Newcastle has made a renewed pledge to stand “louder and stronger” against racism, following a controversy that has seen some other North East councils withdraw support for a major anti-discrimination charity. City council leaders were joined by Newcastle United legends to mark Show Racism the Red Card’s annual Wear Red Day on Friday.
Flag raised at Civic Centre
Shola Ameobi, Peter Beardsley, Olivier Bernard and John Anderson helped raise the charity’s flag outside Newcastle Civic Centre, while the Tyne Bridge and other local landmarks were lit red in a show of solidarity with victims of racism. The city’s lord mayor, Henry Gallagher, said that Newcastle was “stronger when we stand together, support one another and refuse to allow hatred to divide us”.
Friday’s events came after Sunderland City Council ended its formal association with the charity last month and Gateshead Council subsequently announced that it had rejected a request to light the Millennium Bridge red. Both of those councils are led by Reform UK, which said that it was “committed to equality” but claimed that Show Racism the Red Card was “overtly party-political”.
Leaders' response
Coun Gallagher, a Liberal Democrat, told supporters gathered at the flag raising in Newcastle on Friday: “Today’s ceremony is a symbol, but our commitment goes beyond one day. With our joint Geordie voice we all have a responsibility to challenge racism, reject prejudice and help build a city where every person is treated with dignity and respect.”
Council leader Colin Ferguson added: “At a time when some are seeking to exploit fear and create division, we must be louder and stronger in our response. We will not allow hatred or prejudice to define our city. We choose solidarity over division, hope over fear and unity over hate.”
Charity's impact
Ged Grebby, the charity’s chief executive, told Friday’s event that the charity had educated 1.5 million young people about racism since it was founded 30 years ago. Clare Williams, the assistant general secretary of union UNISON, said that Mr Grebby had been subjected to “pretty severe and hostile personal attacks” that were “completely unacceptable”.
Sunderland’s Reform UK group said last month that its decision “should not be interpreted as the council stepping back from its opposition to racism or discrimination” and alleged that “Show Racism the Red Card has increasingly become involved in activity which goes beyond straightforward anti-racism education and enters the political arena”. It said that Mr Grebby has previously described Nigel Farage’s party as a “very, very dangerous organisation” and that there “must be a clear distinction between the council unequivocally opposing racism and the council formally funding or endorsing one particular campaigning organisation”. Announcing its Millennium Bridge decision, the Gateshead Reform UK group claimed Mr Grebby was “closely associated with the Labour Party and claims that racists are emboldening us”.
Education work defended
James Kingett, education team manager at Show Racism the Red Card, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday: “Nobody is obligated to be involved in Wear Red Day, but we think it is a really low cost but effective way to send that positive [anti-racist] message. It is a shame that communities in other parts of the North East won’t see their local authorities sending that message and supporting it. I think the absence of that message sends an altogether different message, unfortunately.
“But we have had fantastic support in those areas from people who are keen to make a stand against racism and show their visible solidarity to those who experience it.” He added: “In our education work with children and young people, we are not talking about politics, we are not talking about voting. We are helping them to understand what racism is, how they can identify it, what they can do to safely report it and support people in their communities who are experiencing it, so that they are armed with the tools to help join everybody in dismantling racism and eradicating it.”
Former NUFC striker Shola Ameobi said the campaign day was about showing that racism is "continuing to plague our society”. He said that incidents such as the abuse suffered by Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida during last season’s Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park were “a symptom of what is happening in society”. Asked about some local authorities dropping support for Show Racism the Red Card, the Magpies legend added: “People will always do what they feel they want to do. I am not too worried about what other people do or think, I am worried about the people that care about society and care about everyone within that society. For me, my message is that I will keep on fighting irrespective of what other people do. We live in a world where, fortunately, everyone has the right to think and do what they want and so do I. I have the ability to hopefully bring about change with the friends and colleagues here today, and that is what I want to focus on.”
Other events and responses
A Wear Red Day event was also held at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Friday. Sunderland's Reform UK group said the football club was "welcome to continue supporting the charity", and that it "remains steadfast in our approach to combat overt racism where it presents itself, as you can see with the recent development of our Stronger Communities Strategy, but we will not support a charity that has a political agenda against all we stand for as a council."
Sunderland City Council leader Chris Eynon had claimed this week that South Tyneside Council, also run by Reform, had “pulled the plug on funding” for the charity. The council denied that was the case, confirming it did not provide any financial support that could be removed and would continue to support the campaign.
