Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,074
howard mcsweeney1 wrote:As I said on another thread Pam Brivio, Ben Bano and Chris Precious were in attendance although there may be many more as I wouldn't recognise the newer ones.
As well as the three councillors named by Howard I believe the above image is of L to R Susan Hill, Mike Eddy, Sid Pollitt, Peter Wallace and Simon Bannister.
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Message from Dover.UK.com admin:
The photo above is a stock image and does not show the people named. Some (or possibly all) of people named did not attend the protests.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
Chris Precious has made a very well observed post about Saturday on his
One Year as Mayor of Dover pages.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Excellent reasoned piece by his Holiness the Mayor although I bet he wishes he hadn't attended now even though it was in a personal capacity. Disappointing to see one of our new Councillors Miriam Wood describe Diane Abbott as a victim of racism despite making it clear that she has no respect for people with whitish skin
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I to have read the mayors blog and parts of it are very good however it was a mistake to have attended. the rally. The Mayor would be better off speaking and sharing his concerns with DDC and the Police .Its Public Perception.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I think this is a case of "damned if you, damned if you don't" I don't believe Chris was trying in any way to make a political point despite the furore on social media. In my view despite the controversial way he got the job is turning out to be best Mayor since I moved here, takes a keen interest in local charities and voluntary groups and gives full reports on all events he goes to.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,074
FWIW I had spoken to Chris earlier that week discussing the forthcoming 'demonstration'. Whatever his political views might be on the 'refugee crisis' when it comes to confrontational demonstrations I believe that like me his view is 'a plague on both your houses'. I suspect that he merely wished to be able to observe something of what was going on so that when, inevitably, he was asked about events, he could rely on first hand knowledge rather than coming out with ill informed statements based on second hand reading of sloppy journalism as other notable locals have.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
I also think Chris so far has been an excellent Mayor. I have copied and pasted the following from his One Year as Mayor FB page for those who can't access it.........
"Yesterday (30th January 2016) was a dark day for Dover, it was also a day on which so many of our residents showed what is best about the town. While those had come looking for confrontation and intent on causing harm there were so many looking out for people caught up in it, caring for them and helping them get to safety. People understood and were sympathetic to those working at the time and showed their concern and support for them. Our police, in the front line of it all acquitted themselves well and managed to face the very difficult odds well without forgetting to show compassion and offer assistance to those caught up in it.
While people have a right to demonstrate, yesterday Dover was invaded by factions who have no respect for others and had arrived, many equipped to cause chaos, looking for a fight and with no regard for the people and town they were in. Most protests and rallies go ahead peacefully, no matter how noisy they can get, and I want to think that the organisers on both sides did not set out to create chaos. What happened yesterday was large groups who prefer to use fists than reason setting out to confront each other away from their own homes. Masks, smoke bombs, rocks and fists are not the chosen tools of anybody wishing to get their point across. Yesterday both Dover and the legitimate protests were the target of those for whom violence is the only language they can understand. Such people are not welcome here or anywhere that civilised people live.
For the morning I was in Market Square, in a personal capacity, as I do not like fascist ideology and have an aversion to people being considered as generalisations. The organisers of that rally had intended a controlled event with a few speakers that would disperse prior to the march and that is precisely what they did. The inclusion of Diane Abbott on the bill was, to my mind ill-considered and although her actual speech was short and not particularly inflammatory her presence was not helpful. I was far from happy to see a large contingent arrive in masks and, while not over surprised, angry to see how they set off on-masse (almost to a pre-arranged signal), unfurling flags as they went. I was even less happy to hear a trade union leader then calling for the rally to stop and join them. The organisers then finished their speeches, cleared up and dispersed as planned. The short speech I gave was delivered to the twenty or so attending that had gone to listen, not to look for trouble.
"This week I attended a very moving service for Holocaust Memorial Day. During the event we remembered the genocides carried out by the Nazi's, Khmer Rouge, Rwandans and others. The service ended with a prayer, movingly led by a young German girl.
One of the biggest problems we face today is perception. Instead of seeing the fighting and suffering that is causing so many to flee their homes too much attention is being focussed on their numbers. Instead of seeing people leaving everything they know behind them to find safety and security they are themselves being seen as the threat.
History shows us that in every case, while people are fleeing in large numbers the perpetrators hide themselves among their victims. They do so not just to escape retribution but also to perpetuate their cruelty by trying to deny their victims that thing we all need, hope.
Sadly, it is all too easy for too many to identify the victims with the perpetrators.
This blinkered view has nothing to do with security and everything to do with fear of difference and it works both ways. When victims and perpetrators are lumped together then they will all feel isolated and that minority of perpetrators becomes embedded. Keeping hope alive for the majority isolates the perpetrators and makes it easier for the security agencies to keep everybody safe.
Just as a German girl leading prayers on Holocaust Memorial Day shows that you cannot judge a person by the acts of some of her forbears so too can you not judge people by their race or creed. The only thing such blind racism does is perpetuate your own fears.
It is every parent's duty to protect their families and it is their duty to them to get them out of harm's way in times of war and disorder. Nobody should have to run a gauntlet from aggression into aggression. It is the job of the security agencies to keep us safe while it is the duty of humanity to keep hope alive. A humanity that lets itself be driven by hatred is self-defeating, only with caring, compassion and hope can we all the security and freedom which is our human right. "
We need a multi-agency meeting in Dover to go over the course of events and to reach agreements on how such a situation can be avoided in the future. Tomorrow I will be asking for just that."
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 943- Registered: 15 May 2013
- Posts: 449
I thought the above piece by Mayor Chris to be thoughtful and a credit to his honesty. Well done Sir.
Other Councillors names have been mentioned.Hopefully those Councillors will not hide but explain their motves for being at the demo. Chris has shown courage and honesty, will they do the same? I am not holding my breath.
According to Simon Jones of the BBC , the arrest total stands at 17.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Doubt it Peter they will keep their heads down until it blows over much as they usually do. Newly elected Town Councilor Miriam Wood was there and is a member of "Dover stand up to racism" and fully supported Ms Abbott as the latter had been a victim of racist abuse in her view.
I believe there were 7 or 8 arrested in Dover, the rest near Maidstone.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,074
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Well that has made things clear we have to thank the anonymous group for coming in to save us from the Nazi hordes.
Their claims of acting in self defence reminded me of the trial England football captain Stephen Gerrard who got acquitted of grievous bodily harm using the defence of thinking the victim planned to attack him.
Paul M- Registered: 1 Feb 2016
- Posts: 393
So charging through police lines and running towards another group hundreds of yards away is an act of self defence? Really?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
This is even funnier considering only about 6 people were treated for minor injuries.
There were also occasions where the police forced antifascists into kettles and held them there whilst they were bombarded with rocks. Without any means of self-defence or escape, the police forced protesters to endure serious attacks that resulted in serious injuries.
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,257
I hope they didn't damage any of our rocks
Arte et Marte
Guest 943- Registered: 15 May 2013
- Posts: 449
Cllr Miriam Wood is a member of Dover Stand Up to Racism. Is there a problem in her road , Priory Hill and Dover in general?
Howard mentioned that Cllr Wood said about Diane Abbott, that Ms Abbott had suffered from racism. According to her biography Ms Abbott is a graduate of Cambridge University, her parents were working class and she was the first black woman MP.I am sure she faced challenges in past but she has done well for herself..A rags to riches story for a future cabinet minister.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
There were calls to protect Dover's diversity, what diversity?
We don't have a mosque, synagogue, hindu/sikh/buddhist temple and we only have a small stretch of the Folkestone Rd with racial tensions. In all only 5% of our population were born outside of the country.
I suggest that Ms Wood and others who would like to live in the other Tower Hamlets relocate there in order that they have a genuine battle to fight.
Paul M- Registered: 1 Feb 2016
- Posts: 393
Peter, I would think it will be highly improbable that Ms Abbot will ever become a Cabinet Minister. More chance of Dover Athletic winning the FA Cup next season.
Guest 943- Registered: 15 May 2013
- Posts: 449
Paul M. I was being flippant about Diane's capabilities but who would've guessed that a 68 year-old Marxist , who rebelled against his own party 500 times and with links to Hamas, Sinn Fein/IRA would be Leader of the Labour Party and turning it into a laughing stock.Recently I have spoken to Labour Councillors, they keep coming out with ridiculous waffle, spouting words like Neolibreal and Neocon. I do not want revolution. All I want is my bins emptied, Street lights working, pavements repaired and low council tax cost.If they want to fight for a cause, highlight lack of affordable social housing and the amount of people sleeping in doorways. Which is a scandal.
Howard mentioned Cllr Miriam Wood and Diversity. If Mike Eddy, Peter Wallace, Pam Brivio take power by storming that Reactionary Citadel called Whitfield. Cllr Wood would be a ideal Diversity Officer.
Every weekend ,Deal is full of Diversity Officers, Outreach Co-ordinationers, Senior Social Workers etc from the London Borough Councils staying at their second homes, having a break from diversity. Cllr Wood will feel at home.
