Dawn Butler on stopping the racists
Black History Month is a time to honour the struggles and incredible achievements of those who came before us — but this year, we did so against a troubling backdrop.
In September, over 100,000 people marched through London in a rally led by Tommy Robinson.
Some of the images were shocking: far-right thugs clashing with police, streets in chaos, and hateful signs demanding, “send them back.” Equally, the images of some families encouraging children to chant Islamophobic abuse, while others treated it as a day out and being patriotic. It is true that not everyone on the march was racist, but it does seem that all the racists were on the march.
It was a stark reminder that, despite the progress we’ve made, racism and far-right intimidation are on the rise. It is a warning for us to act now. Peaceful protest is the cornerstone of our democracy – but what we saw at that rally went far beyond that. It left our diverse communities shaken.
Whether it was people being assaulted or abused on the street, intimidating protests outside asylum seeker hotels, or racist graffiti. It’s created an atmosphere that feels unsafe for many. I have felt more unsafe with online abuse, and I’m scared to be offline too.
A troubling shift is taking hold: the visible rise of racism, anti-migrant sentiment, and hostility towards asylum seekers.
And it is slowly escalating into abuse directed at anyone of colour. As Chair of the Parliamentary Black Caucus, I stand in solidarity with those fearful. I have also received an increased amount of vile racism on social media. It seems that racists and far-right individuals are feeling emboldened.
We must be clear: free speech is not hate speech. As division threatens to take root, we must stand united against those who seek to tear us apart. There is nothing wrong with being proud of our flag. However, at times it has been raised as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and threaten certain communities. It has been used as an act of violence.
This is why we must reclaim the flag from the far right. Whether we like it or not, it is the far right that has been most closely associated with it, and which traumatised a generation of people.
I have said previously that, before we embraced the flag, we needed to do the hard yards of reclaiming it from the far right through context and narrative. I don’t believe that has been achieved so far. We must ensure the flag sends the message we want: a country that is proud, diverse, respectful and accepting.
It’s more important than ever to say, Black History is British History, and celebrate the contributions of all our diverse communities. The government must show leadership. It must challenge racist rhetoric and behaviour and take far more seriously the threat posed by the far-right, which police identified as the UK’s fastest-growing domestic security threat.
We must hold true to our Labour values – avoiding the trap of competing with right-wing parties. The Government has listened, learned and changed course. But it must go further and faster. The far-right wants to divide us. So, when there is a far-right rally, we must be there; when one of us is attacked on social media, we must have each other’s backs. It is only our unity that will stop them.
The real division isn’t between communities, but with the powerful super-rich who exploit and profit from fear and division. It is their business model to keep you distracted and hating those who look different from you, so you forget to look at them exploiting systems and workers, so they become super rich. The top 50 richest families in the UK now hold more wealth than the poorest half of the population.
That is why it is so important for good people to unite. It is the only thing that has ever worked against white supremacy. We must be optimistic and give people hope. Painting only a bleak picture of our country leaves a vacuum quickly filled by those scapegoating others.
It’s why I’m so proud of London – the greatest city in the world. London shows us what is possible: positivity, diversity, acceptance, and a place where people can be who they are. Our unity is our strength.
It is time to stand together, challenge hate wherever it emerges, and ensure compassion and solidarity are at the heart of who we are. I want to stand up for a patriotism that is inclusive, welcoming, and proudly anti-racist — because only unity and solidarity will defeat the far-right. I say loudly: it is us against them.
Stand up and stand united.