Million Mask March Protester Adam Clifford Calls Julia Heartley-Brewer 'Sweetheart' When Challenged

Class War Protester Calling Journalist 'Sweetheart' In TV Debate Wasn't Even The Worst Part

If you're already unsure what last night's Million Mask March was all about, then this guy's explanation will make you even less sure.

Adam Clifford, from the political party Class War, told the BBC's Daily Politics it was about austerity, homelessness and "the desperation of the people".

He then called journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer "sweetheart". Twice. And, according to Hartley-Brewer, told her to "fuck off" before they went on air.

Clifford described the policing of the demonstration as "police state, it was Orwellian, it was 1984" because officers were on "full-scale display and all their techniques and dances up and down and all that sort of stuff with all their armour, and guns and tasers and all that sort of business".

After calling the demo "boring" and declaring he went home early, Clifford was challenged by Hartley-Brewer, who said the protest was not getting through to "most people, people who vote".

"In May we had an election. It's how we find out what people think," she said.

Clifford replied: "OK, you're talking about people that believe in the Establishment. Works well for you, sweetheart."

Hartley Brewer thanked him for being "patronising" and then asked if what he really wanted was for the protest to be violent.

He then referred to the film 'Suffragette' and made an analogy that appeared ironic given he had just put down a woman by calling her "sweetheart".

Adam Clifford: How did women get the vote? Have you seen the suffragette film? I mean, it was a crap film but violence does work sometimes unfortunately. Unfortunately.

Julia Hartley-Brewer: "The point is women at the time didn't have the vote. Whereas you do have the vote. What we really need is for the huge number of young people, particularly from poorer families, who don't vote..."

AC: "What do you know about poor families?"

JHB: Well, I'm just a sweetheart aren't I? Or a word you called me before we came on air, something rather ruder than that that we can't say.

AC: You can shame me if you want sweetheart.

JHB: What we need is to get young people to vote not young people to go around smashing up central London.

Andrew Neil: I have a feeling this isn't going to go anywhere

As well as women, Clifford alienated animal lovers when he appeared to defend the injuries suffered by police horses during the protest.

"I love animals too. You have to take a different approach with this whole situation with animals and what they're trained to do, charge at crowds," he said.

When Neil press him on whether the horses had actually charged a crowd, Clifford complained he was "going on" about the issue, said he had witnessed "such police brutality" previously and said the media was "a bit of a circus. This is a spectacle. The media's a whole circus".

Judging from interviews like this, we're inclined to agree.

Close

What's Hot