SCARF - Sheffield Communities Against Racism & Fascism

The second in our series looking at some of the bigger names in UK fascism in 2025. We started with the new kid on the block Great British National Protest , so today we're going to checkout the more wizened Britain First (BF). Led by ex-NF and BNP activist Paul Golding since its founding in 2011, BF tends to push fundamentalist Christianity in much of its messaging. This religious foregrounding isn’t that surprising, given they were secretly funded by former BNP money man and Protestant nutcase Rev. Jim Dowson. Jim was the brains and cash behind the throne in the early days, but he has since left to get involved in increasingly esoteric fascist movements in the UK, Ireland, and eastern europe. Jim’s public reason for resigning from BF was his disapproval of Paul’s antics, saying BF was "being overrun with racists and extremists." Ostracisation by his fellow travellers is a running theme for Golding who was (somehow)  kicked out of the BNP for being too violently racist...

On Sunday 27 th  July, while most attention was on Epping – where about 500 ‘anti-migrant’ protesters faced off with a similar number of antifascists outside the Bell Hotel – SCARF had an eye on events closer to home. Just over the Peaks in Altrincham, Richard Donaldson’s Great British National Protest (GBNP) had called a demonstration outside of Cresta Court Hotel. The hotel, which is being used to house asylum seekers, has been subjected to small regular protests. Clearly Donaldson hopes to sow further fear, distrust, and disorder, and while it’s no surprise these cretins are attempting to stoke the flames, the timing is curious. GBNP has spent the past couple of weeks begging for fascist unity, then announced a demo on the same day as the set-piece action 200 miles away in Epping. Perhaps he didn’t want to waste the money he’s grifted on train fare, or there’s a more sinister motive. There’s a lot of mistrust towards Richard and his nascent movement from the more established r...

With the ever changing landscape of the UK's far right, we thought it might be a good time to look at a few of the pertinent groups and individuals active in 2025. Given the constant bickering, betrayal, regicide, and legal trouble in fascist circles there's a good chance some of this stuff will be out of date before the ink is dry, but hopefully it'll be a useful snapshot in time. So, look forward to some spilt tea on Britain First, UKIP, the various Patriotic Alternative splinters, and (of course) the patron saint of bell-ends Stephen Yaxley Lennon. But to kick things off we're going to pinch the cheeks of the baby of the movement – Great British National Protest (né e Strike) Great British National Strike Protest The new kid on the fascist block GBNP is built around the ‘personality’ of former soldier and current grifter Richard Donaldson. Initially branding themselves Great British National Strike as part of an attempt to co-opt left wing language and appeal to...

On Saturday 19th July, SCARF sent an expeditionary force to support Hull Against Hate 's callout to oppose the Hull Patriotic Protesters (HPP) demonstration in Queen Victoria Square. HPP is the vanity vehicle for ex-EDL activist John Gelling (AKA John Francis), whose main claim to fame is grovelling and blaming bigger boys following last summer's race riots. The demo was called for midday, but by 10am John and his entourage were already setting up camp, appropriately enough, atop the public toilets in the centre of the square. The full range of terrible far right graphic design was on display, with even the more legible placard requiring a furrowed brow and multiple readings to divine what it was they were so angry about. Common themes included attempting to draw a distinction between ‘fake’ and ‘real’ refugees, and calling the left paedophiles. It’s unlikely this fascist jazz approach to signmaking – where you have to listen to the notes they’re not playing – had much cut-thr...

On Thursday 26th June, several SCARFers attended the Palestine Action (PA) solidarity demonstration outside Sheffield Town Hall. A few hundred people turned out to voice their opposition to the government's intention to proscribe PA – effectively labelling anyone associated with, or expressing support for, the movement a terrorist. This authoritarian attempt to silence dissent needs to be resisted, but it's also a sign of desperation and a state acknowledgement of the effectiveness of PA's tactics. SCARF offers its wholehearted support and solidarity for PA's aims and the tactics they employ towards ending the UK's complicity in a genocide. MINOR FLARE UP The complete absence of visible policing at the demonstration was noticable. Presumably the local fuzz decided their presence would do more to energise or antagonise the crowd, but we can't help feel an opportunity was missed to capitalise on the light touch approach. While the majority of attendees were focuse...

Kier Starmer's 'Labour' government is proscribing Palestine Action because painting a military plane is terrorism, apparently. Combined with his complete indifference to and material support for a genocide it’s fairly clear which side of history he’s going to end up on. SCARF wholeheartedly supports Palestine Action in a time of unprecedented state repression. Join us and many other concerned citizens to express our rage and solidarity. 5.30pm Thursday 26 th June Sheffield Town Hall 🇵🇸✊️🍉 Also... this Sunday there's a screening of the Rainbow Collective Palestine Action documentary To Kill A War Machine. 5.30pm Sunday 29 th  June Broomhall Centre S10 2FD