Statement on the racist riots
At JMB Consulting, we are profoundly saddened and outraged by the recent violent eruption of white supremacist riots across the country. We are saddened because we fear for racialised people and communities directly impacted by racism; we are angry because we know this violence has been brewing and bubbling in plain sight, waiting to explode and could have been prevented; we are worried for racialised people we love, our friends and family, and the community members we support. We are deeply concerned and disappointed at the response from the Third Sector and the performative activism taking place across digital platforms. Charity organisations may not be posting black squares. However, they still hire external companies to make superficial statements without actionable change.
We cannot ignore the role that media outlets like GB News, The BBC, Sky, The Sun, and The Daily Mail, along with current and past governments, have played in fuelling racial hatred. Policies such as Prevent, the Illegal Immigration Bill, and the toxic and racist rhetoric of political figures have paved the way for this moment. What we are witnessing today is the culmination of decades of institutionalised racism, particularly against Muslim and migrant communities, stemming from the war on terror.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Riots are the language of the unheard.” However, the riots we see today are not born out of a desire for positive change but are instead fuelled by racism and stoked by those in power to maintain the status quo.
These events echo the racist uprisings of the 1980s. Yet, today, white working-class communities are being manipulated as political pawns to deepen racial divisions and distract from the real issues affecting our communities as a whole: the austerity measures imposed by the Conservative government over the past 15 years and the legacy of British colonialism. Both are minimised and unaddressed, robbing us of the ability to heal from our violent colonial past.
The racism we’re witnessing in the streets is the same racism we witness in boardrooms. One may seem more violent than the other, but this could not be further from the truth. The racial violence we are seeing from Southport to Middlesborough is the same violence we see in policies coming out of Westminster. It’s two different brands of the same racism with the same outcome. One may seem more overt, whilst the other is more insidious. Both harm racialised people.
The response from the third sector has been less than ideal. While many organisations have issued statements, few have engaged in the meaningful action required to support racialised communities with integrity. Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies are not enough; genuine actions towards justice must accompany them. This requires a complete overhaul of our personal, political, cultural and institutional frameworks. The recent calls for police reform and support only reinforce the flawed belief that policing keeps our communities safe and ignores the lived experiences of those who have suffered under systemic racism and ignores the calls that racialised people have made for defunding the police.
Funding for anti-racism surged during the second wave of BLM uprisings in 2020; funding then dwindled as racism was no longer deemed a trending topic by the third sector. The support and statements we witnessed then were revealed to be performative. Do not repeat the same mistakes today.
To move forward, the third sector must confront its limitations, divest from whiteness, and redistribute resources to those most connected to the issues we seek to address. We must be honest, brave, and bold in our commitment to dismantling white supremacy from its core, honouring our missions to support communities experiencing marginalisation with the care and dedication they deserve.
Although there’s been a beautiful show of solidarity from communities nationwide, we recognise that more must be done. Local communities have stepped in to demonstrate that this country will not accept racist violence on their streets; they have shown what solidarity truly looks like by facing up to fascists and resisting racist violence and destruction of their local areas. Our communities have the power to dismantle white supremacy, but we must support them in doing so; we must use our tools and resources to root out racism.
JMB remains committed to holding the sector accountable. We will continue to advocate for material change instead of symbolic change, support charity workers in transforming their organisations instead of tinkering around the edges, and provide in-depth political education and support by embedding anti-racist practices through our consultancy and Uncharitable.
Our heart goes out to all those racialised people impacted by the racist violence we are witnessing and the vicarious traumas our communities are being subjected to. We stand with you today, tomorrow, forever.
JMB Team x
