London city council stands united against hate and bigotry

London Mayor Matt Brown is condemning several nationalist groups after learning they’re planning to rally outside city hall later in the week.

The rally is being organized by an anti-Islamic group and supported by at least one white supremacist organization.

Brown introduced an emergency motion at council Tuesday night calling on Londoners to stand against all forms of racism, bigotry, and hatred.

The motion — which was passed unanimously — doesn’t ban the groups from holding their rally on Saturday, but current bylaws do prohibit people from engaging in riotous, boisterous, violent, threatening, or illegal conduct or to use of profane or abusive language including making any verbal comments or physical gestures, about or toward anyone that could reasonably be considered to be offensive, derogatory, or abusive.

“I’m proud to be working with people every day who are never afraid to challenge hate, to stand up to it. I come from a place where I’m not free to speak as freely as I am here in this country, and I’m proud of that right,” said Ward 3 Coun. Mo Salih, who identifies as Muslim.

The motion follows calls on social media from The Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, also known as PEGIDA, for a rally in front of city hall, Saturday.

“White supremacy and nationalist ideologies threaten the security of our community, and entirely undermines our commitment to foster a safe and inclusive environment for everyone regardless of their race, their ethnicity, their religion, their gender, their gender identity, or sexual orientation,” Brown said.

Human rights and anti-violence groups are preparing counter-rallies in response.

While the mayor is calling on residents to oppose the PEGIDA rally, he says it would be inappropriate for him to attend the counter-rally, saying his role is to speak clearly from city hall.

Councillors Virgina Ridley and Josh Morgan have said they will be attending the counter-rally.

Both groups say they aim to keep the rallies peaceful.

Being personally connected to these ideas of racism, an emotional Salih had one final message for hate groups:

“To the people who don’t like me I say, you’re free to hate my faith, you’re free to hate my colour, you’re free to hate the fact that I’m an immigrant, and you’re free to hate the fact that I simply exist, but I’m not going anywhere, and anyone who looks like me and believes in the god I believe in is saying the same thing. We’re not going anywhere.”

A city official said PEGIDA has not requested a permit to protest, so its members will have to stay off the roads and city property.