PROTEST MARCH AGAINST RACISM
HUNDREDS of people marched through Cardiff to protest against “rising” racism. Stand Up To Racism organised the march, which ended with speeches by the Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and Swansea teacher Juhel Miah, who was denied entry into the US
Ms Wood said “British nationalism” would be beaten by “civic, inclusive Welshness” at the rally, as similar events were held across the UK yesterday.
A Stand Up To Racism Wales spokesperson said: “We see the great march today as just the first step in the creation of a mass movement against racism in Wales.
“But what we really want is an organisation, in every town and city, that will react quickly to knock down any attempt to scapegoat refugees, ‘foreigners’, people from diverse backgrounds, minority religions or simply people with a different coloured skin.
“We are going to create a movement that celebrates our diversity. We will have music, art and drama.
“We will hound any politician who plays the racist card. We will not let politicians or the mainstream. media, apparently nowadays the same thing, return us to the 1930s.
“Our movement is here to make sure that the future is a future worth living for all of us!”
“We call on everyone to Stand Up To Racism.”
The spokesperson said they have plans to hold similar marches in Aberystwyth and Wrexham.
Hundreds of people joined the march towards City Hall, where several people spoke, including Welsh school teacher Mr Miah, 25, who was denied entry to the US when he was travelling with a group from Llangatwg Community School in February.
Mr Miah, whose full name is Mo- hammed Juhel Miah, told the rally: “When I was going back to get my hand luggage, as you can imagine, everyone was staring at me and they were looking at me like I was a threat – as if I’d done something wrong.
“I had all the same documents as all the other teachers and the pupils.
“The only difference between them and me was, possibly, the colour of my skin, I was a Muslim and my name was Mohammed Juhel Miah.”
Mr Miah, from Birchgrove in Swansea, read from a letter sent by the US Embassy, which claimed he had never been refused entry to the US and was able to apply for a visa in future.
Mr Miah said that at the time he did have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization visa.
Leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood also spokesaid: “Anyone who uses social media can see how racists have become emboldened. “Absue of all kinds is on the rise. “We are all here to say no. Not here, not in our communities, not in Wales, not anywhere.”