Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 October 2011 19:18:43
The Occupy Newcastle camp was attacked in the early hours of this morning. Undercover Anarchist has posted on this. From reading around the comments and the FB group it appears that in addition to the EDL who it seems were involved the NF were also probably in the mix. Apparently there were injuries but nobody was hospitalised.
This mob attack follows on from our "visit" from the EDL a week ago when one of the protesters was headbutted by an EDL sympathiser who it appears was not part of the EDL itself, but had arrived at the camp with some "officers" from the organisation. On that occassion I was told by the EDL guy I got into conversation with that he had "had complaints from some of the members" and that he'd come down "to see if it was time to make us move on" - the implication here was by force. He explained if they wanted to they could arrive when we were not expecting them. On that occassion we talked them down and stopped them going into the communal tent and attacking one of our number who they "had an issue with" and had invited "to go down the back alley with them". It was a wierd situation which saw me hugging the guy who described himself as "their area commander" after discussing where he may agree with us.
As I understand it yesterday things changed in part because of the Unite Against Fascism action, also at the Monument. This action took place after a planned protest against the rise in Islamaphobia had been postponed as explained on the Hope Not Hate website. The action led to the far right coming into the area the camp is occupying and throwing insults during the day, aswell as consuming a fair amount of alcohol.
Understandably people are very shaken up and I have not been able to get over to the occupation this evening to find out more or join in the meeting they are having regarding what should happen to the Occupy Newcastle protest now. When I find out what is going on and whether the camp is to stay or go I will post further news on here.
Suffice to say that the far right have shown yet again that the only language they are interested in speaking in the end is the language of violence and the protesters have given even more evidence of why they are amongst the bravest people I know.