Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Last year, seated pensioners holding banners were suddenly rebranded as an unstoppable outbreak of domestic terrorism; how did we get here? Bristol Counterfire hosts another vital discussion, dissecting Labour’s crypto-fascist swerve and shining a light on what protest means in this brave new world."
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A event held at KIT FORM on Tomorrow. The event starts at 18:30.
Over 2025 the policing of protest and the waiving of the rights of activists became more and more commonplace.
The year kicked off with the arrests of organisers of the National Rally for Palestine in January under spurious use of public order legislation. This includes Chris Nineham, one of tonight's speakers, and founder of Stop the War coalition and current Vice Chair.
This was followed by the proscription of Palestine Action and over a 1000 arrests for people holding signs under laws brought in to ostensibly protect the UK from a terrorist attack.
By year's end, the mistrials for people involved in non violent direct action against an arms manufacturer from a nation accused of genocide had begun.
The Filton 24 have been on remand, many for well over a year, now 8 of them were on the largest co-ordinated hunger strike since 1981.
Over the last decade multiple legislative efforts have been made to suppress protest and outlaw dissent.
Join us, and speakers Chris Nineham, Paul Heron and Lauren Simmonds, for our first Bristol Counterfire meeting of 2026 to discuss this rapid descent into authoritarianism and what we can do about it.
Entry requirements: no age restrictions
The year kicked off with the arrests of organisers of the National Rally for Palestine in January under spurious use of public order legislation. This includes Chris Nineham, one of tonight's speakers, and founder of Stop the War coalition and current Vice Chair.
This was followed by the proscription of Palestine Action and over a 1000 arrests for people holding signs under laws brought in to ostensibly protect the UK from a terrorist attack.
By year's end, the mistrials for people involved in non violent direct action against an arms manufacturer from a nation accused of genocide had begun.
The Filton 24 have been on remand, many for well over a year, now 8 of them were on the largest co-ordinated hunger strike since 1981.
Over the last decade multiple legislative efforts have been made to suppress protest and outlaw dissent.
Join us, and speakers Chris Nineham, Paul Heron and Lauren Simmonds, for our first Bristol Counterfire meeting of 2026 to discuss this rapid descent into authoritarianism and what we can do about it.
Entry requirements: no age restrictions
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