Please sign this statement in opposition to the planned Football Lads Alliance demonstration in Birmingham on 24th March:

The Football Lads Alliance are planning to march in Birmingham on 24th March.

The FLA claims to be against all extremism but in recent months it has had far right speakers on its platforms, its marches have been promoted by far-right organisations and activists and it has promoted Islamophobic events such as an intimidating march by far right extremists against the East London mosque in Tower Hamlets.

Far from opposing extremism, the FLA's closed Facebook page continually sees racist and Islamophobic posts, including vitriolic posts targeting the Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott in the wake of concerns she raised about the group. These posts were so severe that a major Veterans charity Walking With The Wounded pulled its support for the recent FLA demo in London on 7 October.

John Meighan, the FLA's founder, offered his support to Donald Trump in his recent retweeting of fascist Britain First tweets. In late December, Meighan posted an openly Islamophobic post on his Facebook page, with a picture of him holding a copy of former English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson’s book ‘Mohammed’s Koran: Why Muslims Kill for Islam’ with the phrase “Happy Christmas you filthy animals”.

Some attracted to the FLA may be concerned about terror attacks and may not be racist but we believe that any FLA event in a multicultural city like Birmingham can only promote division in our community and open the door to racist, Islamophobic and far right groups and ideas to grow.

We oppose this event and support Stand Up To Racism Birmingham's call for a positive anti-racist mobilisation in Birmingham on 24 March.

Supported by organisations:
Stand Up To Racism Birmingham
Justice or Else UK
Birmingham NEU (NUT Section)

Initially signed by individuals:
Francis O'Grady, TUC General Secretary                                                                Len McCluskey, General Secretary of UNITE the Union (UNITE)
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU)
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS)
Dave Ward, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU)
Lee Baron, Regional Secretary of Midlands TUC
Ged Grebby, Show Racism the Red Card
Roger Godsiff MP, Hall Green, Birmingham (Labour)
Councillor Phil Davis, Billesley, Birmingham (Labour)
Councillor Hendrina Quinnen, Lozells and East Handsworth, Birmingham (Labour)
Councillor Douglas James, Darlaston South, Walsall (Labour)
Brian O’Sullivan, Chair of Stand Up To Racism Birmingham
Salma Yaqoob, political activist and broadcaster
Maz Saleem, Anti-racism campaigner
Charlie Williams, Anti-racism campaigner
Louise Reagan, President of the National Education Union (NUT Section)
Dr Ashraf Ghouse, General Secretary of Birmingham NEU (ATL section)
David Room, General Secretary of Birmingham NEU (NUT section – BANEU-NUT)
Roger King, NEU – NUT Section Executive Member (Midlands Region)
Jane Nellist, NEU – NUT Section Executive Member (Midlands Region)
Caroline Johnson, Branch Secretary, Birmingham UNISON
Matt Raine, Secretary of Birmingham University UNISON
Andrew Lloyd, PCS Midlands Regional Secretary
Pete Jackson, PCS Midlands Vice Chair
Rhiannon Lockley, UCU West Mids NEC & Women's Standing Committee & SUTRB
Dave Muritu, UCU NEC and Vice-chair of UCU Equality Committee
Tahir Alam, Muslim Parents Association
Denis Beaumont, ex-chair, Methodist Peace Fellowship
Aysha Iqbal, ODARA (Women’s support network)
Kiran Iqbal, ODARA (Women’s support network)
Saima Mehmood, We Engage (Muslim women’s network)
Faith Ngcobo, Birmingham Asylum and Refugee Association
Farhan Hussain, The Community Foundation`
Dr Nihal Abosaif, Co-ordinator Birmingham Egyptians Group
Abeline McShane, Spokesperson for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community
Geoff Dexter, co-founder LGBT+ Against Islamophobia & President BCU SUTR Soc
Rose Cragg, Secretary of Birmingham Unite Against Fascism
Giovanni Spoz Esposito, Former poet laureate of Birmingham
Garrie Fletcher, Writer
Alan Gibbons, Writer
Sabiheh Awanzai, Photographer
Ming De Nasty, Photographer
Dave Rodgers, Banner Theatre
Kelsey Rushworth, Poet and Stand Up to Racism Birmingham
Sarah Wilson, Musician
Kaye Winwood, Artist
Lou Robson, Candidate for Hall Green North ward, Birmingham (Labour)
Andrew North, Kings Heath and Moseley Labour Party
Jess Edwards, NEU – NUT Section Executive Member (Inner London Region)
Simon Murch, NEU – NUT Section Executive Member (South Yorkshire Region)
Colleen Johnson, Midlands Regional rep NEU (NUT section) National Disabled Teachers' Forum
Lucy Phillpot, President of Birmingham NEU (NUT Section)
Alaine Christian, Vice-President of Birmingham NEU (NUT Section)
Sandra Mitchell, Joint Deputy General Secretary of Birmingham NEU (NUT Section)
Doug Morgan, Assistant Secretary of Birmingham NEU (NUT Section)
Emma Browse, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Tony Foley, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Marcia Hockly, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Kate Taylor, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Mark Taylor, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Anne Tucker, Birmingham NEU (NUT Section) Executive member
Monika Archer, Teacher (NEU)
Chris Ayton, Teacher (NEU)
Thea Brown, Teacher (NEU)
Emily Davies, Teacher (NEU)
Ruth Dodds, Teacher (NEU)
Jo Edwards, Teacher (NEU)
Linda Gautrey, Teacher (NEU)
Kim Gibbons, Teacher (NEU)
Victoria Hubble, Teacher (NEU)
Olga Jenkins, Teacher (NEU)
Nathan Jordan, Teacher (NEU)
Alex Kane, Teacher (NEU)
Abbass Karimjee, Teacher (NEU)
Joan Kendrick, Teacher (NEU) & Amblecote Labour Party
Rabia Khatoon, Teacher (NEU)
David Langford, Teacher (NEU) & WBA season ticket holder
Jean Langford, Teacher (NEU)
Jane Paradine, Teacher (NEU)
Lisa Pearce, Teacher (NEU)
Katie Biddle Rawbone, Teacher (NEU)
Simon Strange, Teacher (NEU)
Charles Thomas, Parent and teacher (NEU)
Susan Virgo, Teacher (NEU)
Marion Warner, Teacher (NEU)
Rob Young, Teacher (NEU)
Tom Bishop, Assistant Head Teacher (NEU)
Brenda Batts, Retired teacher (NEU)
Diana Beaumont, Retired teacher (NEU)
Pauline Faux, Retired teacher (NEU)
Keith Perry, Retired teacher (NEU)
Judy Rafferty, Retired teacher (NEU)
Joan Taylor, Retired teacher (NEU)
Jim Warner, Retired teacher (NEU) & Blackburn Rovers supporter                          Sue Arguille, Derby NEU (NUT Section)                                                              Kieran Picken, Derby NEU (NUT Section)                                                                Chay Brown, Dover NEU (NUT Section)
Debs Gwynn, Equalities Officer, Halton NEU (NUT Section)
Mary Kerr, Equalities Officer, Kent NEU (NUT Section)
Peter Sagar, Newcastle NEU (NUT Section)
Niparun Nessa, Rochdale NEU (NUT Section)
Kyra Ermotenous, Sandwell NEU (NUT Section)                                                    Paul Murphy, Sandwell NEU (NUT Section)
Jean Evanson, Shropshire NEU (NUT Section)
Warren Chambers, Thanet NEU (NUT Section)
Emma Mort, Division Secretary, Warwickshire NEU (NUT Section)
Gilly Henshaw, Warwickshire NEU (NUT Section)
Andy Summers, Warwickshire NEU (NUT Section)
Simon O’Hara, Warwickshire NEU (NUT Section)
Tessa Bidgood, Worcestershire NEU (NUT Section)
Sarah Barton, Teacher (NASUWT)
Tim Wandell, Teacher (NASUWT)                                                                              Joy Adams, NUJ Birmingham and Coventry Chair                                                  Sian Ruddick, PCS Midlands Regional Chair                                                        Danus Blanchard, PCS LAA Rep and MoJ Mid-West Branch Organiser
Josie Green, Birmingham South PCS
Jackie Rose, PCS member
Saima Suleman, Birmingham South PCS Equalities Rep
Viv Perkins, PCS Nottingham Branch Secretary                                                    Mary Pearson, President of Birmingham TUC
Stuart Richardson, Treasurer of Birmingham TUC
Shay O’Boyle, Chesterfield TUC Secretary                                                                Jim Warner, Assistant Secretary, Dudley TUC
Tim Nicholls, President Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland TUC
Dave Brinson, Eastbourne TUC
Martin Lynch, Vice Chair Walsall TUC
Naomi Paul, UCU
Nita Sanghera, UCU NEC
Roddy Slorach, UCU Equalities Rep, Imperial College
Anna Welch, UCU
Frankie Barrett, UNISON
Janine Broderick, UNISON
Rose Brown, UNISON NEC and Birmingham UNISON
Ranbir Bains, UNISON
Tony Barnsley, joint Branch Secretary, Sandwell UNISON
Reg Burns, UNISON
Sharon Campion, UNISON Service Group Executive, Local Government (pc)
Babli Devi, UNISON
Calvin Fowler, UNISON
William Gibson, UNISON Steward                                                                            Moz Greenshields, UNISON/GMB
David Hughes, Branch Officer Birmingham UNISON
Paul Jonson, UNISON
Salman Mirza, UNISON
Charlotte Playll, UNISON
Shazziah Rock, UNISON
C Sewell, UNISON Walsall Branch Chair                                                              Mirfat Sulaiman, UNISON
Andrew Willets, UNISON
Jae Robinson, Chair of Birmingham UNITE Community Branch
Keith Archer, UNITE & Swindon Town supporter
Larry Gafney, UNITE
Kathryn Gafney, UNITE
John Higgins, UNITE                                                                                      Annmarie Kilcline, UNITE East Midlands Regional Secretary                                  Jag Bazaz, UNITE East Midlands                                                                      Richard Milner, UNITE East Midlands                                                                      Mike Powell, UNITE
Elizabeth Ramsden, UNITE
Alistair Wingate, UNITE
John Maltman, Labour Party and UNITE (retired)
Bob Maloney, Stand Up to Racism Birmingham
Bridget Parsons, Stand Up To Racism Birmingham
Jerry Langford, Stand Up to Racism Black Country & WBA season ticket holder
Tony Hayward, member of ARC/FDA Union
George Atwell, BFAWU
Saba Almuflehi, Fitness instructor
May Jay Ali, GP
Dr Chris Allen, Lecturer, University of Birmingham
Dr Miranda Alison, Lecturer
Shahin Akhtar
Rita Evans Barnes
Paul Bellamy, Leicester City supporter
Dave Breeze
Adrian Cannon
John Carmichael, Former teacher
Bernard Cartwright, ACTT retired
Rebecca Charlett, Parent
Harish Dalal
Douglas Dando, Amblecote Labour Party
David Darlaston, Aston Villa supporter
Jane Eades
Mona Elshazly
Rachel Falk
Paul Fisher, WBA season ticket holder
Rachel Gilles, Parent
Shaun Hand
Claire Hastie, Parent
Samuel Holley,
Sumra Hussain, Parent
Jean Carol Johnson
Roger Kendrick, Amblecote Labour Party WBA season ticket holder
Chris Kuriata
Michael Inness
Methusa Lah
Julia Larden
Helen Lloyd
Najla Mohammed
Mike Orme
Susan Payne
Angela Powell
Sayed Rehman
Dominic Rossookh, Walsall supporter
Lorraine Sanders
Dr Electra Soady
Ian Soady
Sarah Taversham
Tom Welch
Janice Wheeler, Amblecote Labour Party
Ken Willets, WBA supporter

To find out more about the FLA, go to https://tinyurl.com/NoToTheFLA