That all changed in summer 2025, with the wave of far-right protests outside hotels housing refugees, including the Hampton at Exeter airport. The individuals that marched through Exeter on the 17th of January first encountered each other in and around these protests.

Despite acknowledging that the hotel was housing only women and children, the nascent fascist movement in and around Exeter made plans to begin protests outside.

Nigel Murfin was concerned about the image of his party – Britain First – due to the type of refugees at the hotel being exclusively women and children, but became the main tormentor of these refugees, when the opportunity presented itself. Murfin has previous convictions for harassing women.

Although the far-right could initially muster only a handful of protestors, heavily outnumbered by local antifascist and community groups who came out to defend the refugees - they built an alliance over the summer and were eventually able to present a sizeable force outside the hotel each week.

These protests were led by Murfin, alongside Marie Townsend, regional organiser for BF in the south West, as well as YouTube ‘auditors’ Reece Grant and Troy Bamford, ReformUK’s Dutch Dudgeon, Tory Cllr Alison Sheridan (now of ReformUK), and Pete Heal.

All of these characters made attempts to intimidate refugees attempting to leave the hotel, who were attempting to walk to the local bus stop with their children. Without the presence of local antifascists, Murfin, Grant and Heal presented a real threat of physical violence towards the refugees

It was at these hotel protests that a new face began to emerge – Jordan Rowe – who is now the driving force behind the ‘patriot’ movement in south Devon. His group, the South West Patriots Alliance, have formed alliances with Britain First, as well as Flag Force Plymouth and Bristol Patriots.

Rowe has also been heavily involved – on a local level – in Operation Raise the Colours, organising the erection of flags in Cranbrook and Exeter, and leading a doxxing campaign against a local business owner who was pictured taking down flags.

The other key members of the SWPA are Matt Dean of Exeter, and Charlie Finney of Torbay. Finney hasn't attempted to decouple his business - The Removal Man Torbay - from his far-right views and posts. Dean isn't shy - announcing himself as a "full on educated ethno-nationalist historian racist"

These three, alongside Dean’s partner - Ellie Castle - are now the driving force behind the far-right’s renewed street presence in and around Exeter. Castle works at St Leonard’s pharmacy in the city, where we’re sure her patients are not yet aware of her far-right activity.

Also making an appearance in Exeter was Troy Bamford of Barnstaple, who spent many a Saturday outside the Hampton hotel, shouting abuse at vulnerable women and children through a megaphone.

Unfortunately for Bamford, his behaviour appears to be meeting some resistance from the local community. He arrived in Exeter to see his face splashed all over the city, referring to him as a “cowardly Nazi”. Bamford was overheard calling his Mum to let her know their address had been exposed.

Britain First were represented on the march by Chris John of Torquay, and fascist thug Nick Hubble of Exeter. Hubble, like Bamford, is a relative of Nigel Murfin. Hubble was recently arrested for assaulting an SUTR activist that was attempting to stop him from harassing refugees.

Also making his comeback on the far-right street scene after a long absence was Reform member Frankie Rufolo, briefly famous for burning a Quran in a branch of Wetherspoon. He attended wearing a Reform badge, and a Marine Le Pen T-Shirt

Newly on our radar following UKIP’s visit to the city is Sam Smith, also of Exeter, who also goes by ‘Da Smix MC’ and ‘Sam Da Smix’

Veteran Exeter fascist Thomas Dunne was also present. Dunne has previous links to Turning Point UK, going back to at least September 2024 when he was interviewed regarding ‘two-tier policing’ after he was arrested for wearing a burqa and pretending to pray inside a branch of Debenhams.

Noticeably absent from the march were a couple of local fascists currently facing some legal trouble following recent arrests.

Reece Grant, aka STB (Stop the Boats) Audits is currently languishing in a French jail cell after attempting to join Danny Tommo in France. Reece spent the day desperately calling Tommo, who completely ghosted him. Reece decided to go it alone...

....harassed some refugees in Calais, got arrested, and is now housed in an immigration facility in France, awaiting deportation.

Lastly, we can't forget Nigel Murfin. Nigel has a habit of ending up in the local news for harassing women, but he's currently banned from Exeter after an arrest in one of his attempts to assault refugees outside the hotel in Exeter.