It was Windrush Day on Sunday 22 June as the struggle for justice for Windrush victims and survivors continues.
A packed event was hosted by the charity and campaign group Justice 4 Windrush in Hackney on Saturday 21 June at St Peter’s De Beauvoir Church, Hackney.
The One Night. 4 Steps to Justice event featured appearances from a range of film, tv and cultural figures including Bonnie Greer, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Paterson Joseph, Aisling Bea, Eddie Marsan, and a video message from campaign supporter Annie Lennox.
The night was hosted by Justice 4 Windrush CEO Colin McFarlane who SUTR members will know from a keynote he delivered at the 2023 national conference, prior to the launch of the campaign.
The campaign’s new short film was premiered at the event, with a score written by James Bond composer David Arnold.
Event attendees heard from victims who are being supported by the campaign with the help of pro bono legal assistance from top law firms.
On Sunday 22 June – Windrush Day – Justice 4 Windrush had a takeover of the famous Piccadilly Circus outdoor advertising display, featuring the faces and voices of victims and supporters as the fight against the Home Office scandal continues.
Far from being over, the vast majority of victims have received no compensation and many continue to suffer as new cases emerge.
Future campaign plans include a major education outreach effort aimed at schools around the country.
Below: Some of the victims and survivors of the Home Office scandal wrapping up the evening with songs of resistance (on the left, lead lawyer of the campaign Pauline Campbell)
Report in the Hackney Citizen:
The event was organised by the group ‘Justice4Windrush’, which has campaigned against the “structural, state-driven injustice” that led to the wrongful deportation or detention of 164 people.
“It’s not the Windrush scandal. That generation didn’t do anything wrong. It’s the Home Office scandal,” said actor and activist Colin McFarlane.
In 2018, it emerged that the UK Home Office had not kept records for migrants granted permission to stay, and had not issued paperwork they needed to confirm their citizenship status.
It had also destroyed landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants.
The Home Office later admitted to wrongfully deporting at least 63 people from this generation as a result.
– From the Hackney Citizen
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