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Report from the protest against the BNP's RWB festival 2009

ARA | 16.08.2009 18:26 | Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival | Analysis | Animal Liberation | Anti-racism | Migration | World


I decided to go to the protest against the BNP's Red White and Blue festival yesterday, I have not been involved with anti-fascism very much before. I am more involved in the animal rights movement but was pleased to see other animal rights faces on the demo and Veggies offering catering. The animal rights movement is highly active in so many other movements and that's something I'm really proud of.

I have heard a lot about the issues with the UAF on one hand and Antifa on the other. I wasn't expecting much and thought the protest would be very compliant in style and we would mostly be trapped in a police pen. It turned out I was partly right but mostly wrong. We went to block a road leading to the RWB and we were told there were others blocking other routes. Police formed a line in front of us but we were already blocking the way of the fash so this was not a problem.

The cops tried to issue a Section 14 but they were blocked out by noise. There were two police evidence gatherers one with a camera and another with a video camera. I decided to do a bit of FIT watching and block one of the cameras. I was proved right in this case about the compliant style of the protest as went I was pushed back by a cop I was told by one protester 'it's not worth it' and got no help from others to block the camera. But I continued for a good while longer all the same.

The police tried to break our lines but were stopped by people linking arms, they did however manage to get a vehicle through. To get the van past they broke us up and as I tried to get back one of the cops pressure pointed me by twisting my hand back to immobilise me – shamefully it worked and I stood still! The police then decided to let us move down the road but organisers decided to stay put so the police couldn't kettle us in separate sections. This was a good choice in my book. If the cops wanted us to move down the road they must have a reason for it, certainly not for our benefit!

The protest was authoritarian in it's organization with everyone expected to do as told by the organizers, but in this case this did not mean complying with the cops. Much as I hate having authoritarian organisation limiting my actions, it seemed to work with a balance of insuring the fash couldn't get past with not giving the cops to much excuse to act.

The police then turned up with horses and everyone linked arms. Organizers then decided we should go – something I disagreed with. However they said this was because all other road blocks had been broken so I guess it could have been justified. They then decided to keep us on one side of the road only which I think was overly authoritarian.

In conclusion this was a good action and did disrupt the BNP and there supporters. There were aspects to the day which did annoy me, but that is to be expected. Overall this demo was a good one and I think if this type of energy is kept up then it will give the BNP a run for their money.

If Antifa and others like them continue to cause BNP supporters damage (via property damage for example) then the BNP really could be taken to task. In my new and possibly naive opinion I think if there was more unity it really could go somewhere – open super peaceful civil disobedience on one hand and militant direct action on the other against the BNPs money and suppliers.

ARA

Comments

Hide the following 16 comments

Great report!

16.08.2009 19:25

Nice one.

Ruby


Other Info??

16.08.2009 20:52

Any info on businesses like taxi's and portaloo suppliers etc. that did business with the fash this year?

I Hate The Fash


good report

16.08.2009 21:20

I echo the conclusion.

@nti-BNP


Good report

16.08.2009 21:52

Glad you there and happy to stand in solidarity with you.

When you say this tho:

"If Antifa and others like them continue to cause BNP supporters damage (via property damage for example) then the BNP really could be taken to task."

It was UAF, not Antifa, who were out in force yesterday. As replies to some of the other reports indicate, Antifa supporters are doing their best to distance themselves from the event (perhaps by way of an excuse/get-out-clause for their no-show). Who knows, perhaps Antifa weren't able to spontaneously organise and co-ordinate 70 coaches from across the country to all turn up in one spot in rural Derbyshire at the same time? But then, that's simply a problem with Antifa's model of organisation.

UAF mobster


Number plates

16.08.2009 21:57

of one BMW turned away from the festival and one red transit van entering:

R986XHK
VK04WFY

Number plates


Last year?

16.08.2009 23:33

Perhaps everyone is forgetting last year and the fact that UAF's shamefull acts of splitting the protests, completely complying with the police and condemning anything other than 50 protesters marching under UAF orders to shout Nazi Scum at some BNP members from miles away from the RWB site whilst Antifa got stuck in. Maybe after the heavy police action last year it would have been stupid for a repeat performance as it would simply have been a chance for the police to nick everyone, maybe Antifa could have more fun whilst the fash were away from home (hint hint)

Antifa-scist


@ UAF mobster

16.08.2009 23:55

“It was UAF, not Antifa, who were out in force yesterday. As replies to some of the other reports indicate, Antifa supporters are doing their best to distance themselves from the event (perhaps by way of an excuse/get-out-clause for their no-show). Who knows, perhaps Antifa weren't able to spontaneously organise and co-ordinate 70 coaches from across the country to all turn up in one spot in rural Derbyshire at the same time? But then, that's simply a problem with Antifa's model of organisation.”

Why all this infighting? The UAF did a good job with this demo and no Antifa were not involved but that's no reason to attack leaderless resistance.

The ALF (Animal Liberation Front) for example are great at putting the heat on a target but have no leadership or organization whatsoever. no one wants or expects the ALF to organize a march above ground groups do that. The aboveground and the underground don't need to speak they just know the target and where to hit them. When both groups play there part well the results can be amazing even though animal rights is a very small movement in terms of active participants. I'm not comparing the two situations this is just an example.

ARA


Sorry, but yes, naive

17.08.2009 06:50

Sorry ara but as you suggest imho you are naive. This demo in no way at all took the BNP to task, as do no demos. The BNP recently got 1 million votes and actions like this do nothing to affect that and in many ways make things worse as people are angry people like you seem to spend more time attacking the Bnp than attaling the govt or helping ordinary people in their day to day lives

D02


antifa

17.08.2009 08:21

It sounds like the protest wasn't as bad as it could have been, so well done UAF, to an extent, for organising the demo and not being as ridiculously compliant with the cops as they usually are. However i know for a fact that a lot of Antifas were out there, even if they weren't an organised presence this time around.

I don't think the fact that Antifa weren't there as a coherent group can be seen as a flaw in their organisational strategy. They probably just didn't think it was worth the effort this time around. And fair enough. Those who felt it was worth the effort attended; those who didn't, didn't. I don't think this can be used as a 'reason' why Antifa are somehow useless or worthless. Their strategy is very good in some contexts, while the UAF's strategy seems to have worked OK this time around. That's all. Anyone trying to claim some sort of moral victory for UAF are talking shite.

lolwob


antifa, UAF, Whatever

17.08.2009 11:01

fact- who stopped the fash in the 80's??? the squads. Not marching, but a good kicking. fact.
what doesn't help is arguing amongst ourselves like a bunch of moaning hippies with hand signals.

oi oi


UAF mobster

17.08.2009 12:16

"I don't think the fact that Antifa weren't there as a coherent group can be seen as a flaw in their organisational strategy. They probably just didn't think it was worth the effort this time around. And fair enough. Those who felt it was worth the effort attended; those who didn't, didn't. I don't think this can be used as a 'reason' why Antifa are somehow useless or worthless. Their strategy is very good in some contexts, while the UAF's strategy seems to have worked OK this time around. That's all. Anyone trying to claim some sort of moral victory for UAF are talking shite."

Agreed. Some of the (my) above comments were parodic (name included). But the frequent anarchist characterisation of UAF as a bunch of Stalinoid drones, slavishly devoted to their leaders as well as being police-loving sell-outs needed correction in my view. It is the view of sectarian anarchists who have read very little and are really no better than your average McCarthyist when it comes to anti-communist hysteria. If that really were the case as some antifa supporters would have us believe (ie. don't support 'them', support 'us'), then why did the police spend most of the day yesterday trying to smash up the UAF-organised blockades? "Illegal obstruction of the highway", apparently. These blockades met with some degree of success in stopping BNP members and supporters attending RWB. It (hopefully) damaged their confidence, whilst doing nothing to dampen the spirits of the anti-fascist movement; if anything, it helped to build it. I am glad some antifa supporters thought it worthwhile to turn out in solidarity.

@ lolwob


@ D02

17.08.2009 12:16

Well you are right that normal people's problems need sorting out but I don't think this excludes protesting against the BNP. The fact is if the BNP were set upon in an all out campaign and were deprived of any printing services, access to there events, website hosting, etc. and therefore had no operations whatsoever - it could work as people would not be able to access the BNP at all.

I agree the UAF needs to stop linking themselves so much with the political classes and should have more people that would appeal to the BNP's demographic, including war veterans and football fans, etc. Also a focus on sorting local issues in BNP supporting areas would be good – public meetings and funds to help headed up by local people.

ARA


BNP photos

17.08.2009 17:19

Photos of BNPers (thanks to stormfront lol)
 http://good-times.webshots.com/album/574092677PClDln?start=0

ARA


Agree with D02

17.08.2009 17:25

If the UAF genuinely want to stop the BNP they should disband and start organising in the workplace and community. Going on marches shouting 'nartzee' at people stifles debate and is counter-productive.

durruti was a brummie


about ARA photos

17.08.2009 21:58

Job well done on anti-demo

Check the photos of the fash at play! there must be no more than 200 and that pushing it!!

Most of the photos show more venders than punters at the shall.

The fest looks complete pony!!! ha ha

richy


to ARA

20.08.2009 15:12

you said "I agree the UAF needs to stop linking themselves so much with the political classes and should have more people that would appeal to the BNP's demographic, including war veterans and football fans, etc. Also a focus on sorting local issues in BNP supporting areas would be good – public meetings and funds to help headed up by local people."

yes mate i totally agree .. and WHEN people/groups have a good rep in the community ( unlike the Left now) THEN people will listen when we say the BNP are scum .. until then they will ignore us and the UAF will crow they got 2000 people to Codnor while the BNP gets a MILLION votes .. do the math .. whose is winning really

D02


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