Yesterday, Kaberi and I joined thousands of people from all over the UK (and even beyond) on the March for Change in central London to stop Brexit. However, according to BBC News & Sky, the march never happened – or at least was less important than “Learner driver took 21 practical tests in a year” and “Machete-wielding men steal newborn puppies“.
In my previous post, I outlined how to recognise fascism based on Umberto Eco’s 14 indicators of fascism. In his original paper, he described his first experience of liberation from Mussolini’s rule in 1945. Up until then, his only source of uncensored news was listening to Voice of London secretly on the radio.
In May we heard that the war was over. Peace gave me a curious sensation. I had been told that permanent warfare was the normal condition for a young Italian. In the following months I discovered that the Resistance was not only a local phenomenon but a European one. I learned new, exciting words like réseau, maquis, armée secrète, Rote Kapelle, Warsaw ghetto. I saw the first photographs of the Holocaust, thus understanding the meaning before knowing the word. I realized what we were liberated from.
Umberto Eco, Ur-Fascism, 22 June 1995
The absence of news coverage reminded me of my visit to Tahrir Square with Enrique Nicanor just before the first anniversary of the Arab Spring. We were in Cairo because Kaberi and her team were performing Shyama in Egypt, starting with the Cairo Opera House and continuing to four other large theatres, includnig the Alexandria Opera House. The Arab Spring had been triggered by a mass movement started on Facebook – an uncensored alternative to the official sources of news in Egypt.
In Fascist Italy, social and political pressures—and the resultant self-policing by the media—were at least as important as actual legal proscriptions, probably much more important.
David S d’Amato, Mussolini and the Press – 28 January 2016
Yesterday’s march was obviously inconvenient for the cult of Brexit and the official UK Government narrative that Brexit is the “Will of the People”. Certain politicians have fanned the fumes of populism by making journalists, politicians and even judges targets of abuse and violence from pro-Brexiters, claiming that “disagreement is treason” or even “undemocratic”.
So, before yesterday’s march is forgotten completely, I am sharing my impressions in this post, together with some of the photos and videos Kaberi and I took.
I had first heard about the march through one of the people I follow on Twitter since the two previous ‘People’s Vote’ marches. I gathered that coaches were being organised to allow people from all over the UK to join the march. In the absence of any news coverage (and having abandoned Facebook since the Cambridge Analytica scandal), it was only by checking the hashtag #MarchforChange yesterday morning that I could confirm that other people really were on their way to join the march.
When we reached Hyde Park Corner a little after midday, there seemed to be fewer people than the previous march on 23 March 2019 or the first march we took part in in October 2018. However, as we crossed over to the reach the Hilton, we discovered thousands of people waiting patiently for the all clear to start the march. We could not go any further because there were so many people.
As we were right at the front, we saw foreign TV crews interviewing organisers, against the backdrop of those at the front of the march.
Japanese TV crew interview a march organiser 
Another TV crew interview a march organiser
Steven Bray, who has been camped across the road from Parliament every day to Stop Brexit, was greeted enthusiastically when he arrived in his distinctive hat and cape. We also saw the puppets of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt having their strings pulled by Nigel Farage.
EU flags were the latest fashion statement 
A Nigel Farage on stilts manipulates (youthful) Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt puppets
As in the previous marches, there were people of all ages and I was impressed by the originality and humour of the posters people were carrying. Many were also dressed in blue and yellow. We stood to one side as the march set off, allowing us to see the variety.
“Girls just want to have fun(damental rights) – Stop Brexit, Save Britain” 
Man with face painted with EU flag 
Warwick District 4 Europe & Stratford 4 Europe 
Dressed in blue & yellow to carry the EU flag 
Quite Angry … Also Angry 
“Stop! this Humiliation:- 1 Take back control:- Revoke Article 50; 2 Build national unity and re-plan Brexit; 3 Leave when/if we are ready” 
“No more normalisation of racism” 
“We reject Far-Right Brexit” 
“EU feast or Trump begging bowl?” 
“England=Lemmingland: Sleepwalking over the White Cliffs of Dover Favouring pain over Remain” 
“Marching for my childrens’ future” 
“Embarrassed Brit, Proud European” 
“Not part of the 0.25% but 100% sure I don’t want Boris or Hunt!” 
“EU are my sunshine … please don’t take my sunshine away” – Eastbourne wants to stay with EU” 
“This is how I want my Passport to look!!!! Yes to Europe! Yes to Freedom of Movement! No to Boris! No to Brexit!” 
Dog sporting EU flag 
“Brexit wrecks it!” & “Brexit: Blonde ambition gone wrong!” 
Stop Brexit road sign 
“Britain: Democracy not oligarchy! #Peoplesvote” 
“Brexit has cost the UK at least £66 billion so far – That’s £423 million a week that could have funded the NHS instead – Bollocks to Brexit” 
“Your vote – my future” carried by a girl under-18
As the march moved forward past us, we spotted the front of the extensive Lib Dem section. I recognised Tom Brake MP and Ed Davey MP. The Lib Dem MEPs were wearing the bright yellow Stop Brexit / Bollocks to Brexit T-shirts they had worn on the first day of the new European Parliament. Later, I spotted Dutch “Renew Europe” MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld in the march as well.
Tom Brake MP, Ed Davey MP, Luisa Porritt MEP & Irina von Weise MEP were among those leading the Lib Dem section
As in the previous marches, the atmosphere was very relaxed – fun almost! I also recognised James from Bolton, whose dancing videos in response to political news have been going viral. I see he was dancing with Ed Davey MP and Steve Bray.
Viral social media dancer James (@DaleksGamertag) with the Lib Dem section
This clip of #MorrisNotBoris morris dancers in the march posted by dkmail gives an idea of this atmosphere in the march.
I should also mention the chanting. Here was Luisa Porritt leading the chanting as we were going through Piccadilly.
Who knows why BBC News and Sky News were noticeably missing in action. Perhaps the BBC News felt that Thursday evening’s Panorama exposé of Britain’s Brexit Crisis had exceeded this month’s quota for covering bad news related to Brexit? A footnote to the BBC’s guidelines for impartiality mentions that “The Framework Agreement accompanying the BBC Charter requires us to observe the impartiality requirements of the Broadcasting Code; however, by applying ‘due impartiality’ to all output, we exceed that requirement.”
Fortunately, some UK media did cover it, as did international media. Such as the Guardian, London’s Evening Standard, the Independent , Deutsche Welle and the New European. Please let me know in the comments if there was any other media coverage I should add here. It would help confirm that Kaberi and I did not just dream about the march yesterday … .
To be fair, after everyone had gone home, the BBC did publish a low profile article about the march but it had disappeared from the Top stories within a few hours, just as with the previous marches – including the largest ever march in London a few months ago.
Kaberi between a Union Jack and an EU flag during the march