In May, the London borough of Tower Hamlets will be hosting several events to commemorate Altab Ali, a 25-year-old garment factory worker who was murdered in a racist attack in 1978.
He returned to the UK from Bangladesh and was stabbed to death in Whitechapel. It was a pivotal event in the changing racial climate of East London.
The ceremony for Altab Ali Day will also feature a poetry reading and a complementary photography exhibition, Brick Lane 1978: Turning Point.
On May 3–5, open-air screenings of the lively animated documentary, Altab Ali and the Battle of Brick Lane, will take place. Mayor Lutfur Rahman of Tower Hamlets, along with the town, gathered to commemorate the forty-fifth anniversary of Ali’s untimely death, emphasising the importance of taking action against hatred and intolerance. Cllr Suluk Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Social Inclusion, invited all to participate in the council events where they would learn about changes prompted by Ali’s death.