Self-proclaimed ‘anti-fascists’ have attacked a group of UK Independence Party (UKIP) campaigners ahead of the Stoke by-election, Breitbart London can exclusively report.
In the video, taken shortly after two UKIP leafleters were rushed by what were described as a group of “Hope Not Haters”, the men apparently responsible for the attack admit to pulling rosettes off the young volunteers and throwing them in a bin.
As the UKIP supporters approach the group to demand an explanation for the behaviour, the left-wing activists can be heard repeatedly shouting “scum”, before the leader of the UKIP campaign team interrupts to ask : “Excuse me, can I ask why you ripped a rosette off this man? Why’d you do that? Why are you attacking us?”.
A number of voices reply, with one offering the explanation that “we’re anti-Fascists”, another remarking “ignore them, the fascist scum… [the rosette is] in a bin just round the corner if you want it back…”.
While the video is at times rendered inaudible by wind noise, a member of the UKIP group asks whether the anti-Racist group think it’s acceptable to attack political campaigners “going about our lawful business”, but before he is able to finish he is again interrupted. Members of the group, who had been posting leaflets urging voters to oppose “Racist UKIP”, replied; “Well no, you’re not going about your lawful business… You’re going around spreading hate and lies”.
As the conversation continued, the rights and wrongs of attacking members of opposing political parties quickly refocused on specific points of UKIP policy, including the NHS. One member of the self-proclaimed anti-Racist group declared: “There is no evidence behind your policies whatsoever,you’re racist bigots, and you’re not welcome on our streets”.
Another said: “We’re here on behalf of the human race… We don’t need to be debating these horrid people”.
Speaking after the encounter, two members of the UKIP campaign team described having their rosettes ripped from them by the other group. One said: “I was just walking down the street and they came out of an alleyway. They spotted us, one guy came over to me, grabbed me by the scruff, grabs the rosette… and runs off with it”.
A second member described being targeted moments later, remarking: “I was stood on a [road] junction… he jogs up to me, grabs my rosette, and just shouts ‘I’ve got another one’, and then runs off”.
Owais Rajput, UKIP’s former parliamentary candidate for Bradford East was present and witnessed the attack. He said: “they attacked him, pulled his rosette off, and then tried to nick his bag as well, so this would be classified as a physical attack… they said ‘shame on you’. Why shame on me? I’m actually trying to be the voice of the voiceless people. If I’m working with my colleagues of all race, all religions, that’s not racist”.
The Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election has so far been characterised by intimidation and negative campaigning so-called anti-Fascists associated with groups like NorSCARF and Hope Not Hate. UKIP leader and Stoke electoral candidate Paul Nuttall revealed Saturday he had been forced to leave his Stoke address for his own safety.
The BBC reports comments by Mr. Nuttall’s spokesman who said two “unknown men” had tried to access the house through the back of the property and hate mail had been posted through the letterbox after the address was publicised on social media.
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