20,000 confront racism in Belfast

In Belfast, the capital of that part of Ireland still under control of the British ruling class, some 20,000 people gathered to demonstrate the unified anti-racist sentiments of the majority of the population. The action was held outside Belfast City Hall and organized by United Against Racism in what was called the “Together Against Hate” mobilization. 

The solidarity protest, which was supported by local trade unions, was organized as a mass response to assaults by masked racists who targeted immigrants and ethnic and religious minorities, setting fire to houses and cars. Some African migrants were forced to barricade themselves in their homes.

The racist attacks were encouraged by the most racist and anti-migrant parties in Britain and also by U.S.-based, superrich Elon Musk, an icon of the combination of vast wealth and the most backward, bigoted social ideas infesting ruling-class circles.

Belfast’s mass anti-racist initiative reminds U.S. observers of the massive mobilization in January in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stormtroopers, who are the paid mercenaries of the MAGA regime.

The U.S. anti-racist holiday of Juneteenth will be on Friday, June 19, and provides a good opportunity to express anti-racist solidarity. 

For more information on Juneteenth and the unfinished struggle against U.S.-based racism, see these articles: [Links to Monica’s editorial and Larry W’s article]