Blame Billionaires, Not Immigrants: Confronting far-right rhetoric with working class unity

On May 16, the far-right group “Stand United Canada” called for a slow-roll convoy to provincial and national borders across the country.  

 

Why call for a disruption on Victoria Day long weekend? Because it was aligned with the UK Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” rally. British far-right organizers used Nakba Day, knowing there would be mass demonstrations of Palestinian solidarity, to rally anti-immigrant hatred out on the streets. 

 

“Stand United Canada” and Nazi Propaganda 

 

“Stand United” is one of many far-right groups that has cropped up vaguely calling for government accountability. Rooted in anti-vaxx agitation and the ‘Freedom Convoy’ movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the group has diversified its concerns from State overreach to “mass immigration”. 

 

Calling it a “nationwide strike” from a grassroots movement of community organizing, they encourage Canadians to “stand up, speak out, organize, resist” in joining a movement. The mission statement boldly proclaims that “The power of the people is stronger than the people in power” and they are hoping to unify Canadians through public education, mobilization, and protesting when necessary to make voices heard. 

 

The website itself carefully avoids overtly racist language, harnesses real working-class concerns of failures of government to address the affordability crisis, highlights the need for direct action, amplifying marginalized voices, and coming together across all struggles that are “interconnected fights for justice.”  

 

From first glance, this group could be on the left as it tries to tap into the anger at the crises working people face. But history tells us that veiled hatred defined through “mass deportations” deteriorates with ease into extreme and violent ethnonationalism, outright xenophobia, and anti-democratic fascism. 

 

Appealing to common interests while also scapegoating a group of “non-citizens” to unite the working class, lumpen, and middle-class petty bourgeoisie is a ticket-winning recipe for building a fascist movement looking to consolidate authoritarian power.  

 

How do we ‘call-in’ a proto-fascist movement? 

 

But as tempting as it to call everyone participating in far-right rallies “fascists” and “nazis”, it’s unfortunately not that helpful.

 

Recognizing the budding and fertile ground of rising far-right movement building is important. But we challenge the movement by organizing those drawn to its socialist underpinnings by demonstrating that the grievances are legitimate, but the object of blame is those in power - not immigrants who have nothing to do with the deterioration that is occuring. 

 

When the working class is divided, the true culprits of these crises including billionaires, corporate grocery giants, oil companies, and greedy landlords, are absolved from their responsibility. 

 

Countering actions like the convoy on May 16 is extremely important. If these movements take up public space unchallenged, they will continue to grow. As the polycrises of our world deepen under capitalism’s inherent contradictions, it is easier for many to descend into fascism.

 

It can feel maddening when we see fellow workers and community members blame immigrants, parrot racist lies, and not see the true roots of the problems we currently face. 

 

We all need to commit to a program of ‘everyday antifa’ in our various spheres of influence (credit to reproductive justice organizer Loretta J. Ross for flushing out this concept). Finding common ground and prioritizing overlapping values can be exhausting work but it is essential to building a common front fight-back against the ruling class.  

 

We must not underestimate the kind of difference we can make in our communities when we make small and meaningful political interventions driven towards working class unity.