Anti-Racist Counter Demos Summer 2024

[Orang Utan]

I’m finding it difficult to find information about counter demos in my area, both here and on other social media.
Maybe we should have a thread to share such information?

It’s important to get out there and show the idiots we outnumber them so they don’t feel so brave next time.

 

[danny la rouge]

If you’re active where you are there will already be WhatsApp groups. If you’re not, ask someone who is.

 

[Orang Utan]

If you’re active where you are there will already be WhatsApp groups. If you’re not, ask someone who is.

I’m not and I don’t know anyone who is unfortunately. I am not that cool enough.

 

[Orang Utan]

This is all I’ve got so far:

 

[Brainaddict]

From the Leeds Stand Up To Racism page:

URGENT PROTEST THIS SAT 10 AUGUST

Nazis are threatening a hotel housing refugees in Wakefield. After Rotherham we need a huge anti Nazi response. We want a peaceful, united defence of the hotel and its residents.

WE STAND WITH REFUGEES ALWAYS

Join us 12 noon, meet at Cedar Court Hotel, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield, WF4 3QZ. Transport options to be shared in due course. https://www.facebook.com/events/909875837866529

 

[crossthebreeze]

Tonight in Newcastle

 

[crossthebreeze]

Saturday Newcastle

After the brutal murder of Bebe, Elise, and Alice in Southport, fascists across the country are trying to weaponise this tragedy for their own sick agenda. We will not let them spread their vile racist rhetoric in our city.
9:30am, Grey’s monument, 10/08/2024

 

[danny la rouge]

I’m not and I don’t know anyone who is unfortunately. I am not that cool enough.

Try getting in touch with:

Leeds Anti Raids Action | Leeds

Leeds Anti Raids Action, Leeds. 638 likes · 3 talking about this. Leeds Anti-Raids Action are a community group resisting the hostile environment by fighting back against racist immigration...

www.facebook.com

Leeds Solidarity Network

Leeds Solidarity Network. 244 likes. Network for strategic action against racism (right-wing propaganda & scapegoating of immigrants). Promoting welfare for all.

www.facebook.com

 

[crossthebreeze]

Tonight at 6pm - Durham TUC counter protest - Hate not welcome here - North Road Methodist Church DH1 4SG

 

[krink]

Re Newcastle Saturday. Has anyone got any information on what the racists have planned? Just the bare minimum will do as I'm trying to advise some colleagues who are going to see Newcastle United in a tournament at St James. It's very much a family thing so I want to help them be prepared. Thanks.

 

[LakieLady]

Local news for Sussex has had the police giving a statement along the lines that they're well prepared and have extra prosecutors on standby in case they have more people arrested than usual in court in the morning!

 

[hitmouse]

This is all I’ve got so far:
View attachment 437008

A friend replied to that image with "great, they've somehow taken the lesson from last weekend that everything needs to be more vague and less organised".

 

[Orang Utan]

Re Newcastle Saturday. Has anyone got any information on what the racists have planned? Just the bare minimum will do as I'm trying to advise some colleagues who are going to see Newcastle United in a tournament at St James. It's very much a family thing so I want to help them be prepared. Thanks.

I’m not sure they have any plans, just vague aspirations. Then add pubdust and alcohol. No more putsch.

 

[Epona]

If you’re active where you are there will already be WhatsApp groups. If you’re not, ask someone who is.

Not touching WhatsApp with a 10 foot bargepole for this sort of thing, as it involves use of your phone number.
Even my volunteering groups don't use it.
There have got to be other ways of finding out what's going on.

 

[danny la rouge]

Not touching WattsApp with a 10 foot bargepole for this sort of thing, as it involves use of your phone number.
There have got to be other ways of finding out what's going on.

Go into a library and ask a librarian.

 

[Orang Utan]

Not touching WhatsApp with a 10 foot bargepole for this sort of thing, as it involves use of your phone number.
Even my volunteering groups don't use it.
There have got to be other ways of finding out what's going on.

Not sure how a phone messaging app can work without a phone number?

 

[Orang Utan]

Go into a library and ask a librarian.

Yes, and please do it ten minutes before closing.

 

[Epona]

Not sure how a phone messaging app can work without a phone number?

There are other options besides phone messaging app that don't require phone numbers and are more private/anonymous.
It's one thing for work and family groups to have your phone number logged (when they already know your bank account details, where you live, and in some cases how much you weighed when you were born), but for volunteering we often use other options for reasons of safeguarding, and I wouldn't want to use it to disseminate information about antifascist actions either.
Maybe it's just me being ultra cautious, I mean having my phone tapped in the past didn't actually bite me in the arse as hard as it could have done, but sometimes anonymity is better when groups are at risk of being infiltrated either by fash or the rozzers.

 

[Orang Utan]

I’m curious about these other options?
As far as i know they all need phone numbers.
Not that i know a lot.
Signal and Telegram are the only two other Whatsapp-style encrypted message services that I know about

 

[zedr]

There are other options besides phone messaging app that don't require phone numbers and are more private/anonymous.
It's one thing for work and family groups to have your phone number logged (when they already know your bank account details, where you live, and in some cases how much you weighed when you were born), but for volunteering we often use other options for reasons of safeguarding, and I wouldn't want to use it to disseminate information about antifascist actions either.
Maybe it's just me being ultra cautious, I mean having my phone tapped in the past didn't actually bite me in the arse as hard as it could have done, but sometimes anonymity is better when groups are at risk of being infiltrated either by fash or the rozzers.

No, i think you're being sensible. Signal doesn't share your phone number. Not sure where yr based, but there are already a few broadcast groups set up in London. I'd assume there are others around the country.

 

[zedr]

I’m curious about these other options?
As far as i know they all need phone numbers.
Not that i know a lot.
Signal and Telegram are the only two other Whatsapp-style encrypted message services that I know about

On a large group on WhatsApp you can see everyone else's number

Signal requires a number but doesn't show it to anyone else. You can also edit various setting so you and your number is hidden from everyone, even if they have you saved in their contacts.

 

[Orang Utan]

On a large group on WhatsApp you can see everyone else's number

Signal requires a number but doesn't show it to anyone else. You can also edit various setting so you and your number is hidden from everyone, even if they have you saved in their contacts.

Yes, that’s why it’s good for buying drugs, or so I hear..

 

[belboid]

I’m finding it difficult to find information about counter demos in my area, both here and on other social media.
Maybe we should have a thread to share such information?

It’s important to get out there and show the idiots we outnumber them so they don’t feel so brave next time.

ime, if they announce a demo, ours will be an hour earlier in the same place. And Stand Up To Racism will have claimed to have organised it

 

[hitmouse]

Not touching WhatsApp with a 10 foot bargepole for this sort of thing, as it involves use of your phone number.
Even my volunteering groups don't use it.
There have got to be other ways of finding out what's going on.

Don't join WhatsApp groups with people you don't trust? But yeah, either Signal or WhatsApp are where things are at atm.

 

[Epona]

Don't join WhatsApp groups with people you don't trust? But yeah, either Signal or WhatsApp are where things are at atm.

I don't, which is why I wouldn't join a large WhatsApp group for giving details of protests that could easily have fascists join up and where your phone number is visible.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that maybe if your phone number is visible to other users, and anyone who indicates an interest is invited to join, that there may be an issue regarding personal security.

 

[Orang Utan]

Don't join WhatsApp groups with people you don't trust? But yeah, either Signal or WhatsApp are where things are at atm.

I’ve only really used Whatsapp with immediate family, so yes.

 

[danny la rouge]

On a large group on WhatsApp you can see everyone else's number

Signal requires a number but doesn't show it to anyone else. You can also edit various setting so you and your number is hidden from everyone, even if they have you saved in their contacts.

Signal and Wire are good, but you need to convince other people to use them.

 

[hitmouse]

I don't, which is why I wouldn't join a large WhatsApp group for giving details of protests that could easily have fascists join up and where your phone number is visible.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that maybe if your phone number is visible to other users, and anyone who indicates an interest is invited to join, that there may be an issue regarding personal security.

Yeah, I wouldn't advocate for joining large open groups like that either. Closed groups based on trust are the way to go with stuff like this - I would say the cell or hub and spokes model, but even that's too centralised.
Say A, B, C, and D all know each other and decide they want to start going to antifascist protests together, so they start a chat group together. Let's say that on top of this, A is also in a group with people from their book club, B in a group with people they know from the football, C with some people they work with and D with some people who live on their street. This means that, if any of A's book club, B's football friends, C's workmates or D's neighbours learn anything about fascist or antifascist activity (hopefully after taking the time to verify the accuracy of the information first), this information can very quickly be shared with all the people above, without anyone needing to give their phone number to anyone they don't know and trust in real life. If some of these people are security-conscious enough to use signal then all the better, but whatsapp seems to be what people often default to.
Downside of this model is that if you're in a few overlapping chats then you do quickly end up getting the same news multiple times a lot, but nobody's perfect.

 

[zedr]

Don't know if this was people's experience at other mobilisations, but Stand Up To Racism were all over this, and being the annoying bastards they always are. At the end of the Finchley demo they tried to get everyone to walk with them and disperse when there were still fascists about. It seemed more like they'd had a chat with the cops and agreed they'd take everyone with them, but only about half the crowd went. They've not got the same mic/crowd discipline as most of the (for example) Sisters Uncut and affiliated demos I've been to who keep the crowd informed through regular 'mic checks'.

Have heard something similar happened in Plymouth earlier in the week which ended up putting the counter protest in danger because of reduced numbers.

There seemed to be another miscellaneous left group (maybe fight racism! fight imperialism!) who were trying to whip up the crowd into shouting 'labour party! racist party! and drawing links between SUTR and the LP. For most people who aren't that interested in these small groups it all seemed like quite embarrassing interpersonal beef.

 

[A380]

Hang on, shouldn’t Spymaster be banned off this thread?