Reports from Aberdeen to Aldershot – opposing the far right this week

(Updated 31 August 2024 20:05) Below are some reports from around the UK on Stand Up to Racism activities across the UK this week (last week in August).

Aberdeen

From Pat in Aberdeen (see image above) – 24 people in Aberdeen for our first SUTR meeting in two years. Speakers included Labour and SNP councillors, a delegate from the trades council and an SUTR activist.

Excellent discussion about how to build for the anti-racist demo in Aberdeen on Saturday 7 September (and beyond that). One individual, a member of his EIS branch executive, spoke to us about how he can get his branch involved in building SUTR locally.

Farnborough

Michaela reports – Anti-racists outnumbered the far right in Farnborough on Saturday 31 August. There were between 40 to 60 on our side and estimates of six to 20 on theirs.

They came to threaten and intimidate but we did a great job. As always they looked nasty and were very threatening.

It was a great day for anti racism in Rushmoor today! Despite their relentless efforts to intimidate us, the far right were outnumbered by us and while our spirits remained high to the end, they became increasingly desperate in their nasty hate-filled shouting.

The unity rally was joyous, welcoming and importantly also strong and determined. It showed that it’s possible to challenge these far right thugs and their racist lies when they try to grow in our localities and today was important in turning the tables on them.

Anna reports – Joint organisers, FoE spoke about anti-racism and climate justice.

Local resident Naazia spoke of what being British means to her as a descendant of immigrants and of her grandfather who fought in WW2. Julia, a local Quaker spoke of the importance of respect and co existence with others.

All speeches were well received and part of a necessary collective local effort to stop the stigmatisation of local asylum seekers.

There are two sides to the protest…

One loudly and proudly standing against racism, with music building a local campaign to say #Refugeeswelcome and #stopthefaright

…against the sad racist bigoted thugs trying to intimidate.#Antiracists stand firm. pic.twitter.com/6fF9yRUF5i
— Stand Up to Racism – south London (@SLSUTR) August 31, 2024

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Dumfries

Alex reports – An anti-refugee protest had been called today by local racists in Dumfries.

When the racists assembled 25 of us gathered to directly oppose them. The local trades Council had been debating around the need to directly oppose the racist mobilisation but eventually decided on calling a protest for when the racist protest had ended.

While it was fantastic to see the trades council mobilisation massively outnumbering the earlier racist protest it meant that there was no organised direct opposition when they gathered. Sutr members in the local area had argued the mobilisations should be at the same time, with some others agreeing resulting in 25 people gathering to make clear their opposition to the racist protest when it happened. But if they had been called at the same time they would have seen the strength of opposition.

The importance of direct opposition shouldn’t be underestimated. 10 years ago the SDL (Scottish Defence League) attempted to march through Dumfries and were directly opposed by 100s of local residents and ensured fascists were prevented from mobilising.

It is clear there is an anti-racist movement in Dumfries from a wide range of campaigns, trade unions and individuals who want to ensure racism is opposed. It is likely the racists will organise again in Dumfries and members of SUTR are going to continue to argue that we should be confronting the racists in our numbers when they gather to show that we are the majority.

Barnstaple

John reports – The SUTR meeting in Barnstaple, Devon drew 30 people, all the speakers gave good speeches Sophie Squire from SUTR Neomi a Muslim community activist from Exeter and an organiser and an Afghani asylum seeker (from the Pickwell Foundation, a refugee support NGO) who’s now working to support other asylum seekers in North Devon.

The speeches produced a strong determination among the audience to fight racism.

Aldershot

20 anti-racist protesters stood up to the assortment of 70 or so far right and football hooligan elements that showed up to intimidate refugees outside the Potters International Hotel on Fleet Rd in Aldershot.

The far right bused people in from London and elsewhere, but there is more work to be done to mobilise bigger numbers of anti-fascists in order to isolate these violent racist thugs.

Unlike on previous occasions, this time the fascists were not unopposed – Well done Aldershot SUTR!

Renfrewshire

20 at SUTR Renfrewshire’s first meeting tonight. Good discussion and the workshops went well too, some activity planned for building September 7th anti-racist demo in Glasgow and a joint meeting with the trades council.

Nottingham

Richard reports – Amazing night at one of Nottingham’s top music venues last night at the Rescue Rooms where Nottingham SUTR were invited by the Destroy Boys band to have a stall following our counter protest 2 weeks ago.

Ran out of badges and almost everyone of the 3/400 sold out audience was wearing Stand Up to Racism, stickers. See the video on Facebook!