After the 25th Anniversary of the racist murder of Jay Abatan – the campaign going forward. Justice must be served!

 

Press Statement: Justice for Jay Campaign
 Immediate Release,  31^st January 2024
 

After the 25^th Anniversary of the racist murder of Jay Abatan – the campaign going forward. Justice must be served!
 

 

 Background

Jay Abatan, a black man of mixed Nigerian and British heritage, died on 29th January 1999, following an unprovoked attack by a gang of white men, in the early hours of the 24th of January in Morley Street, Brighton. He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital with significant head injuries and never regained consciousness. He was placed on life support which was switched off five days later.

 

Twenty Fifth Anniversary events

 

29^th of January 2024 was the 25^th anniversary of the death of Jay and still no justice has been served despite the killers being known to the police. This, combined with a catalogue of failures by Sussex Police and failures in the judicial system, mean that twenty-five years on, nobody has been convicted for Jay’s murder.

 

New evidence that police officers that bungled the case holidayed abroad with suspects has come to light yet Sussex police have failed to act upon this.

 

To mark the 25^th anniversary, a  well-attended vigil was held  outside Brighton Police station the day before, on Sunday 28^th of January and a meeting in the Houses of Parliament took place on the anniversary, Monday 29^th of January, launching a pamphlet about the campaign, attended by the Abatan family,  members of Parliament, representatives from BARAC UK, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Brighton and Hove Stand Up to Racism,  who are part of the Justice 4 Jay Campaign, plus representatives from various campaign groups and journalists.

 

Sir Peter Bottomley MP chaired the meeting.

 

Other MPs in attendance included Bell Ribero-Addy, Claudia Webbe, Jeremy Corbyn, Kim Johnson, Richard Burgon and Annelise Dodd. Messages of solidarity were received from MPs who wished to attend but were unable to, due to other business and these included Caroline Lucas who has agreed to table an Early Day Motion, John McDonnell, Beth Winter, Barry Gardiner, Peter Kyle and Sam Tarry.

 

Speakers at the meeting included brother of Jay, who was also attacked at the same time as Jay, Michael Abatan, Zita Holbourne, Chair of BARAC UK and Hector Wesley, PCS NEC.

 

Over the 48 hours, the campaign garnered mainstream national, local and international news coverage.

 

Taking the campaign for justice forward

 

Going forward, Justice for Jay will be stepping up the campaign to ensure that justice is served.

 

There will be an Early Day Motion and a series of parliamentary questions tabled in parliament and MPs will be writing to Sussex Police.

 

There will be formal complaints lodged with the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the campaign will be pursuing a public inquiry and an investigative inquiry as well as legal action regarding the criminal aspects of the case which include the killing of Jay Abatan but also the physical assault on Michael Abatan.

 

The Alliance for Police Accountability are supporting the Justice for Jay campaign. A fundraiser has been launched, administered by BARAC UK, to raise money towards legal fees.

 

To support the campaign:

 

•      Messages of solidarity and information relating to the case, can be sent to:

justiceforjayabatan@outlook.com and barac.info@gmail.com

•      Join the Justice for Jay Facebook page   https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForJayAbatan

•      Donate towards the legal fundraiser - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/justice-for-jay-abatan

•      Write to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, calling for a new public inquiry into the killing of Jay Abatan - pcc@sussex-pcc.gov.uk

•      Download the pamphlet in electronic form here; https://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com/2024/01/justice

-4-jay-25th-anniversary-event-in.html

•      Write to your MP asking them to sign the EDM 349, tabled by Caroline Lucas MP on 1st February 2024

•      Invite a speaker from the campaign to your trade union / organisation AGMs, branch meetings and conferences

 

Michael Abatan, brother of Jay Abatan, Justice for Jay campaign said:

 

 “The new witness coming forward shows that it is not too late to get justice for my brother.  I have been humbled by all the support I have received and thank everyone mentioned in this statement. It has been a long fight for the truth which is yet to come out. I will continue to keep a clear and open mind and let the evidence speak for itself. I urge anyone with any information to come forward and do the right thing. Injustice for one is injustice for all”

 

Zita Holbourne, National Chair BARAC UK, Justice for Jay Campaign said:

 

“Twenty-five years is too long for any family to have to dedicate lives fighting for justice, it is too long to wait to grieve. The Abatan family need and deserve answers, they need justice, and we need to see the killers and those who helped cover up their crime, punished. Justice must be served and we will be working as a community to support the family in ensuring that it is.” 

 

Ends

 

Contact: justiceforjayabatan@outlook.com or barac.info@gmail.com

 

#Justice4Jay  #JayAbatan #SussexPoliceAreNotInnocent

Support the work of BARAC UK by affiliating to us, making a donation to us or donating to our humanitarian aid crowdfunding platform

 

https://uk.gofundme.com/f/BARACHumanitarian

BARAC AFFILIATION FORM

 

To affiliate to Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK please complete and return this form together with a cheque or alternatively pay directly into our account bank account.

 · I wish to affiliate to BARAC UK annually;

£10 Individual concession

£20 Individual waged

 £50 Local organisation

 £100 Trade union branch or Trades Council

£200 National trade union or organisation

 

 · I wish to give a donation towards BARAC’s work; £250 £100 £50 £35 £25 £10 Other

 

 £ .….….….….….

 

· I enclose a cheque for a total of £ ..........

 

made out to BARAC UK or Black Activists Rising Against Cuts

 · I have paid the following amount £……….. into the BARAC Bank Account:

 

BARAC UK Bank details:

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK

Barclays Bank

Sort Code 20 67 90

Account No. 53317803

 

 

Signature:

 

 Date:

 

Name of Organisation (if applicable)

 

Name:

 

Position:

 

Address:

 

 Tel no.:

 

 Email:

 

 

 

 

Please return affiliation form (and cheque) to:

 

 BARAC UK C/O Zita Holbourne, National Co-Chair BARAC UK PCS HQ 160 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2LN

 

 Alternatively email to: barac.info@gmail.com

 

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK Web: www.blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com

 Twitter: @baracuk

Facebook: BARAC UK

Instagram: BARACUKoriginal

 

 Thank you for your support

crowdfunder for BARAC Humanitarian aid supporting refugees

Press Announcement: Zita Holbourne, Chair of BARAC UK to give the Slavery Remembrance Dorothy Kuya Memorial Lecture 2020

Zita Holbourne, Chair of BARAC to give the  Dorothy Kuya Memorial Lecture as part of the International Slavery Museum; Slavery Memorial Weekend of online events. 

BARAC UK is delighted that our National Chair; Zita Holbourne has been asked to give a lecture for Slavery Memorial Day 2020 . The lecture has previously been delivered by Diane Nash, Selma Voting Rights Campaign, Ndaba Mandela, son of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King III, son of civil rights leader Martin Luther King. 

Zita Holbourne said:

"It is an honour and privilege to be asked to deliver this important lecture to mark Slavery Remembrance Day and in memory of the phenomenal campaigner for race equality and justice, Dorothy Kuya. At this time where there is a growing black lives matter movement globally, after over a decade of austerity impacting adversely and disproportionately on black communities  and in the midst of the coronavirus crisis which is also impacting disproportionately it is crucial that the legacies of enslavement and colonialism which contribute to systemic racism today are addressed as a matter of urgency. The themes for this year's UNESCO Slavery Remembrance Day are healing and remembrance. We remember the plight of our ancestors and the brutality they faced but we live with racism every day - for healing to happen there must be reparations and there must be race equality in our lifetime."

"Striving for Race Equality, Justice and Freedom. Zita Holbourne is a lifelong community and human rights campaigner and activist, as well as an artist, curator, poet and writer. She avidly campaigns for equality, freedom, justice and human rights and will delve into these topics as part of her keynote speech, discussing reparations for past atrocities, healing our collective trauma and equal rights for the future generations. From Windrush to the disproportionate impacts of Covid-19, systemic discrimination and State brutality to everyday racism and micro aggressions, we are living with the legacies of enslavement and colonialism. Zita will explore this difficult but much needed narrative."  International Slavery Museum

"Zita Holbourne is a tireless national campaigner fighting for equality, freedom and racial justice. A lifelong trade union and community activist she has lead the campaign against racism and austerity for over ten years as co-founder and National Chair of Black Activist Rising Against Cuts ( BARAC UK).

Zita is a beacon of resistance amongst the black community both in the UK and internationally. 

It has been inspiring to work alongside her in BARAC UK and I am so pleased that she has received this recognition. 

Her grassroots work in fighting for the rights of others and to demand social justice are to be commended. It is a fitting achievement that Zita is to give the International Slavery Museum Slavery Remembrance Lecture 2020."

Donna Guthrie BARAC UK Women's Officer

"Zita Holbourne is a long standing campaigner, trade unionist and internationalist who has inspired me and many others over many years. She is a firm believer in the principle of self-organisation and the empowerment of oppressed people.

It's been a privilege to have worked alongside her within our trade union (PCS) as well as BARAC UK. I have always admired her tenacity, particularly in difficult situations.

I am so pleased that Zita has been invited to give the Dorothy Kuya Slavery Remembrance Memorial Lecture this year. Noting the eminence of previous recipients of this honour it is well deserved recognition of her efforts."

Hector Wesley

BARAC UK Officer at Large

The lecture will be available online via the International Slavery Museum website and social media platforms. There will be two lectures on the weekend of 21st to 23rd of August by Race Equality, Human Rights Campaigner, author and artist Zita Holbourne and by Professor Stephen Small of the University of California together with a libations ceremony and other events.

More information can be accessed here

For press enquiries contact: BARAC.info@gmail.com or  info@zitaholbourne.com 

Zita Holbourne is an award winning human rights campaigner, community and trade union activist, a poet, writer, visual artist, curator and vocalist. She  campaigns for equality, freedom, justice and rights through activism and arts. She is the co-founder and National Chair of BARAC UK,  the National Vice President of the PCS Union and the Joint National Chair of Artists' Union England, part of the UNESCO Coalition of Artists for the General History of Africa, author of the book Striving for Equality Freedom and Justice. She is the winner of the National Diversity Awards Positive Role Model for Race and the Legacy Awards Life Time Achievement Award for Equality Champion. 

Watch BARAC Ten Year Anniversary event and full version of the film Is Britain Racist about Windrush and related injustice

Thank you to everyone who came to our virtual ten years anniversary event.

We held zoom event where we looked back at the past ten years and current racism and injustice including the murder of George Floyd,  Black Lives Matter movement, disproportionate impact of coronavirus on black communities.

We also launched a new film by documentary film maker, Jean-Marc Aka-Kadjo - is Britain Racist. Jean Marc spent over two years documenting the campaigning against the hostile environment, injustice faced by the Windrush Generation and their descendants in order to make the film.

Speakers at the event included Jean- Marc together with Chair of BARAC UK who chaired the event, Zita Holbourne,  Donna Guthrie, National Women's Officer  and Hector Wesley, Global Justice officer for BARAC UK.

Click play to watch - there are two 13 minute segments of the film in this video.

Watch the full film here

You can also access the film  on our Black Activists Rising Against Cuts Facebook Group - it is pinned to the top as an announcment.

BARAC UK on facebook

Thank you for being part of our journey

BARAC UK Team 

Artwork by Zita Holbourne copyright June 2020

BARAC UK Ten Year anniversary zoom event and launch of the film Is Britain Racist, 21st of June

BARAC UK turns ten years old next week. We cannot believe that ten years has passed either. We started as a campaign against the forthcoming disproportionate impact of austerity on black workers, service users and communities in June 2010 and never anticipated that we would still be here ten years later. Hand in Hand with austerity came deepening racism and injustice which has continued to this very day. In the ten years since we were formed we have campaigned against institutional racism, every day racism, racism and injustice at work, in the labour market,  in education, in wider society, in the arts and culture sector, in policing and public institutions, we have co-founded several other groups including Movement Against Xenophobia,  Elbow Out Ebola,  BME Lawyers 4 Grenfell, BAME Lawyers for Justice and we have campaigned against deaths at the hands of the state and human rights abuses globally.  We have campaigned for refugee and migrant rights and for seven years coordinated regular humanitarian aid  and solidarity work, fundraising and raising thousands of pounds and conducting regular aid missions to people who are displaced in France. . Our work has been recognised nationally and internationally and we have worked with our sisters and brothers for global justice.  We have organised numerous marches, protests, lobbies of parliament,  direct actions. Our campaigns have included Windrush Day of Action, MLK50 Equality In Our Lifetime, I am an Immigrant Campaign, Dear White People film campaign, ending with our national chair co-hosting  a Leicester Square premier film screening, we have been joined in the UK and supported by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Reverend Al Sharpton, we forced the British Olympics Association to do a U-turn and much more. During the past few years we have had a big focus on  Windrush justice and campaigning against the 'hostile environment' more widely.

BARAC UK was co-founded by Zita Holbourne and Lee Jasper who were the co-chairs until Lee stepped down and Zita took up the role of National Chair. 

We want to thank all of the people that kept us going and supported and stood with us,  especially the activists who led the local BARAC structures in different cities, a big shout out goes to Colette Williams and Maurice Shaw   - Manchester BARAC co-chairs,  Maxie Hayles - Birmingham BARAC Chair, Pauline North, Bristol BARAC Chair, Graham Campbell, Scotland BARAC Chair and all the other convenors, activists and members of BARAC.

We thank all those partner orgs and individuals  we have  worked with, those who affiliated with us and worked with us including trade unions with a special thank you to the Public and Commercial Services Union who have supported our journey from the very start and continue to do so.

We thank everyone who has supported our campaigns over the years, attended events and demos, answered our call for action to challenge racism, injustice and cuts and to support our humanitarian aid work.  We see you and appreciate you. 

Sunday 21st June is the 10 year anniversary of BARAC UK & the eve of National Windrush Day . We will be holding a zoom event from 3 to 4.30pm launching the full length documentary Is Britain Racist made by film maker Jean-Marc Aka-Kadjo over a 2 year period charting the Windrush Scandal and BARAC and others campaigning opposing it, on the eve of Windrush Day we want to highlight the ongoing injustice and will be showing segments of the film plus holding a discussion on Windrush, Coronavirus impacts on black communities and Black Lives Matter with co founder and National Chair of BARAC UK , Zita Holbourne  plus National Women's Officer Donna Guthrie and International Officer Hector Wesley with q&a & discussion.  

Jean - Marc Aka-Kadjo says:

This documentary will take you on a journey that shows the hopes, dreams and aspirations of those who came to Britain during the Windrush era from various countries within the Commonwealth. The film is candid and exposes and reveals truth. Individual interviews, news feeds and archive footage have been utilised to show how the lives of individuals from the Windrush era, and the lives of their loved ones, have been affected by the recent changes in British law…and what is being done to help them. 

Zita Holbourne, Chair of BARAC UK says:

We have fought for justice, equality, rights and freedom for many years, way before BARAC UK was formed and will continue to do so. The deepening racism  and injustice our communities face globally demonstrate that our organisation and many others like it are still needed  and will be needed for some time. The impacts of coronavirus on black communities are huge - with black people over 4 times more likely to die, this has a direct link to discrimination and poverty and globally people, predominantly young have take to the streets over the past fortnight crying out that black lives matter, because George Floyd was murdered by police in the USA but also because many more have died because of racism in the USA, in the UK and around the world, because institutional racism and every day racism destroys lives, because we are still far from having race equality. We have supported and campaigned for decolonisation of our towns and cities and universities and curriculums for many years and we are glad that there is now a serious discussion about the glorification of historic statues  of people who enslaved and murdered our ancestors and who endorsed and allowed racism to thrive and who were complicit in enslavement and colonialism.  In 2017 we published our 2025 vision for race equality and it is interesting to see that some institutions and businesses now are only just starting to consider their own part in allowing institutional racism to continue in their own organisations - for those organisations to say black lives matter is all very well but actions speak louder than words.

 You are invited to a Zoom meeting.

When: Jun 21, 2020 15:00 London

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pd-yurDgrHd1php1RBAFKCbzLjm73priw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. from baracwomens@gmail.com.

Please see attached flyer.

There is also a facebook link below to share on social media.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1722934767871969/ 

A selection of photos from recent years follows: