Proposed by Councillor Aziz

Labourmember motion

This council notes the following.

·         The increase in racism and hate crime as well as increased incidents by far-right/Nazi groups in Britain.

·         The visit of the UN special rapporteur on racism to England earlier this year who highlighted the:

·         The increase in hate crimes and incidents across the UK after the referendum to leave the EU.

·         The growth in volume and acceptability of xenophobic discourses on migration, and on foreign nationals including refugees in social and print media.

·         The gross human rights violations and indignities that African-Caribbean British citizens referred to as the ‘Windrush generation’ have had to endure as a result of the so-called ‘hostile environment’ policy.

·         The criminalisation of young people from ethnic minorities, especially young black men and British Muslim men. Black men are over-represented in police stop and searches and are over-represented in the prison system.

·         Structural racism is still an everyday reality for people from Black, Asian and other minority and refugee communities. 

·         Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia is on the rise and is being mainstreamed through our political and public discourse.

·         The increase in incidents in Oxford. In 2018, there were 188 racist or racially aggravated crimes reported to the police, an increase of 40% compared to 2017.

This council believes that:

·         Operation Prevent, the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, should be suspended while officials conduct a comprehensive audit of its impact on racial equality;

·         urgent action is required to make Oxford a truly anti-racist city and develop a long term strategy to put into action anti racism work.

This Council therefore

1.    pledges to make Oxford an Anti-racist city;

2.    will work with and listen to people experiencing racism;

3.    and will work with local authorities, trade unions and community groups to achieve this; and

4.    asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Office seeking the suspension of the Prevent programme.

Councillor Aziz, seconded by Councillor Rowley, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

This council notes the following.

·         The increase in racism and hate crime as well as increased incidents by far-right/Nazi groups in Britain.

·         The visit of the UN special rapporteur on racism to England earlier this year who highlighted the:

·         The increase in hate crimes and incidents across the UK after the referendum to leave the EU.

·         The growth in volume and acceptability of xenophobic discourses on migration, and on foreign nationals including refugees in social and print media.

·         The gross human rights violations and indignities that African-Caribbean British citizens referred to as the ‘Windrush generation’ have had to endure as a result of the so-called ‘hostile environment’ policy.

·         The criminalisation of young people from ethnic minorities, especially young black men and British Muslim men. Black men are over-represented in police stop and searches and are over-represented in the prison system.

·         Structural racism is still an everyday reality for people from Black, Asian and other minority and refugee communities. 

·         Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia is on the rise and is being mainstreamed through our political and public discourse.

·         The increase in incidents in Oxford. In 2018, there were 188 racist or racially aggravated crimes reported to the police, an increase of 40% compared to 2017.

This council believes that:

·         Operation Prevent, the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, should be suspended while officials conduct a comprehensive audit of its impact on racial equality;

·         urgent action is required to make Oxford a truly anti-racist city and develop a long term strategy to put into action anti racism work.

This Council therefore

1.    pledges to make Oxford an Anti-racist city;

2.    will work with and listen to people experiencing racism;

3.    and will work with local authorities, trade unions and community groups to achieve this; and

4.    asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Home Office seeking the suspension of the Prevent programme.