On Saturday 25th February 2023, fascists and far-right conspiracy theorists tried once again to disrupt a drag queen story time event, presumably because it went so well for them last time. It is telling that an event coinciding with LGBT history month is targeted, meaning our community has to come out and defend itself from an increasing reaction to the increasing acceptance of LGBT identities. Queer people thus continue to create it’s own history through counter-protests such as these, asserting queer existence and refusing to go back into the closet. This all takes place in a context where a 16 year old trans girl, Brianna Ghey, was murdered by other children. The fascists leave us no time to mourn our dead, in fact, they wish to be the perpetrators of our genocide and have spent the last few weeks saying as much on social media. But the far-right were massively outnumbered once more, by an even greater margin than on the 4th, with more counter-protestors and fewer fascists.
By 10am that morning, people turned up early to take the space in front of the library with banners, colour and cheer. Pride flags adorned the gates of Trinity Square. Police presence was minimal and entirely ineffective/ non-existent. The SWP had shown up again, signing people up despite our plea to not to.
Once again, a corridor was opened to allow the public and story time goers through without hassle. Counter-protestors were more prepared for the fascists this time. As previously, they tried walking up and down the corridor to film people and get footage for their livestreams, but counter-protestors played Disney music, weaponising Disney’s litigiousness against the live-streamers. This worked and, as it stands, their footage was copyright striked and muted. Counter-protestors, getting fed up with the constant harassment and cameras in their faces, also decided to hinder far-right filming and movements. They did this by holding flags up in front of the cameras, surrounding the fascists, who reacted with bemusement. At one point, the fascists walked inside the library doors, but a combination of counter-protestors and library staff blocked their entrance to the children who were no doubt having a lovely time and ejected from the premises. Then, seemingly out of ideas, they tried peddling one of their other ventures (keeping money in cash I guess?) to counter-protestors! I’m not sure they picked their audience too well on that one. Having had little success with this venture, the fascist conspiracy theorists fucked off and counter-protestors began to disperse on another successful day in Colchester.
In conclusion, it was another successful counter-protest and in many ways a joyous day out for Colchester’s LGBT community and allies. This author overheard a counter-protestor packing up to go home that we should hang out like this every weekend (without the fash, of course).