Black section condemns Farrakhan ban | Socialist Action 1983

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A STORM of protest has greeted Home Secretary Douglas Hurd's decision to ban the planned London visit of the black American preacher Louis Farrakhan. The decision followed intensive lobbying by Grenville Jenner, MP for Leicester West, and Tory MP Michael Latham, both acting on behalf of the BritishIsrael group and citing Farrakhan's anti semitism as pretext.

The black section has issued a statement on the ban which we reprint below.

THE Labour Party black section campaign is appallcurvine ceason ondone secretary Douglas Hurd to ban the American black leader Farrakhan We believe this is of the Tory government caving in to the news media-inspired hysteria against black peoThe reason given for ple. barring Farrakhan was that his presence 'would not be conducive to public good'. This was the same trumped up claim made by the Tories when exceed Kwame Turay.

Farrakhan is reported to have made anti-semitic salements It such is the case, we make it absolutely clear we do not support them.

But we condemn the home secretary's decision to bar him on this pretext hypocrytical. His government has previously Play Bhoa, Presidest of President racist south Atrica. Klu Klux Klan leader Bill Wilkinson widespread opposition the black community.

The hack seculots campaign is fully commitIree speech l democratic society. We decision to ban Farrakhan will only further • fuel the huge distrust of Black peo. Phe main over mentical mainstream process generaly We as black people have a right to be heard and a right to dissent. Any tampering by government with these inalienable rights makes a mockery of and will surely serve to store up an eventuai erup tion of Black protest, the intensity or wiel Has never before been seen in this coulliy.

We therefore call on mediate secretara to his medale v willuraw ban on Louis Farrakhan. The ban on Kwame Turay must also be lifted leaders should campaign inside and outside parliament to achieve these objectives if they are to have credibility with the black community.

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Socialist Action 31 January 1986