The day before a large demonstration in Cardiff was set to take place against racism in Cardiff, the Grangetown area of the city where the march was set to start was vandalised with far-right graffiti. HOPE not hate volunteers worked with local councillors and community members to speak to residents.
Written with love, from Wales.
As was reported by the BBC later that day, the graffiti was “not from within the community”. Rather, it is likely that the perpetrator came from outside the city. National action posters were put up in Cardiff and Swansea late last year, with one of their most prominent activists based in Swansea responsible. You can read a profile of the group as well as it’s activists in our latest “State of Hate” report here.
There is no room for hatred or extremism of any kind in Cardiff – a city built by people from all over the world. From Yemen, to Somalia, from Italy to Bangladesh. We could go on. The sad extremist who spent his spare time spraying swastikas on walls clearly missed the memo.
“When hate comes to town, it provides us an opportunity to build relationships with our neighbours, and strength and unity as a community.”
HOPE not hate volunteers responded in kind last year when posters were found in Cardiff, using the opportunity to knock on doors and give people their own HOPE not hate posters. They quickly started going up in windows across the city. It turns out people really do prefer HOPE to hate… Who knew!
This year we didn’t get much notice, but we were keen to get out there as fast as possible. Ahead of the beginning of the demonstration, we knocked on every door in the Grangetown area of the city with local MP Stephen Doughty and local councillors to give information to concerned local residents, some community support, and a wad of blue-tack in case they wanted a poster for their window.
“It was great being out this morning to speak and engage with people in the local community around Grange Gardens, directly affected by having their local park graffiti’d with Nazi slogans and symbols. As you can see people want Hope Not Hate in Cardiff!”
Hundreds of people braved the cold after our session on the doors to show solidarity and support for the community. The demonstration passed many houses that had already had a knock of support from our volunteers, and there was no one left in any doubt by Saturday afternoon that the misguided individual who sought to create fear and distrust in Grangetown, had well and truly failed.
You can find out more about HOPE not hate in Wales on facebook or twitter.
