The leader of a Liverpool anti-racist organisation has spoken out after two racist attacks in the city centre last month and a series of racist incidents on Merseyside this year.
Chantelle Lunt, who runs Merseyside BLM Alliance, which was set up in the aftermath of the horrific killing of George Floyd in June, told the ECHO: "Where is the outrage? People took the streets for George Floyd, we've been talking about this the whole of summer but the issue is here on our doorstep."
In September Marvin Tamale, a young man from Manchester had been out enjoying an afternoon in Liverpool city centre when he was set upon by a group of men who stamped on his face while shouting racist abuse on Bold Street.
So traumatised by the incident, which left him with injuries to his head and face, and fearing bumping into his attackers again, Marvin travelled all the way back to Manchester for hospital treatment.
No arrests have been made, with his attackers still at large. In response to the incident, Chantelle has organised a Liverpool Says No to Racism rally this Saturday at the gates of the Anglican Cathedral.
She said: "We have to show we are different from them, better than the rest and we won't stand for it in Merseyside. Marvin is not a Scouser but a visitor to our city, and we need to show that Liverpool actively rejects racism."
At the end of September, another horrific attack took place just a few streets away when a group of thugs attacked a young Liverpool man with a machete, slashing him several times in the legs while shouting racist abuse on Upper Duke Street.
Merseyside Police put out an appeal for information at the time and a spokesperson said: "The victim was slashed by what is believed to have been a machete. He was taken to hospital for stitches to superficial wounds to his legs. Racial abuse was also directed towards the victim."
The suspects, described as white, aged around 18-20 years old and with Liverpool accents, were said to be dressed in black with facial coverings and hoods up with long ‘ket wig’ style haircuts and had an electric bike with them, described as dark in colour.
Detective Inspector Simon Hurst said at the time: “This was a completely unprovoked attack which thankfully didn’t result in more serious injuries, but will have been an absolutely terrifying experience for the victim and his friends, who were simply walking through town. We’re treating this as a hate crime."
Merseyside Police has confirmed that no arrests have been made in relation to either of the attacks.
A fundraiser appeal has been set up by Merseyside BLM Alliance to provide support for the victim of the machete attack and Chantelle says she is keen to remind people of both police appeals and for those who may have seen anything in relation to either attack to come forward and tell the police.
Chantelle is also calling on Merseyside Police to keep the momentum and follow every possible lead to ensure the perpetrators, who are still at large, are taken off the streets and brought to justice.
She said: "The police should be motivated anyway to investigate things and be out there, to dedicate resources and time.
"It's that feeling that if we start to let these incidents slide what's going to happen? Other people are coming forward saying they've been racially abused.
"We've had uniformed far right people in Garston and people leafleting in town, there were people in Southport trying to take refugees out of hotels - we've been screaming about this, so for us the minute we see something like these incidents -we say how much worse does it need to get?
"If we don't keep an eye out and be responding and shocked, how far does it get before someone is killed and we wonder how it happened when we can see the warning signs."
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Chantelle and Merseyside BLM Alliance have been sharing posts about the incidents, as well as organising the rally tomorrow in support of Marvin Tamale.
She said: "The police are a public facing organisation and are about where the public are looking. That's why we need the public to respond to this - that's why we put social media posts out there and use our platform to engage the public and try and find out what's happening.
"There's a need for campaigners and activists to be keeping an eye on what's happening in our city, it's about monitoring the situation in the region.
"Luckily we have a big platform and people do share it and get it out there, and there's clearly a need for the organisations we have fighting for racial equality and who are challenging racism, but it's everyone's job, it's not just the job of Black organisations but for every Scouser against hate.
"We're a left wing city built on workers, everyone who sees these reports should be horrified and say not in the name of our city, that we don't accept racism in Merseyside.
"There has been a lot of white people saying we can't have this in our city, what can we do? There have been businesses in the city offering spaces for meetings, people saying we want to work together and don't want racism to be our city.
"If it gets to the point when we're not shocked how are we going to come back from that?"
The Liverpool Says No Racism rally will take place tomorrow at 4pm, and those with information about the attack on Marvin Tamale on September 1 can contact Merseyside Police quoting the reference number 20000526405.
For the machete attack on Upper Duke Street on September 29, those with information can quote reference number 20000590811 and pass on information via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’.
You can also call contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
