Swindon's cenotaph was swamped with protestors on Saturday as 'Yellow Vest' pro-Brexit campaigners clashed with a coalition of anti-fascist pro-EU and union groups.
In total around 100 protestors gathered at the war monument. They were made up of 30 'Yellow Vest' pro-Brexit protestors and the rest anti-Brexit protestors who were squaring off against each other.
The right wing 'Yellow Vest' protestors, all of whom had adopted hi-viz tabards made famous by the socialist demonstrators in France who are calling for workers rights and a fairer tax system, were calling for Britain's immediate exit from the EU as well as an end to homelessness.
They were met by the larger group made up of a coalition of anti-fascist pro-EU and union groups made up of leavers and remainers but who were protesting against the anti-immigration rhetoric of the yellow vests as well as those who want the UK to stay in the EU and for the Government to stop adopting the right wing pro-Brexit stance.
To cope with the protests there was a high police presence on Saturday with certain roads closed off.
Your Comments
So the facist anti facist far left oppose free speech again, why state ' Far eight's and not opposed by far left ??
Posted: 11 February 2019, 5.53PM by: Steve-o
You failed to mention the one arrest of a far left Bristol woman. Bristol ferried in protesters against the yellow vests.
Posted: 11 February 2019, 5.59PM by: ianb
I voted for Brexit because I wanted UK Independence, freedom to sign bilateral trade agreements, secure borders & to have controlled immigration. No organisation or person influenced me, but some spoke for me. It was my own choice. And there are millions like me who did the same.
Posted: 11 February 2019, 8.39PM by: ianb
Not a bad report but can I just correct one factual error. The counter protest called by Swindon Trades Council was not an "anti-Brexit" protest, we had people from both sides of that divide in our ranks (personally I voted out). What united us was opposition to the far right actions and hate speech of the so called "Yellow Vests" who are trying to exploit Brexit for their extreme racist ends. Whenever they march there are sieg heils and racist insults thrown at people on the sidelines. Saturday was no exception. It's telling that the "Yellow Vests" greatest anger on the day was directed at one of our posters that read "Leavers and Remainers United Against Racists". You mention their inspiration is the French Yellow Vest movement but the major difference is that in France the far right types were thrown out of the movement early on, whereas here they have hyjacked it and poisoned the rhetoric with their hate.
Also worth pointing out that the majority of their meagre numbers were bussed in from London and Wales while most of our anti fascist side was made up of locals.
Posted: 12 February 2019, 9.58AM by: J Clarke
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