The protest was against immigration into Britain by people who perhaps without thinking things out logically for themselves believe they have genuine grievances regarding the amount of people entering Britain. Many of those demonstrating may well have been of racial or ethnic minority origins themselves and perhaps not yet having worked out where such exclusion policies as those preached by Robinson can, and have, lead.
Robinson is a hate filled far-right activist and he organised this rally to protest against immigration. He is tapping into people’s fears, fuelled by the media, both social and regular, in much the same way as did Hitler in the 1920s and early 30s in Germany. Speaking via video link US neo-Nazi Elon Musk - remember him doing the Nazi salute on stage after his then mate, Donald Trump, had been elected President of the USA? Musk appeared on stage with Trump, himself a far-right theorist, giving a Nazi salute and then set about waving a chain saw around demonstrating how he was going to cut thousands of public sector jobs in the US. Musk urged people on the demonstration to use “violence” to combat immigration his views were echoed strongly by Robinson. It was almost as if the use of violence was legitimised by Musk, the world’s second wealthiest man, given his position in the US establishment.
Robinson encouraged the crowd to act in “revolution” against immigration and particularly Islamic people. For some reason Britain still believes it has a special relationship with the USA even when a member of that country’s elite encourages people to use “violence” against British policemen. Great relationship I must say! Could anybody imagine back in 1984/1985 – hypothetically speaking – when the coal miners were out on strike in Britain, in a cause far more legitimate than these fascist gangs, if a member of the then Soviet Union government urged miners to take up arms against police? Imagine if members of the Politburo went on the global airwaves telling workers on strike in Britain to use “violence” against the police. It would have at best caused a diplomatic row yet in the USA this far-right nutter can say what the fuck he likes in support of far-right violence against the police and the government do next to nothing! Musk was giving a hate speech in support of Robinson who himself must now feel emboldened, and why wouldn’t he, after the muti-billionaires intervention. By such criteria it must be asked; if Hitler had not invaded Poland would Britain have had a special relationship with the Third Reich? Or perhaps clandestinely elements in British business did!
On the demonstration itself flags could be seen in a most unholy alliance! There was the union flag (Union Jack) with the Irish Tricolour beneath and the Cross of Saint George below the two propping them up, suggesting all three flags are part of the same allied bloc! To those of us who have even a primitive understanding of history nothing could be further from the truth! The last time something of this nature came to pass was when residents of Coolock, Dublin, paraded the tricolour in Belfast with six county loyalists. These were the same Belfast loyalist gangs, or one strand of loyalism, who wish to see, if they could, the tricolour eradicated from Irish shores. The Coolock residents were in fact subordinating themselves and the tricolour to the ‘Union Jack’ and loyalism.
On the demonstration itself flags could be seen in a most unholy alliance! There was the union flag (Union Jack) with the Irish Tricolour beneath and the Cross of Saint George below the two propping them up, suggesting all three flags are part of the same allied bloc! To those of us who have even a primitive understanding of history nothing could be further from the truth! The last time something of this nature came to pass was when residents of Coolock, Dublin, paraded the tricolour in Belfast with six county loyalists. These were the same Belfast loyalist gangs, or one strand of loyalism, who wish to see, if they could, the tricolour eradicated from Irish shores. The Coolock residents were in fact subordinating themselves and the tricolour to the ‘Union Jack’ and loyalism.
I seriously doubt those flying these flags could even begin to see the contradictions and historical enigmas. According to the media, news outlets, most people on this fascist march were not of a racist or far-right mind, something I would question deeply. It is my view based on experience from the past that the majority on this or any similar marches are of a racist and/or fascist leaning political persuasion. It may be true a minority on the march were there due to albeit misguided genuine concerns. But this would have been a minority and not the majority news bulletins optimistically would have us believe. Once the name Tommy Robinson appears there should be no doubt in people’s minds as the true nature of the march.
This was a big march and one of the largest showings of strength by the fascist right of which Robinson is a leading member. The question all anti-fascists should be asking is; how do we stop them? Back in the 1970s the fascist National Front were stopped by the huge anti-Nazi League and, when the SWP wound it up, anti-fascist action (AFA) continued the fight with huge success. It is my view for what it is worth this is only the beginning of the fascist surge. As most people today may not be aware of the history detailing the rise during the nineteen-twenties and thirties of fascism and Nazism in Europe. The Second World War has been over eighty years and most veterans who fought against Hitler and Mussolini, including those members of the British Army who liberated the Nazi camp, Bergen Belsen, will now be long dead. The battle of Caple Street, 1936, was a successful resistance to the British Union of Fascists led by Oswal Moseley and the time may be approaching when such action by socialists, communists, trade unionists, and anti-fascists in general may once again be necessary. In the Twenty-Six Counties we are also witnessing the rise of the far-right.
This was a big march and one of the largest showings of strength by the fascist right of which Robinson is a leading member. The question all anti-fascists should be asking is; how do we stop them? Back in the 1970s the fascist National Front were stopped by the huge anti-Nazi League and, when the SWP wound it up, anti-fascist action (AFA) continued the fight with huge success. It is my view for what it is worth this is only the beginning of the fascist surge. As most people today may not be aware of the history detailing the rise during the nineteen-twenties and thirties of fascism and Nazism in Europe. The Second World War has been over eighty years and most veterans who fought against Hitler and Mussolini, including those members of the British Army who liberated the Nazi camp, Bergen Belsen, will now be long dead. The battle of Caple Street, 1936, was a successful resistance to the British Union of Fascists led by Oswal Moseley and the time may be approaching when such action by socialists, communists, trade unionists, and anti-fascists in general may once again be necessary. In the Twenty-Six Counties we are also witnessing the rise of the far-right.
Our own bunch of neo-Nazis are under the foolish belief that the big boys in London are not pulling the strings. This is an assumption not to be taken for granted. Remember what ‘Reform UK’ stands for? It represents Britain, the United Kingdom, being reformed and at very least holding on to the Six Counties. Irish unification under Farage is a non-starter and Tommy Robinson may for now consider himself ‘Fuhrer’ Robinson but as time passes the much more respectable looking and sounding Nigel Farage will do doubt take command of the situation. I cannot see him and his Reform UK party allowing such a readymade army of petit-bourgeois street activists supported by an army of working-class ‘concerned citizens’ pass!
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
How to stop the fascists?
ReplyDeleteIf we can get Justin Barrett to lead them that would work!!!
In my view the Left face a strategic dilemma. It can't at the same time have the current level of immigration and halt the far right. Immigration has become the lodestar for the far right. The Left also is rendering itself less effectual by allowing schisms (a perennial problem on the left) to arise over identity politics.
Portentous times.