Jobs and homes, not racism

Hull Socialist Party

In August, far-right activists organised a rally, looting, and rioting in Hull, directing people against migrants staying at the Royal Hotel and the main immigrant area of Hull, around Spring Bank. The far right played on anger about the removal of pensioners’ heating allowance and poverty, mixed with their lies that all the problems people face come from illegal migrants struggling to cross the Channel.

Hull and District Trades Union Council responded by starting a campaign under the banner ‘Jobs and homes, not racism’. This was to target the seedbed of racism, which is poverty.

We recognised that it was not good enough just to wag our finger at people with far-right ideas. Rather, we had to put forward a political programme of hope, based on improving the conditions of workers of all communities.

A section of the far right were emboldened by the August riots, and called a follow up rally in Hull for 5 October. The trades council called a counter-rally, and succeeded in preventing the far right from repeating their carnage.

It was not a complete victory, however. The far right had set up nearly four hours before their rally. And the police, under the guise of ‘neutrality’, argued that they had a democratic right to protest.

We outnumbered the far right, and were able to use a more powerful sound system to mostly drown them out. We were able to set up on the steps of the plinth, which the far right wanted to use.

Far right demoralised

There is no doubt at the end that the far right were demoralised. Whereas those attending our rally felt buoyed by the protest.

The organisers and speakers, including many Socialist Party members, deserve a huge round of applause.

Some were worried that attending the anti-racist protest could lead to violence, court appearances, and prison. The trades council did a brilliant job stewarding our demonstration to protect it from far-right provocation.

Demonstrators going home commented that they felt safe. We also made sure that protestors were not left on their own to go home, where they could have been attacked by far-right activists.

One or two protesters thought that we could have used our larger size to run the far right off the plinth. Had it been just us and them, this could have happened.

However, there was a huge police presence, which stood between us and the far right. Had we attempted to push the far right, the police would have intervened, and there would have been arrests. We had to weigh up what we would have gained, with what we would have lost.

This will not be the last time the far right attempt to pollute the streets of Hull. We need to be ready for them. Our campaign needs to be stepped up in our trade unions and working-class communities.