Press release
For immediate release
15 November 2023
Anti racists rejoice as Rwanda plan blocked by highest UK court after mass campaigning against the offshore deportation scheme
Stand Up To Racism and anti racists everywhere celebrate as, just days after Suella Braverman was sacked as Home Secretary, the highest court in Britain has ruled against the government’s controversial and widely challenged and opposed ‘Rwanda’ plan for deportations of refugees to offshore detention.
Stand Up To Racism was at the heart of a long running mass #StopRwanda campaign throughout last year to oppose the plans. SUTR and the coalition of unions, campaigns, charities, politicians and prominent cultural figures, decried the plan as a racist, cruel and heinous policy aimed only at dividing communities and scapegoating those seeking safety and refuge.
The #StopRwanda campaign was organised by TUC, Care4Calais & Stand Up To Racism, and supported by unions including PCS, Unison, Unite, GMB, NEU, CWU, FBU, ASLEF, TSSA, NASUWT, UCU, BFAWU, MU, and well as Refugee Council, Amnesty International UK, Student Action for Refugees (STAR), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Jewish Socialists’ Group (JSG), Disbaled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Citizenship Is A Right Coalition, Status Now, and Exiled Writers Ink. A dozen MPs joined its 600 strong rally at the High Court, while across Britain the campaign held protests simultaneously in over 15 cities and towns, and it’s online campaign trended during its Twitterstorms.
The #StopRwanda campaign was a part of the wider pressure mounted consistently on the government, standing in solidarity with those who took direct action to prevent Rwanda detention deportations, and supporting the intensive legal campaign led by PCS union, Care4Calais and others to challenge the policy in the courts.
Anti-racists celebrate the defeat of this policy and have welcomed Suella Braverman’s sacking but argue that she has left an emboldened far right in her wake and Rishi Sunak has echoed a lot of Braverman’s rhetoric. Campaigners argue that the “stop the boats” racism that Sunak’s government unleashed will not be reversed by sacking Braverman.
Stand up to Racism campaigners argue that there is no doubt that the far right demonstrators on Saturday 11 November were emboldened by Braverman. However they also say far right and fascist demonstrations – often violent – have been taking place consistently throughout Sunak’s period as Prime Minister.
They say as tensions are heightened it is crucial for communities to unite against racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and hatred.
Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor Weyman Bennett said:
“This is a very important victory for the anti racist movement. Sometimes it takes a while, but this result shows that consistent, broad based, mass united campaigns can win and lays bare the real power of protest in inflicting blows against the Tories’s vicious racist agenda, and winning victories that make a real difference – in many cases a matter of life or death – for people who have already faced and come through the most horrendous traumas. We celebrate this victory and stand in firm solidarity with those affected by the threat of Rwanda deportations, and all those who stood up, took action and fought to stop it.
“With a year of a general election at a time sharply polarsised by crises and where the government wants to use racist scapegoating and division to divert the blame, we must celebrate these victories – Braverman gone and the Rwanda plan stopped – but we must also intensify the anti racist resistance and build a mass movement that can adequately prevent the threat of racism, division and hate, and the rise of the new far right”.
Sabby Dhalu, the other Co-Convenor of Stand up to Racism said:
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s unanimous rejection of the government’s Rwanda plan. This is a victory for all those that have fought this policy. We condemn Rishi Sunak’s announcement that the government is planning a new treaty with Rwanda and suggestions that the Britain will leave the ECHR. We demand safe passage for those crossing the Channel not more costly deals with other countries.””
————–NOTES TO EDITORS:
FOR VIDEOS AND QUOTES FROM SATURDAY’S SCENES AT EMBANKMENT AND WHITEHALL, GO TO (credit Stand Up To Racism): https://standuptoracism.org.uk/press-release-fascist-tommy-robinson-protest-gathers-1000-marched-on-cenotaph-in-wake-of-sunak-and-braverman-comments/
Resisting the Rise of Racism and Fascism:
Stand Up To Racism international conference Sunday 19 November – a hybrid event in Central London (SOAS) and fully online: https://standuptoracism.org.uk/new-date-sunday-19-november-resisting-the-rise-of-racism-and-fascism-conference/
SPEAKERS:
Neville Lawrence (father of Stephen Lawrence) // Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP // Paul Nowak (TUC general secretary) // Daniel Kebede (NEU general secretary) // Mark Serwotka (PCS general secretary) // Mohammed Kozbar (MCB deputy secretary general) // Shaka Hislop former footballer and Show Racism The Red Card // Aamer Anwar (lawyer for family of Sheku Bayoh) // Sukhdev Reel (mother of Ricky Reel) // Kim Johnson MP // Steve Smith Care4Calais speaker // Pinar Aksu refugee & human rights activist //Aïcha Bounaga (Collectif Contre L’Islamophobie en Europe) // David Rosenberg (Jewish Socialist Group) // Cathy Pound (Searchlight) // Chantelle Lunt (Merseyside BLM) // Kudsia Batool (TUC Head of Equalities) // Sabby Dhalu & Weyman Bennett (Stand Up To Racism co convenors) & more
SESSIONS:
11am – 11.30am
Welcoming panel
11.30am – 12.45pm
Refugees Welcome – Stop the Scapegoating – Don’t Let Them Divide Us – Braverman Out
12.45pm – 1.15pm
LUNCH
1.15pm – 2.30pm
How Can We Stop the Rise of the New Far Right?
2.30pm – 3.30pm
Fighting Institutional Racism Today Panel
3.30pm – 3.45pm
Closing panel and call to action
For further information & interviews please contact:
SUTR OFFICE: info@standuptoracism.org.uk
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