Weekly Stand Up To Racism round up | 26 October 2026
Around 1,000 anti-racist activists, trade unionists and campaigners attended the Together Against the Far Right alliance’s organising summit in London on Saturday 24 October. The gathering came during another weekend of unity marches and counter-demonstrations across Britain, including major mobilisations in Sheffield, Cardiff and Newcastle.
The London summit brought together representatives of Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Green Party, trade unions, anti-racist organisations and community campaigns. It followed the northern Together summit in Manchester the previous weekend.
The discussions concentrated on organising against the far right in workplaces, colleges and local communities, with workshops addressing racism, community resistance and the political arguments needed to challenge the far right. One session was organised around the theme of blaming billionaires rather than neighbours.
Unison general secretary Andrea Egan warned against complacency over the growth of the European far right, pointing to the AfD in Germany and Marine Le Pen in France. National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede stressed the importance of turning political optimism into action.
French anti-racist activist Chaïnez Boukhenfer addressed the summit about the mass protests sweeping France. Lewis Nielsen, SUTR anti-fascist officer, closed the meeting with a call for activists to strengthen local organisation ahead of a further mass national mobilisation planned for summer 2027.
The Together alliance, which organised the 28 March London demonstration, is now seeking to build towards another major national march. The immediate emphasis at the summit was on developing the networks of activists and organisations needed to sustain activity between national demonstrations.
Sheffield marches after Patriot Platform intimidation in Darnall
Around 300 people joined Sheffield’s unity march on Saturday, following the appearance of the fascist Patriot Platform network in Darnall earlier this month.
More than 50 organisations across South Yorkshire backed the march, including trade unions, community campaigns and political parties. Demonstrators assembled at Devonshire Green, marched through the city centre and rallied outside City Hall in Barker’s Pool.
The mobilisation followed Patriot Platform’s incursion into Darnall on Sunday 11 October. Around 300 black-clad men, some wearing balaclavas, marched through the area, home to one of Sheffield’s largest Muslim communities. The group also targeted a local coach operator with allegations about transporting asylum seekers.
Young Muslims from Darnall joined Saturday’s demonstration, addressing the rally about the intimidation experienced by local residents.
One resident explained that the group wanted to make clear that people in Darnall would not be intimidated and that different communities needed to stand together.
Unity marches bring hundreds onto the streets
Cardiff
More than 400 people marched through Cardiff in torrential rain on Saturday in a unity demonstration organised by SUTR and backed by trade unions, community organisations and anti-racist campaigns.
Jeremy Corbyn joined the march and addressed the rally alongside former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and other speakers. The demonstration included students, migrant workers, Palestine solidarity campaigners and members of Plaid Cymru.
The mobilisation was backed by PCS Cymru, NEU Cymru, CND Cymru, Black Lives Matter, Women Against the Far Right and other organisations. An anti-war bloc brought together campaigners opposing racism, war and occupation.
Despite the weather, the march brought together a broad range of organisations and local activists. The Morning Star reported that Jeremy Corbyn also praised the solidarity shown towards the Palestinian people.
Newcastle, Morecambe and Chesterfield
Over 300 people joined the Newcastle Unity March on Saturday.
Organised by SUTR North East, Newcastle Unites, Women Against the Far Right and trade unions, the demonstration assembled at the Civic Centre before marching to Grey’s Monument.
Supporters included Newcastle City Unison, NEU branches and Newcastle University UCU. The organisers had also arranged stalls, food and family activities to encourage wider community participation. Photographs and reports circulated by Newcastle Unites and SUTR confirmed the march through the city centre.
In Morecambe, around 100 people joined a unity demonstration organised by Lancaster and Morecambe SUTR.
Local activists reported that protesters turned out despite storm warnings, assembling on the seafront opposite the town hall.
Chesterfield also held a SUTR unity demonstration on Saturday, assembling at West Bars.
Local activists said that the message was that Chesterfield was united against the far right. Around 250 people took part.
Counter-demonstrations confront far-right mobilisations
Wakefield: counter-protest and collection for asylum seekers
Around 70 anti-racists opposed some 35 far-right protesters in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Saturday.
The demonstration followed calls for protests against Urban House, which accommodates asylum seekers in the city. SUTR organised a community counter-protest alongside a donation appeal for charities supporting people living at the centre.
The mobilisation was supported by Wakefield and District Trades Union Council, Wakefield District NEU, Amnesty International, the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union and Love Music Hate Racism.
It took place against the background of a campaign by Reform UK councillors to close asylum accommodation in the district. On 14 October the Reform-led council voted to demand the closure of Urban House and Cedar Court Hotel.
Gosport: counter-demonstrators oppose anti-migrant march
Around 120 anti-racists joined the Gosport Together counter-demonstration on Sunday 25 October, as several hundred anti-migrant protesters marched through the Hampshire town.
The far-right mobilisation was organised under the Gosport Patriots banner against plans to reopen and expand the former Haslar Immigration Removal Centre.
Gosport Together organised a rally near the ferry port, with banners welcoming refugees and opposing racism.
“Congratulations to Gosport Together for pulling off a brilliant, positive, inclusive protest.
This was launched by Gosport Together not just in response to recent events, but also because the Gosport Patriots invited various “patriot” groups to the town.
The groups invited on their tacky and staggeringly kitsch AI leaflets included: Basingstoke, Poole, Chichester, Bournemouth, Rushmoor, Havant, Weymouth, North Hampshire, Raise the Colours and British Security UK.
Under no circumstances could this be called a local demo.
Their protest was much as predicted: shouts of “Allah, Allah, who the f**k is Allah?” Demands for remigration(repatriation) and “deport the f***ing lot.”
The Gosport Together protest was different, backed by many trade unionists and locals. The Portsmouth Trades Council and the TUC London East and South East region banner were there, along with Portsmouth SUTR and Portsmouth Women Against the Far Right.
We managed to mobilise 120 to our event, and they had around 500. The size of their protest is not a reflection of their local support, but a tribute to the British transport system.
There were some pubs that closed in the area where they assembled, and one on the High Street which denied them entry. The “patriots” are claiming it was because they were wearing Royal British Legion poppies, but it was actually a decision made to refuse entry to anyone with political insignia.
Let’s be real, we were clearly outnumbered. I have often been infuriated at police underestimates of protests I’ve attended, and I am not going to engage in hypocrisy when it flatters our side.
There has been a radicalisation on the racist right and a coarsening of attitudes, not just on the issue of refugees but towards the LGBT community, and especially the Trans community, and towards women. We are just beginning to really push back.
The important thing is that they did not march unopposed.
The racists cannot say that they speak for all of the local community.Many locals will feel relieved they were represented today.
Once again, massive respect to everyone in Gosport Together who made this happen.
Simon Magorian. SUTR.
Herne Bay: Anti-racists opposed a march by the Kent Nationalist Movement
The far-right group had promoted its mobilisation for several weeks through social media, posters and banner drops around Kent.
Its supporters marched along the seafront carrying nationalist banners, including White Lives Matter slogans, while anti-racists responded with chanting and drumming.
SUTR activists reported around 250 counter-demonstrators facing a similar-sized far-right mobilisation.
Local anti-racists said their mobilisation had drawn support from residents opposed to the Kent Nationalist Movement’s attempt to establish a presence in the town.
Other activity and developments
Glasgow: masked far-right group attempts to attack socialist meeting
Around 20 masked far-right activists attempted to disrupt a Socialist Workers Party public meeting in Glasgow on Thursday 22 October.
The meeting, which featured striking university workers and a speaker discussing the revolt in France, went ahead despite the attempted intimidation.
According to witnesses black-clad men tried to kick their way into the venue and shouted threats at people defending the entrance. Some were recognised by activists from previous far-right confrontations in the city.
Glasgow SWP condemned the attack and called for a united response from the labour and anti-racist movements, urging support for the Scottish Trades Union Congress St Andrew’s Day march against racism and fascism on 28 November.
Sussex Women Against the Far Right
Sussex Women Against the Far Right organised its launch event at Daltons in Brighton on Sunday 25 October.
The programme brought together speakers, musicians, DJs and campaigners around opposition to the far right’s attempts to use women’s safety to justify racism and anti-migrant campaigns.
Turning Point UK investigation exposes far-right connections
An undercover Al Jazeera investigation published on 21 October exposed connections between Turning Point UK figures and Allan Nesbitt, a Glasgow criminal with links to the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force.
The investigation showed Turning Point UK chief executive Jack Ross discussing arrangements for violent attacks and introducing undercover journalists to Nesbitt. The Conservative Party suspended Ross pending an investigation. Ross denied the allegations, saying his comments had not been intended seriously.
SUTR circulated the investigation and reported students opposing Turning Point UK activity at King’s College London during the week.
Further mobilisations
The next round of anti-racist activity includes the Peacehaven Unity event in Sussex on Saturday 31 October, followed by further London unity demonstrations planned for 14 November.
The STUC’s annual St Andrew’s Day march against racism and fascism takes place in Glasgow on Saturday 28 November. SUTR is also preparing for its national AGM on 12 December, where local groups will discuss expanding the organisation’s membership and activity.
More information about coming demos here: https://standuptoracism.org.uk/events/