An anti-racism march will take place through Portswood High Street this Friday evening, organised by the Southampton Stand Up To Racism group (SSUTR). The event, scheduled for tonight at 5pm, comes after several months of anti-illegal migrant protests outside the Highfield House Hotel, led by local residents concerned about the housing of illegal-migrants in the area.
Stand Up To Racism, which is led by controversial ex-Labour MP Diane Abbott, has worked closely with Labour councillors, religious leaders, community groups, and trade union representatives in recent months to organise counter-demonstrations outside the hotel. The group’s organisers say the events are aimed at supporting migrants and opposing what they describe as a growing tide of far-right sentiment in the UK.
The group’s official website warns: “We are witnessing an alarming growth in the threat posed by the far right in Britain. The release of Tommy Robinson from prison has further boosted their confidence. Senior Tories like Boris Johnson launching attacks on Muslim women will only increase Islamophobia and further encourage these forces.”
Abbott goes on to say, “But if the violence and hatred are to be stopped, politicians first need to be prepared to call racism out for what it is.”
Diane Abbott has previously been suspended from the Labour Party on two occasions over anti-semitic remarks and was forced to apologise after being photographed drinking alcohol on the London Underground, a breach of the law.
The SSUTR march is scheduled to begin at 5pm on Portswood High Street.
