A racist offensive is sweeping Europe, with governments and the right-wing media using migrants, refugees and Muslims as scapegoats for an economic crisis and wars they did not create.
The racist tide will only be driven back by anti-racists standing up and confronting it. From Germany to Greece to the USA, people who want a society free from racism are saying no more. People are taking to the streets in large numbers to oppose racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and to say migrants and refugees are welcome here. We are the majority and we will stand up to racism.
Leeds Stand Up to Racism is linked to the national campaigning coalition Stand Up to Racism (President: Diane Abbott MP). After the successful national day of action to say ‘Refugees Welcome Here’ on 12 September 2015 which saw 500 people march through Leeds we decided to form a local group. We have since worked with various other groups in Leeds to organise protests against Trump and other more local racist populists, vigils in solidarity with the victims of terrorist violence, various public meetings and conferences, convoys to Calais to deliver solidarity with refugees in France, and organised coaches down to the national Stand Up to Racism demonstrations on UN Anti-Racism Day. Leeds is a great multicultural, multiracial city – we aim to help defend that and turn back the tide against the minority of racists and fascists.
Please get in touch with us on facebook (‘Leeds Stand Up to Racism’) or email sutrleeds@gmail.com or follow us on twitter @SUTRLeeds