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| Press release For immediate release 18 December 2023 Major protest to “Stop the Hate” taking place this evening outside the Home Office, 5.30pm Anti racists and refugee rights campaigners are stressing the need to keep the pressure to demonstrate the strength of feeling against the Sunak government’s racist policies and rhetoric targetting refugees and migrants, after a week where further needless and tragic deaths have hit the headlines, while the prime minister has continued to “fan the flames” of the far right. “While our hearts broke watching the news of more lives lost as a result of racist borders policy – on the Bibby Stockholm prison barge, in the Channel and in the Mediterranean sea, Sunak forced through legislation seeking to override the court’s ruling that the Rwanda plan was illegal, he met with fascists in Italy, and then spouted the racist lie about immigration threatening to ‘overwhelm European states’ – echoing the endorsement of the far right Great Replacement Theory given by Braverman in recent months”, said Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co convenor “We need to be outside the Home Office in big numbers tonight saying this is completely unacceptable, that refugees and migrants are welcome and we reject racist division”, Weyman continued. As Sunak convened a meeting of rebel Tories threatening to vote against the government’s Rwanda bill last week, the gruelling reality of such policies was exposed again as reports emerged of a tragic death onboard the Bibby Stockholm barge where refugees have been placed. “This is so sad and distressing,” said Lynne Hubbard, co-chair of Stand Up To Racism Dorset, which opposes the use of the barge to hold refugees and offers support and solidarity to those placed on the Bibby Stockholm. “Whatever the circumstances, no one should die alone on a prison barge, isolated from their friends and with family far away. We stand with the refugees and offer our full support.” Tonight, Monday 18 December, a coalition of campaigns, activists, unions and organisations are coming together, ever more determined in light of these developments, outside the Home Office, 5.30pm, under the banner of Stop the Hate – Unity Not Division – Refugees Welcome. On the UN international day of the migrant – anti racists here and internationally will celebrate our diversity, and celebrate unity over division. MONDAY 18 DECEMBER 5.30PM OUTSIDE THE HOME OFFICE (Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF) #StopTheHate #RefugeesWelcome #UnityNotDivision UN INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAYEND 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 Speakers include Jeremy Corbyn, Charlotte Khan Care4Calais, James Cox PCS Home Office president, Weyman Bennett Stand Up To Racism co convenor, Marlon Kameka Artist, Youth Worker and Activist and the lead actor in the 2022 BAFTA winning Best Short film; The Black Cop., Julia Bard Jewish Socialists Group and others The protest, with DJs and live music, planned for 18 December was announced as the Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick’s resignation hit the headlines on Wednesday this week, ahead of tonight’s vote on the Safety of Rwanda Bill. 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). A vibrant, broadly backed campaign to #StopRwanda deportations and offshore detention made a big impact in 2022, pushing back the policy legally in the courts, politically under pressure from mass protest, and there was direct action that prevented the first scheduled flight from taking off. Anti racist activists highlight the impact of mass campaigning and point to the movement’s capacity to do so again. 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 are planning tonight’s event as part of UN international day of the migrant when anti racist campaigners in France and elsewhere in Europe also plan protests, because 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.” Candy Udwin, Dorset Stand Up To Racism spokesperson who has been leading in the campaign to welcome refugees to Portland and oppose the inhumane barge, said: “It’s just dreadful that someone has died on the barge and we are very sad. “The key priority for us now is supporting the other guys on the barge, but we are also sad that that person died anonymously without being near their friends and family or people who know them, and we feel that it’s another reason why the barge and the Rwanda policy should be scrapped.” 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.” TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, 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. West 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.” Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism co convenor, said: “The Safety of Rwanda Bill is a farce. As well the very serious human rights concerns outlined by the US State Department, £290 million has been committed to Rwanda for a mere few hundred places for refugees, when more than 27,000 asylum seekers crossed the Channel this year. “It is quite simply a propaganda exercise aimed at stirring up racism towards asylum seekers to distract from the government’s crises: I.e. cost of living and failings highlighted in the Covid Inquiry.” 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: SUTR OFFICE: info@standuptoracism.org.uk |