"STOP ABUSE OF THE DISABLED"

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

"Stop abuse of the disabled"

Police have launched a campaign to protect disabled people from abuse while they are travelling on buses.

Leicestershire's Chief Constable Simon Cole said people with various disabilities have told his officers they are sometimes singled out for abuse on public transport.

Two of Leicestershire's largest bus companies, Arriva and First, have now agreed to display the Stamp It Out campaign poster in their vehicles.

Police hope the posters, which are part of a wider campaign to highlight hate crimes, will encourage victims and witnesses to come forward, to help bring perpetrators to justice.

Mr Cole, who speaks for the Association of Chief Police Officers on disability issues, said: "If you carry out any consultation with people who have disabilities, they will tell you about problems they have experienced on public transport.

"This has a knock-on effect on their lives which the rest of us should be ashamed of.

"Public transport puts people who don't know each other in a confined space and that sometimes leads to incidents.

"This campaign will raise awareness of this issue and encourage people to report any bullying or harassment incidents to us and we will do something about it.

"The campaign is called Stamp It Out for a good reason. There is no place for any form of hate crime in Leicester."

A number of people who use services provided by learning disability charity Mencap attended yesterday's launch in Upper Brown Street, Leicester city centre.

They also spoke of their own experiences of bullying while using public transport.

Darren Bakewell, 48, of Braunstone, Leicester, said: "I was abused on a bus once. A man pushed me off and I fell on the ground.

"I was hurt and didn't know what to do, but a woman who was on the bus and had seen what happened called the police for me.

"The police dealt with him for what he had done to me."

Ranjit Singh, 46, who lives in the Narborough Road area of Leicester, said: "It is important the police take this seriously – everyone should be able to travel on a bus in peace."

Steve Smith, area business manager for Arriva in Leicestershire, said: "We're urging all bus companies, their workers and passengers to be community spirited and report any abuse experienced on buses, whether directed at them or another person."

Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said: "There is no place for anti-social behaviour on buses or anywhere else.

"Abusive and bullying behaviour will not be tolerated.

"By working together in partnership, across the council, police and transport providers, we will stamp out this unacceptable behaviour."To report hate crime, contact Leicestershire police on 101 or, in an emergency, 999.

Alternatively, you can visit: www.stamp-it-out.co.uk

I posted about my own experience of this launch event on the blog yesterday. I can be seen in the photo above - if you know what you're looking for! 

STAMP IT OUT ARRIVA!

Hurrying to Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living this morning, late for a meeting of REDP's Core Partners scheduled to start at 0930, I see a single-decker Arriva bus parked in Upper Brown Street, just across the road from LCIL. Nothing out of the ordinary there, although it's not a bus route and there's no bus stop at that spot. Then I notice Sophie and Tej from LCIL photographing (and, it turns out, tweeting the pictures of) people boarding the bus. On closer examination, I recognise some of them - quite a lot of them, actually - including Steve Cooper, in whose office our 0930 meeting is supposed to be taking place!

This bus, provided by Arriva, is there to promote Leicestershire Constabulary's Stamp It Out! anti-hate crime campaign, challenging verbal abuse, bullying and violence. Covering the full range of Protected Characteristics, today's Stamp It Out! event is especially focused on people with learning difficulties.

I persuade Diversity Officer Darren Goddard and Chief Inspector Rich Keenan to pose for a photo, then they bundle me on to the bus, where Deputy Mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, Chief Constable Simon Cole and a select band of other local luminaries are gathered. A photographer form the Leicester Mercury is there, getting a better class of picture than I've been able to. (An article and photo appeared in the Leicester Mercury the next day, which I also blogged here).

A nice opportunity to get involved in a worthwhile occasion - and proving that there can be a good reason to be late for meetings, once in a while!

SETTING RELIGION OR BELIEF EQUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE

At The Centre, Alfred Place, this evening for a public meeting organised by The Race Equality Centre (TREC): "Setting Religion or Belief Equality Objectives for Leicestershire Constabulary". The meeting is led by Darren Goddard, one of Leicestershire Constabulary's Diversity Officers (on the right in the photo above).

Is Leicestershire Constabulary able to deliver equality for people of different religions or beliefs? Are all the people of Leicestershire:

• Equally safe from violence?
• Equally safe from burglary?
• Equally stopped by the police?
• Equally recruited by the police?
• Equally treated by the police?

The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on Leicestershire Constabulary to plan to be able to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination between people from different religions or beliefs,
• advance equality of opportunity for all religions or beliefs,
• and foster good relations between people from different religions or beliefs

The plans that the Police publish should be based on consultation with those communities that could be unfairly treated. This public meeting has been organised to provide an opportunity to meet police representatives and propose equality priorities that the police should implement to meet their Equality Duty. The meeting is open to representatives and practitioners from all communities or organisations of religion or belief and to everyone with an interest in addressing inequality on the grounds of religion or belief.

At the start of the meeting, we're shown a YouTube clip, Leicestershire Police: Taking a Look Back at 2011 (which I saw previously at the Chief and Chair meeting on Thursday 12 January 2012). Darren builds on themes in this presentation, concentrating on relations between Leicestershire Constabulary and faith communities, places of worship, community centres - as well as considering how individuals who identify with particular communities of religion or belief are treated if they're detained in police custody.

We discuss the possible impacts of new arrangements for an elected Police and Crime Commissioner, coming later this year. There's genuine concern and anxiety (verging on alarm) at this development among many in the room. Some of those here are learning of this for the first time and express anxiety about how much candidates for the post might know about their communities. It sounds like a good idea for faith communities to organise a hustings!

There's also concern that Leicestershire Constabulary's Equality Objectives for Religion or Belief should be determined by such a small group as is gathered here this evening. There are a dozen attendees, among us Bahá'ís, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and a couple with no particular religious identity (broadly speaking). Well, that illustrates the importance of engagement and participation! At least one other meeting of a similar nature is to take place in Loughborough and recommendations can be made electronically for a while yet. But the invitation to participate has been extended, even if it's been at fairly short notice. You can lead a horse to water ...

 We're each given a booklet showing Leicestershire Constabulary's employment statistics 2008-2011, which breaks down figures in terms of Protected Characteristics, including Religion or Belief. Here's that part of the booklet:

Within the Constabulary's HR system there are 37 different religions and faiths that staff have self identified. For the purpose of this publication we have collapsed the different denominations in the 20 main headings.

There is an active association of Muslim Police, Christian Police Association and Sikh Police Association within the organisation which receives organisational funding and support. The faith based support networks are involved in a number of key organisational meetings and provide support to all staff on a range of faith based issues. In addition the networks actively make links with different faith groups in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

There is also a multi-faith and contemplation room which is supported by the Leicester Council of Faiths within the Headquarters complex. The room which is open to all officers, staff and visitors has washing facilities and separate storage facilities for each faith to store religious texts and other items.

The figures show that for those police officers who have chosen to record their religion or belief 92% have identified as following a Christian based faith, followed by 1.7% identifying as Atheist or Sikh and 1.6% as Hindu or Muslim.

For those police staff who have recorded their religion or belief 85% identified as following a Christian based faith, whilst 5.6% are Hindu, 2.3% Sikh and 2.1% Muslim.

76% of those Special Constables who chose to record the religion or belief identified as following a Christian based faith, 14% Hindu, 3.5% Muslim and 2.1% Sikh.

Police officers

• Agnostic 16
• Atheist 28
• Buddhist 2
• Christian 1,479
• Hindu 25
• Jehovah's Witness 0
• Judaism 1
• Muslim 25
• Sikh 28
• Other 1
• Non-recorded 642

Police staff

• Agnostic 16
• Atheist 14
• Buddhist 0
• Christian 760
• Hindu 50
• Jehovah's Witness 3
• Judaism 1
• Muslim 19
• Sikh 20
• Other 4
• Non-recorded 613

Special Constables

• Agnostic 2
• Atheist 2
• Buddhist 0
• Christian 108
• Hindu 20
• Jehovah's Witness 0
• Judaism 0
• Muslim 5
• Sikh 3
• Other 1
• Non-recorded 103

FAITH LEADERS FORUM

To Bishop's Lodge, Springfield Road, for a meeting of the Faith Leaders Forum, starting at 1800. I've been invited to attend specifically to contribute to the start of planning for Inter Faith Week, Sun 20 - Sat 26 November. Noel Singh (Policy Officer for Community Cohesion at Leicestershire County Council) has been invited for the same purpose.

Bishop Tim himself isn't present; the meeting is chaired by Richard Atkinson, Archdeacon of Leicester and Chair of Trustees at St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society (that's Richard on the left in photo above, along with Chief Inspector Rich Keenan, Leicestershire Constabulary; Dr John Hall, Director of Studies at St Philip's Centre; and Sheikh Ibrahim Moghra, Chair, Interfaith Committee, Muslim Council of Britain). Five of the city's faith communities are represented here this evening. I suppose I could be considered occupying a seat for a sixth, but I've not been invited here to represent the local Bahá'ís.

I've not been invited to one of these meetings before, so I find it helpful when another attendee asks Mike Smith (Policy Adviser and Chaplain to the Bishop of Leicester) briefly to describe the origin and purpose of this group. He explains how it's not constituted on a formal basis (like the Council of Faiths is, for example) which allows it to have a more free-ranging brief, holding informal conversations on subjects that might be a bit more controversial or difficult than those which other organisations might tackle. It was gathered together by (and around) Bishop Tim in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7 - which is appropriate this evening, since the first item on the agenda is the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

In connection with this topic, it's decided that the city's faith communities have to focus on reconciliation, finding common ground and solidarity with Muslims. This tenth anniversary falls on a Sunday, which would allow certain kinds of events in public spaces to be appropriate. We don't know if the City Council or County Council intend to hold anything. We're reminded that this tenth anniversary will be covered extensively in the media - and that if we don't write the story of how it plays out in Leicester, others will.

Other topics tonight include policing issues (in particular a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Leicestershire Constabulary's record on Stop and Search); the omission of Religious Education from the new English Baccalaureate; and the establishment of the new Hindu school in Evington, in the old Leicester Grammar Junior School, adjacent to St Paul's (the school is eager to engage with the wider faith communities of the city and has offered itself as a venue for the next meeting of the Faith Leaders Forum in March).

When Noel and I are asked to speak about Inter Faith Week 2011, he goes first. We're sitting at opposite ends of the room and that's reflected in the kind of things we say. Noel's concerned about Inter Faith Week being a case of preaching to the choir, with same old faces saying the same old things to the same old audiences, in the same old places. He urges getting out and connecting with ordinary people throughout the city and county - going where they are and trying to bring Inter Faith Week to them. He's particularly keen on getting schools involved.

I, on the other hand, think that we made a pretty good fist of getting among the public, through our week-long exhibition in Highcross for the second year running. I say a little about how that came about in 2009, how it went in 2010 and how Highcross has tentatively offered the same opportunity to us again this year.

I don't think I need to go over National Inter Faith Week 2010 (or 2009 for that matter) here. There's enough about them already in this blog (see entries passim). But in this context I do get to raise a few truisms that I think would be good if we could acknowledge and change. One is the absence from events such as the Highcross exhibition by "faith leaders" who simply don't know how to talk to members of the public. Now I wouldn't want to give the impression that I'm knocking anyone by saying this (and I seem to get agreement round the table when I do). They may be at ease speaking with royalty, MPs, academics and the like, but they'll run a mile from a single mum pushing a double buggy! It's a different mindset and skillset: many of those who enjoy being among the general public at occasions like the Highcross exhibition or the Celebrate One Leicester event would feel ill at ease in the presence of dignitaries and notables. Beyond this, another problem (and a more serious one I believe) is that some of the faith communities at large don't seem interested in supporting an event such as this. Also, in the two years this event has been held so far, there has been little acknowledgment or support from Leicester City Council (only in the form of Lord Mayor Roger Blackmore and his wife Hilary opening the event in 2009).

We discussed what we can do for 2011 that we haven't done before. I mention Chris Minter's offer of the City's Council's Adult Skills and Learning Service getting behind the event. We also have a promising offer of Phoenix Square running a season of themed movies during the week. There's a proposal that we should make a concerted effort to make it something bigger for schools. The idea is raised of each faith hosting one day (making it an eight-day week, but we can sort that out somehow). We also acknowledge the need for appropriate central coordination.

National Inter Faith Week: day 2

Early in the day, Jan MacDonald (Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Leicester) takes a turn on the stall between 1200 and 1400. She has a long conversation (over half an hour) with a young Sikh fellow, who talks candidly about how becoming a father has changed his attitude to his culture, heritage and religion. We also enjoy a visit from Parmjit Basra, Project Officer at Leicester City Council's Adult Skills and Learning Services, who was in charge of the recent Leicester Speaks event. (That's Parmjit talking to Jan in the photo above). Also on the stall at this time is Clive Sutton, from Leicester Quakers (the fellow in the dark jacket on the left of the photo below).
 

Early in the afternoon, John Florance pops in at the display to tell me that he'd given the exhibition a mention on his Sunday morning show yesterday on BBC Radio Leicester. This time last year, Noel Singh, Shaykh Ibrahim Moghrah and I appeared live on John's show to talk about the first National Inter Faith Week.

The undoubted highlight of this second day of our exhibition is the visit from The Wave (a supplement for young people, by young people distributed free with the Leicester Mercury). Katie Stewart (Editor), and reporter Will Sturgess arrive at the exhibition just after four, accompanied by John Coster and Tina Barton of Citizens’ Eye community news agency. On the display at that time with me are Ramila Chauhan and Smita Shah. Will interviews Smita and me and photos are taken of us in front of the Jain banner (Smita is President of Jain Samaj Europe as well as being Treasurer of Leicester Council of Faiths).

There’s a plan brewing between The Wave, Citizens’ Eye and Leicestershire Constabulary for an activity they’re calling “Speed Faithing”, in which young reporters will dash around the city to see how many places of worship – and how many meaningful encounters they can fit in with the people there – in one day. The Council of Faiths has latterly become involved in this.

In the last shift of the day, from 1800-200, I share duties on the exhibition with Sarfraz Khan, who works as Administrator for the Federation of Muslim Organisations (FMO). I've long been keen to get greater involvement of Muslim friends in Amplified Leicester, CreativeCoffee Club and other networking activities, so I take advantage of the moment to try and sell their usefulness to Sarfraz. I hope I sounded convincing, rather than just some mad old bloke riding his own hobby horse!

Here are a few of the comments that some of the volunteers who helped out on the exhibition today committed to our reflective journal:

"In the lunch hour there were a lot of people keen to hurry by and only a few who would allow me to catch their eye. One, from Thailand, wanted to see what the Council of Faiths had to say about Buddhism (he works in a casino here). Another, in a wheel chair, was glad of someone to take notice and chat. Others went by. A man at the next stand, trying to capture subscribers for Sky TV, said that he found this arcade a very difficult place and he found it hard to engage people, most of whom were heading for the clothes shops. A young clean-shaven Sikh showed interest, as did a visitor to Leicester whose girlfriend is a Buddhist chaplain in the NHS. Good interest from two Turkish Muslim engineering students"

"Some people had specifically come to have a look at the stand because they had heard it was here. Others were curious and asked, some took leaflets when they didn't have time to talk. Generally, the people who spoke were very positive and encouraging."

"Interesting experience. A lot of people passing by. Young ones are also stopping and taking interest. Quite interesting that a few we spoke to hadn't heard of Jains or Jainism. Not sure that it being going home time meant overall less people stopped by. Strange interaction but very enjoyable and some interesting questions get asked."

EDP MONTHLY MEETING, NOVEMBER 2010

At the Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Centre for the regular monthly meeting of the Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP). Iris Lightfoote, from The Race Equlity Centre (TREC) and I come across from the REDP meeting just ended at LCIL, along with Laura Horton, Project Manager of REDP, here representing Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL). There are also representatives from Leicester City Council (Irene Kszyk, Corporate Equalities Manager), Leicestershire Constabulary (Lynne Woodward, Diversity Manager) and NHS Leicester City (Abida Hussain, Equality Officer).

Two major items on the agenda today: Leicester City Council's upcoming Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) on the effects of the Comprehensive Spending Review and Emergency Budget on the city; debriefing on the recent English Defence League (EDL) demonstration.

students are told to stay away from city protests

Here's how today's Leicester Mercury reported the event in the Cathedral yesterday morning. It's included as part of a general roundup of developments in relation to upcoming events on 9 October.

Students are told to stay away from city protests 

By Ciaran Fagan, Social Affairs Correspondent

Efforts to encourage people to stay away from next week's protest by the English Defence League are being stepped up.

Schools are asking students to steer clear of the Leicester city centre protest next Saturday and a counter demonstration.

The same message is coming from youth groups and other community organisations.

Instead, people are being asked to support a peace vigil the night before the protest and a "celebration" of the city's diversity the day after.

On the day, there will also be more than 1,000 police officers and disruption to public transport. The exact times have yet to be set.

The authorities have warned some roads could be closed and the bus and railway stations could busier than normal.

Leaflets handed to shoppers today also repeat the plea for people to not join the protests.

Daytime shows at Curve have also been cancelled.

Two performances of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and the matinee show of The Red Shoes and Hot Stuff are affected.

Evening performances will go ahead as scheduled.

The Home Office is still considering a request for the EDL to be barred from marching through the city centre.

However, the group cannot be prevented from holding static demonstrations.

Both groups have agreed to rally in Humberstone Gate East, between Charles Street and the inner ring road.

The police and council expect the protests, which will be separated, to cause disruption.

Some shops and businesses in Humberstone Gate East are expected to close for the day.

Chief Superintendent Rob Nixon said: "Our aim is to allow the protesters their democratic right to demonstrate while trying to keep disruption to a minimum."

Council chief executive Sheila Lock said: "Our aim of leafleting exactly one week prior to the protest is that we will capture those people regularly in the city centre on a Saturday – shoppers, workers and people who meet with friends – providing them with an idea of what to expect on the day. They can then decide for themselves whether they want to come into the city centre that afternoon or delay their visit."

The council has written to head teachers to ask them to discourage students from taking part. Head teachers will be visited by police next week.

People can sign a declaration condemning the protest by the EDL at Leicester Cathedral.

Bishop Tim Stevens said: "They have a right to their view but they do not have a right to set us against each other."

The Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations is urging people to take part in the peace vigil on Friday and the celebration on Sunday.

The Indian Workers Association's Leicestershire branch is holding a public meeting about the issue at 2.30pm tomorrow. at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara, in East Park Road, Leicester.

In the photo, Mr Karta Singh Sandhu, of Guru Amar Das Gurdwara, signs the pledge as the Bishop of Leicester looks on. Photo from website of Leicester Mercury (and yes, the quality really is terrible!)

CHIEF CONSTABLE'S INTER-CULTURAL RECEPTION

To the HQ of Leicestershire Constabulary this evening, for the annual Chief Constable's Inter-Cultural Reception. We've a new Chief Constable this year, Simon Cole, and as soon as I arrive, I can see he's doing things differently. My first thought would be to say that this year, there's more police and less reception, but that would be unfair. A considerable number of displays have been set up for we guests, illustrating and explaining many aspects of the work of the Police. That's new - and welcome too. I pass round these, stopping for a chat at a few of them, before having longer conversations with Yassin Desai (of the Association of Muslim Police) and Amarjit Singh Sanghera (of the Association of Sikh Police -photo above).

After the Chief Constable welcomes everyone with a short speech, Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths, Cllr Manjula Sood, responds.

This is the fourth time I've attended this function. While our hosts may be a little more sparing on the hospitality this year (as befits the financial climate) tonight's event is all the more vital because of the approaching demonstration by the English Defence League (EDL) and counter-demonstration by Unite Against Fascism (UAF) which will be held in the city on Saturday 9 October. What have certainly been fine words in the past (in terms of relations between the Police and the faith/cultural communities) are now being more directly expressed in action.

stay away from protest, urge city's faith leaders

Here's how today's Leicester Mercury reports the Faiths Leaders Forum meeting which took place last night at Bishop's Lodge, in the context of ongoing overall preparations for Saturday 9 October:

Stay away from protest, urge city's faith leaders
by Ciaran Fagan, Social Affairs Correspondent

A united call has gone out urging people to stay away from protests by the English Defence League and its opponents.

Police, Leicester City Council and faith leaders, including the Federation of Muslim Organisations, hope to minimise the potential for public disorder when the English Defence League (EDL) stages a protest on Saturday, October 9.

Groups opposed to the EDL, including Leicester Unite Against Fascism, are planning counter protests.

Together, it is thought, the demonstrations could attract several thousand people.

A peace vigil is being planned for the Friday night before the protest, while a "celebration" of the city is being lined up for the Sunday.

However, police and council officials have stressed the city centre will be open for business on the day.

The timings and location of the protests have not been agreed yet.

Leicestershire's chief constable Simon Cole and the city council have asked the Home Secretary to ban all marches on the day.

The authorities are powerless to prevent static protests. Instead, they are only able to impose conditions on the location, size and duration of static demonstrations.

Deputy chief constable Gordon Fraser said: "We would like people to not take part on Saturday and to join the festivities on Friday and Sunday.

"Our advice is to not be tempted to come into the city centre on that day to take part in these events."

Sheila Lock, chief executive of Leicester City Council, said: "If people want to protest about what the EDL stands for, we would ask them to make their protest on the Friday or the Sunday.

"On occasions like this people can get caught up in events in a way they wouldn't if they had time to reflect.

"We have spoken to the retailers and, by and large, it will be business as usual.

"We are waiting to hear from the Home Secretary. Even if we get the ban on the march, we do not have powers to ban a static protest."

Faith leaders last night spelled out their opposition to the EDL.

In a joint statement, leaders of the city's Faith Leaders Forum, whose members include the Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Jewish faiths as well as others, said: "We condemn all who seek to divide and sow the seeds of distrust between our communities.

"In particular, we condemn, in the strongest terms, the activities of the English Defence League."

The Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, which represents almost 200 mosques and community groups, also urged people to stay away.

Spokesman Suleman Nagdi said: "Our strong advice is that people stay away from the EDL protest and any counter demonstration and rallies that may take place.

"We believe any counter protest will only serve to undermine the image of Muslims as a law-abiding and peaceful people.

"We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from Muslim communities in other parts of the country.

"We in Leicester appreciate this greatly but would urge our fellow brothers and sisters from around the UK not to travel to Leicester and participate in any counter demonstrations."

Councillor Manjula Sood, Chair of the Council of Faiths, takes objection to the way in which the Mercury doesn't name all the faith communities involved. So do I.

I note with interest the following comment beneath this story on the Mercury's website: "The comments facility has been turned off on this story as a minority of posters have been abusing the facility."

EDL/UAF briefing for Voluntary & Community Sector

To Leicester Town Hall this evening, for a briefing session jointly hosted by the City Council and Leicestershire Constabulary, updating us on preparations for the visit of the English Defence League, as well as the proposed counter-demonstration by Unite Against Fascism, on Saturday 9 October. There are a dozen or so attendees, specifically invited, representing a variety of Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, working across the city or based and operating in specific parts or with specific communities. I'm accompanied by Gursharan Thandi, who (as well as sitting on the Board of Directors of Leicester Council of Faiths) is also one of two representatives for communities of interest in terms of religion and belief on Leicester Partnership.

Below is a copy of the presentation we were given this evening, word-for-word. My occasional interpolations are in brackets.

An overview of the proposed march and counter-demonstration

Briefing for Voluntary and Community Sector Stakeholders
Leicestershire Constabulary, Leicester City Council

Agenda

·      Introduction: Councillor Veejay Patel [Leader, Leicester City Council]

·      Overview Briefing: Sheila Lock [Chief Executive, Leicester City Council], [Chief Superintendent] Rob Nixon [City Commander]

·      Q&A

·      Summary of main action points

Who are we talking to?

·      Four Levels

·      The community stakeholder groups

·      Key partners in the public sector

·      The media

·      The EDL themselves and any counter protest groups

Objectives

·      Reassurance that we are working together

·      Let you know what we know

·      Make you aware of the legal position

·      Tell you what the police and council are doing

·      Inform you of what the police role is

·      Inform you of what the council role is

·      Explore what your role could be

·      Discuss next steps in relation to this event

·      Discuss how we as a city “move on” after this event

What we know

·      An early indication of an intent to march in September that came to nothing – through informal routes

·      Indication to the police from the English Defence League (EDL) that they intend to stage a march in Leicester city centre on Saturday October 9

·      The EDL formed in June 2009 – not legally defined as an extreme right wing group – previous events in the country have attracted those with strong right wing views

·      Indication from Unite Against Fascism (UAF) that they wish to hold a counter-demonstration

·      Application received on 15 September by UAF

·      Busy day for City – open day for universities (7000 international visitors), Somali event (smaller event), National Trade Union Conference, Navratri, Saturday morning Cathedral Service (600 people) – following day, Leicester Marathon [Option simply to close everything down for the day was considered, but it was decided in the end to go for “business as usual” – although taking this route requires that there be a strong plan in place.]

Legal position

·      Any ban for a march has to be made by the Council to the Home Secretary.  Supported by evidence that can demonstrate significant risk of disorder and risk to cohesion

·      Even if ban is applied for and is successful does not prevent static demonstrations taking place.  EDL can still come to Leicester

·      No legal powers to prevent a lawful peaceful protest

·      Legislative changes since BNP ban in 2001

What are Police and Council doing?

·      We take our community leadership role very seriously

·      Working with partnership agencies to jointly plan and manage the response to the event and any issues that arise before or after

·      Learning the lessons from other areas who have had similar events [good practice and bad]

·      Police and council engaging and listening to all communities

·      Police are in dialogue with groups who may seek to protest/counter demonstrate on the day

·      Exploring all our legal powers [e.g. ban on sale of alcohol in city centre on the day, management of public transport network]

·      Planning will continue in the weeks ahead – continued liaison

·      Police and council have considerable experience in planning events

·      Dealing with this in an objective way that is professional, to do otherwise leaves the city open to challenge and potential further risk

Police role

·      Facilitate peaceful protest and comply with duty under Human Rights Act

·      If anyone commits a criminal offence will be dealt with fairly but firmly

·      We will not tolerate damage to the city or acts of violence

·      Anyone involved in violence, disorder or racist behaviour which is unlawful will be liable to prosecution

·      Celebrate diversity and be proud of our city

Council Role

·      To exercise its community leadership role for the city – in partnership with others

·      To follow a lawful decision making process that considers objectively all the available advice and views

·      To make an application on behalf of the city to the Secretary of State if that is the outcome following the lawful process

·      Actively working with the Police to enhance security and traffic management

·      Clear united leadership [not a party issue; everyone putting political differences aside to work together for the good of the city, both Leadership and Opposition]

As community leaders: your role

·      Conveying the strength of feeling in Leicester is important, but so is conveying it in the right way

·      Support for non confrontational means

·      Getting out the message re consultation and alternative events

·      Helping to identify “vulnerable” groups and individuals [and sites] and providing diversionary activity

The message to the community

·      If you feel strongly about what is happening, express those views to your local councillor, trade union branch, community or faith leader or to the council chief executive so that your view can be fed into the decision making process.

·      If you are concerned please speak to your local police.

·      The police and council want to reassure and support all communities and encourage them not to be provoked into reacting to the protests [need to be sensitive to changes in mood as the day approaches]

·      We don’t want people coming into the city intent on confronting any protestors.  Please let the police handle events.

·      We would ask that you don’t get drawn into inflammatory dialogue on social networking sites.

·      If you want to come to Leicester to shop/normal business expect some disruption.  Busy but wish to see business as usual.

·      Celebrate in City event. [to take place on Sunday 10, the day following the march and counter-demonstration]

What next?

·      We will promise to keep you informed as the situation develops

·      To help us we really need a two-way conversation – tell us your concerns or any information you think we need to know.

·      ConsulationEDL@leicester.gov.uk

·      [email only opened at start of this week, but already more than 500 posts received]

·      If you don’t want to speak to the police or council speak to a community leader who will speak to us on your behalf.

·      Any questions?

Several minutes are given over to questions, answers and comments at the end, in which all those attending (including Gursharan and I) take the opportunity to chip in. Our Chair, Manjula Sood, had been to a similar breifing held in the same place the night before. She called me this afternoon and asked me to make sure that I'd speak here this evening. I said that, if the opportunity arose – "Don't wait for opportunity", she told me, "You should speak!" This evening's proceedings are being webcast; comments made here will form part of the body of evidence required for the City Council when making its decision whether to apply to the Home Office for an order to ban the march at its emergency Cabinet meeting tomorrow. Manjula doesn't want the meeting to go on record without something being heard from the Council of Faiths – and quite right too.

Well I've never exactly been backward at coming forward, so: several times this evening, Sheila has mentioned a meeting of the Faiths Leaders Forum this coming Monday, at which those present will agree a joint statment expressing a united view about 9 October. So I take the floor briefly to explain the distinction between the Faith Leaders Forum and the Council of Faiths, and the different functions they perform, saying how each supports and complements the other. While I'm on, I say that one of our objectives at the Council of Faiths is to collate and disseminate accurate infomation, as a way of building up confidence and playing down fears. We don't want our members or those they represent to be influenced by rumour. When I say that I'll be putting the text of the PowerPoint presentation on our blog, Sheila responds over the mic by saying, "That's just what we were hoping for" and giving me a double thumbs-up.

As the meeting nears its end, Gursharan expresses her heartfelt view that, as difficult as this issue is, it presents us with the opportunity to do the right thing by our city and its people and how we’ll be judged by our actions on 9 October and on the days leading up to it and following it. As she's speaking, what comes to mind is the recent meetings that Sheila Lock has convened on promoting Leicester as a centre of excellence in community cohesion - at which we're discussing how to bottle "essence of Leicester" and promote it around the country and further afield. The coming weeks will test out whether we really can walk the walk here or do we just talk the talk. Is our unity in diversity genuine or will it crumble at the first real challenge?

Gursharan's words nicely set up Councillor Mohammed Dawood, Cabinet Lead for Community Cohesion, who sums up the meeting and signs off on a positive and upbeat note.

Cathedral AM (5)

To Leicester Cathedral Visitor Centre this morning for Cathedral AM. This bi-monthly networking breakfast brings together people working in, living in, or otherwise concerned with Leicester city centre. When I lived in the West End, barely a ten minute walk from the Cathedral, I hardly ever made it here in time for breakfast. Now I live halfway across the city, I arrive half an hour early and have to park myself in Cafe Nerro with a cappuccino and the morning paper!

The scheduled speaker for this morning (Deb Watson, Director of Public Health and Health Improvement, NHS Leicester City) has called in sick. Into the breach steps Police Sergeant Nick Westwood, Deputy Local Policing Unit Commander, based at Mansfield House Police Station, Belgrave Gate. He was going to speak this morning for five minutes about the forthcoming demonstrations by the English Defence League (EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) in Leicester on Saturday 9 October - so now he has the floor for longer.

Nick speaks about the preparations that the Police are making, in association with Leicester City Council, to ensure that the day passes off as peacefully as possible. He asks thqat we take this information back to our own communites, groups or organisations, so that as many people as possible might have confidence in what is being done to ensure that they are kept safe and that normal life can go on. He tell us that a large number of officers from other forces around the country are being drafted in for what will be the biggest policing operation that Leicester has seen in 25 years. Police will be patrolling not just the city centre, but will be visible and available in all parts of the city. There will be more officers on duty (on and around the day) specialising in public order and in hate crime. Police will be visiting locations, premises and sites that are considered vulnerable and speaking to local shops and businesses well in advance of the day. The routes of the two demonstrations have not yet been declared. This is one of the areas with which Leicestershire Police are negotiating with both the EDL and UAF.

There will be a prayer vigil in Leicester Cathedral on the Friday evening before the demonstrations. The cathedral is busy with prearranged activities on the Saturday, otherwise it would be publicised as a safe haven for anyone in the city centre who feels threatened (as was done with the Cathedral in Bradford). Canon Barry Naylor expressed the hope that some other church in the city centre might be able to fulfil this role.

Both Leicester University and De Montfort University have open days on Saturday 9 October, when potential students and their parents, many of whom will never have seen the city before, will be coming to Leicester. Both those institutions are understandably anxious about what kind of impression visitors will get about Leicester that day.

Sarah Levitt, Head of Leicester Arts and Museums, tells us that on Sunday 10 October, the day after the two demonstrations, there's going to be a big, positive public event around the gaint TV screen in Humberstone Gate. "Celebrate One Leicester" will allow the people of Leicester to show how much we love the diversity and harmony of the city. Details will be announced soon.

On other matters, I get to speak to John Florance of BBC Radio Leicester, about Leicester Speaks (AKA Local Democracy Week). He expressed interest in his Sunday morning show covering the Council of Faiths contribution to the week's events.

I also get to meet Jaz Mann (and his Signer, Adam). Jaz works with Action Deafness, where he is Lead Development Officer on the HearNow Project. He's looking for opportunities to promote this project within the faith communities. We discuss ways in which the Council of Faiths may be able to help him.

Find out more about Action Deafness:
http://www.actiondeafness.org.uk/

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY COHESION: 1

Sheila Locke, Chief Executive at Leicester City Council, has called a meeting this afternoon on the topic of community cohesion. The meeting is in the CEO's Conference Room, seventh floor of B Block in the City Council's New Walk Centre. This is the latest step in an ongoing discussion, today moving on to consider the question, "What would a Centre of Excellence for Community Cohesion Look Like?" Representatives of the City Council, Federation of Muslim Organisations, Leicestershire Constabulary, Policy Research Centre, Sikh Cultural and Welfare Society, St Philip's Centre are also attending.

All of us here today have experience of people coming from different parts of the country - from different parts of the world - to find out how we do we do in Leicester. Some of them want to learn how to make it work where they live; some of them think they can pull aside the veil and be the one to expose some kind of chicanery at work underneath. I've seen plenty of attempts at both sides in my time in this post. Leicester has a positive reputation as a model, as a beacon for managing diversity. Can the Leicester experience be bottled and marketed? Is the "centre of excellence for community cohesion" the city itself, rather than some building to be occupied or institution yet to be created? It's a short meeting, lasting just an hour, by the end of which we've appointed a working group to address some specific points:

• to scope something that looks like a model
• to include some research capacity
• to take stock of major themes
• to log work already being done
• to list conversations ongoing across the city
• to identify new conversations required in the city
• to decide what could be sustained locally (existing and new work)
• to pick out stuff that we think we should just have a go at
• to see what we can market nationally and/or internationally
• to propose where we could introduce some innovation

This working group (of Dilwar Hussain, Jasbir Mann, Riaz Ravat, Resham Singh Sandhu and me) will meet in a week's time at St Philip's Centre. The bigger group will meet again in a month or so, which would allow this topic to be introduced into the autumn political cycle.

stamp it out!

To Leicestershire Constabulary HQ in Enderby this morning, for the launch of "Stamp It Out!" This is a community led partnership bringing together different groups and organisations all committed to challenging, tackling and stamping out hate within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

In today’s Britain no one should ever feel under threat of verbal or physical violence just of their disability, transgender (gender identity), race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. The risk of being attacked or abused on the street, at work or in their own home just because of who they are remains and everyday reality for many people. If hate incidents go unreported this fear will increase and affects people’s ability to live open and happy lives.

According to Leicestershire Police, 1,150 people were victims of racist crimes last year, 133 were targeted because of their religion, while 70 disabled people and around 200 people were targeted because of their sexuality. Leicester council of Faiths obviously has a stake in there being more accurate recording and monitoring of religious hate crime - and the fostering of an environment where victims of such crime feel more confident that the police will take their concerns seriously and will deal with incidents and their perpetrators promptly, efficiently and consistently.

On arrival at Police HQ in Enderby, I'm a little unsure just where I am meant to be going. I've visited the site a couple of times before, but it's always been to one particular building. So I stop the first official-looking person I meet, to ask where the meeting might be. And who should be the first "official-looking" person I see? None other than the newly-appointed Chief Constable, Simon Cole. Of course I take the opportunity to introduce myself and the Council of Faiths and give him my card as he directs me to the right place. After he's done so and he walks on, I realise I stopped him just in front of a blooming big sign with an arrow on it! Still, let's say that it's a little moment of serendipitty.

In his opening remarks to the audience, the Chief Constable tells us that "Stamping out hate crime and the kind of vulnerabilities it creates is the reason why I joined the police." Several community organisations have expressed their support already for Stamp It Out! I'm asked here today if the Council of Faiths would do the same. That kind of decision is above my pay grade obviously, but I'll be passing the request on to the officers of the Council of Faiths.
Find out more about Stamp It Out!
http://www.stamp-it-out.co.uk/

Here's how the launch was covered on the Leicester Mercury website:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Police-aiming-stamp-hate-crime-new-website/article-2322445-detail/article.html

EDP monthly meeting

We get hardly a quarter of an hour after the REDP meeting finishes at 1230 then we're into the regular monthly meeting of the Equality and Diversity Partnership. For this expanded meeting we're joined by Saeed Malek, representing Age Concern, as well as colleagues from the public sector Leicester City Council (Irene Kyszk, Head of Equalities), Leicestershire Constabulary (Lynne Woodward, Head of Diversity), Leicester City NHS (Abida Hussein, Diversity Officer). Our main topic of conversation is the expansion (in role and, possibly, in the membership) of EDP in its work with Leicester City Council and the Local Strategic Partnership. Jai Parmar and I have to leave early to make our way over to Voluntary Action Leicester to join in the first session of a working party to help formulate a volunteering strategy for the city and county.

IMPROVING STANDARDS OF CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT: 2

To Leicester Town Hall at lunchtime for the second meeting of a Task and Finish Group on Improving Standards of Consultation and Engagement across Leicester Strategic Partnership. Among those attending on behalf of bodies involved with the Local Strategic Partnership, there are representatives of the City Council, Leicester City NHS, University Hospitals Leicester (UHL), Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust, Leicestershire Constabulary, Voluntary Action Leicester, I'm there on behalf of the Equality and Diversity Partnership (EDP) as well as flying the flag for Council of Faiths of course.

This piece of work is intended to improve the level (and kind) of consultation processes entered into by all the member organisations that comprise the Local Strategic Partnership - well, the public sector organisations at least, since those from the private sector have unanimously declined to take part. In terms of the Voluntary and Community Sector, we're making input as participants in the consultation and engagement processes as well as beneficiaries of the outcomes. Our boards (where we have them) are being invited to sign up to these documents too.

Something different from the first meeting: we started discussing the use of social media for this project, how to apply Facebook, Twitter, blogging ("Hel-lo-oh!") to making it a success. Leicester City Council has a twitter account, but we were told that the most recent tweet was a month ago. The City Council has 30 followers; Council of Faiths has 32! In this context, we discussed future involvement of Citizens' Eye Community News Agency and Leicester on the Map, possibly from the beginning of the public consultation stage.

equality & diversity in focus

To the NSPCC National Training Centre, Beaumont Leys, for a free interactive one-day seminar for local authority practitioners entitled, "Equality & Diversity in Focus". This is sponsored by the East Midlands Improvement & Efficiency Partnership (EMIEP).

Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships were set up in each of the nine English regions, following the publication of the National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy in December 2008 by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). The East Midlands Improvement & Efficiency Partnership (EMIEP) exists to bring lasting improvements to the East Midlands area and has a budget of c. £34 million (2008/11) to do exactly that. The EMIEP involves 46 councils and 5 fire and rescue authorities from the region and aims to:

• Promote the achievements of East Midlands authorities;
• Identify and share best practice from other Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships;
• Commission and provide tools, training and development;
• Address individual and collective improvement priorities;
• Stimulate and promote innovation and new ways of working;
• Share opportunities to support improvement and efficiency and;
• Offer help to councils and services in difficulty.

As usual, this one of those events that I'm attending both for the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) and the Council of Faiths. There are more than 30 delegates from across the East Midlands and beyond (from Borough, City and County Councils in Blaby, Charnwood, Derbyshire, East Northamprtonshire, Gedling, Harborough, High Peak, Leicester, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, South Northamptonshire, Wellingborough). The following sessions are being offered today:

• "Equalities Law", an expert presentation by Sarah Michaels (Partner, Employment Department) a leading solicitor from Bevan Brittan LLP, covering recent equality case law updates and a brief overview of the Equalities Bill.
• "Accessing and Presenting Equalities and Diversity Data", a specialist presentation by Raja Farooq (Account Manager, Local Government) from Experian Public Sector on how to resource and present equalities and diversity data.
• "Equality and Human Rights" (by Jay Vyas, Regional Manager, and Patrick Devine, Regional Adviser, Equality and Human Rights Commission), an update presentation on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s national and regional priorities for 2010-2011.
• "Case study presentations", a carousel-style session with examples highlighting areas of good practice from the region, presented by Dave Bennett Equalities & Diversity Policy Officer, High Peak Borough Council; Marie Chapman Community Support Officer, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service; and Sheila Brelivet, Data Analyst, Northamptonshire Area Procurement Service.
• "Interactive workshop session on Equality Impact Assessments" facilitated by Irene Kszyk (Head of Equalities, Leicester City Council) and Lynne Woodward (Head of Diversity, Leicestershire Constabulary).

I have to say that, sitting round the table in our group, working on the task regarding Equality Impact Assessments, I had something of a lightbulb moment. This was the first time I've discussed this topic along with other practitioners and many things became clear to me that had been rather hazy and indistinct before. If I had to identify one thing I gained form attending today, this would be it: a clearer understanding of the purpose and use of Equality Impact Assessments.

In the spirit of Amplifed Leicester, I spent much of today tweeting the session titles and main points - from my personal twitter account (@GeorgeMB) then retweeting them from Leicester Council of Faiths' twitter account (@counciloffaiths), linked to updates on my Facebook. Having tweeted all day on equality, diversity and human rights with no response from anyone out there, I tweeted "coffee break!" mid-afternoon and one person posted that they liked this!

Find out more about the East Midlands Improvement and Efficiency Partnership:

http://www.eastmidlandsiep.gov.uk/