- Conference
- 2014 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 1 October 2013
- Decision
- Carried
Conference the brutal murder of Lee Rigby was both horrific and left a nation shocked at this brutal act on the streets of Woolwich.
Conference condemns the actions of those that carried out this murder and reject stated motivation for their actions. However, Conference is deeply concerned at the increasing attacks, verbal, physical attacks and via social media on Muslim people in the weeks that followed the attack.
Fascist right wing organisations like the English Defence League and British National Party using the event to whip up hatred and direct racism towards Black communities. The EDL organised marches in Newcastle and London on 25th and 27th May 2013 and further marches throughout the weeks leading up to Lee Rigby’s funeral held on 12th July 2013.
While the vast majority of people the EDL claims to speak for have rejected their activities, conference believes that our Black, Muslim and migrant worker members and their communities are facing an increasingly volatile environment and climate where they are vulnerable to discrimination and abuse.
It’s time conference to also call into account the media and their coverage of such acts on our streets and the insensitivity, sensationalism and bias reporting that can incite further violence.
It is the responsibility of the British media to ensure that when reporting acts of violence on our streets they must stop using inflammatory language that feeds the fascist and racist. We must reject those who want to divide our communities and set them against each other, and stand up for the ideal of anti-racism, multiculturalism and respect for all.
Conference at the National Delegates Conference in 2013 the emergency motion ‘Challenging the politics of hate’ was overwhelming supported by delegates and we now need to push on the campaign to address what is still a vile and evil mind-set and organise a fringe meeting at the 2014 National Delegates Conference on these issues.
We therefore call on the NBMC in partnership with the NEC to:
1)Update on the high profile anti-racist campaign and discussion material produced with Hope not Hate in preparation for the 2014 European Parliament elections
2)Work with Labour Link to raise these issues of media coverage and reporting with MPs
3)Work with organisations that organise in communities where youth alienation is potentially high
4)Oppose any new measures aimed at reducing our democratic rights, such as the right of security forces to read emails and texts
5)Report back through UNISON media on the activities and campaign strategy.