Below we reproduce a letter from Lord Avebury to the shadow secretary of state for communities and local government on Tory policy on Gypsies and Travellers. ‘The Conservatives evidently failed to seek advice from established experts or members of the Gypsy and Traveller community, contrary to good practice in policy formation generally, and on ethnic
Freedom of speech upheld for German academic
Sabine Schiffer, the anti-racist academic accused of slandering a police officer when she suggested institutional neglect could have been a factor in the recent Marwa al-Sherbini case, has been acquitted. Marwa al-Sherbini was stabbed to death in a Dresden court room by the man (a known xenophobe) against whom she was giving evidence. Her husband
International right-wingers gather for EU-wide minaret ban
Extreme Right parties are hoping to use the citizens’ initiative of the Lisbon Treaty to ban the construction of minarets across the EU. In February, Liz Fekete warned in a briefing paper from the European Race Audit that the extreme Right in Europe could well use the direct democracy provision of the Lisbon Treaty to
Only an inquiry will bring trust in Prevent
The government must now launch an independent inquiry into the human rights issues which the Preventing Violent Extremism policy raises. The Institute of Race Relations’ report into the government’s Preventing Violent Extremism programme, published last October, argued that the programme, known simply as Prevent, had undermined community cohesion, alienated those it was meant to be
Select committee vindicates IRR report on Preventing Violent Extremism
A cross-party group of MPs has concluded that the government’s Preventing Violent Extremism programme, known as Prevent, undermines community cohesion and stigmatises Muslims. In a report published today by the Communities and Local Government parliamentary select committee, Prevent is described as ‘unlikely ever to be fully accepted in its existing form by those it is
Concerns about abuse by UKBA contractors vindicated
Baroness O’Loan’s report to the UK Border Agency uncovers casual brutality and callous neglect in detention centres. O’Loan’s report in March 2010 was commissioned following allegations of systemic abuse of detainees by detention centre and immigration escort staff made in the 2008 report, Outsourcing Abuse by Medical Justice, National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns and solicitors
Open season on Palestine protesters
Open season seems to have been declared on people protesting about Palestine and Israeli action in Gaza. In a case due to be heard in Edinburgh on Monday 29 March, five members of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) face trial on charges of racially aggravated conduct. The charges follow a protest on August 2008,
Young people’s film on women who changed the world
A fantastic new DVD about four women who made an impact by changing society (with accompanying website and magazine) has been made by young filmmakers. The DVD, Hidden Herstories: Women of Change, consists of four 15-minute films, each on a woman whose contribution to society has been hidden from history by the passing of time.
‘This country I came to for refuge for peace …’
Victoria Brittain’s touching new play ‘Waiting’ is based on the hitherto unheard testimonies of women suffering as a result of the war on terror. The verbatim play, shown recently at the Southbank, is based on interviews and conversations carried out by Victoria Brittain over many years with eight women whose lives (and those of their
Fighting anti-Muslim racism: an interview with A. Sivanandan
IRR News spoke to one of the foremost analysts of racism and Black struggle as to how to meet the contemporary challenge of anti-Muslim racism. Should we look at Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism today as something new and apart, or as a continuation of the racism we have known in the UK? A. Sivanandan: Every