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Showing posts with label march. Show all posts
Showing posts with label march. Show all posts

Friday, 4 September 2015

Refugees Welcome Here; March & Rallly 12th September & London 2 Calais Aid Convoy

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK, together with the group of organisations listed below,  has called a national day of action Refugees Welcome Here and we are participating in aid convoys to Calais.

Painting by Zita; Poet~Artist~Activist entitled 'A place of safety'



March to Downing Street 
Rally at Downing Street 2pm

National day of action, Called by Stand up to Racism, BARAC, Stop the War Coalition, Migrant Rights Network War on Want, Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, Movement Against Xenophobia, Unite Against Fascism, Love Music Hate Racism and Black Out London

***Please note we have changed the start time to 12pm and assembly point to Marble Arch as we were approached by the organiser of Solidarity With Refugees to work together and co-ordinate. We think it is sensible to have one event on Saturday 12 September

This event has been called in response to various reports of refugees fleeing war, persecution, torture and poverty losing their lives or struggling to find a safe haven. This includes the death of 200 refugees off the coast of Libya, around 70 refugees in a truck in Austria and ongoing reports of refugees drowning crossing the Mediterranean, stranded in Hungary and prohibited from moving around the EU, and those in Calais struggling to find sanctuary.

The government response to this has been disgraceful. Unlike Germany, Italy and Greece, Britain has not offered a safe haven for these people.

On Monday 14 September Home Secretary Theresa May will be meeting with EU leaders about the refugee crisis. We must learn the lessons of history and call on the government to take a humanitarian and compassionate response to refugees, and to meet its share of the responsibility for providing protection. Let's send a strong message: we say refugees are welcome here.

We are also calling for a national day of action on Saturday 12 September. Birmingham, Leicester and everywhere to the South of these should come to London. Scotland, Wales and everywhere to the North should organise local events.  Events could be vigils, unveiling a Refugees Welcome Here banner, launching a donation site for clothes and food. We want events anything from a vigil, to unveiling a "Refugees Welcome Here" banner at football matches or at places of worship and community centres, use your imagination!

Join us on Saturday 12 September 2015.






Painting by Zita; Poet~Artist~Activist, entitled 'Waiting' 

London 2 Calais




In addition to the demo, BARAC has affiliated to the London to  Calais  campaign which is sending aid convoys to the refugee camp in Calais which is known as The Jungle. 

On 19th of September there is a big solidarity event planned in Calais and BARAC will be joining the NOI taking food, clothes, toiletries and other essential items. 

London2Calais are working with L'Augberge de Migrants and Secours Catholique in Calais to distribute food and clothes. 

There are an estimated 4000 people living in the camp without adequate food, water, sanitation or shelter. 



How you can help:  

Donate on gofundme for 19th September.

Or donate items which can include food, water, medical supplies, toiletries, baby products, toys such as footballs, nappies, feminine hygiene products and mens casual clothes, jackets and shoes ( no womens or childrens clothes please as these are not currently needed) and books for the school and library at the camp in a variety of languages. 

You can drop these items to the NOI Mosque, Sunday all day, Monday, Wednesday or Friday evenings (6 pm - 9.30 pm). 1 to 5 Hinton Road, London SE24. 

Also if any BARAC members or supporters  have  cars or other vehicles  and can drive donations and people as part of the BARAC group please contact us barac.info@gmail.com.





For future aid convoys starting with October 3rd more information about London2Calais can be found here:




and donations made here: 


Friday, 26 July 2013

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 26th 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
Twitter: @baracuk
Facebook: Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Ends

Monday, 5 September 2011

BARAC at Birmingham for the Alternative – TUC march on 18th September


Sunday 18th September
Assemble 11am Granville Street, B1 1JW
March to Lionel Street

The march will be followed by a Right to Work Rally

Unite the Fights – Build the Resistance
Sun 18 September, 3.30pm
CWU Office, 47 Summer Lane, Birmingham B19 3TH
(5 minutes from the end of the march at Lionel Street)

Speakers include:

Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary
John McDonnell Labour MP Hayes & Harlington
Billy Hayes CWU General Secretary
Estelle Cooch Right To Work
Linda Burnip Disabled People Against Cuts
Maxie Hayles Black Activists Rising Against Cuts

Chair: Lee Barron CWU Midlands Regional Secretary

Download the leaflet: http://righttowork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/birmingham-for-the-alternative-flyer.pdf

More information available at: http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/09/birmingham-for-the-alternative-tuc-march/