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Hundreds of people gathered outside the House of Commons on Monday night to protest against the government's illegal migration bill. The protest, organized by the campaign group Stand Up To Racism, took place in Parliament Square as MPs debated the legislation inside the chamber. Former Labor MP Jeremy Corbyn addressed the protesters along with four members of the Socialist campaign group of Labor MPs.
Union representatives, including the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents civil servants, including border force workers, Unite, Unison and the Salaried Transport Personnel Association addressed the protesters along with representatives of the charity Care4Calais, the Jewish Socialist Group and Stop the War. Coalition.
Between speeches, protesters chanted "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here!" and "Brick by brick, wall by wall, racist borders must fall."
Banners distributed by the Socialist Workers Party read "open borders, no deportations", while Stand Up To Racism banners read "Braverman Out Now".
Speakers spoke in favor of an amendment to the proposed legislation that would create safe pathways for people to apply for asylum in the UK.
Some speakers appeared to express support for fully opening the borders, while others claimed that racism was a factor in the government's decision to accept Ukrainian refugees and send others from the Middle East, Asia and Africa to Rwanda.
Corbyn told protesters that the bill "is illegal, it will imprison children, it will deport people to Rwanda, it will imprison people who have sought safety."
He added that it will be extremely expensive and will do little more than create "salacious headlines" claiming that migrants and refugees are an "invading army."
Beth Winter MP, who represents Cynon Valley in south Wales, said the UK "should welcome every human being who comes to our shores".
Bell Riberio-Addy, who represents Streatham, said France is not always a "safe country" for people arriving by small boat.
She told the protesters: "I was in Calais a few months ago and I can tell you that Calais is anything but safe. Barbed wire fences, guards destroying people's tents every night, people moving people around like animals.
He also said the UK accepts fewer refugees than other European countries and Home Secretary Suella Braverman cannot name a single legal route for asylum seekers to enter the UK when she claims they exist.
Dawn Butler, who represents Brent Central, said the government wanted to 'lock up' pregnant women and children with the new law.
Richard Burgon, who sits for Leeds East, said he had never seen a bill "so vile, so sick, so disgusting, so immoral, so depraved" before Parliament in his life.
PCS vice-president Martin Cavanagh said the government was "sending people to their deaths" with its previous policy of "backing off" on Canal ships, adding: "It was racist, it was abhorrent and it was murder."
He said he was "very proud" of the way union members working for Border Force have responded to the policy.
He added that "they didn't just sit back and accept it, they didn't just say, 'we have to implement this, it has nothing to do with us,' they were clear they weren't going to implement this." They weren't going to accept it."
Stand Up To Racism co-organizer Wayman Bennett told the AP news agency ahead of the protest: “We are shocked and concerned that the government is talking about violating international law.
“This is normally reserved for international pariahs, not the original signatories to the Convention (on human rights).
It is not illegal to request asylum, it is a right to request asylum
“There is no safe and legal way to claim asylum for the vast majority of refugees and we know this because most people who apply for refugee status have obtained it even though they arrived by boat.
"It is not illegal to request asylum, it is a right to request asylum."
Pete Firmin, 73, traveled from Kilburn, in north-west London, to Westminster to attend the protest.
He said: “The proposal to send everyone to Rwanda without addressing any complaint is simply inhumane.
“The impeachment will have very little effect, unfortunately, because the government has a large majority, but it is important to show our opposition.
"For Labor to oppose it just because they don't think it will work is not enough."
PA wire
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