The determined solidarity demonstrations against anti-refugee protests are under attack, but are building a Scotland-wide mobilisation that could be decisive, reports Lewis Akers

The aggression and threats of violence towards anti-racists continued to ramp up this week after over three months’ worth of anti-refugee protests from Save Our Futures, the local racist organisation.

On Wednesday evening, a number of anti-racists gathered outside the hotel to oppose the anti-refugee protest. Wednesday nights are well known by anti-racists as having flash points where anti-refugee protestors feel bolder and act more aggressively. After the usual barrage of racist bile and abuse, counter-protestors made an exit and were followed by masked racists. A group of them started squaring up to a young woman and her mum before an anti-racist counter-protestor stood between them and was met with a punch. This was reported to the police at the time and after but no arrests were made despite it happening in plain sight.

On Saturday, again anti-racists gathered to stand united against the racists. The day kicked off with songs sung by the choir Protest in Harmony who welcomed the refugees in the hotel via song. While the choir sung, they were met with a barrage of hate from racist protestors telling them to ‘go back to the church’ and to ‘shut up’, all for singing protest songs, so much for free speech!

At one point during the demonstration, anti-refugee protestors on the other side moved en masse to confront the police over the arrest of an attendee who was reported to be breaching bail conditions by being within the vicinity of the protests. Save Our Futures still insist, despite a number of arrests on their side, that they and their supporters are peaceful and law abiding, despite the fact that there have been more arrests associated with anti-refugee protestors than men housed in the Cladhan Hotel.

As the counter-demonstration came to an end, anti-racists moved out in a disciplined and peaceful way. A number of attempts were made by Save Our Futures protestors to intimidate anti-racists including by a key organiser. Stewards swiftly dealt with these attempts at intimidation by standing their ground and forcing the police to intervene and stop any possibility of an escalation by Save Our Futures. One anti-racist was told by a masked racist that he would be coming to her house because he knew where she lived.

All of this follows a successful week of building for a Unity March which is scheduled for the 6 December in Falkirk. Over 20,000 leaflets have been handed out across Scotland and local faith and community groups, national trade unions and a range of other organisations are supporting the march.

Despite all of this, many local politicians are afraid to take a clear anti-racist position and support local anti-racists publicly. Euan Stainbank, the local MP, has not responded to an invitation to speak at the anti-racist community march on 6 December in Falkirk and has been completely absent from counter-protests. Local councillors from across the spectrum have also shown a complete abdication of their responsibility to stand by local anti-racists who are being subject to racist, sexist and homophobic threats, violence and abuse.

However, despite the spinelessness of local politicians, the 6 December Unity March and Rally will be a turning point for Falkirk. Hundreds will march through the centre of Falkirk to show that they are united in their fight against racism and fascism. That they are fed up with the hate and division that is being sown in their community. If politicians won’t stand by us, and the police fail in their duty to protect anti-racists, then it is up to us through a show of numbers to stamp out racism in Falkirk.