Anti-racists hit back over police action

Jul 2 2010 by Colin Rutherford, Kilmarnock Standard

Anti-racists hit back over police action

ANTI-FASCIST campaigners have lodged an official complaint over the policing of the Scottish Defence League demonstration in Kilmarnock last month.

In their letter to Chief Constable Stephen House, the Scottish Anti-Fascist Alliance claim the police decision to escort the far-right demonstrators from Kilmarnock Cross to their meeting place at the Portmann Hotel amounted to them facilitating “an illegal march by a racist organisation”.

They state: “There were many activists present with the intention of making sure that the SDL would be unable to cause disruption and spread hatred.

“In the event, the priority of the police on the day was the containment of anti-racists, allowing the fascist SDL space to chant racist abuse, which clearly breached equality legislation and constituted incitement to racial hatred.

“There were also many clear incidents where SDL member made threats of violence.”

The group say that the police could not have been unaware of the presence in Kilmarnock on June 19 of “serious and organised far-right thugs ... such as members of the ‘British Freedom Fighters’, a hardcore Nazi organisation”.

There had also been threats of violence made by the same people since the demonstration.

The SAFA letter states; “There is copious evidence online and, if police intelligence gathering on these thugs is so woefully inadequate on the threat they pose, we can provide links to publicly available material.”

They also complain of “heavy handed” policing of anti-fascist campaigners, whose freedom of movement had been “severely curtailed”.

The letter continues: “In at least one incident the police focused all their attention on the harassment of non-violent anti-fascists, allowing a group of violent fascist thugs to come dangerously close to those they had pledged to physically attack.”

SAFA also express concern that the ‘official’ Kilmarnock and Loudoun United counter-demonstration was denied the use of Kilmarnock Cross.

They point out that the SDL had no permission to hold a march and ask: “Why then did the police see fit to facilitate them in holding an illegal march whilst shouting racial abuse and making Nazi salutes?

“Until the police can provide us with a coherent alternative narrative, we are forced to conclude that your priority on the day was protecting fascists and racists, whilst controlling the actions of non-violent anti-racists.”

They contrast the police action in Kilmarnock with that of the police at previous SDL demonstrations in Glasgow and Edinburgh where the group had been contained before being bussed out of town.

Although the letter of complaint has already been sent to the chief constable, anti-fascist campaigners hope to present it at Kilmarnock police station over the next few days.

Strathclyde Police made no arrests on the day and there was no obvious signs of trouble or violence. The Force said the operation was a success.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said on Tuesday that the force had not yet received the complaint so would be unable to comment.

No-one from the SDL was available for comment.