Mural condemns misogyny after councillor jailed
CONVICTED OF STALKING WOMAN OVER 5 MONTHS
A NEWCASTLE group was inspired to create a mural on a wall in Elswick condemning misogyny after a city councillor’s conviction for stalking.
Dipu Ahad pleaded guilty to stalking a woman in a “sinister” five month campaign when she turned to him for help after being harassed by her ex-partner.
Ahad, 41, who represented the Elswick ward on Newcastle City Council, was jailed for 14 months last week.
The mural appeared on Tuesday at the West End Women and Girls Centre. It read ‘Misogyny is a Hate Crime #Notwelcomeinelswick.’
A statement on its website said it was inspired “Given the recent events in Elswick, with Dipu Ahad, ex-elswick councillor and a key figure in our local community, being found guilty of serious stalking and harassment and sentenced to 14 months in prison.
“Our Gender Equality Peer Educators have had enough.
“We call on women to take action and stand with us in solidarity with victims and survivors.”
It encouraged people to come to the centre and take a photo standing next to the wall and sharing it on social media with the hashtag #Notwelcomeinelswick and tag them on Facebook or Twitter.
Kiran Khan, Senior Gender Equality Peer Educator, said: “It all happened on Tuesday.
“Our group came in and wanted to do something. We designed and created and painted it that day.”
Rochelle Artus, Senior Domestic Abuse Educator, said: “We were concerned about the amount of support he was getting in the lead up to the case and even after he pleaded guilty.
“We wanted to challenge the behaviour in Elswick. Stalking is a huge problem. The Office for National Statistics reported an increase in stalking offences from 23,543 offences in 2019 to 64,265 in 2020.”
Newcastle’s first and only open access women and girls centre, the West End Women and Girls Centre, has been a vital part of the local community in the West End of Newcastle since 1981.
It is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
The mural has had a big impact, not least as the centre was one of the polling stations for this week’s local elections. Kiran said: “It’s a hugely important message so we think we’ll leave it up for a long while yet.”
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the text and are currently working with Northumbria Police’s Community Policing team to determine what, if any, action is required.”