A trans activist group known as Bash Back has drawn condemnation from former government advisers who are calling for the group to be banned over concerns about its tactics and rhetoric. Bash Back has reportedly issued guidance encouraging supporters to target “transphobic” Members of Parliament and public figures, urging the use of hammers and other means to repeatedly confront individuals deemed hostile to transgender rights.
The group’s material reportedly includes instructions to acquire equipment such as backpacks and hammers in ways that minimize traceability, including buying in cash or through untraceable methods. It also offers advice on dealing with potential legal consequences should activists be convicted of offenses. Bash Back’s online presence has included posts accusing former Health Secretary Wes Streeting of being responsible for harming transgender children during his tenure overseeing the National Health Service. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also been targeted by the group’s rhetoric, being labeled a “transphobe, racist and authoritarian.”
Merchandise branded with the Bash Back name, including T-shirts and caps emblazoned with rifle imagery, is available through online platforms such as Etsy. Despite this, the group maintains it does not support causing physical harm to individuals. Some ministers identified in the group’s materials have been described in harsh terms, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, whom Bash Back labeled a “transphobic, racist bully.”
Security sources familiar with the group’s activities have expressed alarm. One individual described Bash Back as perceiving themselves akin to paramilitary organizations, warning their approach is “a disaster waiting to happen” and characterizing them as a “terrorist group.” Lord Walney, a former government adviser on political violence, compared Bash Back to the proscribed group Palestinian Action, emphasizing that the group’s language and symbolism pose a violent threat, particularly to women. He urged the Home Secretary to take immediate action to proscribe Bash Back in order to prevent potential harm.
The Home Office has indicated that protesters who engage in intimidation, unlawful behavior, or violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Efforts to obtain comment from Bash Back and vendors selling their merchandise were reportedly unsuccessful. The concerns come amid increased scrutiny of security measures surrounding political figures in the United Kingdom.