Anti-refugee protests continue to be met with counter-protestors, but we need a fighting socialist alternative for our communities, explains Lewis Akers
The weekend was packed with anti-racist counter-protests across Scotland with demonstrations in Perth, Falkirk and Dundee. All three have had a significant amount of anti-refugee hotel protestors over the past month in particular and have been met by anti-racist counter-protestors.
Perth
In Perth, the first of four weeks of organised anti-refugee hotel protests have been planned by the far right outside the two refugee hotels in the city centre. The counter-protest in Perth was led by the local group Perth Against Racism who were set up initially to combat the Scottish Defence League a decade ago.
The Perth Against Racism counter-protest featured a focus on community and music. They tried to make the event as family friendly and as inclusive as possible. This Saturday, they had a focus on community and asked attendees to bring along banners and placards that reflect their love for their community. They also had a live musician playing alongside brilliant speeches from local community campaigners, anti-racists and trade unionists.
However, the counter-protest was outnumbered by anti-refugee protestors. Like other demonstrations in Perth, a significant number of those protesting were identified to be hardened racists and fascists. The protest included a significant section of attendees who were dressed like a racist version of the black bloc which appears to be a new feature of the demonstrations in Perth. Reports were made to the police about the attendance of one anti-refugee protestor who is banned from protesting because he is known to be violent.
It is clear that next weekend, efforts will need to be made to bolster numbers in defence of the hotels in Perth and to make sure local anti-racists have the backing and support of those across Scotland.
Falkirk
The second demonstration on Saturday was called to oppose the one by Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures (SOFOKF), the Falkirk-based anti-refugee hotel group outside the Cladhan Hotel.
Anti-racists in Falkirk comfortably outnumbered the SOFOKF demonstration, with around 100 attending the anti-refugee protest and around 150 attending the anti-racist counter protest organised by Falkirk For All and Stand Up To Racism. This is a positive trajectory for anti-racists as on the first week they were confronted by a 1,000 anti-refugee protestors although each week, their numbers have been shrinking. Now on their fifth protest SOFOKF have been reduced to 10% of their initial support.
The counter-demonstration had an extremely positive atmosphere. The rain necessitated that gazebos be set up blocking out the view the other side had of counter protestors. This led to the other side being quite noticeably annoyed and despondent that they didn’t get to shout at us.
The day was led by trade unionists with speakers representing the wide section of the movement speaking about the work the trade-union movement has done to defend the jobs and services working-class people rely on in Falkirk and to stand against racism and fascism now and historically. The crowd was heartened to be addressed by the president of the STUC who was there speaking on behalf of the 600,000 affiliated trade-union members in Scotland.
The demonstration ended with music, dancing and people playing games in the pouring Falkirk rain. Anti-racists outlasted the organisers of the event on the other side. It’s clear that if this trajectory continues in Falkirk then the final victory will be with the anti-racist campaigners, who will be able to start to reach out across the community and provide a real alternative to division and racism.
Dundee
The final protest of the weekend was organised in Dundee by local anti-refugee protestors on Alloway Place against refugee accommodation. Anti-racists significantly outnumbered the anti-refugee protestors whose numbers have been reduced significantly since their initial protests. At the height of each side, there were roughly 150 anti-racists standing against around thirty anti-refugee protestors.
The counter-demonstration was organised by Tayside Stand Up To Racism and was supported by a large collection of trade unionists and community groups which was reflected in the diverse crowd gathered to oppose racism in Dundee.
This victory was even more so welcomed by local anti-racists in light of a local anti-refugee protestor spreading lies that locals were under threat of a violent attack and with some parents keeping their children home because of how worried they were as a result of the misinformation that was spread.
Conclusion
Overall, the weekend showed that the diligent work of anti-racist groups over time is the make or break factor in how successful we will be in taking on this recent wave of fascist and racist protests. Once we have tackled the far right on the streets, the most important task will be providing working-class communities across Scotland, in particular, the communities with anti-refugee protests, with a fighting socialist alternative to the establishment that can transform our communities.
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