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Tag: Stand up to Racism

  • Anti-racists outnumber far-right protesters in Glasgow

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/anti-racists-outnumber-far-right-protesters-in-glasgow

    Activists from Stand Up To Racism Scotland gather in Glasgow’s George Square, in a counterprotest to a far-right rally, September 7, 2024

    MORE than 5,000 people rallied in Glasgow’s George Square on Saturday in solidarity with the migrants and refugees increasingly targeted by the far right.

    The demonstration came together to counter a call by racist grifter Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — known as Tommy Robinson — for an anti-immigration rabble to assemble in the city; Yaxley-Lennon was nowhere to be seen as his fans faced the humiliation of being outnumbered 15 to one.

    To the west of the square, the rally organised by Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), backed by the STUC, and attended by thousands of trade unionists and community activists, heard from a host of speakers from trade unions as well as those with first-hand experience facing racism and building solidarity in their communities.

    To the east, at the cenotaph, members of the fascist Patriotic Alternative did their best to rouse their mob, with renditions of Rule Britannia and barely audible hate-filled speeches alternating with the launching of abuse and bottles at anti-fascists.

    Eventually escorted from the square by Police Scotland, some of their number went on to attack the nearby McChuills, a bar associated with refugee solidarity, resulting in two arrests.

    But Police Scotland were criticised for “kettling” anti-fascist Celtic ultras the Green Brigade for several hours, preventing them from joining the SUTR rally.

    One witness told the Star: “I don’t even support their club but this is a pointless provocation: the Green Brigade have done nothing to justify this, but they’re used to getting singled out.”

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/anti-racists-outnumber-far-right-protesters-in-glasgow

  • Morning Star Editorial: People power has changed the narrative – and we can build on this

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-people-power-has-changed-narrative-and-we-can-build

    Counter protesters at head of an anti-immigration protest in Walthamstow, London, August 7, 2024

    PEOPLE power has changed the narrative. The threat of fascist riots is not over, but they look far more isolated than they did before Wednesday night.

    Even those who are not usually friends to street demonstrations have saluted the spirit that brought hundreds of thousands out in Bristol, Newcastle, Walthamstow and many other places.

    Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley acknowledges the role the counter-protests played in preventing far-right violence. “Frankly the show of unity from communities together defeated the challenges that we’ve seen… the fears of extreme right disorder were abated.”

    Even more surprising was approbation on the front pages of right-wing papers. The Times, the Mail, the Express are associated with hatred of the left: the latter two, particularly, with migrant-bashing. Yet all ran glowing tributes to anti-racist popular rallies on their front pages.

    There is hypocrisy here. But that only underlines the significance of a movement that forces them to take this line. They have read the mood of the country and realised it is not with the racists.

    This explodes the logic of anti-socialist fanatic Lord Walney, whose bid to call out “Russia and Iran” for whipping up disorder was an attempt to associate the arson, assault and vandalism of the fascists with peaceful marches in solidarity with Palestine.

    It will be harder for authoritarians in government to use the riots as an excuse for a sweeping crackdown on public demonstrations now that the country’s biggest police force and most of its major newspapers are on record praising street demos mobilised by the activist left, most prominently Stand Up to Racism.

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/editorial-people-power-has-changed-narrative-and-we-can-build

  • Thousands rally across Britain against ‘Tories’ ramping up of racism’

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/thousands-rally-across-britain-against-tories-ramping-up-of-racism

    People take part in an anti-racism march in central London orgainised by Stand Up To Racism and trade unions, March 16, 2024

    THOUSANDS of anti-racism campaigners rallied across Britain at the weekend to reject the Tories’ “desperate attempt” to win votes by ramping up division and to show support for MP Diane Abbott.

    The rallies took place just days after reports emerged that a major Tory donor had said that Britain’s longest-serving black MP “should be shot.”

    And in the same week, the government ramped up its Islamophobic rhetoric, with Communities Secretary Michael Gove unveiling a new definition of extremism targeting Muslim groups.

    Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of organisers Stand up to Racism, told the Morning Star: “We mobilised to reject the Tories’ ramping up of racism, Islamophobia, hatred, and division in a bid to gain votes at the general election.”

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    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/thousands-rally-across-britain-against-tories-ramping-up-of-racism