London calling: Stop the far-right around the globe!

International summit against fascism and racism, 16 and 17 November, London

We call on activists and movements around the world to participate in this vital international event to be held in London on 16 and 17 November, to discuss and plan how to face up to the growing global threat of fascism and racism.

Internationally we are seeing the increasing spread of racist ideas — including Islamophobia, scapegoating of refugees and migrants, antisemitism, and racism targeting Gypsy Roma and Traveller communities — alongside the growth of racist populist, far right and open fascist parties.

Such parties have existed in many European countries for decades. The elections to the European Parliament in June 2024 were a warning that they are now growing faster.

Then Le Pen’s fascist Rassemblement National was the party most voted for in the French general elections, growing from 89 to 143 seats, while the fascist led AfD in Germany won the regional election in Thuringia with 33 percent and came a close second in Saxony with 31 percent. Finally, at the beginning of August, Britain saw the most violent racist pogroms in perhaps a century, with attacks on refugee accommodation, mosques, migrant-owned shops, and people.

From the Mediterranean to the Channel, needless and avoidable tragic deaths are the norm. Sickeningly, there is a callousness to human life pushed at the heart of the narrative of mainstream government policies and rhetoric, seized upon by the racist populists, far right and the fascists alike. If safe and legal routes to access the internationally recognised human right to claim asylum were available, the crisis of tragic deaths in small boats could be stopped immediately. We must fight to demand that governments implement safe routes now, demand that refugees are welcome and also build the unity we need to challenge the far right and fascists seeking to demonise refugees, migrants and Muslims, to spread hate and gain influence on the streets. 

All this forms part of a very worrying global situation. The far right Javier Milei is president of Argentina while racism against migrants and indigenous people is increasing in many other Latin American countries. In Africa, the Tunisian president is promoting the far right and fascist influenced Great Replacement Theory, while migrants in South Africa are suffering attacks by street gangs as well as increasing state racism. Migrants and minorities across Asia and Australasia are also under increasing attack.

But none of this must allow us to forget that a majority of people still reject fascism and racism. We must mobilise the anti racist majority internationally, to take our streets and be the dominant voice in workplaces, colleges and communities to challenge racist division and the threat posed by fascists organising.

This was confirmed by the magnificent anti racist protests which massively outnumbered the fascists and racists across Britain during August 2024. We should also remember that there have been mass protests against AfD in Germany, with around 70,000 people protesting against their congress in Essen at the end of June. Big mobilisations against the fascist FPÖ (who are poised to do well in the September general election) started the year in Austria. In France, the electoral advance of the fascists sparked off enormous mass protests across the country.

All this shows both the need and the potential for building and strengthening the united movement against racism and the far right in more countries.

This unity is even more necessary given that the far right also attacks women’s rights, foments hatred against LGBT+ people and many other groups, and promotes a denial of climate chaos and the threat of the pandemic that claimed 7 million lives, disproportionately impacting black people.

We have to stop the fascists from taking over our streets. We have to stop racism — including state racism and the assault on refugee rights, and the hatred pumped out by the media.

Specifically, we encourage movements to organise activities around two key dates: International Migrants Day, on 18 December 2024; and the week of 22 March 2025, International Antiracism day, when there should be actions in the maximum number of cities possible. 

It is a hard struggle, but essential; if we unite, in all our diversity, we can win.

This international summit to stop the rise of fascism, racism and the far right is for the existing united movements in different countries, and also for all those who want to get involved to help build such movements.

• Saturday 16 November will be a large event including many hundreds of activists from across Britain, sharing their recent experiences alongside international delegations. 
• Sunday 17 November will be a working and coordinating meeting specifically among international delegates, to discuss how to build the movements in our different countries and how to extend our global network.

• We can look at the possibility of lodging international delegates in the houses of local activists. If you would be interested in that, please contact us as soon as possible.
• We are looking at the possibilities of translation, but we will not be able to provide UN type conditions. In any case, if you would be interested, please contact us as soon as possible.