Resistance Is Existence: A night of defiance in London

A packed London event brought together leading voices to confront crisis, rebuild power, and reimagine resistance across Europe

DiEM25’s Resistance Is Existence event brought London to life on March 24, drawing a packed and energised audience for an evening of political debate, culture and collective defiance. At a moment of deepening crisis across the UK and Europe, the gathering delivered exactly what it promised: a space where resistance was not only discussed, but felt, shared, and strengthened.

The evening combined political urgency with cultural expression, as leading voices from across movements came together to confront rising authoritarianism, economic injustice and democratic decay.

In the first half, DiEM25’s political director Erik Edman hosted a discussion between our co-founder Yanis Varoufakis, former MP Laura Pidcock, and Brian Eno, while the second half saw Yanis share the stage with former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Green Party leader Zack Polanski and author Grace Blakeley – two powerful circles of conversation that produced insights and actionable solutions.

Opening by English comedian and DiEM25 CC member Francesca Martinez / (c) Chloe Chia (Haych)/DiEM25 (full gallery)

English comedian and DiEM25 Coordinating Collective member Francesca Martinez warmed up the crowd with a powerful account of what resistance means to her, interwoven with her renowned humour, before Nigerian poet, playwright and performer Inua Ellams provided an absorbing poem on the challenges and contradictions of our time.

Erik Edman, Yanis Varoufakis, Laura Pidcock and Brian Eno / (c) Chloe Chia (Haych)/DiEM25 (full gallery)

Throughout the night, speakers returned to a central theme: that democracy must be reclaimed and rebuilt from below. Former Labour MP Laura Pidcock urged the audience to rethink where power lies.

“We have to widen our conception of democracy… let us expand our imagination for everywhere we can build power for ourselves,” Pidcock stated.

She emphasised that real change depends on collective agency: “We have to start getting back control through our sense of self, community and power.

“We have to look for every single opportunity where democracy could and did exist. If we think about inside workplaces and the levels of collective coverage of trade unionism, if we think about some of the mining lodges, they got things done in the communities… so this isn’t about forgetting parliament and thinking only local – let us expand our imagination for everywhere we can build power for ourselves.”

Musician and long-time DiEM25 supporter Brian Eno reflected on the movement’s evolution since 2015, warning: “We are dealing with fascism now. It intends to end the game of democracy, it intends to smash the game of democracy. I think a lot of people have realised that.”

His call to action was simple but urgent: “We aren’t going to win on our own – we have to organise, we have to form communities. The thing I’ve noticed the most over the last 10 years, is that community is the big word.

“Find someone who is doing something you admire, and help them – try to do something, don’t just sit there worrying, actually get into something – that makes a huge difference.”

On international justice, Corbyn highlighted the need for accountability, pointing to efforts to investigate Britain’s role in Gaza: “If the ICJ has decided that acts of genocide are taking place… that makes the British government complicit in genocide.” His message was clear: resistance must take many forms – “march, meet, demonstrate… it all helps.”

Polanski outlined immediate political priorities – electoral reform, a wealth tax, and ending homelessness – while author and DiEM25 Coordinating Collective member Grace Blakeley highlighted the importance of rebuilding labour power:

“If we’re going to shift the balance of power in society, we need to really focus on rebuilding worker power. People need to be able to say ‘if you don’t give me a wage increase in line with inflation due to a war started by a maniac halfway around the world, then I’m going to go on strike, and you’re going to have to deal with that’.”

“All of these pillars need to come together. And as the Left, we are all working in different ways to build this power. And for the first time in a long time I do see some hope that we might be able to come together and translate into something that really scares those at the top.”

Yanis Varoufakis, Zack Polanski, Jeremy Corby and Grace Blakeley / (c) Chloe Chia (Haych)/DiEM25 (full gallery)

Across speeches, performances and conversations, a shared conclusion emerged: resistance is not abstract, it is something we do, together. And in London, for one evening, that collective power felt not only possible, but already in motion.