Recent days, weeks and months have seen an escalation in racist street attacks. Edinburgh Central Mosque firebombed, fascist stickers across Leith, a Polish family attacked in Wester Hailes with Police Scotland failing to respond to calls for help, an asylum seeker violently attacked on Thursday, as well as ‘white only’ soup kitchens and a community ‘hub’ run by fascists in Glasgow. The deaths of overwhelmingly black people (such as Sheku Bayoh) in police custody and the cover up that follows to deny the families justice.
On Wednesday 21 September the weekly stall by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! on Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, was threatened and attacked by racists including a Scottish Defence League (SDL) thug. In response to this, and the increasing attacks, we exposed the SDL fascist responsible and called for a solidarity demonstration at our weekly stall against ‘Racism, War and Austerity’ at Hunter Square, Edinburgh, on Saturday 24 September. Defend anti-racist spaces and fascists off our streets!
As well as gaining lots of support from the passing public our stall got support throughout the day from Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty, Migrant Solidarity Network supporters, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC), Young Communist League, a Socialist Workers Party supporter and other socialists, anarchists and anti-fascists. We also received supportive messages from the International Marxist Tendency and anti-racists from around the country.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism comrades on the stall pointed out that these street incidents are only a reflection of wider British state racism which is endemic to capitalist and imperialist crisis. The Immigration Acts 2014 and 2016 is but the latest example. Singling out immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees for detention and deportation, using racism against Muslims to justify imperialist wars, occupation and plunder abroad and to divide and rule the working class at home as austerity is deepened (with welfare and wages being cut as the prices of housing, food, transport, etc, rise). This is the context in which casual and more organised racism arrives and thrives on the street.
In response to this we have seen communities mobilise with country wide pickets of Byron Burgers, actions against the racist Home office and UKBA, Black Lives Matter protests across Britain, a united colours of Leith march and a vigil outside Edinburgh central mosque attracting hundreds this week. There was also an inspiring action to prevent the eviction of an Asian family in Bristol with neighbours linking arms to prevent Bailiffs entering. We must stand together against all attacks on our communities and our right to organise in their defence.
We will not be silenced or intimidated!
Defend anti-racist spaces – fascists off our streets!
