Text of Socialist Party leaflet for tomorrow’s counter-protest against the far-right
Today’s counter-protest is an important show of opposition to the far right. Lies, scapegoating and intimidation should not go unchallenged on our streets. Globally, wherever the far right gains ground, it increases the threat to the rights of people of colour, migrants, and LGBTQ people in particular. They have organised this protest at the same location as the weekly Palestine protest, which is part of an international movement of solidarity they bitterly oppose.
Why we have to protest & organise against the far right:
Demonising migrants
The far right scapegoats migrants, blaming them for a housing crisis created by successive governments and linked to that, the profiteering of landlords and developers. They spread misinformation linking refugees and asylum seekers to crime and gender-based violence, playing on racist myths. These lies are a real threat to the safety of migrants and people of colour in Ireland.
Spreading Queerphobia
In Cork and elsewhere, the far right have engaged in attacks on library workers, due to the presence of LGBTQ and sex education literature in our libraries. Internationally, we are seeing a massive assault on the Queer community – from Orban in Hungary banning Pride events to the raft of anti-trans measures introduced by the Trump administration.
Sexual predators and misogynists
The far right actively and consistently promote a culture of toxic masculinity, rigid gender norms and misogyny, which helps fuel gender-based violence. They are representative of the global manosphere which upholds such figures as rapist Conor McGregor, who they are pushing forward for Ireland’s Presidency.
A false opposition to the system
The far right present themselves as opponents of the government and seek to gain support off the back of real crises in housing and the cost of living. But they never challenge the profiteering capitalist interests at the root of these crises. Instead, they let these forces off the hook by directing people’s anger towards the most vulnerable. In Trump’s US, we see the real meaning of far-right rule – rule by billionaire oligarchs and sweeping attacks on the living standards of working-class people.
To defeat the far-right, we need to get organised
Today’s counter-protest is urgent. We need big mobilisations on the streets, in a safe and disciplined way, which show that huge numbers of people oppose the agenda of the far right. But we also need a movement which can counter their growth and present an alternative. It could bring together all those threatened by the far right in a united movement – including migrants, people of colour, queer people, women and the major trade unions of workers. Workers such as library and healthcare workers have been targeted by far-right intimidation – the unions with 500,000 members should play an active role in the fightback.
We must present an alternative to the far right’s narratives. The far right seeks to pit ordinary people against each other in a struggle for ‘’scarce’’ resources – the truth is that the resources exist in our society to ensure homes and a decent life for all But right now they are used to enrich a wealthy minority at the expense of all working class people.
Socialist change needed – Get organised with the Socialist Party
Capitalism today means housing and cost of living crises, increasing authoritarianism, genocide, worsening racism, misogyny and queerphobia, ecological disaster and the domination of society by a small layer of billionaire oligarchs. All of these conditions fuel the growth of the far right. The Socialist Party is seeking to organise a struggle against this system and for a socialist alternative where the wealth and resources are taken out of the hands of the super-rich and used for the benefit of all by bringing them into democratic public ownership. Now is the time to get organised. Contact us to learn more.
