Neo-Nazis held a rally opposite the Prime Minister’s official residence in London this afternoon, proudly waving the flag of Palestine among other emblems.
The rally against “Jewification” had a miniscule turnout of 25 to 30 people, but included members of National Action (NA), a new British group influenced by Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn Party. One of their members was recently convicted of trying to behead a Sikh in a supermarket in Wales. Also present were Polish immigrants from the far-right National Rebirth of Poland (NOP).
The group of neo-Nazis was kettled in a static location. They and the anti-fascists, who out numbered them vastly, shouted insults at each other across the police cordon for about an hour.
The counter demo included the Social Workers Party member, Communists and Green Party members.
Many of the people in the counter-demo seemed confused about the non-existent link between UKIP and Nazism. Several references to UKIP were made over a loud speaker brought by activists from the Socialist Workers Party.
“Stand against UKIP, stand against The Front National! Stand up for Trade Unions, stand up for Socialism!” they chanted.
One guy from Unite Against Fascism (pictured in grey UAF t-shirt) told me that “UKIP is a bigger threat than the groups here today” and “Anti-Semitism is falling” but “Islamophobia is the real problem.”
The event was initially to be held in Golders Green, an area that is 25 per cent Jewish, but was moved to its current location after long talks between Jewish groups and the authorities.
One of the event’s organizers, the prominent internet troll and self-styled Jew hating fascist, Joshua Bonehill, was arrested for publishing anti Semitic material (which used Holocaust imagery) and remanded in custody on Wednesday.
In his absence the event is thought to have been led by Eddie Stampton (pictured in the white t-shirt and dark glasses), a veteran of the far right and a current activist with New Dawn, and his right-hand man, Mr. Barrel, an Australian who works for a law firm in London (pictured in green with dark glasses.)
Before his arrest, Bonehill had already fallen out with Stampton, writing inexplicably last week: “I am not organising Eddie Stampton’s “Equality demonstration”. Stampton has invited a Jewish speaker and has announced his support for Anjem Choudary.”