Anti-fascists are organising in the Spanish state
The far right in Spain has shown the same readiness to spread racist lies as their counterparts in Britain.
On 18 August, an 11-year-old child was murdered in Mocejón, a small town south of Madrid.
As often happens, tragic events like this provoke speculation. But not only that, racists and fascists try to take advantage of the tragedy to spread their message of hate against vulnerable groups.
Fascist agitators began from the first minute to try to criminalise young migrants, by falsely accusing them of the murder.
They even attacked the family of the deceased when they distanced themselves from any racist manipulation. As in Britain, social media sites were flooded with hate messages. But this is not a problem of social media, and a need for more regulation.
The use of events, real or invented, by fascists to mobilise people against migrants and black people has always existed.
The answer isn’t stronger state measures. These will always be used against the left.
Recently, eight activists in Barcelona—one of them a member of the Marx21 revolutionary socialist group—were accused of “hate crime” for protesting against the fascist Vox party.
The fascists haven’t managed to provoke a violent reaction this time. But this doesn’t mean that in the Spanish state there is no organised fascist threat.
Not long ago, some said that “Spain is immune from the far right”. Now there are fascists and other far right racists in parliament.
Faced with the threat of the far right, from their hoaxes to their threats and attacks, the only effective answer is the united mobilisation of the entire left and all people threatened by fascism.
A response like that given in Britain earlier this month is what inspires confidence. To vastly outnumber and confront the fascists is the way to force them back into their sewers.
Dani Bravo, Member of Marx21, Barcelona
Europe has seen a surge in anti-tourism protests this year, with thousands of people rallying to express their frustration over the consequences of over-tourism.
In places such as the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Barcelona, Venice and Sintra, concerns are mounting about the impact of tourism on local communities.
I’ve just come back from Sicily, Italy, and particularly in Palermo, tourism is suffocating the area.
Sicily also faces a severe water crisis, with the island at risk of desertification.
Over-tourism increases pressure on Sicily’s already scarce water resources, with inevitable consequences for the environment.
Tourism industries have exploited nature, culture, and local working class communities, reducing them to mere products for consumption.
The economic benefits of tourism are concentrated in the hands of a few while the working class is left with precarious and low-wage jobs.
Over-tourism is not merely a problem of “too many tourists”.
It is a symptom of a deeper systemic issue rooted in capitalism.
Addressing it requires a fundamental shift in how we understand and organise society. We have to prioritise people and the environment over profits for multinationals and the local ruling class.
Geraldine, East London
The need to have strong anti-raids groups under Labour was shown to me last week as I saw the end of a raid at a car wash in Smethwick, west of Birmingham.
Despite staff appearing nonchalant, up to five workers were carted off for potential deportation to Romania.
Their crime? Having been born on another part of the planet.
The Labour cabinet wants to continue to feed the racism that saw pogroms and riots on our streets.
Rather than turning this into a discussion about a common humanity, they want to make it one of xenophobic efficiency.
The Tory Rwanda scheme may have been defeated but Labour is setting out its racist stall.
We must continue to create and expand the networks between Stand Up to Racism, refugee groups, anti-raid groups and other activists to stop deportations and detentions.
Doug Morgan, Birmingham
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are big issues for an ageing population.
So it was terrible to hear that the first drug to slow the progression of early stage Alzheimer’s will not be available on the NHS in England.
That’s because health assessment body Nice says the benefits “are too small to justify the costs”.
It’s a combination of profit‑seeking and cuts.
The drug Lecanemab has been licensed for use in Britain by the medicines regulator, the MHRA, which means it can be prescribed privately. Trials showed it slowed cognitive decline by about a quarter in patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s over the course of 18 months.
About 70,000 adults in England would be eligible to receive lecanemab.
But Nice said there was a significant cost to the treatment.
Alzheimer’s Research UK said it was “a bittersweet moment”. “The approval of lecanemab is a milestone moment but the decision by Nice not to approve it for the NHS is deeply disappointing,” said head of policy David Thomas.
We need a publicly‑owned pharmaceuticals industry and a fully-funded NHS.
Janet Manning, West London
I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Joanna Rollo (Socialist Worker, 14 August).
I worked closely with Joanna when she was international organiser for the International Socialists.
Her energy and initiative were phenomenal. The translations of Tony Cliff’s Portugal at the Crossroads were typed on an old-fashioned manual typewriter.
It had to be adjusted for the accents required in different languages.
It was just one example of her ingenuity. Joanna should be remembered as an inspiration to new generations of activists.
Ian Birchall, North London
The French insurance giant AXA’s full divestment from Israeli banks and arms company Elbit systems is a victory for pro‑Palestine activists to celebrate.
The campaign has been ongoing since December 2018 when the firm first pledged to divest from Elbit.
This example demonstrates the effectiveness of the boycott movement and the power of global mass pressure.
We should use the momentum to target banks in Britain and globally that continue to fund Israeli apartheid.
Eva Shepherd, Cambridge
A decade ago Russia jailed 30 Greenpeace activists for direct action at the Prirazlomnaya oil drilling platform.
The sentences were widely denounced as a symptom of Russia’s descent into authoritarianism under Vladimir Putin.
The 30 were released after three months imprisonment. In Britain now environmentalists jailed for direct action won’t be out after three months.
We can’t let this authoritarianism continue.
Sue Brackley, Manchester
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Leeds activists defying state repression
