On 21 February, Britain First were met — and overwhelmingly outnumbered and outmanoeuvred — by a powerful antifascist mobilisation under the banner of Resist Britain First (RBF), a coalition of grassroots organisations from across Manchester. The message was unequivocal: the communities of Manchester will not tolerate fascism on our streets or anywhere else.
The day also exposed, once again, the brutal realities of policing. While sections of the Right have spent years making wild and unsubstantiated claims about “two-tier policing” favouring minoritised communities and left movements, the truth on the ground could not have been more stark. It is antiracists, antifascists, people of marginalised genders and particularly people of colour who continue to face the sharpest and most punitive end of police power.
It was immediately apparent at the RBF assembly point on Sackville Gardens that there would be large police force deployments focused on the counter demonstration. Officers and vans were visible from the start. As the crowd grew Tactical Aid Units (TAU) suited in riot gear took positions around the space. Horse units were stationed on Sackville Street and commanding officers could be seen instructing officers where to gather their lines. Meanwhile, other officers were seen to converse and joke with far-right streamers who came to agitate members of the crowd.
Police officers were repeatedly observed enabling the Britain First mobilisation — laughing and joking with fascists while those same individuals marched through the city hurling racist, sexist, homophobic, and extremist abuse. The supporters of Britain First did not stop at verbal abuse; videos circulating online show they attacked members of the public and counter demonstrators in front of officers. A video shared by The Canary documents a women approaching an officer for support after being threatened with sexual violence by someone with Britain First, but no support came from the officer, instead solidarity and support came from members of the public.
Meanwhile, antifascists faced kettling, and Greater Manchester Police engaged in repeated and shocking examples of police brutality against protestors. Several protestors have come forward to report violent and reckless assaults by officers, some exceptionally brutal, and footage from the day shows officers’ use of batons, punching individuals, grabbing and dragging people to the floor, the use of police dogs and agitated horses. TAU officers — many not displaying required identifying epaulettes, in clear breach of force policy and professional standards — were among those involved. Legal observers, a crucial tool for the movement and protestors, whose presence is there to document police conduct and offer rights information to members of the public, were also assaulted by officers. These actions demonstrate the arrogance and confidence held by GMP, and show that they believe themselves to be above the law and without reproach.
Another widely circulated video from the day shows an Asian man, alone, being violently attacked by several Britain First supporters. Despite being the victim of a clear violent assault, he was the one arrested by police. This single incident encapsulates the broader pattern of police hostility towards communities resisting the far right, and police indulgence of those promoting fascism.
Antifascists were therefore forced to contend with threats and violence from both the far right and the police. As we have long argued, the line between the police and the far right is perilously thin. Saturday’s events illustrated that with disturbing clarity.
This is what the recent precept increase – the council tax increase to fund policing – appears to be facilitating: the enabling of fascism and racism, and the escalation of far-right and state violence. We must ask whether Burnham and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will continue to live in denial about the realities of policing in this city.
Netpol will be issuing a call for witnesses to specific incidents later this week. We urge all those able to support that process to do so.