Last Friday 10th saw the ritual humiliation of Turning Point UK at The Great Exhibition in Dulwich, as they delved into uncharted depths of ridiculousness. Not only did they get outnumbered 30 to 1 by locals, anti fascists and LGBTQ+ activists but they also managed to call an anti drag queen protest outside a pub with no such event happening or planned in the future. Even the BBC & Daily Mail took the piss.
Their organiser Nick Tenconi was whining into his live feed with the ridiculous claim that the counter protestors had been brought in by privately hired coach and were being paid to be there. His invited speakers including failed actor Lawrence Fox, failed vicar Calvin Robinson and failed evangelist pop star Rikki Doolan. All got drowned out by the 400 strong counter protest, as they had been in Lewisham two weeks prior. Also showing up was a rather confused man waving an Israeli flag demanding to know why there is no gay pride in Gaza – which seems like a bizarre point to be making, when stood among a bunch of rancid homophobes. Another exciting development on the UK’s far right is the advent of a new hashtag. A butcher’s apron was produced bearing the slogan #BRLM which apparently stands for ‘British Lives Matter’. As that adds up to less than four words, something along the lines of ‘British Racist Lives Matter’ seems more likely.
Many people are left wondering if Turning Point UK have some fetish involving a desire to be shouted down by hundreds of much cooler people while being protected by large men in uniform? The actual answer to what they’re playing at is probably a lot more mundane and lies across the Atlantic.
It is well known on the far right that nauseating fascist goblin Tommy Robinson became a millionaire in just ten days back in 2018 when he got himself jailed for contempt of court. Most of that money came from the bottomless pit of cash that the American far right have at their disposal. Turning Point USA had a recorded income in 2019 of over 28 million dollars. Their microscopic UK wing are no doubt hoping that if they actually manage to get a drag event cancelled or provide a political home for the UK’s small but nasty Christian right then that revenue could start flowing in.
This possibly goes some way to explaining why they’ve volunteered themselves for yet more indignity on March 25th at the Honour Oak pub where they had previously been seen off by around 700 locals and activists.
Image: Guy Smallman
