Far-right activists attempted to disrupt a Socialist Party meeting in Leeds on Monday 7 January. Photo: Leeds rs21

Leeds Socialist Party ‘visited’ by far-right

We send our solidarity to Socialist Party members in Leeds following a far-right attempt to disrupt a meeting.

On Monday evening, 7 January a meeting of the Leeds branch of the Socialist Party was disrupted by members of a far-right gang.  Shouting racist abuse and threatening members of the audience, the would-be fascists were forced out of the city-centre venue without any injuries being inflicted.

SP member Ian Dalton said, ‘We were actually able to carry on with our meeting as planned. But like the attempt to disrupt the RMT picket in Manchester on (last) Saturday, this is a warning’.

Of late, Leeds has been the focus of fascist attentions since the court appearances of far-right icon Tommy Robinson, which at one stage in June 2018 saw around 400 mainly out-of-town Robinson supporters go on a drunken rampage following his custodial sentence for perjury and contempt of court.

This was followed later on 7 July 2018 when under the guise of the Democratic Football Lads Alliance – although amended to the Yorkshire Patriots – around 70 ragged racists attempted to march in the City centre of Leeds, only to be stopped by a blockade of around 200 anti-fascists of the AFN.

This latest attempt to violently disrupt a socialist meeting in the very centre of Leeds has been taken by all as a potential warning, and in a healthy sign of unity, has drawn messages of solidarity for the Leeds Socialist Party from across the anti-fascist spectrum.