March for England

[Wilko]

This has got me thinking what a ****ed up national identity we have. I am sure that most of us are anti-fascist and accepting of multiculturalism. At the same time though we seem utterly confused and unsure of how to celebrate our own culture, it is our national day on Tuesday and for the most part people are completely unaware of this. Should we not all be out celebrating our national day? should it not be a national holiday? Should we have street parties and all day drinking (it is what we do best)

Or are we all actually terrified that if we celebrate too hard we will be deemed racist.? What a ****ed up state of affairs.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

This has got me thinking what a ****ed up national identity we have. I am sure that most of us are anti-fascist and accepting of multiculturalism. At the same time though we seem utterly confused and unsure of how to celebrate our own culture, it is our national day on Tuesday and for the most part people are completely unaware of this. Should we not all be out celebrating our national day? should it not be a national holiday? Should we have street parties and all day drinking (it is what we do best)

Or are we all actually terrified that if we celebrate too hard we will be deemed racist.? What a ****ed up state of affairs.

Sort of agree. Its a lack of national identity. English people tend to pin their part of their country to their sleeves rather than the country as a whole. There SHOULD be a national English day that is proper celebration of where most of the world want to be a part of. Every other country celebrates their identity. The right-wing-hijack thing should be consigned to the dustbin of history. If only because the new invaders share exactly the same skin colour as the demonstrators. whijh must confuse the shit out of them. They don't even know who 'the enemy' is nowadays.

 

[Arthur]

Every year, in fact every one of these protests all of the trouble seems to have been caused by the antis.

All they achieve is they cost the taxpayer a fortune and give those protesting/marching more column inches.

Also they are anti fascists, but are trying to dictate who does and who doesn't have the right to protest/march?? Doesn't really strike me as much of anti fascism attitude.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Every year, in fact every one of these protests all of the trouble seems to have been caused by the antis.

All they achieve is they cost the taxpayer a fortune and give those protesting/marching more column inches.

Also they are anti fascists, but are trying to dictate who does and who doesn't have the right to protest/march?? Doesn't really strike me as much of anti fascism attitude.

Maybe there's a brewery somewhere that could defuse the whole thing and unite the country in getting pissed, same as Guinness has done for St Paddy's Day. I think Bombardier has had a stab at it, as has Shepherd Neame, but needs a concerted further push. Should be a fun positive day that everyone can celebrate. IMHO like.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Just excuses to cause trouble in my opinion, why else would you fully wear black and have your face covered with a balaclava ?

 

[The Large One]

What I was quoting, was the fact that Jason Kitcat was effectively saying was that all protesters are welcome to Brighton, hence the EDL and other organizations keep turning up to our city and that if we were not so open and perhaps took a harder line, then scenes like those that happened today would not happen at all. As for allowing a counter protest to take place at the same time is completely ridiculous.

Don't disagree about the aggravation it can cause, but I'd rather be allowed open freedom of expression (irrespective of how much I agree or disagree with the given subject) than something amounting to censorship. But Brighton has always had that air of free expression - nothing has changed really; Jason Kitcat - wisely or unwisely - just openly mentioned it, although when he said I don't suppose it was EDL he was thinking of when he said it.

However, there are scores of cities they could have chosen, and I don't believe that the EDL decided to come here just because a council leader said demonstrations are a good thing.

Today is the perfect day for a counter-demonstration. How can you have a counter-demonstration against a demonstration that isn't there? As for having a general anti-fascist demonstration (when there's not groups around specifically to demonstrate against), it serves no purpose, really.

Personally, I am all for protesting and demonstrating (even the EDL) - how you do it is the important bit; it's how Brighton & Hove Albion was saved, for one.

 

[Soulman]

What I was quoting, was the fact that Jason Kitcat was effectively saying was that all protesters are welcome to Brighton, hence the EDL and other organizations keep turning up to our city and that if we were not so open and perhaps took a harder line, then scenes like those that happened today would not happen at all. As for allowing a counter protest to take place at the same time is completely ridiculous.

Strange how the word "protest" and then "counter protest" has been brought in.
The March For England was originally held as a march for our patron saint and on a Sunday nearest the actual day.
I attended one of the earlier ones, and a friend of mine, from Brighton, walked with me, he is a proud Englishman who's Libyan father is a devout Muslim. His Dad celebrates his special days, and his son, who was with me, was brought up in England, and wanted to celebrate the event.
We met at the train station, and set off on the march, alongside two women pensioners, a few youngsters with young children in the buggies.
Within about 100yards we were subjected to a torrent of abuse from a rag tail and bobtail group. A lot of the anti's were from the local Uni's. We kept walking and at the end of the march we were welcomed into the King and Queen pub.
I sat inside whilst some of the other marchers were in the small beer garden, not for long as bottles and missiles were coming over the perimeter wall.
I actually chatted to a couple of students whilst in the pub who had been on the march, they were pretty embarrassed at the abuse and attitude from their fellow students in the Anti mob.
I stayed for an hour or so until things got sorted outside, then my friend and myself went our separate ways.
Since those days, big St George Day events have been cancelled or completely scaled down, like the one in Sandwell (West Brom) which attracts over 10,000 people with bands and St George on a white horse etc. Mind you the members on their local council give you a clue as to why the event has been knobbled.
As in many places now, it does not seem right to celebrate our patron day......thankfully a couple of pubs in Worthing have a decent bash.
So no i won't be attending any more St George's Day marches in Brighton, the memories of seeing my two lads in the Cubs/Scouts allowed to celebrate in style, is good enough for me.
Thankfully i know if i go to Brighton for a St Patrick's Day bash....it will be fine eh.

 

[Arthur]

Maybe there's a brewery somewhere that could defuse the whole thing and unite the country in getting pissed, same as Guinness has done for St Paddy's Day. I think Bombardier has had a stab at it, as has Shepherd Neame, but needs a concerted further push. Should be a fun positive day that everyone can celebrate. IMHO like.

I agree. But they'd need to package it a bit fluffier. A March just sounds all very aggressive. Why not have a St George's Day parade? When patriotism is done correctly it can have a positive affect on the country just look at the Olympics or major football/rugby/cricket tournaments.

 

[Bakero]

Are you serious, or just a bit dim. One poster lives in England and the other in NZ. Do you not think it is possible we are both looking at the "live" feed that was put up earlier on the thread.
Wake up sleepy head.
Get it checked out by Admin....then perhaps your mind will be put at rest eh.

Woah, calm down, flounce. I wasn't being serious. Now I'm not so sure though; I think you doth protest too much. You can set your location to be wherever you want. I smell a conspiracy.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Just excuses to cause trouble in my opinion, why else would you fully wear black and have your face covered with a balaclava ?

I think we all know why....

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I agree. But they'd need to package it a bit fluffier. A March just sounds all very aggressive. Why not have a St George's Day parade? When patriotism is done correctly it can have a positive affect on the country just look at the Olympics or major football/rugby/cricket tournaments.

Totally agree. Would be grand if St George's Day could somehow be marketed in the same way as Euro 96 or the 2012 Olympics, as a party to which everybody was welcome.

 

[pastafarian]

its about time this silly idea of celebrating a religious dragon fighting weirdo was abandoned

it would be far simpler to have our national day renamed Maggie Thatcher Day,modern day convictions and morals the whole country can relate to and at least everyone would feel included,a nice peaceful day everyone could celebrate

would put a stop to all this silly cock waving and fighting by groups of people who just seem to be arguing over who has the most balaclavas

 

[Soulman]

Woah, calm down, flounce. I wasn't being serious. Now I'm not so sure though; I think you doth protest too much. You can set your location to be wherever you want. I smell a conspiracy.

Fair enough.

 

[superwomen]

Does BHA charge the Police to park there vans/cars etc in Bennets Field as when we passed the Stadium there where police vans etc parked up ! when we have protect marches in the City

 

[Dick Head]

I'll probably be celebrating St. Georges day on Tuesday evening at my local. There will be Morris dancing and I'll have a couple of pints of Jamaican lager.

 

[shaolinpunk]

I was driving back to Brighton a while ago and, at one point, on the other side of the A23 I saw no cars just a police bike, then another, then one more.

"Has there been an accident?" we pondered. More traffic came into view; police vans and a coach.

"Ooh, a police escort, I wonder if that is anything to do with the March For England thin-yep it's definitely them, not one person on the coach had hair"

 

[Soulman]

I was driving back to Brighton a while ago and, at one point, on the other side of the A23 I saw no cars just a police bike, then another, then one more.

"Has there been an accident?" we pondered. More traffic came into view; police vans and a coach.

"Ooh, a police escort, I wonder if that is anything to do with the March For England thin-yep it's definitely them, not one person on the coach had hair"

Blimey, driving "on the other side of the A23"... and being able to spot that "not one person on the coach had hair", you could have had an accident yourself.

 

[shaolinpunk]

Blimey, driving and being able to spot that " not one person on the coach had hair", you could have had an accident yourself.

I wasn't alone in the car

 

[Soulman]

I wasn't alone in the car

Fair enough, i suppose if you were driving at 5 miles an hour, your mate might have been able to see across the "the other side of the A23".....and spot ""not one person on the coach had hair".
All males were they?

 

[glasfryn]

Who or what are the EDL defending against England?

the Welsh