Behind the Photo: The EDL in Nottingham

 Posted by Dan Giannopoulos.

 I affectionately refer to this image as ‘A lesson in how to get punched hard in the face whilst attempting take a photograph'

It was shot back in early December 2009, and ended up forming part a short project on the Rise Of The UK's Far Right.

This was at an EDL demonstration in Nottingham. Most of, if not all, the demonstrators at this protest had been drinking, in typical British fashion, for the best part of a day.

I had been following a group of protestors for around half an hour after being kettled in on a side street near the city centre. There was an incredibly tense atmosphere. . I fired off a few shots and it was at this point that I became a target for their aggression I captured  this photograph a split second before the friendly looking skinhead  in the centre of the frame smashed my camera into my face, splitting my eyebrow open and giving me a bruised and bloody nose.

It's pertinent to note that as a general rule skinheads who’ve been drinking super strength beer/ cider for about 8 hours solid during a tense protest tend to be quite volatile and should not be approached, let alone photographed. This I learnt the hard way. And so I pass this information on to you, as my daily good deed, so that you may not suffer from the same embarrassment.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The Rise of the UK's Far Right - Photo Story by Dan Giannopoulos

Throughout 2009 and 2010 the UK saw a disturbing resurgence of far right movements. From the political legitimisation of  the British Nationalist Party (BNP), exemplified by the election of Nick Griffin to the European Parliament, to the birth of fascist grassroots protest movements such as the English Defence League (EDL) and Stop the Islamification of Europe (SIOE); Born, as an expression of outrage over the picketing by Islamic radical Anjem Choudary’s group Islam 4 UK of British soldier’s repatriation parades.

The protests of the EDL and SIOE began as small scale affairs with low numbers and a disorganised, if somewhat menacing, feel. However, in less than a year their numbers would swell to 1000s, attending  pre-planned and terrifyingly frequent protests across the length and breadth of the UK. Read more>>>

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Snowy - A brush with the EDL - Film by Ross Domoney

Snowy a political activist spent 2010 traveling across the country, campaigning for his organization and  staging protest after protest in an effort to bring awareness to his cause. A noble endeavour you might think,but how will you feel when you learn that the organization he speaks for is the English Defence League, a controversial street movement with alleged far right links. Many of their protests ended in extreme violence. Some suggest that the hardcore elements of this street movement are no more than racists and fascists thugs. 

________________________________________________