The Riots - Where do we go from here? Videos from meeting at Newington Green Unitarian Church

More videos from this event can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/user/NewUnityUK

Stop Criminalising our Youth - Who is to blame for the riots? Video from Hackney meeting

Hackney 1st September 2011
Speakers:
Zita Holbourne (from BARAC and Public and Commercial Services Union national executive member),

Owen Jones (acclaimed author of 'Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class', who recently appeared on Newsnight),

Matt Foot (human rights lawyer)

Gary McFarlane (journalist from Tottenham and eye-witness to riots).

A public meeting supported by Black Activists Rising against Cuts (BARAC), the Refugee Workers Cultural Association, the Right to Work campaign and Unite against Fascism.

Pure criminality' is how politicians and the media like to characterise the riots. To talk in these terms does nothing to explain their cause.

Worse, it risks criminalising a whole generation of deeply disaffected young people. And who can blame them for their bitterness? Rising unemployment, increased police harrassment, lack of educational opportunity - that's the future they face.

Instead of knee-jerk reaction, we need a serious discussion.

(Video uploaded to YouTube by swpTvUk - all comment above is taken from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQluM1dXX9k)

UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION REPORT ON UK

United Kingdom

After reviewing the combined eighteenth through twentieth reports of the United Kingdom, the Committee welcomed the notable efforts made by the State party to tackle racial discrimination and inequality and acknowledged that it had made important progress in this regard. It also welcomed the enactment of the Equality Act of 2010 as a landmark improvement in anti- discrimination legislation and noted with appreciation the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission under the Equality Act of 2006. The Committee also noted with appreciation the adoption of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act of 2006 and the launch of the Cross-Government Hate Crime Action Plan on 14 September 2009.

While the underlying causes of the riots and acts of vandalism that took place in the State party in August 2011 were yet to be known fully ascertained, the Committee noted that there were racial undertones to the situation which should not be ignored. The Committee recommended that the State party thoroughly investigate the underlying causes of the riots and acts of vandalism, and that it provide the Committee with information on the outcome of its investigations as soon as possible. The State party should ensure that any policy responses were forward-looking and promoted ethnic equality and cohesion in the State party. The Committee noted that the State party maintained its position that there was no obligation for States parties to make the Convention as such part of their domestic legal order and that the law and practice of the State party fully respected and implemented all the provisions of the Convention. The Committee requested the State party to further reconsider its position so that the Convention could more readily be invoked in the domestic courts of the State party. The Committee was concerned at reports of increasing virulent attacks and negative portrayal of ethnic minorities, immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees by the media in the State party. The Committee recommended that the State party closely monitor the media with a view to combating prejudices and negative stereotypes, the unchecked expression of which may result in racial discrimination or incitement to racial hatred. The State party should adopt all necessary measures to combat racist media coverage and ensure that such cases were thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, sanctions were imposed.

The Committee expressed particular concern at the proposed budgets cuts to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which may have negative effects in the execution of its mandate. It recommended that any spending cuts and proposed legislative amendments to the mandate of the Equality and Human Rights Commission should ensure that it operated independently and effectively in line with the Paris Principles. The Committee regretted the increased use of “stops and searches” by the Police which disproportionately affected members of minority ethnic groups particularly persons of Asian and African descent. The Committee urged the State party to review the impact of “stop and search” powers on ethnic minority groups under various pieces of legislation in the State party and recommended that the State party ensure that all stops were properly recorded, whether or not leading to search, and that a copy of the record be provided to the person concerned for all such incidents in order to safeguard the rights of the people subject to these laws and to check possible abuse. The Committee deeply regretted the State party’s insistence to proceed immediately with the eviction of Gypsy and Traveller community at Dale Farm in Essex before identifying and providing alternative culturally appropriate housing for members of these communities. The Committee urged the State party to halt the intended eviction which would disproportionately affect the lives of families and particularly women and children and create hardship. It strongly recommended that the State party should provide alternative culturally appropriate accommodation to these communities before any evictions were carried out.

 http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/56416D9AFF8F6789C12578FF0040CDAE?OpenDocument

Brixton Defense Meeting: Wednesday 7th September at 7.30pm

Don't let the government rip up our rights!

Brixton Defense Meeting.

Wednesday 7th September at 7.30pm

Vida Walsh Centre
2b Saltoun Rd, Windrush Sq. Brixton SW2 1EP

The Tory led backlash against the riots is ripping up our legal rights. The sentences handed out are about the Government seeking revenge not justice.

We are holding an open meeting to allow the community to discuss the riots and how we deal with the backlash.
There will be a lawyer speaking and available to talk to anyone concerned for themselves, or others, about their rights.
The riots showed we need to deal with issues of inequality and racism in our communities.
Criminalising a generation is no solution.

Speakers:

Claire Dissington Bindman’s Solicitors (pc)
Lee Jasper Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts (BARAC)
Ruby Hirsch FE Student & NUS Executive (tbc)
Merlin Emanuel Justice for Smiley Culture (tbc) 
 

Initiated by Right to Protest and Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
For more information email: Lambethagainstcuts@gmail.com

BULLINGDON GANGSTER - A POEM WRITTEN BY ZITA HOLBOURNE, COPYRIGHT AUGUST 2011

BULLINGDON GANGSTER

WRITTEN BY ZITA HOLBOURNE, COPYRIGHT AUGUST 2011

BORN RICH YET STILL YOU WERE A GANG MEMBER

GREW UP IN LUXURY BUT THAT DIDN’T CURB YOUR TEMPER

YOU NEVER EXPERIENCED DESTITUTION

YET STILL ENDED UP IN AN INSTITUTION

WITH YOUR GANG LASHING OUT

ACTING LIKE A THUG AND LOUT

DESTROYING PROPERTIES JUST FOR FUN

SHOWING NO REMORSE FOR WHAT YOU’D DONE

YOU SAID YOU DID THINGS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG

THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE

BUT STILL YOU MANAGED TO ESCAPE THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

EACH TIME THROWING MONEY TO BRIBE YOUR VICTIM

DRINKING, VOMITING ON AND TRASHING PROPERTY

BUT NOT AS A RESPONSE TO EXTREME POVERTY

YOU SAID THE RIOTS ARE ABOUT A CULTURE THAT DISRESPECTS AUTHORITY

DRAWING ON YOUR OWN FAILURE TO ACT PROPERLY

YOU SAID THE PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN DON’T CARE WHO THEY’RE WITH

I WONDER AFTER YOUR PARENTS FOUND OUT WHO YOU WERE WITH

THEY WERE ABLE TO FORGIVE?

HANGING AROUND WITH FELLOW THUGS OF YOUR BULLINGDON GANG

DID THEY DISCIPLINE YOU OR FORBID YOU TO HANG

WITH GEORGE AND BORIS IN YOUR GANGSTER PARADISE

DESTROYING BUSINESSES BEFORE THE OWNERS’ EYES

PERHAPS AS YOU ESCAPED PUNISHMENT AT THE TIME

YOU SHOULD BE EVICTED FROM NO.10 FOR YOUR CRIME

PERHAPS YOU OUGHT TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH AND RECEIVE A PRISON SENTENCE

PLEDGE YOUR REMORSE AND DEMONSTRATE YOUR REPENTANCE

YOU STATED THAT CHILDREN TODAY END UP IN GANGS THROUGH NEGLECT

SHAME ON YOUR PARENTS THAT YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS WRECKED

PERHAPS IF YOUR PARENTS HAD KEPT YOU AT HOME

INSTEAD OF FORCING YOU TO LIVE ALONE

YOU WOULDN’T HAVE COMMITTED THE VIOLENT CRIMES YOU DID

THEN WHEN THE POLICE CAME RAN AWAY AND HID

IT SEEMS YOUR BAD UPBRINGING LED TO A LIFE OF STEALING

TAKING TAX PAYERS MONEY FOR YOUR CONSERVATORY ROOF RESEALING

AND OTHER PROPERTY REPAIRS WHICH YOU AGREED TO REPAY

YET YOU CONTINUED THIEVING PUBLIC SECTOR PENSIONS AND PAY

YOUR LACK OF RESPECT FOR FAMILY VALUES

AND FAILURE TO COLLECT REVENUES

HAS LED TO MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS COMMITTING CRIME

AVOIDING AND FAILING TO PAY THEIR TAXES ON TIME

THIS HAS LED TO PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN YOU DESPISE

HAVING TO WORK TWO OR THREE JOBS JUST TO SURVIVE

YOU’VE BEEN TAXING THE POOR

TO PAY THE RICH MORE

SO MR CAMERON WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BREAKING THE LAW

PERHAPS YOU NEED TO LOOK FIRST TO YOUR OWN FRONT DOOR