Southport murders and fascism

Andy Cunningham provides a local perspective on events in Southport and argues for clarity about the threat of fascism and the importance of uniting the Gaza solidarity movement with the antifascist movement.

On Monday, it was with shock that I received the news of the murders in Southport. It is the summer holidays and many people are sending their children to kids clubs and activities – that this very normal act might lead to their death is an appalling thought. As the news filtered through on Monday, people waited with dreadful anticipation to learn the full extent of the horror. 

The authorities were quick to reassure people that there was no ongoing threat and that they had someone in custody. The usual police nomenclature that it was a ‘mental health’ issue meant that this wasn’t a terrorist attack (the police only have two reasons for mass murders). With the suspect in custody and details of the attack starting to emerge, the grief of the community started to emerge.

On Tuesday, an organised vigil outside the Atkinson (a prominent local theatre) became a focus for the community’s grief. Friends who went along described it as overwhelming and deeply sad. Teacher union activists have spoken about how the community is ‘reeling’ from the attacks.

However, while the community grieved, another response was developing online. Lies and misinformation about the suspect in the killings, spread first by a fake news site with Russian links, incorrectly identified the suspect as a man with a Muslim name who had arrived in Britain in a small boat last year. Fascist and racist social media accounts and networks were quick to jump on this ‘information,’ amplifying until the original post had over 2 million views. 

The disinformation campaign culminated with a fascist riot on Tuesday night in Southport. The rioters mostly came from outside Southport (with those arrested coming from various locations in Lancashire and Merseyside) and had known fascist elements – members of the EDL and Patriotic Alternative were present. The rioters attacked a mosque, looted a Muslim-owned corner shop, burnt cars and smashed up people’s walls to throw rocks at the police. 

The rioting on Tuesday in Southport has already been followed by fascist mobilisations around the country. More will follow this weekend. So why now? What has changed?

Part of the current mobilisations has come out of the election results. Firstly, the right’s perception of the Labour government is that it is soft on immigration. Secondly, Reform won four MPs in the election – a party with fascists in it now has MPs and this gives the right confidence. Lastly, we cannot underestimate the effect of the US elections – fascist content emanating from America helps to drive an echo here in Britain.

In Lancashire, where the initial riots began, the election results showed just how big the reservoir of right wing politics is. Although the map looks red, full of Labour MPs, the combined Tory and Reform vote was often higher. Like a lot of the rest of the country, the story of the election was one of splits in the right rather than a rejection of that politics.

This resurgence of street fascism has been unexpected and the left is still scrambling to respond. There are some things we should insist upon, however. Just as we have done in the past, the best way to defeat fascism is to physically confront it on the streets. Our side needs to coordinate our responses to fascist protests so that people have the confidence to attend and take the streets.

We also need to be clear that what we are facing is fascism. If the recent French experience shows anything, it is that you should call a spade a spade and a fascist a fascist. It is no use talking about the ‘left behind,’ ‘the far-right’ or the ‘dispossessed’ – these labels all have the effect of legitimising fascism and obscuring its real threat. Already, some Labour politicians are talking about ‘legitimate grievances’ or ‘real concerns about change and immigration.’ This is rubbish and merely panders to the right.

Lastly, we need to unite the hugely impressive Gaza solidarity movement with the antifascist movement if we are going to effectively combat the fascists. Muslims are the principal group under attack by fascism at the moment and we need to both stand with them and encourage them to confidently combat the fascists on the street.