REBELLION AGAINST BIGOTS
Punks with their sign on Church Street earlier in the day-All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
Our beloved Rebellion Festival, a beacon of unity and inclusivity, was the target of rioting and violence that I feel should be addressed before diving into the usual festival highlights. It’s also important to commend the individuals who courageously stepped up, saving not just the day and the festival but potentially lives—and to reflect on the crowd-control tactics employed by the police and consider areas for improvement.
Here at In Spite Magazine, we strive to report on the positive and entertaining aspects of life In Spite of the world we live in. We prefer to avoid the negative, but sometimes the negative comes to us and refuses to be ignored. Even if you live under a rock, you’ve heard that England has been inundated with outbreaks of violence. There was a mass stabbing; many were injured, and three children lost their lives. Then misinformation was spread about the background of the perpetrator, falsely and possibly purposefully stating he was an immigrant or of Muslim descent (it’s been confirmed that he was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Christian parents who emigrated from Rwanda). In the aftermath, far-right and racist groups had been demonstrating and rioting across England, and it was rumored they were going to come to Blackpool on Saturday. And despite being denied a permit to gather by the town council, about 200 demonstrators (bigots) showed up.
Can you guess which one is the racist cunt? - All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
Now, it should be noted that most festivalgoers were unaware of the incident as it was happening. The Rebellion and Winter Garden security teams acted swiftly and wisely to lock down the Winter Gardens, reportedly while the mayhem was still near the North Pier.
It's also worth noting that many, including myself, have used humor to process the events. For those who have faced trauma or terrifying situations, humor can be a genuine coping mechanism, and as punks, it is part of who we are. So I will return to my usual smart-ass commentary shortly—but we also must keep in mind that one of our Rebellion family members sustained serious head injuries, and another, who is disabled, was caught in the chaos. After receiving footage of the incident—showing her terrified, crying, and being pulled to safety by others—I lost my sense of humor. The footage starkly illustrates the very real and dangerous nature of what happened,
It was Saturday afternoon on August 3 after I exited the Winter Gardens that I noticed something was up. I saw the police gathering on Victoria Street and, like a moth to a flame, I began to follow the bobbies and photograph them.
I've covered many protests in both the UK and the US, so this wasn't my first riot. I've learned the rules on both sides of the pond. English police are a bit different from the cops back home. They are much more polite when yelling at you and they say sir a lot. “Sir, please stand aside.” “Sir, please make way,” and the worst one, "Sir, why is my sniffer dog attracted to you?”But they’re also much quicker to hit you or knock you down for crossing the line the wrong way or because they don’t want their photo taken. I’ve learned as a Yank that if I talk a lot and make sure that my press credentials are very visible, I’m a little less likely to get hit. (I still do but a little less.) The biggest difference is that in England, these well-groomed and stylish police officers will kick the shit out of you and then just toss you back into the crowd, unlike in the US, which will just sit on your neck until you're dead or beat your face to a pulp and then charge you with a felony for hurting their fists on your face. I think the English way is better.
on the way to the first mess. - All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
As we headed to the beach, we were followed by a growing group of punks and locals who emerged from pubs and restaurants. As we got closer, it became difficult to distinguish a friend from a foe unless they had a mohawk. Scuffles and shouting matches erupted. Bottles began to fly at a police van, but they couldn't break the window despite throwing about six bottles at it. I heard a lady scream, "Break the fucking thing!" Amidst the chaos of the police knocking people down and siccing their dogs on the crowd, at that point, the group of shitheads suddenly, and almost in unison, began marching up the street toward the Winter Gardens. The cops just stood there for a few minutes, I presume, waiting for orders. then after about five minutes, they all got in their vans and took off up the promenade, but none followed the crowd.
As soon as the cops left, I darted up the street after the crowd. While rounding a bend in the street, I came across two of the Knuckleheadz outside their hotel. "What the hell’s going on, Dick?" one of them asked, having just watched the crowd pass by."It's a bunch of bigots and cops fighting each other, and they're heading toward Rebellion." I said. "What the fuck?" he responded. "Yeah, I thought you guys were my bodyguards and I'm out here getting pushed around by cops and Nazis. Get the guys, and let's go.” Without hesitation, they joined me, and we ran up the road. We were soon met by more members of the Punk Rock Fight Club who had been at the Scream and Shake. As we approached the scene, I could see the two crowds had already started to engage. People were fighting over signs, and I couldn't help but wonder where all the cops were and how the hell we beat them there.
As we made our way to the crowd, the scene was already chaotic. There were some cops present, and as the tension intensified, the bigots all ran behind them while chairs and bottles started flying around us. Cops were screaming and pushing everyone back. The bigots, hiding behind the cops, continued to toss bottles and anything else they could get their hands on—a true display of cowardice.
After what seemed like an eternity, police backup arrived with horses and vans. They pushed the bigots in one direction and the punks in another, placing three police vans between the two groups to separate them. This tactic was effective in stopping the fighting between the two sides. But what I don't think the police anticipated was that, as punks, when the cops are fighting the bigots, we root for the cops—but when that’s over, we still hate the cops.
But it was almost friendly—more like, ‘Thanks but up yours, you bastards!" from the punks to the cops. I didn’t see any real fights between the punks and the police, just a bit of shouting and pushing. It quickly turned into a pro-inclusion demonstration. Where the punks got all those signs from so quickly, I have no idea. Still, it was incredibly uplifting to see punks, skins, and townsfolk voicing that Rebellion and Blackpool are for everyone and that racism and homophobia are not welcome here.
Rebellion Against Bigots - All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
As the scene with the cops subsided and the atmosphere became almost festive with beach balls and chanting, I noticed another scuffle happening in front of the box office. Not only was someone on the ground being treated by medical professionals, guarded by both police and Rebellion security, but the police were also arresting a woman who was not going quietly. Bystanders alleged, though it wasn’t confirmed, that she had been scouting locations and communicating police presence to the demonstrators (bigots).
After the police took her away, the injured gentleman was taken by ambulance to the hospital. As of this writing, I've learned that our brother Wojtek was released from the hospital and is recovering at home with loved ones. I send my best wishes for a speedy recovery. There was a GoFundMe set up but it has since been taken down as it reached its modest goal very quickly.
As the punks began cleaning up the street and nursing their wounds, things started to return to what we call normal. The Winter Gardens reopened, the kids reappeared, and the festival itself continued as scheduled. It was a great success as always—full of love, music, family, and acceptance. The bigots wanted to ruin our fun and use the festival as a platform for their hate, but they were chased away because hate has no home in Blackpool or at the Rebellion Festivals.
I want to extend a special thank you, of course, to my brothers the Knucleheadz and the Punk Rock Fight Club. These guys often block for me in the pit at shows, and we joke about them being my bodyguards but this time was much more serious. They took a few hard shoves intended for Uncle Dick, stayed cool, and did an excellent job as bodyguards. They gave amazing, bloody, hardcore sets at Rebellion, and the sideshow at Scream and Shake. We also enjoyed an afternoon tea with Carol Hodge of the Steve Ignorant Band. WELL DONE GENTLEMAN WELL DONE.
The KnuckleHeadz Band and PRFC- All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
Bullet, pictured on the right, actually saved my life twice in London. I was about to step into traffic because I looked the wrong way before crossing the street, and he grabbed me just in time. TWICE - All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com-
To the Rebellion and Winter Garden security teams and staff—great job. They locked up the venue and kept everyone as calm as possible. It didn’t go unnoticed that it was the heads of the teams out there in the street trying to calm the chaos and doing what the cops should have been doing. Below, Rebellion head of security and our In Spite Magazine 2023 Celebrity Punk Hunk of the Year can be seen wondering if he was ever going to get his torch back. It has been confirmed that the police medical officer had to borrow Big Poppa’s flashlight to check Wojtek’s pupils when he was on the ground as none of the officers had one. (WTF?)
The difference between a grey security shirt and a yellow shirt. is that the grey shirt is a supervisor. Bravo, gentlemen.-All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
As for the police, maybe I do wear a tinfoil hat, but it felt like someone either made a decision to let them walk there or failed to make a decision in time. As someone who’s seen a few of these kinds of situations, I have to ask—why weren’t there more police there already? And how did the boys and I beat the horses and vans to the Winter Gardens from the promenade? Perhaps you all figured, Let the punks and the bigots fight it out. I mean, I get it.
a special thank you to this lady who was yelling at the cops, telling them to leave the punks alone. and to Kulty for documenting, But most of all, the Rebellion Family, who grabbed the kids and helped get others to safety, truly deserve recognition.
Punks got their sign back - All Photos by ©dickslaughter.com
I know it probably sounds insane to a normal, non-punk person. However, this did not dampen the festival's spirit or even slow it down, as the bigots intended. Instead, it only brought us closer together and strengthened our resolve. The festival was full of unforgettable performances, amazing discoveries of new bands, reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, and experiencing moments that can only happen at the Rebellion Festivals.
early bird tickets are now on sale for next year!
rebellionfestivals.com
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