Due to CoronaVirus, Stand Up To Racism postponed its UN anti-racism day protests in London and Glasgow.Racism remains a central issue. Anti racists must combat attempts at dividing communities.
One of the first pieces of legislation Johnson’s government passed was to deny unaccompanied child refugees the chance to be reunited with family members in Britain.
Meanwhile, EU nationals who have lived here for decades are being asked to offer ‘proof’ of their right to stay. Recent deportations show that this Government has no intention of righting the wrongs of the Windrush scandal.
The announcement of a points based system denying visas to low paid workers and those with limited English is a historic anti migrant shift in government policy and points to a fresh racist offensive under Johnson’s administration.
Government adviser Andrew Sabisky – a eugenicist – was forced to resign, but his views were never directly refuted by Johnson. Durham MP Dehenna Davidson was pictured with members of the far-right ‘Democratic Football Lads’ Alliance’ (DFLA), while Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski spoke alongside the far right League Party’s Matteo Salvini and antisemitic Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán.
Johnson cancelled the enquiry into Islamophobia in the Tory Party despite constant scapegoating of the Muslim community. There’s an increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic attacks.
We face the ramping up stop and search and attacks on the rights of gypsy, Roma, traveller people.
Johnson’s government failed to combat the scapegoating of the Chinese community and intensified a ‘hostile environment’.
This racist offensive can only be fought with united action. We are speaking out on 21st March, with an online rally in place of the postponed demonstrations, part of the worldwide UN Anti-Racism Day campaign. The World Against Racism international network will be rescheduling a date in due course to march together internationally against racism.
Signed,
Diane Abbott, shadow home secretary Lord Alf DubsDavid Lammy MPSabby Dhalu & Weyman Bennett, co convenors Stand Up To RacismKevin Courtney, NEU general secretary Claudia Webbe MPBell Ribiero-Addy MPMark Serwotka, PCS general secretary Manuel Cortez, TSSA general secretary Talha Ahmad, Muslim Council BritainDavid Rosenberg, Jewish Socialist GroupUnmesh Desai, GLA memberSteve Hedley, RMT assistant general secretary
Ian Hodson, BFAWU national president Jane Loftus, CWU national president Hsiao Hung Pai, authorJulia Bard, Jewish Socialist Group Louise Raw, authorChristine Blower, past NUT general secretary Zita Holborne, PCS NECUlrike Schmidt, Amnesty International Gerry Gable, Searchlight