The Solidarity with Refugees event on Saturday began at Park Lane and proceeded to Downing Street, with speeches in Parliament Square from a number of politicians and public figures including Jeremy Corbyn, the newly elected leader of the Labour party, and musician and activist Billy Bragg.
Others expected at the event were Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green party, and representatives of participating organisations such as the Refugee Council, Amnesty International, the Syria Solidarity Movement, Stand Up to Racism and the Stop the War Coalition.
Parliament Square was packed with Corbyn supporters waving banners reading “refugees welcome” and other messages of support. They cheered and chanted “Jez we can, Jez we can” as he took to the stage hours after being voted Labour leader and demanded that the government recognise its “obligations in law”.
Corbyn said: “Recognise your obligations to help people which you’re required to do by law, that would be good. But above all, open your hearts and open your minds and open your attitude towards supporting people who are desperate, who need somewhere safe to live, want to contribute to our society, and are human beings just like all of us. Together in peace, together in justice, together in humanity, that surely must be our way forward.”
His speech was followed by an enthusiastic solo rendition of The Red Flag by Bragg.
There had been a feeling of optimism throughout the day among marchers and speakers, some of whom reported hearing waves of cheers across Marble Arch as Corbyn’s victory was announced - particularly from members of Stop The War.
Corbyn also referred to the refugee crisis in his acceptance speech at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in Westminster earlier in the day. “Many people face desperation in other parts of the world, and I think it is quite incredible the way the mood in Europe has changed over the past few weeks, of understanding that people fleeing from wars – they are the victims of wars, they are the generational victims of war, they are the intergenerational victims of war – end up in desperation, end up in terrible places, end up trying to gain a place of safety, end up trying to exercise their refugee rights,” he said.
“They’re human beings, just like you, just like me. Let’s deal with the refugee crisis with humanity, with support, with compassion to try to help people who are trying to get to safety, trying to help people who are stuck in refugee camps, but recognise that going to war creates a legacy of bitterness and problems.”
Billy Bragg said he was encouraged by Corbyn’s success, which he hoped indicates a return to “civic culture”. The singer said: “People are beginning to understand that we do have a lot in common with one another and it’s possible to create a society where people’s needs are put first.
“The demonisation of people in need that’s gone on in this country is not the kind of Britain I grew up in – that everyone who’s in need is a scrounger and all refugees are terrorists. It’s not the compassionate society I want Britain to be seen as around the world.”
Diane Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said human rights causes “could not ask for a better supporter” than Corbyn.
Saturday’s march was held ahead of emergency talks on Europe’s refugee crisis on Monday that will be attended by the home secretary, Theresa May, and her EU counterparts.
Organisers of the march said that May needed to convey the message that Europe should not continue to allow thousands to die trying to reach the EU and exercise their legal right to claim asylum.
“We have to ensure that refugees can reach Europe safely. There needs to be either official safe transport provided, or if people could apply for asylum from outside the EU they would be able to enter by official routes,” organisers said on Facebook.
“We need to prioritise the fast processing of asylum claims from people from particularly dangerous regions, such as Syria. We can’t allow any EU countries to close their borders or build fences. There needs to be Europe-wide consensus on providing help where it is so desperately needed, relieving pressure on the Mediterranean countries.”
Up to 30,000 people gathered outside the Danish parliament in Copenhagen on Saturday, chanting in English: “Say it loud and say it clear: Refugees are welcome here!”.
Moroccan-born Mohammed Harra told Politiken newspaper: “I am here to support refugees who have been driven out of their houses because of what has happened in Syria, with the bombings and the killings.”
However, anti-migrant events were due to take place on Saturday in countries including the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. The rallies come as Hungary’s prime minister called for a giant aid package for countries around war-ravaged Syria to stem mass migration to Europe.
The biggest mass migration since the second world war has divided Europe, with Germany pushing for compulsory quotas within the EU but eastern European nations snubbing the proposal.
The International Organisation for Migration said more than 430,000 people had crossed the Mediterranean to Europe so far this year, with 2,748 dying or going missing en route.
Original Article
Source: theguardian.com/
Author: Nadia Khomami and Chris Johnston
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