AIBU to be shocked at the violence towards women at the Reform conference?

Really? Reform are basically a bit further right than the tories, who are slightly right of center.

Slimy Nige has responded saying no one was upset when he got milkshake thrown at him so he doesn’t understand why anyone should be bothered about this (or words to that effect)
no apology forthcoming.

@BlueSherbet

Once upon a time, Robert Jenrick used to pretend to be a serious politician. Clearly not anymore.

The fact that Reform are brushing this off rather than condemning it just makes them look weak, rattled and desperate. A serious, strong, stable party can handle a bit of heckling.

And I do think this conference might actually have been the end of them as a serious political force. Most of the voting public will be appalled at the scenes of violence against a young woman, peacefully protesting. This is going to put off huge swathes of centre right voters who might’ve been considering Reform, and it’s going to further solidify the tactical vote against them. I really think they’ve blown it.

Why a woman is being violently attacked by men AND women.

The attackers are scum and I hope they get dealt with by the police.

If she needs a hobby then you need to get yourself an education. Fascist? Seriously?

Not a peep about this from the mainstream media yesterday. Why?? But it's on social media.

It's all over the 'mainstream media'. The briefest glimpse at google reveals stories from the guardian, bbc, National, metro, evening standard - as there should be

Perhaps there would have been even more coverage if there weren't also black-clad masked thugs intimidating travellers and staff at the port of Dover.

Not sure why the threads on the conference violence are so vexed. It was a horrible event, worse than the usual manhandling of protesters at conference events, but not qualitatively different and very far from the most serious nastiness from the right.

You've really jumped the shark now Lukcy, but please don't stop. I think we're all getting a good laugh watching you claim to stand against VAWG and support free speech on one thread, while condoning VAWG and condemning free speech on another 🤣

But yabu @ILikeDinosaurs to be shocked. Reform showed their true colours long ago.
Remember when Richard Tice defended James McMurdock? Apparently being convicted of repeatedly kicking your girlfriend is just a 'teenage indiscretion' and he then went on to claim the victim lied and the courts believed it. That's the type of people reformers idolise, so it's no wonder they think nothing of assaulting women exercising their right to free speech.

It's like what I tell my kids, what you do is who you are.

Shocked, yes. Surprised, not at all

I voted YABU because it’s unreasonable to be shocked / surprised about any of this happening given who you’re talking about and all the glaring signs of these people’s character- any reasonable person could have seen or expected this happening.

edited for clarity

Have you seen the clips?

you want context around why a woman is beIng violently attacked, her hair being pulled etc by several men?

She was not trying to get onto the stage and even if she were, the security around party conferences would have meant an almost zero chance of her having a weapon and it wasn’t their role to prevent that. Security are there to prevent these things and these people were not security, they were thugs.

They're not likely to do that while Farage was encouraging it from the stage.

I wasn’t in the least shocked.

It'll be interesting to see how they manage (or don't) the political fallout from this going forward. At least one of the women attacked has now been in contact with the police, which means potential criminal proceedings and thus lots of potential for ongoing coverage.

It also means that this is available to use as a response any time any Reform politician who's not condemned the attacks wants to criticise either political violence or VAWG. As and when there's a trial for the murder of Ann Widdecombe, if it is indeed a far left murderer (trying not to say anything that would get me deleted here given the ongoing proceedings, I will edit if HQ want) they're going to be met with a barrage of you don't mind political violence when it's aimed at people you don't like.

It just shows what we all knew- they don’t want to protect women, they want to control them.

The brutal murder of a politician is a terrible, tragic thing. It was terrible when it happened to Anne Widdecome. It was terrible when it happened to Labour’s Jo Cox. It was terrible when it happened to the Conservative’s David Amess.

But it does not excuse violence towards a peaceful protestor, and to suggest it does is an affront to the long held British values of freedom to protest and free speech.

There have always been hecklers at most political party conferences and they are usually removed by security. Until now I have never seen any conference delegates/attendees use physical violence on the protesters.

Nigel Farage just laughed while watching the mob descend upon her, pulling her hair and attacking her with a walking stick.

I think one of the men has been identified and I hope that the police will arrest him.

I don't think you know what fascist means.

I agree with Robert Jenrick's response - "Oh boo hoo". 😂

For too long, leftist agitators have felt entitled to walk over others in society with a total lack of respect.

It doesn't matter what the event is - a protest, a political rally, a meeting, a religious service - whatever it is, these people have felt entitled to invade and disrupt proceedings, showing complete lack of respect to those present, as well as to their rights to assemble and express reasonable opinions etc.

I am pleased to see there is now some push back against these arrogant bullies and I found it deeply satisfying to see them being manhandled out of the Reform conference.

Indeed I think they got off pretty lightly.

We don’t really need any more context at all.

I’m sure the Labour Party were fearful after Jo Cox was murdered. I’m sure the Conservative Party were fearful after David Amess was murdered. I empathise with that. But that is what security are there for. It wasn’t security who grabbed at this woman, pulling her hair, it was party delegates. Whatever the context, they should have stood back and let security do their job.

There is absolutely no excuse for physical violence against a peaceful protestor, and if Reform had any respect for our democracy, they’d make that clear and condemn this.

I have listened to the woman. I don't need anything else to form my opinion.