Did Tower Hamlets Council breach it’s own policy of the adoption of the APPG definition of Islamophobia, in banning the Big Ride for Palestine last summer?
Background to the All-Party Parliamentary Group Definition on Islamophobia
On the 27th November 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims published its report on Defining Islamophobia. The Parliamentary Group recommended that all statutory and public bodies adopt the new working definition:
“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.
The report was the result of a six long month inquiry heard from academics, lawyers, activists, victim groups and British Muslim organisations, as well as first-hand accounts from communities in Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham and London. The APPG on British Muslims received countless submissions detailing the racialised manner in which the Muslimness of an individual was used to attack Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims. The racialisation of Muslims proceeds on the basis of their racial and religious identity, or perceived identity, from white converts receiving racialised sobriquets such as “paki”, Muslim women attacked due to their perceived dress, bearded men attacked for the personification of a Muslim identity or even turban-wearing Sikhs attacked due to the perception of Muslimness.
Adoption of the APPG in Tower Hamlets Council and the impact on the Council’s decision to ban the Big Ride for Palestine.
On the 20th March 2019, APPG Islamophobia definition was adopted by Tower Hamlets Council in a motion, co-written and co proposed by me. Its been a year, and I have asked for an update on its implementation.
The APPG definition came with examples of the of Islamophobia one of which is the following:
“Denying Muslim populations the right to self-determination eg by claiming that the existence of an independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour”.
This seems in that the Council’s decision to cancel the Big Ride for Palestine last summer is in breach of its own policy of adopting the APPG Islamophobia definition.
The question in Full Council on 15th January 2019.
On Wednesday the 15th January, I asked a question to the Mayor at full council asking for an update on the implementation of the APPG Islamophobia definition, and also whether he was aware of the specific example of preventing people campaigning for Palestine under as an example of Islamophobia.
Has the Council breached its own policy in preventing the Big Ride for Palestine? And will it allow the Big Ride back in Tower Hamlets in 2020?
Looking at the facts and chronology it appears that the council breached its own policy in banning the Big Ride for Palestine. In his answer, the Mayor stated that he would like to sit down with me and discuss the matter further.
I look forward to the meeting, where I along with other issues, raise the issue of the Big Ride being allowed back in Tower Hamlets in 2020.
Summer 2018
Further Notes – Chronology of events provided by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)
- On Saturday 3rd August, it was revealed (following a Freedom of Information request submitted by Palestine Solidarity Campaign) that Tower Hamlets Council refused an event application form The Big Ride for Palestine because of secret concerns around the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
- The Big Ride is an annual event now in its 5th year. It seeks to combine a love of cycling with awareness-raising of the rights deprivations suffered by the Palestinian people and showing solidarity with their struggle for justice. It raises money for children’s charities in Gaza. The Ride has attracted significant and widespread endorsement from MPs from numerous political parties as well as prominent public figures.
- In response to this story – which gained widespread media coverage at local, national and even international level – PSC wrote to Mayor Biggs, the elected leader of Tower Hamlet Council, outlining its serious concerns over this decision and calling on him to take action.
- Mayor Biggs agreed to meet with PSC representatives (both local and national) as well as a representative from The Big Ride to discuss these concerns in more depth. This meeting took place on 29th October.
- One of the key asks from this group is for Tower Hamlets Council to adopt an additional caveat to the previously adopted IHRA definition of antisemitism which explicitly protects freedom to criticise the state of Israel.
- This ask was previously made of Tower Hamlets Council via petition in November 2018 by local PSC activists, and it was rejected. Activists warned at the time that, without the caveat, the adoption of the IHRA definition posed a threat to freedom of expression and activism relating to Palestine. The Council asserted that this would not happen.
- The IHRA definition of antisemitism has been criticised with regard to threats to freedom of expression by eminent lawyers, respected members of the Jewish community, academic experts on antisemitism, and bodies such as the Institute for Race Relations. Last year a group of prominent Palestinians wrote to the national press highlighting that “any use by public bodies of the IHRA examples on antisemitism that either inhibits discussion relating to Palestinian dispossession by ethnic cleansing, when Israel was established, or attempts to silence public discussions on current or past practices of settler colonialism, apartheid, racism and discrimination, and the ongoing violent military occupation, directly contravenes core rights”.
- Local residents have submitted another petition to Tower Hamlets Council calling on them to once again consider adopting the caveat to the IHRA definition of antisemitism. This petition will be considered at a Council meeting on Wednesday 15th January.
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