Sheffield Against the Policing Bill

ALT As we mourn Brianna’s death we must not lose sight of the circumstances around her death. Not a day goes by where transgender people aren’t slandered in the press. In the past few days we have seen articles erase Brianna’s trans-ness and the bullying she faced, chase down her private medical information to deadname her, and remove gender entirely from their reporting to erase the girl she was and the woman she could have been. Sheffield Action Group has one thing we want to make clear. It was the environment of vitriolic hatred spewed by transphobes that emboldened Brianna’s attackers. It was the far right pushing intolerance into the mainstream, running protests and hateful campaigns under the guise of ‘let (white) women speak’ that dehumanised people like us to the point where other children could kill Brianna in broad daylight.

ALT Terfs claim to occupy the sensible middle ground but they are extremists seeking to deny bodily autonomy and enforce a strict gender binary. This is not normal! These people are fascists! It should be of no surprise when we see tommy robinson appearing on stage wearing an ‘adult human female’ t-shirt. Transphobes share platforms with the worst people in our society, no matter how presentable they try to appear. They stand hand in hand with fascists because their goals are one and the same: to reverse all rights and progress gained for minorities in the UK - be it gender and sexual minorities, disabled people, people of colour, immigrants, or even women. The same people who are calling to eradicate queer people are the same ones standing by Patriotic Alternative and harassing refugees outside their hotels. The far right is on the rise in this country and they are targeting refugees and queer people first.

ALT Attacks against trans people and refugees are not separate issues, they are part of the same problem of a rising and organised far-right and that can only be stopped by organising on the streets and in our communities. This saturday, the far right make a visit to rotherham to intimidate refugees in their hotel. As queer antifascists we will be opposing them together with students, and the labour movement. If you can join us then please do so but if not, when you return home tonight think about what you can do to organise in your communities to protect refugees and queer people being targeted by fascists. Because together we are strong. No one can take away from the community that stands here today, the community that supports, provides, and loves. We must never lose sight of the power and strength that comes when we are united. Trans lives will once again be lives of joy because our love is stronger than their hatred.

ALT At night candles are placed in front of a framed photo of Brianna Ghey. Behind them people are holding a very large banner that says ‘TRANS POWER’ painted in pink, white and blue. the faces of the people holding the banner have been obscured by a sticker

ALT We are SHAG! After a year involved in occupations, rent strikes & protests, we are now sheffield action group (shag). A queer led, cross university direct action collective who fight for a fairer university and stand in solidarity with students and workers