Maz Saleem, a lifelong anti-racist campaigner whose father was murdered in a vicious racist attack outside a Birmingham mosque, has died. Tributes have been pouring in from across the anti-racist and pro-Palestine movements.
Final Public Act
One of her final public acts was to write a BirminghamLive opinion piece in April, marking the 13th anniversary of her father's death. In it, she expressed her fear that Islamophobia had worsened since her father's killing, with populist politicians pursuing division and hate. She wrote: "A racist killed my father and Islamophobia has got worse since."
Maz was already aware by then that she was critically ill but was determined to use the anniversary to remind readers of the scourge of racism. She expressed frustration that extremist and hateful voices had become 'mainstream' and pressed for more action to confront Islamophobia.
Funeral Arrangements
Her funeral will take place on Tuesday, preceded by Janazah prayers at Green Lane Masjid at 1.45pm, followed by burial at Handsworth Cemetery at 3pm. Many anti-racist and pro-Palestine organisations were among those paying tribute to Maz on hearing of her death.
Background: Her Father's Murder
Maz's father, Haji Mohammed Saleem, 82, was stabbed to death in 2013 as he walked home from Green Lane Mosque in Small Heath. His murderer was white supremacist Pavlo Lapshyn, a student from Ukraine who had arrived in the UK just days earlier, intent on killing Muslims. He evaded capture for three months, plotting a bombing campaign against other mosques, before finally being captured.
Tributes from Campaigners
Stand Up To Racism spoke of Maz's unstinting support and campaigning. The Stop the War Coalition wrote: "She and her family suffered a terrible loss but she was not deterred from campaigning against war, racism, fascism, and for Palestine. She became a fearless campaigner against racism and fascism as a result, speaking at meetings up and down the country and organising against Islamophobia."
They added: "She worked at the Stop the War Coalition office for some time and was a key figure in organising protests against Donald Trump during his first term. On one occasion she managed to get close to his motorcade in Brussels and make her views known. Maz was a very warm and engaging woman, and she made many friends and comrades within the movement. She was also kind, volunteering to help feed homeless people at Christmas...her political campaigning came from the heart and this was obvious from the way in which she spoke out, determined to do what she could to prevent what happened to her father being repeated."
Mohammed Shafiz, now a councillor in Rochdale, spoke of his devastation: "I first met Maz in late 2013 while covering her father’s murder and the subsequent trial. From that moment on, she dedicated her life to ensuring his story was never forgotten and to challenging racism and hatred wherever it appeared. Maz was courageous, principled and utterly relentless in her fight for justice. She never shied away from speaking her mind and always stood up for what she believed was right. The burden she carried after the murder of her father was immense. She channelled her grief into campaigning, educating others and inspiring people to stand against racism. That commitment came at a personal cost, but she never wavered."
