| Press release For immediate release 24 November 2023 Far right seizing on horrific Dublin attack highlights threat of dangerous racist climate Following a horrific attack outside a school in East Dublin in which five people including three children were injured, far right anti migrant protesters took to the streets on a racist basis, torched vehicles, looted shops and clashed with the police. Stand Up To Racism’s sister organisation in Ireland, United Against Racism, said: “Our hearts go to the victims of the knife attack in Dublin today. We wish them a speedy recovery. “We reject the opportunism of the far right to turn what should be a moment of unity and solidarty into a night of hate and racism. “We also express our solidarity with our transport and other public and retail workers that were affected by the events tonight. “People of Ireland have been shining example of humanity in defending human rights… This is how he world knows us. Not by the hateful racism of tonight. Dublin ❤️ #DublinLove #Unity #Solidarity “. Stand Up To Racism welcomes and sends it’s solidarity to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) assembly called on Monday outside the GPO in Dublin at 1pm. ICTU general secretary Owen Reidy said “We condemn in the strongest terms the unacceptable and outrageous thuggery witnessed on the streets of our capital city last night… “No worker should be in harm’s way when called to work and last night they clearly were. “We condemn the looting and vandalism and are conscious that this behaviour from violent thugs has the potential to… leave some workers in the retail and hospitality sectors in the city centre laid off or possibly losing their livelihoods. This is unacceptable. We are calling on workers working in the city centre on Monday 27th November at 1 pm to assemble at the GPO to show their solidarity with all the people of the capital and to clearly denounce this violence and riotous behaviour in a solemn and respectful way. “We would encourage and ask the employers in the city centre to facilitate their employees demonstrating this act of solidarity during their lunch break where possible. “The scenes of violence in our capital were displayed right throughout the world and have done significant damage. We condemn the far right and racist-infused mindless and wanton violence and must say that this does not represent us as workers or as a country”. The horrific events in Dublin yesterday took place as the results of the Dutch election produced shock waves around the world, with the victory of far right Islamophobe Geert Wilders and the Freedom Party gaining 37 seats. Anti racists warn again of the dangers of mainstream parties and governments opening up the space to the far right through increasingly racist policies and rhetoric. Here in Britain, anti racists have celebrated the departure of the widely reviled home secretary Suella Braverman, and the defeat in the courts of the heinous Rwanda deportation and detention plan, but are stressing the need to organise a movement to oppose racist division. Less than a fortnight ago, it was the comments by Braverman and prime minister Rishi Sunak that led to some 2,000 far right and fascists taking to Whitehall to “defend” the cenotaph from what anti racists condemned as an “imaginary threat, incited by Sunak and Braverman”. The Resisting the Rise of Racism and Fascism conference organised by Stand Up To Racism and the TUC last Sunday saw over 950 registered and a sharp discussion on the need to counter the dangerous way in which governments are fanning the flames of far right and fascist forces. Read more here Stand up to Racism co convenor Weyman Bennett said: “We send our thoughts, solidarity and love to those – including young children – who are recovering from the immense trauma of the horrific knife attack outside a school in east Dublin yesterday. “It was heartening to hear how people present worked together to overcome the attacker, in particular the delivery worker (of a migrant background) who disarmed them using his helmet. “Watching the far right then violently assert themselves on the streets of Dublin, whipping up racist hatred, in response to a horrific “stand alone” attack in which there is no evidence whatsoever that the attack was a terror attack, should send shivers down the spines of anyone who knows the history of the rise of fascism and the role of racist street movements. “We also stand in solidarity with anti racists in Dublin who have spoken out against the threat of racist division and are organising to reject the hateful aims of the far right, and send our support to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) assembly on Monday outside the GPO against racist division and the actions of the far right. “The intensification – by governments and parties of the mainstream – of brutal anti migrant and refugee racist policies and virile scapegoating rhetoric with Islamophobia as the lynch pin, is opening up the ground for the far right and fascists who are vying for this same ground to grow their organisation and influence and win political legitimacy. “Yesterday’s Wilders victory in the Netherlands follows not only in the wake of the collapse of the Dutch government amidst a rank racist debate over immigration policy, but also after fascist Giorgia Meloni of Brothers of Italy has become prime minister, after troubling and continuing gains of fascist Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, after the victory for far right Javier Milei taking the presidency in Argentina, after gains by the fascist Sweden Democrats, and other worrying developments. “With a Trump victory a strong possibility in the US elections, we must fear the trajectory will continue as governments fail address the political, economic and ecological crises and instead lean ever more toward an unbound pace of racism, division and scapegoating. The answer – the lesson for us here approaching our own general election – is to build mass, broad, anti racist and anti fascist opposition on the streets, in our workplaces, colleges and communities to block the progress of the far right threat.” Ewout van den Berg, Platform Stop Racisme said: “On Wednesday the far-right PVV won the Dutch elections. Wilders stood on a platform of racism against refugees and muslims. At the start of the elections, the ruling VVD-party made clear that they now would be open for a coalition with Wilders party. This gave the PVV new legitimacy. “The task for the left is now to unite the different movements and defend against the attacks and racism by a likely Wilders governement.” Saida Derrazi, Comite 21 Maart (Netherlands) said: “Wilders is extreme right, anti-refugees, anti-migrants, anti-Muslim, anti-Moroccan, anti-democracy, friend of the far-right in Israel, and supports Netherlands for the Dutch. “Wilders’ PVV has become a large party, with 37 seats. Chances are he will form a new government. “The first victims of this outcome are the refugees and Muslims. And tomorrow everyone is a victim. That is why we must show solidarity. Racism leads to fascism.” ————–NOTES TO EDITORS: FOR VIDEOS AND QUOTES FROM THE SCENES AT EMBANKMENT AND WHITEHALL ON 11 NOVEMBER, GO TO (credit Stand Up To Racism): https://standuptoracism.org.uk/press-release-fascist-tommy-robinson-protest-gathers-1000-marched-on-cenotaph-in-wake-of-sunak-and-braverman-comments/ Stand Up To Racism is part of the World Against Racism and Fascism international coordination that is calling for mass demonstrations globally on 16 March 2024. See more here For further information & interviews please contact: SUTR OFFICE: info@standuptoracism.org.uk |