This summer has been much like the last. From Bournemouth to Edinburgh, fascists have mobilised in the streets of Britain, marching for “remigration” and harassing asylum seekers staying in hotels. On August 9th, racists attempted to do the same in Bristol, calling a demonstration outside the Mercure Brigstow. Outnumbered ten to one by five hundred antifascist activists – including Bristol Antifascists, Bristol Against Hate, Bristol Antiracist Action, Bristol Stand Up To Racism and hundreds not part of any group – the racists were unable to get anywhere near the hotel.
Not quite getting the message, the racists – now rebranded as “Bristol Patriots” – immediately called another demonstration two weeks later, on August 23rd. With Castle Park as their new meeting point, they announced their intention to march to an unnamed location nearby. On the day, however – only a few minutes after their advertised meeting time – fewer than ten racists found themselves surrounded by hundreds of antifascist activists, who had mobilised in the same location more than an hour earlier and moved together in a co-ordinated effort to take the space. Another two-dozen trickled meekly into the far-right demonstration over the next hour, while one of the organisers panicked on a livestream, begging more “patriots” to come and reinforce their numbers. Meanwhile, the crowd containing them swelled to half a thousand. At this point, it seemed that the police, who had formed a protective ring around the much smaller group, would be forced to call the demonstration off.
Instead, as they have done time and again, the police sided with the far right. Attacking antifascists with horses, batons, fists and boots, the police attempted to march the racists out of Castle Park and towards the Mercure Brigstow. Even in the face of such indiscriminate violence, antifascists managed to halt both the police and the far right on Wine Street, forming lines and standing firm against hours of repeated assaults by mounted and foot officers.
Outmanoeuvred and contained once more, the police gave up on the Mercure Brigstow and turned to direct the racists to hotels housing asylum seekers at the Bearpit. Unbelievably, this involved marching them into the heart of Broadmead, where families, including young children, were holding a Palestine fundraiser. People in the shopping district – not part of and perhaps even unaware of the events of the day – were forced to scramble out of the way to avoid being trampled by police. All in all, with their brutality and absolute disregard for public safety, the police themselves exposed the farce that they exist to “protect” us. Ultimately, even with their facilitation, the racists – intimidated and completely demoralised – were pushed back to Castle Park and made to disperse for their own safety.
Fascists are afraid to organise in Bristol, and this is no accident. It is our collective strength, organisation and repeated willingness to mobilise that keeps hatred off our streets. Elsewhere – in Epping, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and many more – the racists outnumber us every week and are only becoming more emboldened. The same will happen here if we do not keep turning out. We must also recognise that “Bristol Patriots”, while racist, are not the sharp end of fascism. Unlike other hotel demonstrations across the country, neo-Nazis are not orchestrating things behind the scenes. It is our very unwillingness to concede an inch to racist ideas, our intolerance to intolerance, that prevents this from happening. Fascism is growing nationwide and we must not be complacent.
We should all be proud of our courage on Saturday, and our commitment to continuing the antifascist legacy of our wonderful, diverse city. If you or anyone you know sustained injuries at the hands of the police, please take photos, get a doctor’s note, and provide a detailed account of the incident to bristoldefendantsolidarity@riseup.net; there may be a chance to take legal action against the cops.
Love, solidarity and fuck the police.