On Saturday, 25 October, ACT UP London will be marching in solidarity with Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants (LGSM) and the East End community of Tower Hamlets as they counter protest against UKIP on the streets of Whitechapel.
ACT UP stands united with East London and the migrant community. We are queer, we are diverse, we are anti-far right, and we push back. We know that anti-migrant violence and anti-queer violence go hand in hand. Far-right groups like UKIP seek to use racist, Islamophobic, homophobic and transphobic hate to scapegoat minorities.
Tower Hamlets is the heart of the East End, with a rich history of multiculturalism and fighting fascism. Almost 90 years ago, in October 1936, the East End rose up in the Battle of Cable Street against the British Union of Fascists (See lead image).
Again and again, this community has met the far right head-on – from the National Front (NF) in the 70’s, BNP in the 90’s, EDL in the 2000s, Britain First in the 2010s, and now on 25 October 2025, we face yet another attempt to darken our streets with division, hate and lies.
The East End is home to all. It reflects what ACT UP stands for. We are Queer. We are Trans. We are the Global Majority. We are Allies. We are residents of Tower Hamlets. We are people who live with HIV.
Join ACT UP London in the Queer Bloc at Whitechapel Station, 12pm, Saturday 25th October.
ACT UP. Fight back. Fight fascism. Fight the rise of the far right. Fight AIDS. Get tested.
Background to ACT UP and UKIP
Much like the East End, ACT UP has a history of pushing back. When the then-leader of UKIP attacked immigrants living with HIV, ACT UP mobilised. Hoping to promote personal growth, on World AIDS Day 2014, HIV activists dropped a hot steaming pile of manure in front of UKIP’s Croydon Office – a pungent protest against the vile rhetoric. While the manure was not effective in inspiring growth for UKIP, it did aid in uprooting bigotry: within two weeks, the landlord terminated UKIP’s tenancy.
In 2015, ACT UP held a Beyond UKIP Cabaret of Diversity. Locals joined migrants, mothers, people living with HIV, and anti-fracking campaigners for a powerful night of workshops, performances, and joyful resistance.
