A video has emerged online of a former Northern Ireland leader of the National Front movement hurling abuse at a counter-protest during an anti-refugee rally in Portrush on Saturday, May 20.
Mark Brown was arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour during protests in the Kerr Street area of Portrush after approaching members of the counter-protest. The PSNI released Brown a short time later, issuing him a Penalty Notice for Disorder for £80.
In the video, Brown — who helped organise the anti-refugee protest under the name North Coast Concerned Collective — can be heard shouting threats and abuse towards the counter-protest whilst being arrested.
Aiming one of his comments at an individual, he shouted: “See you, you c**t, I’ll f**king get you. You’re a dead boy” before exclaiming, “Catholic b*****ds” and “Up the combat 18”, a reference to a neo-Nazi terrorist organisation.
It has also emerged that National Front flags were erected close to the war memorial outside the town Hall in Portrush during the protest.
The National Front is often described by many as a far-right, fascist political party founded in 1967.
Alliance Councillors for Causeway, Richard Stewart and Peter McCully issued a joint statement saying: “Those carrying out protests against asylum seekers on the North Coast represent nobody except ‘an extremely small minority’, Alliance Councillors have said.
Councillor Richard Stewart and Councillor Peter McCully were speaking following a protest by a group at the war memorial in Portrush this past weekend. A National Front flag was erected on the fence surrounding the war memorial, with a former leader of the organisation arrested during the protest.
“This protest was organised on social media, complete with horrifying racist, transphobic, xenophobic and homophobic posts, along with posts inciting violence,” said Councillor Stewart.
“The vast majority of people in Portrush and on the north coast utterly condemn this rhetoric and protest, which saw many people hiding behind balaclavas while scaring passers-by and displaying far-right imagery. They represent nobody except an extremely small minority.”
“All political representatives need to unite to call for an ending to such protests,” added Councillor McCully.
“The north coast is an open and welcoming place, where those seeking asylum have made their home, showcasing diversity as a strength and rejecting racism, fascism and violence. It is deeply disappointing to see many of the usual tropes about refugees bandied about by some.
“Protests such as these do nothing but cause intimidation and fear to those seeking to make Northern Ireland their home and create a better life for themselves after going through horrors in order to come here in the first place.”
