The rally through Bristol saw Muslim-bashers outnumbered both by anti-fascists and four-to-one by police.
The GAS fiasco heaps yet more humiliation on the far-right after a dismal Generation Identity outing earlier this month which saw their speakers denied entry to Britain and their venue turfing them out on the day of the event.
GAS, a largely online-based front group linked to various far-right figures aimed at pushing Islamophobia, was so poorly organised for the day that not only did almost no-one turn out, but when the pub they were due to meet at was closed they had no backup plan and were forced to stand outside the train station, where organisers tried to put a brave face on the farce by holding speeches in a nearby car park.
The group had intended to march from Bristol Temple Meads train station to the city centre, however they found themselves corralled by police to the point that they were almost impossible to see from outside the cordon.
In a statement, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants Bristol said:
Thank you to everyone who came out in solidarity today against Gays Against Sharia as they tried to march through our city.
We’re proud that our presence stopped them from being allowed to enter the city. Instead they were led on a joyless shuffle around temple Quay past office blocks devoid of people, through desolate car parks and back roads only to arrive right back where they started. No-one was there to hear their racism and nationalism so badly disguised in the language of collective liberation of all oppressed genders and sexualities. They were bored and demoralised, on a solemn march that would make a funeral procession look lively. By contrast we were partying and attracting support from passers by.
We will continue to fight racism in all its forms, from border policy that detains migrants, citizens, and those fleeing persecution, to hate mongers on the street. We will continue to be LOUD, PROUD and ANTI-RACIST. Solidarity to all who join in that struggle.
The failed rally is the second in a row for GAS, and along with the Generation Identity failure paints a picture of incompetence ahead of the next attempted Big Thing from former EDL bigwig Tommy Robinson, who has invited controversialist-bigot-for-money Milo Yiannopolous for a march through London on May 6th.
Anti-fascists are mobilising against the rally, which is now being held at Whitehall backed by the (Democratic) Football Lads Alliance – one of a bewildering number of rebrands Islamophobes have come up with for their trudge and whine brigade.
Writing on libcom, one anti-fascist noted:
As a result of having his Twitter account deleted Robinson is now organising a march. He’s claiming this in defence of freedom of speech. But Robinson’s belief in free speech is about as principled as his belief in journalistic ethics. He certainly didn’t believe in free speech when he called for Didsbury Mosque to be closed down or when he called for Islam to be banned from being registered as a religion.
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FLA groups have said they will be supporting him and Generation Identity will see this as another opportunity to recruit people to their crusade against Muslims. Milo Yiannopoulos is also flying back to the UK to address the rally. Robinson is using losing his Twitter account as just another opportunity to bring his anti-Muslim supporters out onto the streets and this ranges from people like the Breitbart London team whose function is to provide slick media spin for far-right talking points all the way through to people like Darren Osborne who are prepared to kill.