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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if you'll be attending the anti fascism protest on 13 September

1000 replies

Whatafustercluck · 26/08/2025 18:44

I'd like to go in solidarity with like minded people, but worry about it turning violent. I won't be taking my children and will likely be going alone. Lots of people I know detest Tommy Robinson but will stay away due to the likelihood of trouble, but I really want to help send a message that racism and hatred won't win. Is anyone here considering going, or decided to stay away?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
28
BurlyShriggs · 31/08/2025 08:44

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 08:31

So are you saying that paedophilia is a "Catholic problem" ?

I’m saying that people were vociferously condemning the Roman Catholic Church for its actions covering up paedophilia and no one suggested we should stop because it’s unfair/ hateful to the RC church or inciting hatred against Roman Catholics. Islam is a belief system and we must be free to criticise any aspect of it. The irony of pretending that Muslims are at risk of violence and hatred from non Muslims is that the vast majority of violence and murder against Muslims in this country has been by other Muslims who don’t agree with their interpretation of Islam. Think Protestants and Catholics murdering each other in the 16th century.

Lighteningstrikes · 31/08/2025 08:45

Not in a million years.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 08:48

@BurlyShriggs "Think Protestants and Catholics murdering each other in the 16th century."

And where do you believe that this was happening?

MyLimeGuide · 31/08/2025 09:12

Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget · 30/08/2025 22:02

I really want to go on the 13th but to be on the other side. I went last year and it was fantastic all ages races all together flying the flag…one of my best days! Anyone who wants all these illegals should be made to house 1 donate clothes food etc so the rest of us are not paying for it. You will walk past your own sleeping in doorways but then think you are so kind wanting us to house illegals it is nuts

👏💛

MyLimeGuide · 31/08/2025 09:19

Teanbiscuits33 · 31/08/2025 04:16

I think you have to be wilfully ignorant to not know what this means, really, because I understood it instantly.

I have seldom, if ever in my life had to tell anybody I’m not racist, so if you catch yourself frequently feeling the need to tell someone you aren’t racist because you think they might think you are, then you are racist.

If you’re saying ‘’I’m not racist but…..’’ a lot, then clearly you are racist, and equally, if you’re find you’re getting called racist a lot and you have to keep claiming you’re not, then you are.

And yes, the same applies in other contexts. If, for example, someone felt the need to keep clarifying that they were heterosexual or that they weren’t homosexual then, naturally, others would think they were lying because it’s not a normal thing to keep having to say.

HTH.

Edited

I think that's you, announcing that "you are not racist" right there 👏

mrshoho · 31/08/2025 09:25

Thegreyhound · 30/08/2025 22:26

Apologies- 41% of the 899 protestors arrested in last summer’s protests had committed previous DV offences.
Not company I would like to keep. Certainly not people who care for women and girls.

Thank you for reposting and clarifying those stats.

The more recent protests have been mainly peaceful with very few arrests. There was a huge march in West Drayton yesterday with thousands of families peacefully protesting. This is an area that has probably seen the highest intake of asylum seekers in the country and who have to live with the negative effects. I applaud them for making their protest peacefully.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:26

MyLimeGuide · 31/08/2025 09:12

👏💛

My husband and other army veterans are all going to the Free Speech Festival on 13th.

Coaches are being organised from all over the North.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:50

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 09:42

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/31/donald-trump-press-us-reform-midlands-nottinghamshire-council

Curious to know what those going to this "free speech" rally think about this?

You're not really interested in Free Speech are you? You just want to start an argument.

So go and argue with someone else.

And why am I not surprised that your quote is from the Lefties Comic ?

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 09:52

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:50

You're not really interested in Free Speech are you? You just want to start an argument.

So go and argue with someone else.

And why am I not surprised that your quote is from the Lefties Comic ?

Edited

How very authoritarian of you.

Last I looked this was a discussion forum.

I think it's pertinent to the discussion.

Supersimkin7 · 31/08/2025 09:55

What’s the connection between racism
and white illegal boat people? I’m genuinely not being goady - can’t see it.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:55

@MistressoftheDarkSide
Our local press is so left wing it's coming back on itself, so much for unbiased reporting.

I'm not stopping you discussing anything with anyone else.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:56

Supersimkin7 · 31/08/2025 09:55

What’s the connection between racism
and white illegal boat people? I’m genuinely not being goady - can’t see it.

Most intelligent people can't see it either.😆

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 09:56

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:55

@MistressoftheDarkSide
Our local press is so left wing it's coming back on itself, so much for unbiased reporting.

I'm not stopping you discussing anything with anyone else.

Edited

I didn't personally invite you to discuss it, I put out a general post.

Not so sure why someone in favour of free speech would be so exercised about it.

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:58

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 09:56

I didn't personally invite you to discuss it, I put out a general post.

Not so sure why someone in favour of free speech would be so exercised about it.

"exercised" - you lost me there.

Anyway, let's see if anyone wants to take you up on your offer,

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 10:00

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 09:58

"exercised" - you lost me there.

Anyway, let's see if anyone wants to take you up on your offer,

Yes, let's see.

I used the word "exercised" in the context of provoked or agitated. HT.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 31/08/2025 10:04

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/exercised+about

Just to be clear it's an idiom.

ElizaTh0rnberry · 31/08/2025 10:44

MaxineHarper · 30/08/2025 23:33

Totally agree that there needs to be a whole shake up. I didn’t say housing illegal migrants has caused the mess this country is in. For sure, tax evasion, benefit scroungers, etc. need fixed as well. Our country is a mess and it is frustrating that we get taxed so much but there the hospitals, police, schools and councils are not fit for purpose.

My point was more to do with the fact that protesting against fascism is being muddled with something else entirely. Wanting tighter immigration controls doesn’t automatically make someone a fascist. Fascism is about authoritarianism, suppression of freedoms, and hatred. Equating that with people raising concerns about illegal immigration only confuses the issue and shuts down real debate.

Yes I do agree completely. And absolutely agree with your fascism statement. I think the biggest issue is both sides equate the extreme views to the other.

E.g. to some, everyone who wants tighter border controls must be a racist person who has zero tolerance for foreigners and then on the flip side, those who are seen as supporting asylum seekers can be tarred with wanting open borders, 0 control and a free for all.

I actually think most people are somewhere in the middle. I personally do believe things need to be stricter, however I am aware this cannot be done overnight. I also think there are other aspects of society that need improving that would ensure our taxes are spent more wisely and we would see more of a benefit.

I personally have had no bad interaction with an asylum seeker so I find it difficult to read people's statements about removing them all when the only interactions I've had are with people who are grateful to be here and want to work and give back to the country that took them in.

However I am aware this is not everyone's experience.

I do wish the press and media would do a better job providing balanced views. But again, that's a whole other conversation.

BundleBoogie · 31/08/2025 11:04

awkwardasfuck · 26/08/2025 22:41

I didnt know this was happening so thank you for bringing it to my attention

I (Irish lebanese, but British citizen) will be going with my husband (welsh/saffa) who will absolutely protect me and anyone else being targeted violently by gammons

Fascinating.

So you’re going on an anti racist march that is protesting a Free Speech event but are quite comfortable, casual even, using a racist term against white people?

If you were actually anti racist, you would be against ALL racism, not just against the groups you favour.

amoobaa · 31/08/2025 11:09

llizzie · 30/08/2025 03:23

Don't tell me I am confused because I do not agree with you.

We are in the 21st century, and I do not think it appropriate to drag up the words used over a hundred years ago.

1919 was the big pandemic, when more millions died of flu than were killed in the war. When I said Hitler started his road to fascism, it was true, he did.

We cannot take a century old ideology and ascribe the same words to today. It makes no sense.

@llizzie “Don’t tell me I’m confused”… What do you suggest I say to you? You are confused. Placating people with dangerous ideas is irresponsible.

You saying, “we can’t use century-old words” is just dodging the point.

Saying we shouldn’t use a word just because it’s “a century old” makes no sense. Most of the foundations of our society are far older than that, and we don’t dismiss them because of their age.

Democracy is ancient. Human rights law is rooted in principles from centuries back. Even the very idea of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ comes from Roman times. Are we supposed to throw all that out just because it’s not brand new?

The point isn’t whether something is old or recent, it’s whether it still describes reality and still helps us understand the world. Fascism as a word is kept alive because the ideology it describes keeps resurfacing in different clothes. That’s not blind tradition, that’s recognising a pattern that’s too dangerous to ignore.

Of course we shouldn’t keep every old idea just because it’s old… some traditions do belong in the past. But throwing away useful definitions simply because they’re historic is just as lazy as clinging to outdated customs without question.

The test isn’t age, the test is truth and relevance. And whether you like it or not, fascism, sadly, is still relevant.

It’s not just some outdated insult, it’s a well-defined ideology and historians use the word because the same patterns keep resurfacing.

And that’s why accuracy matters. Fascism doesn’t come back wearing the same uniforms, it comes back with new clothes but the same core ideas: ‘outsiders are dangerous’, ‘we need a strong hand’, ‘our identity is under threat’. When you dismiss the language or talk about migrants as a threat, you’re not moving away from fascism — you’re echoing the very logic it feeds on.

What kind of a world do you want to live in?

IneedAniffler · 31/08/2025 11:17

BundleBoogie · 31/08/2025 11:04

Fascinating.

So you’re going on an anti racist march that is protesting a Free Speech event but are quite comfortable, casual even, using a racist term against white people?

If you were actually anti racist, you would be against ALL racism, not just against the groups you favour.

Out of interest - awkward is married to a person from SA who refers to themselves that way - and from what i can see it's an afrikaans word that when I've looked it up seems to be largely colloquial in it's usage unless it's intended specifically as an insult

so where do you stand on "ozzie" "kiwi" "scouser" "geordie" "yankee"

mrshoho · 31/08/2025 11:18

@ElizaTh0rnberry and @MaxineHarper I agree with both of you.

As with all situations, we may be in the same storm but each of us in very different circumstances.

mrshoho · 31/08/2025 11:22

misoandchips · 31/08/2025 08:41

@hotelinfo "And yes, some will be purely economic migrants. But being an economic migrant is hardly equivalent to being a 'sleeper' or a sexual deviant ffs."

Check out the statistics for yourself

https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/sexualviolenceintheukbyethnicity

then ask yourself why the government has been so reluctant to reveal this information

https://www.migrationcentral.co.uk/p/uks-first-migrant-crime-report

Thank you for posting these stats.

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