RAPAR's role in: Stand Up to Racism
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RAPAR has been involved since Stand Up To Racism began in 2012.
21st March is United Nations Anti-Racist Day and, on the nearest Saturday to this day every year, there is a national Anti-Racist demonstration in London that RAPAR always sends a delegation to. This year (2015), because of the ways in which refugee people are being demonised and criminalised, coupled with the most severe refugee crisis since World War Two, RAPAR has been developing work to both support the people in Calais and do everything we can so that they can become safe in the UK. We have been doing this in collaboration with Stand Up To Racism nationally and, on September 12th 2015, we were part of launching Greater Manchester's Stand Up To Racism group. See RAPAR's launch statement here. RAPAR Vice Chair Abiola launches our statement: National Stand Up To Racism statement:
"This racist tide will only be driven back by you and me standing up and confronting it. From Germany to Greece to Ferguson, people who want a society free from racism are saying no more. People are taking to the streets in large numbers to oppose the racist Pegida movement in Germany and the Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn in Greece, and to protest institutional racism and police violence against Black communities. People are outraged at the Islamophobic and anti-Semitic backlash after the Copenhagen and Paris attacks, and the mass media silence on the Chapel Hill shootings where three Muslim students were brutally shot dead, so many have mobilised under the slogan ‘Muslim Lives Matter’. Immigrant communities are fed up with being wrongly blamed for an economic crisis they did not create. On UN anti-racism day people across the world will be taking a stand. Will you be there? Last year over 10,000 people from across Britain people took to the streets in London – students and trade unionists, people of all faiths and none, migrants, musicians, teachers, pensioners and parents. And together we showed unity in the face of racism. A huge demonstration this year, just a month before the General Election will send a powerful message to all politicians: We are the majority and we will stand up to racism." Source: Stand Up To Racism Url: http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/about/ |
24th March 2018
STOP THE NAZIS AND THE FASCISTS
Get involved and sign the pledge that want sot bring all anti racists and anti fascists together to stop the Football Lads Alliance marching in Birmingham this Saturday . Click here 17th March 2018
Show solidarity with refugees, sign the petition here:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/show-solidarity-with-refugees-uk-calais-and-europe 25/11/2015 North-West Delegation heading to Calais on 13th December 2015
As the weather grows colder and the conditions on the camp remain very dangerous to its residents, the imperative to secure the safety of the 5000 plus people who have fled into Europe and who are camped in Calais, including families with children, becomes more and more acute (French court orders government to implement improvements). Our contributions towards ensuring that they can become safe, avoid death and reach their destination "the UK" where they have actual connections of one from or another, which is why they are camped out in Calais in the first place) - has to include highlighting their conditions (see Doctors of the World report here) and calling upon our own government to enable their entry. This situation is even more pressing “ and complex“ since the events in Paris. RAPAR's One for One Bike Project (see below), will be taking a van load of bikes to Calais on the 13th December so that people can get into Calais town as they need to from the camp which is two miles away. We are also organising a delegation that represents people in the North-West of England who say that the people there must not freeze. Download a collection sheet here. 9/11/2015 One for One: Gaskell Bike Project
The Gaskell Bike Project, is a collaboration between the Gaskell Garden Project and RAPAR. During the bonfire on the 5th of November, bikes, bike parts, helmets, etc. were collected. Therefore then, for any two bikes one goes to Calais and one stays in Manchester. These bikes are being provided for refugees in both these places as being able to move around is vital to do one's everyday businesses. One for One: Gaskell Bike Project 18/10/2015 - Tahir Square is Glimpsed in Calais
Yesterday, to the strains of Reggae artist, Natty, a terrible beauty was born. “The Jungle”, Calais, France is an open sewer on industrial wasteland. It is the name of the refugee camp where a reported 5000 plus people, including around 1000 women and some children, are living. On the single roundabout that lies between “The Jungle” and the Calais Ferry Terminal - where upwards of 800 demonstrators had marched earlier and stopped Ferry crossing operations - a mellow interlude descended later in the afternoon. It was for just a little while, and in spite of the phalanx of suited, booted, and fully armed French police, stood, still and jealous, guarding the gap in the fence used by the earlier demonstration, It was a truly international gathering. Read the full report... |
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10/10/2015 - Stand Up to Racism- RAPAR Response to Theresa May's Conference Speech
Theresa May's speech made last week during the Tory party conference laid out a number of home office policy positions relating to immigration and asylum in the UK. The speech (found here) makes a number of claims regarding the economic effect of immigration and asylum in the UK whilst also laying out new plans for border controls and crackdowns. Dr. Rhetta Moran, speaking for RAPAR on BBC Radio responded to the key points of the home secretary's speech and can be found below: Click Here to access the MP3 Full Press Release |
