Jeremy Corbyn addresses anti-racism protest outside Cardiff Central

Jeremy Corbyn told protesters outside Cardiff Central that he was seeing “unprecedented” backing for international solidarity as people gathered for an anti-racism demonstration on Saturday 24 October.

The former Labour leader and former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood addressed the Stand Up To Racism gathering in Central Square. A couple of hundred people attended despite warnings of rain and wind during Storm Boelo, according to WalesOnline.

People travelled from across Wales, carrying flags and chanting in solidarity with Palestinians and those facing racism and Islamophobia. The storm had disrupted transport and forced events elsewhere in the country to be cancelled.

Face-covering debate prompted protesters to attend

Many of those attending had been motivated by a motion brought to the Senedd by Reform UK’s Jason O’Connell on Wednesday 21 October. It sought a ban on Muslim face coverings, including the burqa, which the party described as “anti-British” and part of an “alien culture”.

Wood welcomed the opposition the proposal had faced, telling the crowd: “It was so good to see them robustly challenged in the Senedd on Wednesday.”

The demonstration also drew people responding to anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth in September, while others pointed to demonstrations elsewhere in Europe and concerns over housing, living costs and public services.

Cardiff resident Alice Nicholson said she believed governments were scapegoating immigrants during an economic crisis. She argued that people opposed to racism could organise to challenge the far right.

Tony, from Gilfach Goch, said his reason for joining was to demonstrate unity. He blamed cuts to services rather than immigration for the problems people were facing.

Source: WalesOnline