Monday 9 March 2009

Racist attack in Stubshaw Cross



It is with a great deal of regret that I have to report that there was a truly terrible racist attack on a house in Stubshaw Cross last month. I was very much hoping that this vicious attack on an innocent family's house would not be racist but the more I talked to people the more it became clear that it was.

Apparently men in balaclavas came to the house pictured above and broke every window at the front of the house forcing the family to flee. When I went to visit the house I was appalled at the level of destruction - the windows were not just broken but smashed in.

And the reason for the attack was that the family were non-white. What makes this even more sickening is that the father of the family has served as a soldier in the British Army and had fought in Afghanistan.

I don't usually put motions down at Council meetings but I felt so strongly that an anti-racist message should be sent out from all parties in the Council as well as Wigan Council itself that I tabled a motion at last week's Council meeting deploring all forms of racism and committing the Council to combating racism throughout the Borough. This motion was supported by all parties in the chamber, apart from one Councillor Robert Brierly from Hindley Green who abstained.

I have also requested a high level meeting of Council officers, members of the cabinet, the police, Wigan and Leigh housing to explore ways that can be taken to combat racism and other forms of bigotry in the Borough so that we can prevent incidents like this happening again.

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