Following the recent anti-gypsy racism expressed throughout the media, and from Dover council, the fascist National Front called a demonstration hoping to tap in to this sentiment.
The racist Asylum and Immigration Act has meant that many people fleeing persecution will not be entitled to state benefits, though local authorities have a legal responsibility under the Children's Act and the National Assistance Act to provide basic necessities such as food, shelter and clothing. Rather than demand that central government provide resources, the council has instead tried to discourage Eastern European Romanies from fleeing persecution in the first place. The national media has been almost unanimous in supporting this racist approach.
Against this background the NF obviously expected to be able to build upon local racist sentiment. The attendance of 60 on it's demonstration showed that it had badly mis-calculated. The counter-mobilisation(s) of around 300 anti-fascists was a brilliant success in comparison.
The NF were forced to march 2 hours earlier than planned, with police escorting them back to their coaches. The NF were forced to abandon their rally at the end of the march.
The anti-fascist mobilisation was extremely useful, with a group of around 150 marching from the town centre to the port (where the fascist march was taking place), breaking through police lines on a number of occasions. Many local youth joined the anti-fascists as they marched through the town.
Despite the success of the counter-mobilisation, the left showed itself to be hopelessly divided. Had the fascists been more successful in their mobilisation, this could have proved disastrous. The Anti-Nazi League held its own demonstration of around 50, whilst Anti-Fascist Action, eager to "do the business" kept away from either demonstration, and were kept by police in the pub that they met up in until after the fascists had left.
The main bulk of the anti-fascists met at a rally centrally organised by Youth Against Racism in Europe (YRE) and the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR). Around two thirds of those at the rally were in neither organisation and decided to march to the port where the NF where. Both the YRE and NAAR remained at the rally, presumably to deliver speeches to each other.
Anti-fascists cannot afford this level of disorganisation and divisions when faced with fascist thugs. The chaotic and pitiful nature of the fascist mobilisation meant that it didn't really matter in the end at Dover. We cannot, however, rely on such poor turn-outs from the far right. The far-right are likely to grow as more and more people become disillusioned in new Labour. It is essential that the left is able not only to provide a political alternative, it must also be able to physically counter the threat of far-right thugs in a disciplined and unified way.