FILM DOCUMENTING THE BARAC MARCH AGAINST GLOBAL INJUSTICE & RACISM ON 27TH JULY 2013

On 27 July 2013 Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK supported by Operation Black Vote, the National Black Students Campaign, Global Afrikan Congress, PCS, RMT Black Members, Counterfire, UAF, Love Music Hate Racism, Youth Against Racism, Europe, Lambeth TUC, Lambeth People's Assembly, One Society Many Cultures, Lambeth Unite Community Branch, Defend the Right to Protest and other anti racist organisations  called a protest and march against global injustice and racism.

Assembling  outside the American Embassy in London then marching  to Downing Street the protest was called in response to the verdict in the Trayvon Martin murder trial and the inquests into the deaths of
Azelle Rodney and Jimmy Mubenga and the revelation of an alleged covert police smear campaign targeting the Lawrence family, supporters and anti -racist campaigners to express our anger and demand full justice and an independent public inquiry into police spying and infiltration.

Both at the USA Embassy and at Downing Street there were speakers and performers. 

Please find links to the film (in 3 parts) of the day of protest. Thanks go to Black Visions TV for producing it.  The footage includes interviews with Zita Holbourne and Lee Jasper, co-chairs of BARAC and some of the speeches including those by Hugo Pierre, YRE, Brian Richardson, UAF, Donna Guthrie, BARAC, Paul Mackney, Greece Solidarity Campaign, George Galloway, MP, Aaron Kiely, NUS BSC and others as well as poetry readings by award winning poets, Mark 'Mr T' Thompson, Dean Atta and Zita Holbourne, Poet~Artist~Activist.  


Our thanks to all who organised behind the scenes and all those who organised on the day, all speakers and performers and all who took part and participated in the day. 

Click here to watch part one: BARAC march and rally against global injustice and racism (part 1)

Click here to watch part two: BARAC march and rally against global injustice and racism (part 2)

Clcik here to watch part three: BARAC march and rally against global injustice and racism (part 3)  

PRESS RELEASE: BARAC UK, Protest Against Global Racism and Injustice; I am Travyon Martin, endorsed by Public Enemy

BARAC UK HAVE CALLED THE FOLLOWING PROTEST, supported by:

Operation Black Vote, the National Black Students Campaign, Global Afrikan Congress, PCS, RMT Black Members, Counterfire, UAF, Love Music Hate Racism, Youth Against Racism, Europe, Lambeth TUC, Lambeth People's Assembly,  One Society Many Cultures,  Unite the Union, Defend the Right to Protest, NUT and other anti racist organisations 

BARAC UK, Protest Against Global Racism and Injustice; I am Travyon Martin, endorsed by Public Enemy

Press Release for immediate use.

Friday 26^th July

BARAC will be holding a march and rally against Global Racism and Injustice in solidarity with the families of Trayvon Martin Stephen Lawrence, Azelle Rodney, Jimmy Mubenga and many others to highlight the reality of racism and seeking justice, both here in the UK and the US.

Revolutionary rap act, Public Enemy, performing at the Koko Club in London’s Camden Town encouraged the audience to take part in the march and rally.

The demonstration will take place on Saturday 27 July  assembling 2pm at the USA Embassy, Grosvenor Square, London with speeches in support of Trayvon Martin, leaving at 3pm and marching to Downing Street where a final round of speeches will be given in support of the Lawrence call for a public inquiry into recent allegation that the Met Police sought to smear both family and friends and with the families of Azelle Rodney and Jimmy Mubenga and in response to allegations of police infiltration of anti-racist groups.

Zita Holbourne, Co-Chair BARAC UK said:

Injustice and racism are increasing every day - it’s an issue here in the UK and in the USA and elsewhere, this is why we need a global response. We are demanding a truly independent public inquiry into police spying on the Lawrence family and their supporters and the infiltration of anti-racist organisations and for the ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws to go. We support the call from USA activists for a complete Florida boycott until the laws are revoked and applaud artists such as Stevie Wonder for refusing to perform in Florida. It’s a disgrace that families who lose their loved ones through racism must then spend a life time pursuing justice. No justice, no peace!

Lee Jasper, Co-Chair of BARAC UK said:

We march today in solidarity with the family of Trayvon Martin and to highlight the reality of rising rates of racism in Britain. The US authorities should abolish the hated 'stand your ground' law in Florida that is a license to kill. We march to support the call from the Lawrence family for a full and independent judicial led public inquiry into the allegations that the Metropolitan Police sought to smear both the family and supporters through a covert police surveillance unit.

We march for Jimmy Mubenga, Mark Duggan, Kingsley Burrell, Smiley Culture and Azelle Rodney. We march for justice and equality in the 50th anniversary year of Dr Martin Luther King’s 1968 March on Washington. The truth is that his dream is a threadbare vision here in the UK where racism is on the rise amplified by austerity.

Speakers include:

MC for the day: Zita Holbourne, National Co-Chair of BARAC UK

Lee Jasper, National Co-Chair BARAC UK

Donna Guthrie, BARAC Black Women

Simon Woolley, Operation Black Vote

Adam Khalif, PCS National Executive

Joe Welsh, London and Eastern Regional Chair, Unite the Union

Aaron Kiely, NUS Black Students Officer

George Galloway MP

Sabby Dhalu, One Society Many Cultures

Weyman Bennett, UAF

David Nieta, Society of Black Lawyers

Alfie Meadows

Lyndsey German, Peoples Assembly

Lois Austin, Youth Against Racism, Europe

Paul Mackney, Greek solidarity Campaign

Plus local artists will be performing on the day.

Background:

The national anti-austerity, anti-racist campaigning organisation Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK, is co- chaired & was co-founded by Lee Jasper and Zita Holbourne National Executive member of the PCS Union. Established in July 1010 the movement seeks to campaign against the disproportionate impact of austerity on black communities, workers and service users and organise community action.

For more information:

Contact Lee Jasper 07984 181797.

              Zita Holbourne barac.info@gmail.com

Web: www.blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com

Twitter: @baracuk

Facebook: Black Activists Rising Against Cuts

Ends

HOODIES & HIJABS; A POEM FOR TRAYVON MARTIN - MARCH & PROTEST AGAINST GLOBAL INJUSTICE & RACISM 27/7

BARAC UK together with a broad range of anti racist campaigns and organisations with trade unions, has called a protest and march in response to the verdict in the Trayvon Martin murder trial and the murders of Azelle Rodney & Jimmy Mubenga in the UK. Also in response to recent revelations of police spying on the Lawrence family and their supporters and infiltration of anti racist organisations.

Click on the link below to watch a video of a poem written and performed by National Co-Chair of BARAC UK, Zita Holbourne featuring the protest held last year outside the USA Embassy in London and the press conference and rally held outside Downing Street with the family of Trayvon Martin, also in 2012. The video also promotes the forthcoming protest and march taking place on 27 July in London. 

HOODIES & HIJABS - A POEM FOR TRAYVON MARTIN

NATIONAL PROTEST & MARCH OPPOSING GLOBAL RACISM & INJUSTICE CALLED BY BARAC UK

We organise because we are under unprecedented levels of attack , we march because we demand justice for the family of Stephen Lawrence's, Mubenga, Rodney and Duggan. We demand that the police tackle the racial terrorism of the fascist EDL.

Time to return to our tradition of taking to the streets, time inspire others, time for you to begin the fight that secures our children's future. Shall we always be subjected to searing pain of injustice driven by racism? Can we inspire our young people by organising a fight back?

This is the first in a series of actions BARAC will be taking to make sure the tragedy of racist attack or death in police custody does not happens to you or your family. We have one week and we need a viral team of volunteers that can push this on a daily basis. If have to rely on each other in the face of rampant racism,

Azelle Rodney, the Lawrence's and Jimmy Mubenga Mark Duggan and in America Trayvon Martin - wear your hoodie bring a drum a horn a whistle or a tin can. We intend to make some noise. Make your own placard or banner and even if its just you and your granny come, come,come and lets stand proud against racism and for justice. We simply cant defeat racism by ignoring it and hoping it wont happen to us. Unchallenged racism will maintain its own momentum and austerity is amplifying racism in Britain

International solidarity with the victims of racism 

PARENTS OF TRAYVON MARTIN TO ADDRESS A PUBLIC MEETING & VIGIL IN LONDON ON FRIDAY 11TH OF MAY

PRESS RELEASE

Parents of murdered black teenager Trayvon Martin to address public meeting and vigil in London tomorrow

The parents of the murdered US African American boy Trayvon Martin, Tracy Martin & Sybrina Fulton will speak tomorrow, Friday 11th of May at a public meeting and vigil  (details of both events below).

The Trayvon Martin family issued the following statement:

"We are humbled by the support we have received from the people in London and around the world. The struggle of people like Doreen Lawrence in Britain, who invited us here and whom we met yesterday, shows us that as in the USA, there is a problem of racial profiling in society and amongst institutions. We would like to work with people here in London and around the world to help end the scourge of racial injustice across the globe."

Zita Holbourne, National Co-Chair Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK said:

"We are delighted to be able to host this meeting and like many people throughout the world we are both  angered and saddened at the news of Trayvon Martin's murder. This meeting will offer the opportunity for people to hear first hand what happened to the Trayvon Martin family and offer support and solidarity to them and for us to discuss how we can work together in order to tackle racial injustice globally."

Lee Jasper, National Co-Chair Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK said,

"In the run up to the Olympics we intend to work with others to highlight racism here in Britain and throughout the world. The case of Trayvon Martin echoes cases that span decades and continents. Global racism is on the rise and as the economic crisis worsens we must be organise against those who seek to whip up racism and scapegoat black communities. This meeting will be the start of that international campaign to expose racism in Britain and the rest of the world. All over the world the 99% are saying without justice there can be no peace" 

Event details

Friday 11 May

1. 3-5pm: Public meeting at the University of London Union, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London 

Chair: Zita Holbourne PCS executive member and Co Chair of Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts (BARAC)

Speakers: Trayvon Martin family representatives and  activists Lee Jasper, Stafford Scott, Carole Duggan  (Duggan Family Campaign) Simon Woolley (Operation Black Vote) Michael Abatan (Justice for Jay Campaign), Michael Kennedy (Campaign for Justice) Ava Vidal, Kanja Sesay National Union of Students (NUS) Black Students Officer, Aaron Kiely (NUS Black Students Campaign)  and  more British based activists tbc

Organised by BARAC  in conjunction with Million Hoodies Movement in the USA.  

For more information for this event contact

Zita Holbourne 07711 861660

Lee Jasper    07984 181797