By Abayomi Azikiwe
On September 13 in Central London, according to the Metropolitan Police, 150,000 far right and fascist elements held what they called the “Unite the Kingdom” rally which opposed migration into the United Kingdom from countries in the Global South.
This manifestation could very well prefigure similar demonstrations where racist and fascist organizations mobilize workers and poor people to direct their energies against communities of color and immigrants in order to shift attention away from the worsening economic conditions within the leading capitalist states in Western Europe and North America.
In England the “Unite the Kingdom” rally was preceded by a campaign to hoist the St. George’s Cross flag of the British Empire on poles throughout the entire country. The flag, which differs from the Union Jack, is a symbol of the Christian Crusades of the 11th to 13th centuries where the Byzantine church attempted to seize control of what they described as the “Holy Land” from Muslims, which is encompassed within modern day Occupied Palestine.
The symbolism of this demonstration by the rightist forces in Britain is also in response to the widespread solidarity in the UK with the Palestinian people in their struggle to end the current genocidal onslaught by the State of Israel in Gaza. Marches of up to a million people have been held in London and other cities throughout the country since the total siege on Gaza after the Al Aqsa Flood of October 7, 2023.
Palestine Action, an organization which engaged in civil disobedience aimed at halting British military and economic cooperation with the occupation of Palestine, has been proscribed by the government. More than 1000 activists have been arrested in the last few weeks for merely holding up signs saying they support Palestine Action. Under current British law, a person can be sentenced to 17 years in prison for expressing sympathy or membership within this proscribed organization.
The September 13 demonstration by the English far-right was marked by clashes with antiracist counter-protesters who were far fewer in number. When the police attempted to form a line between the fascists and the antiracist demonstrators, fights erupted while the “Unite the Kingdom” supporters carried out offensive actions against both the immigrant rights and antiracists forces as well as the Metropolitan police.
This demonstration was addressed by other fascist organizations and individuals such as Steve Bannon of the U.S. and Elon Musk, a government-subsidized billionaire who has advocated the elimination of social security. In addition, Petr Bystron, a representative within the Bundestag for the Alternatives for Germany (AFD) neo-fascist party addressed the far-right activists in Central London saying, “your enemies are our enemies, your fight is our fight.”
A report on the situation in Central London published by Al Jazeera notes that:
“More than 110,000 people marched through central London on Saturday in a protest against immigration led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Some attending the Unite the Kingdom rally clashed with police. Twenty-six officers were injured, and at least 24 people were arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police…. Saturday’s protest was marked by nationalist symbols, scuffles and inflammatory speeches. Footage showed police on horseback pelted with bottles while baton charges were used to push back Robinson supporters and allow about 5,000 counter demonstrators to leave the Whitehall area of central London safely.”
Tommy Robinson became well known for his leadership role in the English Defense League (EDL), an Islamophobic grouping which called for religious suppression and violence against Muslims. Other formations such as Patriotic Alternative, Britain First and The White Vanguard Group participated in the “Unite the Kingdom” march as well. The White Vanguard Group has staged events to burn “Jewish books’ and has called for the ascendancy of a national socialist [nazi]] government in the UK.
The violence intensified in Central London when the fascists broke away from their designated route and attempted to surround the thousands of the Stand Up Against Racism counter-protesters. This manifestation continued long after the time period which it was scheduled to conclude. These events on September 13 were reminiscent of the racist riots which erupted in England and Northern Ireland during the summer of 2024 in the aftermath of the killing of several young people. Although lies were spread through social media that those responsible for the children’s murders were migrants, the person arrested was a British citizen of color.
These incidents are a clear reflection of the inability of the UK government to contain the rise in racist and fascist ideology. Divisions within British society are being fostered by the growing popularity of Reform UK, which is led by Nigel Farage. This political party has advocated extreme measures and has contributed to an intensification of anti-migrant laws and attempts to drive out those seeking asylum who are living in motels in various locations across the country.
Capitalism in Crisis and the Rise of Fascist Movements
Although the Labor Party is now the dominant political force within the British Parliament, there are numerous efforts underway to undermine the social welfare system which emerged in the aftermath of the Second World War. A legislative initiative earlier this year to slash benefits for disabled, poor and elderly people was defeated by internal opposition within the Labor Party and mass demonstrations in the streets.
The National Health Services (NHS) has experienced major cuts in capacity and salaries for healthcare workers. There have been strikes among nurses and physicians demanding higher salaries to keep up with inflation and to improve working conditions.
After coming to office in his second non-consecutive term, U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) raise the level of defense expenditures to five percent of their national budgets. In order to placate Trump and his irrational and erratic policies, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a Defense Ministry document which accepts further imperialist militarization. Trump was invited to the UK on a state visit which will further cement the sharp turn to the right domestically and the expansion of militarism internationally.
This rise in defense expenditure will only worsen the plight of the working class which is already suffering immensely from the decline in living standards and joblessness. Migrants and oppressed people are being utilized as scapegoats for the decline in the capitalist system. This same pattern of targeting people of color, women and other marginalized elements within the working class is being replicated in other countries such as France, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and the U.S.
British Prime Minister Starmer was cited by Al Jazeera as saying:
“Britain will ‘never surrender’ to far-right protesters who use the national flag as cover for violence and intimidation, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer says after violent scenes at one of the country’s largest far-right demonstrations in decades. In his first public comments since the rally, Starmer said on Sunday that peaceful protest was a fundamental value in Britain, but he condemned assaults on police officers and intimidation against marginalized communities.”
Yet the failure to address the burgeoning crisis in capitalism and imperialism by the Labor leadership is contributing to the fascist-fueled instability within society. Capitulating to Trump will only fuel resentment towards the UK government among the progressive forces and the Left which is being ignored in the development of domestic and foreign policy.
Implications for the U.S.
At the same time inside the U.S., the Trump administration has unleashed tens of thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in urban, suburban and rural areas where they raid neighborhoods, factories and farms. People are being rounded up and placed in detention oftentimes absent judicial due process.
Federalized National Guard units have been deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. For a period in LA, the Marines were sent in to back up ICE and the National Guard. Other cities are being threatened such as Chicago and Memphis.
These municipal areas have African American mayors whose opinions are being disregarded by the White House and their supporters within state governments. None of the targeted municipalities called for the intervention of the White House due to” violent criminal activity.”
It is ironic that a government which was born in settler-colonial, racist and capitalist state violence is using criminal activity as an excuse to deny the right of due process and self-rule among the oppressed communities composed of African Americans, Latin Americans and other marginalized peoples.
The events surrounding the “United the Kingdom” rally in Central London illustrate the dangers of not taking the rising threat of fascism seriously. Labor unions and civil rights organizations in the U.S. have not made categorical attempts to purge political forces which are either in alliance with the MAGA Republicans or refusing to organize against the mounting specter of fascist rule.
In the aftermath of the assassination of Turning Point spokesperson Charlie Kirk, the right-wing fascist elements have blamed “liberals, leftists and democrats” for the killing of their operative despite the fact that the suspect hails from the same political milieu as the MAGA Republicans. Several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the South were forced into temporary closures due to threats from extremist and violent forces.
To curb the current threat in the U.S. and internationally, there needs to be the formation of a broad-based Anti-Fascist Organizing Coalition (AFOC) to engage in political education and mass mobilization to ensure the safety and well-being of working and oppressed peoples throughout the world. If this does not occur, the potential for civil unrest and imperialist world war will undoubtedly be upon us plunging the planet into large-scale displacement, destruction and death.
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