The Wiener Holocaust Library’s archive contains a wealth of resources which highlight the fight of British Asians against fascism, including collections on post-war antifascism and the development of the far right in Britain.
The Library’s collections showcase the relentless activity of the Anti-Nazi League and the Rock Against Racism Movement and provide a unique insight into Britain’s anti-racist, antifascist history. Additionally, our pamphlets and documents pertaining to the National Front provide a comprehensive understanding of the British far right’s ideologies and motivations.
Given the key role of British Asian communities in the fight against fascism in the 1970-80s, this South Asian Heritage Month we highlight how our collections are valuable to the study of contemporary British Asian history.
The Library’s collections provide a unique insight into British Asians’ fight against fascism in the late twentieth century. In the 1970s, the National Front had repeatedly targeted Black and Asian communities in a deliberate attempt to ‘declare the streets as theirs’. As highlighted by the document below, their ideology was based on nationalistic racism and a wish for Britain to remain a ‘white country’. They were opposed to non-white immigration and repeatedly organised anti-immigration marches.
In particular, the National Front quickly capitalised on the arrival of Ugandan Asian refugees in 1972, subsequently organising an anti-immigration campaign. Their pamphlet below deemed ‘those Asians’ a ‘threat’ to British society.

These collections can be vital in revealing the methods and motivations of far-right groups during this period. This pamphlet from 1976 is indicative of how the National Front’s intimidation specifically targeted Asian communities, such as for their Annual St. George’s Day march in Bradford.
Similarly, in 1979, the National Front announced that their St. George’s Day Meeting would be held in Southall, London’s ‘Little India’. Residents appealed to Ealing Council to cancel the meeting, but the extreme right-wing group were allowed to proceed. As a result, the Southall Youth Movement (SYM), an anti-racist and antifascist group of second-generation Black and Asian Britons, organised a demonstration opposing the meeting.
They were joined by the Anti-Nazi League (ANL) whose campaigns repeatedly exposed the dangers of the National Front. The Library’s ANL pamphlets are indicative of their strategy to label the National Front as ‘Nazis’ and ‘fascists’, rather than simply ‘racists’. This was mirrored by the Asian Youth Movements, whose campaigns also focused on issues such as self-defence, policing and working conditions.
The SYM and ANL’s demonstration in Southall in 1979 marked a key juncture in British Asians’ fight against fascism. The Special Patrol Group were deployed to keep the peace at the protest but ended up heightening tensions. As the nearly 3,000 protestors attempted to break the police cordon which protected the National Front against demonstrators, violence ensued.
As the violence escalated, Blair Peach, an anti-fascist campaigner and special needs teacher was struck on the head. The Anti-Nazi League member was taken to hospital and died that night. Ultimately, the National Front’s meeting went ahead. But what remained was an undeniable spirit of anger and resistance. That day an entire community marched through the streets to protest the invasion of their town by the far right. This defiance would continue to define British Asians’ struggle against the far right.
Overall, the Library’s post-war fascist and antifascist collections are invaluable in contextualising British Asians’ fight against the far right. They can be helpful for the study of the Asian Youth Movements in Britain, the ANL and wider British race and immigration history. Ultimately, our collections provide key insights into the ideology and strategies of the far right in Britain as well as the antifascist, anti-racist legacies of British Asian communities.
By Yasmin Gledhill, Digital Engagement and Community Outreach Officer
Further Reading:
Black Star: Britain’s Asian Youth Movements by Anandi Ramamurthy
The Failure of British Fascism: The Far Right and the Fight for Political Recognition by Mike Cronin

This blog post is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to research and share underrepresented histories in the Wiener Holocaust Library’s digital collections.