Leading anti-racism activists met in Birmingham recently to mark fifty years since Enoch Powell made his infamous Rivers of Blood speech in the city.
The ‘Rivers of Love’ rally saw campaigners denounce the late Wolverhampton MP’s predictions of the ‘dangers’ of mass immigration, and celebrate the region’s ‘victory of love over hate’.
But there were warnings that though diversity has enriched the West Midlands over the past five decades, ‘creeping Powell-ism’ and racism are on the rise.
The Burlington Hotel meeting room where Powell gave his speech was the venue for the event.
Speaking there ahead of the rally Weyman Bennett, joint national convenor for the Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) campaign, said the Brexit vote, austerity and UKIP’s “racist rhetoric” had led to an increase in animosity towards immigrants and a rise in racially-motivated attacks. There were 3,495 incidents reported to West Midlands Police in 2017 compared with 2,328 in 2013.
Salma Yaqoob, head of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition, told the invited audience of around 50 campaigners they represented “the best” of the region and were a legacy of “how wrong Enoch Powell was”.
But she warned racism in the West Midlands wasn’t “dead”.
“Whether it’s institutional, cultural or ignorant, it’s still there. But we won’t give up hope and we won’t be complacent”.
“Fifty-five years ago there was a black woman walking down the street in Walsall. She was pregnant and she was attacked in the street. She survived and her child survived. That was my mom and that was me.” Roger McKenzie, Deputy General Secretary, Unison (pictured)“We are all one. It is time for all of us to stand up and be counted.” Reverend Doctor Desmond Jaddoo (pictured standing)“We have to be vigilant. Racism has a way of showing itself in different ways at different times.” Philip Murphy, former Birmingham city councillor (pictured)“Just as people like Enoch Powell appeal to the basest of our instincts, we here stand up for the best of human instincts.” Salma Yaqoob, head of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition and a spokesperson for Birmingham Central Mosque.“I’d like to think that if Enoch Powell was here today he would stand up and apologise to all and sundry and say ‘I was wrong’.” Brendon Baston OBE, former West Bromwich Albion footballer (pictured right)“People commit racism because they know they can get away with it. The only way of getting rid of this cancer is by tackling systematic, institutionalised racism. We have to start there.” Maxie Hayles, anti-racism activist (seated right)“Some of the things that Powell said in this very room have a resonance today.” Roger McKenzie, Deputy General Secretary, Unison (pictured)“And so we are now faced with a moment in history where the previous generation were faced with the growth of the far right.” Weyman Bennett, co-convenor of Stand Up To Racism“I am speaking on behalf of the Wolverhampton constituency that Enoch Powell was MP for. For me that says his prediction and what he wanted he got wrong, he got so, so wrong.” Labour MP Eleanor Smith, Wolverhampton South West (pictured standing)“We have got to wake up to the reality that racism is still alive today.” Reverend Doctor Desmond Jaddoo (pictured)“In 1948 the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks. The promise was of streets paved with gold. The reality, as we know, was very different.” Rose Brown, Unison NEC member for the West Midlands“Just as people like Enoch Powell appeal to the basest of our instincts, we here stand up for the best of human instincts.” Salma Yaqoob, head of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition and a spokesperson for Birmingham Central Mosque.“Today we are here where fifty years ago many of us could not be, where it was declared there would be rivers of blood.” Rose Brown, Unison NEC member for the West Midlands (pictured standing)“I wish my dad was alive to see that in the very place that those evil words were said that his daughter is joining with others in defiance and in contradiction and as a real and practical legacy of how wrong Enoch Powell was.” Salma Yaqoob, head of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition and a spokesperson for Birmingham Central Mosque.
Lynn Butler 