People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said,
“This week marks Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme this year is ‘Be the light in the darkness’.
The Holocaust was one of the most barbaric crimes in human history. We must never forget the attempted annihilation of the Jewish people and millions of others across Europe who were considered less than human by the Nazis.
The storming of the US Capitol by a Trump inspired mob of antisemites, white supremacists and neo-fascists is a potent example of the danger posed by the far-right today.
Trump and his supporters have emboldened the far-right across Ireland to exploit the pandemic with conspiracy theories underpinned by antisemitism and racism. This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day must act as a call to action to everyone opposed to the barbaric vision of the far-right. We must be the light in the darkness.
At this week’s Derry and Strabane Council full Council meeting People Before Profit are urging support for the call Never Again! and a commitment to act against those inspired by Trump’s politics of hate and division.
To stop growth of the far-right it’s essential we build an alternative to the political establishment’s economics of inequality and injustice that have left so many behind.”
MOTION:
‘Council stands in solidarity with everyone commemorating International HolocaustMemorial Day 2021; ‘Be the light in the darkness’.
Council believes the Holocaust was a barbaric crime against the Jewish people in particular and millions of others acrossEurope.
Council joins the call Never Again! and is alarmed at former US President DonaldTrump’s emboldening of antisemites, white supremacists, fascists and neo-nazis in the US, here and globally. To ‘be the light in the darkness’, Council will opposeattempts to scapegoat Jewish people, the Traveller community, migrants and thevulnerable for inequality, homelessness and the crisis facing our public services.
Council welcomes the launch of Le Chéile: Diversity Not Division. Council will inviterepresentatives from Le Chéile, Jewish Voice for Just Peace, United Against Racism,North West Migrants Forum and Foyle Racial Equality Forum to a special meeting topresent on their work challenging antisemitism, racism, sectarianism, Islamophobia and other forms of scapegoating in our communities.’
