London Rally Slams Islamophobic Attacks
Anti-racist campaigners gathered in Stratford, east London, on Wednesday night to protest against the Islamophobic vandalizing of mosques.
Seven mosques, Muslim community centers and a primary school in east London were last week daubed with slogans such as, “Remigrate or die,” “Paedophile council here,” and, “Stop Islam.”
Miriam, a Newham Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) activist, said that they were there to show that “no act against our brothers and sisters will go unopposed”.
Shaquid from Newham Muslim Forum condemned the “serious acts of violence”.
The attacks on the mosques come after a 25 percent increase in religiously-motivated hate crimes officially recorded in the last year.
Islamophobia and anti-migrant racism are sharply on the rise. The attacks on mosques in east London last week came as the far right tried to exploit the Southport murders trial.
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Recent months have seen pogroms against migrants, arson attacks on refugee hotels and the disgusting rhetoric from far right figures such as Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson in the wake of the attack in Southport.
Fascists launched a wave of violence, including trying to burn down mosques and hotels housing refugees, last summer. A mass response pushed the fascists back, but they’re looking for opportunities to go back on the attack.
Idris, the president of Newham Mosque said he hoped the attack would be a “catalyst” of anti-racist action. He argued that if anti-racists do not fight now, they will have a much bigger challenge to face.
The rise of Nigel Farage’s far right Reform UK party is being fuelled by the Labour scapegoating of migrants and its failure to deliver change. Speakers condemned Keir Starmer for the racist agenda his Labour government is pushing. They slammed his brutal deportation plans and his relationships with far right leaders.
Speakers emphasized the importance of joining the SUTR counter-protest against Nazi Tommy Robinson’s supporters in London on Saturday.
Source: socialistworker.co.uk
