On 7 August last year, in response to direct fascist threats of violence against organisations helping migrants and asylum seekers, tens of thousands of anti-racists turned out to physically protect those organisations.
It was a phenomenal show of strength and helped put an end to a week of horrendous racist violence.
Searchlight wrote at the time that the anti-racist movement had rolled back the most dangerous far-right upsurge in decades.
But the movement had been caught unawares when racist rioting first broke out all over the country.
Attacks continued for a week before the movement flexed its muscles and imposed a historic defeat on the fascists.
This year year we are forewarned: we know what the fascists are up.
Taking 2024’s Farage riots as their playbook, fascist and neo-nazi activists have moved in to exploit local feelings in Epping Forest, Essex, and stir up violence.
Activists from the Homeland Party, Britain First, British Democrats, and White Vanguard have all been identified at the scene of violence.
Veteran nazi thug Phil Curson was in the front line, confronting police.
Last year their pretext was the dreadful murder of three girls in Southport. This year it is a number of alleged sexual assaults on local girls by a migrant who has been arrested and charged and is locked away in custody, no longer a threat to anybody.
But that doesn’t matter. The sole aim of the fascists who are agitating in Epping is to inflame local feelings and incite racist violence.
Local fascists have been working for this for over two years, campaigning against migrants being housed in the local Bell Hotel. And now their efforts are bearing fruit.
Already there have been two anti-migrant events which have led to attacks on the police and on anti-racists, and attempted attacks on the hotel.
And they intend to repeat the exercise this coming Sunday with another rally in the town.
There has been talk of Tommy Robinson attending, talk which he at first encouraged. But he now seems to be cooling on the idea, arguing that his presence might be a distraction, and give the authorities a pretext to clamp down.
As always, the rationale for Tommy’s absence when things kick off is a neat fit with his well-established physical cowardice.
We know from history that these movements cannot be allowed to flourish. They have to be strangled at birth. If we wait till they are strong, the task of defeating them becomes immeasurably greater.
But the racists are not solely focussed on Epping. Anonymous, racist demonstrations are already being publicised in other towns and cities, and the intention is plain – another summer of racist violence.
It’s time to call a halt.
This time the anti-racist movement has the opportunity to nip the whole vicious enterprise in the bud.
We know from history that these movements cannot be allowed to flourish. They have to be strangled at birth. If we wait till they are strong, the task of defeating them becomes immeasurably greater.
Crucially, we know, from 7 August last year, that it can be done.
Picking up the gauntlet
It is vital that in Epping, on Sunday, anti-racists turn out in their tens of thousands to show that the fascists and racists do not speak for ‘ordinary British people’; that we are not prepared to stand by and watch as they stoke up violence in our towns and cities; and that, if necessary, we will turn out in vast numbers to physically defend those they have in their sights.
Searchlight strongly urges all anti-fascists and anti-racists to be in Epping on Sunday at 2.00pm. The assembly point is Epping tube station.
The fascists have thrown down the gauntlet. We must show we are ready and willing to pick it up.
No pasaran!
