The protest which started from the Marble Arch area saw thousands walk to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster and Downing Street. As London marched, people all over the UK and Ireland joined them. Protests in support of Syria and refugees also took place in Belfast, Bristol, Glasgow, York, Brighton, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
Several solidarity groups also attended the protest, including Amnesty International, the Syria Solidarity, Stand Up to Racism and No to War Coalition group in support of the march taking place.
Labour Party Leader Corbyn Attends Protest
Newly elected Labour Party Leader, Jeremy Corbyn also took part in the protest, just hours after finding out he had become the new head of the Labour party. In his first speech since being elected, Jeremy Corbyn addressed 100,000 people where he said: “We have a responsibility as one of many countries, that signed the 1951 Geneva Convention on the right to asylum, we therefore have a responsibility to ensure those people are properly cared for and properly supported.”
He was cheered by protesters listening as he explained his views on refugees and what he feels the government and country should be doing. Corbyn continued by saying: “So I think it’s quite incredible what has happened across Europe in the past few weeks, suddenly a lot of politicians have rediscovered their principles of humanity. There is actually a popular uprising in favour of decency and humanity in our society.”
“I say thank you to Germany for being prepared to take the number of refugees they are and showing the way that should be followed. I also say that we need have a thought as to why people end up in such desperate situations? Our objective ought to be to find peaceful solutions to the problems of this world, to spend our resources helping people not hindering people.”
He added: “And so none of this is simple, none of this is easy, but surely we have a joint principle between us all the we’re all human-beings on the same planet. We’re all human -beings who want to live, we’re all human-beings who want the children of the next generation to live, to hopefully be better off than we are..”
Corbyn finished by saying: “The waste of human resources by the lack of human rights, is one of the great crimes of the last and this century. So today here in Parliament Square, we as ordinary, decent people, stand up and say to our government, recognise your obligations in law, that would be good, recognise your obligations to help people which you’re required to do by law, that would be good.
“But above all open your hearts, open your minds and open your attitude towards supporting people who are desperate and need somewhere safe to live and want to contribute to our society and our human-beings just like all of us.”
“Not a Refugee, but a Human!”
‘David Cameron shame on you,’ ‘Open the borders, let them through,’ ‘Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here’, were just some of the slogans protesters chanted in solidarity with refugees and Syria. Thousands took the streets chanting and holding placards writing: ‘Not a refugee but a human’, ‘Stop bombing Syria’ ‘Tell Cameron, refugees are welcome’, ‘No Human-being is illegal’ ‘Open the borders’ and ‘Stop the drowning’
The protest took place ahead of the European Union meeting attended by 28 country leaders (on Monday) in an attempt to find a solution for the refugee crisis. The protest date was arranged prior to bring attention in particular to the difficulties refugees go through.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Bianca Jagger
Jeremy Corbyn
According to the Refugee Solidarity Association, Syrian’s are fleeing their homes, risking their lives without thinking to come to European countries. A safe and secure way of traveling should be formed for them, explains the association. “England accepting just 20,000 refugees until 2020 is not enough,” said the association.
Human Rights Foundation Leader, activist and former actress Bianca Jagger, said: “My heart is with the refugees who are looking for a safe place to stay in Europe. Our government has played a huge role in creating this humanity crisis with their wrong actions and their military intervention. We will never forget this period.”
Famous names also protested in solidarity with the refugees and showed their empathy, among them was Benedict Cumberbatch and musician Billy Bragg. Alongside them was the Director of Liberty for the British Civil Liberties Advocacy Organisation and activist Shami Chakrabarti, Liberal Democrat Party Leader, Tim Farron and Green Party leader, Natalie Bennet.