Unity against the far right in Whitechapel, east London
Anti-racists rallied in Whitechapel, east London, on Saturday in a show of unity against the far right.
Around 200 people joined the protest backed by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), the Women’s Inclusive Team, NEU, Unison BMA and UCU union branches and others.
Nick Tenconi, leader of fascist party Ukip, had planned to march through the borough of Tower Hamlets, but was banned by the police. Instead, around 50 fascists gathered at Marble Arch and tried to harass the 100,000-strong Palestine demonstration in central London.
“Fake Christian nationalists are not welcome on our streets,” Rebecca, who lives in Whitechapel, told Socialist Worker.
“We are a community that is proud to be welcoming to all. Tenconi wants to paint it as a no go zone but it is obviously not true.”
Activists chanted, “When migrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”
Bethan, an activist from SUTR Tower Hamlets, told the rally, “I grew up in this borough. I remember when the English Defence League (EDL) came to try and intimidate our friends and neighbours.
“But I also remember how proud I was to come together and say they are not going to pass, blocking the EDL on multiple occasions. I’m glad to see people today who are continuing the tradition.”
Bethan argued that while Ukip are “too chicken shit to turn up in Tower Hamlets, we can’t be complacent”.
On the nearby Isle of Dogs, far right protesters have targeted the Britannia Hotel which is being used to house asylum seekers.
An NEU union rep at a school in the nearby borough of Waltham Forest joined the protest. He told Socialist Worker that some trade union leaders aren’t doing enough to mobilise against the far right.
“They need to empower and encourage people at the grassroots to do more in their workplaces,” he said.
“We have some trade union leaders who have illusions in the Labour Party and think they will rescue them. We need every workplace to have people actively promoting demonstrations and more.”
The union rep also thought that the left “can’t cower away from taking on the arguments around immigration”.
Kerie Anne, Unison union branch secretary at Tower Hamlets council, spoke about the history of anti-fascism in the borough. “I want to rewind us back to 1993 when the racist British National Party (BNP) won a seat on the Isle of dogs,” she said.
“The union downed tools and walked out on a wildcat strike to make it clear we wouldn’t have a Nazi as our employer.
“We did not tolerate fascism and racism in 1993 and we will not tolerate it in 2026. It keeps on coming back in different ways.”
Ally, who works in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), sees through her work “the impact of the global rise of fascism” on immigrant families. “I had families who wouldn’t come to their health appointments because they wouldn’t leave their homes around the time of the Tommy Robinson rally,” she told Socialist Worker.
SUTR co-convenor Weyman Bennett said, “The only thing that has ever stopped the fascists has been community and working class resistance.
“The politics of the centre is completely broken and the door is open to the far right unless we smash them.
“That is why we need to build the Together alliance against the far right and the unity demonstration on 28 March.”
Dominion Society is building links with Restore Britain
Demos will be held across Britain
