BARAC PRESS RELEASE, REV. JESSE JACKSON SUPPORTS LONDON PROTEST FOR TRAYVON MARTIN

PRESS RELEASE

BLACK ACTIVISTS RISING AGAINST CUTS (BARAC) UK

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, JUSTICE FOR TRAYVON MARTIN

A protest has been called by Ava Vidal, Campaign For Justice, BARAC UK, Tottenham Defence Campaign and Right to Protest

On 31^st of March, 1.30pm to 4pm, Outside the USA Embassy

24 Grosvenor Square

, Mayfair, London. W1A 2LQ

Joint Chairs of BARAC, Lee Jasper and Zita Holbourne will be speaking at the protest alongside Ava Vidal (Comedienne and Writer), Merlin Emmanuel (Campaign for Justice),  Marcia Rigg (Sean Rigg, Justice and Change Campaign), Bishop Wayne Malcolm and Kanja Sesay (NUS Black Students Campaign).

Rev. Jessie Jackson, Civil Rights Activist said;   

“I welcome the demonstration taking place outside the US Embassy on London in support of Trayvon Martins family. This case caused shock and alarm not just in the US but throughout the entire world. For Black communities in London England and in the US justice and accountability sometimes comes with a colour qualification. The denial of basic justice for the Martin family speaks across nations and continents. Black men are being murdered whilst no one is held accountable. This is a recurring global theme and requires that we act in international solidarity in support of justice for all these families.  I fully support the London action"

Lee Jasper, Joint Chair of BARAC, Human Rights Activist said;

“Mark Duggan from Tottenham London, Isiah Young-Sam from Birmingham, TJ Hickey an Australian Aboriginal and Trayvon Martin form Florida US. The one thing all these cases have in common is that Black men are dying and no one is being held to account. The families are denied justice and the rights of black people throughout the world are further degraded as a result. Here in the United Kingdom we need a full public inquiry into al suspicious deaths in police custody of we are to avoid a repeat of the riots we saw last year. Where there is no justice there can be no peace. Today we protest about the shooting of Trayvon and ask people to wear there hoodies and come along to the demonstration. The black community in Britain understands the pain of the Martin family in that sense for all black people worldwide we are Trayvon Martin. That could be anyone one of us or our children and we will not simply stand by and watch our young men die without consequence.” 

Zita Holbourne, Joint Chair of BARAC, Activist and Poet said;

“It’s shocking that there are laws in existence which protect the guilty but offer no protection to the innocent. It’s essential to have a global response to injustice and racism where ever it takes place. We have a collective responsibility to respond because the horrifying truth is that it could be anyone of us, given the number of deaths in custody, by police and through unjust laws that we have seen in recent times. We must continue to campaign and speak out until we see justice and an end to racist scapegoating and blatant disregard for human life.

Trayvon Martin, aged 17, was shot dead on 26 February 2012, whilst walking home from a local shop having purchased a can of iced tea and a packet of Skittles. His killer, George Zimmermann, a self appointed neighbourhood watchman admitted to having killed Trayvon, claiming that he had felt 'threatened' by the teenager. Since the murder, police recordings of 911 calls made by eye-witnesses to the murder, and the harrowing call made to the police department from Zimmerman himself as he stalked the child moments before shooting him have been made public, causing outrage across the United States and wider.

Despite his admission of the killing, Florida’s Sanford Police Department have not arrested or charged Zimmermann, allowing him protection through the State's stand your ground law, which protects those who claim to kill in 'self defence'. Despite the public outcry including a petition attracting millions of signatures and wide spread protests across the United States, Zimmerman is still being afforded his freedom.

BARAC have jointly called the London protest with other campaigning organisations and individuals both in solidarity with the family of Trayvon Martin but in global solidarity with all those families fighting for justice for family members, disproportionately young black men in the UK, who’s lives have been taken in police custody or at the hands of the police.

Protestors have been asked to wear hoodies and bring packets of skittles as a symbolic gesture in recognition of the hoodie Trayvon Martin was wearing and the packet of skittles he was carrying when he was murdered.

ENDS

For media enquiries with BARAC contact as follows;

Email: barac.info@gmail.com

Tel: Lee Jasper 07984181797   

Web: http://www.blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com/

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