‘Refugees are welcome here’
by Cinzia D’Ambrosi and Safeena Chaudhry
Hundreds protest outside Home Office against Rwanda deportation plan and they shout ‘Refugees are welcome here’. This is the message voiced by demonstrators opposing the government policies which sees deportation of some refugees to Rwanda.
The government claims the policy, belonging to the Nationality and Borders Act, of removing migrants who arrive in the UK illegally will deter people from making dangerous channel crossings, however many including bishops of England have condemned the move as being uncompassionate and intricately divisive and racist.
Among the huge numbers of protesters, many MPs voiced their anger at the policy, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who spoke out: “It is an utter disgrace that the British government and other European governments are proposing to outsource refugee processing as Australia. We have to say, ‘Absolutely no!”
©Safeena Chaudhry
©Cinzia D’Ambrosi ©Cinzia D’Ambrosi
Campaign groups such as Care4Calais , activists from various campaign groups gave speeches and chanted: “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”.
©Cinzia D’Ambrosi
The effort of these groups, PCS Union and Stand Up to Racism organisations, and all those that have opposed the policy, have mounted a forceful legal challenge to stop the first scheduled flight to Rwanda as part of the offshore detention plan. Solidarity is uniting people as more protests are organised to challenge the government plans.
Photography : Cinzia D’Ambrosi and Safeena Chaudhry
Text & photo editor : Cinzia D’Ambrosi | Photojournalism Hub
BECOME A PJH MEMBER
Consider becoming a member of the Photojournalism Hub and receive the benefits of free access to events, PJHub resources, editorial content, annual portfolio reviews and photography exhibitions, and lots more! whilst supporting our work advocating, advancing social justice and human rights through engaging the public to independent photojournalism and documentary photography. How to join HERE
