A petition calling on Sussex Police to ban the March for England following this year’s violence has been signed by more than 2,000 people just ten hours after being published.
At the time of publication, 2,059 people had signed the motion on the 38degrees website,with the total rising with every minute.
It says: “Each year March For England comes to Brighton to protest against diversity in our country, bringing with them violence and intimidation. We, the people of Brighton and of elsewhere in the UK, do not want them to march next year, or ever again!”
It adds: “Free speech is important in our country, nobody wants to deny peaceful protest no matter how abhorrent the opinions of the protesters are to us.
“But when a protest consistently brings violence, stands for racism, hatred of minorities and scapegoating, and costs the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds to police, it’s time to put an end to it.
“They are disturbing the peace and inciting hatred, and we want to stop them marching through our town.”
The petition will be delivered in person to Brighton police station.
Sussex Police issued public order notices to restrict what protesters could do this year, but stopped short of banning the protest itself despite repeated calls from politicians, businesses and the public in the run-up to the march.
It said: “It is a challenge to balance the rights of both groups to exercise their right to protest in a safe environment. The extreme option of seeking a banning order through the Home Secretary can only be taken when serious disorder cannot be prevented with the resources and legislation already available.
“Serious disorder means widespread violent behaviour. This could take the form of violent protest, rioting, criminal damage, looting and may include the use of weapons.
“Whilst there have been small pockets of disorder in previous years, these were contained by increasing the number of officers in the city.
“A banning order also only applies to a procession; no powers exist to prevent an assembly.”
This year, Sussex Police made 27 arrests in connection with the march. As of yesterday afternoon three had been charged and a further 17 released on police bail. Two fixed penalty notices for being drunk and disorderly were issued, plus a caution for drunk and disorderly behaviour and a youth caution for obstructing police. Full details are given at the end of this post.
Sussex Police have also appealed for information about a street battle on the corner of Gardner Street and North Road, which broke out after anti-fascists and nationalists confronted each other outside the Dorset pub.
This video was filmed from inside the pub as tables, chairs and glasses were flung:
The full list of charges and other actions following arrests at Sunday’s march:
Richard Kemp, 39, of Gibbet Street, Halifax was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause those persons to believe that immediate unlawful violence would be used against them, Adam Barr, 22, of fixed fixed address was charged with assaulting a police officer. They will appear at Brighton Magistrates Court on May 22. Alex Connolly, 24, of Forest Hill Way, Southampton. Charged with failing to remove an item from her face (section 60AA). She is due to appear at Brighton Magistrates Court on June 26.
- A 28-year-old man from Bristol arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 7.
- A 28-year-old man from Tonbridge arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 7.
- A 44-year-old woman from Hastings arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 8.
- A 49-year-old man from Littlehampton arrested on suspicion of ABH has been bailed until May 11.
- A 33-year-old man, of no fixed address arrested on suspicion of having offensive weapons will have no further action brought against him.
- A 49-year-old man from Littlehampton arrested on suspicion of using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence has been bailed until May 4.
- A 22-year-old man from London arrested on suspicion of failing to give officer name and address after acting in an anti-social manner will have no further action brough against him.
- A 32-year-old woman from London arrested on suspicion of common assault has been bailed until June 9.
- A 16-year-old boy from Brighton arrested on suspicion of failing to comply with section 60AA has been bailed until June 9.
- A 45-year-old man from Portsmouth arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 13.
- A 21-year-old man from Sittingbourne arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 24.
- A 41-year-old man from Brighton arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 13.
- A 23-year-old man from Bodmin, Cornwall arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed until June 13.
- A 37-year-old man from Hove arrested for drunk and disorderly was given a caution.
- A 27-year-old woman from London arrested on suspicion of violent disorder has been bailed until June 25.
- A 21-year-old man from Portsmouth arrested for drunk and disorderly was given a fixed penalty notice.
- A 39-year-old man from Fareham arrested for drunk and disorderly was given a fixed penalty notice.
- A 25-year-old man from Hove arrested for breach of section 14 notice has been bailed until June 26.
- A 17-year-old boy of no fixed address was given a youth caution for obstructing police.
- A 35-year-old man from Brighton who was arrested on suspicion of drug possession was released without further action.
- Four men, a 24-year-old from Belvedere, Kent, a 24-year-old from Slough, a 35-year-old from Slough and a 35-year-old from Farnborough were arrested on a train on suspicion of using racially or religiously aggravating words to cause harassment, alarm or distress. They have been bailed until June 14.
We had meeting with local authority and police yes obcourse it must be banned , we do not want them.they destroy our peace ,
We had meeting with local authority and police yes obcourse it must be banned , we do not want them.they destroy our peace ,
Please stop this happening here, how come it is illegal to make racist comments generally while these racists are allowed to walk our streets and hurl abuse at the public and the police… with police protection? It’s noncense!
Brightons public have been as tolerant as possible but enough is enough. In later years it’s noticeable that we have more and more citizens of ethnic origin, this has made Brighton a much better place and I’d like to think we can demonstrate our appreciation and respect that theyve chosen to live hear. Surely there is some legal loophole …. maybe send the fascist racists to a less interesting and dynamic place… let them ‘demonstrate’ in a field somewhere.
Thank you, C Branton
Please stop this happening here, how come it is illegal to make racist comments generally while these racists are allowed to walk our streets and hurl abuse at the public and the police… with police protection? It’s noncense!
Brightons public have been as tolerant as possible but enough is enough. In later years it’s noticeable that we have more and more citizens of ethnic origin, this has made Brighton a much better place and I’d like to think we can demonstrate our appreciation and respect that theyve chosen to live hear. Surely there is some legal loophole …. maybe send the fascist racists to a less interesting and dynamic place… let them ‘demonstrate’ in a field somewhere.
Thank you, C Branton
if they are to ban the idiotic morons of the far right from brighton then BAN the EDO protesters, anti semetic soda stream (ecostream) protests, also! as the peaceniks whom attend supposedly protesting about arms manufacturing (they make switches for timing devices not bombs!!!)have been known to act in a more criminal manner than the violent knuckle scrapers who came to town on sunday..
if they are to ban the idiotic morons of the far right from brighton then BAN the EDO protesters, anti semetic soda stream (ecostream) protests, also! as the peaceniks whom attend supposedly protesting about arms manufacturing (they make switches for timing devices not bombs!!!)have been known to act in a more criminal manner than the violent knuckle scrapers who came to town on sunday..