NationStates

Alvin Ashleigh’s funeral took place on a rainy spring day. Lowered into the ground, his death seemed like it was also that of the movement he had led.

“I still can’t believe it,” whispered one attendee. “A sniper shot him in the head - just for protesting. And those poor children…” That the Khan government had fallen the same day was of little comfort to the parents of those schoolchildren who had been out on a trip when they fell victim to a bayonet charge.

—

Alvin Ashleigh awoke. For the twentieth time - he had lost count, perhaps the twenty-second; or was it the twenty-seventh? - it was the day of the protest. Was he awake or still dreaming?

Groggily, he sat up. He was early, an hour ahead of his alarm, but knew there would be no getting back to sleep at this point. As he brushed his teeth and showered, he thought about the strange dream he had had. It was as though he was stuck in a time loop, from the protest at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle to wherever events would lead.

“Less cheese, maybe.”

Soon enough he had forgotten all that had come before.

The Right Honourable Sasja Khan (Age: 44) MP sits in 10 Downing Street with his wife, his Secretary and his bodyguard.
Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

Plewnidminster wrote:The Right Honourable Sasja Khan (Age: 44) MP sits in 10 Downing Street with his wife, his Secretary and his bodyguard.
Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

OOC: Okay, and?

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:The Right Honourable Sasja Khan (Age: 44) MP sits in 10 Downing Street with his wife, his Secretary and his bodyguard.
Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

OOC: Okay, and?

IC:
“Sir, the Northumbrians are protesting.” Replied senior civil servant Tarquin Muggeridge, who had bullied Khan at school. Now he was Khan’s subordinate.

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:OOC: Okay, and?

IC:
“Sir, the Northumbrians are protesting.” Replied senior civil servant Tarquin Muggeridge, who had bullied Khan at school. Now he was Khan’s subordinate.

OOC: What is this, a Dhar Man video? Anyway I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not Khan. He’s your character. I can’t respond for him.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC:
“Sir, the Northumbrians are protesting.” Replied senior civil servant Tarquin Muggeridge, who had bullied Khan at school. Now he was Khan’s subordinate.

OOC: What is this, a Dhar Man video? Anyway I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not Khan. He’s your character. I can’t respond for him.

OOC: you could type something about the protest.

IC: “Ok. Is the protest peaceful? If so, I should like to attend myself.”
replied Khan.
“The protest is peaceful.” Said Muggeridge, begrudgingly.
Khan got into his electric Jaguar and headed to the protests. His neatly-trimmed beard, strong arms, excellent dress sense (Ralph Lauren) and Chad jawline meant he was instantly recognisable.
Also at the protests were police officers from across the country keeping it peaceful.

Khan will be driving a very long way from London to Newcastle. He probably won’t get there in time.

-Northumbria wrote:Khan will be driving a very long way from London to Newcastle. He probably won’t get there in time.

IC: Muggeridge, his advisor, will soon pay for not advising him to take the train.
Meanwhile, the police at the protest wait for any of the Northumbrians to comment on racial or religious issues.
Police reform regarding ethnicity, gender and religion was high on Khan’s agenda, him being a counter-terrorist cop turned whistleblower as well as the Leader of the Labour Party.

Alvin Ashleigh arrived at Grey’s Monument by Metro, as photographers snapped away. Plenty of protests had been held there before, of course, usually accompanied by Palestine flags, but this one dwarfed them all. The streets were packed with protesters, many of whom had queued overnight to get a good spot, and Alvin Ashleigh’s microphone was linked to speakers placed as far as the railway station.

“TESTING 1, 2, 3!” boomed Alvin Ashleigh through the microphone. “Okay, that’s working. I’d like to thank you all for coming here today and turning out to demonstrate your support for Northumbrian independence and send a message to Westminster. For too long Parliament has neglected us. The Tories destroyed our industry because we wouldn’t vote for them, and Labour took us for granted.

“But the need for Northumbrian independence goes beyond the disregard Westminster has shown for us. No, it goes back a thousand years, to a time when Northumbria was independent and ruled from here in Northumbria rather than by distant politicians in Westminster. People say we can’t be independent. They say it doesn’t make any sense. Well, you know what I say? They don’t make any sense!” The crowd cheered.

Meanwhile, Sasja Khan was stuck in traffic on the M1. The tabloids had gotten news of his ill-fated drive north and had sent the paparazzi after him. “OK, right, headline ‘WHAT A PRAT!’, PM with his mouth wide open stuck behind the wheel of his Jag wokemobile,” said the editor of The Sun.

-Northumbria wrote:Alvin Ashleigh arrived at Grey’s Monument by Metro, as photographers snapped away. Plenty of protests had been held there before, of course, usually accompanied by Palestine flags, but this one dwarfed them all. The streets were packed with protesters, many of whom had queued overnight to get a good spot, and Alvin Ashleigh’s microphone was linked to speakers placed as far as the railway station.

“TESTING 1, 2, 3!” boomed Alvin Ashleigh through the microphone. “Okay, that’s working. I’d like to thank you all for coming here today and turning out to demonstrate your support for Northumbrian independence and send a message to Westminster. For too long Parliament has neglected us. The Tories destroyed our industry because we wouldn’t vote for them, and Labour took us for granted.

“But the need for Northumbrian independence goes beyond the disregard Westminster has shown for us. No, it goes back a thousand years, to a time when Northumbria was independent and ruled from here in Northumbria rather than by distant politicians in Westminster. People say we can’t be independent. They say it doesn’t make any sense. Well, you know what I say? They don’t make any sense!” The crowd cheered.

Meanwhile, Sasja Khan was stuck in traffic on the M1. The tabloids had gotten news of his ill-fated drive north and had sent the paparazzi after him. “OK, right, headline ‘WHAT A PRAT!’, PM with his mouth wide open stuck behind the wheel of his Jag wokemobile,” said the editor of The Sun.

IC: Khan smirked mockingly for the Tabloid press, “I thought you liked people owning nice cars. Since when has the Sun embraced communism?” He joked.
Then he called for a helicopter.

A Guardian reporter asked Ashleigh “How would minorities be protected in Northumbria?” once Ashleigh had temporarily stopped talking.

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:Alvin Ashleigh arrived at Grey’s Monument by Metro, as photographers snapped away. Plenty of protests had been held there before, of course, usually accompanied by Palestine flags, but this one dwarfed them all. The streets were packed with protesters, many of whom had queued overnight to get a good spot, and Alvin Ashleigh’s microphone was linked to speakers placed as far as the railway station.

“TESTING 1, 2, 3!” boomed Alvin Ashleigh through the microphone. “Okay, that’s working. I’d like to thank you all for coming here today and turning out to demonstrate your support for Northumbrian independence and send a message to Westminster. For too long Parliament has neglected us. The Tories destroyed our industry because we wouldn’t vote for them, and Labour took us for granted.

“But the need for Northumbrian independence goes beyond the disregard Westminster has shown for us. No, it goes back a thousand years, to a time when Northumbria was independent and ruled from here in Northumbria rather than by distant politicians in Westminster. People say we can’t be independent. They say it doesn’t make any sense. Well, you know what I say? They don’t make any sense!” The crowd cheered.

Meanwhile, Sasja Khan was stuck in traffic on the M1. The tabloids had gotten news of his ill-fated drive north and had sent the paparazzi after him. “OK, right, headline ‘WHAT A PRAT!’, PM with his mouth wide open stuck behind the wheel of his Jag wokemobile,” said the editor of The Sun.

IC: Khan smirked mockingly for the Tabloid press, “I thought you liked people owning nice cars. Has then Sun embraced communism?” He joked.
Then he called for a helicopter.

A Guardian reporter asked Ashleigh “How would minorities be protected in Northumbria?” once Ashleigh had temporarily stopped talking.

The editor of The Sun is updated on what’s going on. “Scratch that: let’s roast him over the coals. Getting stuck in traffic and then having the taxpayer foot the bill for a helicopter to get him out of there? We’ll tear him apart.”

OOC: This is not a press conference, Azad, and he or she wouldn’t even be heard over the rest of the crowd.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC: Khan smirked mockingly for the Tabloid press, “I thought you liked people owning nice cars. Has then Sun embraced communism?” He joked.
Then he called for a helicopter.

A Guardian reporter asked Ashleigh “How would minorities be protected in Northumbria?” once Ashleigh had temporarily stopped talking.

The editor of The Sun is updated on what’s going on. “Scratch that: let’s roast him over the coals. Getting stuck in traffic and then having the taxpayer foot the bill for a helicopter to get him out of there? We’ll tear him apart.”

OOC: This is not a press conference, Azad, and he or she wouldn’t even be heard over the rest of the crowd.

IC: Off-duty Met officers in the counter-protestor area start doing Nazi salutes and shouting “Heil Khan!”
(They’re kept slightly apart by on-duty police)
OOC: I’m guessing the Northumbria Police arrest them?

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:The editor of The Sun is updated on what’s going on. “Scratch that: let’s roast him over the coals. Getting stuck in traffic and then having the taxpayer foot the bill for a helicopter to get him out of there? We’ll tear him apart.”

OOC: This is not a press conference, Azad, and he or she wouldn’t even be heard over the rest of the crowd.

IC: Off-duty Met officers in the counter-protestor area start doing Nazi salutes and shouting “Heil Khan!”
(They’re kept slightly apart by on-duty police)
OOC: I’m guessing the Northumbria Police arrest them?

Not only do they arrest them, the Northumbrian independence movement will take advantage of this incident to paint their opponents as Nazis.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC: Off-duty Met officers in the counter-protestor area start doing Nazi salutes and shouting “Heil Khan!”
(They’re kept slightly apart by on-duty police)
OOC: I’m guessing the Northumbria Police arrest them?

Not only do they arrest them, the Northumbrian independence movement will take advantage of this incident to paint their opponents as Nazis.

IC:
In his helicopter, Khan observes Nazis in the counter-protestor aisle.
Could they be right-wing counter-protestors who genuinely support a Fourth Reich (one including Britain, presumably) or are they just trying to sabotage a movement’s or Individual’s reputation.

Khan’s family friend and lawyer (employed from his own pocket) , the loyal, honest, extremely intelligent and hard-working Esther Moisés, would have something to say about claims of Nazism.

He lands on a fully paid for helipad in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and talks to the citizens, without bodyguards present.

The people of Newcastle are confused as to why the prime minister is visiting the city without anyone guarding him. Thankfully for the PM, the taxpayer does not yet know the details of his journey.

Meanwhile at Grey’s Monument, Alvin Ashleigh has finished speaking. The rest of the day will consist of NorthumbriaFest 2023, a celebration of Northumbrian culture and identity. To start with there is a re-enactment of a Tyne-Wear derby fight, complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse. The Northumbrian folk song “Duvet” by Bôa is now being played from the speakers.

-Northumbria wrote:The people of Newcastle are confused as to why the prime minister is visiting the city without anyone guarding him. Thankfully for the PM, the taxpayer does not yet know the details of his journey.

Meanwhile at Grey’s Monument, Alvin Ashleigh has finished speaking. The rest of the day will consist of NorthumbriaFest 2023, a celebration of Northumbrian culture and identity. To start with there is a re-enactment of a Tyne-Wear derby fight, complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse. The Northumbrian folk song “Duvet” by Bôa is now being played from the speakers.

IC: The undercover and uniformed officers at NorthumbriaFest observe who people cheer for, the Tynside hooligans or the police.
They include officers from the Football Intelligence unit of the Northumbria Police, ordered by the Home Secretary to watch for known football hooligans.
OOC: who do they cheer for? Are there any hooligans?

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:The people of Newcastle are confused as to why the prime minister is visiting the city without anyone guarding him. Thankfully for the PM, the taxpayer does not yet know the details of his journey.

Meanwhile at Grey’s Monument, Alvin Ashleigh has finished speaking. The rest of the day will consist of NorthumbriaFest 2023, a celebration of Northumbrian culture and identity. To start with there is a re-enactment of a Tyne-Wear derby fight, complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse. The Northumbrian folk song “Duvet” by Bôa is now being played from the speakers.

IC: The undercover and uniformed officers at NorthumbriaFest observe who people cheer for, the Tynside hooligans or the police.
They include officers from the Football Intelligence unit of the Northumbria Police, ordered by the Home Secretary to watch for known football hooligans.
OOC: who do they cheer for? Are there any hooligans?

OOC: Azad, it’s not between Newcastle supporters and the police, it’s between Newcastle supporters and Sunderland supporters.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC: The undercover and uniformed officers at NorthumbriaFest observe who people cheer for, the Tynside hooligans or the police.
They include officers from the Football Intelligence unit of the Northumbria Police, ordered by the Home Secretary to watch for known football hooligans.
OOC: who do they cheer for? Are there any hooligans?

OOC: Azad, it’s not between Newcastle supporters and the police, it’s between Newcastle supporters and Sunderland supporters.

OOC: don’t police get attacked trying to stop it hence why you said “complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse.”

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:OOC: Azad, it’s not between Newcastle supporters and the police, it’s between Newcastle supporters and Sunderland supporters.

OOC: don’t police get attacked trying to stop it hence why you said “complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse.”

OOC: That’s just an extra. There isn’t some police side that gets involved.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:OOC: don’t police get attacked trying to stop it hence why you said “complete with a piñata dressed as a police horse.”

OOC: That’s just an extra. There isn’t some police side that gets involved.

IC: the officers discover no police side was involved in the reenactment. They check to see if any known members of football violence firms or those convicted of hooligans bash the piñata.

OOC: Do any convicted of football violence participate? Do any people police intelligence associate with firms?
How many?

Are any of the above there? How many?

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:OOC: That’s just an extra. There isn’t some police side that gets involved.

IC: the officers discover no police side was involved in the reenactment. They check to see if any known members of football violence firms or those convicted of hooligans bash the piñata.

OOC: Do any convicted of football violence participate? Do any people police intelligence associate with firms?
How many?

Are any of the above there? How many?

The piñata is being bashed by children, who it is probably safe to assume are not football hooligans. The police are really wasting their own time here. A fight, meanwhile, has broken out between two men over one accidentally bumping into the other, causing him to drop his Greggs sausage roll.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC: the officers discover no police side was involved in the reenactment. They check to see if any known members of football violence firms or those convicted of hooligans bash the piñata.

OOC: Do any convicted of football violence participate? Do any people police intelligence associate with firms?
How many?

Are any of the above there? How many?

The piñata is being bashed by children, who it is probably safe to assume are not football hooligans. The police are really wasting their own time here. A fight, meanwhile, has broken out between two men over one accidentally bumping into the other, causing him to drop his Greggs sausage roll.

IC: two police officers, a cockney in the Met and a Geordie in the Northumbria police intervene in the fight.
They separate the two men and warn that the the riot police will be called “if [the men] don’t behave.”

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:The piñata is being bashed by children, who it is probably safe to assume are not football hooligans. The police are really wasting their own time here. A fight, meanwhile, has broken out between two men over one accidentally bumping into the other, causing him to drop his Greggs sausage roll.

IC: two police officers, a cockney in the Met and a Geordie in the Northumbria police intervene in the fight.
They separate the two men and warn that the the riot police will be called “if [the men] don’t behave.”

The two men unite, much like two Northumbrian kings against the Great Heathen Army, to mock the Cockney’s accent.

-Northumbria wrote:

Plewnidminster wrote:IC: two police officers, a cockney in the Met and a Geordie in the Northumbria police intervene in the fight.
They separate the two men and warn that the the riot police will be called “if [the men] don’t behave.”

The two men unite, much like two Northumbrian kings against the Great Heathen Army, to mock the Cockney’s accent.

IC: The men are stopped and searched. Any resistance will be be met by getting bashed in the head, arrested and presumably convicted as well as the riot police being called.

Plewnidminster wrote:

-Northumbria wrote:The two men unite, much like two Northumbrian kings against the Great Heathen Army, to mock the Cockney’s accent.

IC: The men are stopped and searched. Any resistance will be be met by getting bashed in the head, arrested and presumably convicted as well as the riot police being called.

The police don’t find anything, probably because they’re not carrying anything illegal. While complying, they continue to mock the Cockney’s accent.