News / protest
Anti-immigration protesters face off against counter-protesters
“Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” was one of many chants shouted by pro-immigration protesters in the city centre on Saturday.
After news spread earlier in the week about a planned ‘Bristol Patriots’ demonstration in Castle Park, counter-protesters organised and met on Saturday from 11am at St Peter’s Church.
There were around 20 ‘Bristol Patriots’ in attendance
There were more than 100 counter-protesters in Castle Park and among them were the University and College Union, the Socialist Workers Party, Stand Up to Racism and supporters of Antifa.
is needed now More than ever
At around midday, the counter-protesters marched from the church to meet the opposing side who had by then gathered further inside the park.
Green councillors Lorraine Francis and Mohamed Makawi were among the counter-protesters
A row of police stood between both groups of protesters while mounted police settled along Newgate.
Around 20 members of the ‘Bristol Patriots’ group were in attendance. The group played Sweet Caroline and Wonderwall while the counter-protesters chanted pro-immigration messages.
One refrain regularly repeated by the counter-protesters was “Bristol is anti-fascist”.
There were over 100 pro-immigration protesters in Castle Park on Saturday
After a few hours of protest in Castle Park, the anti-immigration protesters were escorted by the police through Broadmead.
Counter-protesters followed, concerned the group were heading for a hotel hosting asylum seekers near the Bearpit.
As the anti-immigration group walked through Broadmead they were also confronted by dozens of members of the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who were protesting outside Barclays as part of a National Day of Action calling for a boycott of the major UK bank.
Following several clashes between the anti-immigration group and pro-immigration protesters, the anti-immigration protesters ultimately dispersed and were led away by police in small groups, leaving via Broad Weir.
Saturday’s anti-immigration protest in Bristol was one of several that took place across England on the same day, including in Exeter, Nuneaton and Tamworth.
All photos: Rob Browne
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