poison punk<p>yesterday i 'marched' (i'd call it a crawl) at the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DurhamMinersGala" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DurhamMinersGala</span></a> with the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TeessideRadicalBookfairCollective" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TeessideRadicalBookfairCollective</span></a>. <br>there was a lot of booing, one guy shouted 'EDL' and did a nazi salute. the police hassled the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FreePalestine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FreePalestine</span></a> block, which has not happened before & shows their boldness despite the increased turn-out of people. then a confused bigot pulled my banner from behind a barrier, & started to provoke me into a fight, shouting at me. <br>i felt very uneasy, and uncomfortable walking down ppl booing. i avoided eye contact with the spectators behind the barriers as i seemed to be the only <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/trans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>trans</span></a> person in the march carrying the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/pride" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>pride</span></a> :better_pride:, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/non" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>non</span></a>-binary :flag_nb: flag. there was no <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lgbtq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>lgbtq</span></a>+ 🏳️🌈 presence anywhere that i saw, i only saw one other pride flag on the festival ground.<br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/corbyn" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>corbyn</span></a> spoke after the march but failed to announce a new party to his electoralist socialist followers. i thought he gave a weak speech with no rallying cry or fiery call-to-action. <br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AlanMardghum" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AlanMardghum</span></a>, the secretary of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DMA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DMA</span></a> (durham miners association), called the leader of the council, run by the far-right reform party, a 'keyboard warrior' and invited him to say the personal insults and lies he spouts online to his face.<br>for the first time ever at the gala the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Palestinian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Palestinian</span></a> embassador gave a speech.</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GifsArtidote" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GifsArtidote</span></a>: <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/educate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>educate</span></a> people around you on the lies the state and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/reform" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>reform</span></a> are spouting. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/organise" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>organise</span></a> your community <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/resist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>resist</span></a> through direct action, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/sabotage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>sabotage</span></a> & <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/boycotts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>boycotts</span></a>.</p><p>next year there should be a lgbtq+ block in the march! </p><p>☆ edit: there apparently was an lgbtq block according to the bbc so perhaps they're lying as they lie about most other things. i didn't see 'm, but i was at the back.</p>