PRESS RELEASE: Nazi salutes, violence and brutal attack on young black teenager at fascist protest
Saturday 13 June 2020
Anti-racists witnessed Nazi salutes, violence including an attack on a young black teenager by fascists on the central London demonstration. Alarmingly they described a black teenager being kicked and punched whilst on the floor by twenty racists.
Campaigners added that fascists attacked the peaceful Black Lives Matter anti-racist demonstration with fireworks, bottles and cans.
This took place as 5,000 far right, racists and fascists descended through Whitehall on a demonstration supported by fascist ‘Tommy Robinson’ and the so called ‘Democratic Football Lads Alliance’ (DFLA).
Anti racists point to the oxygen and encouragement given to dangerous violent and racist far right forces by Boris Johnson’s comments claiming the Black Lives Matter movement was “hijacked by extremists.”
Stand Up To Racism organised a socially distanced show of opposition to the fascist and far right attempts to sow seeds of division. Some 300 anti-racists ‘took the knee’ at the counter protest at Hyde Park and Marble Arch.
Meanwhile across the capital and the country, many Black Lives Matter, and Stand Up To Racism socially distanced protests took place in several localities in solidarity with and as part of the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
Anti-racist campaigner Patrick Nielsen said
“Today I saw the far right mobilise in London. They threw fireworks, beer cans and bottles into a peaceful Black Lives Matter (BLM) crowd. The racism was there in all its brutality.
“Twenty of these thugs attacked a young black man in Trafalgar square. They kicked and punched him while he was on the floor with his arms over his head. He wasn’t even part of the BLM protest. This young black man couldn’t have been older than 14 or 15. If we give racists an inch they take a mile.
“This illustrates why we need to stand up to racism and must not allow fascists to divide us.”
Sabby Dhalu Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor said
“The brutal racist attack on a black child by fascists precisely illustrates why there is a Black Lives Matter movement. We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and those that are fighting for a better world free of racism.
“We stand against those that seek to peddle hatred and division. They were not there to defend statues. They were violent Nazi saluting fascists. Politicians and mainstream media should explicitly say so. Boris Johnson wrongly condemned BLM for ‘being hijacked by extremists’ but has failed to condemn the real extremists marching today.”
Weyman Bennett, co convenor Stand Up To Racism said
“It is right to take a presence on the streets – we should not let the fascists go unopposed. For the past two decades we have been told when Nazis march ‘ignore them and they will go away’. This simply is not true.
“Without the encouragement of Boris Johnson pretending that the issue of Bkack Lives Matter is reduced down to statues. He has not engaged on the key point about racism and its systemic nature in this society.
“Johnson’s callous disregard for black people’s lives in the current Coronavirus crisis and also for the mistreatment by the police and the court system, is an other attempt to reinforce racism and we must reject reject this and demand justice. No justice no peace”
Notes to editors:
1. Stand Up To Racism is a national, broad based campaign set up to combat the rise of racism, the far right and fascism, and is supprted by major trade unions, faith and community groups.
For quotes, interviews and further information:
info@standuptoracism.org.uk