An official investigation into Councillor Mark Hackett found that he had abused and intimidated his victim, a local Muslim — all because this Muslim brother was helping to organise an event called “Remember the Children of Gaza”.

Yet despite the council’s own report concluding that the Labour councillor had breached the council’s code of conduct they have so far refused to initiate any disciplinary proceedings.

ACT NOW!

Please take 2 minutes to act against Islamophobia by demanding that Manchester City Council initiate disciplinary proceedings against Councillor Mark Hackett immediately. And tell the Labour Party they must do the same…

Manchester City Council: facebook.com/mancitycouncil — 0161 234 5000
Tweet: @ManCityCouncil

Labour Party: facebook.com/labourparty — 0845 092 2299
Tweet: @UKLabour

Points to include:

• If it had been a Jewish activist being abused do you think that would be ignored? Muslims are being denied basic equality.
• If Manchester City Council and the Labour Party allow such blatantly Islamophobic behaviour then it is a green light for Muslims to face abuse and intimidation with no consequences…
• Manchester City Council says it prides itself on equality and diversity — these seem pretty empty words when a Muslim can be abused by a Councillor with impunity.
• If the Labour Party is to win back Muslim voters who turned away from the party after the Iraq War then it must show that the wider party can live up to the example of its new leader in standing against Islamophobia.

The full shocking details below:

The victim, who does not want to be named for fear of reprisals, faced a barrage of Islamophobic emails from Councillor Hackett, a former Lord Mayor of Manchester, after contacting local councillors to ask them to support the event for Gaza.

In a series of abusive emails the Councillor accused the Muslim activist of a “possible role as Islamic State sleeper in Salford” and a “possible role in the abduction of the Salford Taxi Driver in Syria”. After the victim complained to the council then Councillor Hackett went on to report these malicious allegations to the police, further accusing the victim of “apparent support for attacks on Shia Muslims, Sufis and Ismailis”.

The victim said he has been left psychologically scarred by the experience: “Since it happened I’ve not been going out as much and I’ve increased security around my house. It does affect you. It also makes you think that when somebody does this to Muslim or non-white person, no one is going to do anything about it.”

The Israel Connection

Councillor Hackett is a proud supporter of Israel and used his position as Mayor to oppose the boycott divestment and sanctions movement, and to make Manchester Town Hall a venue for Israeli propaganda. Now he’s abused his position as a long-standing councillor to intimidate and abuse a Muslim activist trying to help children in Gaza. Don’t let him get away with it!