Tensions mounted in Lewisham, south London, when a right-wing group, Turning Point UK (TPUK), protested a storytelling event by drag queen That Girl at the Honor Oak pub. Accusations have emerged that the Metropolitan police showed bias during the demonstration, prompting an official complaint and concern from the mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan.
A Series of “Culture War” Protests
This incident represents the latest in a string of protests led by far-right and right-wing groups targeting drag queen storytelling events. Such events have recently gained attention from the neo-Nazi Patriotic Alternative, its splinter group, the Independent Nationalist Network, and TPUK, which has connections to the Conservative Party.
Allegations of Police Aggression and Bias
Counter-demonstrators claim they were met with police aggression while TPUK supporters intimidated and threatened them. A Lewisham councillor, who requested anonymity, said that TPUK protesters were allowed to approach people outside the pub and film them, while police seemed slow to intervene. Officers, including those from territorial support group units, were seen aggressively pushing back crowds, with reports of serious injuries such as cracked ribs.
Questions Over “Thin Blue Line” Badges
Concerns were also raised about some officers wearing badges supporting the “thin blue line” movement, which has associations with white nationalism in the United States. The Met is currently reviewing the wearing of such badges, but maintains that they are accepted as demonstrating camaraderie among officers and are “not representative of a specific cause, belief or charity.”
A Call for Investigation
In response to these incidents, Lewisham councillors plan to contact Sophie Linden, London’s deputy mayor for policing, to investigate the allegations against the police. Meanwhile, Damien Egan, the mayor of Lewisham, has defended the right of families to attend events they deem appropriate, saying that parents “should be trusted to make their own judgments.”
