Another compilation video from yesterday's fascist paramilitary 'storm' action in #Dover town and at the Port of Dover. #FarRight Some national security-related observations below.
The video starts with a Luton box van disgorging a contingent of paramilitaries dressed, in effect, in identical uniform with balaclava ski masks. NB. The "cpayne.com" on the box van back is actually "jcpayne.com", a commercial vehicle bodybuilders based in Aldridge, West Midlands. Nothing more.
The video moves to show an organiser or leader (bottom left) with what may be a map/plan or instructions in his left hand, directing a contingent presumably towards a point at which they can breach the security fencing.
Both of the above, plus the mass use of all-black clothing and face masking by between 200 and 500 (estimates vary) paramilitaries, clearly indicate the significant degree of premeditation and planning that went into this operation - likely over many weeks, if not several months. It takes considerable organisational and logistical effort and skill to have several hundred (potentially unruly) people arrive in one place at one time, wearing roughly identical clothing and face masks, primed to go to specific points and conduct themselves with group discipline. A high level of organisation and coordination requiring extensive networking and careful communication. Which makes it all the more surprising *IF* the UK internal security service (MI5) and Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police (SO15) were unaware of the planned 'storm' action.
If MI5 and SO15 were aware of the operation being planned, then they clearly either chose not to inform Kent Police and withheld vital operational information needed for adequate policing.* OR If they were unaware, which indicates a massive intelligence failure, undermining UK national security. * It is possible that Kent Police were aware of the planned operation and part of a higher-level security strategy that required them to *appear* to be unaware and unprepared. Maybe for reasons of protecting security service moles or allowing participants to expose their modus operandi, maybe?
Conclusion: If this paramilitary operation had had the objective of taking armed action to seize control of vital infrastructure instead of demonstrating power, undertaking messaging and testing organisation and responses regarding future 'storm' actions, then it would have had massive consequences.
The prospect of such a fascist paramilitary group refining its 'storm' tactics AND arming itself should focus the minds of the UK Government and security services. At this sort of scale, an armed 'storm' action would be beyond police - even specialist counter-terrorism units - ability to deal with. It would, in theory, require mobilisation of UK Armed Forces units, including special forces, not only to back up the police, but also to confront armed paramilitaries with lethal force. This would, of course, have significant political ramifications, both internally and internationally. Finally, as with many videos on social media these days, there is a possibility that some of the sequences in this post-event video have been AI manipulated (such as the sequence with the kids and parent towards the end, and the rewriting of the sprayed graffito at the close) or AI generated.
NB. The source of this video on X is an account, The Patriot Desgner (@ShDesign21), that states "Graphic Designer, So Called Far Right. Patriot and Proud". I don't know if that's the orginal source or indication of someone involved in post-event production.