Rushanara Ali MP

On Tuesday 17^th October, Rushanara Ali, Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow and Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Democracy in Burma called on the Government to apply greater pressure on the Burmese military and government to protect Rohingya Muslims.  

On this day in 1936 the Jewish community of East London and its allies blocked the streets in order to prevent Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists marching through in what became known as the Battle for Cable Street.

Following the recent escalation of violence targeted towards Rohingya Muslims in Rakine State, Myanmar, 158 Parliamentarians have written to the Foreign Secretary urging the Government to exert more pressure on the Burmese Government:

Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Burma said:

“I am deeply concerned about reports that nearly 400 people have been killed in the last week and close to 38,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled their homes in Rakhine State, Myanmar. I utterly condemn this escalation of violence over the last week and urge both the civilian-led and military-led sections of the Myanmar Government to immediately bring an end to the violence. 

Humanitarian organisations must urgently be granted access so that humanitarian relief can be delivered.

Last night in Bethnal Green, the police were called to an incident involving two people who were sprayed with acid whilst in their car.

Responding to the event, Rushanara said:

"This is yet another incident this year involving a corrosive substance in East London. Since the beginning of July, the police have arrested and charged 6 individuals involved in 5 separate acid attacks. It is completely unacceptable that these kinds of attacks are becoming so common."

On Thursday night two teenage boys were arrested after five acid attacks took place across East London.

The Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, Rushanara Ali today joined teachers and students from schools in Tower Hamlets to deliver a petition signed by thousands from the borough​calling for the Government to scrap its proposed cuts to school funding. 

In the last few weeks East London has witnessed an increase in acid attacks while hate crime directed towards Muslims is on the rise nationally. In response Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, Rushanara Ali said:

On 19 June 2017 there was a horrific terrorist attack outside Finsbury Park Mosque injuring at least ten people.