Help us reach our campaign target: Become a member
The Bristol Cable

Fascists plan demo in Bristol

Far right demo, Bristol June 2016
City

March has backing of former EDL leader Tommy Robinson

The far-right are promoting a demonstration to remember the deceased Kevin ‘Bunny’ Crehan on 4th March in Bristol.

Crehan died in late December 2016 while serving a 12 month sentence in Horfield prison for racially aggravated harassment at Jamia Mosque in Totterdown. Among the actions that put Crehan in prison was tying bacon to the door handles of the Mosque and shouting racial abuse at an elderly victim.

An inquest is currently being held to look into the circumstances of Crehan’s death but the police have said it was ‘not suspicious.’

Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson took to Twitter last week to say that he wanted to organise the demonstration “under the banner of the EDL”. However, the current EDL leadership has distanced themselves from Robinson saying they will be attending the march as “guests”.

The march appears to be organised by the ‘Pie n Mash Squad’, (slang for fash or fascist), a known group. There is also use of “5W”, or 5 words, a term regularly used by sections of the British far-right meaning ‘We Go Where We Want’.

Although there is no stated route or starting point for the demo, Robinson suggested it should be to the the Totterdown Jamia Mosque, which Crehan was imprisoned for attacking. As of 30th January, the event page has 198 likes. The event also appears to have the support of the South West Infidels, a far-right group active in the city.

On the page, the organisers say that Creahan was a “top lad” and call his sentence ‘ridiculous.’ Some comments lamented the British court system while others just posted generic racists abuse.

Bristol has a strong anti-fascist presence of different stripes who will be turning out a counter demonstration.

Comments

Report a comment. Comments are moderated according to our Comment Policy.

Related content

‘Faced with a deadly crackdown, we need to be the global voice of Iranians’

Iran has been rocked by weeks of protests after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. In Bristol and elsewhere, thousands of people are demonstrating in solidarity this weekend.

Colston 4 judgment: ’The government is tearing up our protest rights’

The Colston Four were acquitted earlier this year after tearing down the Colston statue. But a Court of Appeal judgment means protesters will be less likely to receive similar protections in future.

5 key moments in history that led to the Police and Crime Act

Now the government has restricted peaceful protest, criminal defence solicitor Matt Foot explains the history of violent policing at protests and outlines how we got here.

‘It’s what God is asking of me’: Bristol reverend, 80, will risk arrest again to raise awareness of climate crisis

Supporters cheered as Reverend Sue Parfitt had a conviction overturned by a judge.

Andreas Malm: ‘Why climate activists should engage in acts of sabotage’

Environmental protesters need to rethink their tactics, argues a Swedish scholar of human ecology who came to Bristol this week.

Man charged with riot and arson says police escalated protest into violence

He is accused of trying to set police vehicles on fire during the Kill the Bill demo on 21 March, but blamed police for turning the protest violent.

Join our newsletter

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter to get our weekly round-up direct to your inbox every Saturday

Join our newsletter

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter

Get our latest stories & essential Bristol news
sent to your inbox every Saturday morning