Football Lads Alliance

British right-wing movement

Football Lads Alliance

Formation| 4 June 2017; 7 years ago (2017-06-04)
Founder| Dan Harrison
Dissolved| 22 January 2019; 5 years ago (2019-01-22)
Type| Campaign group
Purpose|

* Far-right politics[1][2]
* Anti-islamism[1][2]

Headquarters| London, UK

Key people

| John Meighan
(Leader until 16 April 2018)
Website| footballladsalliance.co.uk (Archive)

The Football Lads Alliance (FLA) is a right-wing movement in the United Kingdom founded by John Meighan in 2017. According to The Times, "the movement was set up as a self-proclaimed 'anti-extremist' movement" but has increasingly become associated with far-right politics and far-right activists,[1][2] and has been described as a part of the counter-jihad movement.[3]

The Premier League has warned clubs that "the group is using fans and stadiums to push an anti-Muslim agenda".[1] Concern has also been expressed that the Alliance is "giving cover to the far right"[4] and "uses a secret Facebook page full of violent, racist and misogynistic posts".[5]

Following a number of terror attacks in the UK, including the Westminster Bridge attack (22 March 2017) and the bombing of Manchester Arena (22 May 2017), in June 2017 a group of Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) supporters led by FLA's founder John Meighan[6] initially organised a march in London that purported to be against "extremism".[7]

The FLA was registered as a private company in August 2017.[8] A store was opened online selling t-shirts, hoodies and caps.

The second FLA march in October 2017 featured members of "Veterans Against Terrorism" (VAT), an advocacy group made up of claimed military veterans which opposes what it describes as "Islamist extremists".[9] The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) monitored the FLA's social media posts as part of their ongoing research into extremist movements and tactics online. It reported that, in less than a year, the FLA had moved to the right.[2]

FLA organized a campaign selling pin badges featuring the poppy symbol of The Royal British Legion donating sums collected to the Legion. The charity however returned a £1,104 donation to the FLA on 11 April 2018 saying that, "a small number of FLA supporters have expressed views and opinions that are not compatible with the values of The Royal British Legion."[2]

FLA founder Meighan stood down on 16 April 2018 saying that the company would be dissolved.[2] It was finally formally dissolved on 22 January 2019.[10]

An FLA march was held on 19 May 2018 to mark the first anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing with around 200 people attending. An opposition rally was organized with around 800 people, with speakers from anti-racist and anti-fascist movements, local councillors and trade union bodies.[11]

The FLA subsequently split, leading some senior activists to set up the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA).[2]

## FLA split and formation of DFLA

[edit]

Logo of the Democratic Football Lads Alliance or the "true" FLA.[6]

When the FLA split, some senior FLA activists set up the DFLA, claiming to represent the "true FLA".[2][12] It has adopted the slogan "Against All Extremism". The DFLA leader and march organiser is Phillip Hickin.[13][14]

On 13 October 2018, the DFLA staged a rally in central London which was stopped by anti-fascist protesters, and resulted in violence against the police.[15][16][17] Later that week, Premier League club, West Ham United suspended their under-18s coach, Mark Phillips, following his attendance at the DFLA rally. The club said "We have a zero tolerance policy to any form of violent or abusive behaviour. We continue to protect and cherish those values and we remain committed to ensuring that every single member of the West Ham family feels safe, respected and included."[18][19]

An anti-Brexit rally in London on 7 September 2019 was disrupted by pro-Brexit demonstrators organized by the DFLA.[20]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Times Investigation (30 March 2018). "Premier League clubs warned over 'far-right' Football Lads Alliance". Times Online. Times Newspapers.(subscription required)
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bryant, Ben; Frymorgen, Tomasz (9 May 2018). "Football Lads Alliance: 'We could have a civil war in this country'". BBC Three. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
3. ^ Allen, Chris (2019). "The Football Lads Alliance and Democratic Football Lad's Alliance: an insight into the dynamism and diversification of Britain's counter-jihad movement". Social Movement Studies. 18 (5): 639–646. doi:10.1080/14742837.2019.1590694.
4. ^ "Inside the Football Lads Alliance march through London". The Independent. ESL Media. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
5. ^ Wall, Tom (17 March 2018). "Secret Facebook page reveals violence at heart of forum for 'football fans'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
6. ^ a b Poulter, James; Childs, Simon (23 March 2018). "Are the Football Lads Alliance another far-right street movement?". Vice. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
7. ^ Keoghan, Jim (31 August 2018). "The far-right is attempting to return to football. These are the fans fighting it". New Statesman. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
8. ^ "Football Lads Alliance Ltd". companycheck.co.uk. Company Check. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
9. ^ Hill, Laura (16 February 2018). "Veterans Against Terrorism march in Newcastle: Charities distance themselves as organiser speaks". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle: Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 27 May 2018. "Antony Harrison, one of the organisers behind the Veterans Against Terrorism group... insisted the group isn't linked to any right-wing organisations - especially the EDL - and the only other movement it works with is the Football Lads Association."
10. ^ "FOOTBALL LADS ALLIANCE LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.
11. ^ Staff writer (15 May 2018). "Hundreds of Stand Up To Racism campaigners oppose FLA rally in Manchester". Salford Star. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
12. ^ Richards, Andy (18 March 2018). "Pub bombings campaigner to speak at huge football supporter demo in Birmingham". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 30 May 2018. "The True Democratic Football Lads Alliance has split from the Football Lads Alliance"
13. ^ "Football Lads Alliance march: When Islam was mentioned, the crowd booed and hissed loudly". The Times. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
14. ^ Socialist Worker journalists (24 March 2018). "Update - The FLA shows its true colours in Birmingham - racist and bigoted". Socialist Worker. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
15. ^ Buck, Kate (13 October 2018). "Football 'lads' charge at police as far-right march turns violent". Metro. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
16. ^ "Planned silent march from 'football lads' turns violent". ITV News. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
17. ^ AP. "Right-wing march in London turns violent, 1 arrested". Yahoo News UK. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
18. ^ "West Ham suspend coach who attended Democratic Football Lads Alliance march". BBC News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
19. ^ Lovett, Samuel (17 October 2018). "West Ham suspend youth coach who attended Democratic Football Lads Alliance march". The Independent. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
20. ^ Busby, Mattha (7 September 2019). "Anti-Brexit protesters decry Johnson's 'coup' in cities across UK". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Far-right politics in the United Kingdom

Pre-1945 groups|

* British Brothers' League
* British Fascists
* British People's Party
* British Union of Fascists
* The Britons
* Britons Publishing Society
* English Array
* English Mistery
* English National Association
* Imperial Fascist League
* The Link
* Militant Christian Patriots
* National Fascisti
* National Party
* National Socialist League
* Nordic League
* Right Club

Defunct
post-1945 groups|

* British Democratic Party
* British Empire Party
* British Freedom Party
* British People's Party
* British League of Ex-Servicemen and Women
* British League of Rights
* British National Party
* Column 88
* Conservative Democratic Alliance
* Constitutional Movement
* England First Party
* European Liberation Front
* Flag Group
* For Britain
* Football Lads Alliance
* Greater Britain Movement
* International Third Position
* League of Empire Loyalists
* Liberty GB
* National Democratic Party
* National Democrats
* National Fellowship
* National Independence Party
* National Labour Party
* National Party
* National Socialist Action Party
* National Socialist Movement
* National Socialist Movement
* Nationalist Alliance
* New Britain Party
* New Nationalist Party
* Northern League
* Official National Front
* Patriotic Party
* Racial Preservation Society
* Revolutionary Conservative Caucus
* Spearhead
* Union Movement
* United Country Party
* White Defence League
* White Nationalist Party
* Western Goals Institute

Active groups|

* Blood & Honour
* Britain First
* British Democratic Party
* British Movement
* British National Party (BNP Youth)
* Christian Council of Britain
* Combat 18
* English Defence League
* English Democrats (some members)
* Friends of Oswald Mosley
* Homeland Party
* League of Saint George
* London Forum
* National Action
* National Front
* National Liberal Party
* November 9th Society
* Patriotic Alternative
* Protestant Coalition
* Pie and Mash squad
* Order of Nine Angles
* Racial Volunteer Force
* Sonnenkrieg Division
* Stop Islamisation of Europe
* Traditional Britain Group

Pre-1945 people|

* Mary Sophia Allen
* John Amery
* Henry Hamilton Beamish
* John Beckett
* Hastings Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford
* R. B. D. Blakeney
* A. K. Chesterton
* John Henry Clarke
* Thomas Haller Cooper
* Barry Domvile
* Henry Drummond Wolff
* Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll
* William Evans-Gordon
* Robert Forgan
* Rolf Gardiner
* Patrick Boyle, 8th Earl of Glasgow
* Harold Elsdale Goad
* Reginald Goodall
* Robert Gordon-Canning
* Louis Greig
* Neil Francis Hawkins
* J. F. C. Fuller
* William Joyce
* Arnold Leese
* Rotha Lintorn-Orman
* Frank McLardy
* Unity Mitford
* Diana Mosley
* Cynthia Mosley
* Oswald Mosley
* Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth
* Archibald Maule Ramsay
* David Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale
* Alliott Verdon Roe
* Edward Russell, 26th Baron de Clifford
* Alexander Raven Thomson
* Graham Seton Hutchison
* Herbert Vivian
* John Warburton
* Charlie Watts
* Nesta Helen Webster
* Arthur Wellesley, 5th Duke of Wellington
* Henry Williamson
* Ormonde Winter
* Francis Yeats-Brown

Post-1945 people|

* Ian Anderson
* Richard Barnbrook
* A. F. X. Baron
* James Larratt Battersby
* Derek Beackon
* John Bean
* Jane, Lady Birdwood
* Jonathan Bowden
* Andrew Brons
* Kevin Bryan
* Jack Buckby
* Eddy Butler
* A. K. Chesterton
* Mark Collett
* David Copeland
* Mark Cotterill
* Nicky Crane
* Simon Darby
* Sharon Ebanks
* Richard Edmonds
* Jim Dowson
* Andrew Fountaine
* Jayda Fransen
* Paul Golding
* Nick Griffin
* Jeffrey Hamm
* Anthony Hancock
* Patrick Harrington
* Ray Hill
* Derek Holland
* Tom Holmes
* Katie Hopkins
* Peter Huxley-Blythe
* David Irving
* Colin Jordan
* Raheem Kassam
* Arthur Kemp
* Alex Kurtagić
* John Kingsley Read
* Alan Lake
* Richard Lawson
* Tony Lecomber
* Michael McLaughlin
* Eddy Morrison
* John Morse
* David Myatt
* John O'Brien
* Roy Painter
* Neema Parvini
* Roger Pearson
* Denis Pirie
* Kevin Quinn
* Anthony Reed Herbert
* Robert Relf
* Jack Renshaw
* Colin Robertson
* Tommy Robinson
* Robert Row
* Simon Sheppard
* Kenny Smith
* Troy Southgate
* Ian Stuart Donaldson
* Keith Thompson
* John Tyndall
* Richard Verrall
* Adam Walker
* Anne Marie Waters
* Paul Joseph Watson
* Martin Webster
* Robert West
* Paul Weston
* Graham Williamson
* Martin Wingfield
* John Graeme Wood
* Milo Yiannopoulos

Related articles|

* Anglo-German Fellowship
* Battle of Cable Street
* British Fascism
* British National Party election results
* Cliveden set
* Europe a Nation
* List of British fascist parties
* National Front election results
* Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies
* Political Soldier
* Rock Against Communism

Active notable publications|

* Candour
* Redwatch

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