Somewhere between 300 and 500 gathered by Leeds Art Gallery today (Saturday) to oppose the BNP after their electoral success in Yorkshire and the Humber. Despite the police refusing permission, a march took place in which Anti-Fascists briefly reclaimed the streets of Leeds.
As Unite Against Fascism events go, this wasn't the usual round of dire self-congratulatory speeches that come from trying to build an alliance with the Tories. Disability and LGBT rights activists joined the UAF 'organisers' and Trades Council reps, and a message was read from a local children's author. One speaker began "standing here is like looking at Redwatch", another ran a line of jokes about Monday's "eggsellent" intervention, to which another responded with an out-and-out renunciation of violence. More than one person used the phrase "No Passaran" without explaining the context, alienating fresh enthusiastic campaigners.
The final speaker was the indomitable Weyman Bennet, self-proclaimed hero of UK anti-fascism. His was the first speech to even vaguely mention a march, as he announced that the rally was over and it was time to leave, but best to do it in unity, leaving as a group along the Headrow. With certain people clearly not paying attention, unsuspecting protesters were swept along with those who clearly had been annoyed at previous references to the event as a rally.
Out of the square everyone poured, with the police apparently determined to keep people on the pavement. A few meters along, and the march swarmed into the junction and onwards along the road towards the shopping streets and the bus station. Chants were many and various, with the Revo kids apparently carrying sheets with the words on. Might have been nice to see one, as a few of the chants were so long most people couldn't keep up. And so the march moved forwards at some pace, with the police running to keep up.
At the junction with Briggate, the front of the march took a distinct swing towards the shopping street. A confrontation ensued in which one anarchist-flag waving protester was dragged off to one side and shouted at by an officer holding his hoody by the throat. At least one shopper shouted that the march was a disgrace, but it appears little notice was taken by the marchers, perhaps a good thing for said individual who seemed to think her taxes were being unnecessarily drained by the events (in which case she should have seen the number of vans accompanying the Orange freaks later).
Some less-than-empowering stewarding from UAF ensured the march kept moving on towards the roundabout that marks the end of Headrow, whereupon the police suddenly blocked the march from proceeding. In the confusion which followed, the march headed back the way it had come, then a stand off, and then another reverse, with a police van appearing just in time to stop the traffic on the roundabout.
The protest took the third exit and moved towards the BBC, in full view of the passengers of every bus around the bus station. Chants directed at the BBC's apparent free airtime for the BNP, specifically on the Today program. A few quick megaphone speeches, some total failure to realise the back entrance was open by most of the marchers, and everyone was heading for pubs. Police appeared to follow in the first instance, but clearly got rather bored. For an event which might as easily have been entirely preaching to the choir, the determination to march was admirable, setting a clear trend for future activity.
The final speaker was the indomitable Weyman Bennet, self-proclaimed hero of UK anti-fascism. His was the first speech to even vaguely mention a march, as he announced that the rally was over and it was time to leave, but best to do it in unity, leaving as a group along the Headrow. With certain people clearly not paying attention, unsuspecting protesters were swept along with those who clearly had been annoyed at previous references to the event as a rally.
Out of the square everyone poured, with the police apparently determined to keep people on the pavement. A few meters along, and the march swarmed into the junction and onwards along the road towards the shopping streets and the bus station. Chants were many and various, with the Revo kids apparently carrying sheets with the words on. Might have been nice to see one, as a few of the chants were so long most people couldn't keep up. And so the march moved forwards at some pace, with the police running to keep up.
At the junction with Briggate, the front of the march took a distinct swing towards the shopping street. A confrontation ensued in which one anarchist-flag waving protester was dragged off to one side and shouted at by an officer holding his hoody by the throat. At least one shopper shouted that the march was a disgrace, but it appears little notice was taken by the marchers, perhaps a good thing for said individual who seemed to think her taxes were being unnecessarily drained by the events (in which case she should have seen the number of vans accompanying the Orange freaks later).
Some less-than-empowering stewarding from UAF ensured the march kept moving on towards the roundabout that marks the end of Headrow, whereupon the police suddenly blocked the march from proceeding. In the confusion which followed, the march headed back the way it had come, then a stand off, and then another reverse, with a police van appearing just in time to stop the traffic on the roundabout.
The protest took the third exit and moved towards the BBC, in full view of the passengers of every bus around the bus station. Chants directed at the BBC's apparent free airtime for the BNP, specifically on the Today program. A few quick megaphone speeches, some total failure to realise the back entrance was open by most of the marchers, and everyone was heading for pubs. Police appeared to follow in the first instance, but clearly got rather bored. For an event which might as easily have been entirely preaching to the choir, the determination to march was admirable, setting a clear trend for future activity.
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