Anti-racism group gather in a basement on Norfolk StreetStand Up To Racism

Stand Up to Racism Cambridge organised an evening of discussion that explored the growing problem of racism and Islamophobia in the city, and possible means of tackling the crisis.

An audience of around twenty activists, students, and residents gathered in the basement of CB2 café on Norfolk Street on Tuesday to listen to a panel of speakers which included Mayor of Cambridge Jeremy Benstead, co-convenor of Cambridge Green Party Sharon Kaur, Zach Cochrane from the national Stand Up to Racism organisation, and Lewis Herbert, the Labour leader of Cambridge City Council. The meeting was chaired by Zareen Taj, formerly of Edinburgh’s Muslim Women’s Association.

The panellists all stressed the need for Cambridge to become a welcoming and friendly environment for everyone, regardless of race or religion. However, many panellists and audience members cited personal experiences of this not being the case, in contexts ranging from the playground to a mother and toddler group. Kaur deplored the fact that “no matter how much we integrate, we will never be accepted into the community. Not really”.

The discussion covered a wide range of subjects, against a backdrop of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and its impact on the 9,000 European citizens living in Cambridge. Many attendees expressed a fear that Brexit had given validation to racists. In September, stickers bearing the slogan “refugees not welcome” appeared in Romsey recreation ground, and Cochrane pointed to a 57 per cent increase in racist incidents in the area since the referendum. 

The treatment of refugees also formed a large part of the discussion, often turning to news stories which had emerged earlier in the day about the clearing of the Calais refugee camp.

The message of the event was one of action, with Mayor Benstead calling on residents to take it upon themselves to challenge incidents of racism. “We think we live in a cocoon,” he said. “We have to challenge [racist behaviour].” He suggested that witnesses of racist abuse should film the incident on their mobile phone and send the footage to the police.

The discussion also highlighted the need to improve the discourse around the issue of discrimination and prejudice. An audience member pointed out that, despite the widespread use of the term ‘racism’ to describe attacks against Muslims, followers of Islam cannot be classified as a race.

Speaking to Varsity, Benstead had this specific message for students: “Get involved in the city, get involved in what’s going on. [Tackling racism and Islamophobia] is a numbers game. If you hate racism and bigotry, get involved.”

For more information on the Cambridge Stand Up to Racism campaign, visit www.standuptoracism.org.uk or visit their Facebook page.