Hundreds gather in London to protest UK's migration policy

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - A large crowd gathered Monday in London to protest the British government's illegal migration bill and Rwanda deportation plan.

Protesters gathered at Parliament Square in a demonstration organized by Stand Up To Racism and supported by many other groups including Care4Calais and Amnesty International as well as the UK's Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union.

Protesters chanted slogans defending the rights of refugees and immigrants, carrying banners that said: "Stop the bill, care for refugees," "Migrants and refugees welcome here," "No human is illegal, oppose the illegal migration bill," and “Safe passage, not Rwanda flights."

During the event, they accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government of the "scapegoating of refugees."

Speaking at the protest, Weyman Bennett, co-convener of Stand Up To Racism, said they are standing for "the voiceless."

He said that like Ukrainian refugees, every other refugee that seeks asylum in the UK should also be welcomed.

"No human being is illegal," said Bennett, calling on the government to shift to a "policy of looking after the most vulnerable" from a "policy of hostility."

Introduced early this month, the government's "Illegal Migration Bill," is aimed at removing migrants entering the country on small boats. The plan includes detaining the majority of those arriving on small boats for the first 28 days without bail or judicial review.

Last year, the British government announced a new and controversial relocation plan that would see asylum seekers attempting to enter the UK being sent to Rwanda for resettlement.

More than 44,000 migrants arrived in the UK across the English Channel last year.