A Rejection of Hate: the Workers Party at Newry Anti-Racist Rally
September 6th 2005
The Workers Party stood in solidarity with a large crowd in Newry today, speaking out against The Time to Rise Newry group. The Party condemned the group for spreading misinformation and lies that scapegoat refugees and migrants.
Speaking on behalf of the Party, Lily Kerr told the crowd that there is no place in Northern Ireland for the hateful rhetoric and fascist ideology espoused by what she called "an unholy alliance of racists, fascists, and Nazis."
Kerr, a self-described "proud socialist," said she was happy to be "on the right side of the line." She argued that those on the other side "try to virtue signal by saying they stand united with all sections of the community."
She dismissed this notion of unity as "perverse," pointing to their alliances with extreme nationalists like the British Nationalists Party and their use of Nazi salutes. Kerr stated that these individuals are "only united in their hatred of refugees and migrants who happen to have a different colour of skin," and that there can be no justification for the "vile racism taking place across Northern Ireland."
Kerr added that the Workers Party has "nothing to say to or discuss with these people," who she believes are making "outrageous claims" about protecting women and children and defending public services. She highlighted what she called a hypocrisy within the group, noting they have accepted money from Andrew Tate, a "child trafficker," and carry placards of Conor McGregor and Donald Trump, "two adjudicated rapists." She also pointed out that two of the three people charged in the "Ballymena racist hate fest" have records for domestic violence.
According to Kerr, the blame for issues such as a lack of housing, insufficient public services, the privatisation of healthcare, and economic inequality lies not with migrants but with the "capitalist system and those in our Assembly's Executive who follow the capitalist model."
She criticised the Assembly's record over the past 25 years, stating they have only produced two "aspirational" programs for government and have failed to create an anti-poverty strategy, while simultaneously endorsing private hospitals and doing little to defend workers' rights.
She asked, "where is our bill of rights that would have ensured our rights to housing, healthcare and all the other public services needed to combat austerity?"
Kerr concluded by stating, "Newry and Northern Ireland say no to Racism, and all other forms of bigotry and intolerance." She affirmed that the "unity of the working class will never allow Northern Ireland to be taken over by fascists and those fellow travellers of Nazis."