Valerie Bossman-Quarshie on an anti-racism demonstration

A COUNCILLOR has spoken out about the failure to talk about and tackle anti-black racism in the wake of far-right riots across the UK.

Bunhill ward councillor Valerie Bossman-Quarshie said she felt Sir Keir Starmer had not fully addressed the anti-black racism, called afriphobia, that she felt motivated much of the violence.

“We should have been ready,” said Cllr Bossman-Quarshie. “We’re always black and invisible. They [politicians] are always diluting things. People don’t want to address afriphobia or talk about it until something huge happens, and then it’s too late.”

The councillor said the labelling of the riots as “protests” was wrong.

Ms Bossman-Quarshie added: “Sadiq Khan is unapologetic in his language. He’s called it what it is — violence against black and brown people.

“Sadiq has highlighted that. He’s a brown man, he can relate. We’ve got to be stronger.

“People get confused that this is a protest. This isn’t protest, this is terrorism.”

Mr Khan, the Mayor of London, posted a tweet on Tuesday urging people to “check in on your black, brown and minority friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.”

He added: “Our communities are facing the threat of hatred — including violence — fuelled by insidious racism, prejudice, and Islamophobia.”

In relation to other politicians, Cllr Bossman-Quarshie said: “People at the top always use the same old semantics. They [politicians] can’t even call it what it is. It’s not thuggery, it’s racism. I just want them to call a spade, a spade.”

Cllr Bossman-Quarshie has regularly called for the Labour Party to take anti-black racism seriously

She has previously been part of demonstrations at the Labour Party conference calling on the findings of a report by Martin Forde KC,  which warned about a “hierachy of racism”, to be acted on.

The lawyer’s investigation said Diane Abbott had been “vilified” by Labour staffers on the basis of the colour of her skin.

Cllr Bossman-Quarshie explained how the riots had made her “fearful for my friends and my family, for everyone in the community.”

She said: “I’m scared for my children to go to school. How do I know people won’t come and get us?

“It makes me feel like I don’t even want to be black any more.”

Cllr Bossman-Quarshie added that she felt let down by the council’s response to the riots. A statement from community leaders was released on Tuesday, more than a week after the violence began.

“I felt that politically there was a slow response,” she said.

“My party was late to respond, and the cooperative approach would have been to consult people who actually have a stake in what’s going on.”

She added: “We, as black people, are not represented in local government enough and we need more of us. When things like this happen, we are the people who need to be asked about how to respond.”

The councillor’s comments come after a week where far-right riots have wreaked havoc across the country.

Fuelled by online misinformation, and egged on by high-profile figures promoting racist sentiments, rioters have been looting, smashing windows, and torching libraries in more than twenty UK towns and cities.

The Metropolitan Police prepared for violence to come to London on Wednesday evening after a list of ‘targets’ for far-right rioters was shared online.

“We have more than 1,300 public order officers ready to deploy across London today in addition to thousands already working in our communities,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine.

“We will not tolerate any disorder and will make arrests.”

But while full-scale riots had not yet been seen in the capital, incidents of Islamophobia are on the rise.

In Islington, one Muslim woman who wears a hijab reported that she had been assaulted on Hungerford Road on Monday evening.

In a post shared on social media by community runclub sheRUNS, the woman — who wished to remain anonymous — said that two men on Lime bikes surrounded her whilst she was on a run and sprayed an unknown liquid on her.

She screamed in response, fearing the liquid was acid, after which the two men laughed and cycled away.

The woman is unharmed, and said she did not report the incident to the police.

Council leader Kaya Comer-Schwartz was not available yesterday (Thursday) to give her views on Cllr Bossman-Quarshie’s comments on racism.

She is a co-signatory on a message calling on the community to stand together against hate (see below).

In relation to the timing of its release, a council spokesperson said: “The joint statement, which explicitly denounces racism and all forms of hate, was issued by the leaders of each of the council’s party groupings, the Islington Faiths Forum and local MPs.

“It was put together jointly in response to events nationally and included input from party and community leaders of different backgrounds and faiths.”

‘We will stand together against this hatred’

The full statement in response to the riots released on Tuesday

“ISLINGTON understands all too well the impact that far-right extremism, hatred and division can have on real people.

“We’ve always stood together as one community against this, and we do so again today in the face of unacceptable and inexcusable riots across the country that seek to attack the most marginalised people in our society and tear us apart.

“We won’t let that happen. Instead, we are more determined than ever to be united against hate and to create a more equal future for Islington.

“We know that many people in Islington – regardless of their background, race or faith – will be feeling anxious watching despicable racist and Islamophobic attacks around the country. Together, we stand in solidarity, and are stepping up additional patrols and support for faith and community locations.

“If you see hate of any sort in Islington, report it and know that you are not alone – our whole borough stands with you.”

Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Leader of Islington Council
Cllr Matt Nathan, Leader of Islington Independent Socialists
Cllr Benali Hamdache, Leader of the Islington Green Party
Islington Faiths Forum
Emily Thornberry MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP

Demo will stand against far right

Crowds came out in Walthamstow on Wednesday night

MORE than a thousand people took to the streets in Walthamstow on Wednesday evening to protest against the anti-immigrant and racist riots that have been taking place elsewhere in the country.

It had been rumoured that far-right rioters were planning to target an immigration bureau there, but in the end few seemed to show up, and no violence broke out. Similar scenes unfolded at other ‘target’ locations across the UK.

Counter-protesters held signs that read “Racists out!” and chanted “refugees are welcome here.”

Now Stand Up To Racism are planning a national day of protest for Saturday, with a gathering planned at Finsbury Park Mosque from 2pm.