9 December 2018
NO EMBARGO
Estimated 15,000 on counter-demonstration, dwarfing Tommy Robinson & UKIP protest
Scroll down for quotes & press contacts. Pictures available on @antiracismday twitter feed – freely availably with credit to Stand Up To Racism
The new alliance of Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and UKIP leader Gerrard Batten were humiliated on London’s streets today as they attempted to capitalise on the government’s Brexit crisis.
Around 15,000 people turned out on a march beginning at Portland Place and marching to Whitehall where far-right groups assembled for what they claimed was a “Brexit betrayal” march, but anti-racists view as an attempt to grow a violent far-right street movement targeting Muslims and migrants.
Robinson admitted in his anticlimactic speech that he wasn’t an authority on Brexit because he, “devotes all his time and energy to fighting the Islamisation of our nation.”
Organisers Stand Up To Racism and others said the message of the counter-demonstration was that leavers and remainers alike will not stand for fascists attempting to profit from a crisis; and that we will not stop until the rise of the far-right, and the wave of hate crime that has accompanied it, has been defeated.
A broad coalition of groups mobilised for the demonstration – as well as Stand Up To Racism & Unite Against Fascism, Momentum, Muslim Association of Britain, Jewish Socialist Group, Brazilians Against Fascism, local Labour Parties and Trade unions NEU, FBU, TSSA, PCS, CWU, NAPO, RMT, Unison & Unite brought banners and numbers.
The following are quotes from speakers at the rally in Whitehall at the end of the counter-demonstration:
Claudia Webb, Labour NEC“We come in unity against racism and fascism. That is the power of what we are doing. We will never give up. They will never take our streets because we will stand firm. As men and as women, as black and as white, we are here together and that is our strength.”
Paul Mason, Journalist & Commentator“To stop fascsists you need unity, and that’s what we’ve had.“We are dealing with a mob out of a Harry Enfield sketch being funded by billionaires who want to create chaos so they can continue destroying the planet and devastating our communities. We are fighting to defend democracy”
Nahella Ashraf, Stand up to Racism“Today is a celebration of unity against racism and unity against the fascists and the Nazis. They want to take us back to the old days when a woman like me couldn’t have a voice.”
Weyman Bennett, SUTR“We had a brilliant demonstration against Tommy Robinson – outnumbering and humiliating him. Now we have to redouble our efforts. Robinson and Batten are attempting to normalise and legitimise fascism and we can not let it happen.””Tommy Robinson should be locked up. When he made that speech saying that Jamal, a Syrian refugee, deserved to be beaten up, it was a disgrace. That’s what fascists do. They try to divide us and destroy us. Our message is very simple: “never again”.We face dangerous times, and dangerous times mean we need to organise. We need to build in our communities to make sure “never again” is something real.”
Kevin Courtney, NEU General Secretary“If Nigel Farage tells you that Ukip is now a far-right party, then for once in your life you can agree with Nigel Farage. If Paul Nuttal tells you Tommy Robinson is a far right thug then Paul Nuttal should know.”There is an anti-racist majority in this country, thanks to the work we have done for many years. The fascists over there are a tiny minority but they are trying to grow. Our job is to mobilise the anti-racist majority to stop them.Every time a mosque or a synagogue is daubed, every time a Muslim woman has her hijab pulled off or a Jewish man has his kippah pulled off we have to manifest solidarity. And we have to have a huge demonstration on UN anti-racism day in March.”
Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary“Our march has people who voted both leave and remain. We stand together against racism, fascism and exploitation and we refuse to be divided by racists. Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary.
Nita Sanghera, UCU Vice President:“Seeing all of you dancing into the square has been fantastic. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, we will be here again and again. Every time you come we will be here to counter you.”Stephen Yaxley-Lennon hates unions. Because unions stand up for the many.”
Louise Raw, Writer & columnistThe bizarre bromance between Gerard Batten and Tommy Robinson mirrors what is happening in Europe, where far right thugs are linking up with right wing parties. Batten wants to get Robinson into the European Parliament as an advisor.
David Rosenberg, Jewish Socialists’ Group:“Racists and fascists are experts in only one thing: sowing hate and fear. They cannot offer a solution.”
ENDS
For further quotes, email info@standuptoracism.org.uk