'Lads Alliance' Manchester March Slammed By Dan Hett, Brother Of Bombing Victim, Martin

'It truly, truly is beyond my comprehension.'

An anti-extremist march purportedly to honour victims of the Manchester bombing last year has been criticised for being “disrespectful” to those who died and for using the event to protest at the jailing of Tommy Robinson.

The Democratic Football Lads Alliance had promoted a “silent walk” on Saturday and reiterated that no one attending should drink on the streets.

Tomorrow's march is one of respect. No chanting or singing please. Also it is an offence to drink alcohol on the streets in Manchester. See you all tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/zNl6D8Fuxt

— THE TRUE FLA- Democratic Football Lads Alliance (@TrueFla) June 1, 2018

But footage filmed at the march showed people drinking and carrying placards and singing in support of Robinson, the former EDL leader who was jailed this week for contempt of court.

Video: Supposedly ‘Respectful’ DFLA demo to commemorate #Manchesterattack chants in support of #racist thug Tommy Robinson #WeStandTogether #ManchesterTogether pic.twitter.com/wbD5j3wT43

— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) June 2, 2018

#DFLA's drunken stroll in #Manchester ...

And, thugs doing what thugs do ... getting drunk, causing trouble. Nothing political about this event. Just a day out for thugs. pic.twitter.com/1j49T0rQ3R

— Far Right Watch (@Far_Right_Watch) June 2, 2018

Dan Hett, who lost his 22-year-old brother Martyn when terrorists targeted an Ariana Grande concert on May 22 of last year, addressed a Stand Up To Racism event and said the DFLA was using the memories of those killed “to further their own hateful and Islamophobic ends”.

Brother of #manchesterattack victim @danhett argues that the DFLA are using the deaths in the #manchesterattack for their own #racist ends #manchesterattack #WeStandTogether pic.twitter.com/rWHGh0mzl3

— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) June 2, 2018

He added: “And to me, not just as the brother of a victim but as a proud Mancunian and the son of an immigrant, it’s completely unacceptable and we say no to this.

“And what gets me about this is, can you imagine getting on a train at six in the morning to go to a city that is not yours and to scream hate and abuse in the middle of a city that is still suffering from the loss of all these people?

“It truly, truly is beyond my comprehension.”

Important words from @danhett / racist groups have long appropriated tragedies, crises and societal ills to their cause.... making the “other” the reason..... we cannot allow this form of ethno-nationalism to feel legitimised, it’s dangerous. #DFLA https://t.co/44JCFsXj3y

— Vikas Shah MBE (@MrVikas) June 2, 2018

The DFLA Twitter account did attempt to make followers show respect at the event but it appeared to have little effect.

Can anyone at our event that keeps singing tommy Robinson songs please give it in! This event is nothing to do with tommy! And quite frankly you are showing disrespect to those families that have shown up.

— THE TRUE FLA- Democratic Football Lads Alliance (@TrueFla) June 2, 2018

Salman Abedi detonated a shrapnel-laded homemade bomb as people were leaving Manchester Arena after an Ariana Grande concert, resulting in the deaths of 22 people and causing injuries to a further 500.

For anyone wondering, this guy who got knocked out was #DFLA - he choked a random bystander who laughed as he walked by, then punched him. He was knocked out in what appeared to be self-defence by the guy he choked.

The DFLA said their march was “peaceful and respectful”. pic.twitter.com/AkBwyVcV4x

— Benjamin Wareing (@BenjaminWareing) June 2, 2018

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 10 months for contempt of court and a further three months for breaching the terms of a previous suspended sentence.

He was arrested on Friday after using social media to broadcast details of an ongoing trial which is subject to blanket reporting restrictions.

The judge who handed down the sentence on Tuesday emphasised how Robinson’s actions could have caused a long-running trial to collapse, wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money.

#dfla Have just stared to march. They cllaim to be here to remember the victims but as soon as they start walking a chorous of "oh tommy robinson" breaks out. these mugs don't stand for shit.

— Kippax Keith (@Kippax_Keith) June 2, 2018

It is the second time he has committed the offence, after previously being told he was on a “knife edge” when he was sentenced in May 2017 for trying to film four men accused of gang-raping a teenage girl who were standing trial.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said: “Not only was it a very long video, but I regard it as a serious aggravating feature that he was encouraging others to share it and it had been shared widely.

“That is the nature of the contempt.

“He referred to the charges that the defendants faced and some charges which are not proceeded against in relation to some defendants.”

Close

What's Hot