Saturday was a very bad day indeed for the fascists of UKIP. Leader Nick ‘Lonely’ Tenconi waited an hour to join his racist assemblage of thugs, hooligans, convicted criminals and fascist sympathisers and, when he did, anti-fascists physically pushed him against the war memorial opposite Liverpool Lime St Station and pinned him there.
Massive effort
It was a massive effort by a huge crowd from local anti-fascist, anti-racist and political groups who operated effectively together from 11.30am to totally stop the fascists.
At its height, the UKIP fascist contingent numbered around 130. They were slightly better organised than usual, with purple bibs for stewards and a small sound system to produce racist and anti-migrant slogans, but even this failed to improve their mood.
By 12.30am, when things really got interesting, and just before Tenconi’s arrival, around 500-600 anti-fascists had gathered.
They moved quickly to stop several attempts by UKIP to break out of the St George’s Hall area and bypass a huge police presence, and the fascists became more and more angry and frustrated.
Serious opposition
Attempts to steal anti-fascist flags and start fights went very badly for them indeed because there was some serious opposition were out today to see the fascists off.
After much shouting and verbal jousting, Tenconi finally moved in – but only managed to kettle himself and one group of his supporters in front of the War Memorial.
He looked terrified and rightly so.
He had once again bitten off more than he could chew and he knew it.
His so-called security detail looked worried too when they realised they were unable to move.
Things broke down
Surrounded on three sides, out-manoeuvred, drowned out and with Tenconi only able to make himself heard to those immediately around him, things soon broke down.
Angered by their dire situation, Tenconi tried to muster his troops to break out of his self-imposed confinement and march.
But anti-fascists already knew that one of his schemes was to try and march to Toxteth.
It would have been one of the worst idea he’s ever had, Toxteth is home to a vibrant and multi-racial community. Even racist gangs in the ’80s knew not to go to Toxteth.
But Tenconi was desperate to try and cause an incident in inner-city Liverpool and then play the victim. That was the plan.
Stopped in his tracks
Well, he marched about 30 yards before being stopped in his tracks by a large group of anti-fascists, including Liverpool and Celtic football fans, other members of the Irish community, and local activists determined to stop him.
And stop him they did. A few fascists, including two young men on bikes, tried to attack but they were pushed back.
Time for plan B, or maybe C, and Tenconi turned around with his supporters trailing him as he once again tried to march. Again, it didn’t work.
At the side of St George’s Hall, below St John’s Gardens, Tenconi became completely unstuck. No way were his opponents letting him through.
While the usual group of right-wing auditors filmed away, trying to spin this failure into online, and big lie, victory (and cash), provocateur and habitual trouble maker Charlie Veitch was heard to say that Nick Tenconi had “obviously f****d up.”
That’s one way of putting it. Dragging supporters from all over the country for what?
A stand-off by a traffic island beside some public gardens where a small wedding party watched on in some bewilderment.
Fascists are angry people at the best of times but today they were livid.
And you could tell by the rabid dog behaviour from their supporters. Several were arrested, one man for attacking a middle-aged woman and breaking her wrist.
Upon receiving first aid, this incredible woman continued to demonstrate despite her injury. “It’ll take a lot more than that to stop me,” she said.
Learn from history
Most of the afternoon was spent beside a large war memorial. The irony, and the inability of some in society to learn from history, was self-evident.
Fascists gathering beside a memorial to those who fought fascist and Imperialist ideas. A sign of the times, a sad reflection on Britain 2025.
Many long-time fascists were in Liverpool today from ‘Brexit’ Brian Stovell, to Stoke doorman Christopher Lee Mathews, to “Young Bob” Thomas Moffit, the 17-year-old religious extremist and UKIP member who spends most of his time with fascists and islamophobes in London.
Referred to the Prevent programme by his own family, ‘Bob’ has now been thrown out of his parents’ house because they’re sick of his extremist associations and increasingly unpredictable behaviour. Tragic.
And the Nick Tenconi types are entirely responsible for pushing a confused youngster like this down the racist rabbit hole. Shame on them.
Chased out of Manchester twice, bashed at Bristol, forced out of Glasgow, surrounded on the south coast, and now lost in Liverpool, Nick Tenconi and his Ukip creeps are failing totally.
All he, and they, can do, is try desperately to convince the remaining handful of supporters, those not already in Reform, Reclaim and Advance, that they have something to offer.
Good luck with that.
