A Reading-based businessman who is the current leader of UKIP has responded to criticism over ‘offensive chants’ made during a protest in Aldershot.
Nick Tenconi, who is the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and a Reading-based businessman was seen in social media footage at an ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration in Aldershot last week.
During the demonstration, Mr Tenconi was seen leading a chant of ‘invaders out’ to the dance song ‘L’amour toujours’ by Italian DJ Gigi d’Agostino.
Footage of the chant has been seized on by the Anti-Fascist Network, which describes itself UK-based network of independent and grassroots groups working together to defeat fascism.
Mr Tenconi justified claims of ‘offensive chants’ by arguing that he was allying with ‘patriots’ against what he called ‘far left’ counter-protesters.
He said: “Knowing what I know about how the left and the far left bait people out, the crowd was incredibly happy to see me give up my time to be there to be their voice and to call out the communists on the other side of the street in a random fairly disused part of Aldershot.”
He went on to accuse the Socialist Worker Party and Stand Up to Racism counter-protesters of being ‘far left’ groups.
Mr Tenconi said: “They were there purely to bait and to bring out patriots, to incite violence, and to incite criminality, which simply didn’t happen and also wouldn’t happen in 99 per cent of the peaceful protests we see happening, which are all about people voicing their concerns over mass uncontrolled immigration, what we are actually importing into Britain, and the fact that we’re housing illegal migrants.
“We don’t know where they’re from, we don’t know their motivation. We don’t know their culture, don’t know their faith. We don’t know their background. And these people wanted to be heard, but they had no voice.”
The Socialist Worker Party and Stand Up to Racism organisations arranged demonstrations throughout the country in allegiance with communities against attacks on hotels housing migrants and immigration detention centres.
Later footage from the day shows protesters on both sides dancing to ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ by Monty Python across the road from each other.
Mr Tenconi explained that music is often used to defuse tensions.
Footage of the protest shows him making chants from a microphone and soundsystem.
Mr Tenconi said that he had been speaking with people who are concerned about mass immigration in a neighbouring town before arriving in Aldershot on Wednesday, August 7.
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary have charged at least five men with violent disorder in connection with protests in Aldershot.
