PUBLIC MEETING
7.30pm, Wednesday 6th May
Saffron, 108 Cheetham Hill Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester

Yvonne Ridley – journalist and presenter
Chris Chilvers – Viva Palestina North West
Kay Phillips – national chair, Respect Party

A climate of fear and the criminalisation of Muslims cannot be tolerated and Respect is playing a central role in mobilizing a response.

In Cheetham Hill and the north west, 12 Pakistani men were arrested amidst claims of terrorism  in early April. They have now been released without charge, but remain detained and now face deportation.

One thing that this has shown is that the government, police and press co-operate in making headlines promoting fear of terror, but the reality is that Muslims are being targeted and criminalized. If Muslims make their political voice heard, or demonstrate their anger, the government and police start talking up ‘the terrorist threat’ and using it as an excuse to intimidate and frighten.

We believe the growth within the Muslim communities of a political voice of constructive opposition to this government’s foreign policy is the best safeguard against terrorism.

Kay Phillips, the Respect Party national chair says:

“ Yet again a whole community has been left traumatised after massive raids by armed police in broad daylight, A media circus descending on our streets for a fortnight – and in the end there is absolutely no evidence against the men lifted in this way.

While no one objects to the arrest of someone carrying out acts of terrorism, we do question whether there are some sections of the police briefing the media, and together creating scare stories.

”These scare stories have put the Pakistani community and overseas students under unnecessary pressure and may subject them to racist scape-goating. We should be asking the bigger questions of the government and politicians – such as what is it about British foreign policy that got us into the situation we currently face – that of a higher threat from terrorists than we have ever had before?”