Racist murder of Zahid Mubarek: questions remain unanswered

An appeal hearing at the House of Lords began this week on behalf of Zahid Mubarek’s family, who are fighting for the right to have a fully independent, public investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. In March 2000, 19-year-old Zahid was murdered by a known racist who had been put in the same cell

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No deportations to Iraq

‘Iraq unsafe, Kurdistan unsafe!’, were the words shouted by Iraqi and Kurdish protestors in front of the Home Office yesterday. Around fifty refugees gathered in front of the Home Office to protest against the government’s decision to repatriate asylum seekers to Iraq, a country that it deems now to be safe. The Home Office has

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Crisis of black underachievement in London schools

Nearly 2,500 delegates participated in the second conference on the underachievement of black pupils in London schools on Saturday 10 May 2003. Opening the conference, Diane Abbott MP said that GCSE pass rates of black pupils were getting worse and now bordered on catastrophic. She urged the conference to seek practical solutions and develop a

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Review

Gangsters for life?

A new youth work video explores the myths and realities of Bengali ‘gangs’ in Tower Hamlets, east London. Claire Alexander, the author of a book on Asian gangs, discusses her involvement in the project. It is now nearly two years since the outbreak of unrest that scarred previously forgotten towns and communities across the midlands

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Comment

Racism and the police – the case of Sylbert Farquharson

On 31 January 2003, Sylbert Farquharson won a civil case against police officers who subjected him to a racist beating in Stockwell, south London. The facts before Judge Michael Dean, sitting at the Central London County Court, must have been so horrific as to make him cast aside the normal reserve of his office. Mr

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News

West Ham condemned for buying Lee Bowyer

We are disappointed and dismayed at the actions of West Ham United Football Club by buying Lee Bowyer. Suresh Grover from the NCRM and the Najieb Family Campaign said: “Over the past few years West Ham Football Club have done much to distance themselves from racism. It has also worked with local partnerships and secured

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Tough questions at Climbie meeting

Norman Tutt, Director of Social Services at Ealing Council, faced hostile questioning at a public meeting organised to discuss the public inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié. Around fifty people attended the meeting held at Ealing Town Hall on 9 December 2002, which was preceded by a vigil on Ealing Broadway. The event was

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Comment

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry

The public inquiry into the official handling of the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence opened in March. Police were accused of incompetence, insensitivity and racism in their response to the stabbing and to Stephen’s parents and the survivor of the attack, Duwayne Brooks. Below is a summary of the main points to emerge by the

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Comment

Robbery isn’t colour-blind

Muhammed Rafique Khan was knifed through the heart on 6 January outside his menswear shop in Plumstead High Street, south-east London. It was 10 minutes till closing when a 30-year-old white man ran into the shop. What happened inside is not exactly known. But witnesses at a nearby bus stop heard an altercation and saw

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