#anti-black racism uk

[averycanadianfilm]

A UN body has written to the UK government to express “very extreme concern” about its failure to address “structural, institutional and systemic racism” against people of African descent in Britain.

[kropotkindersurprise]

July 2024 - A racist looking for a fight on a train in London, UK, picked the wrong guy to harass. [video]

[psychic-waffles]

Cw: child death, racism (particularly islamophobia)

The last couple of days have seen multiple full blown fascist riots in the UK and we're likely to see more over the weekend.

On Monday there was a horrific incident where a 17 year old attacked a dance school in Southport, killing three children and injuring many more. Because of the attacker's age his name has not been released, however the far right quickly started circulating a made up name and said the attacker was Muslim and an immigrant.

On Tuesday, when a vigil was being held in the town for the victims, fascists travelled to Southport and started a riot, centering around attacking a mosque. I really don't have words for how disgusting it is to use the death of children to further their violently racist agenda and take all of this out on a grieving town.

Following this there were multiple fascist riots on Wednesday, the largest of which being in London and Hartlepool. These involved further attacks on mosques, surrounding hotels where asylum seekers were being housed, and attacking brown and black people on the street and in their homes.

There are plans by the far right to hold multiple further rallies over the next few days, I've seen particular mention of Liverpool tomorrow (Friday) and Middlesbrough on Sunday, but I think it's likely we'll see violence across the UK.

There is also a huge demo for Palestine organised for Saturday which involves action across the country and with a march in London, and quite frankly I will be shocked if the fash don't try to disrupt that in any way, so just be prepared that there is a heightened risk of violence.

Overall in response to the riots there's been a lot of talk about the spread of misinformation and how that needs to be tackled, and while this is true it doesn't address the fact that the majority of these fascists really don't care. Even if the attacker had been Muslim or had been an immigrant, that doesn't give anyone the right to try and attack every Muslim and immigrant in the country. This couldn't have and hasn't been stopped by correcting a bit of misinformation, this is about decades of deeply racist islamophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric baked into the core of the UK and reinforced constantly by the media and politicians across the spectrum as ""legitimate concerns"".

Right now we need community support more than ever. Organise, protect your local Muslim communities, and of course stay safe.

Edit: while I was writing this post the name of the attacker was released as Axel Rudakubana. As I have already said the fash do not care, and islamaphobic and anti-immigrant violence will almost definitely continue, however there will now likely also be an increase in anti-black violence and we need to be prepared for that.

2nd edit: check my reblogs for more info on specific places they're planning to target

[supremechancellorrex]

Far right rioters honestly think they can justify attacking and assaulting random POC citizens across the UK. They think they have a right to set fire to streets, cafes, shops, hotels and libraries all over the country. That they have the right to hurt people who had nothing to do with crime at Southport just because of their religion and/or skin colour. Apparently we all know each other in their view, apparently all brown people are guilty for the actions of a murderer 99.9 percent of us didn't know existed until just more than a week ago when the Southport murders happened. So now the far right block traffic in places like Hull and Middlesborough and demand to know whether drivers are "White and English", and drag random POC people out of their cars to beat them bloody. Far right thugs stab an Asian man at a train station in Liverpool, disfigure a POC boy's face as well as hospitalised a middle-aged man in Belfast, beat up random black men just going about their daily business, do arson attacks against buildings full of people, yes, human beings who feel pain, have lives and are each individuals.

These far right riots are just full of Nazis and even more pathetic a lot of them are too cowardly to admit it.

Oh, and to top it off, they further traumatised the classmates of the poor girls murdered in Southport by bringing further violence outside their windows. The murderer was of Christian origin, but that didn't stop them from blaming all Muslims, setting fire to streets, attacking mosques, throwing bricks at police and running rampant with property damage that effected everyone there. One wonders where this fire was when a white immigrant killed a black boy in Hainault, or when that white crossbow killer killed 5, including a toddler, in Plymouth. People will riot in Plymouth over the terrible actions of a black murderer in another town, but not a white one in their own. Sums up how it's not about justice or children or even really immigration with the far right, just skin colour.

[sbrown82]

Hmmm, does this all sound familiar?!?!?!?!

[pumpumdemsugah]

Typical Black Tory nonsense

What's crazy about this is Diane Abbott, the Black woman this was said all this made her scared but BBC interviews these pieces of shit ? Tories of colour mainly exist as tokens to pretend their party isn't deeply anti-Black and they tend to throw their communities under the bus for their own personal progress

I'll never forget how much people acted like working class Black people were big meanies for thinking of Black Tories tend to be self hating or at best they never want to talk about race but will lecture you about identity politics like we're dumb. The only time they ever want to address race is when they want to minimise the existence of anti-Blackness because they don't care as long as they get to be the barometer on how all Black people feel. I hope both of these Black Tories burn in hell. He called for her to be shot, one of the most abused MPs in the UK. Half of all hate comments on twitter about UK politicians is directed at her. There's no form of self respect people like this have

I don't remember which Tory went on TV to say they would accept money from the donor that said this again because he accepted what he said was wrong, which he hasn't . He said rude but not racist or misogynistic. These people acting like 2019 were hundreds of years ago

[convertgrapeling]

Pisses me off when people mention police arresting anti-monarchy protesters and say "this is not Britain" or "this is not who we are."

Was it not Britain when police responded violently to a vigil for a woman murdered by one of their own? Was it not Britain when police acted violently against protesters in Bristol opposing the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act? Was it not Britain when they reacted violently to Black Lives Matter protests?

Was it not "who we are" when police murdered Chris Kaba, Dalian Atkinson, Sheku Bayoh, Mark Duggan, Ian Tomlinson, Jean Charles de Menezes, Joy Gardner, Cherry Groce or Blair Peach? Was it not "who we are" when their behaviour led to dozens of deaths at Hillsborough or when police attacked strikers at Orgreave, or when they provoked riots in Brixton and then further riots around the country with their heavy-handed behaviour towards black communities?

We don't need to reach for other countries to find examples of a repressive police state, we live in one.

[ocelotrevs]

One officer involved in the stops, Paul Hefford, was a key player in a hate message group, and was dismissed from the Met in July 2022, two years after the stop.

A Met disciplinary panel found the group contained numerous “racist and discriminatory” messages, which were anti-black, anti-Muslim, some abusing Meghan Markle, and that Hefford was the second-most frequent poster to the chat group containing police officers.

All of the arrests by this officer should be looked into.

[hyperlexia-1]

“This pushes back against the racist narrative that the Black presence in Britain dates to post-Windrush,” said Town. “This story shows categorically that there were Black families living in England from [at least] the early 18th century through to the Victorian period.”

[totallyhussein-blog]

Work begins on Britain's first centre to the anti-apartheid movement

WORK on Britain’s first centre dedicated to the anti-apartheid movement is set to begin in London following a £1.2 million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, a charity has announced.

As the Morning Star reported, the site of the former headquarters of the African National Congress (ANC) in Penton Street, Islington, will be restored to create the Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre of Memory & Learning, social justice body the Liliesleaf Trust said.

Between 1978 and 1994, the building was a hub for coordinating international opposition to South African apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation designed by the descendants of white settler populations.

The London site was home to ANC leaders Oliver Tambo and Thabo Mbeki, who eventually replaced Nelson Mandela as South African president in 1999 following the country’s transition to inclusive democracy.

[robotpussy]

RIP Benjamin Zephaniah (15th April 1958 – 7th December 2023)

Dub poet, novelist, lyricist and playwright, Dr. Benjamin Zephaniah paved the way for so many black british writers with his pen. His work focussed on racism within the UK and colonialism.

It is so cliche to start talking about somebody's work once they pass away but I would like to do so anyway:

"Too Black Too Strong" (2001) - Poems that address the struggles of black Britain that, compared to his works before, are much more forceful. Some of the poems featured in this were written when he was working with Michael Mansfield QC and other Tooks barristers on the Stephen Lawrence case. (Available on The Anarchist Library)

"Propa Propaganda" (1996) - His second collection of poetry that continues to surround around the themes of anti-colonialism, racism and anti-establishment features some of his most famous works such as "I Have a Scheme", "The Angry Black Poet" and "White Comedy"

"Rasta Time in Palestine" (1990) - a travelogue and a collection of poetry he wrote while visiting occupied Palestinian territories. (Available on Internet Archive). Zephaniah was an avid supporter of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and attended demonstrations calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. The photo above is of Zephaniah at a London Protest in 2010.

[supremechancellorrex]

It's amazing how you find morally bankrupt enablers that will try to justify the far right riots from the safety of their computer chair and TV set. They sit on their arse watching the far right fascists yell racist slurs and death threats at brown people, set fire to buildings like shops and cafés, watch brown people all over the country get beaten up just because of their skin colour, far right thugs mutilate a POC boy's face, a child too, stab an Asian man, and even attempt mass murder by locking doors and setting fire to a hotel of people while chanting about killing people, and then the far right enablers say like "Oh, I don't agree with the rioters' violent methods, but really the rioters are the real victims, they've been pushed to the brink. It was inevitable with all this immigration they would be. And don't they kinda have a point? The government should have listened to their demands (and ignored every other citizen that disagrees with the far right)."

Reminds me of how people made sympathetic, bad faith excuses for Hitler and his Nazis back in the day, ascribing some "greater good" behind the violence and that the Nazis were really 'victims' of the innocent people they were beating the shit out of and killing. The Nazis would use the momentum and benefit of the doubt from this circular logic to construct death camps.

What is especially striking about these far right riots is when black and brown people, who are part of a demographic that have just been assaulted, smeared and threatened by the far right rioters, had their businesses, livelihoods and streets smashed up and burned, even had members of their community been stabbed, just express anger like normal humans to the point some 'inelegantly' call for the rioters' heads, the right-wing fascist lite and the privileged folk of society are like "How dare these woke lot say mean comments about the rioters! How could anyone be so cruel to not see their plight? Who's to say they even are far right or wrong?"

Like, guys, the rioters set fire to people's shops, streets and brutally beat them up because of just their religion and/or skin colour. You've ever had multiple fists slamming on you with no reprieve, kicks wailing on you even when you're on the ground? Believe it or not, brown people feel pain, especially when their bones are breaking. If it happened to you or your family or community, you'd be calling for the perpetrators' heads however 'rough' and 'uncivilised' it sounds. It's amazing how POC people aren't allowed to have human reactions, we always need to react to pain with grace like we're Jesus otherwise we're attacked again. I am sick of prejudice and racist people setting impossible expectations for all brown people as if they're the authority and delighting when individuals "fail" as if it's some kind of 'proof'.

[supremechancellorrex]

Sounds like you're the type that supports all those things. Rioters are attacking random mosques across the country in the 'name' of those murdered girls? Yet, the murderer was of Christian origin. The rioters are setting fire to streets, cafes, shops, hotels and libraries in the 'name' of the murdered girls? Yet, they hurt people who had nothing to do with crime, weren't even in the town. Not sure why a Liverpool library had to be torched especially. Nor why far right rioters have been shown blocking traffic in places like Hull and Middlesborough and demanding if drivers were "White and English", and when they found a random Asian taxi man they dragged him and near beat him to death. They also dragged others out of their cars and started brutally beating them too.

Furthermore, a middle-aged POC man was assualted in Belfast and hospitalised, as well as a young POC boy who was scarred in the face by far right thugs. And the list goes on. Random black men have been attacked by gangs of racists, an Asian man was stabbed at a train station. Doesn't look like simply being enraged at the murder of the girls in Southport. You know classmates of the girls were further traumatised by the level of violence that happened just outside their windows when your rioter bros were throwing bricks at police and trying to set more things on fire.

Rioters even tried to set fire to a hotel full of asylum seekers in Rotherham, an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder. They also tried to set fire to a building with a mother and baby in it. Sounds like the right-wing you like are pro-violence, pro-racism, pro-murder and support physical assault and abuse. I find it interesting how none of you rioted when a white man crossbowed five people, including a toddler, in Plymouth. I find it interesting how when a black boy was killed by a white immigrant in Hainault, none of you cared to riot then considering what you claim to care about. Actually, I don't find it interesting, because it proves time and time again you guys don't care about justice or children, just skin colour.

They are calling the people enraged that their children are being stabbed, raped, and abused “far right”.

That means the left wing is pro rape, pro murder, they support the abuse.

So call it what it is.

[cripple-punk-dad]

I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN

I knew that the second I saw Hobie Brown get popular again (who is a great character 10/10 don't get me wrong) I'd also start seeing a ton of clowns start saying shit like "Taylor swift is punk actually" and "you don't have to listen to punk music to be punk" and "I love the punk aesthetic but hate the music"

THE CULMINATION OF THIS????

Someone asked me if my battle vest (which I've been working on for years atp) was part of a hobie brown cosplay.

Anyways here are some things about the punk subculture that y'all need to know:

-It is a MUSIC-BASED SUBCULTURE. If you aren't listening to punk music then buddy you ain't punk. Idc what band(s) you listen to but like. That's where the punk culture started man. Do some research.

-punk is secondarily about values. This is why you have Nazis in the punk community alongside hardcore anarchists. Since it's music first, and values second, there's a lot of different mindsets. Primarily it is about being anti-authority. That's what most punk music is about tbh but Nazis are just stupid and will do some fantastic mental gymnastics to make punk music fit their agenda. There's a song called "fuck off Nazi punks" for a reason

-you don't have to "look punk" to be punk.

-you can "look punk" but not be punk (we call these people posers)

Punk as a subculture has a long and rich history. A huge part of it (that often gets ignored) is from small pockets of black people in the UK that were rebelling against systemic racism. A lot of it (meaning the music) is based in revolution, disrespect of authority, and going against the mainstream. That's where a lot of the fashion comes from too. Handmade, shitty d.i.y stuff, stolen stuff, cheap stuff, all of these things are punk fashion because that goes against the mainstream ideal of consumerism and because the founding movements behind it were rooted in lower class struggles against the bourgeoisie. You don't see many genuine billionaire punks. We are not here to look pretty, we are here to smell bad and break shit. And listen to fucking sickass music

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Fun Fashion Fact about ATSV #3:

The History of Hobies Boots: Punk Culture 101

Although Hobies boots are not Doc Martens - it's most likely they're supposed to be.

Hobie wears knee-high cherry red combat boots - and although they look like Doc Martens at first glance, you may notice they aren't.

They lack the iconic yellow threading and the loop behind the boots.

However, despite this - it's most likely that his boots are supposed to be Docs, or at the very least heavily inspired by them.

Contrary to popular belief, Doc Martens are not originally British - they're German, with their production starting after WW2.

When Doc Martens came to the UK in the sixties and seventies -

the first model available to the UK were high-ankled and Cherry Red in color

[NOTE: DO NOT wear these boots with white or red laces unless you want to be approached by racists or you are one. Red and White laces stand for skinheads/white supremacists respectively. Cherry Red Docs with red laces are one of their signatures. Docs have been sold with different color laces over the years, but the standard for new ones is now black. Yellow laces (which the brand sells) stands for anti-racism. I don't believe they have ever sold red or blue laces - only black and yellow now I think]

And later on they produced the 1B60 - aka, the Cherry Red 20-eyelet boots, Hobies model.

So even though his boots aren't OFFICIALLY docs, probably for licensing reasons, but Hobie's boots seen to be designed directly off of the first model of UK Doc Martens.

Hence why his shoes are one of the most consistent things to appear in his concept art. How cool is that!!!

[vavuska]

J. K. Rowling vs David Tennant: where is the truth and where the lies?

Probably everyone have read something about an unpopular opinion posted by J. K. Rowling on Twitter (cough, I mean X), where she decided to go after David Tennant. She claimed that during an interview Tennant was talking about whinging f**kers who need to just shut up. These whinging f**kers who he is referring to are women who’s rights are being oppressed, according to J. K. Rowling.

Unfortunately, Tennant didn't say anything against oppressed and abused women. Actually, Rowling is *again* pursuing her personal crusade claiming female-only = no trans-women. Tennant, after accepting an award, took the microphone and gave a speech about the state of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, and the sad need for awards like the one he received (he was honored at the British LGBT Awards with Celebrity Ally award).

During the speech, Tennant also targeted UK Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, who had previously said she would exclude trans-women from single-sex areas. Tennant said:

“I suppose if I’m honest I’m a little depressed by the fact that acknowledging that everyone has the right to be who they want to be and live their life how they want to live it as long as they’re not hurting anyone else should merit any kind of special or award or special mention because it’s common sense, isn’t it?” Tennant said in his speech. “It’s human decency. We shouldn’t live in a world where that is worth remarking on. However until we wake up and Kemi Badenoch doesn’t exist anymore — I don’t wish ill of her, I just wish her to shut up — whilst we do live in this world I am honoured to receive this.”

Tennant’s speech started a war of words with Badenoch, who later took to social media to say she would not shut up as the actor suggested. She went on to call Tennant “a rich, lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology he can’t see the optics of attacking the only Black woman in government by calling publicly for my existence to end.”

Which, again, is a... Ehm... Lie, since Tennant didn't attack Minister Badenoch for her ethnicity or threatened her life. Tennant speech was critical of her position regarding trans rights and not her personal life. Tennant was calling out government bigots for their political opinions regarding social issues and not attacking anyone on personal basis and NEVER - NEVER said anything about institutional racism (which Minister Badenoch herself claimed it's not a problem in UK) and violence against women (both cis and trans) not being major problems.

In a separate red carpet interview on the awards ceremony, Tennant was asked to say something to the trans youth. He responded to don't feel judged or unloved, because transphobic politicians are just a little minority: “It's a tiny bunch of little whinging f**kers who are on the wrong side of history, and they’ll all go away soon.”

The whole interview is available under here and it's sweet and heartwarming:

As always, J. K. Rowling and conservative politicians are strumentalizing LGBTQ+ awareness contents to make the community and it's allies look like evil terrorists (“gender Taliban”) and therefore pursuing their anti-trans goals while also belittling abuse perpetrated on women in religious states and systemic racism. Since violence against women is overwhelmingly committed by cisgender men, why are the Tories blaming LGBTQ+ community and it's allies?

J. K. Rowling and Minister Badenoch demonstrated through their words, how danger narratives can be invoked not only to obscure (hetero) cis men’s violence and abuse against cis and trans women, but also justify violence against the whole LGBTQ + community in the holy name of (cis-hetero) women's safety. [Here my previous post about this]