Free Siyanda Campaign.
Press Release.
Embargoed 12.01 11/03/2021 Pages 1/5
Subject: 20-year-old Black woman Siyanda Mngaza paid a horrifying price for holidaying whilst black.
Appeal date set for 23rd March 2021 in Court of Appeal London Michael Mansfield QC is representing Siyanda Mngaza
On the eve of and appeal hearing and the launch of a virtual national campaigning tour, Camilla Mngaza issued a chilling warning to black and ethnic minority families preparing for summer holidays across the UK. Her daughter, Siyanda Mngaza, was subject to a racist attack on the 25th of May 2019 on a Brecon campsite in Wales. When the Dyfed-Powys Police arrived, Siyanda found herself arrested, charged and tried at Swansea Crown Court on the 13th of March 2020 and sentenced to four and a half years in jail.
Siyanda was a young black professional and a Human Resource Officer for the South Wales Fire Brigade and someone who had never been in trouble in her life. Yet after being subjected to a vicious racial attack, it was Siyanda who found herself, arrested, charged and finally convicted by an all-white jury that found her guilty of grievous bodily harm.
This jury incredulously believed that this small, 4'10 black woman could be guilty of assaulting three white people (two white men twice her age plus a white woman) and refused to believe that she was the victim of a brutal racist attack.
A public petition in support of Siyanda has attracted a staggering 565,000 signatures.
In the run-up to the appeal the campaign is holding a virtual national tour and a Twitter and Instagram Storm see details below.
Cammilla Mngaza, mother of Siyanda and speaking on behalf of the Free Siyanda Campaign, said,
"If you're black and intending to holiday in remote parts of Britain with little diversity, you need to be very aware that you may encounter the kind of racism and hostility that belongs in a bygone age. My daughter suffered a racist attack, was prosecuted and found guilty by an all-white jury and is now serving four and a half years."
She continued,
Anyone would think we were talking about the deep south Mississippi in 1950s America. But this problem is real, and all-black families should think very hard about where they choose to spend their hard-earned money when thinking about holidaying in the less diverse areas of Britain.
All our hopes are now pinned on our appeal, but our case should be a salutary warning to all black people in the UK”.
Hilary Brown of Virgo Consultancy Services Limited, heading Siyanda's legal team, said,
“It is disappointing to see that in 2019 the police and CPS are still failing victims of Race Hate crimes. The recommendations of the McPherson report into the Murder of Stephen Lawrence have clearly not been followed by 2 independent components of the criminal justice system making it clear that Black people are still being failed when it comes to being treated equally and fairly within the law. Siyanda was a victim of a hate crime and was failed and criminalised by the criminal justice system.”
Shavanah Taj General Secretary of the Wales TUC said,
"Yet another miscarriage of justice. Yet another young Black woman failed by the police and justice system that is supposed to protect and serve indiscriminately. The Wales TUC and trade union movement is proud to stand in firm solidarity with the family of Siyanda, just like we did with the Stephen Lawrence family all those years ago. 'Black Lives Matter' isn't just a fashion label or a hashtag. If you say you're an ally, show up, be there, stand with us and demand the truth. Free Siyanda!"
Lee Jasper of the social movement Blaksox and Vice-Chair of BAME Lawyers 4 Justice and supporter of the Free Siyanda Campaign said,
"This is one of the most shocking cases of racist injustice I've seen in recent times. It illustrates the dangers of holidaying whilst black. That a young professional black woman, who's never been in trouble in her entire life, can become a victim of a vicious racial attack, defend herself and then be charged, convicted, sentenced to 4 1/2 years in jail is a travesty of justice.
This conviction cannot stand, and people all over the country are becoming increasingly outraged at the injustice suffered by Siyanda at the hands of an institutionally racist police force and criminal justice system."
End.
The Free Siyanda campaign is undertaking a virtual tour of the country starting
on the 13th of March in Wales, hosted by Black lives matter Cardiff and Vale, followed by the 20th of March in London and hosted by Blaksox and BAME Lawyers 4 Justice followed by the 27th March Stoke meeting hosted by Black Lives Matter Stoke. See flyers below.
Contact Free Siyanda Campaign below
Freesiyanda.com
Email. info@freesiyanda.com
Available for interview
Email Cammilla Mngaza: info@freesiyanda.com
Lee Jasper: 07984 181797