Bill Revans column: Somerset is stronger without hate

A small group of self-styled 'patriots' marched from Hamilton Park up to Vivary Park and then to Taunton Station.

Demonstrators came from Plymouth, Southampton, and London to Somerset.

They were shouting obscenities about the Prime Minister, denigrating trans people, made obscene gestures at counter-demonstrators, shouted allegations that left-wing people were paedophiles, singing the pseudonym of the founder of the English Defence League repeatedly, making threatening comments about immigrants, abusing people of different ethnicities, all while draped in our country’s St George’s and Union flags.

They claimed that this protest was just against 'illegal immigration' and 'two-tier policing'.

But the truth is, of course, much more sinister.

The event was heavily promoted on social media by Britain First activist Nigel Murfin from Bideford, Devon.

According to Hope Not Hate, Murfin is a member of Britain First's 'Defence Force' and was fined twice in 2019 and 2020 for threatening a woman - Hope Not Hate reports that Murfin now acts as an 'auditor' for the far-right group, attending protests and asylum accommodation to film migrants and security for 'social media content'.

The Taunton march was live-streamed by protesters, including Murfin.

He posted a clip on his social media of a young woman being verbally abused by him and others after the march.

The young woman later said that she had spoken up when the protesters had shouted abuse at an Indian family.

And it has since been reported that a barber on East Reach had a swastika daubed on the pavement outside their property.

All on the streets of Taunton on a Saturday in June.

Is this a Taunton to be proud of?

I accept that some people have concerns about migration and public services.

The reality, of course, is that so many of our services and businesses are kept going through migration.

However, these far-right agitators coming into our county to stir up division must be stopped.

Somerset welcomed Belgian refugees at the start of World War One, Highbridge’s Frank Foley saved over 10,000 Jews from certain death in Nazi Germany, and we sheltered Jewish children from the Kindertransport in the 1930s, in the 1970s Doniford Camp at Williton was used to welcome Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin.

Now is the time to show them that Somerset is - and will always be - a tolerant place to live, work, study, and enjoy our beautiful county.