Racist groups humiliated by anti-fascist mobilisations

Some 250 anti-fascists confront just 50 racists in Cannock, Staffordshire. (Picture: Bob Moloney)

Anti-fascists mobilised and outnumbered fascists across Britain last weekend. Up to 500 anti-fascists and LGBT+ activists outnumbered 70 Turning Point UK bigots outside Honor Oak pub in south London on Saturday.

The far right mobilised against a drag queen storytelling event at the pub and were joined by a solid core of known Nazi football hooligans. Billie and Kate attended the protest. “I live in the area and it’s not nice to know there’s hate on our streets,” Billie said.

“We have to stand against these people,” Kate added. “They’ve got inspiration from the far right in the US. If they come back we’ll have even more of us than them.”

A heavy police presence held the anti-fascists back, with cops hitting and pushing protesters while letting the far right spread out. Micki, a local NEU education union member and Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) activist, told Socialist Worker, “It was another impressive mobilisation. We had trade unionists, in particular in the NEU, faith groups and community groups showing there’s a determination in Lewisham.” 

Eleanor Davies is the district secretary of Lewisham NEU. “Today was really good. Our objective was to stop them standing outside the pub,” she told Socialist Worker. 

“But as teachers ours was to defend Dalmain primary school opposite the pub—we achieved that. These people are racist and homophobic and don’t care about children. We were also shoved against the wall by the police.”

With the NEU on strike at the moment, Eleanor said it’s even more important that teachers are involved in the protests. By noon the far right had crawled off. As they left, protesters cheered and shouted, “You never even got near the pub.”

On Sunday in Erskine, near Glasgow, 25 anti-fascists stood up against up to 20 fascists whose numbers have dwindled outside the Muthu Glasgow River Hotel. Bigots from Patriotic Alternative and now the Homeland party have been protesting against the hotel being used for refugees. 

Meanwhile, also on Sunday, in Cannock, Staffordshire, around 250 attended a mobilisation called by Stand Up To Racism against 25 fascists from the group Homeland and 25 other racists. Anti-fascists pushed up to the Nazis, which meant they had to move their stage off into the distance under police escort. 

Local anti-racist and socialist Bob Moloney reports, “Great result today in Cannock. Far right and racists demoralised, we celebrated.” At their last confrontation, the fascists rallied up to 300 people along with Patriotic Alternative. Sunday’s victory follows from the previous week when anti-racists pushed back fascists in Long Eaton.

Anti-racists also kept up leafleting this week against Britain First and other fascist candidates standing in the local elections. And in Sheffield, SUTR held a well-supported rally last week against home secretary Suella Braverman’s disgusting attack on Pakistani people over child sexual exploitation.

There can be no complacency over the growth of racist and fascist forces, but active opposition can block them.