Antiracists head to Calais to tell Cameron – Don’t Let Refugees Freeze!

Stand Up to Racism’s Calais Winter Appeal of 12-13 December is taking place at a key political moment. Thousands of refugees across Europe could freeze this winter in border camps because of the inadequate response of governments such as our own.

Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism organiser says; “European governments are preparing to invest 3 billion euros into Turkey in order to further fortify Europe’s borders. This is no solution to the refugee crisis and does not address the plight of people currently living in appalling conditions in camps such as the so called “Jungle” in Calais.”

The Stand Up to Racism delegation to Calais is made up of trade unionists, politicians, faith groups, refugee charities and students. Local SUTR groups have raised thousands of pounds for refugees in Calais through workplace and community collections, gigs and a comedy fundraiser with comedians Mark Steel, Nish Kumar, Andy Zaltzman and Chris Coltrane.

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism organiser says; “we wanted to use this delegation to Calais to tell Cameron – do not let refugees freeze this winter. But the worrying first round victory of the Front National in France is a wakeup call. Marine Le Pen won 40.5% of the vote in the Calais region by capitalising on the refugee crisis. It is more important than ever that we challenge the narrative of the far-right around Muslims and refugees. They are not a “swarm” or problem we welcome them here in Europe.”

Stand Up to Racism are calling on antiracists from across Europe to unite in urgently campaigning for European governments to provide adequate humanitarian assistance for refugees in the EU and to commit to building co-ordinated demonstrations on 19 March 2016 to mark UN Anti-Racism Day.