DIANE ABBOTT MP was upstaged at her high-profile conference this weekend, when a black activist wrapped in chains stormed the platform to protest against the country’s “white supremacist institutionalised racist establishment”, writes Ravender Sembhy.
As the opening speeches of the Hackney Schools and Black Child Conference were coming to a conclusion, a well-built black man in a thick silver chain leapt on to the stage and squared up to Superintendent Leroy Logan, Deputy Borough Commander of Hackney.
Local luminaries and celebrity Tim Campbell, winner of BBC reality show The Apprentice, looked on in horror as the activist, who refused to tell the Post either his name or affiliation, demanded that speakers addressed the issue of white supremacy.
After being repeatedly asked to leave by Superintendent Logan, the activist and his entourage, who were filming their leader’s every move, swiftly left the stage and calm was restored.
Onlookers were left shaking their heads in disappointment. Hackney resident Delroy Jenkins said: “It’s a shame that some people have to spoil what was otherwise a brilliant conference. He’s the type of bloke that you want to avoid, he gives the black community a bad name.”
At a workshop held later in the afternoon, the chained activist returned and demanded to be given a platform. Chairwoman Jennette Arnold eventually obliged, but on the condition that he stick to the topics being addressed, which were gangs, youth culture and peer pressure.
However, the activist continued his diatribe. He said: “What I want to say is that institutionalised racism and white supremacism are holding black people back. It’s time that these issues were discussed.” Organisers asked the man to conclude, and he left shortly afterwards.
Speaking at the conference, a spokesperson for Diane Abbott MP said: “I don’t have a clue who he is. Hopefully he’ll leave soon.”
The conference, held at the Ocean Music Venue, was attended by nearly 300 people, and – apart from the interruption - well received. Keynote speakers, including Abbott, Mayor Jules Pipe and Apprentice winner Tim Campbell, received rapturous applause and cries of “Amen! Spread the Gospel!” from the largely black audience.
Diane Abbott, who is one of the few black women in parliament, said: “It’s time to bring home to black parents the importance of education. Thirty years ago people realised that black children’s underachievement in schools was an issue, and here we are today and it’s still an issue. I want this generation to be the last generation of underachievement.”
Tim Campbell, who shot to fame as winner of BBC2’s The Apprentice, spoke of the vital role of family in the black community: “I want to see black fathers stepping up and playing an active role in their child’s education, even if they are separated from their partner.” Campbell joked: “We need to make it illegal for men to leave their children!”
Campbell was also keen to stress the responsibility of the black community as a whole: “It’s time to take some responsibility. It’s not about blaming the government, it’s about what we are doing as a community. Our kids want to leave schools with BMWs, but they should be wanting to leave with BScs, BAs and PhDs. It’s up to us to change the impetus. But we can’t do it as we are, fragmented. We need to unite.”
Mayor Jules Pipe said: “We must break down inequalities through education. Hackney loves its young people, black and white, and their potential – we have to now maximise it.”
Kenneth Attwell, a corporate trainer from Hackney, said of the conference: “It was very good and very inspirational. The speakers all made sense. I want to see their words turn into action now.”
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