Grassroots Protest: Activism from Below

Change begins from below. Conway Hall and Bloomsbury Festival host two grassroots activists as they describe their protests and outcomes of their campaigning. Leila Hassan and Andy Worthington discuss marching against racism in the 1980s, protesting the New Cross Fire murders, seeking justice for British Guantanamo detainees and much more.

Leila Hassan was employed by the Institute of Race Relations from 1970. Hassan went on to become a member of the Race Today Collective, the deputy editor of Race Today from 1973 and editor from 1985, during which time she was a frequent contributor to the journal on subjects ranging from black power movement in US, to the struggles of black women in the UK.

Andy Worthington is an independent investigative journalist, author, campaigner, commentator and public speaker, recognised as an authority on Guantánamo and the “war on terror.” He is also co-founder of campaigns Close Guantánamo and We Stand With Shaker.