At the Utlita Arena in Birmingham, Nigel Farage was holding what he billed as the “biggest political rally in history” to launch Reform’s local election campaigns. It really didn’t turn out that way for him, though. From selling just two thirds of the available £5 tickets (according to the venue security staff), to protests disturbing the event’s start time and repeated messaging that fell flat – it was pretty much a flop, or at best – not the event being billed for the last few months, as even Sky News was reporting.
The protestors
On the day, a number of groups protesting, from pro-Palestinians to pro-Ukranians, and anti-racist to anti-fascist causes, all came together as one big, friendly (to each other) but loud group! We acted as one, with a display of real British culture that genuinely made me feel proud of my country again. I organized for some pro-Europeans to come and join on the day, to ensure the pro-EU voice was seen and heard, which it very much was.
The pro-Europeans were there first, lined up in our usual friendly way, EU flags flying and placards up. There were locals and also people from across the UK including North East England. Despite the venue security trying to move us to an enclosed area away from the entrance, the police on the day did a good job in informing them that we had every right to be where we were and to protest on public land on the venue’s border. So that’s where the other groups began joining us too, in prime location so that Reform voters could see and hear us. It’s important they see opposition, because they often don’t in the media or in their circle of friends down the pub.
Talking to people – and security
Meanwhile, Reform was doing their best to keep anyone with a different opinion completely away (so much for freedom of speech, eh?). Whether journalists, protestors or observers – if you didn’t agree with Nigel Farage, you’re not coming near. Independent journalist, Femi Oluwole, was manhandled off the perceived property of the arena by security and refused entry to the event with his press pass.
I and another campaigner, Rachel Ashley, were also moved off the same part of the perceived property of the arena, for just talking (nicely) with Reform voters. Even previous Reform voters, who left the party over the departure of their MP Rupert Lowe, were refused entry. It seems Farage has been jealously watching Trump’s behaviour over in the USA. The few Rachel did get to talk to before being moved on, had some seriously extreme views – such as wanting to “sell the NHS to Trump” or that they “don’t care about white people sexually harassing girls, only men from Pakistan who do” and self-harming ideas.
Inside the arena
As 7pm got near, I left the protest outside as I had a ticket to go in, where I wanted to observe the “biggest political rally in history” with my own eyes, and chat to Reform voters to ask them “Why?”. I got to the entrance, where there was nobody in the queue (as expected, the show was due to start any minute with the doors having opened three hours earlier, and got through security all well and good. I then went into the arena itself.
The first thing to strike me was the number of empty seats around. On the floor level, sections were completely empty, empty seats every other couple elsewhere and then the top floors were practically empty for the most part. I asked a security guard who told me “they’re nowhere near sold out, under 10,000 of 15,000 tickets sold”. So I took out my phone and made a video of this. Then somebody came on to the stage and announced that there would be a delay to the show starting “because there’s still a big queue waiting to get in”. I knew this was untrue, because I had just came in where there was no queue at all. I later found out, of course, it was the protests outside causing the delay, although I don’t really know how.
Removed
Then, just under ten minutes after coming in, I felt a security guard either side of me, who grabbed my arms and took me out. Marching me past everyone, through the foyer and outside down the steps to a couple of baffled looking police officers. The security guards would not tell me why they were ejecting me, would not look at my ticket and said nothing to the police, but just walked away. I then stayed outside, looking for this “big queue” that was causing a delay. Nobody else went in the venue after I had come out.
My impression from the day overall, was that not only are people outside of Reform simply not going to put up with their nonsense, but also that Reform’s appeal and growth is massively overstated. Is this, at least in part, due to what I perceive to be a corrupt media in this country? Those who give a hugely disproportionately sized platform to a party, or company rather, with extremely fringe views and just four MPs.
We will continue fighting this attempted takeover of our country by these Trump wannabes. I didn’t serve in the army for people like them and I will continue to serve my country for everyone else, the people who came together outside to show Farage that his divisive, racist and hollow promises to “fix” our problems are not welcome here, in Birmingham, or anywhere else!
By Peter Corr, National Rejoin March Co-founder
