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| Press release For immediate release 8 December 2023 Major protest party going down outside the Home Office, Monday 18 December to Stop the Hate and celebrate Unity Not Division On Monday 18 December, a coalition of campaigns, activists, unions and organisations are coming together outside the Home Office, 5.30pm, for an end of year protest party, under the banner of Stop the Hate – Unity Not Division – Refugees Welcome. On the UN international day of the migrant – celebrate our diversity, celebrate unity over division. MONDAY 18 DECEMBER 5.30PM OUTSIDE THE HOME OFFICE (Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF) #StopTheHate #RefugeesWelcome #UnityNotDivision UN INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY END THE YEAR WITH A CELEBRATION OF UNITY NOT DIVISON 🗓️ Mon 18 December (5.30pm onwards) 📍 The Home Office, London Retweet on Twitter Like on Instagram Supported by:XR London / Peace and Justice Project / Care 4 Calais / Stand Up to Racism / NEU union / PCS union / TSSA union / NASUWT union / Stop the War Coalition / Afghan Human Rights Foundation/ MENA Solidarity / Jewish Socialist Group / Love Music Hate Racism / Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) / Homes For All UK / GR8 / Drive2Survive / BLM Croydon The protest party, with DJs and live music, planned for 18 December is announced as the Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick’s resignation hit the headlines on Wednesday this week. The high court’s ruling that blocked the government’s “heinous” Rwanda deportation and detention plan was celebrated by anti racists. For Jenrick, the hampering of the controversial scheme has led to his break from the cabinet. In a move echoing the resignation of Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte in July this year that opened the door to the far right and Geert Wilders victory in the Netherlands, Jenrick stated similarly in his own resignation this week that he doesn’t believe the new legislation on the Rwanda plan goes “far enough”. Jenrick previously expressed his intention to do “whatever it takes” to restrict rights to seeking asylum, regardless of whether it was in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Meanwhile, anti racists warn of the need to challenge the attempts of the far right to grow off the back of the government’s racist policies and rhetoric, as the government defeated a legal challenge to prevent the use of Scampton RAF base to “house” some 2,000 refugees. Outside the Scampton base, fascist and far right groups have set up a permanent and intimidatory camp, which anti racists and anti fascists in the area have been organising to oppose and to instead welcome refugees. Anti racists celebrated the sacking of Suella Braverman, but the new Home Secretary James Cleverly is continuing racist scapegoating and attacks on civil liberties and the right to protest, say the organisers of the 18 December protest party. Organisers from the Stop the Hate coalition are planning the event on 18 December, on UN international day of the migrant when anti racist campaigners in France and elsewhere in Europe also plan protests. They argue that “Sunak and Cleverly still promote their ‘stop the boats’ campaign and plan emergency legislation to push the racist Rwanda deportation plan after it’s defeat in the courts. “They are attacking migrant workers, threatening to limit or ban family members coming to Britain and imposing a vastly higher salary threshold for skilled workers. The appalling Windrush scandal is continuing. “They also want to scapegoat Muslim, Gypsy Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities, LGBT+ people and other communities. “Government racism is opening the door to the far right. They gave the green light to fascist Tommy Robinson and others to mobilise when Sunak and Braverman talked up an imaginary ‘threat’ to the cenotaph in London. “We’ve seen racist and fascist groups violently targeting refugee accommodation. We can’t let racism divide us.” Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “The sacking of Suella Braverman and appointment of James Cleverly as Home Secretary has not signalled a change of policy or direction from government in relation to refugees and asylum seekers. “On International Migrants Day, it’s vital that progressive forces join the demonstration to oppose this government’s policies and support our Safe Passage plan that would provide a humane alternative to the government’s Rwanda policy.” Maryam Eslamdoust, TSSA general secretary, said: “TSSA members are in every community, in every part of the UK and Ireland. Our members pride themselves on delivering safe passage, day in and day out, to those seeking our service. Its time for the Home Office to show the same pride, leadership and integrity as our members by delivering safe, legal and accessible routes to the UK. “Too many innocent lives are being lost fleeing war, oppression and discrimination. This is why we are calling on our members to support this demonstration.” Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co convenor, said: “After 14 years in government the Tories are blaming migrants and refugees for the total chaos and crisis they have themselves created by robbery, theft and incompetence. They are using a racist message that all the problems in broken Britain, whether the transport system, the NHS or education, are solely the fault the non white people. “They are enabling fascists and the far right with this message, yet hypocritically using words like ‘civilisation’ and ‘freedom’. These words led last time to the Holocaust in Europe and the conditions are being raised for such a catastrophe. We must reject the division and the hatred.” Alex C, XR London Alliances, said: “Sadly we all know that climate breakdown will cause devastation and suffering to many people, here at home in the UK but mostly for those in the global south. Instead of this government granting safe passage to those fleeing war, famine and drought, they have instead granted new oil and gas licenses, almost completely rolled back on any Net Zero pledges and keep scapegoating those arriving here on ‘small boats‘ “It’s not the small boats causing harm, but the superyachts and the greedy oil and gas companies pillaging our planet for profit. “When we stand up and push back they restrict us with harsh unjust protest laws, in prison our friends who try to bring awareness to this approaching disaster and blame refugees, when in reality 13 years of Tory rule has created an unjust unfair system and an unlivable future for many. “We must unite to survive and unite to stop the hate and welcome refugees here, because one day in the near future it may be us running for our lives.” Charlotte Khan, Care4Calais, said: “This may have been a tough year for refugees and the people who support them – yet when the chips have been down we’ve come together to fight back and win! “True, there has been hateful rhetoric and actions from Government ministers, and violence from the far right. But time and time again care, compassion and unity has won out. “This autumn we stopped the shameful Rwanda scheme, and now people are rallying behind our legal challenge to the brutal, segregated camps like Wethersfield and the Bibby. “On Monday December 18, UN International Migrants Day, those who support refugees will gather outside the Home Office to show solidarity – and to end the year with a celebration of unity over division.” Alex Losardo, Love Music Hate Racism, said: “We believe that all refugees should be welcomed here to sing, dance, create, and lead a full life. We know full well that refugees are not only some of the most vulnerable people on earth whom need safety but they will also make our multi-cultural society even more fruitful. “We say it loud, we say it clear, refugees are welcome here.” Chris Nineham, vice chair of the Stop the War Coalition said: “War is one of the main drivers of racism and the displacement and migration of people and communities. With a government pursuing an increasingly aggressive foreign policy and backing more and more wars around the world, to oppose racism means we must oppose war.” Linda Burnip, Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC), said: “The hostility towards refugees framed as undeserving is increasing and the need to build opposition to the Illegal Migration Bill is urgent and of paramount importance.Disabled refugees are facing particularly difficult circumstances” — Stand Up To Racism is part of the World Against Racism and Fascism international coordination that is calling for mass demonstrations globally on 16 March 2024. See more here For further information & interviews please contact: info@standuptoracism.org.uk |