Stand Up To Racism - Edinburgh

Statement from Stand Up to Racism Edinburgh:

“Edinburgh Stand Up to Racism sends warm solidarity to Sabzi Streetfood and the Sikh community of our city. We were saddened and angered to learn that the restaurant's van had recently been targeted and vandalised.

Like Sabzi, we are devastated by the senseless murder of Henry Nowak, and we are horrified by the opportunistic and invalid attempt to pin his death on racist grounds.

We send our deepest condolences to the family of Henry Nowak. No family should have to experience the loss of their son. The bodycam footage and the failures of the police are shocking and tragic.

The disgracraceful response of Nigel Farage in calling for "pure, cold rage" has not only encouraged racist thugs to descend on Southampton. It has inspired racists around the UK, including in Edinburgh, to feel they have free rein to attack Sikh members of our community.

It is very clear that there was no racism involved in the actual events which led to Nowak’s tragic death, and we need to reinforce this narrative, especially to prevent unjustified and senseless targetting of Asian communities as retribution."

*Refugee Week Event hosted by Stand Up To Racism on 18th June 5-8pm*

Come celebrate our diverse community in Edinburgh at this event hosted by Stand Up to Racism Edinburgh & Lothians. The event will feature live music from the West African group Diwan, who have performed in venues across the UK (including the Jazz Bar, BBC and along Angelique Kidjo) and a Kurdish musician. After the performance there will be a conversation with and by refugees in Edinburgh about their experience. Come along to meet new people, enjoy the music, and find out more about how to get involved in local antiracist community work.

Location: Southside Community Centre, 117 Nicolson Street Edinburgh

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available for all.

The event is free - All welcome!

We send our deepest condolences to the family of Henry Nowak. No family should have to experience the loss of a son. The bodycam footage and the failures of the police are shocking and tragic.

But we are alarmed that known fascists and far right activists are trying to seize on this horrific killing and weaponise it to spread their message of hate. In Southampton, neo N**i sect White Vanguard called a protest purporting to be remembering Henry Nowak. Britain’s leading fascist Tommy Robinson has said he will be attending future protests and Elon Musk is using X to spread misinformation.

Nigel Farage has called for “pure cold rage” in response. Farage is cynically using a tragic death to fuel his divisive agenda and win votes.

None of these far right figures offer anything to the family of Henry Nowak, nor are they interested in justice. They are using a tragic murder for their own ends - to divide our communities and to spread their racism, hate and far right ideas.

Don’t let the far right divide us.

SUTR Edinburgh and Lothians stands in solidarity with newly elected Scottish Greens MSP
Dr. Q Manivannan .ueering ✊

Cynical remarks from several high-profile political figures regarding Q’s visa status has been followed by a torrent of racist and transphobic hate directed at the democratically-elected MSP.

Everyone is welcome in Scotland, and everyone is welcome to participate in Scotland’s democracy. Those arguing otherwise are weaponising damaging racist, anti-immigration rhetoric, bolstering the arguments of the far right. As 17 Reform UK MSPs walk into Holyrood, we need to be more prepared than ever to counter the rise of racism and hate in our society.

An attack on Q is an attack on all visa-holders, migrants and asylum seekers in Scotland. We stand in solidarity with Dr Q and all migrants in Scotland.

We also congratulate Dr Q on their election, which ran a positive, anti-racist campaign, one that celebrated diversity. We need more people like
Dr Q in Scotland and in Scottish Politics.

Stand against hate, stand for diversity.
Stand up to racism.

“Refugees in, Reform out!!”, 30 anti-racists make it clear outside the Scottish Parliament that racism, division and far-right ideas are not welcome in our democracy. Reform dodged our protest and took the back door in to avoid facing us. We will not give them a minutes rest!

Speakers including Cllr Laura Murtagh, speaking for Women Against the Far-Right had gathered to ‘swear their allegiance’ to oppose Reform UK’s rascism, Islamophobia and division on their first week of Parliament.

A spokesperson for the protest said:

“The growth of Reform UK represents a dangerous turning point. Racist and far-right ideas are being pushed further into the mainstream by politicians seeking to exploit anger and insecurity instead of addressing the real causes of inequality and hardship.

“People across Scotland must stand together in solidarity with our friends, neighbours and workmates who are being targeted. We need real change, not racism, division and scapegoating.

“We are determined to build a mass anti-racist movement capable of pushing back the far right wherever it appears, including inside our Parliament.”

Huge protest planned as Reform UK MSPs sworn into Holyrood A huge protest has been planned as the newly-elected Reform UK MSPs are sworn into Holyrood ...

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Protest at Holyrood as Reform UK MSPs Sworn In

Anti-racist campaigners will gather outside the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 14 May at 08:30 as newly elected Reform UK MSPs are sworn in, warning that the far-right must be challenged at every opportunity and denied legitimacy in Scottish political life.

Under the banner ‘Wall of Shame’, demonstrators will send a clear message that racism, division and far-right politics have no place in Scotland.

Last week’s election results marked the first time Reform UK has entered the Scottish Parliament. Organisers say the result reflects growing anger over the cost of living crisis, collapsing public services and widespread disillusionment with mainstream politics, but argue Reform UK offers no real solutions for ordinary people.

Instead, campaigners say the party has built support through scapegoating migrants, promoting division and fuelling hostility towards minorities and refugees.
The final days of the election campaign, organisers argue, exposed the reality of Reform UK’s politics. Candidates accused of racist and Islamophobic views remained in place to win seats, while inflammatory and threatening rhetoric was used to intimidate communities and stoke fear.

Organisers say Reform UK should not be treated as a ‘normal’ political party, warning that its rise risks giving confidence to forces beyond parliament, including the wider far-right.

A spokesperson for the protest said:

“The growth of Reform UK represents a dangerous turning point. Racist and far-right ideas are being pushed further into the mainstream by politicians seeking to exploit anger and insecurity instead of addressing the real causes of inequality and hardship.

“People across Scotland must stand together in solidarity with our friends, neighbours and workmates who are being targeted. We need real change, not racism, division and scapegoating.

“We are determined to build a mass anti-racist movement capable of pushing back the far right wherever it appears, including inside our Parliament.”

Protesters are calling on anti-racists across Scotland to join the demonstration outside Holyrood this Thursday morning and show that far-right politics will always be met with organised opposition.

ENDS.

Wall of Shame! Protest Reform MSPs as they are sworn in!

This Thursday14th May, will mark a shameful moment in Scottish history as a racist, bigoted, mysgonistic far-right party will enter our Scottish Parliament for the first time. The results of last week’s elections send a clear warning, far-right Reform UK are making serious advances feeding off anger at the cost of living crisis, broken public services and widespread disillusionment with mainstream politics. However, they offer ordinary people no answers, its entire project is built on division, scapegoating and racism.

In the last few days of their campaign we saw exactly what that this meant. Candidates who had been exposed for vile racist and Islamophobic views were kept in place to win seats, policies designed to punish and divide communities such as threatening to set up ‘concentration camps’ for asylum seekers in Green held seats was designed to intimidate and bully voters. This is not “anti-establishment” politics—it is the politics of the far right and gives confidence to forces beyond the ballot box, including fascists like Tommy Robinson and his imitators.

❌ Reform UK are not a ‘normal’ party and its far-right divisive politics should not be treated as such.

Now more than ever we need a mass anti-racism movement to push back the far-right. The Reform surge in the elections represent a dangerous turning point - but we can turn the tide back.

Join this Thursday at the Scottish Parliament to:

✊Stand in solidarity with our friends, neighbours and workmates targeted by their racist policies. Defend our communities!

✊Demand real change, not racism

✊ No to racism and far-right ideas in Parliament

📣 Protest Thursday 14th May, 8.30am

📍Scottish Parliament.

Called by Stand up to Racism Scotland

Scottish Reform candidate who backed deporting all Muslims wins seat as MSP A REFORM UK candidate who supported deporting all Muslim people from the UK has been elected an MSP ...