Here is what I now understand about what happened on Saturday at #FiLiA2021. There was a protest organised by @PlaceSteph which was supported by @amnesty. There was a separate protest organised by Cllr Claire Udy. A separate protest organised by staff/students at Portsmouth Uni.
I am told the police confirmed the arrival of another group at some time in the afternoon. And these were responsible for the offensive/threatening signs and chalking. @PlaceSteph assures me that her group did not know and did not encourage this final group.
I am willing to take her word for this. I have made formal inquiry of Portsmouth University to ascertain the extent to which members of their staff were involved. I have made formal complaint to Cllr Claire Udy having seen Facebook posts where she apparently celebrates the images
I do not know who the other group is, what they hope to achieve, or why they think that cartoon penises or threats of sexual violence are the key to achieving a successful promotion of their ideology.
Either they are very stupid, very naive, in the pay of foreign agents or simply wanted to cause upset and pain. I don't know and I don't really care. But I hope that protesters like @PlaceSteph who wish to exercise their non violent rights of protest, make it very clear to them-
- you are not welcome. You are harmful. Abuse and violence have no place in any protest that claims to be on the 'right side of history'.
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