There’s no doubt about it, #stopdfla was a good day out for anti-fascists, and an absolutely terrible showing for the Democratic Football Lads’ Alliance. Over 1000 militant antifascists from a broad coalition of groups mobilised for a vibrant, proudly anti-fascist unity demonstration which didn’t allow the police or the fascists to set its agenda. It went, for the most part, where it wanted. The addition of another 500-800 participants on a Stand Up To Racism rally in Old Palace Yard meant that, for the first time in London in 2018, anti-fascists outmatched what the far right were able to pull onto the street. The Unity demo’s call out was for Portland Place at 12pm, and ten minutes after noon the numbers of anti-fascist protesters, ranging from seasoned to newly recruited activists, was quickly growing. Soon afterwards, a large and dynamic contingent of women and non-binary anti-fascists approached the meet up point to join the Anti-Fascist Network grouping, and our numbers swelled. Anticipation among the crowds grew, and despite intel suggesting a potential risk of the demo being attacked by fascist hoolies at the meet up point, everyone assembled safely. We’re confident if they did happen to be in the area they’d have taken one look at our numbers, how organised our blocs were, and thought better of it.
