Was it a dead cat bounce? Certainly the presence of around 400 supporters of the English Defence League in Manchester at the weekend shows that although numbers attending the rallies have plummeted since the EDL glory days of 2010-11, on a good day and in the right area the EDL can pull together their splinter groups and still get out the numbers.

SchNEWS travelled up to Manchester to take a look. In many ways the event was a less inspired re-run of the EDL’s last outing in the city in 2009, when at least the league had novelty value. Manchester cops had decided that the frank exchange of opinions between the UAF and the EDL would best happen in a pair of crowd-pens facing each other across a No Man’s Land in Albert Square that were exactly too far apart to throw anything. So all the opposing sides could do was to try and drown each other with their respective sound-systems.

After three hours, the EDL were for the most part shoved onto busses and made their way home. The UAF marched the short distance to Picadilly gardens where the only significant action of the day occurred, as group of jeering EDL hanging around outside a Wetherspoons were driven back inside by a hail of bottles from the feistier elements of the UAF. Loitering autonomous anti-fascists had to make do with some inconsequential scuffling in Picadilly gardens after the march.

Anti-fascists shouldn’t be dispirited – the EDL do well in cities that are big enough for no-one to really feel like they own the town centre. When they try to march through a samller town – such as Norwich, Walthamstow, Bradford or even Brighton – it’s a different story. However it’s clear that despite the relentless online mockery the EDL, though diminished, hasn’t gone away.

Dates for yer anti-fascist diary:

March 9th – Swansea – to celebrate White Pride Worldwide the National Front have picked on this city for a demo. It looks like the counter-protest is gonna be massive. For more see Swansea Antifa on Facebook.

April 21st – Brighton – The EDL splinter group March for England is planning to tarnish the streets of our home-town once more. (Even after last years dismal effort) For more see Stop the March for England

Jock is serving 20 years in Sofia/Bulgaria for defending two Roma boys from a racist mob and  has been on hungerstrike from 13th January 2013 because the Director of the Central Sofia Prison has ordered another punishment measure because of Jock´s activist work as chairman of the Bulgarian Prisoner´s Association.

Due to this punishment Jock is now not allowed to finish his studies which are very important to him.

Jock’s health is rapidly worsening as he continues his hunger strike and he is not even allowed to see a doctor as yet another repressive measure by the prison authorities.

He asks for solidarity from all of you by sending a letter to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice. Please start putting pressure on now before it’s too late. Jock needs our support!

website of Bulgarian Prisoners Association:
 http://bulgarianprisonersassociation.wordpress.com/category/english/

A Letter From Jock Palfreeman –

21st January 2013

G-day guys! All at ABC,

Well, first of all, the Director stopped me from my Uni degree! See I’ve been helping other prisoners, obviously part of the union and solidarity with fellow convicts. So to punish me, for my solidarity ie legal advice! the Director of the prison cut me off from the computers where I write my essays. It happened several days ago after 10 guards badly beat a prisoner with batons. I helped the prisoner get legal advice and explained to him the procedure for how to instigate a criminal investigation into their attack. For that I’m being punished in that they are stopping me from my studies.

So on the 13/1/13 I started a hunger strike, I have not eaten since then, I am only drinking water drinks eg mint tea (without sugar) and normal water. I have lost a lot of weight in 9 days but I don’t know how much as the prison refuses to send a doctor to me. I don’t plan on stopping until I am returned to my studies, but I don’t think this director will allow me, so prospects look dim! To help me, please send letters of complaint to:

Ministry of Justice
Diana Kovacheva
No. 1, Slavanska Street
Sofia 1040
Bulgaria

I recommend writing as individuals.

22nd January 2013

Hunger strike…. not happy, the worst is that I’m getting bad heart burn from my stomach acids!

Be good guys!
Solidarity
Comrade Jock Palfreeman