Scotland United

SCOTLAND UNITED,
c/o Scottish FBU,
4th Floor, 52 St Enoch Square,
Glasgow G1 4AA

16th October 2009

Dear Friend

SCOTLAND UNITED

‘Scotland United’ is a coming together of trade unionists, political parties, anti-racist organisations, and faith groups for one purpose to hold a rally to celebrate multicultural Glasgow on Saturday 14th November in Glasgow Green provisionally at midday. We are also calling for the banning of the anti-Muslim protest planned by racist bigots, including the Scottish Defence League and English Defence League (EDL) in Glasgow city centre on the same day.

Previous EDL demonstrations have seen their thugs attack Asian people, chant “Muslims out” and worse at passers-by and make “Seig Heil” Nazi salutes. It is vital that we do not allow these racist thugs to terrorise and intimidate Muslim and Asian people. It is not a time to hide but to stand up for a multicultural Glasgow, a multicultural Scotland

The fascists of the BNP or the SDL/EDL can only defeated by mass action and solidarity. So Scotland United will be the bringing together of all who wish to live in a multicultural, multiracial, democratic society. We need your voices, your music, and your skills to show the true diversity of our city. So ask your workmates, friends and family to join our rally. Let’s turn Saturday 14th November into a day that Glasgow and Scotland says loud and clear we don’t want fascists on our streets.

There are four immediate steps you can take:

1. Circulate the statement below condemning the SDL and email ‘Scotland United’ to addyour name as a supporter of the statement.

   "We the undersigned strongly oppose plans by the 'Scottish Defence League' - a grouplinked to the fascist BNP - to demonstrate in Glasgow city centre and march on the localmosque. The SDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims.Islamophobia - bigotry against Muslims - is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Itsaim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the far-right did withJews in the 1930s. We have a simple message for these racist and fascist groups. We willnot let you turn the clock back to the 1970s when their thugs could attack black and Asianpeople with impunity. An injury to one is an injury to all – and their attempts to target andscapegoat Muslims will fail. Today they threaten the Mosque, tomorrow it could be aSynagogue, Temple or Church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jewishpeople, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians & gay men, trade unionists, travellers orEastern Europeans. There is no place for Nazis, racists or the BNP in Glasgow’s multiracial,multi-cultural and multi-religious community. We call on the Leader of Glasgow CityCouncil and the Police to ban the SDL/EDL action."

2. Publicise and attend the rally called 'Scotland United' on Saturday 14th November inGlasgow Green at midday provisionally.
3. Please write to the Glasgow City Council and the Police calling for a ban of the SDL racistaction.
   Cllr Steven Purcell, Leader, Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow, G2 1DU
   Chief Constable Stephen House, Strathclyde Police, Police Headquarters, 173 Pitt Street,
   
4. Invite a speaker form 'Scotland Unied' to your trade union, community or faith group.

Yours faithfully

(list of supporters updated 7 November 2009): Aamer Anwar- Human Rights Lawyer, Osama Saeed- Scottish Islamic Foundation, Alex Salmond First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon Deputy First Minister, Grahame Smith General Secretary STUC, Dave Moxham Deputy General Secretary STUC, Labour Group Glasgow City Council, Cllr Ruth Black, Cllr Archie Graham, Paul McBride QC, RMT Scottish Regional Council, Mike Kirby-Convenor Unison Scotland, Unison Scotland Committee, Kenny Ross Fire Brigades Union Scotland Regional Sec, Scottish Trades Union Congress, STUC Black Workers Committee, Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA), Unite Against Fascism (UAF), Robina Qureshi-Director Positive Action in Housing,The Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) Scotland, Scottish Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Scottish Refugee Council,Mohammed Asif-Scottish Afghan Society,James Docherty President National Union of Journalists, Sejinder Singh Sikhs for Scotland, Indian Workers Association, NUS Scotland, Irish Diaspora in Scotland Association,Mohammed Sarwar MP, Anabele Goldie MSP (Leader Scottish Conservatives) Malcolm Chisholm MSP (Labour), Bob Doris MSP (SNP), Pauline McNeill MSP (Labour), Elaine Smith MSP (Labour),Robert Brown MSP (Liberal Democrats),Bill Aitken MSP (Conservatives) Sandra White MSP (SNP), Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP (SNP), Dr Bill Wilson SNP, Anne McGaughlin MSP (SNP), Michael McMahon MSP (Labour), Alasdair Allan MSP (SNP), Patrick Harvie MSP (Greens),Bill Kidd MSP(SNP), Angela Constance MSP (SNP), Cathy Peatie (MSP), Dave Thompson MSP, Prof Christopher Harvie MSP, Elaine Murray MSP (Scottish Labour Environment Spokesperson)Tommy Sheridan, Solidarity, Rev Ian Galloway Church of Scotland, Dr Wali Tasar Uddin MBE,Marion Hersch UCU Exec, Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, Elaine C Smith, Mark Thomas Comedian, Hope not Hate (Searchlight), Show Racism the Red Card, Stop the War Coalition, Scottish Socialist Party, Prof Mike Gonzalez Glasgow University, Donald Nicolson Prof of Law University of Strathclyde, Cllr Jim Bollan SSP West Dumbartonshire Council, Jimmy Hughes, Geraldine Smyth, Beth Junor, Keith Baldassara (Housing advisor and Unite member), Maureen Brough-Central Paisley Justice and Peace Group, Rev Martin Johnstone Faith in Community Scotland, Rev David A. Collins Church of Scotland, Professor Rebecca Kay University of Glasgow,Dr Rowena Arshad (Academic & Activist)Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Dr Tom Webster University of Edinburgh, Faith in Community Scotland, Moroccan Association Scotland, Youth Community Support Agency (YCSA), Edinburgh Mela, Edinburgh & Lothians Racial Equality Council (ELREC), Council of Bangladeshis in Scotland (CBS), Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh , Bangladesh Catering Association Scotland, Dave Sherry- Unite Scottish Housing Branch,