The far right was met by anti-fascists across the UK as refugees are targeted once again

Anti fascists came out in Newquay to opposes far right fascists who were protesting against refugees


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The far right mobilised in various locations in recent days. Some of their action was once again against refugees housed by the Home Office in hotels. However, anti-fascists had also organised counter-demos in response. Amid the protests, though, one group made an important point about so-called ‘solidarity’.

Refugees welcome… everywhere

In Wallasey, activists came out to show the far right some resistance as the latter were targeting a hotel where refugees were staying. The action was supported by various groups, including trade unions, the Green Party and Care4Calais:

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Then, on Saturday 25 March, fascists had organised at least three protests across the UK – but again, they were met with resistance each time.

In Manchester, far-right group Students Against Tyranny was protesting at the University of Manchester. This was apparently over Cultural Marxism (an antisemitic conspiracy theory). Manchester Antifascist Collective described the group as “anti-vaccine, Islamophobic and anti-queer”. It said Students Against Tyranny’s leader aligns with “neo-Nazi Patriotic Alternative“.

Unfortunately for this ramshackle far-right group, hardly anyone turned up – except anti-fascists:

Then, also on 25 March, Patriotic Alternative came out in Llantwit Major, mobilising over refugees living in the area. Much like in Manchester, though, the anti-fascists outnumbered the fascists – and Patriotic Alternative limped away with its tail between its legs:

It was a similar story in Wakefield. A far-right Danish hatemonger was due to visit the town to stoke Islamophobia. Specifically, the guy was going to publicly burn a copy of the Quran after the far right had misrepresented a situation in a local school. However, the government barred him entry to the country – and so on 25 March, hardly any fascists turned up:

On Sunday 26 March, Patriotic Alternative had organised a second demo in Erskine. Predictably, it didn’t go according to plan:

Anti-fascists were out to oppose the far right once more:

But perhaps the biggest flashpoint of the weekend was in Newquay.

Newquay: resisting the far right and the cops

The far right had organised a second demo at the Beresford Hotel where refugees are staying. As the Canary previously reported, racists had only organised this demo because of police negligence.

Police had issued a statement earlier in March saying an alleged rapist was living on the same road as where the Beresford Hotel is located. Fascists latched onto this, making the racist assumption that the suspect was staying at the hotel. He wasn’t – and wasn’t a refugee either – but it was too late for the far right to back down. So they continued with the demo anyway. Fortunately, grassroots coalition Cornwall Resists came out in force to resist the far right:

A group of protesters outside the Beresford Hotel. Banners read "anti racist and anti rapist"

The fascists were again outnumbered:

However, the police presence was heavy:

Police surrounding anti-fascists in Newquay

Cornwall Resists told the Canary that the cops did the usual – target the anti-fascists while not bothering with the far right:

The day was marred by police and far-right violence. Police reacted violently, pushing protesters and throwing several to the floor. As the day was drawing to a close, fascists tried storming into the bloc. However instead of arresting the aggressors, the police arrested an antifascist. Another anti fascist was also later arrested. However both were released with no further action taken against them.

Predictably, the corporate media latched onto the cops and far-right violence and painted it as “clashes”. ITV News went as far as mentioning the arrests in its headline, implying the anti-fascists were the violent ones. Yet it failed to mention that the police didn’t charge anyone.

Overall, Cornwall Resists said:

On Sunday, we had a powerful antifascist presence in Newquay. Local people came together and gave a clear message to the far-right that their presence will not be tolerated on our streets.

A strong bloc held our ground against racists until they were forced to retreat. Contrary to far-right messaging, our bloc was made up of predominately local people with many parents, survivors, women, queer and trans people all standing on the front line to say no to hate.

The only violence on the streets of Newquay was from the police and the far-right. But despite this violence, Cornish people stood our ground and made it clear that Cornwall is anti fascist.

But while people across the UK continue to resist the far right, a group in Wales made some important points about ways of showing solidarity.

What is solidarity?

Welsh Underground Network had helped organise the far right counter-demo in Llantwit Major. Overall, while the group noted the turnout for the protest was good, it seemed other groups had sent “token” representatives to it:

This is a problem across the left wing. Groups bussing a few members in for a demo and then walking away again isn’t solidarity. Using a demo as a PR exercise for a particular organisation, while showing no interest in the local community, isn’t solidarity either. Dismissing local people’s genuine concerns about their lives while you shout “solidarity” is no solidarity at all.

With the far right mobilising regularly, anti-fascists’ priorities should include working with local communities, not amplifying their own organisations or pet causes. Anything less isn’t solidarity – it’s just performative, self-serving posturing.

Featured image and additional images via Cornwall Resists

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    1. Why are you labelled as being far right just because you don’t agree with an opposing view? Some people in densly populated working class areas,that are suffering extreme deprivation and poverty, are already full of the homeless, desperate,and utterly desolate, and simply cannot take any more people into their already overcrowded communities..There are families and people who cannot get a doctor or dentist appointment at all,and have to rely heavily on food banks to even eat, and some are in mould laden slums unfit for human habitation or in overcrowded hostels full of the mentally ill,drug addicts,and alcoholics. Mothers with their kids in squalid horrific bed and breakfasts for months or years,or flea ridden,bed bugged dangerous hostels and some are struggling to get their kids into schools nearest to home .These forgotten
      people are below the bottom rung of the ladder in the uk, and might be on housing lists for years waiting for their turn. Well of course this immigrant situation is going to cause massive resentment amongst this neglected invisible section of our society when they see those immigrants seeking to live here, given precedence for everything over the poorest in society and yes we know its not the fault of the immigrants its the pathetic government…The white middle classes are never out in force to support these poverty stricken communities ,you never see any flag waving, kumbya singing, virtue signalling middle englanders on the side of the working class communities of all colours and cultures,because they live in their bubbles of lovely fluffy cakes, and more tea vicar, leafy laned enclaves..they don’t see the filth and degeneracy and prostitution,the violence and hopelessness of being forced to live in these inner city ‘ghettoes’ for years and years of grinding misery and poverty,so yes it absolutely galls some people to see immigrants given the luxury of heated hotels with food daily and no bills to pay.Its always the same rhetoric these white saviours shout out too,that those living the shite life should get off their lazy working class a*ses and vote the tories out,as though this will change their lives miracoulsly! Its as though they actually blame the working class and unemployed and homeless for being poor..so its all their own fault,now shoo go away, whilst we prove to the world how blo ody benevolent and open armed with kindness and love we are (celebs especially)..Im working class from a big mixed race..irish/black family and there are lots of asian people here also, who like us are fed up of being ignored and then called racists because they feel the needs of the poorest here should be put first before those immigrants, who paid more money to get here than many working class would ever see in their lifetime..Don’t tar them all with the same brush as true far right racist imbeciles,who only seek to cause division and hatred because
      a lot are nothing like that in their communities..Its not racist to be concerned about your community its being realistic to voice how you feel but some people are going about it in the wrong way and i doubt that those thug characters are even from the community they are protesting in.

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    2. Denny De winter, if the target of your anger for all the issues of our society – caused by the abysmal Conservative government for the last 13 years- are the asylum seekers that are dumped in hotels as fodder for the Tories divisive tactics then I’m afraid there is only one position politically that you own, and that is the far right. It’s the position the Tories have claimed and they’re exploiting the increasing poverty by blaming refugees.
      They have purposefully caused the backlog of asylum cases that has led to where we are now knowing that people like you would jump on it as the reason the country is in such a mess.

      There’s only one group to blame for the lack housing/GP appts/schools/hospital appts and rising poverty etc…look no further than the Tories. Stop allowing yourself to be duped by them and start aiming your anger at the real culprits.

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