Anti- racist demo this Sunday 16th January at 1pm the Hub in Newtown (outside Newtown Neighbourhood Centre) to say we will not accept racism in our neighbourhood. Over the past months we’ve seen increasing levels of racism in this area.
Far-right, white supremacist groups have had a much greater presence on the
streets than in recent years – to the point where some groups have felt
comfortable having stalls on King St; putting up racist stickers; and
threatening anyone who doesn’t fit into their caricature of life in Australia.
The Australian Protectionist Party (APP), for example, have had a pre-election
stall at the “I have a dream” square, as well as gathering to protect a racist
mural in Enmore. These groups directly threaten the safety of people in this
area. They exist solely to organise violence against people of colour – whether
that be in the form of harassment, intimidation, physical attacks, or attempts
to exclude and marginalise them.
The anti-burqa mural in Enmore contributes to this. Over 2 months ago some
fuckwit artist put up this mural on the side of their business in Station St,
which originally said ‘ban the burqa’ with an image of a woman in a burqa
crossed out. This has now been changed to the equally stupid ‘say no to burqas’
with a more simplistic outline of a woman in a burqa. It plays up to the most
populist form of racist bullshit that exists in Australia - and worse still it
is in a position where it can be viewed by 1000’s of people passing on the train
line each day. This mural in Newtown has created a situation where Muslim women
in particular, and to a degree other non-white people, will feel intimidated
about being in this area, as it suggests an acceptance of these racist ideas.
In addition, groups like the Australian Protectionist Party have taken to
gathering at this mural, protecting it whenever there is a demonstration against
it. Sergio, the “glass artist” who painted it, has become a hero to this group,
and has even spoken at their forum. Both Sergio and the far-right groups who
defend his mural argue that their actions are a form of freedom of speech – but
to not stand up and confront their racist ideas and practices because of them
using this vague concept, means being complicit in the exclusion of Muslims,
non-white people and migrants from this area.
Sergio also claims that his mural is an attempt to open up a debate about
‘fundamentalism’. It is clear, however, that the painting is only a poor
repackaging of sexism and racism. Empowerment and liberation are not things that
can be prescribed and dictated to others – some people might find these things
in affirming aspects of their heritage, others by shedding all such traditional
values. An anti-racist and anti-sexist politics of solidarity has to act in
common with those who are struggling for their emancipation, not dictate what
their freedom will look like.
It’s easy for people in the Newtown area to be complacent around issues like
this – to have faith in the “cosmopolitan” flavour of the area, believing that
it doesn’t matter if these groups turn up from time to time, because racism only
happens in other areas. But if extreme racism isn’t seen in Newtown everyday,
it’s because there has been a history of fighting it. The APP were driven off
their pre-election stall because people on the street saw them and confronted
them, making them leave. Similarly, when white supremacist groups turn up in
pubs and at gigs in this area, they need to be confronted and forced to leave by
everyone who believes that this world doesn’t just exist for racist arseholes.
Come and stand with us on Sunday 16th January at 1pm the Hub in Newtown (outside
Newtown Neighbourhood Centre) to say we will not accept racism in our neighbourhood.
