So why was Charlie Veitch trying to photograph everyone on May Day march?

NOTE: This article was published on 3 May 2025Last week, YouTube ‘film maker’ and blogger Charlie Veitch was seen in Manchester joking and cosying up to some the most vile fascists in the UK. This weekend he was out in Manchester again, but this time he was spotted at a May Day worker’s rally in…

NOTE: This article was published on 3 May 2025

Last week, YouTube ‘film maker’ and blogger Charlie Veitch was seen in Manchester joking and cosying up to some the most vile fascists in the UK.

This weekend he was out in Manchester again, but this time he was spotted at a May Day worker’s rally in the centre of the city, where hundreds of people, trade unionists and others, celebrated May Day with a march and rally.

Bad influencer

Veitch is well known as one of those online influencers, so called YouTube “auditors”, who like throwing their weight around for clicks and giggles and, of course, for money.

They’re not all political, but the general suggestion is that Britain is broken and that the answer is to stick an unwanted camera in some poorly paid, largely powerless local official’s face.

He’s described as a ‘former’ conspiracy theorist who helped spread false narratives about, for instance, those ‘really’ behind 9/11.

On Saturday, with a typically inane grin on his face, Veitch was working assiduously with two or three others apparently in an effort to film and photograph as many people at the May Day march as they could.

One can only speculate as to why. Perhaps Veitch was unhappy at having to film his buddy Nick Tenconi being run out of town last Saturday. Perhaps it’s more sinister.

We clocked him and veteran anti-fascists kept a close eye on him

But we clocked him and his cronies almost immediately, and veteran anti-fascists kept a close eye on him throughout proceedings.

So, if you see this wretch filming at an anti-fascist or left wing event, do ask him, peacefully, to desist. And warn those around you.


Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak

The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.

Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Nick Davies

Nick Davies

To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.

Nick Davies
Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

Peter Hain
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
Everyone who wants to understand contemporary racism and its historical background needs to read Searchlight.
Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

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