Politics
Hannah Spencer threatened by far-right thugs
On International Women’s Day 2026, a group of aggressive far-right men openly harassed MP Hannah Spencer in Manchester. The situation was so concerning that she had to take refuge in a police car.
The new Green MP for Gorton and Denton had been speaking at an anti-fascist event in the city. But a far-right group went from shouting during speeches to actually following her through Piccadilly Gardens.
The far-right agitators were aggressively pushing Spencer on trans questions in particular. And members of the group were clearly itching for a fight. Because there were a number of scuffles around Spencer as police escorted her away from the scene.
Full solidarity with Hannah Spencer, this is absolutely disgraceful behaviour.
This is a direct attack on our democracy, Hannah is an elected MP that has the right to walk free in the city she represents without these extremists behaving like thugs https://t.co/qEdCYKd7ba— Mothin Ali (@MothinAli) March 8, 2026
The police, meanwhile, seemed mostly to take a hands-off approach. This is despite local authorities apparently knowing exactly who some of the agitators were. As one attendee said:
The cops let the known far right roam in and out of the crowd. They let them back in again after they harassed an MP.
I was there. The cops let the known far right roam in and out of the crowd. They let them back in again after they harassed an MP. The anti-fascists dealt with it.
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Even after the far right went for Hannah Spencer, the cops let them BACK into the dispersing group to cause more trouble. GMP has a LOT of questions to answer. Why do they enable the far right over and over?
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Everyone.. and cops… knows the names of those threatening Hannah Spencer. Thing is, GMP doesn’t care
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Solidarity with Hannah Spencer & all who had to deal with fascist thugs today in Manchester.
No surprise that it is fans of ‘Tommy Robinson’ who attacked @unisontheunion members…on #InternationalWomensDay2026!@AntiRacismDay @Searchlight_mag pic.twitter.com/b0BN5cHFRs— Unite Against Fascism (@uaf) March 8, 2026
The YouTube fascists, she said, had been “harassing all afternoon“. Nonetheless, police preferred to have a laugh with them and:
let the far right to the front
Oh they let the far right to the front. They told a steward off for blocking them. Steve James, the short arse with the sign, was at the front. All the camera freaks were harassing all afternoon. GMP like them…
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
The scumbags were calling Hannah Spencer a terrorist when she was speaking, and much, much more. We ignored them.
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Judging by the footage, @gmpolice @GMPCityCentre were utterly useless.
Let a group of men chase Hannah through Piccaddilly gardens, throwing punches at the people around her.
These people are known to the police, yet still allowed to do it?
— Aaron. (@Stuff_by_Aaron) March 9, 2026
Far-right voices have tried to gaslight people into thinking Spencer’s team was somehow responsible for scuffles. But if you watch the footage, you can see exactly the type of aggression Spencer and her entourage were facing.
They all do it. Go and antagonise like their hero Tommy, wait for a reaction and then film themselves as a victim. Set of useless dossers who can only grift. The way they use victims of grooming gangs to excuse the fact they soread hate on all Muslims. They don’t care
— Victoria (@Vmartine1905) March 9, 2026
The fascists weren’t there for women. “They were there for intimidation.”
As journalist Femi Oluwole said:
these men were wearing signs that said that they don’t want men in female spaces. Yet they are violently and aggressively pushing their way into a female MP’s personal space. No trans woman has ever made Hannah Spencer feel as unsafe as those men just did, which just shows that they weren’t there because they actually believe in their cause. They were there for intimidation.
No woman should have to face such disgusting far right thuggery like Hannah Spencer did yesterday!
Her face speaks volumes.Love & solidarity to her.
We have to ensure the extreme right are pushed back.
Be on @UKTogetherAll march, March 28th.@AntiRacismDay@Searchlight_mag pic.twitter.com/y1HjfueAUQ— Unite Against Fascism (@uaf) March 9, 2026
Many people felt the same, highlighting the hypocrisy of the agitators:
Wow, it was men with placards claiming to protect women’s spaces who were harassing her and pushing others.
— Bonnie Evans-Hills (@EvansHills) March 9, 2026
The ones harrassing Hannah Spencer kick, punch, harass ALL of the time. Always go for women. They are vile creatures.
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Green MP Hannah Spencer is forced into a police car after anti-trans protesters fight in front of her in Manchester.
I feel SICK watching this. Hannah must have been petrified.
No MP (esp a woman) should ever EVER be in danger like this because of their views. pic.twitter.com/fUiZpa1X9r— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) March 8, 2026
As Sue V insisted, the agitators have a record. And police need to take their threat to democracy and public safety seriously:
Worth noting that the camera far right harassing Hannah Spencer were in Gorton and Denton on election day harassing and intimidating people. Over and over. They need a banning order.
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 9, 2026
As long as authorities fail to deal with them, though, it’s on all the rest of us to protect each other as best we can:
Yes. Same ones attacking Hannah Spencer. Same ones who kicked someone in the face on the 21st. GMP do NOTHING. So its down to us, now. https://t.co/KfKlywSgvO
— Sue V (@suevictorian) March 8, 2026
Featured image via the Canary