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Man arrested after Windrush exhibition vandalised in south London
Man arrested after Windrush exhibition vandalised in south London

Metro

time06-07-2025

  • Metro

Man arrested after Windrush exhibition vandalised in south London

Police have said the vandalism of an exhibition honouring the Windrush generation is 'not a hate crime' after arresting a suspect. Officers were called to reports of vandalism in Brixton, south London at 6.00am on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said. As many as 20 photographs of members from the Windrush generation had been sprayed with paint and attacked with a sharp object. A 24-year-old man was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of vandalism, the force said. He was taken to a police station where he remains in custody. According to the Brixton Blog, most of the images were gouged around the eyes, leaving 'irreparable damage'. Based on investigations carried out so far, the incident is not being treated as a hate crime, the Met said, adding that further enquiries will take place to establish the circumstances. Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, who leads policing in Brixton, said: 'We understand that those in the community will feel distressed about vandalism to the Windrush exhibition in Brixton. 'We believe that this was not a hate crime, and I want to reassure anyone with concerns, that a man has now been arrested. 'Local neighbourhood officers have been in contact with the organiser of the exhibition, and remain in the area to respond to any questions or worries that people may have.' A fundraising page has been set up to restore the exhibition, which has so far raised more than £2,000. The Windrush scandal involved the wrongful detention, denial of rights, and deportation of legal UK residents, mainly Caribbean immigrants who arrived between 1948 and 1971. Due to a lack of official documentation and hostile immigration policies, many faced loss of jobs, housing, and healthcare, despite having lived in the UK for decades. Lambeth's council's cabinet member for stronger communities, Donatus Anyanwu said before the arrest:'We are deeply saddened that the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition has been vandalised, and strongly condemn anyone responsible. 'The exhibition and the events held in Lambeth to mark Windrush Day in June were a brilliant way of honouring and celebrating the significant contributions of the Windrush Generation and their descendants to British life. 'This act of vandalism sours the community spirit and sense of unity that we've built, but we won't let an act of criminality derail our commitment to celebrating our diversity, or our commitment to making Lambeth a borough of equity and justice.' MORE: 'Nightclub predator' rapist joked about videos of his attacks in WhatsApp group MORE: Man caught hurling his elderly dog over a fence and onto concrete path MORE: Paramedics 'triage overheating passengers' on stuck train in more chaos for Eurostar

Windrush Film Festival returns to reclaim stories lost in Britain
Windrush Film Festival returns to reclaim stories lost in Britain

Daily Mirror

time26-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mirror

Windrush Film Festival returns to reclaim stories lost in Britain

With Windrush Day last Sunday, The Mirror spoke to a Film Festival that honours the Caribbean people who helped rebuild Britain. As Britain recently celebrated Windrush Day - a moment to honour the Caribbean pioneers who helped rebuild post-war Britain. One festival is using film to ensure their stories aren't forgotten. Speaking to The Mirror, co-founder Patricia Hamzahee OBE reflected on how the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, launched in 2020, was born out of pain - but rooted in pride. It came two years after the Windrush scandal exposed how Black brits were wrongly detained, deported or denied basic rights, despite being asked to come to the country and calling the UK home for decades. ‌ Instead of focusing solely on trauma, the team behind the festival - a seasoned social impact investor, Patricia Hamzahee OBE, award-winning filmmaker, Frances-Anne Solomon, and cultural curator Garry Stewart - wanted to flip the narrative. Later director Ansel Wong CBE, a key figure in the UK's Black cultural space joined the team. ‌ They set out to celebrate the strength, joy and legacy of Windrush descendants across Britain through powerful, untold stories. 'Too often, with Black history in this country, you have to look hard to find these amazing stories; it's always about drugs, crime or trauma - but hardly much about the positive,' Patricia told The Mirror. 'Windrush is about a journey. But it's also about building something that lasts - not just arriving, but shaping" she added 'It's not just a film festival, it's a celebration of culture, of truth, and of our contribution to Britain.' She added: 'We're trying to reclaim that story - to say we are more than just what the headlines said about us.' ‌ The idea from the festival began with the nationwide screening of Hero: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Ulric Cross, a film that tells the story of Ulric Cross, one of the Caribbean's most decorated WWII airmen. Born in Trinidad, Cross trained as a lawyer but was unable to find work in Britain due to systemic racism - eventually landing a role at the BBC Caribbean Service. But it was his extraordinary post-war journey that cemented his legacy: Cross became a key figure in Africa's independence movements, playing a pivotal legal and diplomatic role in countries including Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) and Congo. ‌ Yet despite his contributions to Britain and Africa, his story remains largely unknown - when he should be a household name. 'The people who saw it kept asking, why don't we know these stories? We want more,' Patricia said. That overwhelming response sparked something bigger and by 2020, the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival was born. To reflect on the untold legacy that the festival was created to spotlight - the contributions that shaped nations but were never celebrated.' ‌ Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown into a national platform, showcasing everything from historical documentaries to bold new shorts by rising Black British filmmakers. Screenings have taken place across the UK, including London, Birmingham, and most recently, Liverpool. Each year the festival carries a new theme. This year , it's Belonging, Being, Becoming exploring how Caribbean identity continues to evolve across generations and borders. ‌ This year's programme includes talkbacks, panel discussions and workshops, all designed to amplify unheard stories and create space for cultural pride. The goal is to build a space where legacy and imagination walk side by side. The festival also honours both grassroots campaigners and new creative voices. The Paulette Wilson Windrush Justice Award, named after the late Windrush campaigner, has gone to changemakers like Amelia Gentleman, Jacqueline McKenzie, Patrick Vernon and Wendy Williams. Meanwhile, the Menelik Shabazz Legacy Award is given each year to a standout emerging filmmaker. Rather than being stuck in the past, the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival is about building something new - rooted in truth, shaped by creativity, and deeply human. ‌ It's about doing something that honours the past, while also giving the future something to stand on. 'We deserve to see ourselves reflected back - fully, joyfully, truthfully.' Patricia said 'People come up to us crying, saying, 'I didn't know this existed,i feel seen for the first time.'' More than anything, the team hopes the festival inspires a sense of connection and continuation. 'These stories built Britain. We're just making sure they're finally heard.' 'There's just so much common ground in these stories - people coming, settling, overcoming and celebrating,' Patricia said. 'That sort of solidarity is really important especially for young people who want to make change and feel empowered to do it.'

How did people in the Midlands mark Windrush Day?
How did people in the Midlands mark Windrush Day?

ITV News

time23-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • ITV News

How did people in the Midlands mark Windrush Day?

People across the Midlands gathered to mark Windrush Day and celebrate Caribbean culture. It's been 76 years since Empire Windrush brought hundreds of people from the Caribbean to the UK to take up jobs and rebuild Britain after the Second World War. Now every year, 22 June is set apart as a special day for those people. People gathered in Birmingham's Victoria Square for a special flag-raising ceremony and service. A carnival procession also took place. Fathia Warren, a Windrush flag carrier in Birmingham proceeded down the streets of Centenary Square to Victoria Square, and she told ITV Central: "We're celebrating every year to commemorate and be thankful for our elders that came from the Commonwealth to help Britain rebuild. "This is our way of just acknowledging them and saying thank you." Leicester's Windrush Tea Party event returned on Saturday. Despite fears the annual event would have to be cancelled because of funding concerns, the popular event returned, transforming the Museum Square into a celebration of Caribbean culture, music and community spirit. It's part of the city's wider commemorations of Windrush Day and honours the men and women of the Windrush Generation who helped rebuild Britain after the Second World War. The event included a Caribbean tea party, music and games. Students in Walsall also put on a special Windrush display to remember and pay homage to the generation. They produced a powerful documentary celebrating the achievements of the Windrush generation who came to the town in the 1950s and 60s. Members of the Caribbean community attended a special dinner and showing of a film called Paved With Gold. A mix of events took place all over the region to truly make the day special.

Headlines: 'Cycle lane anger' and 'major crash'
Headlines: 'Cycle lane anger' and 'major crash'

BBC News

time23-06-2025

  • General
  • BBC News

Headlines: 'Cycle lane anger' and 'major crash'

Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories Sunday marked Windrush Day, which was celebrated in the St Paul's area of Bristol with a commemorative walk organised by the group Steppin' Sistas, Bristol Live reported. Hundreds of people reacted to the Swindon Advertiser's report about a preacher banned from Swindon town centre who has denied returning to the area.A Gloucestershire Live article on the reaction to work on a cycle lane being installed in Gloucester city centre also generated a lot of conversation online, with locals branding the work as "disgraceful". Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media Hundreds of people have shared an urgent appeal from Wiltshire Police for any witnesses to a crash on the M4 late on Sunday night, in which a woman died and nine others were left injured. Here's our latest story on this has been a lot of love online for Glastonbury's new Power of One campaign, which has been launched online ahead of the festival opening its gates this week. Swindon Borough Council has praised the dedication of volunteer "street reps" who have been busy tidying up the Penhill area of the city.

Campaigners look to Historic England to save Black British site Bridge Park in London
Campaigners look to Historic England to save Black British site Bridge Park in London

The Guardian

time22-06-2025

  • Business
  • The Guardian

Campaigners look to Historic England to save Black British site Bridge Park in London

The future of London's Bridge Park complex, a prominent location for Britain's Windrush generation, hangs in the balance as campaigners hope Historic England will save it from councillors' decision to close it within weeks. Bridge Park community leisure centre in Stonebridge, north-west London, was Europe's largest Black-led community enterprise when it opened in the 1980s and is cherished for its part in Black British history. But last Monday, days before Windrush Day on Sunday, which celebrates the postwar history of UK Black communities, Brent council, which took over the day-to-day running of Bridge Park in the mid-90s, decided it would close on 31 July as part of proposals to 'radically transform' the area. Lawrence Fearon, one of Bridge Park's founders, said: 'Bridge Park is not just a building. It's a testament to the dreams of the Caribbean diaspora and the legacy of my generation, who dared to build a better future against the odds.' Campaigners are looking to Historic England for a lifeline. The Save Bridge Park campaign applied to the heritage body earlier this year to have the building listed to save it from development, a move backed by the Labour MP Dawn Butler, Paul Boateng, the UK's first Black cabinet minister, and the broadcaster Trevor Phillips. In the years since Bridge Park was taken over by the local authority, the focus has shifted from enterprise to sports, leisure and events, but it remains well used, with a powerful legacy. Until 1981 it was the Stonebridge bus depot, where staff from the Windrush generation worked. When the site became disused, local young people formed a cooperative – the Harlesden People's Community Council – to transform it into a space for Black-owned businesses, with funding from Brent council and the former Greater London Council, amid high unemployment and discrimination in Margaret Thatcher's Britain. Founders included the community leader Leonard Johnson, whose philosophy – 'let's build and not destroy' – prevented disorder from spreading to Harlesden on the night of Brixton's uprising in 1981. Bridge Park was inaugurated by King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, in 1988. At its peak it had 32 business units, a sports hall, theatre, training centre, recording studio, restaurant and bar. The Royal Shakespeare Company's Ray Fearon, 51, and the Premier League footballer Raheem Sterling, 30, spent formative years there, and are backing plans to save it. Brent council said it acknowledged 'the part Bridge Park had in an important chapter in Black British history', but spending £1.5m to bring it up to 'suitable safe standard' was 'not a good use for public funds'. Sign up to The Long Wave Nesrine Malik and Jason Okundaye deliver your weekly dose of Black life and culture from around the world after newsletter promotion Muhammed Butt, the leader of Brent council said: 'I understand the deep affection that local people have for Bridge Park, but … it's simply not financially sustainable to keep it open. Instead, we want to get on with building a brand new leisure centre for the community, which will be more than double the size and purpose-built. 'Our plans are all about transforming the area for the benefit of local people – much-needed new homes, more green spaces and new jobs.' Rebecca Markus, a researcher and co-lead of Save Bridge Park, said: 'It's a really amazing, early example of adaptive reuse. There's an idea that for a building to be of architectural merit it needs to be designed by a star architect and subscribe to a specific style, but if our heritage is actually going to reflect the nation then we have to be inclusive in the way we think about these things. 'Buildings hold a tangible connection to the past that can't be captured by words or photographs.' Historic England is expected to make a decision this summer. It was approached for comment.

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