Barnet UNISON Press Release “I have a Jewish neighbour and a Christian neighbour, and they are my brothers.”
At Barnet UNISON we were appalled to hear of the racist abuse being expressed against the planning application for an Islamic Centre at the Hippodrome in Golders Green.
The title of this piece comes from the press officer, Ahmed Al-Kazemi, of the Hippodrome Centre in Golders Green. This is just one comment made to appeal to those who would condemn the opening of the centre as an Islamic Centre on racial grounds.
We welcome and would echo the comments made by Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, of the Golders Green Alyth Reform congregation and Laura Marks, chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust condemning the racism and appealing to a prouder anti-racist tradition.
We also support Barnet Council’s decision to remove all comments relating to this planning application from the public domain on its website.
We celebrate the fact that when the Bravanese Islamic Centre was tragically burnt down a few years ago, the response from all Faiths in the community and people from the broad anti-racist political spectrum was quick in rallying round to support that community and show solidarity.
This is the kind of Barnet we want to belong to.
We would very much like to be a part of a similar response to the racist abuse being levied at the Hippodrome Centre now.
For background information please read these articles: