‘Now more than ever is a time to organise’: Students mobilise for unity demo against the far right

Venice is one of many university students joining the Together alliance’s demonstration

“It is my first anti-racist demonstration,” Venice, a student at University College London, told Socialist Worker.

She is one of many university students joining the Together alliance’s demonstration against the far right in central London on 28 March.

“I’d encourage others that if they are against racism, then you need to join the demonstration.”

Venice is from the United States. She said that one of the motivations to join the protest is the scale of the far right threat. “Although I’m not there in person, the things I hear about the general climate in the US from friends and family is heart-breaking,” she said.

Venice said that the Ice immigration raids are prevalent in her home city, Portland, Maine. “They will pull over anyone who is a person of colour,” she said.

“It makes me fear for the US but I apply this to Britain. Now that I’m here and learning about British politics. Realising that there is just as much as a presence of the far right here, I’m scared of the prospect of anti-migrant action.

“I’m scared that Ice could develop here too. Now more than ever is a time to organise. We need to show as anti-racists that we are louder than the loud minority.”

Venice argued that “everyone is impacted” by the rise of the far right. “The only people benefiting is those at the top,” she said. “The far right is trying to divide us because it is the easiest way for them to gain power.

“We are in a time when so many people feel so lost and helpless that they don’t even see the point in being politically engaged.”

Venice described herself as being “in that boat for most of my life”. She said, “This demo is a great way to show those who feel hopelessness that all is not lost and people still care and are still organising bigger, better demos than ever.

“I want them to see it. Maybe they see it and think, ‘I can do something too’, and take action themselves.”

• Socialist Worker will be running stories like this every day in the run-up to 28 March. Will you be on the demonstration? Tell us why you are going and who is going with you. Get in touch at [email protected] 
  
• For more details on the march, go to togetheralliance.org.uk