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Protesters and counter-protesters clash at ‘mass-deportation’ rally
Hundreds of counter-protesters outnumbered a few dozen people on a UKIP-organised ‘mass-deportation’ rally on Saturday.
The counter-protesters gathered by the Cenotaph and UKIP close to the Colston plinth, with lines of police, some with dogs and others on horseback, attempting to stay between the two groups.
The opposing factions were mostly kept apart but a number of antifascists dressed all in black and wearing face coverings made numerous attempts to get close to the UKIP rally.
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Scuffles between police and antifascists broke out in different areas around the Centre on Saturday afternoon including on Clare Street next to Caffe Moka as they attempted to out-flank officers.
Police attempted to keep antifascist demonstrators away from the UKIP rally – photo: Rob Browne
At the UKIP rally, participants chanted the name of Tommy Robinson and spoke about the dangers of “Pakistani grooming gangs” as copies of conspiracy theory newspaper The Light were handed out.
UKIP leader Nick Tenconi arrived on the Centre next to two of his supporters carrying wooden crosses.
Tenconi called the counter-protesters “left-wing extremists”, “radical centrists” and “domestic terrorists” who should be deported.
“Today we have shown the entire world how pathetic and weak communists are as they meet Christian courage,” said Tenconi, a personal trainer from Reading.
The protests came to an end at around 3.30pm, with police giving the remaining attendees at the UKIP rally a lift away from the area in their riot vans as they were surrounded on both sides by counter-protesters.
UKIP leader Nick Tenconi is a personal trainer from Reading – photo: Rob Browne
Speeches from the steps of the Cenotaph included from members of Acorn and Bristol Anti-Racist Action.
Josh from Bristol Anti-Racist Action said: “This is something that the far-right try to do all the time. They take the symbols and the ideas of grander culture and of our country, or sub-cultures like the skinheads, and turn it for hate…
“Regardless of who you are, regardless of your particular political sect or where you’re from in the city, we all work together.
“Those scary looking people all in the black, they’re your friends. The harmless, well-meaning activists with their nice speeches and their vegan-baked goods, they’re your friends too. We all protect each other.”
Fadumo Farah from Acorn said: “We are standing together against racism and fascism. They try to divide our communities, spread hate and silence voices like ours.
“But we won’t be silenced. We believe in unity, justice and standing up for each other no matter what race, religion or background we are.”
A statement from Bristol’s Labour leader Tom Renhard was also read out, saying that “citizens of our city have far more in common than that which divides us”.
“Hate has no place in Bristol. We remain proud to be a city of sanctuary, a place that welcomes all, regardless of background.”
But from his own platform under the shade near the Colston plinth, Tenconi said that Labour prime minister Keir Starmer’s recent warning that Britain is becoming an “island of strangers” as a result of migration, and that how Labour and the Conservatives “are trying to outdo each other with how many people they can send home… is a direct result of our work”.
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Another speaker at the Cenotaph said that “we need to take every opportunity to make sure that fascists, racists and anyone filled with hate knows that they are not welcome in Bristol”.
She added: “Division doesn’t benefit us and it doesn’t benefit them. As a historian, I know they are not really fascists because they haven’t got a plan; they are just hateful, they are just misunderstood little boys who are having a day out in the sun with their mates and are trying to cause trouble.
“But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take them very seriously because it’s dangerous and there’s more and more of it in our society.
“We need to make sure that there is no place for it and we do that really well in Bristol… we need to chase them out of town and chase them off the streets.”
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Green Party councillor for Central ward, Sibusiso Tshabalala, made an emotional speech from the Cenotaph.
Tshabalala said: “As I look around me, I see the truest version of kindness. I see humanity, I see people demonstrating for something they can believe in…
“We acknowledge that we will not stand down by fear, we will not be limited by intimidation, we will not be driven by hate… because we understand that our trust measure is humanity.”
St George was an immigrant – photo: Rob Browne
Police made five arrests at the protests: a 37-year-old man on suspicion of assault; a 25-year-old man on suspicion of theft; and two women and a man on suspicion of breach of the peace.
Avon & Somerset Police chief inspector Jason Sims said: “Overall, both groups were calm and engaged with officers. However, we did see a handful of clashes between the two sides.
“A number of arrests have been made and investigations and further enquiries continue.
“I would like to take the opportunity to praise the officers and staff involved in the policing of this event.
“The feedback I have received so far is that officers acted professionally and proportionately to keep the members of the public safe and to facilitate the protests.”
There is no room for racism in Bristol – photo: Rob Browne
Main photo: Rob Browne; videos: Martin Booth
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