International Socialists (CWI Scotland)

The Scottish Defence League sufered another defeat when they were unable to march or hold a static rally in Edinburgh on Saturday 10th October. The Scottish Defence League had planned to have a Rally and March from the American Embassy to the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh. But Edinburgh Council banned the SDL from holding the march.  So the SDL, decided to have a static protest instead. Edinburgh United Against Racism and Unite Against Fascism held a counter demo.

 On the day around 400 anti-racists/fascists, trade unionists, socialists, and ordinary workers meet at the Mound to protest against the SDL.   There were a number speakers such as the STUC Dave Moxton, Malcolm Chisholm, Labour MSP, and other anti-racists. The message that Edinburgh was a multiracial, multi-cultural and multi-religious City and that we needed to stand in solidarity with the city’s Muslims and against the poisonous bigotry of the SDL.  

None of them addressed the increase in racism linked to the economic crisis and the cuts being carried out by the Con-Dem government and other capitlaist parties. Or the need for a fightback by the national Trade Union leaders against it.

We then marched from the Mound about half a mile down Princes Street where we stopped by police lines. We stood around at the police barricades, shouting slogans and singing anti-fascist songs. In the end fewer than 100 SDL were mobilised, heavily outnumbered by police and anti-fascist protestors.  

SPS member sold 12 papers and 2 Rise and Fall of the SSP pamphlets, handed out 200 SPS leaflets arguing that the best way to fight racism and fascism is to fight All the Cuts being instated by the ConDem government and the SNP government in the future. As well as building a political alternative for next year’s Council Elections by putting forward anti-cuts candidates.