Thousands of trade unionists, young workers and students, and anti-racist activists protesters gathered in Whitechapel, East London yesterday to protest against a threatened rally by the far-right English Defence League.
Racists were firmly driven out of this borough in 1993 thanks again to united action, but with poverty and unemployment on the rise, and the Tories whipping up fear and hatred against young people as a cover for their cuts and socially destructive agenda, the EDL felt bold enough to return.
However the protest organised in defence of the community, and in particular the action of the RMT union, have shown that these attempts are hitting the brick wall of working class organisation.
The Guardian reports on the action taken by the RMT, who made clear that they were not going to compromise safety by transporting the EDL on tubes to Liverpool Street as they originally planned. The Guardian also reports today that "staff at King's Cross station closed the entrance to the tube, preventing the majority of the EDL supporters gathered outside from travelling to the demonstration around Aldgate East tube for around half an hour".
The article also quotes Claire Laker-Mansfied, 22, of the campaign group Youth Fight For Jobs, said: "We should have the right to defend our community against racist thugs and their racist lies about jobs and housing."
Bristol Socialist Party is clear that only united mass action - linking up trade unionists, the unemployed, community groups and students - can defeat both the the far-right such as the EDL and BNP, and the equally sociopathic ConDem government.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/03/english-defence-league-london-demonstration
No comments:
Post a Comment