Manchester Anti-racism

Wigan School Kids Demand Return of Class-mates

15-11-2005 21:34

Over 100 school children took part in a rally last Saturday 5th November 2005 to demand five of their class-mates are brought back from Uganda. Sarah Hata and her children - Dennis, Hope, Maureen, Peace and Moris - were taken from their home in Wigan, detained, forcefully taken to three planes within 48 hours and finally, without warning, removed to Uganda on the 26th October 2005.

Councillors and teachers joined pupils from St Thomas More RC High School and St. Cuthbert's Primary School as read they out letters they have written to Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and sang "Give Peace a Chance". They demanded that the Hata family are returned to their home in Wigan from Uganda whilst their solicitor continues to make representations on their behalf.

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Northern Communties Fight Against Fortress Europe

03-10-2005 14:45

Over 500 marched in Bolton on Saturday in solidarity with the Sukula family, against Section 9 of the 2004 Asylum & Immigration Act and for an end to all immigration controls.

The Sukula family is one among many who after the proposed introduction of Section 9 is threatened to be separated and have their children taken into care. Their pledge for asylum was rejected and they do not receive any benefits. Bolton City Council still refuses the implementation of Section 9, currently tested in a few northern councils which would oblige them to take the kids of the Sukula family into care on the grounds that their parents cannot support them. The council argues that this would violate Section 20 of the 1989 Children Act and the cost of it would be higher than continuing paying benefits to the family. The support of the Sukula family and the opposition against Section 9 brought together groups and unions from various northern cities and towns. Two unions decided in a consensus vote of their members to refuse to participate in implementing Section 9. Speakers reminded the crowd of the importance to build local and regional networks of solidarity and resistance aganist the racist policies of the British and EU governments.

UK Indymedia feature: Oct 1st: Migrants and Supporters Protest Against Deportations

Are You Thinking What We're Thinking? Er... No

28-03-2005 15:20

Spring is in the air and with it the talk (yawn) is of elections. But all is not lost for the season also sees the return of the time honoured pastime of defacing election billboard posters. The Conservative Party, in particular, has been on the end of some widespread street level heckling,

Far from thinking of locking up refugees and throwing away the key, grassroots organisations are putting together a European wide day of solidarity with migrants and refugees on April 2nd, in recognition of the appalling and tragic circumstances that so many refugees have to endure. A significant turnout is expected in Manchester, where three separate marches are planned from the north, south and centre of the city.

Thugs Attack Marks & Spencer Picket

12-07-2004 03:02

A regular Saturday picket of Marks & Spencer in Manchester was attacked last weekend (3rd July) by an organised group of thugs. They assaulted some of the picketers, grabbing leaflets out of their hands, attempted to turn over the campaign stall and destroyed some placards. The attack lasted for over quarter of an hour before police eventually arrived on the scene.

The picket has been a regular presence outside M & S in protest at the relationship between the company and the Israeli state. According to the Jerusalem Report (5 June 2000) Marks & Spencer support Israel to the tune of approximately $233 million in trade every year. The picketers are calling for a boycott of M&S whilst the 'special relationship' continues and Israel maintains its military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

The picket has not been without incident. Only a week earlier two men were detained by police officers outside the store for possessing imitation firearms, in reality toy guns which were being used as props for mock military checkpoints. In March two people were prosecuted for 'affixing placards to council property' and 'depositing a paste table on the highway without lawful authority or excuse’ outside the store. Marks & Spencer are now reported to be planning on bringing anti-social behaviour orders against the picketers.

L'Oeuf c'est plus fort que Le Pen (the Egg is mightier than Le Pen)

28-04-2004 16:32

"The blacked out limo was delayed from leaving the car-park for ages, forced to go at a snails pace by hastily erected barricades, and sit down protests in front of the car. Every time the police threw the first line aside, more just joined the back of the crowd." A.

"We were stopped at a traffic light in the mini bus we'd used. Who should pull up next to us by pure coincidence? A car covered in rubbish and eggs with the scumbags inside! Griffin had his window down and when he saw us the look on his face will never leave me..." L

The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside. When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.

Two men who appeared to be BNP supporters were taken away by police outside the hotel before Le Pen and associates left the building. Witnesses saw a large machete-type weapon in the boot of their car that was also taken by police.

Reports, pictures and comment [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] | Battle To Stop British Fascists Hots Up

Iranian Refugee Sets Fire to Himself

06-09-2003 23:00

Israfil Shiri has died after five days of terrible suffering in Wythenshawe Hospital Burns Unit Manchester.

On Thursday 27th August Israfil Shiri, a destitute young Iranian man poured petrol over his body and set fire to himself in the offices of Refugee Action in Manchester. He suffered burns to 80% of his body. He had told his friends he would do it to prove that this government cares more about animals than people fleeing torture and persecution.

"If they cut off all my benefits, prevent me from working and make me homeless, I too will commit suicide". These were the words of another Iranian asylum seeker who, along with 30 other people, attended a meeting on Monday to discuss last Thursday's tragedy and how we can prevent it from happening again.

Israfil Shiri, 30, who has been on life support at Wythenshawe Hospital Burns Unit following the suicide attempt at the Manchester offices of Refugee Action last week, died early on the morning of the third September.