Pro-Israel groups banned from Stand Up To Racism events in Scotland
Now SUTR's steering committee has confirmed members of GFI and the Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland (COFIS) are "not welcome" at future events due to their support for Israel and organisations such as Reform UK.
A statement posted on Facebook from SUTR said: "We wish to publicly clarify beyond any doubt that the Glasgow Friends of Israel and COFIS groups are NOT WELCOME at SUTR Scotland events.
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'They have never been invited to any SUTR event, spoken as part of any SUTR platform, or been part of discussions with SUTR Scotland.
'SUTR aims to unite people of all faiths, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and none, against racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and the far-right, and they are all welcome at our events and initiatives.'
Wael Shawish of SPS – a group for Palestinians residing in Scotland – told The National last year it was 'painful' for him and the organisation not to be able to join the march in 2024 because of the Israeli flag being flown during it.
He said: 'We can't even dream of joining such a march with the Israeli flag being waved over our heads. We are oppressed by that flag."
Gerry Coutts, of the SPSC, also explained how his group in recent years had handed out leaflets at the start of the march explaining why they are not participating.
He said last year: 'As long as Israel remains an apartheid state, SPSC is calling for GFI to be banned from future SUTR marches as their presence is incompatible with the march's intention of celebrating International Day For the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.'
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SUTR said it now rejected the presence of GFI and COFIS due to support for the far-right "internationally and here in Scotland" and joining "the efforts by politicians to push the Islamophobic lie that millions protesting in solidarity with Palestine are 'hate marchers'".
It added the groups were not welcome due to "justifying and applauding" the actions by the state of Israel.
The SUTR committee noted: 'The focus of SUTR Scotland's campaigning activities involves building broad-based mass anti-racist action in solidarity with refugees and migrants, supporting justice campaigns against police and institutional racism, and facilitating a united response to the Islamophobic and antisemitic far-right, fascist groups, and particularly now the threat of Reform UK.'
'However, we reject the presence of GFI and COFIS, organisations whose activity involves justifying and applauding the actions by the state of Israel, which is engaged in carrying out genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.'
GFI, which describes itself as 'a grassroots organisation that supports the right of Israel to democratic self-determination,' runs an information stall in Buchanan Street in Glasgow every Saturday.
The SUTR committee went on to criticise GFI's relationship with Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr, who has been photographed visiting the stall and has expressed support for the group on social media.
The statement noted: 'No organisation that supports [Reform UK], which is trying to convince millions of voters that refugees, migrants and Muslims are to blame for society's problems, and in the process opening the door to dangerous fascist forces, is welcome at SUTR Scotland events.'
In 2024, a group called Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC) refused to attend a SUTR march due to concerns over GFI and COFIS's attendance.
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