No Place for Fascism, No Space for Racism
On Monday, June 8th, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a man reportedly from Sudan stabbed an individual and was arrested and brought before the courts. Within hours of this incident being reported, far-right groups launched coordinated, pogrom-like attacks across the city. Cars and homes - targeted simply because they were believed to belong to refugees, migrants, or non-white families - were set alight.
These were not isolated acts of violence. They were organised acts of intimidation and terror.
Families were forced to flee burning homes under police protection. Communities were traumatised. Children were displaced. Two police officers were injured amid the unrest. Several perpetrators have since been arrested, yet the damage- physical and psychological - remains deep. Belfast was left in a state of tension and fear, while the events spread rapidly across social media.
In response, the UK government under Keir Starmer stated that those responsible do not represent the British public and expressed concern for affected families. While such words are necessary, they are not sufficient. The situation remains volatile, and organisations continue to respond. Importantly, many residents of Belfast have publicly stood in solidarity with migrants and refugees, and Parliament has stated that those responsible must be held accountable.
But we must confront a deeper and more urgent question:
What has allowed this climate of hatred and violence to emerge?
This wave of far-right aggression did not arise spontaneously. It has been enabled by years of political failure. Governments in the UK and across Europe have consistently underestimated, tolerated, and in some cases legitimised far-right narratives. This failure has created the conditions in which racism grows unchecked and violence becomes emboldened.
Today, far-right rhetoric is no longer confined to the margins. Public figures such as Nigel Farage openly advocate for the expulsion of refugees and migrants, directly challenging rights that have long been protected within the UK’s human rights framework. Such positions, once unthinkable in mainstream discourse, are now amplified and normalised.
At the same time, political decisions and institutional actions have, directly or indirectly, strengthened these forces. When governments fail to decisively oppose racism, when they echo anti-migrant narratives, or when they lend legitimacy - financial or political - to those who promote division, they contribute to the very conditions that give rise to violence. Responsibility, therefore, does not rest solely with those who carried out the attacks, but also with the structures that have allowed such ideologies to flourish.
We state clearly:
Those who burned homes, terrorised families, and spread racist violence must face the full force of the law.
Fascist organisations that incite hatred and violence against migrants and refugees must be banned.
All affected individuals and families must receive full compensation and support to rebuild their lives.
But this is not only a matter for institutions. It is a matter for society as a whole.
We call on people across England and beyond to stand together in active solidarity - to organise, to build mutual aid networks, and to defend their neighbours against racism and intimidation. The long history of diverse communities living side by side must not be destroyed by fear and division.
We must not allow fascism to take root.
We must not allow racism to become normalised.
We must not allow violence to define our communities.
Finally, we call on trade unions, human rights organisations, women’s organisations, migrant groups,and refugee organisations to unite in a common front. Only through collective action can we resist the forces of hatred and build a society based on dignity, equality, and solidarity.
There is no place for fascism.
There is no space for racism.