HIAS+JCORE joins 80 organisations in call for Parliament to be recalled

HIAS+JCORE has joined 80 migrants rights and anti-racism organisations in signing a letter coordinated by the Runnymede Trust, calling for Parliament to be urgently recalled.

It also highlights the importance of the new government both standing against appalling far-right Islamophobic, racist and anti-refugee violence, and matching this with efforts to change the narrative from the dehumanising, divisive rhetoric all too often expressed by politicians and press.

Full letter text:

“Dear Prime Minister, 

The unprecedented levels of racist rioting across the UK over the last few days is utterly deplorable. 

It is devastating that the tragic crime committed in Southport continues to be associated with ongoing violence against people of colour. It is contemptuous of the grief experienced by the families and of the Southport communities affected.

It is clear that this eruption of violent racism has long been simmering under the surface. What is happening is the direct result of years of normalised racism and Islamophobia, enabled by mainstream politicians and the British media. Many of us warned of these outcomes during the election period which saw an intensification of Islamophobia, and anti-migrant narratives. 

We are particularly concerned that certain sections of the media and political elite have chosen to take the ongoing violence as an opportunity to entertain debates about ‘legitimate grievances’, ‘integration’ and immigration. Muslim communities and people of colour should never have to justify their level of integration in order to claim basic protection from criminal acts, and it is incredulous that we should have those debates in the midst of this unprovoked and sustained violence. To blame the victims of this violence is an insult to people of colour across the country.

The Islamophobia, racism and anti-migrant violence we have witnessed on the streets of the UK represents the rot that has become normalised as part of our politics. The new Labour government must take this opportunity to reset the direction of travel and foster zero tolerance for far-right, racist and anti-migrant narratives. 

As organisations that work on racial justice and Islamophobia, we say that it is the government’s responsibility to take command of the narrative and show leadership. An emergency Cobra meeting is insufficient, this is a national emergency and Parliament should be recalled to effect a national, coordinated political response which gets to the root of this violence.

The government must acknowledge that challenging the far right is not simply a question of online misinformation, or increased police surveillance but involves a wholesale shift in our political culture, language and policies. It is urgent that Parliament is recalled to address the scale of this crisis, and ensure that all people and communities of colour are protected.“