Protesters rally across UK to support migrant refugees
ACTIVISTS gathered across Britain on Saturday 19 September, 2020 to demand that the British government take accountability for migrant refugees in Europe and end its “racist” border rules.
Stand up to Racism and Care4Calais called for The nationwide day of action, conducted in harmony with asylum-seekers exiled by the Moria camp fire in Lesbos previous week and those encountering daily police viciousness in northern France.
Activists criticised that the British government’s “shameful inaction” in reply to the humanitarian disaster in Lesbos where 12,000 refugees have been asleep in the streets for weeks, with very less food or water.
Lord Alf Dubs, who was supporting the rally on Saturday, stated: “No human beings should be left to exist in such circumstances.
“In the interests of humanity and international solidarity we should immediately offer to take some of these unfortunate victims, especially the children, and give them safety in this country. That is my plea to the Home Secretary.”
The rallies, which are happening in cities including Glasgow, London, Manchester and Newcastle will also focus the “dangerous scapegoating” by political leaders of refugees and migrants who cross the Channel.
The UK Home Office has taken a very uncompromising tactic, threatening to ask the Royal Navy to stop vessels and promising to deport 1,000 asylum-seekers who come to the UK in this manner before the end of 2020.
Campaigners caution that the latest increase in anti-refugee oratory is “fuelling violent far-right and fascist forces,” aiming to protests in Dover earlier this month and persecution of refugees in hotels by Britain First.
Diane Abbott, Labour Minister of Parliament, who also backs the day of action, appealed that the government is looking for blames to divert from its “catastrophic mishandling” of the Covid-19 disaster.
Activists also denounced the British government’s “racist border policies” which they accused for the demise of a Sudanese refugee who sank in the Channel after making an effort to come to Britain in a small vessel.
Rudy Schulkind, research and policy co-ordinator at Bail for Immigration Detainees mentioned that, “Ministers of Parliament have discovered that the UK Home Office endangers making decisions centred on ‘ narrative, hypothesis and partiality ‘. We see proof of this daily in the way that migrant in immigration detention are handled.
“Migrant Refugees are in prison without a trial at the will of Home Office civil servants, with no knowledge of when or where they will be freed. It is astonishing that Home Office is believed with such extensive controls of detention and deportation that it can use with very little inspection.
“How many more blistering reports are required before we see significant modifications and alternations in the British government’s approach to immigration enforcement?” Only time will tell!
For more details of the Stand up to Racism protests click here.