Make it your new year’s resolution to go and demonstrate for social justice and against far right bullies.
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
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We can beat the far right because we have a secret weapon. Most people don’t agree with them. Our challenge - your challenge - is getting those people to stop quietly disagreeing and start shouting and demonstrating.
Ottawa was a turning point for a lot of folks who woke up to the danger. Knowing where to start can be difficult when joining this fight against the racist right, white supremacy, misogyny, and anti-2SLGBTQ+ hate. Let’s bring those people in, bring them to demonstrations, and show the far right bullies that they aren’t welcome in our communities.
The number one thing you can do (and tell everyone else to do) is show up. Go to demonstrations when social justice groups put the call out - whether that’s for drag and queer event defence, Black and Indigenous lives, climate justice, reproductive rights, against antisemitism and Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, or for other anti-oppression causes. Show solidarity and make friends. And when the far right bullies try to take up public space and intimidate our neighbours, show up to that too. Yell at them, wave signs, and stand between them and their targets. Make them feel unwelcome and fewer of them will show up next time.
Here are 5 ways you can fight hate in 2023.
Get together with your friends, family, and neighbours to form a group of 5 or 6 people that'll go together to demonstrate against the far right. If you're a few people short, make some friends at the next demonstration. Going with a group both protects you, and builds numbers so that the far right knows they aren’t welcome in your community. Keep each other in the loop and put the call out when it’s time to demonstrate. (And ask your friends to subscribe to our newsletter!)
They're coming for drag events, trans and 2SLGBTQ+ people more than any other community right now and many drag and queer events are being protested by the far right. Go show your support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community by forming protective barriers for the patrons and the performers. Many of these counter demonstrations are not adversarial, and in fact have a fun vibe to them, with dance parties and music. Go with your solidarity group, and meet others who are committed to community defence.
2022 saw an alarming number of far right groups and individuals attempt to stack school boards in an effort to oppose gender inclusivity and anti-racism in the classroom. Most lost, but some won. In the months since, there have been incidents at school board meetings where far right networks showed up to disrupt and cause a disturbance. If you get wind of your school board experiencing protests, make plans with your solidarity group to show support and be present.
Everyone has a significant role to play. Maybe you're in a remote area, or have mobility issues. If you can't come to demonstrations, you can still be eyes and ears for people on the ground by monitoring social media and exposing the far right’s plans. Find researchers in your area, or nationally, to pass the information to, or create social media accounts to share it yourself. Read our Get Involved page to see ways it can be done, and how to keep yourself safe.
When you’re at demonstrations, make sure somebody in your group is keeping a camera (or two) on the far right agitators at all times. Not only does it keep us safer, but it shows the world who they really are. For example, it isn’t uncommon to see the far right talk about “sexualization of minors” ahead of protesting a family-friendly drag event, but then use hateful homophobic or transphobic slurs while there, exposing who they really are. Then, show your footage to the world (safely).
Remember to not film or photograph those opposing the far right. There are monstrous harassers in the far right movement that look at that kind of content to find their targets. It’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure safety not just for themselves, but for their community.
One of the ways that antifascists protect communities is through both mutual aid and direct giving. Our list from 2021 is a good place to start.
We also need your help, and always appreciate your contributions at antihate.ca/donate.
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How venues and community members can identify and avoid booking far-right performers looking for a platform, and what to do if you already have.
Organizers say the protests will continue indefinitely until the tax is repealed.