The leader of Jobbik, one of Europe’s largest far-right parties, held a rally in London on 26 January.
Jobbik, which is now the third-biggest party in Hungary, campaigns on an explicitly anti-semitic, anti-Roma platform. Its paramilitaries violently attack Roma communities, while its parliamentary statesmen denounce Zionist conspiracies and demand that the government draw up lists of influential Hungarian Jews.
With elections in Hungary approaching, Jobbik’s leader, Gábor Vona, came to London to drum up support amongst the city's large Hungarian community.
Jobbik supporters were due to meet at Holborn tube station, but on their arrival discovered over a hundred anti-fascists gathered at the entrances. Protected by a thick line of police, the fascists were trapped in the ticket hall for several hours. Eventually police ushered them back onto the trains, relocating the rally to Hyde Park.
The Holborn protest was one of the more effective anti-fascist mobilisations I have seen. Unite Against Fascism (the SWP-controlled front that dominated proceedings) has earned itself a bad reputation for organising stationary, passive protests away from where fascists congregate. However, in Holborn, the anti-fascist mobilisation was effective in physically blocking and disrupting the fascists’ attempts to go about their business.
Scuffles between anti-fascists and groups of Jobbik thugs trying to find their way around central London continued throughout the day.
Encouraging also was the number of Hungarians who joined the anti-fascist crowd.
