On March 22 there was an attack outside Parliament that has killed
four and injured many. No sooner had this happened when Tommy Robinson,
former leader of the EDL appeared at the scene of the attack to rave
about a clash of civilisations and a war with all Muslims. This was
swiftly followed up with an announcement of a march planned by Britain
First in London.
The truth of the matter is this. These so called patriots are
delighted that this has happened. This one fanatic has given them the
opportunity they desired to try and start a conflict in society drawn
down racial lines. They would seek to rebuild their failing movements
off the blood and tears shed by ordinary people, they would use this
attack to justify their own brand of jackbooted terror against the
Muslim population of this country.
But we will not let them.
Our group and the national network know the reactionary ideology at
the heart of the attack in the capital. Today the howls from the right
are directed at us, to claim that we caused this attack through our
tolerance of ‘Islamic extremism’ or our work to support the rights of
refugees. These claims are built on the assumption that there is a clash
of civilisations in this country. That ‘English culture’ and ‘Muslim
culture’ cannot co-exist and a war is inevitable.
These are lies.
Our comrades from the Anti-Fascist movement and even from our own
group are currently fighting on the front lines near Raqqa, the capital
of ISIS. They are their fighting with an international brigade formed of
all nationalities, religions and genders. They fight alongside their
Muslim comrades in the YPG in the spirit of working class
internationalism, and it is that spirit we need today. Their struggle is
a struggle against the same forces of reaction that would seek to
divide our communities down ethnic lines, it’s a struggle against those
who would eradicate the Yazidi minority in Iraq just as much as it’s a
struggle against those who would burn down our neighbour’s mosque
because they are Muslim.
Right now the Fascists will present ordinary people an outstretched
hand of welcome, raised straight up and palm open. It’s an outstretched
hand that casts a shadow over modern history and grows out of the gas
chambers of Auschwitz. We must reject this offering with the utmost
ferocity and anger and in its place we must cement the ideals of working
class internationalism. Without facing down the fascists on the streets
and offering the working class an alternative to race war we will lose
and the shadows of the past will consume our streets.
We encourage all our supporters to take up the slogan “They shall not
pass!” and crush Britain First’s attempt to cynically grow off the
death of Londoners. We stand with any and all anti-fascists who want to
see fascism defeated by any means necessary. Block the station, they
will not pass.