UNITED KINGDOM: Police have been accused of siding with a right-wing mob during violent protests following a drag queen’s performance at a south London pub. An official grievance has been made regarding the conduct of Metropolitan (Met) police officers at a rally called by Turning Point UK (TPUK).
Damien Egan, Lewisham’s mayor, expressed concerns to the Met about the policing during the TPUK protest last weekend. Lewisham council members plan to contact Sophie Linden, London’s deputy mayor for policing, to investigate claims that counter-demonstrators faced police aggressiveness while threatened and intimidated by TPUK followers.
The incident is the most recent in a string of “culture war” protests by right-wing and far-right groups against drag queen storytelling events, one of which resulted in arrests outside the Tate Britain art gallery. The Patriotic Alternative and Independent Nationalist Network are among a coalition of far-right organisations focusing on the problem.
The Conservatives and TPUK have a long history of cooperation, with former ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel, Marco Longhi, and Lee Anderson all praising the organisation. TPUK staged a demonstration outside a bar because it held children’s story events with drag acts as the hosts in 2019. Activists who planned a counter-rally in favour of the event have called it “preposterous.”
A councillor from Lewisham claimed that police hesitated to act, but TPUK members were hostile towards counter-demonstrators. When the rally was being policed, TPUK demonstrators were allowed to approach and film customers, and officers were seen forcing crowds back. There have been reports of injuries, including a broken rib.
Families have the right to bring their kids to activities they deem acceptable. Witnesses indicate that officers wore badges endorsing the “thin blue line” movement, which is affiliated with white nationalism in the US. These badges are acknowledged as a sign of officer camaraderie and do not represent a specific cause.
The National Education Union’s local chapter has filed a complaint with the borough commander after police allowed TPUK to gather in the area where they had been blocking NEU protesters from gathering outside a primary school. The police allegedly “siding” with the TPUK, pushing heavily, surrounding the group, and putting their hands around one of their members’ necks.
A local lady who participated in a demonstration, Ada Cable, recounted how fascists had scaled the school’s fences and put flags and placards there. To prevent a repeat, teachers emerged to stand close to the school.
An officer approached and declared them a threat to public order, leading to police kicking and assaulting individuals.
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