STAND UP TO RACISM AND FASCISM, INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

BARAC UK is supporting the Stand UP to Racism and Fascism demo and rally taking place on 22 March 2014. We believe that Institutional Racism which is increasing daily and having a devastating impact on black workers, service users, communities and families must be challenged.  (scroll down for flyer and details).

Writing for New Economics  Foundation Zita Holbourne's contribution summarises why we should stand up against racism:

Unity in the fight against racism and austerity

Austerity and cuts are impacting disproportionately on black (BME) communities , in particular on black women and young black people. At the same time, racism is increasing daily from the attacks on multiculturalism and the growth of the far right across Europe, to the scapegoating of migrant communities by politicians and media,  and the treatment of black people in the criminal justice system, including the latest verdict in the Mark Duggan inquest.
In 2014 people of all races must come together to stand up against racism. This can be done by campaigning against austerity, defending people’s rights  to dignity, respect and equality, challenging all forms of racism and fascism and embracing our multicultural society.
Equality benefits everyone. Challenging racism and other discrimination is not the sole responsibility of those on the receiving end. We are all entitled to human rights, and we all have a responsibility to challenge any threat to those rights. It is not acceptable that we now pass to our children a worse future than was passed to us. Our movement must everyone impacted by government actions. - it's essential that we work together in the year to come to create a future the next generation can be proud to inherit.
Zita Holbourne, Co-founder and national co-chair, BARAC UK

 WHAT CAN WE WIN?

The day against racism and fascism has been organised on the 22nd of March to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which  is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)). INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

 SHARPVILLE MASSACRE

 The parade on 22nd of March will start at the Nelson Mandela Statue at Parliament Square to remember those whose lives were brutally taken in the Sharpville Massacre.

Apartheid may no longer be lawful in South Africa but institutional racism, the scapegoating of black and migrant communities and injustice and racism are increasing here in the UK and globally.  The Immigration Bill aims to create an apartheid state here in the UK.  A one day conference organised by the Movement Against Xenophobia will take place on 15th of March and the TUC Race Relations Committee will launch a charter on eliminating racism from education on the 18th of March (details to be published soon). 

We are calling on BARAC members and supporters to participate on the day and to join BARAC and others who campaign against racism, fascism and Islamophobia.  

Please find flyer below and details of some of those speaking and supporting the event.

■ No to scapegoating of immigrants ■ No to Islamophobia ■ Yes to diversity Rally and Demo marking UN Anti-Racism Day 11am, Saturday 22nd March 2014 Parade from the Mandela Statue in Parliament to rally at Trafalgar Square

Speakers: Diane Abbott MP,  Jerry Dammers, Mohammad Taj TUC President,  Ava Vidal Comedian
Download Stand up to Racism leaflet Download stand up to racism poster

email name/position/organisation to info@uaf.org.uk to add your name to the list of supporters of the Stand up to racism and fascism statement:
A day of action against racism has been called for across Europe to coincide with the marking of UN Anti-Racism Day in 2014, with eyes on the European elections in May. Already in most European countries parties of the right, centre and even the traditional left are allowing the terrain of these elections to be dominated by racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and the scapegoating of minorities – Muslims, immigrants, Roma, Black and Asian communities. Across Europe the fascist and populist racist right are on the rise. From the violent Golden Dawn in Greece, the anti-Roma Jobbik in Hungary, the Islamophobic Freedom Party of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands to the success of the Front National in France, these currents are encouraging hatred, fear and prejudice in a frightening wave across the continent. In Britain the far right is hoping for gains in the Euro elections. The British National Party (BNP) is seeking the re-election of Nick Griffin in the North West and Andrew Brons is seeking re-election in Yorkshire and the Humber. The mainstream political parties look set to capitulate to UKIP in their calls for draconian ‘anti-immigration’ policies and promoting a ‘Little Englander’ anti-foreign, anti-Europe mentality. The ‘go-home’ vans sent out by the Home Office over the summer are a sign of things to come. Hostility is already being stirred up towards Bulgarian and Romanian migrant workers who will be able to work here from January. Such campaigns simply whip up racism in general and induce a ‘blame game’ for falling living standards and squeezed incomes that falls on visible minorities in stepped up discrimination, institutional racism, abuse and violence. This all encourages currents like the English Defence League, which turn their Islamophobic prejudices into real attempts to terrorise the Muslim population – attacking Mosques, assaulting veiled women, insulting religious sensitivities with vile slogans and throwing pigs’ heads, and organising intimidating marches into Muslim communities. Following the rising violence of Golden Dawn and the murder of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas, (also known as Killah P), the Greek anti-fascist and anti-racist movement has proposed that next year’s UN Day Against Race Discrimination on March 21/22 should be the focus for actions against racism and fascism across Europe. While there is a real threat that openly racist parties may win the 2014 Euro-elections in some countries, this can be prevented by the widest possible unity against them and the mobilisation of the broadest progressive forces. Unite Against Fascism has therefore initiated this call for a demonstration and rally to Stand Up to Racism in London on Saturday 22nd March. We endorse this proposal and call on all those of goodwill to join us in a riposte to the rise of racism, to show that migrants are welcome and demonstrate our confidence in a future free of scapegoating and hatred.
Initial signatories and supporters include: Initial signatories and supporters include:
Diane Abbott MP • Peter Hain MP • Emily Thornberry MP • Jean Lambert MEP Vice President of the European Parliament Anti-Racism Intergroup •Claude Moraes MEP • Akel Britain •ANTARSYA HB • Azad Ali ENGAGE Head of Community Development & Engagement • Anas Altikriti CEO The Cordoba Foundation • Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d’Italia (ANPI London branch) • Shazia Arshad Enough Coalition • Richard Bagley The Morning Star Editor • Cathy Bayton Chair Dudley General Branch of Unison • Morris Beckman 43 Group Co-Founder •Marissa Begonia Justice for Domestic Workers • Natalie Bennett Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales • Christine Blower NUT General Secretary • Dr Mary Bousted ATL General Secretary • John Campbell Yorkshire UAF • Circolo Radio Londra – Sinistra Ecologia e Libertà UK branch • Barbara Cohen Discrimination Law Consultant • Bob Crow RMT General Secretary • Manuel Cortes TSSA General Secretary • Euan Davidson President Aberdeen Liberal Youth • Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre • Cllr Dan De’Ath Plasnewydd •Eddie DempseyRMT Paddington No1 Branch •Dudley Trades Council • Ronnie Draper Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union General Secretary • Abdullah Faliq Islamic Forum of Europe • Jake Ferguson Chief Executive officer Hackney CVS • Liz Fekete Institute of Race Relations Director • Larry Flanagan Educational Institute of Scotland General Secretary • Don Flyn Director Migrant Rights Network • Glyn Ford Labour MEP Candidate South West England & Gibraltar • Edie Friedman Executive Director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality • Gerry Gable Editor Searchlight • Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition Convenor • Alan Gibson Joint Sec. Hackney TUC • Steve Gillan POA General Secretary • Jessica Goldfinch Progressive Jewish Community of East Anglia Frances O’Grady TUC General Secretary • Greece Solidarity Campaign• Chris Greenwood Founder & Curator, Red Line Artworks •Hackney Refugee Forum • Halkevi Kurdish & Turkish Community Centre • Dennis Hambridge Global Human Rights Activist • John Hannett USDAW General Secretary • Steve Hart Unite the Union • Billy Hayes CWU General Secretary • Zita Holbourne Black Activists Rising Against The Cuts National Co-Chair / PCS NEC • Kate Hudson CND General Secretary • Sally Hunt UCU General Secretary • Fevzi Hussein Embargoed! Chairperson • Sarah Isal European Network Against Racism • Sylvia Ingmire Co-Ordinator / CEO Roma Support Group • Owen Jones Writer and journalist • Chris Keates NASUWT General Secretary • Paul Kenny GMB General Secretary • Bruce Kent VP Pax Christi • Dilowar Khan East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre Executive Director • Aaron Kiely NUS Black Students’ Officer • Mohammed Kozbar British Muslim Initiative • Hugh Lanning Unite Against Fascism Vice Chair • Jon Lansman Left Futures Editor • Lewisham Anti-Racist Action Group • Lewisham TUC • Max Levitas Cable Street Veteran • Tom Machell Prospect CMD Sector Executive (PC) • Len McClusky Unite the Union General Secretary • Gloria Mills TUC Race Relations Committee Chair •Lesley Mercer CSP Director of Employment relations and Trade union services • Gay Moon UK Race and Europe Network (UKREN) Chair • Rhetta Moran NUJ / Justice for Bolton • Gerry Morrissey BECTU General Secretary • Jock Morris Chair Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees• Movement Against Xenophobia • Farooq Murad Muslim Council of Britain Secretary General • Steve Murphy UCATT General Secretary • Rob Murthwaite UCU London Region Equalities Officer {PC} • Middlesex Anti-Racist Action •Canon Barry Naylor Hon President Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (UK)- Chair of Global Council of International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines • Chris Keates NASUWT General Secretary •  National Union of Students•Ged Nichols Accord General Secretary • Parikiaki • Cllr Deniz OguzkanliHackney • Phyllis Opoku-Gyimah UK Black Pride Executive Director • Lord Herman Ouseley • Glenn Page Plaid Cymru Youth Director of Policy and Campaigns • Palestine Solidarity Campaign • Mike Payne GMB Regional Political Officer Wales & South West Region • Peoples Assembly Against Austerity • Rex Phillips NASUWT Wales Organiser • Dave Prentis UNISON General Secretary • Prodeftiki • Cllr Ian Rathbone Hackney • Habib Rahman Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants Chief Executive • Andy Richards Regional Secretary Unite Wales • Refugee Workers Cultural Association • Belinda Robertson Regional Womens and Equalities officer Unite Wales • Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary • Linda Shampan Jewish Socialist Group • Leon Silver East London Central Synagogue President & Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum Steering Group Member • Balwinder Singh Sikhs Against The EDL • Varinder Singh The Turban Campaign Director • The Sikh Federation UK • Lorna Soloman Homerton Hospital And Community services UNISON • Michelle Stanistreet NUJ General Secretary • Andy Stone NUT Rep, Francis Xavier College • Mohammad Taj TUC President • Union of Cypriots in Britain • Martin Sleath UNISON Notts County Jt Branch Secretary • Martin Timpson Merseyside Stop the War • Ava Vidal Stand up Comedian • Rabbi Lee Wax • Matt Wrack FBU General Secretary • Mick Whelan ASLEF General Secretary • Maurice Wren The Refugee Council Chief Executive • Salma Yaqoob • Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu Unite Against Fascism Joint National Secretaries email name/position/organisation to info@uaf.org.uk to add your name to the list of supporters of the Stand up to racism and fascism statement   Transport