ANTI-RACISTS will be mobilising to counter fascist figure-head Tommy Robinson’s planned demonstration next month.
Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has announced a march outside Downing Street on October 26, to show his film “Lawfare” about the summer far-right riots.
In response, Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) is calling on all anti-racists, anti-fascists, trade unions, faith groups and rights organisations to mobilise on a “massive and unprecedented” scale for the day.
SUTR co-convener Sabby Dhalu said: “The recent racist riots illustrate the importance of standing up to those that seek to incite violence, racial and religious hatred.
“The anti-racist mobilisations that halted the riots also showed the power of mobilising against racism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism and fascism.
“All those that value democracy and our multicultural society must unite and take to the streets against Tommy Robinson’s hatred and racism on October 26.”
SUTR co-convener Weyman Bennett added that it was no coincidence that the last time Mr Robinson mobilised over 15,000 of his supporters into central London, the riots followed.
He said: “The dangerous context of [Nigel] Farage and Reform in Parliament and fascists riding high in the polls across Europe make the 26th a crucial juncture.
“It will be a decisive battle which will see a step forward for the far right or the anti-racist and anti-fascist movement in Britain.”
It comes as campaigners from the East and Southeast Asians (ESEA) said that the riots have fuelled a returned fear among ESEA communities experienced during the pandemic.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a nearly 70 per cent increase in anti-ESEA hate crimes recorded by police in 2020 compared with 2019, according to a study by non-profit group Voice ESEA.
Britain’s East and Southeast Asian Network co-founder Amy Phung believes ESEA communities continue to feel a “heightened sense of anxiety” following the riots.
“It’s almost like a return of that fear that many people experienced during the pandemic, when there were lots of anti-ESEA racism,” she said.
“It’s that same kind of thing where it’s ‘I am now a moving target’, and there’s a heightened sense of anxiety, so that’s been really scary.”
