ROFA Statement on Black Lives Matter movement
ROFA expresses full support and solidarity with Black Lives Matter Movement and condemns the brutal killing of George Floyd in America and deep level of inequality of all Black people by the state.
We unconditionally support Black Lives Matter movement call to action in response to state-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism. We support the demand to end the rampant and deliberate discrimination inflicted on Black people by the state.
ROFA see ourselves as allies of the Black Lives Matter Movement struggle for justice, equality and human rights. The institutional racism that pervades the police and other public and private sector organisations has to be eradicated. Whilst we welcome public statements from public bodies opposing racism in all it forms this must be backed by action to address the discriminatory policies and practices of international, national and local state and private companies.
In the UK Black people have continuously experienced a hostile environment from successive UK Governments. This unacceptable situation has got much worse since 2010. Examples such as Windrush, Grenfell Tower, Immigration ‘Go Home’ vans, deaths in police custody, prisons, education and mental health institutions are all evidence of the worst excesses of a racist state. The British state and the private sector must resource and co-produce radical changes with Black Lives Matter movement and Black people’s organisation to end all forms of structural racism.
ROFA commits to addressing intersectional oppression of Black Disabled people within the Disability Rights Movement as a human rights matter.
Your struggle is our struggle.
Power and Solidarity
ROFA Steering Group
June 2020
