Defend Asylum Seekers - Protest at Communications House, London
Peter Marshall | 09.01.2008 11:11 | Anti-racism | Migration | London
Outside Communications House
The Public Entrace to Communications House
Informing Passers-by about Communications House
People stop and sign the petition
So it’s a matter of some regret that I have to announce that neither Canterbury or Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor have yet put in an appearance at the regular monthly protests outside Communications House, just around the corner from Old Street in London, held on the first Tuesday of every month from 1-2pm (perhaps if they have their diaries handy, they, like you, might make a note of it.)
Communications House is one of the centres to which asylum seekers have to make their regular reports, knowing when they enter that these may be their last steps as free persons on British soil, and they may emerge in the back of a van on their way to a detention centre, awaiting a flight back to possible imprisonment and torture in their country of origin.
Some of those who took leaflets and stopped to talk to the demonstrators were themselves refugees. But few of the others who walked past (except the workers from Communications House) were aware of what was going on in this rather anonymous building, and some were clearly appalled when told.
These regular protests are organised by London Fight Racism!, Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) but others are welcome to come and to use the open mike. Announcements of them are posted on Indymedia by London FRFI.
A few more pictures on MyLondonDiary, http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2008/01/jan.htm#asylum
Peter Marshall
e-mail:
petermarshall@cix.co.uk
Homepage:
http://mylondondiary.co.uk