By JIM STEAD
International Socialist League – Britain
Counter-protests against the far right have mushroomed in size in Britain—taking back the streets from the racist hooligans who had terrorized the country for the past week. On Aug. 7, many thousands of anti-racist protesters gathered in cities and towns throughout Britain, chanting slogans such as “Refugees are welcome here!” and “Fascist scum—off our streets!” In virtually every case, the counter-protesters vastly outnumbered the reactionary and racist elements who turned out; some planned far-right rallies failed to materialize at all. An updated report by the ISL appears below, followed by their earlier report.
By ISL (Update)
A long list was produced on the Telegram messaging app and then circulated widely on social media by the far right, of asylum advice and support centres and immigration lawyers’ offices, in towns and cities across the UK targeted for attack and arson. The date time specified was Wednesday, 7 August, 8 p.m. Fearing a repeat of the racist violence and rioting that the country experienced in the past week, offices and shops were boarded up and closed, and theatre performances were cancelled in fear of being caught in the mayhem.
Despite calls from the government and police to stay away, many thousands of anti-fascists and anti-racists mobilised from across different sections of their local communities, including trade unions, to stand together and defend the people and the buildings targeted. In a powerful show of unity against racism and Islamophobia, thousands mobilised in Liverpool, London, Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham, the fascists were defeated and if any did turn up, they were an insignificant presence.
On Saturday, August 3, across the country the police failed to defend anti-fascists and the towns and cities being rampaged by the far right and fascists, who looted, burnt destroyed everything in their path, attacked Black and Brown people and terrorised communities. It was this failure that forced community members, anti-fascists, and trade unionists to begin to organise their own self defence. Thousands of people gathered in force: Bristol 7000, Walthamstow, London 7000, Finchley, London 3000, Liverpool 1500, Sheffield 1500, Brighton 2000, Manchester 500—carrying home-made reading, ‘No to racism,’ ‘Refugees welcome,’ ’Nans against nazis,’ and many more asserting community solidarity and hatred against racism and support for immigrants, alongside trade unionists who brought banners from RMT, FBU, Unite, PCS, Unison and UCU. Inside the mass defence were many 100s of trade unionist across the country.
Labour’s role
The racist riots of the past week have provided the Labour government with a green light to ‘legitimately’ impose greater surveillance policies, upholding previous Tory plans. Starmer’s proposal for an expansion in the use of live facial recognition technology has been criticised as essentially being the introduction of a national ID card system based on people’s faces. And furthermore, facial recognition does not make people safer, it shows bias for people of colour and will entrench discrimination further.
Starmer also announced the introduction of a Violent Disorder Unit which will have the potential to prevent protest, including anti-racist protests, Palestinian protests, environmental protests, strikes and pickets. We are facing rising discontent and anger over further cuts to services, increasing child poverty, increasing inequality and people struggling to cope. Denying the right to protest will be essential for the bourgeoisie to control working class anger and allow capitalism to flourish!
Calls to define the rioting as ‘terrorism’ to be prosecuted under counter terrorism laws should be resisted and opposed, along with measures proposed above by Starmer. These measures will result in even greater surveillance and the further removal of basic rights, once in place the extent of application will go far beyond policing far-right rioting.
Far right
Nigel Farage and his party, Reform UK, gain attention and votes by spreading hate and fear around asylum seekers and immigrants, but they alone are not to blame for fomenting racism. Their incendiary language has been in general use by the Tory party throughout 14 years of government. The scapegoating, demonising and criminalisation of immigrants has been incessant by all parties and supported and amplified by the media. Even now, Labour fails to tell the truth about immigration, as they maintain tough talk about forcefully deporting people.
Small groups of fascists are able to connect the anger many young people who are socially and economically deprived, they are angry because they feel they have no future, and angry against their living conditions. They tap into this discontent and feed their anger towards racist lies and racist misinformation about what is being taken from them by asylum seekers and immigrants which is further validated by government rhetoric and policy, the mainstream and social media, portraying asylum seekers as the source of all social and economic problems.
After the violence, Farage raised the ridiculous idea that two-tier policing, previously unheard of, is widespread – coming down hard on the right and being soft on Black Lives Matter and Palestinian demonstrations (all of which are peaceful). As ridiculous as this is, unsurprisingly the media began to pick up on this and run with it, despite acknowledging that this was not right wing ‘protest’ but racist and Islamophobic violent rioting and do not equate!
Unions and youth take the lead build the fight including self-defence committees
Workers and youth can advance in defeating fascist as they did on August 7, and as they have in the struggle for Palestine. Workers must demand the trade unions lead the fight against the acute problem of unemployment, poverty, low pay, precarious work, poor housing, welfare and health service cuts—which affect a multicultural working class.
Workers must demand the trade unions build their fight against fascists by organising with our youth and forming anti-fascist committees and establishing a firm worker and youth alliance. The union leaderships must organise the anti-fascist committees for self-defence and take these demands to the rank and file and mobilise. The union and youth-led anti-fascist committees must seek training for the masses and among the vanguard in boxing and jujitsu academies and seek equipment for basic defence such as shields, at the same time finding specialists to train a front line.
We need trade unions, organising from the base, to build and lead demonstrations and movements, in the regions and nationally, to invite all who are fighting racism and fascism, for Palestine, for real action on the climate, for socialist feminism, for LGBTQ+ rights and demand an end to austerity and restoration of all cuts.
Build union and youth anti-fascist committees!
Mobilise union rank and file!
An earlier report and analysis by Jim Stead of the ISL follows below:
On 3rd August, cities across the UK were confronted by street-fighting forces on the rampage—attacking mosques, city centres, a library, asylum accommodation hotels, and our streets. Swathed in union jacks and England flags, they shouted that they were ‘protecting Britain’s sovereignty,’ ‘protecting our children,’ demanding to ‘stop the ‘boats,’ and immigration.’ It was the same message that has been coming from the Tories and the Reform Party, which won 13% of the vote and now has five MPs in parliament. However, as Liz Fekete of the Institute of Race Relations says, correctly, ‘The problem we face today is a fascism with its seed bed in racism and Islamophobia, societal fragmentation and breakdown, divisive policies and the mainstreaming of hate.’
The far-right and fascist groups and the Reform Party leader Nigel Farage sickeningly exploit the horrifically tragic killing of Bebe King aged 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe aged 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, aged 9, at a Taylor Swift- themed holiday club for primary school children in Southport, Merseyside, which also left eight more children and two adults seriously injured.
They spread disinformation and lies, which led to a violent attack on a Southport mosque, resulting in 50 police injured just 36 hours following the tragedy, and forcing the mother of Elsie Dot Stancombe to issue an appeal to “stop the violence.”
Widespread violence
Subsequently, throughout the recent week, towns and cities have witnessed widespread violent racist and Islamophobic riots. The anti-racist organisation Hope Not Hate tracked plans for 35 protests, including in London, Hartlepool, Sheffield, Manchester, Bristol, Aldershot, and Sunderland.
People of colour are being attacked viciously as they walk the streets. In Hull rioters stopped a car and dragged two people out with shouts of ‘kill them,’ as captured on video. Fascists gathered to inflict mayhem but were outnumbered by people gathering to defend their communities.
In Liverpool, 700 anti-fascists gathered in support of the people of the bereaved people of Southport. Hundreds then marched in defence of immigrant, Muslim, and Black communities. However, with no scouts to advise what lay ahead, they marched into a cul-de-sac, where 750 fascists gathered at one end. Then the fascists sent their thugs to the rear, as fast moving hit squads (about five dressed in all black) ran into the anti-fascist crowd. It is clear that the ‘hit squads’ had undertaken training before the event; they attacked people from behind—kicking people’s knees and collapsing them to the ground. They also targeted the police. The fascists had a long pole to ram the anti-fascists or police; a similar tactic was used in Sunderland.
Two or three smarter-dressed males were witnessed in Liverpool using mobiles and directing the younger people on where to go. It was not simply a spontaneous riot.
There has been a resurgence of the fascist movement following the vote for Farage’s Reform Party. But we have to also look at some context, such as the Tory government’s normalisation of Islamophobia and anti-immigration, an inability to defeat strike waves by workers, and the continuing movement in support of Palestine, with successful actions stopping arms production and the continuing BDS campaign.
On Saturday [Aug. 3], the racist riots across the country by the far right and fascists involved trained and organised street-fighting forces, who took control of Liverpool city centre, sending people running and attacking shops, overturning a stall where free Korans were being handed out, and moving into the night, when they set fire to a local library in the Walton area. Other cities, including Sunderland, were faced with the same racist violence.
The last week has shown how far Britain has decayed, with hordes of rioters setting cities alight, violently targeting people of colour, immigrants, mosques, and our public services all at the same time. This fascist force will not stop and will attack the organised working class, whilst at the moment concentrating on Muslims, immigrants, and asylum seekers.
Very rich capitalists, like Elon Musk, encourage the likes of Tommy Robinson to use the social media platform X, providing a greater ability to instantly and extensively spread lies and disinformation and incite rioting.
Self-defence
In the aftermath, we saw communities come out after the disorder to defend mosques and asylum seekers, and to clear up after the far-right mayhem—displaying anti-racist/anti-fascist traditions that are rooted in community defence, solidarity, and care.
Police officers were not authorised to use pepper spray or tasers (only as a last resort), and in many places they were outnumbered by the rioters. This means we have to organise and build our own self-defence.
We need to raise everywhere the need for self-defence of our communities, which must also be organised inside the trade-union movement. Stand Up To Racism (led by the Socialist Workers Party), led the anti-racist rally and led the march straight into the path of the fascists, without a plan to protect those on the march. This shows we need to develop our strategy and tactics to defend and unite the class, in our communities, with our unions, and with all oppressed groups, to defeat the fascists.
Initially, the police reported that ‘both sides’ were rampaging in city centres, but widespread images of racist and Islamophobic rioting forced them to withdraw that statement. However, the police cannot be trusted and may use situations to undermine our strength on the streets, as for too long there has been an equivalence made of anti-racist and anti-fascist protest with fascists.
The struggles for Palestine and to defend immigrants and asylum seekers, and the anti-racist and anti-fascist marches need to be able to defend themselves from attack. The fascists will use their fast moving hit squads to attack individuals or try to break up the activists so they become separated into smaller groups.
Where and when we demonstrate needs thoughtful preparation. What kind of space do we want? We should never let the fascists decide where a confrontation takes place. We need a wide discussion on how defeat the fascists. A key part of that is training in self-defence.
We need the fullest alliance of community groups and the unions, and that needs to happen as soon as possible. There were trade-union speakers and representatives, including from the RMT (transport), FBU (fire fighters), PCS (civil servants), UCU (universities), Liverpool TUC, and Students of Alareer Square. But there needs to be greater numbers; the rank and file have to mobilise.
We must discuss how to protect marches, using scouts, and how to proceed. When the ‘black shirts’ were attacking the demo in Liverpool, it took people by surprise and there was no defence. These people are committed to violence and terror, with escalating levels of violence—so we need to discuss carefully. Yesterday, they threw bottles and bricks, set things alight, violently attacked people. Thus, we cannot stop our marches but must discuss how to build our defences and ensure the security of our communities.
Protection is also a political question. These people are not just thugs and purveyors of terror, their central characterisation is not that they are nasty and vicious people, but they are a class force doing a job for capitalism as it decays. The fascists want to build a force by attacking Muslims and immigrants now, to be able to face the working class and its organisations in the future, just as they do in France and Germany.
Labour will not defeat the fascists
At a Downing Street press conference on 1 August, Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged that the far right was the issue, but he quickly changed the subject to the threat of ‘criminality’ and ‘thuggery’. Starmer wants to create a new national ‘capability’ across police forces to combat violent disorder across the “ideological spectrum”. [i]
Labour is using fascist violence in an attempt to legitimise the present anti-protest repressive powers. Starmer said it was “a response both to the immediate challenge, which is clearly driven by far-right hatred. But also all violent disorder that flares up.”[ii] These powers will not only be used against some racists and fascists. But against those who defend their communities.
On 2nd August, David Hanson, Home Office minister, said, “Some individuals will have far-right opinions, in my view, some might be caught up in the summer madness. Some might be people who’ve got genuine concerns. Whatever those concerns are, there are mechanisms where they can raise them with their member of parliament; they can peacefully protest and they can take those issues forward.”[iii]
So, as the far right and fascists terrorise the ordinary people on the streets, a Labour minister says the racists and fascists have legitimate concerns!
Crucial to understanding the attacks against Muslims and immigrants are decades of Tory and Labour removing the rights for asylum seekers, with the new Labour government starting by promising to begin mass deportations—with the same anti-immigration rhetoric and policies of the Conservative government.
Alongside this are 14 years of austerity, with cuts continuing and services being privatised. Child poverty has accelerated drastically; most children living in poverty live in a household with adults working. This affects a diverse working class who are facing the cost-of-living crisis.
There is no lack of wealth in Britain. During the Tories’ time in office, the wealth of the country’s 10 richest people alone grew from £47 billion to £182 billion, an increase of 281%. Removing the two-child cap would cost £1.7 billion, but Labour is keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap.
Rachel Reeves Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the top of her reasons for considering any pay rises was “the cost of industrial action”. That phrase shows the threat of industrial action as in the 2022-23 strike wave remains a powerful weapon. It shows that the working class has the power to defeat the big companies, governments, far-right, and fascist forces. The Labour government must repeal all anti-trade union laws.
Labour has to be replaced with a workers’ party that is deeply linked with the working class, all oppressed people, and the youth. Such a party must aim for the nationalisation of services and for big companies coming under the direct control of the working class. The fight to build a workers’ alternative is imperative, and the building of a revolutionary alternative must continue.
- All immigrants are welcome here!
- Build our self-defence!
- Build a future for our youth—end precarious work
- Nationalise big companies under workers’ control
[i] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/aug/02/riots-southport-attack-far-right-keir-starmer-uk-politics-live
[ii] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/01/far-right-riots-keir-starmer-announce-new-violent-disorder-unit
[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/aug/02/riots-southport-attack-far-right-keir-starmer-uk-politics-live
Photo: A counter-protest against racism and the far right in the city of Lancaster, Britain. (Manon Cruz / Reuters)