A protest took place in London on Saturday against social media providers’ decisions to ban content from the conspiracy site InfoWars. Some of those participating wore red “Make Britain Great Again” hats. Sadly, their defence of free speech did not extend to anyone of opposing political view, and so during the evening some of their number decided to pay a visit to Bookmarks, a socialist bookshop, to do some damage.
Luke Nash Jones
As the Guardian has reported, “The owners of … Bookmarks, have said the store was attacked by far-right protesters wearing masks who wrecked displays and ripped up books and magazines … Posting on Facebook and Twitter, Bookmarks said staff were closing the shop on Bloomsbury Street in central London on Saturday evening when about a dozen people descended on it”. Attacking bookshops? What does that sound like?
It certainly didn’t sound like free speech, as Michael Bradley of Stand Up To Racism told: “Luckily no one was hurt this time, but this is a sinister development that indicates the growing confidence of the far right who feel they can attack a bookshop in central London in broad daylight … Attacking a bookshop also exposes their claims to be defenders of free speech as hollow”. So who was behind the attack?
Fortunately, left and right are united in their condemnation of this behaviour, and so identification of the culprits has been swift. And the ever-vigilant Jo Phillips was in the vanguard of those doing the identifying. “Make Britain Great Again led by UKIP member Luke Nash Jones were responsible for the attack on @Bookmarks_books” she told.
There was more. “The guy doing most of the shouting in the video is Mark Martin - I also hear ‘somebody should burn down this shop’ and ‘you should remove yourself from this planet’. We need to get this guy reported to police [dead right we do] … I also see Max 'Red Cap Boy’ … Elizabeth Jones of UKIP's NEC … Sharon Klaff … Martin Costello (UKIP Swindon candidate 2018) … Edward Howard (MBGA Youth Leader)”.
From the right, Sam Bowman seconded one identification: “the man on the left is named Luke Nash-Jones. I can give you details if helpful - send me a DM. I hope you are all okay”. Nash Jones may be familiar to Zelo Street regulars; he is also the voice of the Young Chartists, they of the “People’s Charter Foundation”.
And this is what the PCF says: “The People’s Charter Foundation is a non-partisan identitarian campaign group run by diverse group of passionate Tory, UKIP, and other patriots. We demand for proper Brexit, and for Britain to ban Sharia law. We work closely with the Bruges Group, Gays Against Sharia, the Campaign for Independent Britain, UK Against Hate, the Bow Group, MBGA News, and Better Off Out”.
Small wonder they cheered the release from prison last week of Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson. And small wonder they indulged in a Nazi-style attack on books. After all, this is another self-proclaimed “identitarian” movement, and from the actions of those movements across mainland Europe, we know what that means.
It means actual Nazis, genuine fascists. Freedom of speech is for them to decide. This is the ugly and intolerant face of the far-right. It has to be faced down and eradicated.
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What do the authorities expect? The silence of so many who are now giving encouragement to the hyperventilated "antisemitic" attacks on Jeremy Corbyn are ignoring the rapid rise of the extreme far right and Nazism and by doing so, giving these fascists succor. While Stephen Pollard praises Rupert Murdoch and his newspapers he ignores a favoured Murdoch columnist Andrew Bolt has just published a vicious antisemitic article on Jewish "ghettoes" in Melbourne. Murdoch's Sky News in Australia just gave a platform to a neo-Nazi Blair Cottrell who says he will force "immigrants" to leave (including Jews) and execute those who refuse- if he had the power, along with the usual antisemitic rants.
ReplyDeleteThis is the result of right-wing tabloids (most of the UK newspapers) exaggerating and publishing any anti-Corbyn diatribe they can. Jewish so-called leaders stay silent while racism abounds, except when it may involve Israel.
# I note now in the comments sections of say, the Daily Mail apart from a few loony comments it seems few are actually interested in the matter of antisemitism and seem to be switching off. The Jewish community has remained largely silent while all this claptrap is spewed. They will pay a price.
Coming soon to a town centre near you: Crystalnacht2.
ReplyDelete39 years in the making. A cast of a thousand far right loonies. Produced by Murdoch, Rothermere, ITN, the BBC and Sky. Out on DVD box set next month. Due to be included in soap opera scripts, maybe even a Star Wars episode. Book burnings optional.
Well done the British establishment. You've hit all your targets thus far.
Then l suppose they all trooped off to the Blighty Cafe and sipped Lattes to Tommy and the memory of Churchill.
ReplyDeleteBehaviour what's good for leftards is fascism when the right indulges in it!
Good publicity for Bookmarks who couldn't change my fiver when l last went in.
Can you provide an example of left wingers destroying a bookshop & its contents?
DeleteI hope that prosecutions results and that the prosecutions are reported by the BBC. But probably a forlorn hope.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why any prosecutions should result, the left always get a free pass when they indulge in such antics. In fact it is always the victims fault for not sharing their worldview and daring to take to the streets to express it!
ReplyDeleteBut then the left like to dress up for the occasion in black balaclavas and sunglasses, that's if they have sold out of V masks - brave souls!
Perhaps we could have an independent view and liberal stance on the violent fascists tactics of the left on this blog. No we will have to leave that to Tommy.
When fascist fights fascist can we say BOTH sides are wrong, or will the end justify the means lenin-like!
In other news Jacob Rees-Mogg's house is "vandalised" , of course this wasn't the work of the left, "Posh scum" could have been written by anyone. Perhaps TF could comment on this attack and somehow imply Mr Yaxley-lennon shares the blame!
ReplyDelete"Perhaps we could have an independent view and liberal stance on the violent fascists tactics of the left on this blog. No we will have to leave that to Tommy."
ReplyDeleteHow refreshing! A new definition of fascism and liberal in the same sentence.
Liberal Nazis - so that's the dream that nice Mr. Hitler was trying to explain to us. who'd have thought it?
Exactly, in your town centre fascists fight fascists, one lot claim to obey the rule of law the other lot think they are liberals. I suppose they are having fun and it provides bloggers with ammunition to attack their chosen enemy.
ReplyDeleteTrying to justify a stupid attack on a bookshop with whataboutism.
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of technique I used when being told off as a kid. I’d mumble about things my sister had done over the previous week.
Sad to see something I left behind before I’d reached double digits is now considered peak political discourse