Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn joined the Tower Hamlets Unity Demo in Whitechapel, calling the event ‘historic’ after the Met Police blocked a planned UKIP rally in the borough.
The peaceful protest, which happened on Saturday and was organised by community coalition United East End, took place opposite Whitechapel Station from 12pm to 1.15pm under police instruction to remain brief.
The gathering brought together Tower Hamlet residents, faith leaders and anti-racism campaigners.
Co-chairing the event were Dr Abdullah Faliq, trustee of the East London Mosque and founding member of United East End and Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of Stand Up To Racism.
Faliq opened the event, calling it ‘a milestone for the borough’ and reminding the crowd that Tower Hamlets has a history and legacy of fighting fascism’.
Dhalu said the borough’s defiance echoed historic moments such as the Battle of Cable Street, urging people ‘to mobilise with us in a national campaign against racism and Islamophobia’.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman addressed the crowd next, highlighting Tower Hamlets’ diversity and crediting his team for ensuring the event remained peaceful.
He said: “More than 140 languages are spoken in our borough. It shows the strength of our heritage and our diversity.”
He added: “We stood against fascism in 2010, 2011 and 2013. I remember in Whitechapel how thousands of people marched to the gates of Aldgate to stop the EDL marching into Tower Hamlets.
“You have done so again today, you have stopped the UKIP and the far right from coming to Tower Hamlets, and we will do so in the future.”
When Jeremy Corbyn addressed the crowd, he thanked Mayor Rahman and praised the mix of people gathered.
Corbyn said: “Look around you in the crowd, what do you see? People from all nationalities, from all ethnic communities, speaking all languages- young, old, Black, white, male, female, everybody is here.
“We are united in the kind of community we want to live in.”
Corbyn went on to criticize the far right, naming leaders such as Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage, arguing that their campaigns exploit hardship in deprived communities.
He said: “They’re singing from the same hymn sheet. They go around the country to any community that is hard up… and then they say: ‘This is all caused by refugees and migrants that have made their homes in our society’.
“It’s complete nonsense, and they know it.”
He added: “The cause of all those problems is neoliberal economics, underfunding of public services, and austerity 2.0…It’s inequality, injustice and the rich that have caused these problems.”
Corbyn then delivered a pointed message: “Our message is that Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage jog on, jog off, get lost. We, the people, will decide on the future.”
Speaking afterwards to the Londoners, Corbyn said his message to young people in the borough was one of pride and responsibility.
“You have a wonderful borough to be growing up in… be happy and joyous for it. But above all, however well you do in life, put something back for those that haven’t done so well,” he said.
Organisers said the demonstration, which ended with the afternoon call to prayer at the East London Mosque, reflected Tower Hamlets’ tradition of solidarity against hate. No incidents have been reported.
Featured image credit: Isabella van der Putten
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