Tens of thousands protest racism and the far right

Tens of thousands of anti-racist counter-protesters took to the streets over the last week across Britain and the North of Ireland in response to a wave of attacks against immigrants by far right mobs.

On Saturday 10th August a large demonstration of 15,000 in the centre of Belfast heard Patrick Mulholland, among others, the assistant general secretary of NIPSA (the largest union in NI) and a supporter of Militant Left (CWI Ireland) condemn racist attacks in North and also call for socialist change to end the poverty conditions that help breed the poison of racism and the far right (to watch the full speech click on https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZZk9ocxAq9E99ZqR/?mibextid=WC7FNe

On the evening of 7 August a list of locations as potential targets in Britain for further racist right-wing attacks had circulated online.

In most cases, at short notice, counter-protesters far outnumbered those wanting to spread racist hatred. Socialist Party (CWI England & Wales and Scotland) members had been building in our communities and trade unions to boost the numbers, making the case for the 6.5 million-strong trade unions to take the lead.

Here is a speech by Matt Dobson from Socialist Party Scotland at the anti-racist protest in Paisley on Friday 9 August.

Socialist Party (CWI England & Wales) members report from the protests:

Enormous Walthamstow protest sends strong message

There was an eery quiet on the streets of central Walthamstow at 6pm. Cafes, shops, doctors’ surgeries were shuttered. Squads of Met police officers in tactical clothing controlled the street corners and station exits, riot vans ready.

Groups of local Asian youth were starting to claim the bridge over the railway that leads to the immigration bureau, the supposed target, boarded up. There was burgeoning tension with police. Other locals trickled in from the opposite side, anxious, looking for guidance.

And then they came.

Hundreds, then thousands – ten thousand at least at its height. In they poured from Waltham Forest, from surrounding east London boroughs, from the rest of the city.

Not long after 7pm, Hoe Street, normally a jammed-up A-road, was overbrimming with anti-racist protesters, past junctions in both directions. Police lines pulled back, and pulled back again. The mood shifted from nervous to determined. “Whose streets? Our streets!”

The police had a cordon round the immigration bureau. Thousands of us. Our counterprotest had inadvertently kettled the Met. They withdrew. The two wings surged together and held the ground.

By 8pm, the alleged time for far-right arrival, there was no sign of anyone foolish enough to challenge the ten thousand. Determination changed to jubilation. Cheers and laughter, a festival atmosphere.

The crowd came from a wide range of backgrounds, but included many workers and groups of trade unionists, some with banners. Unions are the basic self-defence organisations of the working class – of all races and nationalities.

Socialist Party members on Waltham Forest Trades Council, the coordinating body for the borough’s trade unions, had argued for the unions to stamp their presence on the movement. This helped lead to three local union branches, and the trades council itself, co-sponsoring the counterprotest and getting the word out.

We also argued for the trade union movement to have democratic control over the political demands and organisation of the protest, including democratic control of stewarding. Unfortunately, the official organisers – Stand Up to Racism, with the Socialist Workers Party in a leading role – did not take this approach.

Ten thousand there were furious at far-right terror, but also the relentless squeeze on the working and middle classes, driving anger in all directions. Ten thousand were asking themselves: how do we stop this happening again? How do we win a future worth living in?

While the official organisers turned down this opportunity to show a way forward, the Socialist Party did not. Our team of more than 30 members and supporters sold over 100 copies of the Socialist newspaper, and ran clean out of leaflets proposing next steps.

We proposed that the unions launch struggle for “jobs and homes, not racism” – to undercut the misery the far right preys on. We called for a new, mass party, based on the organised working class, to coordinate campaigns against austerity and racism, and fight for socialist change.

Our ideas went down well, especially as the crowd started to leave, thinking “what next?” Meanwhile, the sheer numbers might have cowed far-right elements in the area – but safety was not automatic.

Thankfully we saw no incidents – but the stewarding would not have been sufficient in case of provocation or attack, especially as numbers fell. Democratic control of planning and stewarding by the trade union movement would vastly improve that in future.

But by 9pm when the sun had set, the feeling was overwhelming: we won! This huge mobilisation will have sent a strong message, and boosted confidence for all those there and watching.

And its size was no accident. Millions have learnt from the strike wave and anti-war movement that the working class has influence when it takes matters into its own hands. And Walthamstow in particular has built a tradition of struggle over many years.

The local community and trade unions forced the English Defence League (EDL) off these streets in 2012. This included the Socialist Party working with DayMer Kurdish and Turkish community organisation, and others, to lead a breakout through police lines to join local youth surging to stop the far right marching.

Since then, trade union and community campaigns have fought public service cuts, council evictions, unaffordable housing, low pay and more. All have had involvement from Waltham Forest Socialist Party; some of them we led.

Who pushed back the far right on Wednesday 7 August? Not the Met police, who looked understandably relieved at their absence.

Not the pro-big business, racist New Labour government. Certainly not its local MP Stella Creasy – who called for everyone to stay away, to allow the far right to go unanswered – then when she was rightly ignored and the victory was clear, shamelessly emerged for selfies!

It was the workers and residents of Walthamstow and London that did this. To consolidate it and win more, we need trade union struggle for better conditions and a united political voice for the working class. If you agree and want to help us fight for it, join the Socialist Party.

James, Waltham Forest Socialist Party

Hastings sees off far right… twice

The people of Hastings sent a clear message to the far right – you are not welcome here.

Over the past week, there have been two threats of far-right activity in Hastings. Both were seen off by well-organised groups of anti-racists and trade unionists.

On 4 August, the local mosque received an email warning of an imminent attack from an email address linked to the racist English Defence League (EDL). Within a few hours, 60 people from the local community had gathered outside the mosque to protect it, and show solidarity with the local Muslim community.

There was no sign of the far right, and the mosque invited us inside for tea, cake, and a discussion. There was agreement about the need to be organised locally against the far right, that the trade unions need to play a key role in doing this, and a sense that the main capitalist parties offered no solutions to racism and islamophobia.

On 7 August, there were reports that the far right were planning to attack an immigration office in the town centre. A counter demonstration was called, and Hastings responded magnificently.

600 people showed up to protect the office, and to peacefully protest against racism. The demonstration had a positive atmosphere, with lots of families listening to speeches and chanting.

I attended both of these activities, as part of a delegation from the local National Education Union (NEU). I addressed the rally, emphasising the importance of trade unions leading the fight against fascism. I also raised the need for socialist politics to cut across the far right, calling for jobs, homes, pay rises, and fully funded public services.

Towards the end of the demonstration around ten far-right activists showed up. They were so overwhelmingly outnumbered that they soon walked off scowling.

Demonstrations like this play an important role in defeating far-right threats, and protecting the communities that they target. And, if we want to see off the threat of the far right for good, we need to oppose the root causes of racism – poverty, austerity, and capitalism. To do that, we need a new mass workers’ party that can fight for the kind of policies that will improve living standards for all, and unite working-class people.

Only the super-rich benefit when our communities are divided. Fight for a socialist alternative!

James, National Education Union (NEU) rep

Racists didn’t dare confront hundreds of Brentford protesters

It was feared that the list of offices providing immigration services circulating were to be targeted for racist violence.

Groups, including Ealing Trades Union Council, hastily organised the counter-protest of 300 people. A good turnout, considering there was only 48 hours to get it done.

There was a communal atmosphere, as chants were bellowed to the hooting of horns from passing cars. Socialist Party members were present, leafletting protesters, handing out posters, and with our Socialist paper with the ideas to fight for far right.

People kept looking around for any far-right presence. But if they were there, none were ‘brave’ enough to confront the hundreds of counter-demonstrators.

John, a member of West London NHS Unison union and the Socialist Party, gave a short speech: “We demand jobs and home, not racism.

“This is the sixth richest country on earth. And there are children now with rickets. There are adults being admitted to our mental health units with malnutrition, because they can’t afford to feed themselves.

“We know more children are going hungry. Teachers are increasingly having to find the money to buy breakfast to feed those children. And racism and fascism is not the answer.”

The Unison banner that we brought was the only union banner at the protest. So its urgent we discuss how we can have more workers’ movement and trade union involvement to lead the fight against the far right.

Dara, West London Socialist Party

Nottingham

In part of West Bridgford, just outside Nottingham, there was a tremendous confidence booster for the anti-racist movement. 250-300 protesters against racism and facsicm completely outnumbered the far right, numbering less than a dozen out on the street.

Following the far-right’s so-called protest on Saturday, also outnumbered, this latest threat to a supposed address of an immigration service caused massive anger. The address was an address used as office address of a freelance immigration advisor. But it was actually the home of his 88-year-old mother.

As a granddaughter posted on X:

“The far-right fascist groups are now targeting immigration services across the UK. They have published my nana’s address as their Nottingham target on Wednesday.”

The broad-based Nottingham campaign organising group, established to oppose the far-right last Saturday and organise Wednesday’s counter-protest, was in contact with members of the family and well received.

Disgracefully, although not unsurprisingly, the police told stewards just before our larger numbers started arriving that they would allow the ‘protest’ to go onto that residential street. When asked could we, the answer was no. The police also formed a circle around a group of the far-right when it looked like they were going to be surrounded.

Yet, the police tried to demobilise opposition by putting out a letter saying there was no need for to turn up. That was clearly and rightly ignored.

The PCS and Unison unions had flags and a number of those union activists were actively involved in the protest alongside a Fire Brigade Union official who acted as chief liason.

There were ten Socialist Party members at the protest some helping with the organisation and stewarding, others talking with protesters and distributing our excellent leaflet and selling the Socialist newspaper.

The night was a victory, although as ever, lessons to be learned.

Nottingham Socialist Party Members

Southampton

“There’s only 10 of us” commented a far-right ‘activist’ as he watched the 400 strong Southampton counter demonstration approach him on Wednesday night. He had just been laughed at by an elderly lady, who had warned about the approaching crowd. This video, posted on twitter a day after sums up the experience in Southampton that evening.

I walked to my friend’s house before the demo, the streets were eerily quiet, but for an increased police presence. Shops and businesses had closed early, some boarding up their windows after witnessing the destruction the previous week in other towns and cities.

We didn’t know what to expect as my friends and I approached the meeting place in advance of the demonstration, but I was heartened to see many familiar faces.  There was an air of quiet confidence about the gathering which steadied my nerves. Our group had agreed that we would keep buddied up and look out for each other.

After a short round of speeches, practice chants and a safety briefing, the approximately 400 strong crowd began our march towards Grosvenor Square where a local immigration service was located. The irony was not lost on members of the counter demonstration that this service was to enable people to migrate out of the country.

But we all knew in some way, that this was bigger than that. What the handful of far-right protesters represented was a culmination of Islamophobic, anti-migrant and racist rhetoric pushed by both the last Labour and Tory governments and over a decade of cuts, job losses and destruction of our towns and cities.

Our chants drowned out the pitiful attempts of the far-right agitators to shout back. The shear extent to which they were outnumbered demonstrated the power of the working class when we come together. There was very little room for violence and the far-right agitators were clearly intimidated.

The people of Southampton can be proud of themselves for coming together in such a positive way in the face of hatred. But we must not become complacent. We must now look for a way to continue to organise and unify the people of the city to fight the root of the problem: capitalism. Only a united working class fighting with active democratic unions can we achieve dignity for all the diverse communities in our city and across the country.

Frankie, Southampton Socialist Party