PRESS RELEASE
NO EMBARGO
Thousands to oppose ‘Tommy Robinson’ tomorrow
Counter-demonstration composed of both leavers and remainers adamant that Robinson does not represent 52% of the electorate
Stand Up To Racism & other groups to assemble 11am BBC Portland Place, Sunday 9th December
Scroll down for quotes & press contacts, further details on event facebook page
A major counter-demonstration is set to march through London on December 9th in opposition to attempts by former EDL leader ‘Tommy Robinson’ (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and UKIP to capitalise on the Brexit crisis.
A wide cross-section of groups are mobilising against Robinson including anti-racist groups, trade unions, womens, LGBT+, Muslim, Jewish and other faith and community groups. Stand Up To Racism and others are calling on all who oppose the far-right to support and attend, regardless of their views on Brexit, in order to show that the vast majority of society, whether they voted leave or remain, will not allow the issue to be hijacked by the far-right.
Robinson’s march is set to be the latest in a series of far-right protests which have featured Nazi salutes, and which have been followed by attacks on trade unionists, a Mosque and Gurdwara. While Robinson claims this is a ‘Brexit Betrayal’ march, anti-racists are clear this is simply another attempt to grow a violent racist street movement.
Professor Michael Rosen, writer, poet, broadcaster, former Children’s Laureate, UK said:“We know that racism, fascism, antisemitism and islamophobia are on the move, gathering support. Even worse, there are people in positions of power and influence who have put in place discriminatory policies or nod towards key figures in these racist movements giving them at the very least verbal support. “Two generations ago, in France and Poland my family was ripped apart by fascists and their collaborators, with lives ended in the orgy of hate and brutality that raged across Europe. When we say, things like ‘Never again’, or ‘No pasaran’ or ‘Souviens-toi’ we must make sure we mean it and do what has to be done to stop the forces who dehumanise, persecute and murder people for no reason other than their birth, their background or their religion. “
Kevin Courtney, NEU Join General Secretary said:“Tommy Robinson is a racist and fascist. He tries to capitalise on real concerns, his aim is to cause division and hatred to grow in our society. Our society has rejected this sort of hatred in the past and its important to mobilise against it again now.”
Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary said:“It is vital that all trades unionists turn out to oppose Tommy Robinson and his fascist views which seek to divide our communities and demonise migrants.
“With the election of Donald Trump and right wing leaders coming to prominence in Europe, we need to be vigilant and oppose the racists at every turn.”
Julie Ward MEP said:“The racist narrative peddled by Stephen Yaxley Lennon (Tommy Robinson) and UKIP leader, Gerard Batten, is abhorrent to the majority of decent British folk. UKIP have been sowing division in our communities for 2 decades without much headway – politically they are a dead duck. However, we shouldn’t underestimate the malevolence behind Sunday’s Brexit Betrayal march. “Gerald Batten is an extreme Islamophobe whilst Tommy Robinson is the poster boy of the far-right, with a bevy of dangerous and obnoxious friends around the world. Whilst we seek to build bridges between diverse communities, these men and their followers promote a white Anglo-Saxon monoculture of extreme nationalism. It’s the exhortations of people like this that influenced Thomas Mair to carry out his deadly attack on Jo Cox MP. “Ordinary decent people need to stand up to racism wherever and whenever it raises its ugly head. That’s why I will be attending the counter rally in London on Sunday. “
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said,:“RMT is supporting the counter demonstration organised by Stand Up to Racism on 9th December.“This counter demonstration is not about being anti or pro Brexit. It is solely about being anti – fascist and anti – racist and opposing Robinson’s attempts to sow division and hatred.”
Manuel Cortes, TSSA General Secretary said:“We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all our communities to halt the alt-right’s rising tide. We completely reject their hate filled agenda. In contrast, we stand for the politics of hope.”Sadly, UKIP, the Tories and the extreme right use Brexit as cover to scapegoat migrants. Our union on the other hand stands up for their rights and for the continuation of freedom of movement.”
Muslim Association of Britain President, Dr Anas Altikriti, Said:“This obscene proposed marriage between UKIP and Stephen Yaxley Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson, is an outcome that the anti-racism and anti-Islamophobia movements have long predicted and warned of. A political party that appealed to the mainstream public for so long, whilst demonstrating the subtle undertones and grey shades of racism and Islamophobia which many brushed off as unimportant, insignificant and properly even acceptable. This now demonstrates that there can be no degrees to racism, nor can there be any acceptable or tolerable manifestations thereof. “When even Nigel Farage condemns the party for the line it has chosen, one knows that UKIP have indeed gone beyond the pale and must be cast as a racist Islamophobic and hate-driven element that deserves nothing but utter contempt.”
David Rosenberg, Jewish Socialists’ Group said:“What keeps Tommy Robinson awake at night is not Brussels bureaucracy but how to exploit the crisis around Brexit to build and consolidate a far-right street movement. He has found an ally in Gerard Batten the current head of UKIP. That is a dangerous combination, and the time to oppose them is now, before they can get any stronger.”
Shahrar Ali, Green Party Home Affairs spokesperson said:“UKIP embraces their new poster boy and racism takes another ugly step towards normalisation in the UK. We cannot defeat the scourge of racism on our streets without standing up to Robinson, his crew and sponsors with renewed resolve.”
Ian Hodson, BfAWU President said:”Yaxley Lennon is the enabler of the status quo he represents the wealth and power, that needs to create hate and division in our communities so they maintain the luxurious lifestyles thats built on our hardship. It’s by opposing the racist ideology that Yaxley Lennon represents that will lead the way out of the poverty too many have been plunged into by the greedy few. Sunday’s march is not about Brexit it’s opportunism too pretend the evil political ideology of racism is somehow relevant to people’s lives in the 21st century.”
Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism Co-Convenor said:
“With the government in crisis and the far-right on the march across the world, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon is trying to take the opportunity of further growing a racist street movement in Britain. Every one of his mobilisations has featured the most vile Islamophobia and been attended by open fascists.
“This threat will not simply go away if we ignore it. It is vital the majority of society is clear in its opposition to any attempts to use Brexit to scapegoat and demonise communities. That is why we are organising a counter-protest and why we urge everyone regardless of their views on Brexit to attend and support.”
Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism Co-Convenor said:“‘Tommy Robinson’ is a convicted fraudster, a lifelong racist and former member of the British National party. Whether you voted remain or leave we can not let racists use this issue to spreat hatred and division.
“The rise of far right and fascism across the world is warning to all us that fascism seeks to destroy all forms of democracy.”
Lindsey German, Stop the War Coalition said:“There is a wave of Islamophobia sweeping Europe. It is leading to attacks on Muslims, racial violence and hatred. If we want to defeat it where better to start than by stopping Robinson and his fascist friends.”
Paula Peters, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), said:We must unite together in our communities to defeat hatred and stand up to racism. We need to show those who seek to divide us and spread hateful rhetoric they have no place on our streets or our communities
Ian Lawrence, NAPO General Secretary said:“There is enough hate and division in our communities already without racist organisations and individuals stoking up further discord. Mr Robinson’s views represent a tiny minority of the British Public but the message he is propagating is redolent of 1930’s Nazism and has no place in our society.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1.Counter demonstration will assemble 11am at BBC Portland Place. Further details on Facebook event.
2. Report of attacks on Police at far-right demonstration in London here
3. Report of attack on senior trade unionist here
3. Report of attacks on Mosque & Gurdwara after far-right march in Leeds here
4. On Saturday 17 November, a national unity demonstration against racism & fascism took place, which was address by MPS, MEPs, musicians, faith and community leaders.
5. Stand Up To Racism is a national broad-based organisation supported by major trade union, faith and community groups. As well as organising the annual march for UN Anti-Racism Day, it organises actions and produces materials on Islamophobia, antisemitism, refugee and migrant rights, and against the rise of the far right.
For quotes, interviews and further info:
info@standuptoracism.org.uk