Report by Islington Stand Up to Racism
Last Friday a young woman wearing a hijab was denied entry to the Holloway Road McDonald’s on “grounds of security”. This is a shocking and blatant example of Islamophobia which is totally unacceptable. As soon as we became aware of this we called a protest outside the restaurant for the following morning. It is no accident that this incident came at the end of the week that saw the most powerful politician in the western world, Donald Trump, tweet out racist and islamophobic filth and lies.
The demonstration attracted large numbers of angry local Muslim women, trade unionists, students and other anti-racists. It was hosted by Labour Councillor and Stand Up to Racism member Rakhia Ismail who led the chant. “McDonalds No Way – Muslim People Here to Stay”. Our stall was mobbed with people wanting to sign our petition which condemned the islamophobia.
In the afternoon at another site in the borough we held our second Stand Up to Racism Refugee Winter Appeal Campaign Stall, where we collected donations for Care4Calais. This had been advertised earlier in the week in our local paper the Islington Tribune. People came to deliver clothes, toiletries and food. One 92 year old woman donated a bag of hand knitted hats and gloves she had made for the refugees. We also collected £240 in donations.
