The strange case of Peter Tierney
A British National Party (BNP) demo in Liverpool this weekend turned into something of a war of attrition, with anti-fascist protestors and members of the public arriving on the scene to protest against the anti-immigration group.
Chief among the sights at this bizarre spectacle was former Quiggins owner Peter Tierney, now a significant figure in Merseyside BNP circles, ringing a bell while grinning at protestors.
Tierney’s story is a peculiar and sorry one: once the godfather of a huge alternative scene in Liverpool, the lamented Quiggins store, Tierney has recently spent time doing community service for striking an anti-fascist protestor with a camera tripod while handing out leaflets for the BNP.
Exactly what the allure of the British National Party, and all of its dubious associations, to a man who once ran such a wonderfully left-field emporium is not clear; and what kicks he gets out of winding people up as a BNP stooge hard to guess at.
What is heartening is that the BNP demo on Saturday met with the distaste of Liverpool’s general population.
And among thriving events like Homotopia and DaDaFest in the city – not to mention Love Music Hate Racism gigs – it seems clear that the BNP has no place in the city.
SevenStreets was told that police led away Tierney and his cohorts ‘for their own safety’. Stranger than fiction indeed.
• Thanks to Dave the Pap for main image
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An eye opening piece. It does seem an odd association indeed for a guy who, as you say, was at the forefront of such an alternative scene in the city.
Whatever his reasons though, it is reassuring that the BNP presence in Liverpool over the last few weeks has gone largely unoticed and almost entirely unsupported.
I saw him at a BNP demo a couple of weeks ago, and he looked out of place amongst the rest of the fascists; you don’t see many right-wingers with carefully braided beards.
It was notable that there were more policemen holding back the crowds than BNP supporters, and more Anti-Nazi League protesters than the two of them put together. It was also heartening to see the looks of disgust on shoppers faces when they were approached by the BNP.
My friend saw this happening, said it was a really odd sight. Loads of people chanting “our streets” as he got led off by the police.
Excellent credit to “Dave the Pap” too, is that his actual name now?
It’s how he signs all his emails, so I always assume that’s how he wants to be credited!
Never trust a hippy indeed.
Seriously though, it is bloody bizarre isn’t it? Like finding out Father Christmas votes tory.
Tierney is almost a textbook example of how fascism appeals to and finds its social base in the self-made men/petit bourgeoisie. As a small businessman he gets done over by the ‘big man’ (aka Liverpool 1) and feels his world and social position are falling apart. Because he doesn’t have the solidarity and links that working class people often have (trade unions etc) he sniffs around for some sort of support before turning against the world- he thinks both ‘the big man’ is ruining him and the ‘masses’ are depriving him.
It is sad in a way to see a man reduced to such a state, but we have to remember these people are fascists and violence is how they prefer to get the job done- be it taking photographs of anti-racists and encouraging attacks on them, intimidating and attacking anti-racist and left-wing events, or attempting to make the streets unsafe for ethnic minorities, LGBT and others (on Saturday they called a disabled protester a ‘freak’).
Well done to all those who turned out spontaneously to stop the BNP spreading their hate and chasing them out of town, it was very vibrant, especially the numbers of young people. Let’s remember though, they will try to grow with the economic crisis and the Con-Dem govt cuts, there has to be an alternative to the conditions that allow the likes of the BNP to gain support.
In agreement with Scally. Tierney has spoken has his disaffection as a result of the Liverpool One development, and the local authority compulsory purchases that set the stage for it. It’s a worrying development that the group he’s affiliated with are standing an anti-’The Man’ slate, talking about ‘democracy’ to lure people into their ranks.
^ Re: the carefully braided beard. Maybe he’d say it was part of the ‘Anglo Saxon tradition’. Sheesh.