📣 WHY WE'RE MARCHING

Fascist riots have taken place in towns and cities across Britain leading to attacks on mosques and hotels housing migrants. Tommy Robinson mobilised over 15,000 in Trafalgar Square on 27 July. The far right are spreading racism, Islamophobia and hatred.

Robinson and others are attempting to exploit the horrific knife attack in Southport to stir up Islamophobia and sow division by spreading misinformation about the attacker’s identity. This led to a racist mob rioting in Southport and elsewhere, violently attacking the mosques and police, chanting the same hateful slogans heard on Robinson’s London demonstration.

Racism and Islamophobia in Parliament is leading to racism and Islamophobia on the streets. When Robinson asked his London protest who voted for Nigel Farage and Reform UK, almost every hand went up. Suella Braverman emboldened this latest iteration of fascist mobilisations, with her claims of an “Islamist” threat, policing “double standards” and refugee “invasion” inflammatory rhetoric.

Across Europe we see the rise of far right and fascist forces, from Marine Le Pen in France to the AfD in Germany.

The far right are a threat to all decent people. The trial of Finsbury Park terrorist Darren Osborne, who murdered Makram Ali, heard that he was radicalised by reading material by Tommy Robinson. When Robinson was leader of the English Defence League, it attacked Muslims, trade unions and strikes.

All those who oppose this must join in a united mass movement powerful enough to drive back the fascist. The majority of people in Britain abhor Robinson and the far right.

We are the majority, they are the few. Britain has a proud history of defeating fascists and racists. We can defeat them again. We must Stand Up to Racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism. We must unite and mobilise against the far right and fascism.

On 26 October, we will take a stand against racism, fascism and the far-right's hate. Our movement is diverse - made up of people of all ages, backgrounds, races, genders and cultures. We are the same people who protested against the Winter Fuel Cut and who stood on picket lines with teachers on strike for fair pay. And we are united in stopping the rise of the far-right.

Read the full Unity Statement below, originally published in the Daily Mirror and signed by many of the groups and individuals backing this demonstration.

Some of the signatories include:

• Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism co-convenors

• Lord Peter Hain and Paul Holborow, Anti Nazi League founders

• Kate Nash, singer songwriter

• Jerry Dammers, The Specials founder

• Paloma Faith, singer-songwriter

• Bimini Bon Boulash, drag artist

• Billy Bragg, singer-songwriter and activist

• Roots Manuva, rapper

• Shon Faye, author

• Eliza Rose, DJ and artist

• Maverick Sabre, singer songwriter

• Dr Cheddar Gorgeous, drag performer and artist

• Funk Butcher, DJ and producer

• Self Esteem, musician and songwriter

• Gurinder Chadha, filmmaker

• Azeem Rafiq, author and ex-cricketer

• Gideon, artist, DJ and Bloc 9 Glastonbury curator

• Taj Ali, Co-editor Tribune Magazine

• Amar Chadha-Patel, actor

• Ghostpoet, singer-songwriter

See full list here.