Anti BNP Protest in Glasgow
In a week where I had derogatory comments about Scottish people removed from CNET and had taken part in the National Conversation event, the icing on the cake was that the English Defence League (off shoot of the Nazi BNP) was heading to Glasgow to spout their racial pish about Muslims.
Never one to miss an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone I decide to catch up with Eddy and make an an appearance at the Anti-EDL protest that was being organised by Scotland United to support ethnic minorities.
To be honest that wasn't the reason I wanted to attend, I was more concerned about why these English clowns were coming to Glasgow, I don't give a fuck what they do in their own country but don't bring your shit to mine.
Anyway, after getting off the bus the first thing we were greeted by was a police helicopter hovering about the centre of Glasgow. It turned out to be keeping an eye on the 80 or so EDL Protesters who had their protest rejected by Glasgow Council and had been hemmed in by the police.
The news reports and protest planning request before hand had said about 500 Nazi supporters would be attending, they didn't get anywhere close to it.
We arrived at Glasgow Green to see a thousand or so folk gathered listening to the guest speakers including Nicola Sturgeon, Tommy Sheridan and Annabell Goldie all jumping on the fuck you EDL band wagon.
After the speakers had finished the protest marched through Glasgow, a fairly impressive show of support, 1000 folk chanting anti BNP and some anti establishment abuse (from the Socialist sections) escorted by hundreds of police.
It was all pretty easy going, folk walking with their kids and trying to sing along with the chants.
There was however one incident, after the march turned off Argyle Street heading towards George Square, one of the EDL\BNP supporters walking along the pavement (who hadn't been rounded up and detained at Sauchiehall Street) started chanting about supporting the BNP. (lol) I couldn't believe it, the hundred or so people that could hear him all started to slow down until they came to a stop, all in a kind of disbelief.
After a few seconds they turned to him and started advancing towards him, the only thing to his credit was that he only took a few steps back as the 50 or so closest protesters charged him. Luckily the protesters at the front closest to him stopped a few feet from him and held the rest back as the crowd behind started shouting and chanting 'there's more of us than there are of you' (lol).
Me and Eddy were in the thick of it, shouted inaudible abuse, if it hadn't of been for the police dragging him down an alley (never to be seen again hopefully) we would have been caught up in a mobbing.
After he disappeared everyone simply turned and continued towards Georges Square as if it had never happened, a peaceful protest right enough.
By the time we got to Georges Square I felt I had done what I set out to do, make sure these English clowns knew that they weren't welcome in Scotland.
A rare productive day, it's just a shame we never got to see the majority of the EDL (who after being surround in Sauchiehall Street were told to leave Glasgow) and that Scotland got humped 3-0 by Wales.
