NWN-18062020

Thursday, June 18, 2020 8

NEWBURY NEWS It’s a matter of justice Protesters unite in Newy btourdemand an end to inequality for black people Newbury Weekly News

out coming together”. She said that she grew up in a rough part of East London in the 1970s and “being called a paki growing up wasa regular experi- ence for me and my family” . She added: “My dad’s car tyres got slashed, we got chased down the street on the way home from junior school by skinheads. “I actually thought those days were behind us, but I was wrong. “The last couple of weeks on social media show how casual racism exists.” Ms Soomro encouraged people to “keep the conversation going” and “not let another generation suffer the injustices and igno- rance of generations gone by”. After the event, Ms Soomro added: “What resonates with me are the real-life stories from the speakers who spoke from the heart. “It takes courage to face your community and say something is broken and we need to fix it together. “After the weeks of so much anger and negativity across mass media, the events of Friday and Saturday have restored mine and many others’ faith in our great local community. “We will build on this appetite for listening, learning and chal- lenging, by facilitating more community engagement initia- tives, as well as developing prac- tical resources for local authori- ties and institutions to support change.” Co-organiser Sinead Hall said: “The feeling of love and compas- sion on the day was overwhelm- ing. “Seeing people from all our communities, all ages and back- grounds coming together was beautiful, moving and powerful. “We came together united in our grief over what happened to George Floyd and the many others in the US, the UK and beyond who have lost their lives, or had their potential and dignity oppressed due to racism; we left united in our commitment to each other, to being actively anti- racist and inclusive in the our community. “The feedback has been over- whelmingly positive. “This show of solidarity has meant so much to everyone who attended and participated, this gives us great hope for driving change locally and regionally.”

“I’VE come to this protest to fight for all the people who have been murdered for abso- lutely no reason, to fight for all of the peoplewho are being killed because of their race. “So I am going to keep fighting, keep protesting until we get justice, until black people have freedom.” That was the powerful message from 10-year-old Thatcham schoolgirl Nubia Mhlanga in Newbury’s Victoria Park on Saturday for the second day of protests against racism and inequality. Just under 24 hours earlier, Nubia – along with more than 500 other people – had marched through the town as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Spurcroft Primary School pupil told the 100-plus crowd on Saturday that she had no idea that people were being killed because of the colour of their skin. She said: “I was on my phone and I saw this thing about George Floyd. I didn’t know what was going on. “I decided to look into it and I saw something very sad. I see people dying because of the colour of their skin and that’s not right. It makes me sad and it really hurts me. “On the news I saw people protesting and I was really proud to see black people protesting. I’m proud to be black. ” She added: “When I was younger I always used to see my Report by DAN COOPER email dan.cooper@newburynews.co.uk twitter @danc_nwn

Campaignemrsaintainsocialdistancindguringtheprotest

Ref: 24-1120D

Protesterms aketheirpointpeacefullfyorBlackLivesMatter Ref: 24-1020Q

white and Asian friends with long, straight hair. “I thought my hair was rubbish. I didn’t like being black. I wanted to have straight hair and French plaits like all my friends. “Now I’m older I realise that being black is a blessing. I am really proud of who I am.” Michael Harrage, a black veteran who served in the army, also spoke about his experiences of racism. He said: “ I would like to draw attention to military jacket I’m wearing. “The reason I’m wearing it today is because I’ m a black veteran and I have been racially discriminated against. “I’ve served my country and I’ve suffered. “If you look at the pattern on this jacket it is camouflage.

“Many different shapes and many different sizes, but most importantly, many different colours all brought together as one – and that ’s what makes it work. “And that ’s a reflection of our society today. Black lives matter. All lives should matter.” He added: “When I was 17, shortly after the 7/7 bombings, I joined the army the same year. Two years later. I was on a plane to Afghanistan. “But outside of my uniform, when I dressed like this, police racially profiled me and that really hurt.” Kylie Barker opened the speeches by reading one of Maya Angelou’s most famous poems, Still I Rise, which features the line: “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still like air I rise.” Vannessa Vijoen-Kadziya and Ravaldo Boisson, Sinead Hall and Henry Leaman – who had all given passionate speeches 24 hours before – once again addressed the crowds. Colline Rue Watts, who runs Colline’s Kitchen in Newbury, also spoke and expressed the importance of educating people about racism. The event, where most people wore face coverings and social distancing was adhered to throughout, was organised by Waheeda Soomro, Claire Burdett, Sinead Hall and Helen Franklin. Ms Soomro thanked people for turning up and told them that “we can’t tackle any of this with-

PeopletookthekneeinmemoyrofGeorgeFloyd

Ref: 24-1220O

Campaignelristentothespeeches

Ref: 24-0920T

Allagesturnedouttosupportherally

Ref: 24-1020U

NewbuyrMPLauraFarrisandhusbandHenyr showtheirsupport

Ref: 24-0920A

#Time2TalkCare `°ĸƺ ŝäńŝīä °Ųä ŷƙŲŝŲěŷäÙ Ƴėäĸ Ɗėäƺ ûěĸÙ ńƙƊ Ɗė°Ɗ ŷńÎě°ī ΰŲä ěŷ ĸńƊ ûŲää °Ɗ Ɗėä ŝńěĸƊ ńû ƙŷä īěĨä Ɗėä bBƒŢ ~ä°Ù ĸäƹƊ ƳääĨŰŷ bäƳÅƙŲƺ ›ääĨīƺ bäƳŷ Ɗń ûěĸÙ ńƙƊ ĴńŲä °ÅńƙƊ ėńƳ ŷńÎě°ī ΰŲä ěŷ ûƙĸÙäÙŢ `°ĸƺ ŝäńŝīä °Ųä ŷƙŲŝŲěŷäÙ Ƴėäĸ Ɗėäƺ ûěĸÙ ńƙƊ Ɗė°Ɗ ŷńÎě°ī ΰŲä ěŷ ĸńƊ ûŲää °Ɗ Ɗėä ŝńěĸƊ ńû ƙŷä īěĨä Ɗėä bBƒŢ ~ °Ù ĸäƹƊ Ƴä ĨŰŷ bäƳÅƙŲƺ ›ääĨīƺ bäƳŷ Ɗń ûěĸÙ ńƙƊ ĴńŲä °ÅńƙƊ ėńƳ ŷńÎě°ī ΰŲä ěŷ ûƙĸÙäÙŢ

CollineRueWatts

Ref: 24-1220C

Takinginthespeeches

Ref: 24-1120R

īƙäÅěŲÙ °Ųä ěŷ ° ėńĴä °ĸÙ īěƲäĚěĸ ΰŲä ŝŲńƲěÙäŲ Å°ŷäÙ ěĸ bäƳÅƙŲƺ× | Ų°ƊäÙ °ŷ ŮjƙƊŷƊ°ĸÙěĸČŰ ûńŲ Ɗėä ›äīīĚXä٠ΰŲä ŷƊ°ĸÙ°ŲÙŢ 8ńŲ ĴńŲä ěĸûńŲĴ°Ɗěńĸ ńĸ ΰŲä °Ɗ ėńĴä× ÎńĸƊ°ÎƊ ńƙŲ ûŲěäĸÙīƺ ŝŲńûäŷŷěńĸ°ī Ɗä°ĴÖ ˆÖ džōƄƏā ƏƄľāƏ īƙäÅěŲÙ °Ųä ěŷ ° ėńĴä °ĸÙ īěƲäĚěĸ ΰŲä ŝŲńƲěÙäŲ Å°ŷäÙ ěĸ bäƳÅƙŲƺ× | Ų°ƊäÙ °ŷ ŮjƙƊŷƊ°ĸÙěĸČŰ ûńŲ Ɗ ä ›äīīĚXä٠ΰŲä ŷƊ°ĸÙ°ŲÙŢ 8ńŲ ĴńŲä ěĸûńŲĴ°Ɗěńĸ ńĸ ΰŲä °Ɗ ėńĴä× ÎńĸƊ°ÎƊ ńƙŲ ûŲěäĸÙīƺ ŝŲńûäŷŷěńĸ°ī Ɗä°ĴÖ ˆÖ džōƄƏā ƏƄľāƏ ›Ö ÅīƙäÅěŲÙΰŲäŢÎńŢƙĨwbäƳÅƙŲƺ )Ö bäƳ ƙŲƺÃÅīƙäÅěŲÙΰŲäŢÎńŢƙĨ ›Ö ÅīƙäÅěŲÙΰŲäŢÎńŢƙĨwbäƳÅƙŲƺ )Ö bäƳÅƙŲƺÃÅīƙäÅěŲÙΰŲäŢÎńŢƙĨ

KylieBarker

Ref: 24-0920N

NubiaMhlanga,ged10

Ref: 24-1020F