A SELF-claimed member of a ‘white nationalist’ group claimed he ‘didn’t know what the problem was’ as counter-protesters shouted that he and those with him were ‘racist’. Joe Marsh, who also goes by the names Jeff Marsh or Joe Butler, had this week encouraged members of ultra-far right group Patriotic Alliance to join Saturday’s anti-LTN protest in Oxford. Mr Marsh himself could be seen near the foot of Carfax Tower, by a stall set up by another right-wing group the Heritage Party, as ‘anti-fascist’ counter-protesters traded words with those ostensibly in Oxford for the main march in Broad Street. The far right figure, who in the 2000s set up English Defence League-linked football hooligan collective Casuals United to ‘fight jihadis’, told the Oxford Mail: “We’re a white nationalist group but we’re not protesting about anything to do with race or immigration today.” He claimed to be in Oxford to protest against ’15 minute cities’, a town planning concept that essential services like shops and doctors’ surgeries should be within quarter-of-an-hour of people’s homes. Oxfordshire County Council claims the concept has been misrepresented to suggest they want a ‘climate lockdown’. “We are protesting against 15 minute cities. This is not a racial protest. So, I don’t know what their problem is. If they think they can dictate to us where we can and can’t go,” said Mr Marsh, who could later be seen carrying a cardboard sign that read ‘NOT FAR RIGHT JUST RIGHT SO FAR’. Joe Marsh/Jeff Marsh at the Oxford demonstration, holding a sign saying ‘not far right just right so far’ (Image: Oxford Mail) Patriotic Alternative, the group with which Mr Marsh is now associated, was founded in 2019 by former British National Party staffer Mark Collett – who featured in 2002 documentary Young, Nazi and Proud, in which confessed his racist views and told the Channel 4 reporter: “Hitler will live on forever and maybe I will.” The group has been accused of ‘hijacking’ local issues to promote its own agenda. An activist from the organisation reportedly handed out anti-migrant leaflets in Merseyside just days before a violent disorder outside a Knowsley hotel that housed asylum seekers. Patriotic Alternative denied being involved in the disorder.
via oxford mail: ‘Neo-Nazi’ group Patriotic Alternative joins anti-LTN march in Oxford 19th February