Call to Birmingham to Stand Against Fascism

[BisiBodi]

This Saturday, fascist Britain First are planning to come to Birmingham, one of the UK’s most diverse cities, to call for mass deportations of immigrants. They have told their supporters that they will not be visiting "the bad, multicultural areas of Birmingham". Instead, they will be in the City Centre.

Shamefully, the police have made the decision to allow them to march to Victoria Square, Birmingham’s most iconic and most central public space, where they will be allowed to have their rally. Furthermore, the police have told anti-racist activists in the city that anyone who wants to oppose the fascist march will be allowed to assemble but will not be permitted to march.

Across Europe the far right are growing in influence and Trump's re-election has boosted their confidence. Reform UK is starting to make significant electoral gains. Fascist groups like Britain First are emboldened by the mainstreaming of racist and bigoted narratives against immigrants, Muslims and LGBT+ people. This is why they have chosen to march in Birmingham.

Kier Starmer has now added to the avalanche of vile racist rhetoric that blames immigrants for society's problems rather than the billionaires and politicians who have created the chaos.

If you live in Birmingham, or are close to Birmingham, then consider joining our united and peaceful protest.
Let's show 'Britain First' that Birmingham is a multicultural city.
Let's stand together against hatred and bigotry.

They're probably preparing their banner to protect this great nation and freedom of speech.

Yes I agree with freedom of speech as well

But also terrifying....

BF don't tend to have very big rallies.

No, that's true.

The same thing for EDL (English Defence League). They often make very noisy announcements of big rallies but, when it comes down to it, only a tiny handful of hardliners ever turn up.

Really good post. Having lived in Birmingham for 25 years, and ultimately forced to leave due to the failure of multiculturalism as my lovely suburb became subject to an almost turf war of two different groups of immigrants and local facilities that had stood for decades serving the local community were shut down as that local community was diminishing rapidly. As crime shot through the roof, gangs roamed the lovely local park, new neighbours failed to integrate and only wanted to mix in their own ethnic community rather than the wider community in which they lived. When my son came home from school and said most people in his classes weren’t speaking English. I have first hand experience of the failure of multiculturalism. I was living in the Island of Strangers Starmer talked about.

This is the very real experience of many people. Unfortunately the far right is rising in popularity because for a long time the people with these experiences haven’t been listened to, they have been labelled racists. People who feel their lives have been upended are finding a listening voice in the far right. If people had listened in mainstream politics rather than vilifying people with very real concerns the far right wouldn’t have gotten a foot hold. Now I fear the belated recognition of the failure of multiculturalism by the mainstream parties is too little too late..

I would like to hear from the OP how they want to address people’s very valid concerns over the failure of multiculturalism, or do they still want to bury their head in the sand and claim it’s wonderful, even though I know the vast majority of people in the Birmingham area do have very real concerns, and it’s not just white people who have these concerns. We should have been thinking this since at least the race riots of 2005.

Footage of both sides of the event.

It's a shame they use the flag, very embarrassing.

Fascist, flag-waving imbeciles wave flags. Also, rain wet say scientists.

Thanks for that.

Kippers have been at it as well:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx0nwl0y81o.amp