Standing up to fascism and racism is the duty of the working class and the labour movement!
By Dashty Jamal
On Saturday September 13th, a counter-demonstration was organized in London by Stand Up To Racism against the far-right Tommy Robinson demonstration, in which we participated to reject the hatred and bigotry spread by Tommy Robinson and the far-right. The far-right demonstration, which drew nearly 110,000 participants, was one of the largest far-right gatherings against refugees in Britain in recent years. Their fascist agenda is built on racism, Islamophobia and intimidating citizens, but we will not be divided. Our protest was not only against Tommy Robinson and the entire far-right movement and their fascist and racist agenda, but also to defend the values that the fascist ideology seeks to destroy.
The Stand Up To Racism demonstration was attended by close to 20,000 people and brought together trade unions, women’s organizations, refugee organizations, and left-wing and socialist organizations who came to the streets to defend the human and civil values of British society like coexistence and tolerance. They attended the demonstration to confront this reactionary and inhumane trend that seeks to destabilize our society through the dissemination of hatred, bigotry, and violence, and keep it in a state of constant fear and war.
Some of Robinson’s supporters clashed with the police. They attempted to break through barriers to attack anti-racism demonstrators, alongside the chanting of racist slogans, reflecting their core content and message. They carried nationalist symbols, including the St. George’s Cross and the Union Jack flags. Some of the anthems and chants were explicitly anti-refugee, for example: “Stop the boats,” “Send them back.”
Robinson claimed the march was about defending freedom of speech and British culture. Elon Musk delivered a speech at the rally, criticizing the British government and its refugee policy. Political leaders condemned the violence. With concerns and fears growing, particularly within Muslim communities, about the racist and anti-Muslim rhetoric being spread, the police issued a statement to reassure people that they are safe and to remain in their homes.
Analysis of the event, its implications, and the number of participants shows that the message that brought Robinson and his extremist groups together, particularly around the issues of refugees, is based on identity and nationalism.
Tommy Robinson used the framework of free speech to cover up policies of xenophobia, racism, and hateful speech. These incitements to hatred can escalate, spiral out of control, and plunge society into violence. British society, which is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual society with a long history of immigrant labour, is now targeted by such propaganda. This kind of event threatens community cohesion and can lead to backlash, crime, and violence, as seen in attacks on refugee hotels. As the National Institute Against Racism and Fascism highlights, racist hate crimes have increased significantly following the resurgence of anti-refugee protests and the calls for mass deportations this summer.
On September 9th, a Sikh woman in Oldbury, Birmingham, was allegedly assaulted, and her attackers reportedly told her, ‘You don’t belong to this country, get out.’ According to newspapers, a man has been arrested but released on bail pending further investigation. This incident is being treated as a ‘violent racial assault’.
Fascism has a criminal history. It is not merely a political ideology but a violent reaction against social progress. Fascism is an extreme right-wing, nationalist ideology that seeks to concentrate power in a single leader or party and is used to divide people, dismantle democratic institutions, trade unions and left-wing and socialist movements.
Fascism is built on fear, hatred, and lies. It also has an economic motive, serving the interests of the capitalist class when they fear losing power. In the 1920s and 30s, the elites of Italy and Germany funded Mussolini and Hitler to crush the communists and trade unions. Fascism promises to protect private property, profit, and the class structure by any means necessary. As Leon Trotsky argued, the bourgeoisie turns to fascism when its power is threatened by the working class. When parliamentary democracy and traditional control instruments are insufficient, the ruling class utilizes fascist movements to protect its power.
Fascism is a movement of hunger, pain, misery, despair, ruthlessness, and hopelessness. We must strive to deal with the sections of the society now entangled in fascism, either by integrating them into our struggles or at least by neutralizing and sidelining them in our struggle and battles. We must use the utmost clarity and strength to prevent them from empowering the bourgeois counter-revolution. Fascism does not only attack political enemies; it destroys the soul of society. Freedom of speech, the right to vote, independent media and Jewish people, Muslims, refugees, LGBTQ+ groups and others who are victims of war and insecurity are blamed and scapegoated for societal crises and problems.
Coexistence and justice for a better future are our options and must be fought for by organizing, educating and together. We can build a world based on genuine equality, peace and prosperity, where fascism has no place and never will.
Fascism in Hitler’s Germany led to the Holocaust, World War II, and the killing of over 60 million people. Mussolini’s Italy crushed democracy and joined Nazi Germany in war crimes. Franco’s Spain silenced generations with executions and censorship.
The new neo-fascist movements continue to threaten rights, minorities and democracy. Wherever fascism emerges, human suffering follows. Fascism is not a relic of the past but remains a threat today. Economic crises, inequality, and fear can give it new life. Therefore, it must be confronted, not only with words but with action. We must confront racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia wherever they appear. We must stand with workers, trade unions, and social movements that demand freedom, coexistence, humanity, and justice. Racism, also, focuses on differences in culture, language, and tradition, claiming that they threat the unity of European societies while all human beings, regardless of culture, language, or colour, are people with universal rights.
The current trend of fascism and racism in Britain and Europe is based on racial discrimination and the identification of the European race as superior. It strives to take away social gains achieved by the working class and to fragment the labour movement and incite war between sections of society. A section of the bourgeoisie uses racial identity against refugees and migrant workers who came to European countries for work, turning it into an electoral programme.
In the current era of economic crisis, with European governments facing major political and economic challenges, racism has not remained confined to opposing foreigners and discriminating between people; it has now become a political programme adopted by many far-right parties which are allowed to participate openly in elections, opening the door to their accession to power.
Some of these far-right parties are already in power. The programme and agenda of these racist and far-right parties are not limited to vilifying refugees and migrants but aim to organize society in a way that secures low wages and long working hours, dismantle social benefit and social services, raise the retirement age to 70 and deprive women, children, the elderly and the disabled of services. Simultaneously, it seeks to keep the modern societies of Europe and Britain in a constant state of internal racial strife.
So, what can be done to confront racism and fascism? Martin Niemöller, a German pastor, is famous for his powerful statement about the cowardice of German intellectuals, especially the churches, after the Nazis rose to power. Although he initially supported Hitler, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of the Nazis, especially after they began interfering in the church, saying:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
A better future is possible. The working class cannot leave this fight to others, to deal with it indifferently! We must organize ourselves, unite our forces, and connect our struggles. We must spread the awareness about the history of fascism, its crimes, and its attempts to set society back.
The rise of this far-right trend is also a warning to refugees and minorities that they must not remain on the sidelines of this battle. They are part of the working class of this country and must strengthen this humane front alongside the trade unions, and left-wing, socialist, and freedom-loving organizations.
We must intensify pressure on the government not to pander to the far-right and fascist groups. Their financial and political support must be cut off. Their sources of funding must be made clear. Calling for political gatherings and delivering speeches that incite violence, and discrimination must be considered a serious crime. The government must prioritize improving people’s lives and livelihoods, improving National Health Service, municipal services, and housing, and adopting refugee policy based on a humane policy far from the threat of deportation. Any institution or person promoting bigotry and racism must be punished.
This is our task, the task of the working class and the labour movement: to protect society from the threat of far-right extremists.
Dashty Jamal is a member of the Solidarity with the Iranian Workers’ Movement Committee (Chair: John McDonnell MP).
Image: Banner on the Make Them Pay demonstration in London on September 20th, c/o Labour Hub
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