How to resist the far-right
Plus holding the police to account, trans winter shelter, weekend listings and more...
Last summer a shocking and unconscionable act of violence in Southport was exploited by fascists to seeking to spread hate, sparking riots up and down the country. The mob set fire to hotels with families living in them. They hunted down black and brown people in the street. They promised to target law centres, migrant rights charities and more.
In the face of that horror there was an incredible mobilisation. Hundreds of thousands of us took to the streets to say No Pasaran! Ahead of one of the biggest nights of anti-fascist resistance last summer I wrote a guide to protesting the far-right. Tomorrow the far-right are mobilising once again in central London and so, I have repurposed (and slightly updated) that guide below for those of you heading down to resist.
Whether it’s your 1,000th time or your 1st time attending an anti-fascist demo, give it a little read, share with your pals, and make sure you’re as safe as possible!
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
In 2010, as student protests swept the country against the trebling of tuition fees the violence and relentlessness of the state reaction took many by surprise. To counter it, and provide legal support and mutual aid to those taking a stand against government cuts, Green and Black Cross was born.
Their five key messages on knowing your rights are a great and easy way to remember the fundamentals of keeping yourself safe.
1. No comment - You do not need to answer police questions, so don’t. This applies to casual conversation on the street, to in a police van after arrest all the way to interview.
2. No Personal Details - You don’t have to give details under ANY stop and search power.
3. No Duty Solicitor - Use a recommended solicitor with protest experience. Netpol have a great list of recommended legal professionals across the country here (remember some like Hodge, Jones and Allen will cover the whole country so don’t worry if you can’t see your city on the list). Choose your preferred solicitor and write their contact number down on your arm in marker so you have it with you if you’re arrested.
4. No Caution - You’ll be admitting guilt (and giving yourself a record) for an alleged offence that might never get to court
5. What Power? - Ask “under what power?” when an officer is asking or demanding you do something to ensure they have the lawful power to do so.
If you are a non-UK national attending a demonstration and potentially putting yourself in a position where you may be arrested, here is a great guide from Informed Dissent on the implications that could have to be read before you do so.
If you are trans and are attending a demonstration GBC have written a handy guide to your specific rights here.
COME TOGETHER, LEAVE TOGETHER
Far right mobilisations are dangerous, there is no point in beating around the bush here. It’s the reason why we go out and counter them. But it also means you need to be extra careful going to and from the demonstration.
Go with a group of friends, comrades or colleagues. Make a loose plan (see below about knowing your limits and vibe checking with everyone) and try to stick to it but be reactive and vigilant to what's happening around you. Don’t make unnecessary stops on the way to or from the demonstration. Look out for one another and make sure you leave together.
KNOW YOUR LIMITS AND VIBE CHECK
It’s important to understand your limits. What you personally are able to do in terms of the demonstration you’re attending. In some cases that might look like physically putting your body in between the far-right and, for example, a hotel or an asylum centre. In other cases, it might be standing back from the ruckus and chanting. In others, it might be not attending at all but providing support from afar.
There are lots of reasons why your limits may be set at a certain level - everything from an unregulated migration status meaning you can’t get arrested to feeling burnt out or any number of things. Knowing these limits, and making sure to communicate them to your friends, ensuring you’re all on the same page is vital.
MASK UP
As riots spread across the country, Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to crack down on those involved in the violence including with the use of facial recognition technology. Much has been written on how dangerous this technology is, and the threat it poses to civil liberties.
If you are countering a far right demonstration, it is likely you will also be surveilled using this technology. It is why, before this year, the advice had always been to mask up before attending. New legislation brought in during the dying embers of the last government has given the police powers to demand you remove any face covering at a demonstration.
Of course, it is cold and flu season so if you were to wear a mask to prevent the spread (safety first!) it would have the added benefit of also obscuring your face.
On this subject - wearing plain and dull clothing rather than loud patterns, logos etc will help keep you safe both during and after the demonstration, and will make you harder to identify.
BE PREPARED
These demonstrations can go on for some time, especially if the police use containment tactics such as kettling. They can get violent - even if you’re separated from the far right, they will still throw glass, bricks and anything else they can get their grubby little hands on at you. Make sure to keep these things in mind when packing for the demonstrations. Seasoned activists I spoke to recommended taking water, snacks, battery packs and protective gear like helmets if you have them.
Avoid carrying your ID with you or your phone - especially if you will be taking part in action that is arrestable. Burner phones are your friends.
DISCLAIMER: None of the information in the article above should be taken as legal advice, but as a guide to protesting safely. If you have specific questions about your rights or the implications of certain actions, you should contact a legal professional.
You may have missed…
On Wednesday I published a big read into the incredible and vital community resistance and organisation around the case of the Manchester 10. I was so honoured to sit down and chat to Roxy, Director of Kids of Colour, who played a major part in that campaign, and found our conversation really moving and inspiring. If you haven’t yet, you can read it by clicking on the image below!
Policing the Police
Across the last few weeks I’ve been bringing you coverage of the fall out around the National Palestine demo in London. As we know senior members of the anti-war movement have been charged, elected officials were brought in for questioning under caution and scores of people (including pregnant women) were violently arrested that day. London Assembly Member Zoe Garbett has been one of many Greens raising concerns about it. In city hall this week Garbett put allegations of over-policing of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign demo to the Met Police Assistant Commissioner, and here’s how that went…
Trans rights are human rights
I’m sure many of you have been watching on in horror at the targeted roll back of rights for trans people in the states. We know many so-called protectors of women’s rights are now turning to the convicted rapist in the White House for guidance on how to enact similar regressive policies here in Britain. Indeed the situation here is far from perfect, with huge gaps in healthcare (or outright bans), eye watering rates of ill mental health, precarity, violence and more (not to mention a rabidly transphobic media and political class). It feels like an especially bleak time to be a queer person.
As I’ve said a number of times (and will keep banging on about it), in times of darkness, fear or despair, I always find hope in the actions of others, be they big or small. It’s why I wanted to include a little shout out to my dear friends Queer House Party, and all the fantastic work they have been doing across the winter with helping to run the UK’s first Trans Winter Night Shelter. You can read what they’ve been up to in the insta post below.
Weekend Listings:
Friday 31st January
Manchester: Ferranti 2 sentencing, 9:30am - 1:30pm, M1 3FS
Palestine Action say, “Support actionists who disrupt Israel's military supply chain as they fight to prove in court that the war criminals are the only guilty party.
Show up to their court hearings and make it clear that we are all Palestine Action!”
Saturday 1st February
London: National Demonstration to stop the far right, 11:30am, SW1A
Stand up to Racism say, “Assembly point for national demo against fascist Tommy Robinson. Sat 1 Feb 📍St James’s Street (off Piccadilly), London
Robinson is calling the far right to spread racism and hate on the streets of London. They must be stopped. Join us in our unity and numbers to say the far right won’t divide us.”
Sunday 2nd February
London: Peace & Justice Project presents... The Menstrual Cramps, Jeremy Corbyn and more, 7:30pm, W1D 1LL
Part of the Music For The Many campaign to protect grassroots music venues, Jeremy Corbyn's campaign is coming to the UK's oldest grassroots music venue for an exciting night of music, solidarity and demands for the government to support and invest in independent creative spaces. This very special collaboration marks the end of Independent Venue Week (which you can read more about here.)
Tickets are available here.
Thanks so much for reading. If there are any typos in this, I am very sick with a demon cold so please be comradely and ignore them. As ever, if you have any events, festivals, demonstrations, actions or fundraisers that you would like included, please do get in contact with me.
I hope to see all of you on the streets soon,
ben x