Three recently installed plaques, at Southall Town Hall, that symbolised Southall’s fight against racism have been stolen by unknown persons.

Last year, on 23rd April 2019, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Blair Peach’s death three plaques were placed on the front of Southall Town Hall in a big ceremony attended by many people.

Two plaques were unveiled are dedicated to Blair Peach and Gurdip Singh Chaggar. The third plaques dedicated to Misty in Roots and the People Unite Musicians Cooperative.

Blair Peach, an anti-racist schoolteacher, was killed on 23rd April 1979 by the Metropolitan Police’s Special Patrol Group during a peaceful anti National Front demonstration.

Gurdip Singh Chaggar was an innocent victim of a racially motivated attack on 4 June 1976.

Someone came to see the plaques and noticed they were gone.

According to Ealing Council the plaques were removed on Thursday, 11 June. To report information call 101 and provide the crime reference number 2515276/20. Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council said: “I am appalled that these plaques have been forcibly removed and stolen.

“They commemorate the untimely deaths of two young men in our borough. Blair Peach, a teacher from New Zealand who tragically lost his life in the 1979 Southall riots, and Gurdip Singh Chaggar, an 18-year-old student who was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack in 1976.

“The third plaque acknowledges Misty in Roots, a local reggae band known for their anti-racist stance and support for independence in Zimbabwe. They were at the protest in 1979 and their manager, Clarence Baker, was severely beaten and badly injured during the unrest.

“We will work with the police to identify who has removed them and I urge anyone with information of this theft to report it.”

Work is in progress to replace the plaques as soon as possible.

What sort of person would remove them?

Someone who does not agree that “Black Lives Matter” and wants it replaced with “ALL lives matter”.

Someone who believes that Blair Peach was not from Southall, so does not deserve a plaque here.

Someone who believes that Blair Peach was from New Zealand, so does not deserve a plaque here.

Someone who believes that Blair Peach giving his life for the people of Southall counts for nothing as he was was a foreigner interfering in our country.

Someone who believes that no one deserves a plaques there, presumably because these plaques were dedicated to people who believe in freedom and equality.

Bottom line: Someone who believes that Black Lives don’t Matter.