MPs, trade unionists, campaigners and community groups have called for a Celebration of Unity rally in Dewsbury on Saturday 30 June.
The call comes in response to plans by the racist thugs of the English Defence League (EDL) to “demonstrate” in the city on that Saturday.
The Unity campaign has called for people to gather for a peaceful anti-racist event.
Assemble 11am, junction of Foundry Street and Market Place, Dewsbury.
Please note: The assembly time has been brought forward from 1pm.
Dewsbury Unity said in a statement:
The EDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims. Islamophobia — bigotry against Muslims — is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s. Today the EDL threaten Muslims. Tomorrow it could be Jewish people, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians and gay men, travellers or East Europeans. There is no place for Nazis, racists or the EDL in Dewsbury’s multiracial, multicultural and multi-faith community.
The following signed the call for Dewsbury Unity event:
Huddersfield TUC (Trades Council); Kirklees UNISON; Kirklees National Union of Teachers; Pakistani and Kashmiri Welfare Association (PKWA), Batley; Leeds University Universities and Colleges Union Branch; Kirklees Unite Against Fascism; Mohammed A. Pandor (Anjuman E Zinatul Islam General Secretary); Hasan Loonat (General Secretary, Masjid-e-Noor); Azizi Daji (Chair, Indian Muslim Welfare Society); Amin Patel (ICWA Secretary); Ahmed Variava (ICWA Vice-Chair); M.H.Mulla (Vice Chair, IMWS); H.E.Dadibhai; Iqbal Bhana OBE, DL; Jamil Akhtar (Secretary South Asian Consortium Kirklees); Professor Malcolm J.W.Povey, (Past President, Leeds University UCU); John M. Drewery, (President Huddersfield TUC, aka Trades Council); Andrew Cooper (Kirklees Councillor, Green Party; Patrick Murphy (Member of NUT national executive for West Yorkshire); Paul Holmes (Secretary, Kirklees Unison); Nick Ruff (Chairperson, Kirklees Unison); Mick Ryan (senior steward, Kirklees Unison); Hazel Danson (Joint secretary Kirklees NUT, NUT nat. exec member); Roger Keely, (Kirklees UAF and Kirklees NUT); Barbara Jones (Secretary, Kirklees NAS/UWT); George Galloway (MP); Andrew Burgin; Salya Shaban (Secretary, Coalition of Resistance); Mrs. Amina Bulbulia, (Indian Muslim Welfare Society Project Manager); Ansa Jawed; Mike Richardson; David Hartley (NAPO, Shipley); Wayne Atkinson (Bradford); Ishtiaq Ahmed (Bradford); Rafat Parveen; Sarah Cartin; Lucy Galloway; Chris Chivers (Respect National Treasurer); Richard Searle (Manchester UNITE 159 Branch); Peter Mayne; Diana Raby (Respect); Councillor M.Shabir; Arshad Ali (Respect); Carole Swords (Respect); Dr. D.R.Lane (UCU); Isabel Groke; Dawood Islam (Respect); Ikyra Islam (Respect); Rob Williams (PCS Branch Secretary); Karl Dallas (Respect); Zeeshan Tariq; Zeeshan Shahid; Matthew Caygill; Aysha Ali Khan (Teacher and PA to George Galloway MP); Graham Mustin; Dave Gibson (Barnsley College UCU Treasurer); Sue Clark,retired schoolteacher, (NUT); Tom Clark (journalist); Helen Foot (barrister)
The following signed the original statement condemning the EDL demonstration:
Steve Williamson (Labour Party), Holly Simms (Beeston); Jack Talbot Ejaz Hussein (Chair, South Leeds Community Alliance); Adam Ogilvie (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Karen Mustin (Morley); Paula Russell (Brighouse); Angela Gabriel (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Mike Shepherd (Labour Party); Steve Johnston (Leeds NUT Vice-President and Leeds Trades Council); Steve Francis (Beeston primary school governor); David Congreave (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Mike Weston (Leeds Tenants’ Association, Defend Council Housing); Eileen Harris (Belle Isle Tenants’ Members Organisation); Peter Henderson Rhiannon Wright (Holbeck); Tanis Belsham-Wray; Nial Vivian (Socialist Party); Gary Jones (Socialist Party); Hanif Malif (Hamara Healthy Living Centre); Hafizur Hussein (Touchstone); Kimberley Saggu; Star Zaman (Rugby League, Leeds Rugby); Mohammed Farouk (Hamara Healthy Living Centre); Gohar Almas (Secretary, South Leeds Community Alliance); Francis Jones (Former Labour Party Councillor); Ruth Watson (Beeston); David Smith (Green Party); Sam Kirk (Leeds UAF, Bradford NUT); Phil Goodfield (UNISON); Aftab Ahmed (Beeston); Anna Pyrkosz (GMB); P.Peacock (Beeston); Ed Carlisle (Together for Peace); Garth Franklin (Socialist Resistance); John Baron (South Leeds Life); Jen Scott (Bradford Community Environment Project); Nadine Larmour; Dave Proctor (UCU); Harginder Sagoo (Beeston); Hilary Benn MP.
Unite Against Fascism news report, 26 June 2012
See also "MPs call for ban on EDL march", George Galloway news report, 26 June 2012
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