SUTR in Dover (Photo: twitter:@AntiRacismDay)
Anti-racists are building the protest against Nazi Tommy Robinson in London on Saturday 26 October.
NEU education union general secretary Daniel Kebede is calling on all educators to build support for the demonstration.
Jon Reddiford, from the union’s south west region, told Socialist Worker, “The response we are getting is fantastic.
“We’ve asked every NEU branch to donate money to Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), to pass a motion and to mail out demonstration flyers.
“Our Bournemouth branch donated £2,000 to SUTR, without even being asked.
“TUC union federation backing for the march means we can go to other unions that previously did not prioritise fighting fascism before the summer riots.”
NEU member Jess Edwards, from south London, told Socialist Worker, “We are calling all our 2,000 members.
“We are spending £3,500 on flyers and badges which will be sent to every member’s home.”
Miriam Scharf from east London, said, “We have some supporters on the local mosque committee. We got to know lots of people there through anti‑racist activities and building the Palestine marches.
“I phoned one of them and said SUTR needs money and asked if we could do a stall after prayers on Friday.
“The imam made an announcement in the mosque and we raised £244.90. Now, we plan to visit four other mosques.”
Postal workers in east London have put the SUTR logo on their union T-shirts. All officers in the CWU communication workers union in Tower Hamlets are wearing the shirts.
Up to 120 people attended the demonstration organised by Stand Up To Racism to call out the racism, transphobia and climate change denial of the reform party.
In addition to attendees from Birmingham and the Black Country, groups also travelled from Coventry, Manchester and Leicester to oppose Farage and the Reform Party.
Approaching the conference, we were met with taunts from the Reform Party members, as well as the echoing chants of “Oh Tommy, we love you”.
The demonstrators’ chants showed the wide range of views within the far right that need to be fully opposed.
Demonstrators had varying reasons for attending. Nick from Walsall Kobar Friendship Association attended the demonstration because he believes that the problems this country faces are not because of the refugees crossing the channel or benefits claimants.
They are the result of a corrupt and broken political system that is run by multimillionaires like Nigel Farage who pretends to be of and for the working class. In fact is out to line the pockets of his rich friends.
The demonstration ended with the words of speakers from various organisations, each impassioned speaker channelling the same sentiments as the crowd.
One of those speakers, Jagwant Johal from BRIG, said that he was there for the same reason as his father took to the streets with the Indian Workers Association against the far right—to defend their communities.
There was a collective sense across the protest that if Reform continues to go unchallenged then there will undoubtedly be an increase in attacks against ethnic minority communities across the country. We must continue to organise and challenge them wherever they go.
Bobbie Blair
Racism first developed as a justification for enslavement
