Football hooligans alliance supporters warn fans ‘do not come tooled up’ with weapons as they bid to ‘protect’ the Cenotaph from pro-Palestine protest – and sell out coaches for hundreds to head to London
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Football hooligan alliance supporters have warned those planning to ‘protect’ the Cenotaph from pro-Palestine protestors not to bring weapons to their proposed march on Sunday.
Mail Sport reported exclusively that Metropolitan Police believe more than a thousand will travel to the capital for Remembrance Sunday after a message circulated amongst gangs of football supporters from across the country.
The missive – shared by ‘Football Lads against Extremism’, which has far-right ties – called upon supporters groups to ‘stand shoulder to shoulder’ and safeguard the planned Remembrance Sunday parade from potential ‘threat’ from the ‘far left and pro-Palestine supporters’.
A march calling for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza has been planned for Armistice Day on Saturday, but although no protests have been planned for Sunday, there are concerns that the day’s events may be targeted.
Following the call to arms for football firms to travel to the capital to take part in Sunday’s action, a source shared that preparations were in place for a ‘nightmare weekend’ that would see ‘officers coming in from all across the country to help’ London’s police force.
Football hooligans alliance supporters have urged attendees not to bring weapons to planned meeting to ‘protect’ the Cenotaph on Sunday (Democratic Football Lads Alliance supports pictured in 2018)
A message warning of the ‘threat’ to the memorial from ‘far left groups and pro-Palestine supporters’ circulated this week
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‘Football Lads Against Extremism’ claim veterans have reached out and asked for their support
But organisers of the action appeared to warn attendees from bringing weapons to the hooligan gathering on Sunday, with one writing: ‘DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT COME TOOLED UP.
‘WE ARE MUCH BETTER THEN (sic) THAT.’
Comments beneath the original post urged dignity from attendees, although one user claimed that ‘the snakes will undoubtedly have machetes and what not’ in apparent reference to potential opposition.
A desire for unity between rival supporters groups was also apparent on X (formerly Twitter) with one user sharing that Stoke City’s firm N40 – or Naughty Forty – had organised two coaches to bus group members to the capital.
‘STOKE CITY N40 have organised two SOLD OUT coaches for the weekend,’ the user wrote. ‘Standing side by side with other football supporters to protect our British values!
‘This weekend, NO TRIBES, just ONE loyal British show of solidarity!’
At the height of the group’s support in the 1970s and 80s, N40 had over 700 members and a reputation as one of the most violent firms in the country.
Supporters of the march’s intent urged likeminded groups not to bring weapons to London
One user shared that Stoke City firm N40 had already sold out two coaches for Sunday
Tommy Robinson – who has agitated for counter-protests against a planned ceasefire march on Armistice Day upon his return to X (formerly Twitter) attended a 2017 Football Lads Alliance march ‘against extremism’
In 2020 Democratic Football Lads Alliance urged supporters to ‘defend war memorials’ from Black Lives Matter protests
A counter-protest in London saw the hooligans clash with police and protestors in scenes dubbed ‘racist thuggery’
On Sunday, both West Ham and Chelsea will host games in London as they play Nottingham Forest and Manchester City respectively, with Arsenal and Crystal Palace the city’s teams with home clashes on Armistice Day itself.
After detailing Sunday’s plan in their initial statement, the alliance references ‘the first 2 Football Lads marches in 2017’ – the second of which in October 2017 was attended by the founder of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson.
In 2020, the Democratic Football Lads Alliance urged supporters to ‘defend war memorials’ from Black Lives Matter protestors, and clashed with protestors and police in Trafalgar Square.
Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the actions of the far-right protestors as ‘racist thuggery’ after six police officers were injured as demonstrators threw missiles and smoke grenades.
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