Far-right and anti-racism protesters scuffle in London

[rooster59]

Far-right and anti-racism protesters scuffle in London

By Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge

 

Counter-protesters gesture in Trafalgar Square ahead of a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in London, Britain, June 13, 2020. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Scuffles broke out in London on Saturday between far-right activists, Black Lives Matter protesters and police trying to keep the two sides apart.

 

In Trafalgar Square and surrounding avenues, small bands of protesters jostled, tossed bottles and cans and set off fireworks as riot police with dogs and horses lined up.

 

Far-right groups shouted racial slurs at the anti-racism protesters, and some tried to use metal crash barriers to break through police lines.

 

"It is clear that far-right groups are causing violence and disorder in central London, I urge people to stay away," London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter.

 

Interior minister Priti Patel denounced "thoroughly unacceptable thuggery" and said any perpetrators of violence or vandalism would face the full force of the law.

 

Statues of historical figures including Winston Churchill were boarded up ahead of time to prevent them from becoming flashpoints or from being defaced by protesters who say such monuments celebrate racists.

 

There have been demonstrations around the world against racism and police abuses since the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. In British cities tens of thousands of people have marched peacefully during previous days of protest.

 

In London the numbers of demonstrators were smaller on Saturday than in recent days, after announcements by far-right groups that they would converge on the city centre prompted anti-racism activists to cancel a planned march and instead call for scattered protests.

 

Hundreds attended rallies in other English cities, many donning masks due to the coronavirus outbreak and carrying placards with slogans such as "To Be Black Is Not A Crime".

 

'MY CULTURE UNDER ATTACK'

 

In and around London's Parliament Square, hundreds of people wearing football shirts, describing themselves as patriots and chanting "England, England" gathered alongside military veterans to guard the Cenotaph war memorial.

 

The far-right groups said they wanted to defend British culture, in particular historical monuments, after the toppling of the statue of a 17th century slave trader in the port city of Bristol last weekend sparked calls for others to come down.

 

"Winston Churchill, he's one of our own," they also chanted, near the statue of the World War Two leader, which last weekend was sprayed with graffiti reading: "Churchill was a racist".

 

"My culture is under attack. This is my culture and my English history: why should Churchill be boarded up? Why is the Cenotaph attacked? It is not right," said David Allen, one of the protesters.

 

While Churchill is admired by many for his role in defeating Nazi Germany, some in the anti-racism movement have called for more scrutiny of his overall legacy, noting he expressed racist and anti-Semitic views.

 

On Friday Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "absurd and shameful" that the Churchill statue was at risk of attack.

"Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero," he said.

 

Protests took place in other countries on Saturday, including in several Australian cities, Taipei, Zurich and Paris.

 

(Additional reporting by Ben Dangerfield and Dylan Martinez; Writing by Sarah Young and Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Alexander Smith, Andrew Cawthorne and Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-14

 

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[J Town]

Why is racism even a debate?

[CorpusChristie]

They were not far right groups , just people protecting Londons heritage from attacks  

[pineapple01]

 Oh Dear, so now young fiery people who dont like things being destroyed are Far Right. 

[checkered flag]

The headline is very misleading and judgmental. Far right is OK but anti racist is actually very racist. I suspect mostly are far left anti-fa mobs bent on anarchy. The average law abiding black person is left out.

[KhaoNiaw]

2 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

 Oh Dear, so now young fiery people who dont like things being destroyed are Far Right. 

Paul Golding you mean?

[pineapple01]

3 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Golding you mean?

Never heard of Him. Explain for every day folk

[CorpusChristie]

17 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

The headline is very misleading and judgmental. Far right is OK but anti racist is actually very racist. I suspect mostly are far left anti-fa mobs bent on anarchy. The average law abiding black person is left out.

They were not far right groups though

[KhaoNiaw]

15 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

They were not far right groups though

Paul Golding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by KhaoNiaw

[pineapple01]

Just now, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Goolding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

 

Just now, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Goolding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

And.?.

[TopDeadSenter]

Less than 10 years ago, certain media outlets still had the freedom to state cold, hard facts. These days, forget it. Shame nobody acted to save the country while we still had a chance. Integrate or go home. Nowadays you are a racist if you do not want to see the wholesale destruction of arguably the most tolerant and democratic society on earth. Tragic.

 

"In truth, the vast, unceasing influx of foreigners over recent years has done colossal damage to Britain. Our social cohesion has been undermined, our civic infrastructure overloaded, our sense of national identity eroded and our standard of living reduced."

https://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/leo-mckinstry/417307/Mass-immigration-is-destroying-the-fabric-of-society

[CorpusChristie]

11 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Golding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

He refused to give the Police the pin number to his telephone and they charged him with terrorism offense and he got a conditional discharge  , that is his terrorism offense 

[VocalNeal]

But he still has "form" 

[RuamRudy]

48 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

He refused to give the Police the pin number to his telephone and they charged him with terrorism offense and he got a conditional discharge  , that is his terrorism offense 

What has he got to hide? Surely he should be supportive of our policing efforts to keep the UK safe from malevolent intent? Unless, of course, he has compromising 'data' on his phone?

[RuamRudy]

There's one our great British patriots defending our nation's honour. Makes you proud, eh?

 

[pineapple01]

Preparing for his next Visit to Pattaya

[DaveE13]

19 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

There's one our great British patriots defending our nation's honour. Makes you proud, eh?

 

This geezer is in deep do do.

 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Golding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

Well he can't have been convicted of anything very serious, or very recently, or presumably he would be in prison! If he were on any form of bail, parole or licenced early release the conditions of that would almost certainly have prevented him from attending!

[Orton Rd]

2 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

They were not far right groups , just people protecting Londons heritage from attacks  

Labeled as far right thugs before anyone had actually turned up, if the cops did their duty in the first place nobody would have to be defending statues and our history.

[Orton Rd]

33 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

There's one our great British patriots defending our nation's honour. Makes you proud, eh?

 

Not a very good aim, at least he is not down on his knee bowing to the god of woke and the marxist BLM. Did not comrade Khan shut all the public loos?

[RuamRudy]

10 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Labeled as far right thugs before anyone had actually turned up, if the cops did their duty in the first place nobody would have to be defending statues and our history.

"It woz the police wot made me do it, guv!"

[anterian]

Reuters is so far left that any normal person is seen as far right. 

[sammieuk1]

Calm down everyone the shops are open on Monday????

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Paul Golding is a convicted far right terrorist leader and he was there. 

Britain First of which Paul Golding is " leader " have been banned from fb for peddling their agenda .. It is not a terrorist organisation .. He was nicked for breaching a court order preventing him from entering a mosque or encouraging others to do the same ..  

Edited June 14, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[bannork]

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

There's one our great British patriots defending our nation's honour. Makes you proud, eh?

 

More patriots giving Nazi salutes in front of Churchill's statue. 

Hey morons, Churchill is revered for fighting the Nazis.

Thick as 2 short planks and a Greek outhouse.

Edited June 14, 2020 by bannork

[CorpusChristie]

8 minutes ago, bannork said:

More patriots giving Nazi salutes in front of Churchill's statue. 

Hey morons, Churchill is revered for fighting the Nazis.

Thick as 2 short planks and a Greek outhouse.

Ahhh look, the guy on the left is doing a Nazi salute with both arms  , he must be hardcore Nazi ????

 

Seriously, They are not Nazi salutes , the video shows then singing a song and raising their arms .

Not Nazi salutes

[LoS itaint]

5 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Britain First of which Paul Golding is " leader " have been banned from fb for peddling their agenda .. It is not a terrorist organisation .. He was nicked for breaching a court order preventing him from entering a mosque or encouraging others to do the same ..  

Britain First supporters branded as thugs for attempting to prevent BLM supporters from damaging British heritage, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...BLM confronting BF is not considered racist but turn it around & it becomes racist, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...You can be a member of BLM but you are accused of being a member of Britain First, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...BLM bashing the s***e out of a Britain First supporter appears fair game but the other way around its racist thuggery, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...Met police going on one knee shows where their allegiance lies & what about that Imarn Ayton, a figurehead of BLM dying her hair blonde!! isn't that a negative?....If Winston Churchill was a racist why are so many black men named Winston? Sweep has apologised for working with someone called Sootie. Its all gone far too far lets all go & have a Guinness, Black Pints Matter......

[samran]

5 minutes ago, LoS itaint said:

Britain First supporters branded as thugs for attempting to prevent BLM supporters from damaging British heritage, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...BLM confronting BF is not considered racist but turn it around & it becomes racist, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...You can be a member of BLM but you are accused of being a member of Britain First, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...BLM bashing the s***e out of a Britain First supporter appears fair game but the other way around its racist thuggery, how does that make any sense to a true Brit?...Met police going on one knee shows where their allegiance lies & what about that Imarn Ayton, a figurehead of BLM dying her hair blonde!! isn't that a negative?....If Winston Churchill was a racist why are so many black men named Winston? Sweep has apologised for working with someone called Sootie. Its all gone far too far lets all go & have a Guinness, Black Pints Matter......

Sorry, please clarify what a ‘true Brit’ is. 

[samran]

12 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Ahhh look, the guy on the left is doing a Nazi salute with both arms  , he must be hardcore Nazi ????

 

Seriously, They are not Nazi salutes , the video shows then singing a song and raising their arms .

Not Nazi salutes

You remind me of the Germans at the end of WW2 who swore black and blue that they weren’t nazis. As if no one in the country actually was. 
 

Remember, you went to war against to them for a reason, now you are sticking up for them. Perhaps you better go destroy that Churchill statue afterall...

[CorpusChristie]

Just now, samran said:

You remind me of the Germans at the end of WW2 who swore black and blue that they weren’t nazis. As if no one in the country actually was. 
 

Remember, you went to war against to them for a reason, now you are sticking up for them. Perhaps you better go destroy that Churchill statue afterall...

Those were not Nazi salutes , they were singing songs and pointing at the Police .

Can you not tell the difference between a raised arm and a Nazi salute ?