UNITE AGAINST RACISM

Plans for a major march against racism in Belfast have been announced by Amnesty International, the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (NIC-ICTU) and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM).



The march through central Belfast is planned for Saturday 7 June at 2pm with marchers asked to gather from 1:30pm in Writers’ Square in the city.



The organisers say the purpose of the march is to reassure ethnic and religious minorities in Northern Ireland that they are a welcome and integral part of the community and to call for effective and united political leadership against racism.



A spokesperson for the organisations behind the march said:



“In the face of a worrying rise in racist attacks and in the absence of the promised Racial Equality Strategy and the lack of coherent political leadership from the Northern Ireland Executive, this march gives ordinary people from across the community a chance to take a stand against racism.



“This march is a coming together of civic society to show solidarity with all ethnic and religious minorities in Northern Ireland. We invite people of all nationalities and ethnic origin, of all religions and none to join us in standing up for the rights of everyone to live free of fear and discrimination in Northern Ireland.”