'Fascist scum out of Brum'
Birmingham sends message to far-right
Dear Patchers — here is your Thursday briefing.
🪧A night of protests: Hundreds of people gathered in the Jewellery Quarter yesterday to demonstrate unity against racist rioters. Businesses shut up shop and sent employees home for fear of the far-right descending on the neighbourhood. They were nowhere to be seen but, over in Tamworth, about 40 people gathered at a business park where it was rumoured a protest might take place near an immigration law practice. One attendee held a placard that read: “Stop the invasion”. Several police and a riot van were on site and the gathering remained peaceful while The Dispatch was there, between about 7-8.45pm.
👮Bordesley Green protest charge: West Midlands Police has charged a man with possessing an offensive weapon in Bordesley Green on Monday evening. 46-year-old Shehraz Sarwar from Birmingham appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court yesterday where he pled not guilty to carrying a wooden stick during the protest. Sarwar claimed the item is a religious staff that he is known to carry around. More at The Independent.
📖Midland writers book launch: Floodgate Press, the local publishers who promote local writers — and who were given 2023 book-of-the-year status by local indie bookseller Voce, a Dispatch favourite bookshop, for their last anthology — are launching their next compendium Night Time Economy in September. Tickets are available here. Rumours are the last launch run by Floodgate turned into quite the soirée, so it’s probably not one to miss.
📸Click, flash: Can you spot yourself in the crowd? Flick through photos from the demo in Brum and across the country over at The Guardian.
🎶Miyazaki nights: Be spirited away to the cinematic world of Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki tomorrow evening with a concert of music from his animations and compositions inspired by his creations. Brought to you by Mystery Ensemble, a group of professional musicians creating unique experiences. Tickets £22.38.