Last Saturday Hundreds of delegates gathered in London to hear speakers from across the anti-racism and anti-fascism movement here and in Europe last Saturday. The message was loud and clear on key issues for the anti-racist and anti-fascist movement which said no to fascism, racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia and yes to refugees, migrants and diversity. Sessions spanned the challenge of rejecting the advancing far right across Europe, challenging the climate of Islamophobia and anti-migrant sentiment which they are advancing off and many speakers slammed the sentiments of or the full storfiy blog with pictures, tweets and highlights click here
Those in attendance were galvanised by the conference to go all out for the Refugees Welcome Here – Stand up to racism Islamophobia anti-Semitism and fascism national demo on Saturday 19 March for UN Anti Racism Day:
Diane Abbott MP “It is not a refugee crisis, it is a crisis of Western governments failing to recognise their moral and legal responsibilities. We should not allow our legal and moral responsibilities to refugees to be blurred by politicans running scared UKIP”
Kate Osamor MP slammed Cameron’s ‘bunch of migrants’ jibe as “offensive…callous and…representative of insidious racism of Britain’s border policy”
Claude Moraes MEP slammed the wealthy nations of Britain and France for reducing refugees in Calais to such a dire humanitarian crisis.
Julie Ward MEP outlined how she was able to beat Nick Griffin and replace him in the last European elections with the help of UAF and the anti-fascist movement
Martina Renner MdB(Die Linke) outlined how PEGIDA are forming armed groups and attacking refugees along the German border.
Talha Ahmad – Muslim Council of Britain – outlined how Islamophobia means there is a concerted attempt to paint the Muslim Community as ‘other’
Shahrar Ali Deputy Leader Green Party said we must all challenge the overt racism that has advanced in society.
Harish Patel – Unite the Union Equalities Officer – called on all to join the UN Anti-Racism Day Demo
Jomana Al Ahmed of MAB Youth outlined the fear that Muslim women feel in public spaces as a result of the rising Islamophobic attacks on them.
Petros Konstantinou KEERFA – Greek Anti-Fascist Campaign – said Neo Nazi Golden Dawn are using racism to villify refugees but the anti-fascist movement is beating them.
Anna Musgrave, Advocacy Manager, Refugee Council called for the creation of an ‘asylum visa’ to help refugees who have an urgent need to travel into Europe.
Sabby Dhalu Unite Against Fascism / Stand up to racism called on everyone to join the UN Anti-Racism Day demo – to show our government that refugees rights should be respected and we will all be standing up to racism, fascism, Islamophobia and anti-semitism.
Weyman Bennett Unite Against Fascism / Stand up to racism called for the anti-fascist movement to build across Europe, as fascist groups are advancing. He said we must all be there on 19 March to show that tens of thousands stand up to racism
Speakers at the UAF conference included Diane Abbott MP, Kate Osamor MP, Claude Moraes MEP, Julie Ward MEP, Martina Renner MdB Die Linke Bundestag Parliament representative Wilf Sullivan TUC Race Relations Officer Harish Patel National Equalities Officer Unite the Union Anne Swift Senior Vice President, NUT Anna Musgrave Advocacy Manager, The Refugee Council Talha Ahmad National Council, Muslim Council of Britain Colette Levy Hidden Child from Vichy France Jomana AlAhmad Muslim Association of Britain Youth Refugees from Glasgow girls campaign, Petros Konstantinou KEERFA – Greek Anti-Fascist Campaign Micheline Ngongo Light Project International Canon Steven Saxby London Churches Social Action Maz Saleem Daughter of the late Mohammed Saleem Brian Richardson Love Music Hate Racism Lee Jasper Black Activists Rising Against Cuts Zita Holbourne Movement Against Xenophobia / BARAC Aman Ali London Regional Manager MEND Maya Goodfellow Journalist Francis Duku Show Racism the Red Card Alex Kenny NUT NEC Shelly Asquith NUS VP Welfare Shamiul Joarder YouElect Paul Mackney People’s Assembly Against Austerity Tommy Tomescu Alliance Against Bulgarian and Romanian Discrimination Hamja Ahsan Free Talha Ahsan Campaign Gerry Gable Editor, Searchlight Magazine Nailla Ashraf Stand up to Racism Manchester Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition Morten Thaysen Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants Amal Azzudin and Pina Aksu Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees Sabby Dhalu & Weyman Bennett UAF Joint Secretaries
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