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Brighton Legal Observer & Care Kollective

@brightonlock

3 months ago

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We legal observed the Carnival Against Fascism. Here is our statement:

Police culture is rotten

This report documents wanton police violence – nothing new to anyone who deals with the police on demonstrations.

Also unsurprising but still shocking is the evidence of gendered violence, higher levels of violence against older and disabled people, and the frankly sadistic behaviour of several officers.

This is not a case of a few bad apples: throughout the day, we did not see one officer restrain a colleague meting out violence.

The barrel is rotten, and this report is further evidence of how prejudiced and twisted policing is.

Unaccountable

Sussex police turn to violence whenever they are thwarted, knowing the toothless complaints process and the courts will never hold them to account.

They have already lied about the day, denying that they used PAVA spray.

Endorsed by the council

Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton Council, spoke fine words about fascists not being welcome, but also said she was working with the police. Despite many councillors being present on the day, we have heard nothing from the council about the police attacks on Brightonians documented in this report.

Unless the council holds the police to account, they are complicit in their actions. We are tired of a model where the police make things worse and ordinary people bear the brunt of it.

We appreciate the Green Councillors’ efforts to hold them to account, but doubt that a single officer will be disciplined, or that the commanders of this dangerous, botched operation will be held to account – despite the damning evidence in this report.

Brighton is antifascist

This report documents not only police violence but how we looked after each other when the police assaulted us:

When the police PAVA sprayed us, we rinsed it from each other’s eyes;

When the police broke a wheelchair user’s chair, we held them up;

When the police picked on those more vulnerable than us, we put our bodies between them and were beaten for it.

Whilst the policing of the Carnival Against Fascism was abhorrent, we could not be more grateful to be part of the community that is Brighton.

In the face of extreme police violence and threat to life created by the crushes the police repeatedly caused, Brighton kept its head and stood its ground.

In typical Brighton fashion, people of all races, ages, genders, abilities and walks of life refused to let Brighton become another victim of racism.

Who protects the fascists? Police protect the fascists.

Who protects us? We protect us.

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Posted On: August 7th 2026, 02:05 pm

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Comments (4)

newhavenseafordsutr

3 months ago

newhavenseafordsutr

vague_reaper

3 months ago

vague_reaper

You can’t be a police officer without having fascist tendencies.

davidcundy

3 months ago

davidcundy

Standard. ACAB

clarejones4027

3 months ago

clarejones4027

Thank you for all your brilliant work. Outrageous that Legal Observers were hurt by Police when carrying out their role.

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