Features / Racism
Women willing to stand up against far-right lies
A panel and workshop organised by Stand Up To Racism brought together women, anti-racist organisations and allies, keen to discuss strategies to counter the right-wing weaponisation of violence against women and girls.
Easton Community Centre was a hub of activity as it hosted the packed-out Women Against the Far-Right event.
The impetus for the event was increased racism on the streets, as well as a desire to undermine the rhetoric of the far-right that women are under threat from refugees and asylum seekers.
“This event is for women to state that they don’t believe in those lies and that we’re willing to stand up against them,” said SUTR activist, Issy Beauvoisin, adding that women have been at the forefront of many of the counter-demonstrations that have taken place across the country, including in Bristol.
“It’s not a man’s job to be anti-fascist. Women are perfectly capable of leading and organising these demonstrations.
“It also serves to undermine the fact that the far-right are saying they are protecting women and children, when there are more women on the other side, saying that’s not true.
“We can stand up for ourselves, thanks. We don’t need you to protect us.”
The most recent ‘Bristol Patriots’ rally took place outside a hotel in Redcliffe housing asylum seekers – photo: Rob Browne
Eastville Green Party councillor and chair of the adult social care policy committee, Lorraine Francis, was a speaker at the event, and keen to point out the collective effort of anti-racist campaigners and local organisations in coming out to defend refugees and asylum seekers in hotels.
Many at the event had attended some of the counter-protests outside hotels in Bristol city centre in recent months.
Lorraine has been one of them, chanting, singing and playing the drums, and not leaving until the other side has completely dispersed.
“It’s an important thing for me, as a councillor, to do,” Lorraine told Bristol24/7.
Despite not really knowing the precise intentions of the hotel protesters, Lorraine was keen to focus on the vision of the counter-protestors: “We know what our plan is: that we want a unified Bristol. We don’t want division, we don’t want hatred.
“So we’re here today to talk about those things and to talk about why it’s not acceptable, and why we need to push back.”
When asked about the role of Bristol City Council in dealing with the rise of the far-right, Lorraine stressed their initiatives to reach out and have conversations with local communities and stakeholders.
However, she thinks more could be done to bring in the voices of individuals not tied to community organisations, who often have few platforms to express themselves.
She also mentioned that work had been done with the police, but recognised that the picture is complicated by their role in the protests: “They say they’re there to protect both sides, but I can assure you that on every occasion, they’re facing us as opposed to facing that way.
“So, it does make us think, you know, are the police there to protect everybody, or the handful of far-right?”
“I have not had hate coming from Eastville,” said Green councillor Lorraine Francis. “So I am so grateful. I love the community.” – photo: Kiran Dhami
The panel discussion on Saturday also featured Finn Mackay, feminist activist and sociology lecturer; Sedef, a local community activist; and Jas Tippett from Bristol Community Action.
Sedef recounted her experiences of racism as a visibly Muslim woman as well as the importance of building resilience, while Jas led the audience through a somatic exercise to help calm the nerves.
Finn made a rousing speech, pointing out that violence against women and girls is only important to the far-right when it is supposedly men from different ethnic backgrounds who are abusing women.
“The fascist far-right has always been about the control of women,” Finn said, “and in the absence of the government really addressing the root causes of violence against women – which is endemic across all of society and in all communities – some people are swayed by the idea that the main threat is only from particular communities.
“We need to be clear: abusers are going to use whatever they can, that goes for all men.”
The workshop gave participants a chance to discuss some strategic organising questions:
- What creative actions can be done aside from traditional demonstrations?
- How can more young people and schools get involved in anti-racist actions?
- What can you do if a loved one is drawn to far-right ideas?
The discussion was lively, and it was clear there was a big appetite to build more support and better coordinated efforts.
Alys and Omar were two attendees who came because of the sense of imminent threat being posed by the far-right – photo: Kiran Shami
Alys Pearce and Omar Malas were two attendees who came to the event because of the sense of imminent threat being posed by the far-right across Bristol.
Alys talked about how the language of “taking on the far right” initially felt intimidating, and that it took her a while to get involved. But the knowledge that the far-right has been organising very cleverly and doggedly for the past decade pushed her to come and meet like-minded people.
Omar was thinking about other potential places where conversations with those who hold anti-migrant views could be held.
The event ended on a hopeful note, with the announcement of a unity march in early 2026 to celebrate the diversity of Bristol and to show that resistance to racism and fascism is growing – and increasingly led by women.
One of the participants summed it up: “Women obviously don’t all agree on everything, but we can be headed in the same direction.”
For more information or to get involved with Bristol Stand Up To Racism, follow them via Instagram: @sutr_bristol
Main photo: Kiran Dhami
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