Caught in the buff and left out in the cold, the UKIP members, perhaps two hundred, gathered by the Law Courts on the quay side. Nick Teconi led his small band, focused on deportations and shouting slogans. They had teamed up with Advance UK, as part of a “national mobilisation”, their aspirations evidently higher than their hope. That they could believe, there would be a high number of protesters inspired from the previous weekend in London, estimated at more than 110,000 right wingers compared to 5,000 rival demonstrators, with their boast to “Unite the Kingdom” was an illusion. In Newcastle there was a complete reversal with over 3500 anti-right-wing demonstrators to the UKIP-Advance UK gathering of between 150 and 200.
The day of the rally at Grey’s Monument
Cycling in past the civic centre at ten o’clock, there stood a newly married couple being photographed, then down past the Haymarket Metro, past the busy bus station, no shouts, flags or placards in sight. Then, left towards Eldon Square, to park the bike and get a cheeky Greggs slice and coffee ready for the Newcastle Unites, inspired meeting, set to start from 11am.
In these excited times, there is no greater local symbolism than Grey’s monument, standing at 41 metres and designed by Edward Hodges Bailey, who also sculpted Nelson’s column, another lightening conductor for political assemblies often with a patriotic glaze. Like some ancient oak upon the hill this could be a moot point, but the folk that gathered under Grey’s gaze, were as diverse as a I have ever witnessed and in greater numbers. The wit and wag of those gathered, the buzz, at the symbolic centre of Newcastle needed no microphone or amplifier, there was ample energy and determination. The focus of that energy, a joyous sense of purpose, from two Geordies, one of Bangladeshi descent, and one of Pakistani descent, who coordinated the ‘show’ for the monument crowd as it continued to grow. 27 speakers, interspersed with singers, represented a very diverse entertainment as the groups occupied that shared ground. There were Palestinian and Ukrainian flags, banners and more, and the jovial camaraderie of shared purpose and entertaining banners, helped you deal with the sore feet and the niggling expectation of confrontation, a line of police standing at the ready to prevent a mass movement down the street towards the quayside. A drone looked down and as a group, we sang and chanted more, hoping that echoes of our words would reverberate down the Georgian facades and set doubt in the minds of their Advanced guard. Some 500 anti-racist marchers blocked the path of the UKIP marchers to the Newbridge Hotel, that is a hostel for asylum seekers.
Later, outside the hotel there were two lines of police, separating perhaps 150 of the protesters from 1000 anti-racists, who were jeering at them as they were forced to return along their route to the quayside to disperse. The kettle had worked effectively, protecting both groups and no one, including the police were thankfully harmed physically.
The speakers
Whilst all this carried on, I listened to each speaker, who wanted to tell you of their contribution to the community and their family history. Vicars, Imams, firemen, teachers unions, to them, the Monument resounded with cheers and no dissenting voice was heard.
The voice of Matt Perry, a UCU union representative and Reader in Labour History at Newcastle University, spoke of the independence and pride in the people of Newcastle through the last three centuries, their politics and reaction to events down South. In the Shields News (12July 1934) there was the first serious clash between Fascists and anti-fascists in North Shields. A 1000-strong crowd led by Alec ‘Spike’ Robson, drove the Oswald Mosley inspired Blackshirts (BUF) from the town.
The moral victory was that there were enough people to show a determined and united front at the Monument on Saturday 27 September. That shoppers and the casual observer just passed by is a measure of how acceptance of public demonstration, is part of the North East psyche. I am patriotic but was not concerned in any way that there were no Union flags on show in the monument crowd. It’s a British understatement, we don’t need to be reminded of where we live, that’s what a football strip is for; it’s in black and white. In the words of the local poet, Harry Gallagher:
“Ye can keep yer racist hate, well away from Gallowgate.
Ye were outnumbered and outsung, by a full ten to one.
Fer despite all yer desperate invitations to a brawl2,
This Toon is made of love, son, and that stuff conquers all.
I cycled home through the bustling streets of Newcastle, happy that civic life is vibrant and that the political voice of the people is practising for more racist marching to come, that there is a groundswell of opinion from each generation, that a line is being drawn under these exciting times. I left the Monument certain that the rise of Reform UK Ltd and associated parties, will not be tolerated by the moral and decent people of this country and region.
