for animal liberation. We can`t afford to lose good campaigners.

animal activist

Nice but dim punk man?

09.02.2009 11:41

Got a feeling this was the older guy with a green punk haircut active in Action To Stop The M6 Toll Road group. If it was he did not come across as a nazi. More like a rebel looking for a cause as long as it involved having a ruck with the police. This bloke was a very open likeable character if a bit dim. If he was a closet fascist then he deserved a BAFTA. Anyone else remember this guy? He had two cats.

Vicki

Sounds Dodgy To Me

09.02.2009 12:54

He's either state or an idiot. I mean, ffs, the BNP want to re-introduce fox hunting, shouldn't this clash directly with his AR beliefs? If he's anti-capitalist then he's in the wrong party again. There should be no question about it, he needs a good fucking kicking and fucked off.

Redman

Rewind!

09.02.2009 13:16

The original article states that he tried to join Anti-Fascist Action but was told where to go:

"His attempts to get involved with militants of AFA were quickly rebuked."

In Dave Gardner's rebuttal posted here as a comment (assuming he did post this) he declares he has always been a 'modern nationalist' ie. fascist, racist, bigot scum. He also reckons he was never a threat to anyone he worked with. Yeah right, as long as you're the same ethnicity as his 'master race'. The question is what was a self-confessed fascist doing trying to join an militant Anti-Fascist group like AFA? At least AFA had some decent politics!

And here's one for Gardner's apologists: by saying absolutely nothing will get in your way in the pursuit of campaigning for the animals (not even a BNP member in your group), then you're essentially an apologist for not just Gardner but the rise of the far-right more generally. And people wonder how these maggots get a hold on society and fascist authoritarian states are established. I still can't believe his apologists knew about his political contradictions and allegiances with the far-right and effectively sheltered him.

No Pasaran!

Alarming Contradictions

re: Nice but dim punk man

09.02.2009 13:40

"More like a rebel looking for a cause as long as it involved having a ruck with the police"

Is this the same dave gardner that scratched an anarchist sign on a cop car by Digbeth police station and fled to the Friends of the Earth building? Didn't an armed response unit turn up at FoE warehouse looking for him?

Agent Provocateur?

To animal activist

09.02.2009 14:03

I understand your point we are not fighting for our freedom but the freedoms of animals, so thus who are we to deny the animals freedom fighters, such things have crossed my mind over the fash issue before. But AR can’t be doing with publicity like that. It would put off the type of people most likely to become AR activists.

Additionally as a mixed race activist I know it would end any chance of recruiting or working with ethnic minorities, I know I wouldn’t have joined a local group with a BNP member. If AR is going to become a large movement it will need recruits from all racial groups in Britain.

It’s also worth thinking about where a fash members allegiance will be, will they support the BNP went it tries to bring back hunting? Will he leak antifash members of the group’s details to Red Watch? Will he shout racists rubbish on demos if a manager or staff member of a target company is black?

So aside from the ethical issues, there are practical issues with excepting fash in AR.

AR Cambridge

Back Off

11.02.2009 11:50

the critism of dave garder is unfair because i never heard any racist shit come from him. The brum june 2000 anti-cap demo i was in on was masive police overkill and dave with 5 others was found not guilty of public order.Why pick on him you should not stereotype anybody without noing them first.Please give him a break

Gubba