The Afghan Hunger Strike, the Racist Counter Demonstration and the Left

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Sunday May 21, 2006 23:41 by Hs - sp (personal capacity)

How should we respond?

On Saturday we witnessed one of Ireland’s first organised racist counter demonstrations. The demonstrators while being made up of what can only be described as very disenfranchised poor who were joined in the evenings by an assortment of drunks. But there was at least on Saturday afternoon a number of ordinary working class residents who were angered at the attention being drawn to the refugees, while their local area suffered huge social problems.

The Afghani hunger strike took everybody by surprise and everybody’s work in trying to build support and solidarity has to be taken in this context. Residents against Racism played a role far greater than their size and resources and should be commended. And activists from right across the left put time and resources in. What was probably a little less surprising but nonetheless shocking was the reaction of many people towards the strikers.

Opinion was split within Ireland and although it was an emotive issue I was surprised at some of the very bitter points of views being expressed. While canvassing for support on Henry Street I was struck with the venom that some passers by had for the strikers. Socialist Youth members who were leafleting with students from the hunger strikers schools also got a hostile reaction. Although it must be said we got just as much positive but less vocal reaction from other passers by.

Many people who had never darkened the door of St Patrick’s (and probably never will) were suddenly outraged that the building was closed. And most others had long forgotten their own history. One man who debated with us on Henry Street finally was booed off by onlookers after admitting he had three migrant sisters in the US, it seems for many Irish, migration is only for ourselves alone. And underneath whatever veneer many expressed was an underlying racism. The old “I’m not racist but…”

On Saturday we witnessed one of Ireland’s first organised racist counter demonstrations. The demonstrators while being made up of of what can only be described as very disenfranchised poor who were joined in the evenings by an assortment of drunks. But there was at least on Saturday afternoon a number of ordinary working class residents who were angered at the attention being drawn to the refugees, while their local area suffered huge social problems. There have been rumours that the event had been organised by two conscious fascists, one recently arrived ironically enough from England. A migrant himself! If this is true it is an ominous development. Although it shouldn’t be over emphasised as it’s still only two boneheads.
But it's certain if there had not been a heavy police presence there would have been alot of violence.

The counter demonstrators (at least the sober ones) complained of the massive social problems in their area and that they were being ignored by the government and the “do gooders” more concerned with foreigners than “their own”. More than one “proved” this by saying no of us cared about our own homeless. The people involved in street scene might want to answer this charge.

Children too were easily recruited by the counter demonstrators and encouraged by other adults. At one point kids even arrived with a large banner with the words “Let Them Die” sprayed across it. Pretty nasty stuff for pre teens.

That too was not so surprising as racist incidents have been very common in that area. One delegate at the last Socialist party conference from the liberties reported very negative and racist attitudes in the local schools and a hardening of opinion towards minorities in the area by extremely young children.

Its obvious to everyone on the left the social problems in working class areas have little to do with migration. There was tens of thousands on the housing lists long before the migrants arrived. And those social problems which exist would still exist if every hunger striker is deported tomorrow. The locals who complained have every right to complain but they are looking in the wrong direction. They were in essence supporting McDowell a man who holds working class people and their communities in utter contempt, and the same party which used single mothers as scapegoats before migrants became easier targets.

The question is what can we do about it. I know the socialist party members in the area contacted local community activists to explain the situation and also leafleted the area, and other groups probably did the same. And while many left wing activists live locally and quite a few locals did come out in support. There was a lack of large scale support from the area. One activist from England said she felt there almost seemed to be a class divide between the locals (working class) and activists (middle class), which I don’t believe was true but I can see how it could look that way.

It has definitely pointed to a situation in Ireland that there is an audience out there for racist politics, and it looks like racists are beginning to come out of the closet. That’s not to say an Irish National Party will pop up overnight, The popularity of Sinn Fein would make it difficult for that to happen. But a well placed demagogue with funding could possibly make an impact. And push racist attitudes even more in the open. Especially as the media love to highlight these sort of people whether they have a base or not.

We have to counter this not only with moral ideas, ie racism is bad. In fact that sort of moralism could do more to alienate the disenfranchised poor. We have to come from a class position and fight on social issues from a class basis. So we can answer that we are fighting for homeless and housing etc and we have to through our working class organisations, groups and parties offer a voice to the disenfranchised. (the trade unions were conspicuous by their absence throughout the week). We have to lay down roots in working class areas and especially when campaigning, not disappear as soon as the campaign is over. We will also have to be prepared to work together a lot more coherently. More organisation is needed rather than less. And most importantly we have to put forward a coherent and united strategy when and where divisive racist politics rears it’s head. This is yet another reason that Ireland needs a new working class party, and although it’s obvious we can’t just conjure one up overnight we have to start working towards that goal sooner rather than later. The only real way to cut across the basis for a right wing openly racist BNP type party is fill the vacuum on the left.