#uk against racism

[ingek73]

Letters

Jeremy Clarkson’s abhorrent views on Meghan reflect the society we live in

Zoe Gray says the treatment of the Duchess of Sussex confirms that Britain is a place where the media can bully a woman so much that she has to flee. Plus letters from Averil Ashton, Ruth Rowles and Ralph Lloyd-Jones

Wed 21 Dec 2022 18.55 GMT

Re Zoe Williams’ column (Violent misogynistic fantasies like Jeremy Clarkson’s are not new – but the Sun gleefully publishing them is, 19 December), last week I felt confused about why I had found the Harry and Meghan Netflix series upsetting to watch, unsurprised as I was by their treatment from the media and the royal family.

As I read Jeremy Clarkson’s violent opinion, I realised it was because of what Meghan’s experience, Jeremy’s reaction and the Sun’s complicity confirms about the society I survive in. The sort of place with the type of media that take visceral pleasure in tearing a woman apart, bullying and hounding her until she is unsafe and has to leave. And then punishing her for leaving with mockery and bile. Game of Thrones is the medieval point of reference for a reason.

This is, and isn’t, about Meghan. Her treatment tells us everything we need to, and don’t want to, know about this country. If these words are being printed in national newspapers, what do you think the men responsible for writing and publishing them are saying behind closed doors?

So we complained to Ipso, so the piece got taken down, so Jeremy issued a bullshit apology. What next?

Zoe Gray

Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire

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Zoe Williams’ article sums up my feelings too. But Jeremy Clarkson does not speak for the over-60s at all, despite his wild assertion that “Everyone who’s my age thinks the same way”. We don’t. I don’t know anyone who agrees with Clarkson’s violent, racist fantasies.

I am in my 70s and I am deeply worried to see such anti-women and racist comments gaining ground in the mainstream media. People of my age, of every age, must start speaking out loudly against these views. Just because we are a certain age, it does not make us all rightwing, racist misogynists.

Averil Ashton

Calne, Wiltshire

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Nesrine Malik may be missing a point (Why the woes of Harry and Meghan tell us little about British racism, 19 December). It is because of their position at the heart of Britain’s most historical and established institution that Harry and Meghan can bring to light the entrenched attitudes of racism, bullying, class, conservatism and lack of empathy, deeply wired into our culture, at the very centre of the establishment. To disturb the status quo at the palace is to challenge the very foundations of these corrosive “values” that run through society. Yes, they are privileged, yes their experience doesn’t necessarily touch the everyday struggles of everyday people. But they are playing their role in our collective attempt to change and heal, bringing their experience and influence to bear where they can, and have the privilege to do so.

If everyone plays their part, faces the challenges on their own doorsteps, collectively change is evoked. Let’s value everyone’s experience and contribution, not devalue it because it doesn’t encompass everything.

Ruth Rowles

Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire

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I am slightly worried by the fact that I am exactly one day older than Jeremy Clarkson. Contrary to his assertion that everyone his age will agree with him, I rather like the Duchess of Sussex and have always found Clarkson a complete and utter ghastly twonk.

Ralph Lloyd-Jones

Nottingham

[londonedge]

Rock against Racism house in Walthamstow

This mural is a tribute to Roger Huddle and Red Saunders, co-founders of the Rock Against Racism movement

[exdivine]

What's FC? And what's happening in England?

Feminist Current is an alternative news outlet.

A few cities in England (also Belfast) are experiencing violent, far-right, anti-immigration riots, in response to the recent murder of 3 little girls in a stabbing incident. False reports said the killer was a Muslim immigrant — I believe this is why riots started and got out of control. But really he was born in Cardiff and has Rwandan parents. Hundreds have been arrested now.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

AN EVENING OF EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA WITH AN ANARCHO SOUNDTRACK IN KENTISH TOWN, UK.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a poster design from a CRASS gig at the Film CO-OP, Prince of Wales Crescent in Kentish Town,UK, on September 13th 1978. Mick Duffields "Autopsy" film was shown at the gig. From the Toby Mott Collection

PIC #2: The same CRASS/"Autopsy" poster design, with muted colors, (a show and film screening within the "Rock Against Racism" campaign), at a former dairy turned squat in 13a Prince of Wales Crescent, London, UK. on September 13, 1978.

Sources: https://crassahistory.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/crass-at-the-film-co-op-live-poster . PRINT Magazine.

[immaculatasknight]

The London connection

[reasoningdaily]

Listen to this article hereIt may come as no surprise to Black people in North America that the United States’ closest European ally, the United Kingdom, has been accused of widespread, systemic discrimination against people of African descent.

After wrapping up a 10-day fact-finding mission on the treatment and experiences of Black people in the UK, a United Nations committee expressed “extreme concern” in a letter to the British government last week about its failure to address “structural, institutional, and systemic racism” against people of African descent.

“We have serious concerns about impunity and the failure to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, deaths in police custody, ‘joint enterprise’ convictions and the dehumanising nature of the stop and (strip) search,” the working group said in a statement.

UN working group on people of African descent finds continued systemic racism in UK

Established a year after the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD) is composed of five independent experts appointed on the basis of equatable geographic representation.

The group sent a 19-page summary of recommendations to the British government on Friday after speaking to hundreds of citizens throughout the country during a 10-day fact-finding mission.

Among the findings, the UN body discovered many Black elderly populations were made to feel like they don’t belong, school police officers regularly intimidated Black children, and the criminal justice system’s practices disproportionately targeted Black people.

What is the Windrush scandal?

Windrush refers to the people who arrived in the UK from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands between 1948 and 1971. The ship they sailed on was called the MV Empire Windrush, according to the BBC.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in London, Dominique Day, one of the five members of the UN working group, said: “I’ve never visited a country before where there is a culture of fear pervading Black communities – relating to a range of asylum, residency, policing issues. An entire community experiences constant and ongoing human rights violations as a routine and normalized part of daily life.”

It’s unclear whether Day had ever visited the United States. 

British government denies systemic racism

For its part, the British government pushed back against the report’s findings.

“We strongly reject most of these findings,” a British government spokesperson said, per the Guardian.

“The report wrongly views people of African descent as a single homogeneous group and presents a superficial analysis of complex issues that fails to look at all possible causes of disparities, not just race. We are proud that the UK is an open, tolerant and welcoming country but this hard-earned global reputation is not properly reflected in this report.”

The denial of racism comes just eight years after the UK finished forcing taxpayers to pay the descendants of slave owners as a bribe for abolishing slavery nearly two centuries ago.

Meanwhile, officials said they had a “robust” discussion about the report with the UK equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.

As part of its fact-finding mission, the UN working group visited London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol. It spoke with senior government officials, local city council representatives, Metropolitan police and members of the Human Rights Commission.

The UN working group will present their full findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2023.

[loki-zen]

Man ‘gentrifiers* are Of Course white ppl in a non-white area’ is such an American take

tbh I do not necessarily endorse this term as it places an undue amount of Moral Judgement on someone who’s just trying to live where they can afford. I do agree that people shouldn’t move somewhere and demand that it changes for them (within reason) but tbh not being excited by the area you’re moving to having cool minority-ethnic grocery stores and such is Very Foreign to me anyhow.

[enbycrip]

This is really worth reading from Trans Safety Network about the petition to “remove LGBT identities from education” in the UK.

We all recall Section 28 and the damage it did to a whole generation of us. It’s hardly unsurprising to see the organised far-right backing for this by people with racist and islamophobic views.

[traincoded]

Fuck the UK

[mwg-drwg]

I've seen little about it so, Just an FYI what's been unfolding in England today. Far-right protestors are literally trying to kill asylum seekers in hotels.

In Rotherham, Yorkshire fascists have tried to set a hotel on fire with migrants staying there. Some signalling cut-throat gestures at the people staying in the rooms.

In Tamworth, Staffordshire the very same thing is happening. Another hotel has been set on fire with asylum seekers still inside alongside racist graffiti.

Other similar protests that are going uncountered are happening in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stoke-on-Trent and many more areas, chances are there will be one somewhere by you if things keep going the way they are. Nazis are literally strolling about unchallenged and these people are marching happily with them. There are more sensitive videos online which I won't share here but there are groups of nazis chasing down and circling black people in cities and beating them up, indian and chinese takeaways being targetted, turkish barbers being set alight and there have been incidents of muslims being assaulted and even stabbed.

BUT... There are success stories from UK cities where riots have failed due to no turnout or due to antifascists driving far-right pricks out of the city.

Cardiff, Wales - About 5 fascists turn up compared to 500 conuter-protestors. They failed to get anyone here despite trying two times.

Liverpool, Merseyside - A significant EDL mob is marched out of the city and fought against. Counter-protestors form a ring around a mosque being targetted.

Bristol, City of - antifascists block the entrance to a hotel that nazis are trying to get into as well as a fierce citywide push against the EDL and racism.

Nottingham, East Midlands - A huge antifascist counter protest outnumbers EDL and the far-right, preventing a riot from occuring.

There are many many more of these riots planned. If you're in the UK get organised and be prepared to fight alongside the people who make our communities stong and resiliant and make our country and cities a wonderful vibrant and friendly place to be. Help by whatever means you can. If you are not from the UK then please signal boost this because this needs to stop this nastiness from spreading and to make nazis afraid again.

[insidecroydon]

Disabled people feel the impact of years of damaging division

Fanning the flames of division: misinformation, misdirection and years of disaffection led to this month’s riots CROYDON COMMENTARY: What lay behind the series of riots and civil disorder which erupted across the country this month, and saw the town centre on high alert? Disability rights campaigner PAULA PETERS offers her perspective At last month’s General Election, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK…

[conatic]

Emeutes au Royaume-Uni: des milliers de personnes rassemblées pour dire non au racisme et à l'islamophobie - La DH/Les Sports+

Source : dhnet

[slightly-more-awake-salamander]

Hey, to any followers in the UK, I wanted to share Stand up to Racism's webpage about protests they are organising to counter the racist riots and attacks that have been happening.

There are a lot of individual branches that have their own Facebook pages or WhatsApp groups to coordinate, find a directory here.

Today there'll be protests in Oxford and Plymouth while Wednesday and Thursday Lewisham and Brighton will be organising. But again, there's chapters in a huge number of cities and towns so I recommend checking the directory and seeing what your local group is doing.

Additionally, there are plans for protests on Saturday across the UK.

If you can't attend protests for any reason (and there are loads of reasons why you might not attend), many chapters have solidarity letters or petitions you can sign.

The recent few days have been really scary. Fascists have been making active efforts to attack and kill anyone they deem an immigrant. They burned down a library in Liverpool and have tried to do the same to hotels housing refugees. This is all based on racist lies about a real tragedy. If you are able to, I hope you stand up against this violence in anyway you can. This is just one method but I hope this information is helpful.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

A "ROCK AGAINST OPPRESSION STATE & SOCIAL" EVENT -- THE FUN OF THE FIRST WAVE IS OVER.

PIC INFO: Resolution at 525x738 -- Spotlight on a CRASS/"Autopsy" poster design, (a show and film screening within the "Rock Against Racism" campaign), at a former dairy turned squat in 13a Prince of Wales Crescent, Kentish Town (London), UK. on September 13, 1978.

Source: https://designobserver.com/feature/the-art-of-punk-and-the-punk-aesthetic/36708.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

FAR RIGHT RIOTS

REBLOG THIS PLEASE!!

shit is bad in the UK but obviously it is immensly confusing and I know some people wouldn't want to search up the news given how volatile it is, so here is a timeline of events. warnings for talk of violence, child death, racism, police ect

Monday 29/07: mass stabbing occured in Southport at a kids dance class, three girls died on scene, several others were hospitalised. An at time unnamed 17 y old boy was arrested on suspicion, and a knife was seized. later

Tuesday 30/07: having read false news suggesting that the attacker was a muslim immigrant who had arrived on a small boat, far-right groups with links to the EDL their leader Tommy Robinson took to the internet to imply the attacker was Muslim attacked a mosque in Southport, and after being declared a public disturbance, the police showed up and started trying to disperse them. This very quickly spiralled into a riot in which 39 police were hospitalised. Also on this day, Nigel fucking Farage, leader of far-right party Reform UK tweeted a video in which asked if the police were lying that the attack was not "terror related", furthering belief that the attacker was Muslim

Wednesday 31/07: violent anti immigrant protest continued, and there were mass riots in London. The PM spoke out denouncing the far right rioters as "violent thugs who would feel the full force of the law"

Thursday 01/08 : to try and curb the spread of misinformation, the police released the identity of their suspect - Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents in hope that the confirmation that he is not a Muslim immigrant would stop the rioting. It has not. PM Starmer released a statement saying that these were "coordinated attacks by the far right. " and that "this is not a protest that got out of hand these are individuals bent on violence"

Friday Night 02/08: Riots started in Sunderland late at night with reports of "serious violence". Starmer announced he had a plan to tackle far right violence.

Saturday 03/08: New far right mob action started in Manchester, Bristol, Hull, Belfast, Stoke, and Nottingham. Nottingham saw the first counterprotest, and as I write this, clashes between antifacist protestors and the far right is on going. The racists are setting fire to migrant housing buildings and attacking both police and counterprotestors countrywide. Dispersal orders have been issued for every city centre and major town centre across the UK.

Sunday 04/08: a "nick em quick" approach is to be used against the rioters in a hope to remove the far right mob from the street as soon as possible. There have been over 100 arrests. There are no plans to bring in the army, say ministers. There is a current attack on a migrant housing building in Rotherham.

I will keep posting updates as this unfolds so watch this space. This is obviously terrifying, so I want you to focus on actionable points.

stop the spread of misinformation. i can cite all my sources on a different post if you would like, but know that i visited ten different news sites, and also watched all the live news coverage to make this post. if you see any new information, fact check it. if you see someone spreading misinformation anywhere, DO SOMETHING. call them out and correct them and if they don't fix it, report them.

take care of any of your friends who aren't white, or if you aren't white, consider not going anywhere alone. racists don't discriminate in their discrimination. they are violent, deranged, and several are armed.

unless you are attending a counterprotest, stay the fuck out of town and city centres!!!!

STAY SAFE OUT THERE!! always in solidarity