Far right AfD leader Alice Weidel has announced she will not be speaking at the Oxford Union on November 7th. The cancellation comes following an outcry against the decision by the Oxford Union to invite her to speak.
The AfD is a racist party with a fascist wing that is the third largest party in Germany.
It was fascists in the AfD organised around a manifesto and a structure called “The Wing”, who led violent ‘protests’ in Chemnitz. A racist mob rampaged through the town chasing foreigners, muslims and others.
For several years, the AfD in Chemnitz has been railing against traditional far right scapegoats such as refugees. The party has become a reservoir for fascists and nationalists.
The AfD has prepared the ground for the Nazis to dare to march openly—its policies act like a fire lighter.
The AfD has prepared the ground for the Nazis to dare to march openly—its policies act like a fire lighter.
Kate Douglas from Oxford Stand Up To Racism said “This is an important victory for anti-racists. We were expecting hundreds to join our protest, and the cancellation shows that anti-racists can make a difference if they organise and mobilise. The Stand Up To Racism campaign united campaigers, councillors, academics, trade unionists, students and Oxford residents, and drew the support of the local Labour MP. All oppose the Oxford Union giving a platform to a representative of a party that is deeply racist and has Nazi members. The AfD has built it’s fortunes on the racist scapegoating of Muslims, migrants and refugees and played a key role in neo-Nazis hunting migrants on the streets of Chemnitz. Already we face a sharp rise in racist attacks and didn’t want racism being fuelled here.”
Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said ” Across the world we are seeing a rise in racism and the far right. Far right and fascists seek the prestige of institutions like the Oxford Union to legitimise their racist views. Wherever racism is given credibility it emboldens racists to launch attacks, as was the case in the horrific murder of 11 Jews at their synagogue in Pittsburgh. In the UK the far right and fascists are trying to reorganise to build a street movement around EDL founder Tommy Robinson. We have to say ‘Never Again’ and call on all anti-racists to support the call by Diane Abbott MP and John McDonnell MP to join the TUC backed Unity march against racism and fascism on November 17th.”