WTAF - Far right protests

[Poppi89]

I have just heard on the radio that far-right protesters will be out tomorrow in response to the BLM protesters. People are being urged not to be out in support of BLM tomorrow due to the aggressive nature of the far-right group and BLM protests are being cancelled because of them.

I am outraged by this. The BLM protesters are asking for people to not be killed due to the colour of their skin. They have rightly or wrongly made a decision to put themselves at risk of COVID-19 to help spread this message - a lot of people have called them idiots etc for doing this.

The far-right protests are now also protesting in large groups (but not in response to a murder) and are 'known' for being aggressive. How is this acceptable?

I would like to hear from anyone who is planning to join/agree with these far-right protests and their reasons why?

I've seen videos on Twitter clearly showing some Nazi salutes amongst the protests today and yes I did check to make sure it was today's

Come on then those of you who support the 'patriotism' of the british sacrifice during WW2 how do you square the circle of those you claim to support making Nazi salutes? Im sure it will be tumbleweeds

I tell you what I am ashamed of them, they are not there to protect shit, they went to cause violence. Fucking disgrace.

BLM have cancelled the official demonstrations to avoid giving far right groups the excuse for violence

You’re making it sound as though BLM are peaceful protesters. Firstly, nobody knows exactly what they are protesting for. Some have said it’s the defunding of the police and the forceful dismantling of monuments of white supremacy. You could read that as lawlessness (defunding police) and iconoclasm (vandalism). The scenes in London last weekend didn’t look peaceful to me.

Far Right groups are up for violence, yes. That’s deplorable. They will be arrested if things get violent. The police will (rightly) not stand back and let them get on with it like they did last weekend.

It’s a terrible situation which has got completely out of hand. One group was allowed to break lockdown and cause major vandalism and violence and abuse last weekend. Is everyone else supposed to applaud that? Lots did. But it seems they only approve of violence and abuse from one side...

tell you what I am ashamed of them, they are not there to protect shit, they went to cause violence. Fucking disgrace

Funny enough the media aren't showing those in their berets causing zero trouble. Remind us of last week at all? And everyone saying you can't judge everyone? Also it's not a nazi salute, I've seen on social media the video people are referring to.

The scenes in London last weekend didn’t look peaceful to me.

The protests were 99% peaceful

1 side protesting for equity of rights for POC in 2020, the other side throwing up Nazi salutes, I know which side I support

‘Some have said it’s the defunding of the police and the forceful dismantling of monuments of white supremacy. You could read that as lawlessness (defunding police) and iconoclasm (vandalism)’

You could. I very much doubt other people could.

The far right groups use ex servicemen as cover.

The veterans have spoken to the police and have left the area. BLM have called off their protest.

In my opinion, anyone left out there now is just spoiling for a fight and should be treated accordingly.

Anyone with any sort of sane bone in their body should go home.

I was wondering how long it would take for those who decided that the whole protest movement was invalid because of a tiny % of people to start the ‘not all those ‘protecting’ the statues are violent, far right extremists.

These "patriotic statue defenders" are doing Nazi salutes in eyesight of the Cenotaph. Shame on anyone who identifies with or supports these scum.

’The veterans have spoken to the police and have left the area.’

Thank god for that. I understand why they went there but the statues are now boarded up and protected. The threat to the statues was deliberately exaggerated by those looking for violence. I’m glad that those who were there with good intent on both sides are safe and out of the way.

A lot of pent up male aggression after 3 months coming out.

If the police had been allowed to police last weekend it could have been avoided.

'veterans' peacefully 'defending statues'
To the posters on here who supported these right wing thugs by pretending this was a 'freedom of speech' issue. These are the people the OP was talking about and who you have defended.

I think we can do without violent protests ever and even peaceful ones are not a great idea at the moment due to a pandemic. But during usual times everyone should have the right to peaceful protest.

So if the far right are violent towards the police it’s ‘pent up male agression’. Righhhht.

'Two things can be simultaneously true. Legitimate BLM protests were derailed by thugs determined to kick a hornet’s nest. Legitimate protests against the vandalism of memorials including the Cenotaph have been derailed by thugs determined to kick another hornet’s nest'

This is so true. Some arseholes last week attacked the police and now the same this week.

People are the problem, doesn't matter what the 'cause' is.

That said, how odd that the police are in riot gear already and defending the cenotaph this week, when last week they took a much more passive stance initially and let people do what they like.

I am absolutely ashamed to be English today. I don't usually wish harm on anyone but there's no social distancing going on so may they all be struck down.

@BaileysforBreakfast - I think if you are defending free speech or right to protest, it necessarily involves defending some fairly unsavoury people and views. I have no problem with anyone peacefully protesting providing it is genuinely peaceful and within the law.

What kind of arseholes come out to 'counter' BLM protests? I have Met police friends who've told us to stay away from the BLM marches now because other 'elements' and far-right racist grps are using them as an excuse to start fights and riots and it won't be safe to attend even the peaceful ones.

@Glowcat

So if the far right are violent towards the police it’s ‘pent up male agression’. Righhhht.

I've said for weeks there'll be civil disorder on the streets due to boredom and angst after 3 months.

The thugs this week and last week are dreadful people but the police should have enforced the law last week. They didn't so people are taking the law into their own hands. This is what happens under mob rule.

The far right have a history of this. It has nothing to do with lock down or policing. Shameful stuff.

This thread says everything about how ingrained racism is on this forum.

Black Lives Matter protests: They’re violent thugs, selfish idiots, no one should be protesting right now, murdering old people by spreading COVID, just doing it for attention, just virtue signalling, what do they EVEN WANT??, censorship, everything gets called racist nowadays, these protests are racist against white people, racism against white people is just as bad as racism against black people, being called racist is just as bad as being the victim of racism, actually if you see race that makes you racist, who gets to dictate what is and is not racist?????, disrespecting history, ignoring history, whitewashing history, MARXIST PLOT TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD.

Far right/Neo Nazi protests: They have every right to protest how dare you try to infringe their freedom of speech it’s censorship if black people are allowed to protest so should the other side otherwise it’s hypocritical and who gets to decide what counts as “far right” anyway?

Carole I think if you are defending free speech or right to protest, it necessarily involves defending some fairly unsavoury people and views. I have no problem with anyone peacefully protesting providing it is genuinely peaceful and within the law.
I agree entirely with that. However, this thread was clearly about right wing thugs threatening a counter protest, which led to several pages of posters framing this as a 'freedom of speech' issue when it was nothing of the sort.

Why is it right for one group to protest and not another.

Because one group is protesting for the right to not be murdered purely for being black.

And the other group are ACTUAL LITERAL NAZIS.

'What kind of arseholes come out to 'counter' BLM protests? '

It isnt the blm protests it's the graffiti of monuments while police stood by and the boarding up of the cenotaph and Churchill. Many veterans are rightly furious.

The police should have protected the monuments last week.

I don't agree with far left or far right protests and violence but I do think the anger from veterans is understandable.