Patriotic Alternative nazis and holocaust deniers defile Remembrance Day ceremonies

NOTE: This article was published on 13 November 2023 Railing against Tommy Robinson’s call out to the football firm troops at the weekend as a ‘Zionist trap’, Patriotic Alternative, the neo fascist group run by Mark Collett, Sam Melia and Laura Towler, gleefully posted pictures of their activists besmirching the memories of the millions who…

NOTE: This article was published on 13 November 2023

Railing against Tommy Robinson’s call out to the football firm troops at the weekend as a ‘Zionist trap’, Patriotic Alternative, the neo fascist group run by Mark Collett, Sam Melia and Laura Towler, gleefully posted pictures of their activists besmirching the memories of the millions who died fighting fascism.

PA is claiming 20 activities nationally, but online reports of their events show no more than a handful of supporters at most at any gathering, gutlessly attempting to blend in with armed forces veterans, and local dignitaries, in some cases wearing old, ill-fitting suits as camouflage.

Standing at war memorials dedicated to those who gave their lives defeating fascism, whilst espousing a violent, super extreme form of modern-day ethno-hatred, is the lowest form of hypocrisy. It is also a deliberate provocation.

PA activists know that soldiers from the Empire, Indians, Africans, Asians, Chinese, and Jews, fought for Britain against Hitler, Mussolini and Japanese fascism. Not even racists can whitewash and falsify our collective histories. With PA split right down the middle, and UK fascists desperately trying to organise, there is a serious, yet unsuccessful, effort to make PA seem relevant and active. In reality, its hardcore is under 200 in number, its ideology universally reviled, and it is reduced to tagging on to Remembrance Day events organised by people it holds in contempt.

Nevertheless, anti-fascists must always be on the lookout, ready for action. With leading politicians whipping up anti-migrant hatred, ably supported by sections of the gutter press, the likes of PA will always attempt to capitalise on division and hatred in the public sphere.


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

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

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

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

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

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2 responses to “Patriotic Alternative nazis and holocaust deniers defile Remembrance Day ceremonies”

  1. Dan

    Not only is Nazism GENOCIDAL, it is also a TERRORIST Ideology too. Nazism is Terrorism. The Far Right is completely shot through with Intimidators and thugs, whose Ideology supports Race-Hate straight out of Hitler’s Nazism, who they worship. Nazis at The Cenotaph… HOW DARE THEY! A calculated sneer by The Nazi Party, when Almost 1/2 Million Allied were killed by Hitler. Nazis with this Ideology killed at least 50 Million souls 1939-45, including the murder of 2 Million Polish people, 27 Million Ethnic Slavs in Russia, and the 6 Million Jewish People of The Holocaust. So, Say it loud: NAZISM IS TERRORISM and NAZISM IS A TERRORIST IDEOLOGY.

  2. This ditty performed in cabaret, and sung to the tune of Bizet’s Habanero in Carmen –

    “If it’s raining, if it’s sunny
    If you’re freezing or dripping sweat
    If you’re lazy, if you’re stupid
    If your tax scams make you fret
    If your sister, goes join ukip
    If you can’t make your GF wet
    If all laugh behind your back
    And your path to jail is set –
    Go blame the Jews
    The Jews are guilty.
    So blame the Jews if we have flaws
    It’s not our fault
    because the Jew’s the cause
    For all our flaws
    Oh, it’s a shame but true
    Whatever’s wrong, the Jew’s to blame
    So blame the Jews. Go blame the Jews
    The Jews are guilty and it’s not new news
    You don’t need brains to read the clues
    The guilty Party always is the Jews
    So blame the Jews, if we have flaws
    It’s not our fault
    Because the Jew’s the cause
    For all our flaws
    Oh, it’s a shame, but true
    Whatever’s wrong – the Jew’s to blame!”

    The refrain stays the same, in 1930s Germany and today, hatred spewed by inadequate and envious bigots, some better at concealing it than others.

    Make no mistake, PA and ukip are flips of the same coin, both on the make. The Jew’s not to blame.