May Day was celebrated for the first time in years yesterday with a march celebrating the worker’s movement and opposing the ConDem attacks on working people in Britain.
Trade Unionists, students, pensioners, workers and the unemployed joined together to say “job losses? No Way”
The march started from the Cars tooted and passers-by cheered as the noisy march left the workers memorial, making its way to the docks, and then down to Southsea Seafront.
There were banners from Portsmouth Trades council, NUT, Unite, Unison, GMB, Solent Feminist Network and great homemade placards from the Save our Sure Start! Campaign.
The march attracted the attention of the English Defence League, who could only assemble two people in opposition and would come as close as about 200 metres to the final rally on the common.
Speakers such as PACT convener Jon Woods reiterated the importance of a united fight back, and the importance of solidarity especially on June 30th, which could see nearly one million workers on strike over Pensions.
Pictures used with permission from Jon Neil
pompeyagainstanarchists
May 15, 2011
the “opposition” wernt EDL. they were just patriots. much love and enjoy your lentils
Sam Bogg
May 16, 2011
Considering the event was splashed over the EDL’s facebook groups, and people saw two known EDL members at the start of the march, chances are they were EDL.
And what were they protesting against? Are they for an assault on the Working Class? Because that’s what David Cameron and the Tories are doing.
The EDL are just proving themselves to be an increasingly fascist organisation by opposing the working class movement.
pompeyagainstanarchists
May 16, 2011
the ones at the start of the march may well have been, the two at the end were not. and the old bill wouldnt let them get any closer than 200 meters unfortunately. do your research mate, EDL are not against the working class, the majority of the EDL are working class themselves. the event was spread around facebook by the EDL and other nationalist groups from portsmouth as it was first believed to be primarily anarchists, UAF and SWP, who are openly hostile towards the English defence league.
Sam Bogg
May 16, 2011
The Majority of the EDL are working class, but they are backed by the rich who want them to do their bidding, by splitting the working class along racial and religious lines.
And maybe the nationalists should do their research. The march was organised by Portsmouth Trades Council and supported by PACT and other trade unions. Hardly a sole anarchist march.
And SWP and UAF oppose the EDL because they split the working class, something the Working class should be against.
Why would you want the working class to fight againt eachother for the scraps off the ruling class’ table, when we should be fighting the ruling class to be on the table?
pompeyagainstanarchists
May 16, 2011
EDL do not want to split the working class in any way, they are against militant islam and the islamification of england. the UAF are against the EDL because they think they are racist/fascist, i find it quite funny how a uni student can ramble on about how people are against the working class. uni students are all the same, all pro socialism until they get they’re nice well paid jobs, then they turn tory. anyway, i was there on the day of this march, and i can tell you that the only reason for there not being a large counter demo was purely because it turned out it was a PACT march. all working class people oppose the cuts, including the EDL.
Sam Bogg
May 18, 2011
The EDL members may not want to split the working class, but its leadership certainly do. Why else would they attack Trade Union bookshops and meetings? Why would they attack may day marches?
Also, the idea that all students are middle class or above is moronic. You need to get your head out of the 60′s. These days, a significant amount of students are working class. Im from a working class background. I am pro-socialism because I can see the evil that capitalism does.
When the EDL attack mosques, Sikh temples, and immigrants in the street, they may be anti-cuts, but they are also anti-working class.
Bullshit-Detector
May 18, 2011
Point 1. “the “opposition” wernt EDL.” “the ones at the start of the march may well have been, the two at the end were not.”
A couple of nippers turn up on the common to wave their made-in-China flags at the wind. One of whom wears an EDL shirt in his Facebook profile pic and makes references in support of the EDL throughout. He claims to be EDL. Are the EDL disowning him or are you talking bollocks?
Point 2. “the old bill wouldnt let them get any closer than 200 meters unfortunately”
What were you hoping the EDL ‘dynamic duo’ were hoping to achieve if they had been allowed closer exactly?
Point 3. “it was first believed to be primarily anarchists, UAF and SWP, who are openly hostile towards the English defence league”
You’d better brace yourself EDL supporter. These are just a few of the organised groups and non-aligned individuals who oppose the EDL. Most people oppose racism and fascism. But look into the ranks of the EDL and you will see these vile ideologies tolerated at best and celebrated at worst.
Point 4. “EDL … are against militant islam and the islamification of england”
The EDL believe that if they say “day is night” and “night is day” often enough that eventually people will close their curtains on the Sun. To say they are against “militant islam and the islamification of england” is disingenuous. It is against the law to incite racial hatred. So, they try and circumvent the law by saying that they oppose a ‘militant’ version of a minority religion (less than 5% of the population). Actually their targets have included non ‘militant’ Muslims as well as Asians in general (e.g. Luton and Stoke), left-wing book shops, anti-racist meetings and much more besides “militant islam”.
Point 5. “all working class people oppose the cuts, including the EDL.”
If that is the case why don’t we EVER see the EDL demonstrating against the cuts?
Point 6. “EDL do not want to split the working class in any way”
Well that’s exactly what the EDL do. Imagine a Muslim Postal Worker working alongside atheist and Christian Postal Workers. The EDL aim to intimidate one as opposed to the others. Indeed many in their ranks wish to see one disappear as opposed to the others. If that isn’t splitting the working class I’d like to know what is.
pompeyagainstanarchists
May 19, 2011
if thats what you believe thats cool with me buddy
and which facebook member is this then?, cos i know both of the lads who were down at the common, and they were not there to represent the EDL in any way. funnily enough, if we are so “racist”, most of portsmouth uni must be as well. i walked through there unopposed sticking up posters and handing out leaflets.a few of the mob up there seemed pretty keen on joining. anyway gents, please feel free to attend a meeting, because it seems you need educating.
Bullshit-Detector
May 19, 2011
Just repeating that the EDL is not racist doesn’t mean that the EDL is not racist. How many racist comments begin with the sentence “I’m not racist, but … “? Let’s look at the practice instead. The racist chants and attacks on Asians that have taken place when the EDL have broken loose. No, the EDL constantly strive to distance themselves from racism precisely because most people find it abhorrent. Not because it is a genuine stance. Anyway nice to see that you avoided dealing with the points that I made
pompeyagainstanarchists
May 23, 2011
Noone is denying there are racist members in the EDL, but they are not welcome as can be seen in several videos. the EDL as an organisation are not racist. opposing a militant group of people is not racist in any way. if the militants where white christians, jews, sikhs or hindus, it wouldnt matter, they are still militant and anti english.
confused
May 25, 2011
hello again i see you making threats to the 2 nippers towards the end.. i was stood with them talking and for the time i was there … there was no mention to being edl…. the main words i did hear were patriotic… English.. and proud.
does that make no-one els proud to hear people that age talking about being so loyal to this fucked up country!
also you say the edl is funded by the rich …. i can assure you there not as my brother is in it and everything they do is funded by the volunteers of the edl! there are racist people in the edl but them people are soon told to hush up of get out.
i have to admit reading these articles are funny and would make a great action book as the writer is trying to make it sound like a jam packed action day for people. it wasnt !
id like you to stop “bitching” about the 2 lads they were there to support our country!
Bullshit-Detector
May 25, 2011
The EDL supporters here are a tedious. It is hard to tell whether you are consciously and deliberately spouting the lies of the ‘EDL line’ or if you are genuinely stupid and believe that what you say is the truth. So, let’s ignore the blatant deceit and look at facts and evidence instead.
That there may be Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, Gays or Lesbians connected to the EDL does not in itself define the organisation as non-racist or non-homophobic. These groups can have in their midst reactionary tendencies and can therefore align themselves to fascist groups. After all it is well known that prominent members of the Nazi brown-shirts were gay, but that didn’t stop gays from being victims of the holocaust. Also, I remember a tiny minority of black people trying to court favour with their racist peers, back in the 70s, by saying that they supported the Nazi NF. It did not mean that the NF were not Nazis just because a few vulnerable and naïve black people said that they supported them. The term ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’ springs to mind here.
Also, the EDL are not against ‘militant extremism’ per se. Only when they can identify it with a group that they consider to be ‘non-English’ (whatever that is). So, when white Nazis are found to be stockpiling weapons with a view to starting a ‘race war’ the EDL don’t bother demonstrating or marching against that.
Let’s not be distracted by the bull-shit rhetoric. As I said before let’s look at the facts. Documentary evidence exists to show the following at EDL gatherings, actions and on their website: Violent assaults on Asians generally and their property. Attacks on anti-racist meetings. Attacks on political opponents. Attacks on left-wing book shops. Statements against the student demos against increased tuition fees. Racist chants. Homophobic chants etc etc.
Against Muslim extremism only? Don’t make me laugh. The pattern here is not of a single-focus group. No, it looks increasingly like a fascist organisation.