Anti-fascist protests – reports here throughout the day
Stand Up To Racism unity rallies and counter protests today (Sunday 4 August 2024)
Birmingham: 2pm outside Barclays Bank, High Street, City Centre
Bolton: 12 noon, Queens Park, Spa Road, BL1 4AG – 12.30 peaceful march to Town Hall
Cardiff: 4pm outside Central Library – stop the far right, mourn the victims
Derby: 1pm the Ram Statue – unite against the far right today
Lancaster: 9:00am Town Hall
Rotherham/Sheffield: 11am, Holiday Inn, Express Way, Manvers Way, Wath-upon-Dearne, S63 7EQ
Weymouth: 4.30pm Weymouth Esplanade opposite King George statue
List of events around the UK in the coming week
Tamworth:
21:11 – Chris reports: Completely outnumbered at Tamworth Holiday Inn. About 25 of us against 300 fascists. Fireworks, rocks, windows smashed, police dog escaped. We were forced to retreat. Reports now that fires set on outside of building and entrance breached. We put up a stand for about an hour but couldn’t continue.
Chesterfield & North Derbyshire:
Chesterfield SUTR started circulating an OPEN LETTER after a ball bearing was shot at our refugee hotel on Friday night. Narrowly missed a refugee. Getting good response.
Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Unity in our Community
We, the undersigned, deplore the demonstrations, riots and violence of far right groups against mosques, refugees and minority communities, in recent days. These actions, called by known fascists, like Tommy Robinson and others, are trying to capitalise on the tragic events in Southport. We welcome the fact that in many areas people have come together to say: Stand together against the far-right, No to racism and fascism, Don’t let the racists divide us.
In particular, we condemn a recent attack at our local hotel for asylum seekers, where a ball-bearing was fired from a moving car, narrowly missing a refugee. The residents report increased levels of racist abuse in recent days. We have a proud record of welcoming refugees in Chesterfield. Asylum seekers are amongst the most brutalised and at-risk people in the world.
Also, we stand with the Muslim Community and other minorities in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire who are increasingly fearful in this climate of intimidation. We pledge to stand together against attempts by some politicians and media outlets to spread hatred and division. We believe anti-racists are in the majority. As the people of Southport have shown, we can build unity against the current toxic political situation.
Stockport:
Laura reports: there’s a mobilisation currently happening in Stockport to stop fascists from attacking a refugee hotel there. So far 50 anti fascists and 4 fascists who tried to break into the hotel but were pushed back.
Brave Rotherham anti-fascists report back at the Sheffield SUTR rally
100 SUTR vs 1,000 fascists are odds that must never be repeated. Now is the time to stand up and fight back. “The are so confident. They are after blood”. British politicians and media have created this hate.
Hastings:
Simon reports: At 2pm today the Hastings mosque received a threat of an attack by email. They contacted SUTR and we put a call out for 4pm.
At 4pm 50 people showed up at Hastings mosque. We are now having a meeting inside the mosque – discussing the fascist threat and the need to build a mass anti racist movement. We do not expect an attack – it was probably a hoax. But the turnout was very heartening. We are ready, just in case.
Cardiff:
18:44 – Martin reports: All finished in Cardiff. May be a few individuals around intent on doing something later but otherwise all safe. Another brilliant day for anti-fascists!
17:41 – 450 anti-fascists vs 7 Nazis, but with reports of further numbers on their side in pubs.
Weymouth:
Well done to anti racists in Dorset who turned up to make clear we won’t have hate speech on our beach.
200 anti racists spent hours successfully standing our ground against the racists on Weymouth beach.
The local racist organisers were left behind when the 150 of the visiting far-right went off to fight the police and tried unsusessfully to reach the anti-racists.
Our side was addressed by the Weymouth mayor, green councillor, labour party and trade union members and local activists from Portland.
A Dorset Stand Up To Racism meeting on Tuesday will discuss plans for an anti racist summit in Dorset in September.
19:50 – Major fighting between police and fascists in Weymouth.
17:00 – And here’s Dorset Stand Up To Racism rallying against the far right in Weymouth! Up and down the country we have been opposing the far right this weekend. And we will continue to until we get the fascists off our streets. Join us
200 at SUTR rally in Weymouth – handful of racists so far
Middlesborough:
21:40 – Report by Raj: I was in Middlesbrough today. Hundreds of Asian lads out to protect the mosque. Some running battles. Number of cars set on fire.
Possibly the most far-right region of the country and then the most deprived region of the country in the least ethnically diverse region of the country.
Earlier today: The far right is on the hunt for non-white people in the city and still the media refuses to callout the violent racism of these ‘protesters’.
The Muslim community is being forced to organise defence of mosques. A new-build estate has been smashed up by the fascists.
Bolton:
Reports indicate that anti-fascists have much bigger turnout than the far right.
Netpol reports: Unfortunately legal observers report a police unit is lashing out at anti-fascist counter-protesters with batons. None of the officers are wearing identification numbers, a persistent problem with Greater Manchester Police
Dunstable:
Dave reports: Good turnout for anti racist counter protest in Dunstable today No show from the Fash
Birmingham:
Cardiff:
Anti-fascists out again in Cardiff today to see off the far right thugs.
Derby:
Anti-fascists pulled a protest together at short notice to block the far right. 60 and growing in size.
Sheffield:
15:00 – Fascists remain massively outnumbered in Sheffield.
Large crowd of anti-racists gather in Sheffield to spay respects to the Southwold victims, in defiance of the far right.
Bristol (update from Saturday):
Last night in Bristol – at least 100 far right turned up after the football. At least 500 on our side massively outnumbered and outchanted them.
Unfortunately after being pushed out of the park they assembled in they headed down to attack a hotel housing refugees. No police presence there so was just a group of anti-fascists defending the hotel.
We held them off but definitely a big warning sign we need more people out and better organised next time.
Rotherham:
Far-right thugs were able to smash windows and break into a hotel accommodating refugees. The police completely failed to protect the hotel. Asylum seekers have barricaded themselves into their rooms.
Jeanne: Unfortunately we were forced into an orderly retreat in Rotherham after becoming outnumbered by the fascists. Small police presence.
Rotherham has laid down a marker – but this is a warning to the labour movement and beyond that mass mobilisation is imperative.
150-plus anti-fascists outside a hotel in accommodating refugees in Manvers
Lancaster:
16:34 – We have just left the town hall steps in an orderly fashion after over 7 hours. They had only 10 left. We left with 150 we had 500 at high point
Lancaster says no the the far right:
Audrey reports: Lancaster says refugees are welcome here. Fascists are not. We are Lancaster
Anti-racists and anti-fascists stood up to the far right on Saturday – now let’s drive them back!
Thousands stood up to the far right yesterday but the scale of the challenge was revealed as vicious attacks on muslims, mosques and people of colour took place in a number of cities, as our live reports from anti-fascist counter protests yesterday in part documents. The attacks are upsetting and hard to watch but we have to turn anger into action on a massive scale.
On Saturday (and the week before in London) we made a start by drawing a line in the sand. Now we must bring to bear the full force of the multicultural majority in the UK to drive back the racists and the fascists and far right agitators and politicians who are at the centre of the protests and riots.
And of course behind the street thugs is also the media and the state that has been whipping up anti-immigrant racism and Islamophobia for years. ENOUGH! Unity is strength.
Remember the lessons of history – ‘where they burn books, they will burn people’
From United Against Fascism:
Where they burn books, they will burn people’… Far right thugs burn library in Liverpool! Such people must be stopped by any means necessary. This again shows the lie that they care about the Southport victims. Solidarity with all in Liverpool opposing them.
Hull yesterday (Saturday) shows the racists and fascists in their true colours – a lynch mob.
Bristol showed how the far right can be stopped – below, protecting a hotel from a racist gang:
Check back here for reports from around the UK – Sunday 4 August 2024
