The owners of Britain’s largest socialist bookshop have said the store was attacked by masked far-right protesters who chanted fascist songs and threatened staff.
Authors and an MP were moved to express solidarity with workers at Bookmarks Bookshop, on Bloomsbury Street in central London, after around a dozen people stormed in on Saturday night.
It followed the conclusion of a "Make Britain Great Again" protest against the censoring of a conspiracy theory website nearby.
A spokesperson for the bookshop said:“They threatened staff and attempted to destroy books and other materials ... this is the true face of fascism. No Pasaran! [They shall not pass!]”
The store declared that following the “fascist attack” it would be calling for solidarity in response, saying: “Under attack, we fight back!”
Stand Up To Racism, the anti-fascist pressure group, said one of the attackers ransacking the shop wore a Donald Trump mask while others carried placards reading “British Bolshevik Cult”.
A member of staff told the organisation that books on Islamophobia were "ridiculed and thrown around".
"They chanted about Muslims and paedophilia, and called us traitors. While not mentioning Tommy Robinson, the links are there to see," the worker said.
Stand Up To Racism added that the attackers threatened to return and picked a copy of The Jewish Question off the shelf, "holding it aloft as proof of the antisemitism of the left".
Michael Bradley, speaking on behalf of the group, said: "Luckily no one was hurt this time, but this is a sinister development that indicates the growing confidence of the far right who feel they can attack a bookshop in central London in broad daylight.
"Attacking a bookshop also exposes their claims to be defenders of free speech as hollow."
Demonstrators with the same placards were seen earlier in the day protesting against Facebook’s decision to suspend American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his Infowars channel for bullying and hate speech.
Others wore “Make Britain Great Again” caps.
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq denounced the “utterly despicable” incident in a tweet, saying: "Free speech and independent bookshops – under threat in an age where intolerance and Amazon flourish – should be cherished. Utterly despicable."
Support also came from singer Billy Bragg, who wrote on Twitter: "Bookmarks socialist bookshop has been attacked by mask wearing fascists. Send them your solidarity".
His post was shared by children's author Michael Rosen, while writer Jonathan Coe tweeted "this is shocking".
Police said they were called to reports of a protest inside the shop at around 6.30pm.
“Police received a second call a short time later stating that the group had left the premises after causing some damage inside the shop,” said a Met Police spokesperson.
“There were no injuries. An appointment has been made for officers to speak with the complainant. No arrests have been made.”
Bookmarks, the Trades Union Congress official bookseller, offers a selection of books on activism, economics and history.
A video posted on YouTube entitled "MAKE BRITAIN GREAT AGAIN INVADES COMMUNIST BOOKSTORE" was posted on the website before later being removed by the user.
