Joe Fathallah, Cardiff West Socialist Party
100 counter-protesters gathered in the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, in opposition to a planned demonstration by far-right group ‘Patriotic Alternative’. Patriotic Alternative are opposed to housing refugees from Afghanistan in the village.
In fact, the refugees are being ‘housed’ in accommodation inside the RAF St Athan base – hardly suitable for families and young children! Our counter-protest marched to outside the main gates of the base, avoiding attempts by the police to kettle us, only to find that the far-right protest had failed to materialise. An instant victory!
Socialist Party members participated in the counter-protest with our leaflets calling for ‘jobs and homes, not racism’. Socialist Party member Mariam Kamish spoke at the demo, giving solidarity greetings from Caerphilly trades union council. To pull the ground from underneath the far right, and to prevent them from spreading division in communities, we need a programme taking up the needs of the whole working class, and putting the blame for the lack of affordable
