The Troth issues a statement of support and appreciation for UK Heathens against Folkish organizing.

On September 11th, 2023, the Pagan Federation published the following statement to their website, which read, in part:

On the 8th of September 2023, newly appointed AFA folk builder James Saunders posted on Twitter/X that the AFA will be hosting its first Winter Nights event at Stonehenge on 28th of October 2023 at 7pm[xix].

We cannot allow the AFA to desecrate a symbol of our cultural heritage and a site of spiritual significance to Pagans across the UK with their imported brand of racist, homophobic, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic Paganism that shares nothing with the inclusive contemporary iteration of British Paganism, and which is fundamentally incompatible with the wonderfully diverse multicultural communities of the UK.

This open letter served as a clarion call to Heathens worldwide, who pledged their support to UK Pagans. They created a petition on Change.org and within hours it had been circulated across the globe. Heathens from all corners of the world came together simply to sign the petition as a show of solidarity with the UK Pagans against Folkism.

The organization, collaboration and coordination of the Pagan groups in the UK successfully gathered so much support and backlash that the stunt was ‘rescheduled’ and the Folkbuilder’s account deleted within a day. The petition still circulates with upwards of 5000 signatures, and though the issue for now appears to be decided (with the event being cancelled), inclusive Heathens from around the world still want to show their support.

The initiative shown by the UK Pagans to organize and fight back had inspired the whole world. But our support cannot be limited to only when Folkist beliefs threaten our communities.

We must also acknowledge that the threats of White Nationalism and radical far-right terror are not only coming from within Folkist communities, but from without in a resurgent Christian White Nationalist movement. We must also understand that the coordination and sympathy between White Christian Nationalism and Folkism is deep and will be long lasting if permitted to thrive.

Not only does The Troth pledge its unequivocal support to communities who peacefully organize to protest Folkism and White Nationalism when it strikes, but further we pledge our support to the interfaith development of our shared values of inclusivity, equity, diversity and building strong, resilient communities based on those values.

The thanks of Heathens around the world go towards the people who stood up and organized to push back against this hate movement.

Thanks too go to those who spread the message on their platforms: the social media influencers, the Discord admins, the YouTubers and the everyday people who just shared it with family and friends.