• 2 months ago
A ‘Tenby Unity Rally’ took place in the centre of the seaside town today (August 10), with those attending offering messages of peace in place of the disorder that has swept across many communities throughout the UK this month - calling for ‘Humanity Not Hostility’.
The protest organised by the Stand Up To Racism West Wales group, saw around 100 people gather in line with other rallies that have occurred over the past few days throughout the UK to form a united mass movement ‘powerful enough to drive back the fascists’.
As well as hearing speeches and stories from those uniting against rioters that have instigated attacks on mosques and hotels housing migrants across the UK, groups which Prime Minister Keir Starmer referred to as ‘far-right thugs’ - the protestors standing outside St Mary’s Church in the heart of Tenby chanted ‘Stand Up...Fight Back!’ to ripples of applause from those standing in Tudor Square, on a busy Saturday morning, that saw the sunshine come out to coincide with the peaceful demonstration.
Many held up banners carrying slogans such as ’Smash Fascism & Racism By Any Means Necessary’, ’Humanity Not Hostility’ and ‘Refugees Welcome’.
Pembrokeshire County Council leader Jon Harvey was also in attendance to offer support to the rally.
With rumours swirling around social media that an ‘enough is enough’ protest was also scheduled to take place on Tenby sea front at 12 noon, with similar stances also said to be planned for Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth over the weekend, there was a police presence in Pembrokeshire’s prime coastal town, with Dyfed-Powys Police Deputy Chief Constable Ifan Charles, stating beforehand: “We have no reason to expect disorder in our four counties, but we rightly have plans in place to deal with any disorder should it break out.”
However, no such demonstration materialised, as had been the case in the Welsh capital the previous day.
“Maybe some people will be apprehensive abut us being around, but I think we should be loud and proud,” said Stand Up to Racism’s Patrick Connellan to those that had gathered in unity in Tenby.
Another speaker Aisha Hassain a former patient advocate in the NHS who lives in Milford Haven said that many media outlets such as the Daily Mail “tells us that I am oppressed, that I do not speak and that I do not belong in Britain - and I say to them that our grandparents and our parents built this country!”

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00:00There will be a number of speeches and chants. I think maybe some people are apprehensive
00:07about us being loud, but I think we should be loud and proud.
00:12What do we do if our Muslim friends are under attack?
00:16Stand up, fight back!
00:18What do we do if refugees are under attack?
00:20Stand up, fight back!
00:22I'm here today for the same reason that I've been going to the Palestine protests,
00:26and that's as a human being and a part of this community,
00:29I can't say that attacks on Muslims and riots based on racist and fascist ideology are okay.
00:37So that's why I use my voice to stand up, because we all have a voice,
00:42and that's what I want to use my voice for, because why wouldn't I want to use my voice
00:47to stand with other human beings and out of respect and love?
00:53As much as I think it's important to stand up when these events take place,
00:57as Malcolm X said, one of the best ways that white people or Caucasian people
01:04or anyone can stand up against racism is if you hear a comment or a joke
01:13and it's not right to actually maybe question it.
01:15Years now, I have learned so much about myself and my religion from the media,
01:23things I did not know.
01:25What do I know about my religion?
01:28I only have a degree in Islamic theology, but the Daily Mail tells us that I do not integrate,
01:35that I am oppressed, I cannot speak, and that I do not belong in Britain.
01:41And I say to them, our grandparents and our parents built this country.
01:53If our community is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!
01:58If our community is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!
02:03If our community is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!

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