Close to a busy intersection in Bloomsbury in central London, with large red-arched windows, and a jumble of books outside for passers-by to browse through, stands Bookmarks, one of London’s last remaining socialist bookshops. Just off Tottenham Court Road, the bookshop is something of a rarity in central London, where independent shops have been under pressure from sky-high rents and competition from online marketplaces.
On August 4, just before closing time, a group of around 12 masked far-right demonstrators attacked the bookshop, attempting to “intimidate staff and customers and to destroy books and materials”, Bookmarks said that day. Images of the protesters showed one wearing a mask of Donald Trump, while another held a placard reading, “British Bolshevik cult”. No one has been arrested to date, but the U.K. Independence Party said it had suspended three of its members, who had been involved in the incident.
Earlier that day, a “Make Britain Great Again” demonstration had taken place in London, one of several far-right protests that have taken place in the British capital this year. The attack provoked an outpouring of support in Britain and beyond — from academics, trade unionists, politicians, and others such as film director Ken Loach and singer Billy Bragg. “The support has been absolutely overwhelming,” said David Gilchrist, the manager of Bookmarks.
Born in the 1970s and initially located in north London, Bookmarks has grown from selling a handful of pamphlets and books to being one of London’s last remaining socialist bookshops. Alongside having publications from across the world on themes ranging from anti-Semitism, anti-racism and Islamophobia, to critiques of the Empire and texts on socialist political philosophy and history, the bookshop gained support after becoming the official bookseller of the nearby Trade Union Council. It also publishes a range of its own books, alongside paraphernalia such as anti-racism mugs, busts of prominent socialist leaders and activists, and sardonic postcards.
“There has long been an appetite in the U.K. on issues such as the struggle against racism, anti-colonial struggles and women’s liberation so we’ve always had an audience for a wide range of historical and political texts,” said Mr. Gilchrist. The bookshop has seen interest rise at times of political upheaval in Britain — such as in the build-up to the 2003 Iraq War, when it formed one of the hubs for the massive anti-war movement in the country.
Pressure from Amazon
It has faced challenging times too — not the least with the rise over the past few years of Amazon, which has piled pressure on London’s independent bookshops (just over a 100 remain). “We’ve found that we can hold ground because there are people who trust us and know we can have a knowledgeable discussion to help them find what they want,” said Mr. Gilchrist.
The emergence of Mr. Trump and the alt-right on the one hand and the appetite for socialist politics in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn’s rise in the Labour on the other have seen a resurgence of interest again, said Mr. Gilchrist.
The attack is the first one on the bookshop, and Mr. Gilchrist has little doubt on who is to be blamed. “We will be more watchful and take more precautions during far-right demonstrations,” he said. “But we won’t let them silence us... That would be giving them victory. And the solidarity we’ve seen since the attack shows we are much stronger than they are.”
Vidya Ram works for The Hindu and is based in London.
