My Yesterday in Luton

Our English correspondent Seneca III was present yesterday for the historic English Defence League demonstration in Luton. He compiled the following first-hand report on his experiences.


My Yesterday in Luton

Arrived about 1200hrs and found a place to park some way out of the city centre. Substantial police presence everywhere. All pleasant and helpful when asked for directions to the EDL assembly point but many unable to give directions as not local. Identified large contingents from the Metropolitan Police to some forces as far away as Hampshire. Finally found the RV by following the little knots of camera-heavy media types dotted along the route of march.

Arrived at assembly point circa 1240hrs. Many, many people; too many to even estimate in that confined confluence of streets. All in good humour and much beer being consumed. Was struck by the quantity of banners and how so many of them were obviously hand made, from small sheets of home computer printed A4 to large pieces of cardboard covered in fairly standard posters. What impressed me was the A4’s; these were the individual feelings straight from the hearts of the common people — their concerns and fears that, collectively, was a cry for help. Touching.


Underway at 1300hrs on the dot. Much singing and chanting, spirits high and no sense of agro, only one of real common purpose. Several marchers were surprised to find a somewhat elderly and obviously middle-class gent marching in their midst; all were delighted, many shook my hand and thanked me for supporting them. Quite heartwarming. Two rather large and heavily tattooed young men settled in, one each side of me, and said “You stick with us mate, if there’s any trouble we’ll look after you.” “Thanks” I said, and smiled, whilst inside thinking wryly “Christ, do I look that old and decrepit? That used to be my job, or one of them, anyway.”

St George’s Square filled up with people (I estimate 3,000-4,000) and I found myself surrounded by police and media cameramen as I stood amongst the flags and banners of many nations; Holland, France, Germany, Israel, Sweden and America were the ones I could see. Also saw banners and jackets of EDL Divisions from every corner of the United Kingdom. The speeches began; Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll, Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolf, Rabbi Nachun Shifren and many others. Funnily enough my favourite was the representative from the French Defence League. The single syllable word ‘Scum’ spoken with a French accent and loaded with the derision and dripping with the contempt that only a Frenchman can give it was an exquisite joy to the ears. The crowd loved it and gave him an ovation.

The protest ended at 1500hrs and the diaspora began. Singing and chanting, the crowd dispersed through the routes left open to them by the police. Although I thought the containment was a little too tight (I was channelled without option towards the buses whereas my car lay in the opposite direction) I saw no agro directed at the Police or anyone else although in the end we were quite tightly kettled and standing in a dense mob with a rising sense of frustration. I spotted a small gap in the cordon (with age comes experience) slipped through and legged it back to my car.

Later, drinking with some of my new found friends in their local pub, I heard police sirens and was told that the UAF and/or the Culture Enrichers had attacked a couple of EDL Pubs down the road. No other information was forthcoming and that was the end of the day from my point of view.

In the final analysis I conclude that every old age pensioner should do this at least once before he shuffles off this mortal coil. However, I am now about to grab the Sunday papers and remove any incriminating photographs before the boss gets to them. She thinks I was golfing yesterday.

That is all.

Regards,
— Seneca III


Previous posts by Seneca III:

2007		Oct		13		A Letter to my People
				26		Another Letter To My People
2008		Oct		5		Excerpt From “Ere the Winter of Our Discontent”
2009		Oct		22		The Cultural Death of a People
				23		Do Star Chambers Serve a Useful Purpose, Or Do They Obfuscate the Issue?
		Nov		8		By the Rivers of Babylon
2010		Jul		2		The ‘Phoney War’ Is Over
		Sep		13		Musings on the Winds of Change
		Oct		13		The Fourth Dimension of Warfare, Part 1
2011		Jan		1		The New Year Comes With Ham