Standing up to fascism and racism is the duty of the working class and the labour movement! Dashty Jamal

On Saturday, 13/9/2025, a counterdemonstration was organized in London by Stand Up To Racism against the far-right Tommy Robinson demonstration, in which we also participated. To reject the hatred and bigotry spread by Tommy Robinson and the far-right. The far-right demonstration, which drew nearly 110,000 participants, was one of the largest far-right gatherings against refugees in Britain in recent years. Their fascist agenda is built on racism, Islamophobia, and intimidating citizens, but we will not be divided. Our protest was not only against Tommy Robinson and the entire far-right movement and their fascist and racist agenda, but also to defend the values that the fascist ideology seeks to destroy.

The Stand Up To Racism demonstration was attended by close to 20,000 people and brought together trade unions, women’s organizations, refugee organizations, and left-wing and socialist organizations who came to the streets to defend the human and civil values of British society like coexistence and tolerance. They attended the demonstration to confront this reactionary and inhumane trend that seeks to destabilize our society through the dissemination of hatred, bigotry, and violence, and keep it in a state of constant fear and war.

Some of Robinson’s supporters clashed with the police. They attempted to break through barriers to attack anti-racism demonstrators, alongside the chanting of racist slogans, reflected their core content and message. They carried nationalist symbols, including the St. George’s Cross and the Union Jack flags. Some of the anthems and chants were explicitly anti-refugee, for example: “Stop the boats,” “Send them back.”

Robinson claimed the march was about defending freedom of speech and British culture. Elon Musk delivered a speech at the rally, criticizing the British government and its refugee policy. Political leaders condemned the violence. With concerns and fears growing, particularly within Muslim communities, about the racist and anti-Muslim rhetoric being spread. Police issued a statement to reassure people that they are safe and to remain in their homes.

Analysis of the event, its implications, and the number of participants shows that the message that brought Robinson and his extremist groups together, particularly around the issues of refugees, is based on identity and nationalism.

Tommy Robinson, the organizer of the march, under the banner of free speech, encouraged his supporters to participate in the demonstration, ostensibly talking about free speech and protecting British culture, but unfortunately, he used the framework of free speech to cover up policies of xenophobia, racism, and hateful speech. These incitements to hatred can escalate, spiral out of control, and plunge society into violence. British society, which is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual society with a long history of immigrant labour, is now targeted by such propaganda (against refugees, Muslims, etc.). This kind of event threatens community cohesion and can lead to backlash, crime, and violence, as seen in attacks on refugee hotels. As highlighted by the National Institute Against Racism and Fascism, racist hate crimes have increased significantly following the resurgence of anti-refugee protests and the calls for mass deportations this summer.

 On September 9th, a Sikh woman in Oldbury, Birmingham, was allegedly assaulted, and her attackers reportedly told her, “You don’t belong to this country, get out,” according to newspapers, a man has been arrested but released on bail pending further investigation. This incident is being treated as a ‘violent racial assault’.

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Fascism has a criminal history; it is not merely a political ideology but a violent reaction against social progress. Fascism is an extreme right-wing, nationalist ideology that seeks to concentrate power in a single leader or party and used to divide people, dismantle democratic institutions, trade unions, and left-wing and socialist movements. Fascism is built on fear, hatred, and lies. Moreover, fascism is not just hatred; it also has an economic motive, it serves the interests of the capitalist class when they fear losing power. In the 1920s and 30s, the elites of Italy and Germany funded Mussolini and Hitler to crush the communists and trade unions. Fascism promises to protect private property, profit, and the class structure by any means necessary, as Leon Trotsky argued that the bourgeoisie turns to fascism when its power is threatened by the working class. When parliamentary democracy and traditional control instruments are insufficient, the ruling class utilizes fascist movements to protect its power.

Fascism is a movement of hunger, pain, misery, despair, ruthlessness, and hopelessness. We must strive to deal with the sections of the society now entangled in fascism, either by integrating them into our struggles or at least by neutralizing and sidelining them in our struggle and battles. We must use the utmost clarity and strength to prevent them from empowering the bourgeois counter-revolution. Fascism does not only attack political enemies; it destroys the soul of society. Freedom of speech, the right to vote, independent media and Jewish people, Muslims, refugees, LGBTQ+ groups, and others who are victims of war and insecurity are blamed and scapegoated for unravelling societal crises and problems like inflation, and justify cuts to services.

Coexistence and justice for a better future are our options must be fought by organizing, educating and together. We can build a world based on genuine equality, peace and prosperity, a world where fascism has no place and never will.

 Fascism in Hitler’s Germany led to the Holocaust, World War II, and the killing over 60 million people. Mussolini’s Italy crushed democracy and joined Nazi Germany in war crimes. Franco’s Spain silenced generations with executions and censorship.

The new neo-fascist movements continue to threaten the rights, minorities and democracy. Wherever fascism emerges, human suffering follows. Why must we confront it? Fascism is not a relic of the past but remains a threat today. Economic crises, inequality, and fear can give it new life. Therefore, it must be confronted, not only with words but with action. We must confront racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia wherever they appear. We must stand with workers, trade unions, and social movements that demand freedom, coexistence, humanity, and justice. Racism, also , focuses on differences in culture, language, and tradition, claiming that they threat the unity of European societies while all human being, regardless of culture, language, or colour, are human beings with  universal rights.

The current trend of fascism and racism in Britain and Europe is based on racial discrimination and the identification of the European race as a superior race among human beings and is thus built on the contempt and belittlement of other races. On one hand, it strives to take away social gains achieved by the working class, and to fragment the labour movement and incite war between sections of society.  A section of the bourgeoisie uses racial identity against refugees and migrant workers who came to European countries for work, turning it into an electoral programme for parliamentary elections. But the growth of contemporary racism and neo-fascism coincides with the rise of conflicts among bourgeois global poles in the new multipolar world for the redivision of the world to solve the deep crisis that faces capitalism for more than a decade. Therefore, in the current era of economic crisis, with European governments facing major political and economic challenges, racism has not remained confined to opposing foreigners and discriminating between people; it has now become a political programme adopted by many far-right parties who are allowed to participate openly in elections, opening the door to their accession to power.

 Some of these far-right parties are already in power. The programme and agenda of these racist and far-right parties are not limited to vilifying refugees and migrants but aim to organize society in a way that secures low wages and long working hours, dismantles social benefit and social services, raises the retirement age to 70, and deprives women, children, the elderly, and the disabled of the required services. Simultaneously, it seeks to keep the modern societies of Europe and Britain in a constant state of internal racial strife. This racism, as a movement, trend, and far-right parties, aims to attack all the gains of humanity and undermine the civility and humanity of the society. Returning Europe’s tolerant and civilized societies to bigotry and division is a key aspect of the racist agenda in Britain and Europe.

I must also say that European governments have not hesitated to help in paving the way for fascist and racist trends and parties into power, securing parliamentary seats, and elevating their status in these societies. This new racism based on opposing diverse cultures and foreigners is their main theme and programme. They want a Europe clear of refugees, propagating that refugees are the source of unemployment, inflation, disease, and the crises plaguing their system and governments

So, what can be done to confront racism and fascism? Martin Niemöller, a German pastor, is famous for his powerful statement about the cowardice of German intellectuals, especially the churches, after the Nazis rose to power. Although he initially supported Hitler, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of the Nazis, especially after they began interfering in the church, saying:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

A better future is possible. But fascism offers a policy of despair, hatred, violence, and division. We must confront racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia wherever they appear. The workers, trade unions, and social movements that seek freedom, coexistence, and justice offer a better future. Through organization, education, and solidarity we can confront fascism. We can build a world based on true equality, peace, and prosperity, a world where fascism has no place and must never have.

Fascism and racism are a disgraceful phenomenon in the contemporary world and today’s human society. Discrimination is incompatible with human nature and civilized society in this era, especially since brotherhood, humanity, tolerance, and human coexistence beyond geographical, racial, and religious differences are a reality and necessity for humanity.

Fascism is a dangerous ideology that targets refugees, socialists, and the working class, grows during crises, and uses fear, racism, and violence to divide and control. The working class, trade unions, and social organizations have the power and responsibility to confront it; we can lead a movement that protects society from the threat of far-right extremists. Not all those who participated in Tommy Robinson’s march agree with Robinson’s extremist views, as some in the march explained, but the platform of this far-right trend can obscure the reality of the crises which face the system from sections of society.

For years, the Conservative Party with its neoliberal economic policies, and then the Labour Party by continuing the same policies of austerity and starvation, have attacked our standard of living and our public services. They claimed that they would improve the NHS, improve people’s lives, and create a broader path for economic growth, and some voters believed them and voted for them in elections, but all those promises turned out to be lies. These policies worsened the living conditions and livelihood of workers and disadvantaged  sections of the society so much that it created  a bourgeois racist party like Reform and a far-right political figure like Nigel Farage and  make inhumane policies against refugees under the name of “stopping the refugee boats” and abandoning the European Convention on Human Rights a main slogan and the platform of the far-right trend led by Robinson, which is brainwashing a section of society.

The working class cannot leave this fight to others, to deal with it indifferently! We must organize ourselves, unite our forces, and connect our struggles. We must prepare ourselves for this fight. We must spread the awareness about the history of fascism, its crimes, and its attempts to set society back, into discord, hatred, and crime. We must expose their lies and misleading policies. We must courageously speak out against fascist ideas, stand against their attempts to fragment society and attack the principles and human values of society.

Participate in meetings and demonstrations against racism, fascism, and far-right extremism. Let us strive to develop a manifesto to defend our lives, livelihoods, rights, and gains against the assault of the bourgeoisie and their far-right parties. Defend refugees against this assault by the fascists and racists.

The rise of this far-right trend is also a warning to refugees and minorities that they must not remain on the sidelines of this battle. They are part of the working class of this country and must strengthen this humane front alongside the working class, trade unions, and left-wing, socialist, and freedom-loving organizations, and we can create genuine harmony

The struggle against fascism imposes a set of new tasks upon us; defeating fascism ideologically and politically alone is not enough to protect the working class from the brutality and violence of this enemy. Currently, the working class has an urgent task of defending itself against fascism, and this task must not be neglected for a single moment. Workers must unite in the struggle, regardless of party or trade union affiliation. Defending the working class against fascism is one of the powerful motives for establishing and strengthening of a united front of the working class. Without a united front to struggle against this reactionary trend, we cannot  succeed.

We must intensify pressure on the government not to pander to the far-right and fascist groups. Their financial and political support must be cut off. Their sources of funding must be made clear. Calling for political gatherings and delivering speeches that incite violence, and discrimination must be considered a serious crime. The government must prioritize improving people’s lives and livelihoods, improving National Health Service, municipal services, and housing, and adopting refugee policy based on a humane policy far from the threat of deportation. Any institution or person promoting bigotry and racism must be punished. Everyone must unite against racism and fascism, and a major ideological and political campaign must be waged against fascists showing how they lead society towards disaster. We must collectively dismantle them and render them ineffective. This is our task, the task of the working class and the labour movement, to protect society from the threat of far-right extremists.

23/9/2025