Tuesday 21 March 9.30am to 12.30pm / Idea Store, 321 Whitechapel Rd, E1 1BU
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21st March, the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
The General Assembly decided that a week of solidarity with the peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination, beginning on 21 March, would be organized annually in all States.
Since then, the apartheid system in South Africa has been dismantled, racist laws and practices have been abolished in many countries, however still today, too many individuals, communities and societies continue to suffer from the injustice and stigma that racism brings.
We do not need to go far back to see that racism continues to make headlines globally and nationally.
The recent brutal attack on a 15 year black school girl by a group of white teenage girls (two as young as 11 years) egged on by their parents and watched by adult bystanders, who chose to remain silent. And worse still, the reaction or should I say inaction of a ‘Teacher’ who casually strolled in to ‘intervene’. The young girl sustained brutal injuries (GBH) including nine of her braids pulled off from her scalp. From whichever lens you choose to look at this tragic incident both the victim and the young people involved are victims. All adults involved in this incident , ‘parents’,’teachers’ and spectators have failed our young people miserably. Thankfully the police are investigating the case as a racially aggravated hate crime and we hope that that all those involved directly and or indirectly will be held accountable.
Therefore as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination approaches it reminds us that we still have a lot of work to do and that there should be no room for complacency. I/we are therefore inviting our partners, No Place for Hate Champions and each one of us to strengthen and consolidate our voices against racism, to mobilise against all forms and manifestations of racial discrimination and injustice, and to ensure safe places and environment for those who speak up. The day also provides an opportunity to reflect on our actions and treatment of people who are different from us on racial, ethnic and or other personal characteristics.
To mark this day we are therefore asking our Partners & Hate Crime Champions to:
Observe and mark the significance of the day.
- Question our own prejudices .Do we allow it to impact on our interaction with people and more importantly the services we deliver.
- Review our/your policies, procedures and practices to ensure they are inclusive of people including those from a different racial background.
- Raise awareness of racial discrimination, injustice and hate crime among staff in our/your organisations and local communities. (Race Hate Crimes continue to be the highest reported strand of hate crimes in England & Wales accounting for a third of the reported hate crimes in 2021/22 124,091.
- Become a No Place for Hate Champion
- Reaffirm your commitments to our No Place for Hate Campaign by encouraging staffs, service users, family members and peers to make a united stand against all forms of hate crime by signing the attached Personal Pledge and return to hatecrime@towerhamlets.gov.uk Alternatively pledges can be completed online at: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/hatecrime
- Sign the Organisational Pledge if your organisation has not done, available also on the above link
A further reminder of services provided by Tower Hamlets Hate Crime Team:
- Hate Crime advice to individuals & professional, signposting to specialist support services
- Coordinate Tower Hamlets No Place for Hate Forum & Hate Incident Panel
- Annual Hate Crime Delivery Plan
- No Place for Hate Campaign/Pledge & Champions Project
- Free training, awareness and outreach including Champions Training
- Hate Crime Manual with a directory of support services
- Marking notable hate crime events such as National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Discrimination Days,etc.
- www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/hatecrime
The Hate Crime Team will be in action at the Idea Store Whitechapel (321 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1BU) on Tuesday 21st March 9.30am – 12.30pm promoting hate crime partnership support services and our No Place for Hate campaign.
To report a Hate Crime emergency call the Police on 999, non-emergency 101. Victim Support National Helpline 0808 168 9293.
For more information on information on support organisations contact:
- The Monitoring Group https://tmg-uk.org/
- Tell Mama Islamophobic hate crime https://tellmamauk.org/
- Community Safety Trust (CST) Anti semitic hate crimes https://cst.org.uk/
- Kick It Out (Tackling Racism & Discrimination) https://www.kickitout.org/
