#London #Antifascists - Statement On The Attack In #Manchester

24.5.17

Last night at 10.30 PM at a pop concert in Manchester Arena, an explosion killed at least 22 including children and injured at least 59. Reports have been coming in during the early hours of the morning confirming the suspect to have been killed in the blast. This has been described as one of the deadliest attacks in the UK of the last decade. There is still speculation as to the motives of the killer and an ongoing investigation to uncover whether they acted alone or part of a wider group. What we do know is the misery following this horrific attack will be hijacked by the grief vultures of the far right. Already high profile racist Katie Hopkins is calling for a “final solution” on Twitter, while other fascist media personalities are scrambling for any information they can twist in order to fuel their anti-migrant, anti-Muslim agendas, and continue attacking the Left who dare challenge their blatant racism. There are two fascist demonstrations planned for Liverpool and Manchester in the coming weeks that will, no doubt, use last night’s tragedy in order to attract bigger numbers and use the deaths of dozens of ordinary people in order to grow their organisational capacity. They must be opposed. What we also know is that black, Asian and Muslim communities in the UK will bear the brunt of the inevitable racist fall-out from this attack. The media will allude to the killer acting in the name of Islam, and people will be out for revenge fuelled by the hate-mongering far right. Of course, the irony being the ideology that incites such hatred and bloody violence, which is shared by extremists from ISIS to National Action, is fascism. Vilifying Muslims in the name of freedom only plays into the hands of the same forces of reaction that breeds terrorist organisations. The most under threat of terrorists in the Middle East are Muslims, Kurds, and other ethnic and religious minorities. This is not a race war and blind nationalism is not the answer. This is the people’s war. Anti-fascist comrades from Manchester and London are fighting together on the frontlines in Rojava, in the name of class struggle, liberty, and international solidarity. This is the time to resist the far right’s cynical attempts to capitalise off of a grief stricken community once again. This is the time to come together and fight and not allow the bourgeois class to continue to sow division and suspicion amongst ordinary working people. This is the time to recognise that our liberation is tied up in the liberation of our working class siblings who struggle all around the world. Our thoughts are with all of the victims, their friends and families in Manchester throughout this difficult time, and our Manchester comrades. Your struggle is our struggle.