Defend Democracy in Tower Hamlets Rally
Thursday 30 April, 6pm,
Waterlily Centre 69-89 Mile End Road, London E1 4TT
Speakers (in personal capacity) include:
Christine Shawcroft Labour Party NEC
John Rees People’s Assembly Against Austerity
Andrew Murray Chief of Staff, Unite the Union
Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition
Salma Yaqoob
John McLoughlin Branch Secretary, Tower Hamlets Unison
Sabby Dhalu & Weyman Bennett Stand up to racism
Click here for Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/406409929560768
The Morning Star Editorial questions why Rahman and the Muslim community of Tower Hamlets has been singled out: click here.
Following the decision by Richard Mawrey who sat as judge, to remove Lutfur Rahman from office, Stand up to Racism organisers Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett have issued this statement:
“Removing from office Britain’s only directly elected black Mayor and barring him from standing in any forthcoming elections, is an affront to democracy and sets a dangerous precedent for race relations and the representation of black people in this country.
“We do not believe that the judge made this decision based on the evidence presented before him. This was a political decision that vindicates Lutfur Rahman and others in Tower Hamlets, that have consistently argued that institutional racism is alive and kicking.
“Accusing Lutfur Rahman and others of playing the race card or Islamophobia is in itself racism. if one accused a Jewish person of playing the anti-Semitic card or a LGBT person of playing the homophobia card, it would quite rightly be viewed as anti-Semitism or homophobia.
“The reality is Lutfur Rahman and others have been subjected to a racist and Islamophobic witch hunt for half a decade.
“In our experience Lutfur Rahman stood up to fascism, racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia and all forms of hatred and represented all communities respectfully and equally.
“The Tower Hamlets people should decide who leads and represents them, not an unelected judge. Lutfur Rahman should be reinstated. At the very least he should be allowed to contest the forthcoming Mayoral election.”