On August 31, Toronto trade unionists, faith groups and anti-fascist activists, once again, shut down an attempt by Pegida, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident an anti-muslim group started in Germany, to rally far right and anti-Muslim bigots on Toronto streets.

Pegida’s rally was a bust--only ten people showed up. Pegida and their neo-nazi allies from groups like the Proud Boys and the Canadian National Party have tried to march every month through the streets of Toronto with a general message of hate, especially towards Muslims and immigrants. But every month they have been out-numbered by anti-hate protesters. Every attempt to march has been shut down.

This month Pegida was out-numbered by 10 to 1 as over hundred people came out on the last long weekend of the summer to say no to hate. The giant ‘Shut Down Hate’ banner that been damaged in a previous rally was prominent. A loud cheer went up when trade unionists from the Steelworkers marched in with their flags and joined the protest.

Shutting down the bigots has become a regular occurrence in Toronto but we need to continue to build bigger forces to make sure that they are never able to appear on Toronto streets with their message of hate.