Mr Craig Guildford QPM VR DL
Chief Constable
West Midlands Police
Tuesday 21st May 2024
PUBLIC LETTER TO
WEST MIDLANDS POLICE
Dear Chief Constable,
On behalf of the concerned communities of the West Midlands, we would like to thank West Midlands Police for setting an appropriate tone of policing for Operation Biotas, to ensure that any policing of pro-Palestinian marches or protests are conducted in a fair, open and measured manner. The open letter from the previous Home Secretary to Chief Constables across the country, sought to cause division and caused significant concern to those wishing to stand up for justice. It was felt that there was an ask to discriminately police certain communities.
In our commitment to work with West Midlands Police on this matter, we are pleased to acknowledge that your senior officers have regularly liaised with the affected faith communities and have consistently kept relevant individuals and organisations informed. We have observed police officers assigned to protests having conducted themselves in a manner so as to safeguard and allow peaceful protests. Whilst sometimes we have had differences of opinions, this partnership has enabled us to work collaboratively with community organisers to make well-informed decisions, leading to protests that have been free from disturbance or disruption. It would be fair to say that the positive response from the police, so far, has been well received by the majority of impacted communities in Birmingham.
Since our first meeting at the start of the reignited conflict in October 2023, new events have transpired which bring with them a new set of challenges. The recent impetus of the global student movement has seen many university campuses across the world scattered with tents, placards and calls for a ceasefire and a divestment from companies supplying arms to Israel. A large portion of the global community are standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people during an era of unspeakable violence, devastation and calamity. This is an important moment in recent history and will be remembered as such.
Whilst we understand direct action is designed to be disruptive but not necessarily illegal, we have seen throughout history that some of the rights we enjoy today have been achieved by sacrifices made by generations before us. As organisations, institutions and businesses in the region, we acknowledge and support that the desire from these students comes from a deep sense of justice and commitment to protect human dignity. In a climate of growing social and political uncertainty, we want to reassure our communities that West Midlands Police will continue to be a trusted service that community members feel secure and unthreatened by, when peacefully engaging with protests.
As such, and in light of these recent events, we would like, commitment and reassurance that West Midlands police will continue to operate in a careful, proportionate manner corresponding with the peaceful, non-violent nature of the student movement. We do not wish to see our police service being used as a tool to evict or intimidate students exercising their right to protest.
We look forward to hearing from you and to continuing our fruitful partnership in this matter.
On behalf of the following:
- Abrahamic Foundation / Masjid al-Ummah
- Ad Duha Institute
- Al Fathiha Community School
- Al Hira Educational Centre
- Al-Abbas Islamic Centre
- Al-Hijrah Mosque
- Amanah Masjid
- Ameenia Sultania Educational Trust
- As-Suffa Institute
- Bahu Trust
- Birmingham Central Mosque
- Birmingham Masjid and Dawah Centre, Lozells
- Central Funeral Services LTD
- Darul Uloom Ghousia
- Darul Ifta Hanafiyyah
- Dudley Council of Mosques (40 mosques)
- Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre
- Handsworth Jam -e-Masjid, Booth Street, Handsworth.
- Hanfia Mosque
- Haroonia Islamic centre
- Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust, Sandwell (Langley Mosque)
- Islamic Society of Britain
- Jamatia Islamic Centre
- Jami Mosque and Islamic Centre Birmingham, Coventry Road, Small Heath
- Jamia Masjid & Madrassa Faiz ul Quran
- Jamia Masjid Gosia Ashton Birmingham
- Jamia Masjid Noor-e-Huda
- Kanz Ul Iman Masjid (Tipton)
- Lozells Central Mosque
- Mahmudsabir Masjid, Tyseley
- Makki Masjid.
- Masjid Abu Bakr Siddique
- Masjid Al Falaah
- Masjid Bilal Muddrasa Thalim Ul Quran & Community Centre
- Masjid Ēsa Ibn Maryam, Hall Green, B28 0LE (ArRahma Foundation)
- Masjid Hamza, Moseley
- Masjid Sulaymān Bin Dawūd, Hall Green, B28 8LE (ArRahma Foundation).
- Minhaj Alazhary
- Muslim Association of Britain (MAB)-West Midlands
- Muslim Association of Funeral Directors (MAFD)
- Muslim Educational Consultative Committee (MECC Trust )
- Muslim Students House Masjid and Community Centre
- Netherton Islamic Centre
- Qadria Trust
- Quba Masjid
- Raza Masjid Aston
- Shahjalal jami masjid and islamic centre, Poplar road, Sparkhill, Birmingham
- Solihull Central Masjid and Community Centre
- Sparkbrook Islamic Centre
- Sufi Abdullah Foundation
- Sultan Bahu Centre, Alum Rock
- Tajdar-e-Madina
- The Wisdom Cultural Islamic Centre
- Tipton & Tividale Islamic Community Centre
- Tipton Mosque
- Witton Islamic Centre
- Zia ul Quran Jamia Masjid & Community Centre
- Abid Hussain Property Developers
- AI Foods Ltd
- Asian Mother’s Fundraising Group
- Aura MMA
- Balsall Heath Residents Association
- Birmingham Artivistas
- Birmingham Housing
- Bridal
- Coventry PSC
- Dudley Palestine Solidarity Group
- Expectations
- Friends of Digby Park
- GH Autos
- Junaid’s Distributions Ltd
- Just Stop Oil
- Leicester Green Party
- M!shusi Ltd
- MAA property group
- Mr Halal
- National Logistics Academy
- Park free ltd
- Palestinian Solidarity Campaign
- Psychology Services
- Rafiq Catering
- Ravensbourne University
- Retrofit Balsall Heath
- S & H associates
- Solihull Solidarity
- SSS HOUSING ltd
- Tj Rehmi, Composer/Music Producer
- Town Area Residents
- United Church of St Paul’s Balsall Heath Anglican & URC)
- We Insure Extra
- West Midlands PSC
- West Midlands Retired Members Branch, UCU