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Far-right hail victory after Bristol protest
Far-right protesters said they are “proud as proud can be” as they hailed their anti-immigration march through Bristol as a success.
About 18 South West Inifidels were outnumbered by anti-fascists by roughly 20-1 when they marched with a ring of police around them from Hotwells to College Green where a massive steel fince had been erected at a cost of £100,000.
After the event, which saw clashes between police and anti-fascists, and one arrest for affray, South West Infidels said on Facebook:
is needed now More than ever
Meanwhile, a Bristol group writing on the Anti-fascists Newtork ridiculed the anti-immigration protest, calling it a “flop”.
“The only thing more embarrassing today than the pitiful fascist turnout, was the pathetic smash happy cops. Happy to force a march through of the dregs of the EDL, the die-hard zeig-heilers that are left behind couldn’t even agree on a chant in their little picnic of rollies and booze on College Green,” a statement said.
Hundreds of police officers from as far as Cornwall helped keep the demonstrations apart by shepherding the anti-immigration protest behind a giant steel curtain on College Green, which was closed to the public for the entire day.
Avon & Somerset were accused of overkill in their biggest police operation in the city since the EDL marched in 2012.
Supt Rhys Hughs, deputy commander of Bristol, told the Bristol Post afterwards: “There was a very small minority who blatantly disregarded our request for a peaceful day but they failed to disrupt the planned events.
“Finally, thank you to the people of Bristol, shoppers and those who live and work in the city for their patience and support during the running of today’s event and our operation which we hoped did not cause too much inconvenience.”
Read more: We followed the action so you didn’t have to