An anti-immigration protester who was surrounded by counter-protesters has spoken out about why he attended. John Wallsgrove, 63, contacted The Argus in the hopes of sharing his side of the story after he was outnumbered by counter protesters in Crawley on Friday. Only a handful of activists calling for stricter immigration rules showed up at the Holiday Inn Express, where they were met with hundreds of counter-protesters carrying flags, signs and many wearing balaclavas.
Mr Wallsgrove, from Crawley, turned up to protest against immigration wearing a union jack outfit and was surrounded by police. John surrounded by counter-protesters in Crawley (Image: Sussex News and Pictures) He said: “I had gone down there to protest against our government letting the boats in. “I was called a fascist and a Nazi for wearing a union jack.
I did not go down to cause trouble. “How is this free speech?” John reported being subjected to death threats by counter-protesters and said if it was not for police, he fears he would have been seriously hurt. A huge crowd of counter-protesters gathered to demonstrate against racism (Image: Sussex News and Pictures) He added: “It has really come to something when a British person can’t speak.
“I am a Brexiteer. I’m not having a go at anyone else other than our government. “I did not cause any trouble, the trouble came to me.
” The Argus understands at least one arrest was made at the demonstration. The protest was at Crawley's Holiday Inn Express (Image: Sussex News and Pictures) The Holiday Inn was the target for the planned anti-immigration protest as it was believed to house migrants. The Crawley action took place two days after a similar demonstration in Brighton on Wednesday, August 7.
Tensions in the city flared early as police officers kept rival protesters apart near the BBC building in Queen's Road. As the evening progressed the counter-protest turned into a party atmosphere as music blared out from speakers and drums rang out in the distance. A huge crowd gathered in Queens Road (Image: Sussex News and Pictures) A small handful of anti-immigration protesters were also surrounded by police while the counter-demonstration took place.
Police officers gradually bundled the handful of right-wing protesters out of the area and into the back of a police van. One person was arrested and subsequently de-arrested, while a man has been charged with affray, assaulting an emergency worker and common assault in relation to the event..
