Protests were planned in Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford and Sheffield, according to refugee charity Care4Calais. Images posted on social media on Saturday showed people protesting outside Brook House Immigration Removal Centre, next to Gatwick Airport, and Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, near Heathrow Airport. John McDonnell, the Labor MP for Hayes and Harlington who spoke during the rally outside Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, tweeted: “I took part in the demonstration outside Harmondsworth Detention Center in my constituency in opposition with the appalling government policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda and holding them in prison. “Let’s make it clear that asylum seekers are welcome here.” The demonstrations were held as part of the StopRwanda campaign, launched by the Trade Union Congress, Care4Calais and Stand Up To Racism. Clare Moseley, CEO of Care4Calais, said: “We know that many people oppose the shockingly brutal Rwandan plan and we are delighted to see so many of them making their voices heard today. “We have seen firsthand the human cost of trapping people and telling them they will be sent to Rwanda. From suicide attempts to hunger strikes, it was painful. We now have six weeks to show the government that this tough plan is not what the British public want.” The campaign is backed by 11 unions, including the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union – which represents more than 80% of Border Force staff, refugee rights organizations and faith groups. Labor MP John McDonnell urged protesters outside Colnbrook Immigration Center to “make it clear that asylum seekers are welcome here”. Photo: Nick Dearden In April, Home Secretary Priti Patel signed what she described as a “world first” deal to send migrants believed to have arrived in the UK illegally to Rwanda. The first deportation flight – due to take off on June 15 – was canceled with the plane on the runway at Salisbury following an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights following a series of legal challenges from those on board. A judicial review of the plan was due to be heard on July 19, but charities including Care4Calais and Detention Action – which are prosecuting the case – said the hearing was adjourned until September. Mark Serwotka, general secretary of PCS, said: “It is time for the Government to show humanity to the people who come to our shores for refuge and get serious about fixing the asylum system so that refugees are treated fairly and in accordance with law.” Weyman Bennett, co-convener of Stand Up To Racism, said:[Boris] Johnson, Patel and the government – and we know that every candidate in the Tory leadership race supports the appalling detention policy in Rwanda – is unstoppable, despite the incredible growth of an anti-racism movement in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and opposition to racism , intensifying their racist hostile environment for refugees and migrants and making people in the most desperate situations seek safety in scapegoating a crisis and attacks on living standards they did nothing to cause. “We have to keep up the pressure, we can stop offshore detention in Rwanda and make the Nationality and Borders Act unenforceable, but it will mean a massive campaign, it will mean escalating protests and it is vital that the unions take this fight. in workplaces everywhere and on the streets. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST. “We are organizing to prepare in every area for this kind of response to the Home Office and its attacks on our neighbours.” A Home Office spokesman said: “We remain committed to our world-leading migration partnership with Rwanda, which will see those who arrive dangerously, illegally or aimlessly in the UK resettled to rebuild their lives there. “This is vital to prevent the loss of life in the Channel and to break the business model of people smugglers. “The Government’s new immigration plan is the most comprehensive reform of the asylum system and the Nationality and Borders Act will speed up the removal of those who have no right to be here, preventing abuse and preventing them from entering the UK illegally.” Further demonstrations are set to take place on Sunday.
