By Zuri Omer
A new anti-racist campaign, TOGETHER, has launched today in response to the sharp increase in far-right activity and the rising number of attacks directed at ethnic minorities, migrants and refugees.
This escalation is not happening in a vacuum. It has been encouraged by sections of the political establishment that have spent years blaming migrants for the consequences of austerity. And it has been bankrolled by some of the wealthiest people in the world.
It is in this context that TOGETHER has launched. The campaign brings celebrities, trade unions, MPs, campaigners and communities into a collective effort to push back. It is supported by well-known figures such as Sir Lenny Henry, Fontaines D.C., Paloma Faith and Leigh-Anne Pinnock who recognise that racism is being used to distract from falling living standards and the failures created by economic inequality.
TOGETHER seeks to build unity at a time when division is being deliberately manufactured. Britain has a long history of cultural and community mobilisation against racism, and this campaign sits within that tradition. It reminds us that the most effective response to far-right organising is a confident, collective movement that defends the rights and safety of all.
TOGETHER is planning a national demonstration against the far right for 28 March next year.
The rise of the far right is not inevitable. It can be confronted when people organise together and refuse to accept racist scapegoating as a substitute for real solutions.
Support TOGETHER’s statement and follow it on social media. Find out more at: www.togetheralliance.org.uk.
