PRESS RELEASE… for immediate release
Thursday 17 September 2020
Solidarity Day of Action this Saturday 19 September: #RefugeesWelcome #BlackLivesMatter
Central London targets and socially distanced protests around Britain
#RefugeeLivesMatter #StopTheScapegoating
Stand Up To Racism alongside Care4Calais is calling a day of action across England, Wales and Scotland to say that refugees are welcome here, and to stand in solidarity with refugees and migrants who anti racists argue are being viciously demonised and dehumanised by politicians and the establishment.
The day of action is backed by Diane Abbott MP, Lord Dubs, and the PCS union.
In central London a van with a 20 foot banner saying ‘Refugees Welcome – Black Lives Matter’ will target symbolic locations for a press call, where speakers and campaigners will highlight the plight of refugees and condemn the scapegoating by mainsteam politicians. Anti racists point to the dangers of such rhetoric in fuelling violent far right and fascist forces who have rallied in Dover and elsewhere, and have targeted hotels Housing refugees across Britain.
Stand Up To Racism aims to ensure that in the centre of London, the widespread solidarity with refugees, and condemnation of the government’s shameful inaction, can find expression despite the difficulties of safety during the Covid19 crisis.
The horror of news breaking in recent weeks of more lives lost needlessly as people sought in desperation to survive by crossing the sea, was for many anti racists across Britain and the world as devastating as it was enraging.
The fire at the Moria refugee camps on Lesvos and its humanitarian aftermath are a further sign of the terrible situation refugees fleeing poverty and war face.
Five years on from the heartbreaking death of three year old Alan Kurdi, 16 year old Abdulfatah Hamdallah, a Sudanese refugee, drowned trying to cross the Channel with another boy in an inflatable dinghy. Anti racists point to the Tories’ border controls, constructed to keep desperate people out, and condemn these policies in light of the tragic deaths. Anti racists are organising to say ‘refugees are welcome here, the black lives matter, and that refugee lives matter’.
Stand Up To Racism local groups across Britain are holding solidarity protests (socially distanced with stewards, risk assessments, and with masks and sanitizer available) on Saturday 19 September, alongside the central London event taking place.
Actions are taking place across Britain, including:
Central London
London, Windrush Square Brixton HERE
London Finsbury Park Mosque HERE
London, Tower Hamlets HERE
London, Newham HERE
London, Croydon HERE
Glasgow HERE
Orkney HERE
Newcastle HERE
Lancaster HERE
Manchester HERE
Halifax HERE
Derby HERE
Nottingham HERE
Bristol HERE
Diane Abbott MP said
“Racism, discrimination and hate crime are on the rise in many countries. This is often because governments are consciously using racism in all its form to divide, and to distract from their own failings. In Britain the government has catastrophically mishandled the Covid-19 crisis. This in turn is leading to economic disaster and hundreds of thousands of job losses.
“In that light, they need scapegoats. Increased, stop and search, the abuse of Prevent, demonising refugees – all this and more is part of their agenda. We cannot let them win. As the US has shown, a committed movement fighting against racism and for black liberation can win majority support and put the racists in a minority. That must be our aim here too.
“And I want to salute all of you who commit so much of your time to these causes. You are needed now as much as ever.”
Lord Dubs, who as a child refugee fled the Nazis with the Kindertransport, said
“The shocking pictures of Moria Camp or of refugees in Calais are deeply shocking. 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.”
Stand Up To Racism co convenor Weyman Bennett said
“The heartbreak and rage we all felt seeing more needless deaths as as a result of racist border policies is something that anti racists cannot stay silent about.
“This is about showing those in the most desperate situation that they have our solidarity, such as those fleeing fire at the Moria refugee camps on Lesvos with nowhere to go, or those who have had to flee each time the French police come to smash up the camps at Calais or Dunkirk, where tents are taken and those trying to deliver aid that has collected by anti racists, trade unionists and communities across Britain – are obstructed and told they are carrying out ‘illegal distributions’.
“The disgusting scapegoating and demonisation of these people who are merely seeking to survive and to exist, is not in our name.
“The racism at the heart of this system that means we have to campaign to say #BlackLivesMatter, that #RefugeeLivesMatter, and that racism is not in our name. And that racist rhetoric is providing oxygen to nasty far right and fascist forces.
“We need the anti racist movement to come together in solidarity and unity and show that the racists do not speak for us. We must speak up for humanity.”
Clare Moseley, Care4Calais, said
“The government is now arranging regular charter flights in a shameful bid to send people anywhere but the UK rather than simply hear their asylum claims.
“We are working in 30 hotels across the country where people who have newly arrived in the UK are being temporarily housed. The people in these hotels are terrified. We talk to people who can’t eat or sleep due to fear. The UK has become yet another yet kind of hell for asylum seekers.”
Labour Councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas, London Borough of Hackney & Chair of Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum, said
“The UK government needs to urgently address the lack of safe and legal routes for people seeking refuge in this country.
“It is too simple and misguided to place the blame of people dying at sea onto people traffickers, for what is a complex humanitarian crisis that requires our best efforts for a sustainable solution.
“We must not pass on the responsibility to other countries, which in effect is us turning our face away and choosing not to see the plight of refugees. This belies our humanity!”
For further interviews and quotes:
info@standuptoracism.org.uk