Following closely on the heels of the EDL’s damp squib in Leicester (see SchNEWS 805) an uneasy alliance of far right groups staged a demonstration outside Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 6th.

Allegedly they were there to protest against paedophilia – so surely no one would possibly want to oppose them on that one. Unfortunately there preferred method of protest was to form a baying mob of around 150 racists outside the court on the first day of a trial of a suspected ‘paedophile ring’. Beyond the bullshit sloganeering the nationalist rabble (led by BNP leader Nick Griffin) were there to highlight two things – the ‘fact’ that Muslim paedophiles aren’t prosecuted and the media blackout around the specific case.

Given that they were protesting outside the pre-trial hearing of (what the EDL have described as) 11 Muslim men their first point doesn’t hold much water. While it is true that the facts of the case have not been widely reported, this appears to be because of an enforced media blackout as opposed to the liberal media deciding the great British public can’t handle the truth.

Around 40 anti-fascists braved the chants of “you all support paedos” to leaflet and heckle the picket. It was, to be fair, a last minute regional callout with tricky subject matter but according to Liverpool anti-fascists “the effect of multiple fascist groups mobilising nationally was that the fascists ultimately mustered around 150 people against around 40 anti-fascists from the local area. Given that it was a smaller-scale call-out, and that it was a week day, it was a good turnout. But in the context of that many extremely vocal fascists, it left something to be desired.”

At one point the fash crowd surged towards the court. Eyewitnesses were unable to see what was happening, but it later transpired that two Asian men had been attacked when they went out for a fag break. Whether or not they were actually involved in the case is still not clear though the EDL clearly revelled in it Tweeting “A muslim nonce has had a smack outside Liverpool Crown”.

Smaller numbers of right wingers gathered at the court again on the following days and according to Becki – EDL member and Casuals United blogger – the “case [was] adjourned for a week after two of the barristers quit after being attacked outside the court by unknown” .

Predictably the far-right’s attempted lynch mob has backfired somewhat with two barristers quitting and the defence pushing for the trial to be abandoned.