The ‘Pink Ladies’ far-right demonstration at Downing Street on Wednesday, 1st October was met by counterdemonstrators of Women’s Stand Up to Racism, reports Neil Harris

The Women’s Stand Up To Racism counter-demo was a success. The turnout was at least as many as that of the far right which seemed to incorporate a group called ‘The Pink Ladies’ and a substantial cohort of men.

Initially, SUTR was situated roughly 100 feet from the fascists on the same side of the street, but as I arrived, the police began to move us across to the Downing Street side opposite the ‘The Pink Ladies’ and their male confederates.

The demo was peaceful but elements of the opposition, mainly men, persistently sought confrontation by crossing the street with cameras and aggressively pushing their way into our group. The police generally stopped them but did seem slow at times to intervene and some threatening confrontations bordered on violence.

The counter-demo was loud and vociferous, and many highly eloquent and passionate women spoke, including Diane Abbott (the sole representative from Labour) and Lisa Moorish amongst many others. All pointed out, from various insightful perspectives, the misdirection and misinformation of the far right. They shift the blame for our problems onto the most vulnerable of our society and claim that immigrants and asylum seekers are responsible for violence against women and girls, while supposedly getting ‘preferential’ treatment and ‘living in luxury’.

The counter-demonstration showed solidarity and courage resisting and debunking the false narratives of the ‘Pink Ladies’ and their confederates who are attempting to portray themselves not as racists but as ‘normal’ and ‘reasonable’ people ‘protecting’ women and girls. They also claim that they are not ‘the extremists’ and that we, the socialist left are.

Women Against the Far Right shows us how vitally important it is to challenge these false narratives in the community and as broadly as possible.