PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 March 2018
More Birmingham MPs call for unity against racism, Islamophobia & the far-right ahead of FLA march on Saturday
MPs Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham Ladywood) Preet Kaur Gill (Birmingham Edgbaston) and Liam Byrne (Birmingham Hodge Hill) have added their voices to those expressing deep concern and opposition to the FLA march in Birmingham tomorrow (Saturday).
Other signatories to the statement launched by Stand Up To Racism (detailed below) include Birmingham Hall Green MP Roger Godsiff, general secretaries of several major trade unions and local councillors, faith and community groups.
The statement, and the Birmingham United anti-racist event on Saturday, is intended to show that Birmingham stands together against any attempts by the FLA to divide and spread fear among communities by whipping up racism and Islamophobia.
The Observer newspaper last week exposed the FLA’s secret Facebook site’s racist and Islamophobic postings, threats against London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott and sympathy for Finsbury Park attacker Darren Osborne.
Anne Marie Waters, leader of the far-right ‘For Britain’ party, is speaking on the FLA March, and UKIP leader Gerard Batten is set to join the Democratic FLA protest in the city.
The organiser of the FLA march John Meighan has backed a far right march against the East London Mosque and welcomed ex English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson onto Saturday’s demo.
STATEMENT
The Football Lads Alliance (FLA) is planning to march in Birmingham on 24th March.
The FLA claims to be against all extremism but in recent months it has had far right speakers on its platforms, its marches have been promoted by far-right organisations and activists and it has promoted Islamophobic events such as an intimidating march by far right extremists against the East London mosque in Tower Hamlets.
Far from opposing extremism, the FLA’s closed Facebook page continually sees racist and Islamophobic posts, including vitriolic posts targeting the Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott in the wake of concerns she raised about the group. These posts were so severe that a major Veterans charity Walking With The Wounded pulled its support for the recent FLA demo in London on 7 October.
John Meighan, the FLA’s founder, offered his support to Donald Trump in his recent retweeting of fascist Britain First tweets. In late December, Meighan posted an openly Islamophobic post on his Facebook page, with a picture of him holding a copy of former English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson’s book ‘Mohammed’s Koran: Why Muslims Kill for Islam’ with the phrase “Happy Christmas you filthy animals”.
Some attracted to the FLA may be concerned about terror attacks and may not be racist but we believe that any FLA event in a multicultural city like Birmingham can only promote division in our community and open the door to racist, Islamophobic and far right groups and ideas to grow.
We oppose this event and support Stand Up To Racism Birmingham’s call for a positive anti-racist mobilisation in Birmingham on 24 March.
Roger Godsiff , MP for Birmingham Hall Green said:
‘I unreservedly condemn the Football Lads Alliance because it is an organisation seeking to divide our society and to claim to be, in any way, associated with mainstream football supporters is abhorrent.
‘To even suggest that the millions of people who show an affinity to a football club is somehow associated with vile and pernicious views against religious minorities is a total betrayal of everything football supporters stand for and that is why I am totally supportive of the ‘Birmingham United’ stand up to racism campaign’.
For interviews & information email info@standuptoracism.org.uk
Notes for editors:
1. A positive, anti-racist mobilisation will take place this Saturday March 24th against attempts to spread hatred and divide communities. Details can be found here.
2. A longer list of initial signatories opposing the FLA march can be found on the petition page here.
3. Stand Up To Racism will mark April 3rd with “Stand Up To Islamophobia Day” to demand action on the horrific wave of anti-muslim hate crime and show solidarity with Muslims facing Islamophobia. A recent hate campaign sent letters and packages to Muslim households and MPs declaring April 3rd “Punish a Muslim Day” and awarding points for acts of racist violence.
4. Stand Up To Racism is a national anti-racist organisation with support across the Labour and Trade Union Movement, faith and communy groups. Last Saturday 17 March they organised a national demonstration against the rise in hate crime and the far right which attracted over 20,000 people.