If you don't want refugees living in hotels, tell our govt to process their claims so they can work. If you love our country treat those less fortunate with dignity and respect. It’s not hard.
Today I had the most amazing phone call. A man who has suffered the worst torture I have ever had described to me has just had his ticket to Rwanda cancelled. For at least ten minutes we have both cried on the phone with total happiness and relief.
BREAKING NEWS: We’re going to court to challenge Priti Patel’s plan to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda.
Together with Detention Action and the Public & Commercial Services Union, we’re challenging her failure to disclose the criteria dictating which people seeking asylum
BREAKING: Two more Rwanda deportees have had their tickets cancelled.
Twenty three people have now had their Rwanda tickets cancelled. Eight still have live tickets for tomorrow.
We are deeply distressed that a far right protest in Knowsley has led to riots. We can’t imagine the terror of the people inside the hotel. Far right protestors have set fire to a police van
Of the 113 people we are working with, ten still have documents saying they will be sent to Rwanda next Tuesday, 14 June.
Thankfully a further 15 people who had these documents have had them cancelled thanks to the efforts of the amazing law firms we are working with.
I've been in Calais all day trying to help Ukrainians get an appointment to get a British visa.
No one was able to get one.
Then at the end of the day I finally met someone who had got one.
This is what he told me:
We are tweeting from the hotel that’s the subject of a far right protest in Knowsley, Liverpool.
We are trapped in the car park, surrounded by hundreds of far-right protestors who have broken through police cordons.
Tomorrow morning we will be in the High Court to stop the Government carrying out its barbaric Rwanda scheme.
The Government says it’s sending only single men to Rwanda.
This isn’t true.
We are now working with 70 out of the 100 people that the Government have sent ‘Notices of Intent‘ saying that they will be sent to Rwanda. A 🧵on the situation:
Yesterday we went back to the hotel in Knowsley to visit the asylum seekers to see if they were okay. The most common things we heard were “We just want to be safe” “we haven’t done anything wrong” and “Please, can you help us move?”Full report:
BREAKING: Another Rwanda deportee has had his ticket cancelled.
Twenty-one people have now had their Rwanda tickets cancelled, but ten still have live tickets for tomorrow.
In the seven years that I have worked with refugees in Calais I have heard many sad and shocking stories. Yesterday, however, I read something that chilled me to the marrow. A 🧵
Today we had some truly brilliant news. Kamal, a 22-year-old Sudanese refugee whose been in detention for two months under threat of being sent to Rwanda, has finally been freed.
This is Sudanese poet Abdel Wahab Yousif. He was one of 45 people who drowned in the Mediterranean a few days ago when their ship was shot at by a group of men and caught fire. Authorities from Libya, Malta and Italy were all called but no one came to their rescue.
We are pleased to learn that the Home Office has withdrawn the Rwanda notice of Delina, the pregnant Eritrean refugee whom we have been helping, and whose story was featured in news channels yesterday.
Meet Nani, a football fanatic and
@MarcusRashford
admirer who dreams of playing for
@ManUtd
one day.
Nani is one of the
#PeopleofCalais
. Here he tells us his story, in his own words. Not his story as a refugee, but his story as a person.
Find out more:
URGENT – Boris has announced that 50 people will be sent to Rwanda imminently, and it is sure more will follow.
It is ESSENTIAL that anyone who cares about refugees now does all they can to stop this.
Here’s how you can help:
We’re proud to say we’ve officially begun our legal action against this Government’s plan to cruelly push back flimsy boats at sea.
We’re making our challenge alongside the PCS Union who represent Border Force’s own officials, and we’re doing this on behalf of all refugees
Fantastic to see the unwavering Mick Lynch of the
@RMTunion
get aboard (sorry) our
#stoprwanda
campaign!
If you want to get involved here’s what you need to do:
This is a great initiative from Eurostar; but the contrast with non European refugees could not b starker. It demonstrates that safe routes for refugees are possible and no one escaping conflict should need to risk their life again to cross the Channel. A better way IS possible.
Being in detention, for the second time in his life living in absolute terror, has been hell.
The Rwanda plan is breathtaking in its brutality. By choosing victims of torture, trafficking and slavery our Government has shown there are no depths to which they won’t stoop.
- CM
The Rwanda plan won’t end small boat crossings. Expensive deals with France won’t stop people smugglers. Neither will keep refugees safe.
There is a kinder, safer and more effective option.
Watch & share this video
#SafePassage
@pcs_union
We have just had the most amazing news. The European Court of Human Rights has issued an order to stop the deportation of one of the men to Rwanda. This means it is now possible for the other six to make similar claims. We are so relieved.
In Rotherham today at a demo at an asylum seeker hotel, an estimated 400-500 counter protestors outnumbered the far right by at least five to one. This meant so much to the resident refugees who held up signs saying “Love Sees No Colour”, “We Love You” and simply “Thank You”.
Today's good news: an Iraqi refugee came to the UK as a child to get urgent medical help. He didn't see his parents for 9 years because of the war back home. Today, he's earned a place to study Medicine at Cambridge University & plans to work for the NHS!
If we gave safe passage to people in Calais who have viable asylum claims, we could transfer them to the UK safely and hear their claims here.
We don’t need draconian schemes to stop people smugglers. We just need compassion.
He has thanked me a hundred times. But he shouldn’t have had to.
This wonderful man who has suffered so much should never have been put through the hell of the last few weeks. The torture he experienced has left him in constant pain.
Today we will be in court to challenge the Government's Rwanda Policy. It's a momentous day for us, and for the thousands of refugees whose lives will be affected by the outcome…
"We were assigned a date for a visit to the embassy in Paris for March 17. On this day, we give fingerprints for obtaining a visa.
If earlier, they said that you need to pay 75 euros per person. There are five of us in the family.
Less than 1% refugees come to the UK. The things that bring them to the UK - family, community, language, take them to other countries also. She really doesn’t understand refugees’ behaviour; it’s no surprise her policies fail.
BREAKING We've been granted permission to appeal the High Court decision allowing next week's
#Rwanda
flight on Monday. Our full legal case against the policy will be heard in the next few weeks. We need your help more than ever to
#StopRwanda
Please go to
We have just been informed that Afghan refugees will soon be housed in two hotels in Manchester. Our Manchester volunteers are gearing up to meet them but they need your support. Please support our fundraiser to buy the basic essentials they will need:
This is incredibly offensive. Refugees are escaping from conflicts – they know what being invaded feels like. We are lucky that many of us do not.
To suggest they are committing an act of war when that is what they are fleeing is indefensible.
Inflammatory rhetoric from Braverman warning of "invasion" of migrants along south coast.
"The British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our southern coast and which party is not. Let's stop pretending they're all refugees in distress".
We are part of a counter-protest against the far-right demo. The hotel staff will not let us shelter in the hotel. We are terrified. The police seem to have lost control and there is a danger people are going to be seriously hurt.
Today seven men and their families have been put through total hell. Why? If our government truly wanted to stop people smugglers and save lives there are more effective and humane options available. The Rwanda plan is brutal, unnecessary and shames our nation.
We're moving on up! It's absolutely brilliant to see Heather Small, UK soul star and former M-People lead singer, supporting our
#StopRwanda
campaign. To have the backing of someone like Heather means everything to us – and to the refugees we're campaigning for.
There are no words to express our horror and grief at today’s tragedy. A full year on from 32 people losing their lives in the Channel, our Government has done nothing to prevent further deaths and so has failed both the refugees who need our help and our country.
Great turnout as the people of Long Eaton take a stand, sending a message of care, compassion and welcome to refugees houses in a local hotel. Where a few are trying to intimidate refugees, many more are showing that they're welcome. Let's keep this going!
We must urgently know what lessons should be learned from this incident before more people die.
A vigil will be held to mark the anniversary of the tragedy at 6pm on 24 November outside Westminster Abbey in London. Please come if you can.
Why do refugees come to the UK?
Contrary to what many people think, most refugees in Europe do not want to come to the UK, nor is that where the vast majority currently are.
In 2021, 93% of refugees that came to Europe did not head to the UK.
BREAKING: High Court rules against our
#StopRwanda
legal challenge (although individual claimants will not be deported)
This is only the first court judgement. We remain steadfast in our opposition to the policy & in our determination to ensure that no human is forcibly deported
Twenty people have had their Rwanda tickets cancelled but 11 still have live tickets for tomorrow. These include four Iranians, two Iraqis, two Albanians and one Syrian.
We pray that the courts act today to stop this cruel and barbaric plan.
There has never been a more important time to take a stand and say that refugees are welcome here. Because all that it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to stand by and do nothing.
As part of a global day of anti-racist protest, Care4Calais will …
The Society of Radiographers has called on the profession to boycott Suella Braverman’s plans to x-ray child refugees which are “medically unjustifiable” and will add more pressure on the NHS.
Trevor Noah has called out the double standard in media coverage of the war in Ukraine.
"You do realise that, until very recently, fighting crazy wars was Europe’s thing? That was Europe’s entire thing. That’s all of European history.”
In a sense, ALL refugees in France have been let down. The vast majority of people in Calais are genuine refugees who have simply to ask for help. They shouldn’t be risking their lives to claim asylum in the UK.
In fact the authorities on both sides of the Channel have responded with scandalous callousness and apathy, leaving tortured families waiting. A year after that terrible night, the victims’ families are still waiting for answers on how they could have been so badly let down.
Great to see the Prime Minister is a fan of M-People and Heather Small's music. The PM should try being more compassionate like Heather and ditch her brutal Rwanda plan
#StopRwanda
We're moving on up! It's absolutely brilliant to see Heather Small, UK soul star and former M-People lead singer, supporting our
#StopRwanda
campaign. To have the backing of someone like Heather means everything to us – and to the refugees we're campaigning for.
It was the record of the distress calls made to French and British rescue services by refugees in a boat in difficulty on the English Channel on the night of 24 November last year.
Thirty two of the 34 passengers would drown.
Thoughts on today's protests: a 🧵
If you don’t think refugees should be in hotels, tell the government to process their claims.
If you love your country, treat those less fortunate with dignity and respect. It’s not hard.
French authorities investigating the tragedy have now disclosed their record of the emergency calls made that night – showing UK and French emergency services spent crucial hours passing responsibility for the rescue between themselves.
Hashi Mohamed, a former child refugee and now a successful barrister, methodically takes apart the Rwanda plan in two minutes 15 seconds and it's glorious.
Today is the 1st anniversary of the UK Hong Kong overseas visa scheme, which offered a safe home to 144,576 people.
The UK has also warmly welcomed 208,304 Ukrainians.
So why are we so afraid of 45,756 people in small boats from the rest of the world?
Yesterday something truly inspiring happened. Outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, and around the country, hundreds of ordinary people came out to stand up for what they believe in. It was a truly special moment and we were incredibly proud.
WATCH AND SHARE: As Truss u-turns on the mini-budget, will the Rwanda policy be next?
Starring Jan Ravens and directed by David Schneider.
Full video and info:
#SafePassage
#LizTrussPM
The fact that our Government is putting them through the intense trauma of a deportation to another dangerous future is simply barbaric.
Be in no doubt that being deported is traumatic.
Migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats are overwhelmingly genuine refugees, senior Home Office officials have confirmed.
Read more here: . Thanks to
@freemovementlaw
for the coverage.
Our full legal case against the Government’s Rwanda policy will be heard in the next few weeks. We need your help more than ever to
#StopRwanda
Please go to
This Iranian man, whom we are supporting, says the Bibby Stockholm will be like being back in prison: what a shameful indictment of this cruel and pointless Government decision:
At 3.31am a passenger calls the French authorities to tell them they are literally "in the water".
"Yes," the coastguard replies, "but you are in English waters, sir."
We understand police officers may have been injured by far-right thugs at the demonstration tonight. We thank
@MerseyPolice
for their organisation and professionalism tonight
Today we had the best news – Alyas, one of the refugees who was detained and told he was going to Rwanda, has been released!
The threat of Rwanda has been incredibly stressful for Alyas.
The rhetoric from this Governments ministers is shocking and divisive. They call refugees in Calais "illegal immigrants" despite evidence they are genuine refugees needing help.
It’s likely this rhetoric was a factor in this attack.
Every day we find messages like these tucked in donations for refugees from ordinary people across the UK. They are a constant reminder that most people are anti-racist and compassionate. Never forget it.
#ResistRacism
Thank you so much
@jeremycorbyn
for supporting our campaign against the Government’s Rwanda policy, which he has rightly called a "disgrace".
We have just six weeks to show the government that the brutal Rwanda plan is not what the the UK wants. Please join us and Jeremy now.
The first distress call was made at 01.51, yet despite dozens more being received through the night, no rescue service was sent. It took more than 12 hours before the bodies of the drowned were spotted by a French fisherman.