GROWTH OF RACISM IN TOWER HAMLETS

That this House unreservedly condemns the brutal racist attack on a 19 year old Bengali youth, Muktar Ahmed, late on the evening of Tuesday 8th February in Whitechapel, East London; calls for swift action to apprehend those responsible for this vicious assault; notes that this is only the latest in an escalating pattern of racist violence in the Tower Hamlets area, which is believed to be the result of intense racist attitudes encouraged by some leading members of the ruling Liberal Democrat Party and by organised fascist activity; expresses its concern about the prospects for a growth in racist violence in the lead in to the local government elections in May; condemns the evils of racism and racist violence; notes with approval that the Opposition Front Bench has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill which would create new penalties for racial harassment and racially motivated violence; and further notes that such a measure has the support of a wide range of organisations, including the Anti-Racist Alliance and the Commission for Racial Equality.