The Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall Police, Alison Hernandez, released a video last week. In it, she seems to endorse the extreme-right vigilantes who gathered on Plymouth Hoe last Sunday. Members of the group were quick to celebrate and take it as encouragement, including terrorist supporter Danny Robinson:
Terrorist supporter Danny is glad of police support. Will he be collaborating with them in future?
Danny flying the UVF flag, who did the worst civilian bombing in the north of Ireland
Gary sucking up to police – the start of a beautiful relationship?
19 minutes into this video posted to the police facebook, she says: “There were some volunteers, who went to protect the war memorial in Plymouth from our community. I would rather see people going out and protecting our memorials”. Either she just openly endorsed a group including seig-heiling fascists and terrorist supporters, or else she is totally clueless who they are. Whichever one it is, it’s clear that Devon and Cornwall Police does not take fascism or the far right seriously. This should come as no surprise. In the past, police have often taken the side of fascists – battering the people who oppose them while laughing and joking with violent extremists on the other side. In turn while fascists try to look like rebels, they are quick to grass and suck up to the police whenever it suits them.
It’s clear as day that if Plymouth’s far right are going to be opposed, then it’s down to US to do it. This is why antifascism is so important. The police won’t keep tabs on the far right, but WE WILL. The police won’t oppose the far right, but WE WILL. Every decent person should be speaking up against them. We need to get involved in antifascist and antiracist groups so that we can shout about it all the louder. Let’s get organised and resist them!