The far-right mobilised at least five anti-refugee protests in the past week. Fortunately, they were met by anti-fascist resistance at most of them. However, one of the demonstrations clearly showed the tactics that groups like Patriotic Alternative use to infiltrate local communities. It also served as a lesson in what anti-fascists should not be doing.
The far-right: posing as “locals”?
As the Canary previously reported, on Saturday 25 February far-right anti-refugee protests took place in Newquay and Skegness. Now, fascists have upped the ante.
On Monday 27 February, an anti-refugee demo took place in Kegworth, Leicestershire. Here, the Home Office is housing refugees in a local hotel. The media reported that a local resident organised this demo. However, left-wing groups disputed the claim on social media, with some saying the far-right had organised it:
Kegworth Disinformation
If you've ever wondered about the scale of the far-right's sophisticated propaganda machine …
Here is the same tweet about the Kegworth hotel from two days ago.
One in English, the other in Dutch.
Tonight's protest has nothing to do with locals. pic.twitter.com/IKf8ux38Wh
— Open Nottingham (@open_nottingham) February 27, 2023
However, other groups said the far-right infiltrated the protest:
Far-right agitators tried to stir up trouble in Kegworth last night. Assembly at an Asylum Hotel was intimidation. Some will claim it was locals ‘concern’, but the two filming in the bottom right weren’t local. A man in fatigues & full mask & a woman in a MAGA cap! @AntiRacismDay pic.twitter.com/oiW9FIkGKw
— Leicester Stand Up To Racism (@LeicesterSUTR) February 28, 2023
Anti-racism protesters came out and were trying to persuade any local residents to think again about their opinions:
Local protest in Kegworth against Asylum Seekers. Met some good people today who came for the counter protest & showed solidarity with asylum seekers – #RefugeesWelcome @AntiRacismDay . Some locals agreed the problem sits with a Govt intent on dividing us through hate! pic.twitter.com/Uei2M2bc0s
— Leicester Stand Up To Racism (@LeicesterSUTR) February 27, 2023
The far-right also gathered on Friday 3 March in Bangor, in the North of Ireland:
Protestors have gathered outside a hotel in Bangor, Co Down this evening where a number of refugees are housed. pic.twitter.com/aFfOuDtJHP
— Patricia Devlin (@trishdevlin) March 3, 2023
Then come the weekend, at least two far-right protests took place on Saturday 4 March. One was in Dover, where around 100 fascists came out, but they were countered by anti-fascists:
Far Right in Dover now #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/77MfEhiWAL
— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) March 4, 2023
Predictably, some on the far-right were claiming the protest was organised by “residents”. But a quick scan of social media shows this wasn’t the case – with far-right groups from Portsmouth and as far away as Yorkshire represented. Images online show some of the fascists doing Nazi salutes after the protest. However, anti-fascists mobilised well, with various groups like Stand Up To Racism, Care 4 Calais, and Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) coming out.
It was a similar story in Carlisle on 4 March. The organised far-right were out protesting about refugees, while claiming it was locals marching – and anti-fascists were there to stand up to them:
Trade unionists and socialists made sure today that the far-right know that Carlisle is not a racist city. We say workers must unite to fight for jobs, homes and services – instead of allowing the bosses to divide us. pic.twitter.com/fxxITCOjq2
— Martin Powell-Davies (@MPDNUT) March 4, 2023
Infiltrating communities and exploiting racist sentiment
Then, on Sunday 5 March, fascist group Patriotic Alternative mobilised in Erskine, Scotland. Again, the protest was about the Home Office housing refugees in hotels. As the Morning Star reported, the group was:
led on the site by the ex-British National Party activist Simon Crane, [and] were accompanied by a handful of local residents after it characterised the refugees in the hotel as “200 fight-age men” on social media.
What the Morning Star crucially noted, though, was just how groups like Patriotic Alternative infiltrate local protests and feed racist sentiment:
Local residents on both sides began a dialogue about their mutual concerns during the gatherings, discussing worries about local housing, education and service provision.
As dialogue broke out, it was interrupted and shouted over by PA members… PA activists began to make their way to their cars when the meeting in the middle took place.
The point being that this age-old tactic from the far-right doesn’t change – except in the age of social media, fascists have another platform to promote their agendas. The far-right exploits the fact that the UK is inherently racist and colonialist, in an attempt to turn protests into violence.
Refugees welcome – but the left must involve themselves in communities, too
Meanwhile, anti-racists are trying to build constructive dialogues with locals:
Along with others, we are supporting #Erskine local residents in organising this public meeting next Saturday. Unite against racism!
There is also a counter-protest to Nazi Patriotic Alternative at the Muthu hotel in Erskine tomorrow Sunday 11am#RefugeesWelcome #ErskineSaysYes pic.twitter.com/fGGFQB2v7R
— Stand Up to Racism – Scotland (@SUTRScotland) March 4, 2023
This is not the end of the far-right marches either. One is happening in Staffordshire on Saturday 11 March, with a counter-protest set to take place:
Important protest on Saturday 11 March #RefugeesWelcome Cannock pic.twitter.com/TOkKnVtmHH
— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) March 6, 2023
Fascists also have trans people in their sights on 11 March. Another anti-Drag Queen Story Time protest will be countered by anti-fascists:
After getting humiliated at Honor Oak, far right group Turning Point are trying to shut down another Drag Queen storytelling event. This time in East Dulwich at the Great Exhibition pub.
Let’s chase them off again.
Share widely 👇👇👇 #TurningPointUK #DefendDragQueenStoryTime pic.twitter.com/keUPQB8K4G
— Stand Up to Racism – south London (@SLSUTR) March 3, 2023
Getting on the streets and opposing the far-right is crucial, wherever they mobilise in the UK. However, it is also important that left-wing activists don’t just bus themselves in, wave some placards, and then walk away again. There needs to be engagement with local communities at the grassroots.
Local residents need to see that there’s an alternative to the fascist rhetoric of groups like Patriotic Alternative. This will only happen if anti-racists involve themselves in local communities. Otherwise, busloads of left-wingers descending on communities is hardly likely to create lasting change – and will only end up weakening anti-fascist arguments.
Featured image via Stand Up To Racism – screengrab
