There have been anti-immigrant demonstrations and flag provocations across the region. They have sometimes been violent; they have always been deliberately intimidating. Those who attend the demonstrations or put up flags in prominent public places do so because being part of a mob gives them a sense of power. If nobody stops their bullying, it will go on. That’s what happens with bullies.
We have evidence that the Epping riots had little or nothing to do with local people. They were caused by extremist, fascist and white supremacist groups who invaded the neighbourhood. Later, these groups boasted on social media about which of them ‘owned’ Epping. A once local man, revisiting for a funeral, explains on social media that his old town was festooned with flags, though nobody who lived there wanted them. They were just too scared to take them down.
Anti-refugee protesters make obscene gestures to women
In Diss, a local group had concerns about a local hotel used for housing refugees, but they represented local people and had nothing to do with the demonstrations in the town. East Anglia Bylines has photos of one of these invading ‘patriots’ making obscene gestures with his genitals at women peacefully opposing them.
Later, during the so-called ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ flag campaign, three local women who tried to remove street flags were surrounded and bullied by a group shouting anti-immigrant obscenities. They were pursued, shouted at and filmed. When they escaped towards Diss police station, cars and a van slowed alongside them, their occupants jeering. The women later claimed police officers accused them of “causing trouble”. The flags are still there in the town, and again nobody dares remove them.
A good reason was provided in a story this week. On Wednesday, East Anglia Bylines carried the tale of a man in Norwich who was removing flags from lamp posts, then was severely beaten up. The offence was carried out by a group of men and witnessed by a passer-by. The assailants then fled.
Savagely beaten but police decline to pursue the case
Police were called, and nearby they found a van allegedly used by his attackers. When they went into the house, they found the victim’s own pole (used for removing the flags) with which he had been beaten. In spite of this, police told the gentleman that the case had been closed because “no suspects had been identified and there was no CCTV”.
The attack had been savage and bloody, as the pictures show. It was the kind of assault which would usually result in a term of imprisonment. Is it usual for the police simply to close a case of serious physical assault so swiftly, implying no more investigation will take place, when they have clear evidence against a group at least of involvement?
Committing violent crime in the name of patriotism
We must hope not, but presumably an exception would be if you are a violent right-wing thug and you can pretend you are committing violent crime in the name of patriotism.
But of course, Norfolk police are not by any means alone. In an admitted violent demonstration in Westminster, again against immigrants, the Met made only a handful of arrests. A couple of weeks later, at a demonstration opposing fascism and which nobody at all claimed was violent, the arrests came to hundreds. From which we gather that the Met are squeamish about breaking up a mob who are spitting and throwing bottles, and who would relish a fracas. Much more satisfactory to pick up dozens of genteel old ladies for holding up bits of cardboard. Two-tier policing indeed.
Councils too squeamish to act against protestors
In Epping, one local councillor – a Conservative – confronted the thugs on social media and told them to go home. But the council squirmed and muttered about ‘on the one hand, on the other’, and did nothing. Other councils in our region have followed suit.
Meanwhile, our government refuses to confront the rise of the far right politically, for fear that some of them might actually be potential Labour voters. Much of government policy (and certainly its rhetoric) is based upon the premise that they should do nothing to antagonise the far right. So fascism is on the march because those in authority are simply scared to confront them.
Those in authority are scared
Scared sometimes probably of physical reprisals. Scared of wasting scarce police finances and manpower. Scared in the case of councils of upsetting the local taxpayers when there is an election due shortly. And, you know, publicity… But all of these people confuse the mob with the people. All of them, those who govern us, are scared of something. Nobody wants to frighten the horses: they would prefer shamelessly to turn a blind eye to crime and intimidation, because it’s all rather sensitive and it would rock the boat.
Readers may recall the reason given by the Met for not investigating clear accusations of wrong doing by Boris Johnson. They had decided against any further action, they said, because of “political sensitivities”.
Politicians as political eunuchs
It is little wonder there is a furious public, though paradoxically, the more furious the electorate become the more those in authority withdraw. So we are unlikely to get any help there. Our politicians seem for the most part political eunuchs: scared of the far right, scared of the electorate, scared of the whips in their own parties. Just scared.
But a little heavy breathing down the neck of our councillors and MPs would represent legitimate pressure from those who voted them in and who they are supposed to serve. Because we are still the electorate and ultimately, we still have the upper hand.
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