PSNI Officers Allegedly Protecting Fascist March In Bristol

Hundreds of anti-fascist demonstrators in Bristol pushed back against a far-right hate march yesterday, outnumbering them 3-to-1 and drowning out their chants. Police confirmed that 8 forces were sending in ‘mutual aid’ officers to ensure the far-right march could pass unimpeded, raising questions for activists. Posts shared on social media by left-wing organisations are demanding transparency as to whether the PSNI was involved in protecting the far-right march.

“We utilised around 300 police officers for this operation, including mutual aid from 10 different forces both regionally and further afield, “ said the Avon and Somerset police in a statement. 

Stop Deportations Belfast, an organization which advocates for migrant and refugee rights, stated that “we note that many forces concealed identifying emblems with generic bibs and baseball caps. People across the UK deserve transparency and clear identifiers, “ adding that “in a clip, a police officer who was seemingly from Northern Ireland is approached and asked their reason for being in Bristol and protecting fascists”. The activist asked the officer 

'What do you think about what the PSNI let happen in the race riots in Belfast just weeks ago?', to which the officer replied, “'I don't know what you want me to tell you'”.

The group continued to criticise the PSNI, stating “how about why the PSNI covered up for paramilitaries? Why there was only 31 charged out of thousands of masked men who took part? Why PSNI were returned to barracks on June 9? Was there a 'do not intervene' notice? What did PSNI do the other 364 days of the year to disrupt the far right and loyalist paramilitarism?, “  and asserting that the “PSNI must immediately confirm if they sent officers to Bristol instead of tackling rampant far right and paramilitary groups that burned this city and committed ethnic cleansing through pogroms exactly 2 months ago today”.