Post by black power on May 16, 2007 18:31:28 GMT -5
Black activist barred from entering Canada
Lee Greenberg, CanWest News Service
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007
TORONTO - Canadian border officials stopped a visit by a controversial U.S. black leader Tuesday, turning the activist away at Pearson International Airport because of past rhetoric that violates Canadian hate laws, officials say.
Malik Zulu Shabazz, national chairman of the New Black Panther Party, is accused of openly urging his members to "kill" police and "blow up Zionist supermarkets" and has characterized Jews as servants of Satan, according to B'nai Brith Canada.
"He has a record of being anti-Semitic, he has a record of being anti-police," said Ontario Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter. "And anyone who incites violence against a recognizable group is committing a crime.
Supporters said Malik Zulu Shabazz, who heads the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, was detained on arrival at Pearson International Airport.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Supporters said Malik Zulu Shabazz, who heads the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, was detained on arrival at Pearson International Airport.
Associated Press/Gerry Broome
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"I understand he's been detained at the airport. I assume - I haven't had any communications on it - that he's going to be put back on a plane to the United States."
Shabazz was invited to participate in a rally at Queen's Park Tuesday afternoon and to later give a talk to students at Ryerson University.
The group that invited the controversial leader into the country, the New Black Youth Taking Action, advocates black-focused schools in the province from kindergarten to Grade 12.
They say a zero tolerance provision in Ontario's Safe Schools Act is leading to disproportionately high numbers of suspensions and expulsions of black students. It is a view shared by the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
"It has had a devastating effect on our black population," said Nkem Anizor, president of the group. "Separation is what all groups do. There's Hindu schools, there's Hebrew schools, there's Chinese schools. There's nothing wrong with dealing with the issues of your community.
"We're saying if any group deserves special attention, it's us, because we have a youth population of 40-60 per cent that are not in school."
Anizor's comments about Shabazz's cancelled visit, however, overshadowed much of her organization's message.
At a press conference Tuesday, she spoke of the influence of the "Jewish lobby" in keeping the black leader out of Canada.
"They're the only ones who came out against us," she said in an interview. "Clearly if the black community was as mobilized as they are, this would not be happening."
Shabazz's chief of staff, Hashim Nzingh, echoed those comments. "They let these groups like the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and the JDL (Jewish Defence League), which is nothing but a bunch of gangsters, dictate what happens in the world today," he said in a telephone interview. "And they told Canada not to let us in and Canada followed their rules, because this country is run from Israel."
Earlier Tuesday, Anizor clashed with reporters over Shabazz's controversial anti-Semitic and anti-police remarks, denying he had made many of them.
"The idea that people can pick and choose who can speak to the black community is ridiculous," she said. "Slavery is over. We're not on a plantation."
A spokeswoman for B'nai Brith Canada said Anizor violated a cardinal rule of advocacy.
"You don't fight racism with more racism," said Anita Bromberg. "She's repeating these canards of Jewish control and a Jewish lobby. If I shut my eyes, I could have easily been listening to someone from the Ku Klux Klan. She's borrowing from the language and agenda of all the hatemongers."
Ottawa Citizen
Lee Greenberg, CanWest News Service
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007
TORONTO - Canadian border officials stopped a visit by a controversial U.S. black leader Tuesday, turning the activist away at Pearson International Airport because of past rhetoric that violates Canadian hate laws, officials say.
Malik Zulu Shabazz, national chairman of the New Black Panther Party, is accused of openly urging his members to "kill" police and "blow up Zionist supermarkets" and has characterized Jews as servants of Satan, according to B'nai Brith Canada.
"He has a record of being anti-Semitic, he has a record of being anti-police," said Ontario Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter. "And anyone who incites violence against a recognizable group is committing a crime.
Supporters said Malik Zulu Shabazz, who heads the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, was detained on arrival at Pearson International Airport.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Supporters said Malik Zulu Shabazz, who heads the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, was detained on arrival at Pearson International Airport.
Associated Press/Gerry Broome
Email to a friendEmail to a friendPrinter friendlyPrinter friendly
Font:
* *
* *
* *
* *
"I understand he's been detained at the airport. I assume - I haven't had any communications on it - that he's going to be put back on a plane to the United States."
Shabazz was invited to participate in a rally at Queen's Park Tuesday afternoon and to later give a talk to students at Ryerson University.
The group that invited the controversial leader into the country, the New Black Youth Taking Action, advocates black-focused schools in the province from kindergarten to Grade 12.
They say a zero tolerance provision in Ontario's Safe Schools Act is leading to disproportionately high numbers of suspensions and expulsions of black students. It is a view shared by the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
"It has had a devastating effect on our black population," said Nkem Anizor, president of the group. "Separation is what all groups do. There's Hindu schools, there's Hebrew schools, there's Chinese schools. There's nothing wrong with dealing with the issues of your community.
"We're saying if any group deserves special attention, it's us, because we have a youth population of 40-60 per cent that are not in school."
Anizor's comments about Shabazz's cancelled visit, however, overshadowed much of her organization's message.
At a press conference Tuesday, she spoke of the influence of the "Jewish lobby" in keeping the black leader out of Canada.
"They're the only ones who came out against us," she said in an interview. "Clearly if the black community was as mobilized as they are, this would not be happening."
Shabazz's chief of staff, Hashim Nzingh, echoed those comments. "They let these groups like the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and the JDL (Jewish Defence League), which is nothing but a bunch of gangsters, dictate what happens in the world today," he said in a telephone interview. "And they told Canada not to let us in and Canada followed their rules, because this country is run from Israel."
Earlier Tuesday, Anizor clashed with reporters over Shabazz's controversial anti-Semitic and anti-police remarks, denying he had made many of them.
"The idea that people can pick and choose who can speak to the black community is ridiculous," she said. "Slavery is over. We're not on a plantation."
A spokeswoman for B'nai Brith Canada said Anizor violated a cardinal rule of advocacy.
"You don't fight racism with more racism," said Anita Bromberg. "She's repeating these canards of Jewish control and a Jewish lobby. If I shut my eyes, I could have easily been listening to someone from the Ku Klux Klan. She's borrowing from the language and agenda of all the hatemongers."
Ottawa Citizen
